Device and method for processing a cover, assembly for a vehicle roof, and vehicle roof for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A device for machining a cover for a motor vehicle may have a lower mold having a sealing element and a first recess and a second recess a distance from the first recess. The sealing element is arranged in part in the first recess of the lower mold so that the element extends with respect to a surface of the lower mold. The sealing element and the second recess of the lower mold are formed so as to define a cavity in a predefined manner in cooperation with a lower face of the cover. The device further may have a counter bearing which is designed, when forming the cavity on the lower face of the cover, to exert a counter force on an upper face of the cover towards the lower mold.

Claims

1. A device for machining a cover for a motor vehicle, comprising: a lower mold having a sealing element and a first recess and a second recess which is at a distance from the first recess, wherein the sealing element is arranged in part in the first recess of the lower mold and extends with respect to a surface of the lower mold, and wherein the sealing element and the second recess of the lower mold are formed so as to define a cavity in a predefined manner in cooperation with a lower face of the cover, and a counter bearing which is designed, when forming the cavity on the lower face of the cover, to exert a counter force on an upper face of the cover towards the lower mold so that by means of the lower mold and the counter bearing, on the lower face of the cover, foam can be formed at a distance from an edge of the cover so that the edge of the cover remains free from foam cladding, wherein the sealing element is in the form of a shadow joint seal, which extends out of the first recess of the lower mold and kinks or bends off in a predefined manner when the cover is in contact therewith.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the lower mold has an additional sealing element and an additional, third recess which is formed, with respect to the first recess, on an opposite side to the second recess at a distance from the second recess, wherein the additional sealing element is arranged in part in the third recess of the lower mold and extends with respect to a surface of the lower mold, and wherein the additional sealing element and the second recess of the lower mold are formed so as to define a cavity in a predefined manner in cooperation with the lower face of the cover.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the additional sealing element is in the form of a string gasket.

Description

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the schematic drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle roof of a motor vehicle,

(3) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a device for machining a cover for a motor vehicle,

(4) FIG. 3 shows another exemplary embodiment of the device for machining a cover for a motor vehicle,

(5) FIG. 4A-4B show different exemplary embodiments of an assembly for a vehicle roof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) Elements having the same design or function are labeled with the same reference signs in all the drawings.

(7) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a motor vehicle 1, comprising a vehicle roof 3, which has a cover 5 having an upper face 51, a lower face 52 and a peripheral edge 53. The cover 5 forms for example a fixed glass element which is stationary relative to the vehicle roof 3. Alternatively, the cover 5 is designed to be movable relative to the vehicle roof 3 to selectively open and close a roof opening in the vehicle roof 3.

(8) As explained with reference to the following drawings, FIGS. 2 to 4B, the cover 5 forms an assembly for the vehicle roof 3 which can be formed in a time-saving and cost-effective manner by means of a specific molding tool.

(9) In one schematic, sectional view, FIG. 2 illustrates a step of a production method for machining the cover 5 and for forming an assembly for the vehicle roof. By means of a device 10, a simple and cost-effective design of the vehicle roof 3 can be implemented.

(10) The device 10 forms the molding tool for machining the cover 5 and comprises a lower mold 20, which has a sealing element 22 and a first recess and a second recess which is at a distance from the first recess. The sealing element 22 is arranged in part in the first recess of the lower mold 20 so that said element extends with respect to a surface of the lower mold 20. The sealing element 22 and the second recess of the lower mold 20 are designed to form and define in a predefined manner a cavity in cooperation with the lower face 52 of the cover 5.

(11) The device 10 additionally comprises a counter bearing 26 which is designed, when forming the cavity on the lower face 52 of the cover 5, to exert a counter force on the upper face 51 of the cover 5 towards the lower mold 20 so that by means of the lower mold 20 and the counter bearing 26, on the lower face 52 of the cover 5, foam 7 can be formed at a distance from the edge 53 of the cover 5 so that the edge 53 of the cover 5 remains free from foam cladding.

(12) When machining the cover 5 to attach the foam 7, the edge 53 of the cover 5 is not included in a foaming process. Corresponding secondary machining of a foamed cover edge is omitted. The device 10 forms a clear mold concept without requiring a complex shaping upper mold. The counter bearing 26 forms a simple component of the device 10 in order, when machining the cover 5, to form a system having one or more contact points on the upper face 52 of the cover 5 and provide a counter force against the cover 5 and the lower mold 20 being pressed on. In this simple manner, by means of the lower mold 20, the foam 7 can be formed in one or more predefined positions on the lower face 52 of the cover 5 at a distance from the edge 53 so that said edge remains free from foam cladding.

(13) As a result of the fact that the edge 53 of the cover 5 is formed so as to be free from foam cladding, labor-intensive secondary machining of such an edge foam cladding and the removal of protruding surface structures are omitted, and time-saving and cost-reducing machining of the cover 5 and a cost-effective construction of the vehicle roof 3 are facilitated.

(14) The foam 7 which can be formed by means of the device 10 can be formed on the lower face 52 of the cover 5 in such a way that an outer edge of the foam 7 ends on the lower face 52 of the cover 5. The region of the cover lower face 52 between the edge 53 and the foam 7 to be formed can advantageously be used to insert the sealing element 22 of the lower mold 20 in a targeted manner to form and seal the cavity between the cover 5 and the lower mold 20 to allow the cavity to be filled in a reliable manner and the foam 7 to be formed with an attractive end result. The foam 7 formed does not require labor-intensive secondary machining, as part of which for example some of the foam 7 would be removed.

(15) In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the foam 7 couples a functional element 9 to the lower face 52 of the cover 5. A functional element 9 of this type can be in the form of a reinforcing plate, an interface for fastening the cover 5 to a body of the motor vehicle 1 and/or in the form of a screen for coating and covering. Alternatively or additionally, the functional element 9 can form a guiding rail to allow controlled guidance of the cover 5 and/or a shading element of a shading device.

(16) FIG. 3 shows another exemplary embodiment of the device 10 for machining the cover 5, in which it is illustrated that the counter bearing 26 and the lower mold 20 extend as far as the edge 53 of the cover 5. Depending on the application, the counter bearing 26 and the lower mold 20 can be designed in such a way that they come into contact as part of the machining of the cover 5. In this manner, a stable and reliable foaming process can be facilitated.

(17) The cover 5 extends as a panel-shaped workpiece within an essential main extension plane which is oriented in the x-y plane with respect to the coordinate system which is marked. By comparison therewith, a thickness of the cover 5 is designed to be much smaller. The lower face 52, the upper face 51 and the edge 53 of the cover as well as similar terminology such as top, bottom, front and rear, in the context of this description, relate to conventional position and directional information with respect to an operational state of the motor vehicle 1, which has the machined cover 5 in the vehicle roof 3. The upper face 51 of the cover 5 is formed opposite the lower face 52 of the cover 5 and, in the state illustrated in FIG. 1, facing away from the vehicle interior. The edge 53 surrounds or defines the cover 5 laterally and within the roof opening, facing the vehicle roof 3.

(18) The sealing element 22 of the lower mold 20 is preferably in the form of a shadow joint seal which allows the foam 7 to be formed on the cover lower face 52 in a particularly reliable and neat manner. In a non-contacting state, the shadow joint seal or the sealing element 22 extends upwards out of the first recess of the lower mold 20. When the cover lower face 52 and the lower mold 20 are abutting or in contact, the sealing element 22 kinks or bends off in a predefined manner and defines the cavity on an outer region with respect to a center of the cover.

(19) The device 10 or the lower mold 20 further has an additional sealing element 24 which, with respect to the shaping second recess, is arranged opposite the sealing element 22 in an additional third recess of the lower mold 20. The additional sealing element 24 is for example in the form of a string gasket and forms an inner sealing boundary for the cavity. By means of the device 10, a time-saving and simple attachment of the foam 7 and machining of the cover 5 for the motor vehicle 1 can be achieved, which further contribute to a time-saving and cost-effective construction of an assembly for the vehicle roof 3 and of the vehicle roof 3 for the motor vehicle 1.

(20) For example, the lower mold 20 is in the form of a self-contained frame, and therefore the outer sealing element 22 forms an outer sealing ring, and the inner sealing element 24 forms an inner sealing ring with respect to a center of the cover. In this manner, a self-contained foam 7 can be shaped, which forms an inner foam frame on the lower face 52 of the cover 5 at a distance from the foam-cladding-free edge 53 of the cover 5 (see FIG. 4A). Alternatively or additionally, the foam 7 can comprise a plurality of foam elements which are separate from one another, which are formed on the lower face 52 of the cover 5 so that said cover remains free from foam cladding (see FIG. 4B).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(21) 1 motor vehicle 3 vehicle roof 5 cover 51 upper face of the cover 52 lower face of the cover 53 edge of the cover 7 foam 9 functional element 10 device 20 lower mold 22 sealing element of the lower mold 24 additional sealing element of the lower mold 26 counter bearing