METHOD AND DEVICE FOR APPLYING A FLEXIBLE SEAL TO THE PERIPHERY OF A COMPONENT

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method and device for applying a flexible seal to a periphery of a component, in particular a door of a motor vehicle. The seal is transported to an application site on the component at a variable speed and connected to the component migrating along the periphery of the component. The length of the seal is measured along the migrating application site and the length of the seal applied to the component is determined via this length measurement. The device includes an application head which transports the seal to the application site and connects it to a component at the application site. A measuring device is arranged in the region of the application head, via which the length of the applied seal is determined.

Claims

1. A method for applying a flexible seal to a periphery of a component, in particular a door of a motor vehicle, the method comprising: transporting the seal to an application site on the component at a variable speed; and connecting the seal to the component at the application site migrating along the periphery of the component, wherein a length of the seal is measured along the migrating application site and the length of the seal applied to the component is determined via the length measurement.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a determined length of the seal is compared with a predefined length of the seal to detect stresses in the seal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predefined length of the seal is defined by an entire peripheral length of the component.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predefined length of the seal is defined by portions of a peripheral length of the component.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the determined length of the seal exceeds a predefined limit value based on the predefined length of the seal, the component is checked by an operator or the component is rejected.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is divided into segments based on a shape of the component, and a length of the individual seal segments are determined.

7. A device configured to apply a flexible seal according to the method of claim 1, the device comprising: an application head to transport and connect the seal to the application site; and a measuring device proximate the application head to measure the length of the applied seal.

8. A device for applying a flexible seal to a periphery of a component, in particular a door of a motor vehicle, the device comprising: an application head operable to transport the seal and connect the seal to an application site migrating along the periphery of the component, wherein the seal is transported to the application site at a variable speed; and a measuring device disposed proximate the application head and measures the length of the applied seal.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the measuring device comprises a rotatable measuring roller oriented axially transversely to a transport direction of the seal and presses against the seal with a predefined pressure so that the measuring roller rotates when the seal is transported.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the measuring device comprises a pneumatic cylinder that presses the rotatable measuring roller against the seal with a constant pressure.

11. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a periphery of the rotatable measuring roller creates a form-fit connection with the seal.

12. The device as claimed in one of claims 9, wherein the measuring device comprises an analysis device that determines the length of the applied seal from the rotation of the measuring roller.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the analysis device determines at least one of an extension or compression of the applied seal from the determined length.

14. An application head for applying a flexible seal to a periphery of a component, the application head comprising: a transportion device that transports the flexible seal to an application site migrating along the periphery of the component at a variable transportation speed; a connection device to connect the flexible seal to the periphery of the component; and a measuring device disposed upstream of the transportion device and determines the length of the applied flexible seal.

15. The application head as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transport device includes at least one pair of conveyor rollers driven at variable speeds.

16. The application head as claimed in claim 14, wherein the connection device is a press roller.

17. The application head as claimed in claim 14, wherein the flexible seal is a one-piece sealing strip that is continuously fed into the transportation device.

18. The application head as claimed in claim 14, wherein the periphery of the component is divided into segments and each segments determines the transportation speed of the flexible seal to that respective segment.

19. The application head as claimed in claim 18, wherein the measuring device determines the length of applied flexible seal to each segment.

20. The application head as claimed in claim 18, wherein a change in transportation speed of the flexible seal occurs at segment boundaries or at points between segment boundaries.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0029] In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a depiction of a device for applying a seal to a door in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a detail view of an application head with a measuring device according to the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows front view of a measuring device according to the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a front view of a door according to the present disclosure; and

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a measuring device according to the present disclosure.

[0035] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for applying a seal 2 to a door 3 of a motor vehicle. The device 1 comprises a load carrier 4 which is a roll with a seal 2 wound thereon. The seal 2 is unwound from the load carrier 4 and guided through a storage unit 5, wherein a profile check 6 is carried out in the storage unit 5.

[0038] After the profile check 6, the seal 2 is supplied to an application head 7, wherein the application head 7 transports the seal 2 to the application site A at variable speed and there connects it to the door 3. The speed is dependent on the configuration of the respective application site A.

[0039] The application site A is the point on the periphery of the door 3 at which the seal 2 is attached. The door 3 is removed from a door hanger 9 via a robot arm 8 and transported to the region of the application site A. After reaching the application site A, the robot turns the door along the application head 7, whereby the application site A migrates along the periphery. The periphery of the door 3 includes not only of straight sections which connect the corners together, but the peripheral contour has various curved sections and also rounded transitions which alternate with straight sections. In order to be able to follow this contour adequately, in another form it is provided that the seal 2 is transported with variable speed. Because of this, the periphery of the component, i.e. the exemplary door 3, is divided into segments to which the seal 2 is transported with a respective speed, as will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the application head 7. The seal 2 is supplied to the application head 7 at its lower end. A transport device 21 is situated in the application head, and includes two pairs of conveyor rollers which can be driven variably. The conveyor rollers transport the seal to a presser roller 22 which presses the seal 2 to the periphery of the component, i.e. the door 3, at the application site and connects it to the component, i.e. the door 3. Upstream of the transport device 21, a measuring device 23 is arranged which determines the length of the applied seal 2 before the seal 2 is attached to the door 3. A detailed depiction of the measuring device 23 can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows that along its periphery, the door 3 is for example divided into nine segments 3.1 to 3.9 to which the seal 2, i.e. the sealing strip, is transported with different transport speeds to the respective segment 3.1 to 3.9. The division into segments with the specific length and specific boundary points is purely exemplary and should not be restrictive. Naturally, the division may be different in other door configurations. The respective segment 3.1 to 3.9 has a specific length. The sum of the individual lengths gives the desired length of the seal 2. The transport speed of the seal 2 initially has a specific amount which is taken as 100%. In the individual segments 3.1 to 3.9, the transport speed has a higher, equal or a lower amount. The component, i.e. the door 3, is moved according to the rotation direction which is indicated purely as an example. The seal 2 is transported with a speed of 96% in the segment 3.1. In the adjacent segment 3.2, the transport speed of the seal 2 has an amount of 104%. In the adjacent segment 3.3, the transport speed of the seal 2 has an amount of 100%. In the adjacent segment 3.4, the transport speed of the seal 2 has an amount of 95%. In the adjacent segment 3.5, the transport speed of the seal 2 has an amount of 100%. In the adjacent segment 3.6, the transport speed of the seal 2 has an amount of 103%. In the adjacent segment 3.7, the transport speed of the seal 2 has an amount of 97%. In the adjacent segment 3.8, the transport speed of the seal 2 has an amount of 96%. In the adjacent segment 3.9, the transport speed of the seal 2 has an amount of 97%. The acceleration or deceleration of the seal 2 to the respective speed amount in the respective segment may take place in steps at the segment boundaries, i.e. directly. It is also possible for the speed amount to increase or decrease at switch points arranged in the respective segment. However, a step-like speed adaptation at the segment boundaries is possible. The regions encircled in FIG. 3 are particular expansion/compression regions of the applied seal.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional front view of the measuring device 23. The measuring device includes a measuring roller 31 which is arranged axially transversely below the seal 2, so that it lies against the seal 2. The measuring roller 31 is pressed against the seal 2 with a constant pressure by a pneumatic cylinder (not shown). To inhibit the flexible seal 2 from deflecting upwards under the pressure of the measuring roller, a counter-pressure roller 32 is arranged above the seal 2.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional front view of the measuring device 23. This depiction shows that the measuring roller 31 is connected to an encoder 33 which is used to determine the length. Furthermore, a knurling is provided on the periphery of the measuring roller 31 which allows a firm engagement of the measuring roller 31 in the seal 2, and thus provides that the measuring roller 31 rotates according to the transport speed of the seal 2.

[0044] The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.