Combination nozzle and device for applying a viscous material to a component edge

Abstract

A combination nozzle and a device for applying a viscous material, particularly an adhesive, to a component edge includes two wide-slot nozzles lying close to one another. The first nozzle applies the viscous material and the second nozzle supplies a gas such as air for shaping the applied material bead. A nozzle mount has a guide roller placed on and movable about the edge of the component during application. A connector element via a connecting mechanism allows movement of the nozzle mount parallel to the surface normal on the component edge to press the guide roller against the edge during the application process by a spring mechanism. With the proposed combination nozzle and the proposed device, an optimal wetting of the component edge with the viscous material can be achieved, and additionally the component tolerances are compensated without the necessity of an elaborate sensor system.

Claims

1. A combination nozzle for applying a viscous material to a surface, comprising: a first nozzle channel for the viscous material, which nozzle channel leads to a first nozzle aperture, and a second nozzle channel for a gaseous medium, which nozzle channel leads to a second nozzle aperture, characterised in that the two nozzle channels extend at an angle to each other, which angle is between 0 and 10, and the two nozzle apertures have a width of between 3 and 6 mm that is greater than their length, and are arranged in the longitudinal direction one behind the other at a centre distance of between 3 and 5 mm.

2. The combination nozzle according to claim 1, characterised in that the length of the nozzle apertures is 2 mm.

3. The combination nozzle according to claim 1, characterised in that the second nozzle aperture is arranged so as to be offset rearwards in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first nozzle channel by a distance of 41 mm relative to the first nozzle aperture.

4. A device for applying a viscous material to an edge of a component, along which edge the device is moved in an infeed direction during an application process, comprising: a nozzle for the viscous material in or on a nozzle mount, wherein the nozzle is a combination nozzle comprising: a first nozzle channel for the viscous material, which nozzle channel leads to a first nozzle aperture, and a second nozzle channel for a gaseous medium, which nozzle channel leads to a second nozzle aperture, characterised in that the two nozzle channels extend at an angle to each other, which angle is between 0 and 10, and the two nozzle apertures have a width of between 3 and 6 mm that is greater than their length, and are arranged in the longitudinal direction one behind the other at a centre distance of between 3 and 5 mm, a guide roller affixed to the nozzle or the nozzle mount in such a manner that for applying the viscous material it is placed to the edge and moved along the edge to ensure a defined position of the nozzle relative to the edge, a connector element connects the device to a handling device, a handle or a cartridge, and a connecting mechanism by way of which the nozzle mount is connected to the connector element, wherein the connecting mechanism is designed in such a manner that at least in a first direction parallel to a surface normal on the edge it allows a relative movement of the nozzle mount relative to the connector element, and has a spring mechanism by means of which the guide roller is pressed against the edge during the application process.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterised in that the connecting mechanism is an angle lever.

6. The device according to claim 5, characterised in that a sensor for acquiring movements of the angle lever is arranged to be connected to a control system of a handling device in order to transmit data for possible track correction to said control system.

7. The device according to claim 4, characterised in that the connecting mechanism is designed in such a manner that it also allows a relative movement of the nozzle mount relative to the connector element in a second direction perpendicular to the infeed direction and across the first direction.

8. The device according to claim 4, characterised in that the connecting mechanism is a parallelogram guide.

9. The device according to claim 4, characterised in that the guide roller is arranged so as to be behind the nozzle in the infeed direction and is designed in such a manner that when the device is moved in the infeed direction it forms the viscous material applied through the nozzle.

10. The combination nozzle according to claim 1, wherein said centre distance between said first nozzle channel and said second nozzle channel and said angle therebetween results in the viscous material being first applied to the surface and the gaseous material being later applied to the viscous material as the surface is moved relative to the combination nozzle.

11. The combination nozzle according to claim 10, wherein said second nozzle channel follows at a short fixed, non-intersecting distance from said first nozzle channel as the surface is moved relative to the nozzle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The proposed combination nozzle and the proposed applicator are explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. The following are shown:

(2) FIGS. 1a)-d) show various views of one embodiment of the proposed combination nozzle;

(3) FIGS. 2a)-e) show various views of a first embodiment of the proposed applicator;

(4) FIGS. 3a)-d) show various views of a second embodiment of the proposed applicator;

(5) FIGS. 4a)-e) show various views of a third embodiment of the proposed applicator, and

(6) FIG. 5 shows examples of different embodiments of the guide roller of the proposed applicator.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(7) An example of an advantageous embodiment of the proposed combination nozzle is shown in FIG. 1 in various views. FIG. 1a shows an isometric view of the combination nozzle, in which on the connector side the aperture of the nozzle channel 2 for the supply of the viscous material and the aperture of the nozzle channel 4 for the supply of air are shown. The nozzle tapers towards the nozzle tip, as is shown in FIG. 1a.

(8) FIG. 1b shows a top view of this nozzle from the connector side, in which view the rear apertures to the nozzle channels 2, 4 are also shown. In this example the diameter D of the nozzle at the widest point is 18 mm; the length L is 25 mm.

(9) FIG. 1c shows a section view along the section line AA of FIG. 1b. This section view shows the alignment of the two nozzle channels 2, 4 which lead to the nozzle aperture 1 for the viscous material and to the nozzle aperture 3 for the air outlet. In this example the nozzle channel 4 for the air stream is inclined by an angle of 4 relative to the nozzle channel 2 for the viscous material. This inclination is necessary in the present example in order to arrange the nozzle aperture 3 for the air outlet at an optimally short distance behind the nozzle aperture 1 for the viscous material. In the present example this distance is 4 mm (designated as centre distance in FIGS. 1c and 1d).

(10) FIG. 1d shows a bottom view of the nozzle, in which the two nozzle apertures 1, 3 are shown which are designed as wide-slot nozzles. In this example the nozzle apertures have a width of 4 mm and a length of 1 mm designated as width and length respectively in FIG. 1d, wherein the longitudinal direction corresponds to the distance direction of the two nozzles or to the infeed direction 5 of the nozzle during the application of the viscous material. In FIGS. 1c and 1d the infeed direction 5 is indicated by an arrow.

(11) The section view of FIG. 1c also shows the height offset d of the air outlet aperture 3 relative to the nozzle aperture 1 for the viscous material. In the present example this offset d is 4 mm; it is required to make it possible to achieve optimal forming, on the component edge, of the viscous material applied by way of the nozzle aperture 1. The presently selected dimensions make it possible to apply a highly viscous material, for example an epoxy adhesive with a viscosity of 100 Pa.Math.s, which after application by way of the nozzle aperture 3 of the air nozzle is formed into a flat shape that in cross section is almost lenticular. Because of this effect, wetting of the component edge during the application of the viscous material is clearly improved. Due to the short distance between the two nozzle apertures 1, 3 the nozzle can be used advantageously even on tight component breakthroughs or in the region of tight component radii.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a first example of a device or of an applicator according to the present invention. In this example the applicator comprises an angle lever 8 whose front part at the same time provides the holding device for the nozzle 10, and whose rear part is rigidly connected, by way of a robot flange 6 as a connector element, to a robot. The angle lever 8 makes it possible to achieve movement of the front cantilever arm with the nozzle 10 in the direction parallel to the surface normal onto the component edge, wherein said angle lever 8 has a spring 7 that presses the nozzle mount or nozzle with the guide roller 9 against the component edge. FIG. 2a shows an isometric view of such an applicator, with both the angle lever 8 and the robot flange 6 being shown. By way of a laser sensor 11, whose laser beam 12 is indicated diagrammatically, the movement of the angle lever 8 is measured. Such a movement occurs during the application of the viscous material in those cases where the component edge is subject to tolerances and thus does not correspond to the programmed track. By means of measuring the movement of the angle lever it is then possible to acquire the deviation and to correspondingly correct the robot path.

(13) FIG. 2b shows a lateral view of this applicator, wherein again the robot flange 6, the angle lever 8 and the laser sensor 11 are shown. At the front part of the angle lever 8 in this example the guide roller 9 is indicated. Moreover, in the figure the direction of movement 13 of the angle lever 8 is indicated by an arrow. The front part of this angle lever 8 is also shown in the detailed view B of FIG. 2e. In this embodiment, and also in the further embodiments, the guide roller 9 has a central taper with flanks arising on both sides, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2e. In this manner centring of the nozzle 10, which in the infeed direction is arranged behind the guide roller 9, relative to the component edge is achieved. In FIG. 2e only a supply part of the nozzle 10 is shown, which part in a rear region leads into a material hose for supplying the viscous material.

(14) FIG. 2c shows a top view of the applicator, wherein on the one hand again the supply part of the nozzle, and on the other hand also a spring 7 are shown, by means of which spring 7 the guide roller 9 is pressed against the component edge. FIG. 2d in turn shows the front part of the angle lever in detail. This diagram more clearly shows the position of the nozzle 10 behind the guide roller 9.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a further example of a possible design of the proposed applicator. In this example the applicator makes it possible for the nozzle mount or for the nozzle head 15 to move both in the direction parallel to the surface normal towards the component edge and also in the direction perpendicular to the infeed direction and this surface normal. FIG. 3a shows an isometric view of this applicator. The applicator has a nozzle head 15 to which the guide roller 9 has been affixed. This nozzle head also comprises the nozzle (not shown in this diagram). By way of a spring 18 and a sliding block guide 16 the nozzle head 15 is connected to a mounting plate 17 via which the applicator can be affixed to a handling device. In the lateral view of FIG. 3b the mounting plate 17, the spring 18 and the nozzle head 15 are shown again. This diagram also shows the material hose 19 by way of which the viscous material is fed to the nozzle head 15.

(16) FIG. 3c shows a front view of this applicator in which the two directions of movement of the nozzle head 15 with the guide roller 9, the direction of movement 13 in the direction parallel to the surface normal towards the component edge, and the direction of movement 14 in the direction perpendicular to the infeed direction and perpendicular to the surface normal are shown. By way of the sliding block guide 16 the direction of movement 14 perpendicular to the surface normal becomes possible. The figure shows the springs 20 by way of which the parallel displacement, which is possible with the sliding block, is in each case re-set to a centre position. The spring 18 is used to press the guide roller 9 onto the component edge. FIG. 3d shows a bottom view that shows the position of the nozzle 10 relative to the guide roller 9.

(17) With the use of such an applicator, during the application of the viscous material any component tolerances of the component edge are compensated for by the applicator itself, both in the direction parallel to the surface normal and in the direction perpendicular to the aforesaid, by way of the corresponding possibilities of movement, and consequently there is no need to use an expensive sensor system for track correction of the handling device.

(18) A further embodiment option of the proposed applicator is shown in FIG. 4 in various views. This embodiment shows a manual applicator for edge sealing on tight radii and breakthroughs in components. In this design the applicator is directly connected to a pneumatic cartridge applicator gun 21 as is shown in the isometric view of FIG. 4a. The applicator itself has a corresponding connector element 22 that, by way of a parallelogram guide 23, is connected to the nozzle mount 24, in the present example also referred to as an applicator head. FIG. 4b shows a lateral view, and FIG. 4c a top view of the applicator connected to the cartridge applicator gun 21. FIG. 24d shows the partial view A from FIG. 4b. This Figure shows the parallelogram guide 23, the nozzle mount 24, and part of the nozzle 10 of the applicator. On the front part a guide roller 9 for guiding the nozzle along the component edge is attached. The parallelogram guide again makes it possible for the nozzle to move in the direction of movement 13, indicated by an arrow, parallel to the surface normal to the component edge. In this design the guide roller 9 is reached by way of the spring action of a spring used in the parallelogram guide 23. The nozzle 10 is connected to the cartridge applicator gun 21 by way of a material hose 19.

(19) For the application of the viscous material the applicator is placed against the component edge by its guide roller 9, and the start button 25 of the cartridge applicator gun 21 is pressed. Consequently, the viscous material emanates from the nozzle while the user at the same time moves the applicator with the guide roller along the component edge. Due to the very considerable adjustment options in the direction parallel to the surface normal on the component edge because of the parallelogram guide, based on the spring action the applicator readily compensates for any movement inaccuracies of the user so that a constant distance between the nozzle and the component edge is ensured at all times. Lastly, FIG. 4e shows the detail B from FIG. 4c, in which detail B the arrangement of the nozzle 10 directly behind the guide roller 9 is shown.

(20) In the proposed applicator the cross-sectional shape of the guide roller can have various geometries. Particularly when the guide roller is arranged so as to be behind the nozzle in the infeed direction, with a clever selection of the geometry or the roll shape in combination with the infeed speed above the component and the volume flow of the viscous material, the bead geometry can in a targeted manner be matched to the specifications by the guide roller. Merely by way of examples, FIG. 5 shows just some possible roller shapes. The ratios of width to diameter of the individual segments, shown in the figure, of the guide roller 9, which guide roller 9 can, for example, have a width of 8 mm, and on both sides a diameter of 6 mm, can of course vary, depending on the particular application.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(21) 1 Nozzle aperture for viscous material 2 Nozzle channel for viscous material 3 Nozzle aperture for air outlet 4 Nozzle channel for air supply 5 Infeed direction 6 Robot flange 7 Spring 8 Angle lever 9 Guide roller 10 Nozzle 11 Laser sensor 12 Laser beam 13 Direction of movement parallel to the surface normal 14 Direction of movement perpendicular to the surface normal and the infeed direction Nozzle head 16 Sliding block guide 17 Mounting plate 18 Spring 19 Material hose. 20 Spring 21 Cartridge applicator gun 22 Connector element 23 Parallelogram guide 24 Applicator head 25 Start button