Pressing device for connecting a roof panel to side elements of vehicles

Abstract

A pressing device for pressing a first component, such as a roof panel, onto an additional component, such as one or more a vehicle side bodywork components or vehicle side bodywork supports. A hose is arranged in a housing and is filled with a fluid to selectively press the first component onto the additional component to facilitate a laser brazing operation by closing a gap between the first component and the additional component. A T-shaped pressure element is arranged in the housing and is moved relative to the housing by controlling the pressure of the fluid supplied to the hose.

Claims

1. A pressing device for pressing a first component onto an additional component comprising: a housing; a gripper integrally provided in the housing; a force element disposed in the housing; and a pressure element partially disposed in the housing including a pressure web movable relative to the housing by the force element for pressing the first component onto the additional component.

2. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the pressure element is T-shaped with an upper web arranged perpendicularly to the pressure web.

3. The pressing device of claim 2, wherein the upper web of the pressure element is wider than the pressure web and protrudes beyond the pressure web to form abutment portions that cooperate with a counter-abutment portions of the housing that limit movement of the pressure element.

4. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the pressure element extends along a connection line of the first component to the additional component.

5. The pressing device of claim 1 wherein the pressure element is resiliently flexible to be bendable in a longitudinal direction.

6. The pressing device of claim 1 wherein a vertical extent of the pressure web can be provided in a range of vertical extents.

7. The pressing device of claim 1 wherein the force element is a pressure hose that can be filled with a liquid or gaseous medium.

8. The pressing device of claim 1 wherein the housing has a polygonal cross-section defining a receiving region and an opening, wherein the receiving region is wider than the opening.

9. The pressing device of claim 8 wherein the polygonal cross-section of the housing is quadrilateral in shape.

10. The pressing device of claim 8 wherein the opening is defined by flanges that limit movement of the pressure element.

11. A clamping apparatus for assembling a panel to side bodywork of a vehicle comprising: a housing; suction cups assembled to the housing for holding the panel while the panel is assembled to the side bodywork; a receiving region defined by the housing; a pressure applicator having an upper portion in the housing and an extendable portion extending through an opening defined by the housing; and a hose disposed in the housing that is filled with a fluid, wherein the hose presses the upper portion to extend the extendable portion from the opening.

12. The clamping apparatus of claim 11 wherein the receiving region includes a pair of flanges that extend toward each other to define the opening in the housing.

13. The clamping apparatus of claim 11 wherein the fluid is drawn from the hose to permit the extendable portion to withdraw into the opening.

14. A vehicle assembly apparatus comprising: a support for a side bodywork component; a clamp for pressing a roof on the side bodywork component; suction cups assembled to the clamp for holding the roof while the roof is assembled to the side bodywork component; a receiver defined by the clamp; a pressure applicator having an upper portion in the receiver and an extendable portion extending through an opening defined by the receiver; and a hose filled with a fluid presses on the upper portion to extend the extendable portion from the opening.

15. The vehicle assembly apparatus of claim 14 wherein the receiver includes a pair of flanges that extend toward each other to define the opening in the clamp that limit the movement of the extendable portion of the pressure applicator.

16. The vehicle assembly apparatus of claim 14 wherein the fluid is drawn from the hose to permit the extendable portion to withdraw into the opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a roof element placed on a vehicle side component with the pressing device;

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 1 with a gap illustrated between the roof element and vehicle side component,

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 2 with a gap shown in FIG. 2 between the roof element and the vehicle side component being closed, and

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of two different pressure elements having pressure webs of different heights.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the drawings. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts.

(6) In the different Figures, identical components are always given the same reference numerals, for which reason they are generally also described only once.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a pressing device 1 for pressing a first component 2 onto an additional component 3. The first component 2 is, for example, a roof panel 2 of a motor vehicle. The additional component 3 is, for example, a vehicle side bodywork component 3. The pressing device 1 has a force element 6 received in a housing 4. In addition to the force element 6, a pressure element 7 is arranged in the housing 4 which can be moved relative to the housing 4.

(8) The housing 4 is formed integrally with a gripper device 8. The gripper device 8 has suction elements 9 which draw in the roof panel 2 so that the roof panel 2 can be transported by means of the gripper device 8 and can be placed on the vehicle side component 3 or on the support thereof.

(9) Referring to FIG. 4, the pressure element 7 is constructed to be T-shaped with an upper web 11 orientated in a horizontal manner in the drawing plane and a pressure web 12 arranged perpendicularly thereto. The pressure web 12 is narrower than the upper web 11 so that the upper web 11 protrudes beyond the pressure web 12 when viewed in cross-section at both sides of the pressure web 12 with abutment portions 13. The pressure element 7 is flexibly resilient and can be longitudinally bent.

(10) The housing 4 has a receiving region 14 and an opening 16. The receiving region 14 is adapted to receive the upper web 11 and the opening 16 is adapted to receive the pressure web 12. Flanges 17 are provided in the region of the opening 16 which form a counter-abutment for the abutment portions 13. The abutment portions 13 and the counter-abutment flanges 17 limit the movement of the pressure element 7.

(11) The force element 6 is, for example, a pressure hose which is flexible can be expanded. The force element 6 is arranged in the housing 4 above the upper web 11 of the pressure element 7.

(12) As shown in FIG. 3, pressure is applied to the force element 6, for example, by being pumped up with water. The water expands the hose and presses the pressure web 12 of the pressure element 7 out of the housing 4.

(13) The pressing device 1 closes local gaps 18 or at least reduces the gap dimension to a maximum possible gap dimension.

(14) As shown in FIG. 1, the roof panel 2 is placed in abutment with the vehicle side component 3 in an almost gap-free manner.

(15) Referring to FIG. 2, a gap 18 is present which has a value greater than the maximum possible gap dimension. The force element 6 is in the rest state and a abutment portions is arranged with the upper web 11 spaced apart from the flange-like 13 within the housing 4. The gripper device 8 is positioned on the roof panel 2.

(16) To close or at least reduce the gap 18, the force element 6 is acted on with pressure to expand the hose cover. The force element 6 acts on the pressure element 7 with an individually adjustable force. In the embodiment including a pressure hose, an identical force acts along the force element 6. The resulting force may be able to be locally adjusted along the force element. For example, the force element 6 may have specific local regions that generate a specific required force. Such a force element could be a locally controllable actuator. The adjustable force may be provided, for example, based upon the gap dimension. The pressure element 7 is pressed out of the housing 4 and the roof panel 2 is pressed in the direction of the vehicle side component 3 to close the gap as shown in FIG. 3. The gripper device 8 is slightly lifted from the roof panel 2 in the region of the acting pressing device 1.

(17) The pressing device 1 is arranged to extend along both sides of the planned connection of the roof panel 2 with respect to the vehicle side component 3. The pressure element 7 is resiliently flexible or bendable to contact the panel where localized gaps are provided. In the regions where there is no gap, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the roof element 2 is not pressed down, despite the force element 6 acting on the pressure element 7. In contrast, the pressure element 7 is deformed in the gap region and is bent and moved downwardly to press the roof panel 2 down.

(18) The roof element 2 may be soldered or welded to the vehicle side component 3 when all the local gaps 18 are closed.

(19) FIG. 4 illustrates two different pressure elements 7 that differ in the height of their pressure webs 12. A maximum movement value 19 with respect to the different pressure elements 7 is different. If the maximum movement value 19 is achieved, the upper web 11 is in abutment with the abutment portions 13 of the counter-abutment of the housing 4 against the flanges 17. Different pressure elements 7 can be readily replaced. To replace the pressure elements the upper piece 11 is introduced into the laterally open housing 4 and pulled into the housing 4 in abutment with the flange-like continuations 17. The continuations 17 may a dual function, on the one hand, the flanges 17 limit movement and, on the other hand, the flanges may function as an auxiliary draw-in member for the pressure element 7.

(20) The embodiments described above are specific examples that do not describe all possible forms of the disclosure. The features of the illustrated embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation. The scope of the following claims is broader than the specifically disclosed embodiments and includes modifications of the illustrated embodiments.