VIBRATION WELDING SYSTEM, VIBRATION WELDING METHOD AND METHOD OF UPGRADING

Abstract

The invention relates to a vibration welding system (10) for vibration welding two parts (50, 60) together, in particular two plastic parts (50, 60). The system (10) comprises a machine frame, a lower tooling (12) to which at least a lower part (50) is nestable, as well as an upper tooling (13) which is arranged to be brought into contact with an upper surface (65) of an upper part (60) and to vibrate with respect to the machine frame in a vibration direction (X) in order to at least partially weld a lower surface (61) of the upper part (60) to an upper surface (51) of the lower part (50). The lower tooling (12) is pivotably arranged with respect to the machine frame about a pivot axis (P). The invention further relates to a vibration welding method for vibration welding two parts (50, 60) together and to a method of upgrading an existing vibration welding system to a vibration welding system (10) according to the invention.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A vibration welding system (10) for vibration welding two parts (50, 60) together, in particular two plastic parts (50, 60), the system (10) comprising a machine frame, a lower tooling (12) to which at least a lower part (50) is nestable, an upper tooling (13) which is arranged to be brought into contact with an upper surface (65) of an upper part (60) and to vibrate with respect to the machine frame in a vibration direction (X) in order to at least partially weld a lower surface (61) of the upper part (60) to an upper surface (51) of the lower part (50), wherein the lower tooling (12) is pivotably arranged with respect to the machine frame about a pivot axis (P).

19. The system (10) according to claim 18, wherein the vibration direction (X) is arranged substantially horizontally.

20. The system (10) according to claim 18, wherein the pivot axis (P) is arranged substantially perpendicularly to the vibration direction (X).

21. The system (10) according to claim 18, wherein the pivot axis (P) of the lower tooling (12) is arranged substantially vertically.

22. The system (10) according to claim 18, wherein the lower tooling (12) is pivotable by means of an electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical drive.

23. The system (10) according to claim 18, wherein the lower tooling (12) is slidably arranged with respect to the machine frame in a joining direction (Y) in order to bring the upper surface (65) of the upper part (60) into contact with the upper tooling (13).

24. The system (10) according to claim 23, wherein the joining direction (Y) is arranged substantially parallel to the pivot axis (P).

25. The system (10) according to claim 23, wherein the joining direction (Y) is arranged substantially vertically.

26. The system (10) according to claim 18, wherein the lower tooling (12) is slidably arranged with respect to the machine frame in a plane which is substantially perpendicular h respect to the pivot axis (P), in particular substantially horizontal.

27. The system (10) according to claim 26, further comprising a platform (14) and a turntable (15) which is pivotable with respect to a platform (14) about the pivot axis (P), wherein the lower tooling (12) is fixed or fixable to the turntable and wherein the platform (14) is slidably arranged with respect td the machine frame in said plane.

28. The system (10) according to claim 18, further comprising a vibration generator for generating the vibration of the upper tooling (13), wherein the vibration generator is configured to generate vibrations having a frequency in the range from 50 Hz to 300 Hz.

29. The system (10) according to claim 18, further comprising a vibration generator for generating the vibration of the upper tooling (13), wherein the vibration generator is configured to generate vibrations having an amplitude in the range from 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

30. A vibration welding method for vibration welding two parts (50, 60) together, in particular two plastic parts (50, 60), in particular by using a system (10) according to claim 18, the method comprising the steps: a) providing a lower tooling (12) in a loading orientation (L), b) nesting at least a lower part (50) to the lower tooling (12), c) pivoting the lower tooling (12) about a pivot axis (P) from the loading orientation (L) to a welding orientation (W), d) contacting an upper surface (51) of the lower part (50) with a lower surface (61) of an upper part (60) and contacting an upper surface (65) of the upper part (60) with the upper tooling (13), e) vibrating the upper tooling (13) in a vibration direction (X), thereby welding the upper surface (51) of the lower part (50) to the lower surface (61) of the upper part (60), f) bringing the upper surface (65) of the upper part (60) out of contact with the upper tooling (13), and g) optionally: pivoting the lower tooling (12) about the pivot axis (P), in particular from the welding orientation (W) to the loading orientation (L).

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the frequency of the vibration lies in the range from 50 Hz to 300 Hz.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the amplitude of the vibration lies in the range from 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

33. The method according to claim 30, wherein the parts (50, 60) are automotive parts (50, 60).

34. A method of upgrading an existing vibration welding system to a vibration welding system (10) according to claim 18, the existing vibration welding system comprising a machine frame, a lower tooling (12) to which at least a lower part (50) is nestable, an upper tooling (13) which is arranged to be brought into contact with an upper surface (65) of an upper part (60) and to vibrate with respect to the machine frame in a vibration direction (X) in order to at least partially weld a lower surface (61) of the upper part (60) to an upper surface (51) of the lower part (50), wherein the method comprises the step of providing a lower tooling (12) which is pivotably arranged with respect to the machine frame about a pivot axis (P).

Description

[0035] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention as shown In the accompanying drawings will now be explained in detail. In the drawings,

[0036] FIG. 1a: shows a vibration welding system according to the invention with a lower tooling in a loading orientation in a front view;

[0037] FIG. 1b: shows the system with the lower tooling in the loading orientation in a side view;

[0038] FIG. 2a: shows the system with the lower tooling in a welding orientation in a front view;

[0039] FIG. 2b: shows the system with the lower tooling in the welding orientation in a side view;

[0040] FIG. 3a: shows the system with the lower tooling in a welding orientation and position in a front view;

[0041] FIG. 3b: shows the system with the lower tooling in the welding orientation and position in a side view.

[0042] The figures show a vibration welding system 10 according to the invention, which can be applied for vibration welding two parts 50, 60 together. In this particular example, the lower part 50 is an automotive instrument panel and the upper part 60 is an airbag shroud. However, the invention is certainly not limited to these particular parts.

[0043] The system 10 comprises a machine frame (which is not shown in the drawings), a lower tooling 12 and an upper tooling 13. The lower tooling 12 is pivotably arranged with respect to the machine frame about a vertical pivot axis P. For this purpose, the system 10 comprises a platform 14 and a turntable 15 which is pivotable with respect to a platform about the pivot axis P. The turntable 15 and thus the lower tooling 12 are pivotable with respect to the platform 14 by means of a hydraulic drive.

[0044] The upper tooling 13 is arranged to be brought into contact with an upper surface 65 of the airbag shroud 60. It can vibrate with respect to the machine frame in a horizontal vibration direction X in order to at least partially weld a lower surface 61 of the airbag shroud 60 to an upper surface 51 of the instrument panel 50, as will also be explained in further detail below.

[0045] The lower tooling 12 is also slidably arranged with respect to the machine frame in a vertical joining direction Y. In this way, the upper surface 65 of the airbag shroud 60 can be brought into contact with the upper tooling 13. Moreover, the lower tooling 12 is slidably arranged with respect to the machine frame in a horizontal plane, i. e. in a plane which is perpendicular with respect to the pivot axis P. This slidability is achieved through the platform 14, which is slidable in these directions. As slidable platforms 14 in vibration welding system as such (however without a turntable 15) are known in the art, a detailed description of the construction in this respect can be dispensed with.

[0046] The system 10 further comprises a vibration generator for generating the vibration of the upper cooling 13 at a frequency in the range from 50 Hz to 300 Hz and at an amplitude in the range from 0.5 mm to 5 mm. These parameters are suitable for vibration welding. The vibration generator as such may be constructed as known in the art and may comprise a vibrating platen, springs, electromagnets and a bridge. The springs may be mounted to one side of the vibrating platen which also includes the magnets of the electromagnetic system. The upper tooling 13 may be mounted on a lower side of the vibration platen.

[0047] In a first step a) of the vibration welding method according to the invention, the lower tooling 12 is provided in a loading orientation L. In a subsequent step b), the instrument panel 50 is nested to the lower tooling 12, for example by clamping. The upper surface 65 of the airbag shroud 60 is attached to the upper tooling 13, for example by suction. Thus, the situation shown in FIGS. 1a 1b is obtained.

[0048] When the instrument panel 50 has been nested to the lower tooling 12, the lower tooling 12 is pivoted by 90 about the pivot axis P in a step c). The welding orientation W thus obtained is shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b. Of course, it Is also possible to perform a pivoting about any other angle than 90. Before and/or during and/or after pivoting, the lower tooling 12 may be slid in the horizontal plane for positioning the lower tooling 12 with respect to the upper tooling 13.

[0049] Subsequently, in a step d), the lower tooling 12 is lifted together with the instrument panel 50 attached thereto towards the upper tooling 13 and the airbag shroud 60 attached thereto, so that the upper surface 55 of the instrument panel 50 is brought into contact with the lower surface 61 of the airbag shroud 60.

[0050] In this position, which is shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, the vibration generator causes the upper tooling 13 to vibrate in the vibration direction X in a step e). This causes a welding of the upper surface 51 of the instrument panel 50 to the lower surface 61 of the airbag shroud 60.

[0051] Afterwards, in a step f), the lower tooling 12 together with the instrument panel 50 and the airbag shroud 60 are lowered again so that the upper surface 65 of the airbag shroud is brought out of contact with the upper tooling 13.

[0052] Subsequently, in a step g), the lower tooling 12 is pivoted again about the pivot axis P from the welding orientation to the loading orientation L. The parts 50, 60 welded together may then be removed from the system 10.

[0053] As can be seen from this exemplary embodiment, the present invention allows loading the parts to be welded in a loading orientation and then welding them in a welding orientation which is different from the loading orientation. This significantly enhances the flexibility of the system in terms of possible vibration directions (in the reference frame of the parts to be welded), reduces that required machine space and also greatly facilitates the loading and unloading process.