EXHAUST GAS SYSTEM CLAMPING DEVICE, JOINING DEVICE FOR AN EXHAUST GAS SYSTEM, CLAMPING METHOD AND ALSO JOINING METHOD

Abstract

An exhaust gas system clamping device for clamping at least two components of an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle has at least one positioning unit and at least one holding unit. The two components of the exhaust gas system can be transferred by the positioning unit into a predetermined position and can be secured by the holding unit in the predetermined position, the holding unit being a vacuum system having at least one vacuum suction cup.

Claims

1. An exhaust gas system clamping device for clamping at least two components of an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, in particular for clamping components of an exhaust gas system that are to be joined, said exhaust gas system clamping device having: at least one positioning unit and at least one holding unit, wherein at least two components of an exhaust gas system can be transferred by the positioning unit into a predetermined position and can be secured by the holding unit in the predetermined position, and wherein the holding unit comprises a vacuum system having at least one vacuum suction cup.

2. The exhaust gas system clamping device of claim 1 wherein the at least two components that are to be clamped are tube-shaped and the positioning unit and the holding unit are configured to position or to hold the tube-shaped components.

3. The exhaust gas system clamping device of claim 1 wherein the at least one vacuum suction cup comprises at least two vacuum suction cups and the vacuum suction cups are coupled to a common vacuum supply line.

4. The exhaust gas clamping system of claim 1, comprising a control unit configured to actuate the holding device in an automated manner, in particular wherein it is also possible to actuate the positioning unit with the control unit.

5. The exhaust gas clamping system of claim 4 wherein the control unit comprises a monitoring unit configured to monitor at least one actual state of the holding unit, in particular wherein the monitoring unit comprises a signal output unit that is activated in the event of a deviation of the actual state from a desired state of the holding unit.

6. A joining device for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle comprising: an exhaust gas system clamping device configured to clamp at least two components of an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, said exhaust gas system clamping device having at least one positioning unit and at least one holding unit, wherein the at least two components of the exhaust gas system can be transferred by the positioning unit into a predetermined position and can be secured by the holding unit in the predetermined position, the holding unit being a vacuum system having at least one vacuum suction cup; and a joining unit configured to join at least two components of the exhaust gas system.

7. The joining device of claim 6 wherein the joining unit is a welding unit or a soldering unit.

8. The joining device of claim 6 wherein the joining unit is an induction soldering unit or a magnetic pulse welding unit.

9. The joining device of claim 6 wherein the joining unit is coupled to a monitoring unit of the exhaust gas system clamping device and the joining unit is deactivated in the event of a desired state of the holding unit deviating from an actual state of the holding unit and/or a desired state of the positioning unit deviating from an actual state of the positioning unit.

10. A method for clamping at least two components of an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, said method having the following steps: a) Positioning the at least two components in an exhaust gas system clamping device in that at least one end of at least one of the two components is arranged on a positioning unit, and subsequently b) Fixing the at least two components by using a vacuum system having at least one vacuum suction cup.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a check is performed after step b) for checking whether the two components are fixed and/or positioned in a predetermined manner.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said method proceeds in an at least part-automated manner.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said method proceeds in a fully-automated manner.

14. The method for joining at least two components of an exhaust gas system of a motor vehicle, said method having the following steps: a) Positioning the at least two components in an exhaust gas system clamping device in that at least one end of at least one of the two components is arranged on a positioning unit, subsequently b) Fixing the at least two components by using a vacuum system having at least one vacuum suction cup, and subsequently c) Connecting the at least two components that are to be joined by welding or soldering.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein step c) is only performed if step a) and/or step b) has been checked or have been checked and if the two components have been positioned and/or fixed in a predetermined manner.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said method proceeds in an at least part-automated manner.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said method proceeds in a fully-automated manner.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein step c) includes connecting the at least two components that are to be joined by induction soldering or magnetic pulse welding.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0032] The invention is further explained hereinunder with reference to an exemplary embodiment that is illustrated in the attached drawings. In the figures:

[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a joining device in accordance with the invention having an exhaust gas system clamping device in accordance with the invention in which an exemplary exhaust gas system is arranged.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates an exhaust gas system 10 of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, said exhaust gas system comprising multiple components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 that are to be joined.

[0035] The components 12a-12f are straight or curved tube sections.

[0036] The component 14 is embodied as a particulate filter and the component 16 is embodied as a catalytic converter.

[0037] The component 18 is an end silencer.

[0038] The construction of the exhaust gas system 10 is to be understood as exemplary and is therefore used merely for the purposes of illustration.

[0039] The exhaust gas system 10 is arranged in an exhaust gas system clamping device 20 that is an integral part of a joining device 22 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0040] Moreover, the joining device 22 comprises a joining unit 24 for joining the components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 of the exhaust gas system 10. The joining unit 24 is illustrated as two stylized inductors 26a, 26b of an induction soldering unit 28.

[0041] The exhaust gas system clamping device 20 is configured to clamp at least two components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 of the exhaust gas system 10, wherein said exhaust gas clamping device is configured in particular to position and hold tube-shaped components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18.

[0042] The exhaust gas system clamping device 20 further comprises a positioning unit 30 that is symbolized as including positioning stops 32a-32e. The positioning stops 32a-32e are only illustrated schematically.

[0043] The components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 of the exhaust gas system 10 can be transferred by the positioning unit 30 into a predetermined position.

[0044] Furthermore, the exhaust gas system clamping device 20 comprises a holding unit 34 that is a vacuum system 36 having vacuum suction cups 38a-38h. The vacuum system 36 and the vacuum suction cups 38a-38h are only illustrated schematically.

[0045] The components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 of the exhaust gas system 10 can be transferred by the vacuum system 36 into a predetermined position.

[0046] The vacuum suction cups 38a-38h are coupled to a common vacuum supply line 40.

[0047] Furthermore, the vacuum supply line 40 is connected to the vacuum pump 42.

[0048] Furthermore, the exhaust gas system clamping device 20 comprises a control unit 44 that makes it possible to actuate the holding device 34 and also the positioning unit 30 in an automated manner.

[0049] The control unit 44 comprises a monitoring unit 46 that makes it possible to monitor actual states of the holding unit 34 and also actual states of the positioning unit 30.

[0050] In one example, the holding unit 34 comprises corresponding sensors, for example pressure sensors and flow sensors, which are not illustrated in detail.

[0051] In one example, the positioning unit 30 comprises position sensors in the form of proximity switches that are not further illustrated.

[0052] The monitoring unit 46 can output signals via a signal outputting unit 48 that is illustrated as a schematic loudspeaker but can be any type of signal outputting unit.

[0053] In the event of a deviation of the actual state from a desired state of the holding unit 34 and/or the positioning unit 30 the signal outputting unit 48 is activated and therefore outputs a tone in the illustrated example.

[0054] The joining unit 24 is likewise coupled to the monitoring unit 46 of the exhaust gas system clamping device 20.

[0055] The joining unit 24 is always deactivated in the event of a desired state of the holding unit 34 or the positioning unit 30 deviating from an associated actual state.

[0056] The following procedure is performed in order to clamp the components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 of the exhaust gas system 10. Initially, the components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 are positioned by the positioning unit 30 in the exhaust gas system clamping device 20 in that at least one end of at least one of the components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 is arranged on the positioning unit 30.

[0057] The components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 are subsequently fixed by the vacuum system 36 having the vacuum suction cups 38a-38h.

[0058] A check is subsequently performed by the monitoring unit 46 as to whether the two components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 are fixed and/or positioned in a predetermined manner.

[0059] This proceeds in a fully automated manner.

[0060] If the components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 of the exhaust gas system 10 are to be joined, the components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 are connected in a subsequent step by welding or soldering. In one example, the induction soldering unit 28 is used for this purpose.

[0061] However, the components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 are only joined after the components 12a-12f, 14, 16, 18 have been positioned and/or fixed in a predetermined manner.

[0062] The method for joining the components also proceeds in a fully automated manner.