DEVICE AND METHOD FOR BONDING AT LEAST ONE MATERIAL SEGMENT TO A STEERING DEVICE

Abstract

It is provided a device for bonding at least one material segment to a steering device. The device comprises at least two form fitting segments, wherein at least one of the form fitting segments is movably mounted relative to the at least one other form fitting segment, wherein the form fitting segments are configured in such a way that they can at least sectionally enclose the steering device, in particular the steering wheel rim of the steering device; a receptacle for receiving the steering device; a drive mechanism for moving the at least one movably mounted form fitting segment towards the steering device.

Claims

1. A device for bonding at least one material segment to a steering device comprising at least two form fitting segments, wherein at least one of the form fitting segments is movably mounted relative to the at least one other form fitting segment, wherein the form fitting segments are configured in such a way that they can at least sectionally enclose the steering device, in particular the steering wheel rim of the steering device; a receptacle for receiving the steering device; a drive mechanism for moving the at least one movably mounted form fitting segment towards the steering device; wherein the at least two form fitting segments are laterally movable towards the steering device or away from the same; and at least one fixing element which is configured to fix the at least one material segment at certain points on the steering device before joining the form fitting segments.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two form fitting segments can be joined to form a form fitting for the steering device.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the form fitting segments are at least partly curved.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the form fitting segments are configured in such a way that they can jointly enclose at least 50%, at least 65% or 90% of the circumference of the radial cross-section of the steering wheel rim, the form fitting segments can be exchanged, and the form fitting segments are made of a silicone-coated steel or a silicone-coated aluminum.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a housing that surrounds an interior space.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is disposed in the interior space of the housing and includes a free space for receiving a steering device.

9. (canceled)

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle includes a holding device for receiving a steering device.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes at least one pressure generating unit for applying a pressure to at least one of the form fitting segments.

14. (canceled)

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes at least one heatable form fitting segment and at least one heating unit that communicates with the at least one heatable form fitting segment.

16. (canceled)

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises at least one motorized, hydraulic and/or pneumatic drive or that the drive mechanism includes at least one pneumatic cylinder that is operatively connected to at least one form fitting segment.

18. (canceled)

19. A method for bonding at least one material segment to a steering device by using a device according to claim 1, comprising the following method steps: i) contacting at least one portion of the steering device with at least one material segment, wherein either the at least one material segment on the side facing the steering device and/or the steering device on the side facing the material segment includes at least one bonding agent, or a bonding agent is applied onto the side of the at least one material segment facing the steering device and/or onto the side of the steering device facing the material segment; and subsequently ii) joining the form fitting segments of the device via the drive mechanism in such a way that the form fitting segments at least sectionally enclose the steering device and that the at least one material segment arranged between the steering device and the form fitting segments is urged against the steering device, wherein the at least two form fitting segments are laterally movable towards the steering device or away from the same; and wherein before joining the form fitting segments the at least one material segment is fixed at certain points on the steering device by at least one fixing element.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein simultaneously with step ii) the at least one portion of the steering device is heated by at least one heated form fitting segment.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the at least one portion of the steering device is heated in a temperature range of 21 to 200? C., in particular 75? C. to 125? C. or 50? C. to 95? C.

22. (canceled)

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the form fitting segments exert a negative pressure, in particular of 0.001 mbar to 1 bar, onto the steering device.

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein before joining the form fitting segments the at least one material segment is aligned with the steering device and fixed at at least one point on the steering device by the at least one fixing element.

28. The method according to claim 19, wherein between the method steps i) and ii) sewing of the at least one material segment to itself is effected.

29. The method according to claim 19, wherein after the method step ii) sewing of the at least one material segment to itself is effected.

30. The method according to claim 19, wherein after the method step i) the material segment is arranged on the steering device, subsequently the material segment is sewn to itself in such a way that it at least approximately completely encloses the steering device as seen in the radial cross-section, and then the method step ii) is carried out.

31. The method according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the that least one material segment comprises leather or artificial leather or consists of the same, and the at least one material segment comprises a functional element, in particular a heating mat, a sensor mat or a soft mat, or is such an element.

32. (canceled)

33. The method according to claim 19, wherein applying the bonding agent onto the side of the at least one material segment facing the steering device and/or onto the side of the steering device facing the material segment is effected by a machine, in particular by spraying.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0086] The solution will be explained in detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the Figures.

[0087] FIG. 1A shows a view of a component group of a bonding device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0088] FIG. 1B shows a view of another component group of the bonding device comprising a pressure generating unit.

[0089] FIG. 2 shows a detail view of a section of the assembly of FIG. 1A.

[0090] FIG. 3 shows an exploded drawing of the steering device comprising form fitting segments.

[0091] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of various methods for bonding at least one material segment to a steering device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0092] The component groups of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B together form a device 1 for bonding (bonding device) at least one material segment, in particular leather or a functional mat, to a steering device (not shown), in particular to a steering wheel rim of the steering device. The bonding device 1 includes an interior space 7 and a receptacle 5 disposed therein for receiving the steering device. The receptacle can have a circular shape that corresponds to a form fitting die of the steering wheel to be inserted. The bonding device 1 comprises a plurality of form fitting segments 4 which are movably mounted relative to each other. The form fitting segments 4 are configured in such a way that they can at least sectionally enclose the steering device, in particular the steering wheel rim of the steering device. The plurality of form fitting segments 4 can comprise e.g. an upper form fitting segment 42, a lower form fitting segment 43 and a plurality of lateral form fitting segments 41. The upper form fitting segment 42 can be adapted to be incorporated, e.g. lowered or folded, into the free space 12 for the steering device 3. In addition, the bonding device 1 has a drive mechanism for moving the movably mounted form fitting segments 4 towards the steering device 3 (or the interior space 7 and/or the free space 12).

[0093] The form fitting segments can be arranged on a form fitting segment carrier 44. The component group of the bonding device in FIG. 1B includes a housing 6 and a pressure generating unit 10 in whose space 13 the component group of FIG. 1A can be incorporated. The pressure generating unit 10 can be actuated for example via a control unit 14 in order to move the form fitting segment carriers 44 in the direction of the steering device 3 or of the free space 12 or of the receptacle 5 for receiving the steering device 3. The cylinders 11 can be guide cylinders or pneumatic cylinders.

[0094] The form fitting segment carriers 44 can be pivoted or lowered and lifted, respectively, so that e.g. an upper form fitting segment 41 is moved towards the steering device 1. In case the form fitting segment carriers 44 are of pivotable design, the guide cylinders can be constructed of two guide parts, for example, which in operation can get in contact with each other or can engage into each other, for example to not fall below a specified distance between the form fitting segment carriers 44. For example, it would also be conceivable that the form fitting segment carriers 44 are interconnected with pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders that can be compressed by applying a pressure, whereby the upper form fitting segment 42 can be moved into the free space 12 for the steering device and urges against the steering device.

[0095] FIG. 2 shows a view of another embodiment of the bonding device with (at least) one fixing element. The steering device can be incorporated into the free space 12 provided for the same within the receptacle 5 of the bonding device and be arranged on a holding device 8. The (at least one) fixing element 9 can fix the at least one material segment 2 on the steering wheel rim 31 of the steering device 3 by at least partly (in particular positively) enclosing the steering wheel rim 31 or by fixing the at least one material segment 2 on the steering wheel rim 31 or the spokes of the steering device at certain points. The bonding device 1 comprises four lateral form fitting segments 41 which are movably mounted relative to each other and can be moved towards the steering device 3 via a drive mechanism. The form fitting segments at least sectionally enclose the steering device 3 so that the at least one material segment 2 arranged between the steering device 3 and the form fitting segments 4 is urged against the steering device 3. The form fitting segments 4 and the (at least one) fixing element 9 can be joined to form a form fitting die for the steering device 3, wherein the form fitting segments 4 include cutouts for the (at least one) fixing element 9.

[0096] FIG. 3 shows an exploded drawing of the steering device 3 with a plurality of form fitting segments 4 that can be joined to form a form fitting die for the steering device 3. The form fitting segments 4 for example can positively and/or friction-locked enclose the at least one material segment 2 applied onto the steering wheel rim 31 of the steering device. The plurality of form fitting segments 4 in particular can comprise four lateral, curved form fitting segments 41 (adapted to the curvature of the steering wheel rim), an upper form fitting segment 42 and a lower form fitting segment 43. The form fitting segments 4 have a curvature on the side directed towards the steering device. The lateral form fitting segments 41 on the one hand are concavely curved towards the outer regions of the steering wheel rim in order to be able to enclose the outer regions of the steering wheel rim 31, and on the other hand are curved corresponding to the cross-section of the steering wheel rim extending around the steering wheel hub. The upper form fitting segment 42 and the lower form fitting segment 43, respectively, are convexly curved in order to be able to enclose the inner regions of the steering wheel rim 31.

[0097] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of various embodiments of a method for bonding at least one material segment, in particular a leather segment, to a steering device, in particular the steering wheel rim of the steering device. The methods comprise the following steps: [0098] a) contacting a leather segment with a steering wheel rim of a steering device; [0099] b) applying a bonding agent onto the side of the leather segment that faces the steering wheel rim and/or onto the side of the steering wheel that faces the leather segment; [0100] d) incorporating the steering device into the bonding device, [0101] c) sewing the leather segment to itself; [0102] e) joining at least two form fitting segments via a drive mechanism in such a way that the form fitting segments at least sectionally enclose the steering wheel rim of the steering device and that the at least one leather segment arranged between the steering wheel rim of the steering device and the form fitting segments is urged against the steering device.

[0103] One embodiment contains the above-mentioned method steps in the following order a, b, c, d, e, whereas another embodiment contains the above-mentioned method steps in the following order a, b, d, e, c. Yet another embodiment contains the above-mentioned method steps in the following order b, a, d, e, c.

[0104] By comparison, there is shown a typical method of the prior art in which the leather covering is manually applied onto the steering wheel, the adhesive is manually applied onto the leather segment by using a brush, the leather is manually bent over and fixed on the steering device by using a pair of pliers and subsequently is manually sewn around the steering wheel.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0105] 1 device [0106] 2 material segment [0107] 3 steering device [0108] 31 steering wheel rim [0109] 4 form fitting segment [0110] 41 lateral form fitting segment [0111] 42 upper form fitting segment [0112] 43 lower form fitting segment [0113] 44 form fitting segment carrier [0114] 5 receptacle [0115] 6 housing [0116] 7 interior space [0117] 8 holding device [0118] 9 fixing element [0119] 10 pressure generating unit [0120] 11 cylinder [0121] 12 free space [0122] 13 space [0123] 14 control unit [0124] R radial cross-section