Abstract
A connection system for connecting a semifinished product to a positioning member for at least positioning the semifinished product on at least one positioning means of a processing system for processing the semifinished product. The connection system has at least one joining device for joining the semifinished product to the positioning member and at least one placing means placing the positioning member on the connection system.
Claims
1. A connection system for connecting a semifinished product to a positioning member for at least positioning the semifinished product on at least one positioning means of a processing system for processing the semifinished product, wherein the connection system has at least one joining device for joining the semifinished product to the positioning member and at least one placing means placing the positioning member on the connection system.
2. The connection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the placing means has a geometrical shape which at least in portions interacts with a geometrical shape of a disposing element of the positioning member.
3. The connection system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the placing means is a placing pin or a placing plug which, in order to at least retain the semifinished product, extends from a retaining means of the connection system.
4. The connection system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connection system has an alignment means for aligning the semifinished product in a manner relative to the placing means.
5. The connection system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the connection system is a sewing system, in particular a two-dimensional portal sewing system.
6. The connection system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the joining device has a joining element, wherein the joining device is in particular a sewing head, and the joining element is a needle element.
7. A method for preparing a semifinished product which by means of a connection system for connecting the semifinished product to a positioning member is disposable in at least a processing system for processing a semifinished product, the method comprising the acts of: disposing the positioning member on a placing means of the connection system, in order to position the positioning on the connection system; disposing the semifinished product on a retaining means of the connection system, wherein an overlap region of the semifinished product at least in portions is overlapped by the positioning member; and connecting the semifinished product to the positioning member by means of a joining device of the connection system.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a disposing element of the positioning member is made to interact with the placing means.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the semifinished product by means of an alignment means of the connection system is positioned on the retaining means in a manner relative to the placing means.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein in order for the method to be carried out a given connection system is used, the given connection system connecting a semifinished product to a positioning member for at least positioning the semifinished product on at least one positioning means of a processing system for processing the semifinished product, wherein the connection system has at least one joining device for joining the semifinished product to the positioning member and at least one placing means placing the positioning member on the connection system.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 is a side view of a sectional illustration of a semifinished product retained by means of a transportation system;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a side view of a sectional illustration of a semifinished product which is disposed in a processing system;
[0028] FIG. 3a is a plan view of a semifinished product prepared with positioning members;
[0029] FIG. 3b is a plan view of another semifinished product prepared with positioning members;
[0030] FIG. 3c is a plan view of another semifinished product prepared with positioning members;
[0031] FIG. 3d is a plan view of another semifinished product prepared with positioning members; and
[0032] FIG. 4 is a side view of a sectional illustration of a connection system.
[0033] Elements having identical functions and operation modes are in each case provided with identical reference signs in FIGS. 1 to 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] A side view of a sectional illustration of a processing system 1 and of a transportation system 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The processing system 1 may be an impregnation system or an injection system, respectively, or else a consolidation system, for example. The processing system 1 has a bearing element 4 from which positioning means 2.1 and 2.2, respectively, extend in the vertical direction V toward the transportation system 20. It is conceivable for the positioning means 2.1 and 2.2 to have engagement regions 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, so as to facilitate disposal of the receptacle means 22.1 and 22.2 of the transportation system 20. It is furthermore conceivable for the processing system 1 to have depressions 5.1 and 5.2, respectively, which are incorporated in the bearing element 4, so as to receive portions or regions of the semifinished product 10, respectively. The semifinished product 10 is disposed on the transportation system 20, and has bores 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, through which at least portions of the receptacle means 22.1 and 22.2, respectively, of the transportation system 20 extend. The transportation system 20 moreover has a carrier element 21 which locks the receptacle means 22.1 and 22.2, respectively, which extend from the carrier element 21 perpendicularly in the vertical direction V in the direction of the processing system 1. It is furthermore possible for the transportation system 20 to have locking means 23.1 and 23.2 which at least in portions engage below the semifinished product, serving for retaining or locking, respectively, the semifinished product 10 at least during transportation of the semifinished product 10 from a first processing system to a further processing system, for example. The receptacle means 22.1 and 22.2 moreover may have clearances 24.1 and 24.2 which are geometrically configured in such a manner that the engagement regions 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, of the positioning means 2.1 and 2.2, respectively, may at least in portions be engaged in said clearances 24.1 and 24.2. This is advantageous in particular when transferring of the semifinished product 10 from the transportation system 20 to the processing system 1 is to be enabled. A respective transfer of the semifinished product 10 is illustrated in particular in FIG. 2.
[0035] As is shown in FIG. 2, the semifinished product 10 is already disposed in the processing system 1 such that the positioning means 2.1 and 2.2, at least in portions extend through those bores 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, of the semifinished product 10 through which the receptacle means 22.1 and 22.2, respectively, of the transportation system 20 have previously extended. In order to consequently enable advantageous transportation of the semifinished product 10 by means of the transportation system 20 which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and advantageous disposing of the semifinished product 10 in a correspondingly configured processing system 1 as is configured in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is necessary for the semifinished product 10 to have respective disposing elements such as, for example, bores 10.1 and 10.2 which may interact with the positioning means 2.1 and 2.2, respectively, and/or with receptacle means 22.1 and 22.2.
[0036] Semifinished products 10 prepared with positioning members are shown in FIGS. 3a to 3d. A semifinished product 10 which is prepared with positioning members 30 is shown inter alia in FIG. 3a in a plan view, which has a component region 11 and an overlap region 14, wherein the overlap region 14 advantageously extends outwardly from the component region 11, away from the component region 11. The overlap region 14 advantageously serves for connecting the at least one positioning member 30, and, as is shown in FIG. 3a, for advantageously connecting four positioning members 30 to the semifinished product 10. The positioning members 30 advantageously have disposing elements 13 which, as is shown in FIG. 3a, may be configured in the form of a bore. The positioning members 30 are disposed on the overlap region 14 of the semifinished product 10, or connected to the semifinished product 10, respectively, by means of a respective connection means 15 such as, for example, a thread element.
[0037] As is shown in FIGS. 3b to 3d, it is also conceivable for fewer than four positioning members 30, rather in particular only one or else two positioning members 30, such as shown in FIG. 3b, to be able to be disposed on the semifinished product 10 and to be releasably or non-releasably connected thereto. Moreover, it is also conceivable for the geometrical shape of the positioning members to be dissimilar. In this way, the positioning members 30, such as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 3c and 3d, for example, have an oval or round shape, respectively, while the positioning members of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, respectively, have an angular shape. It is furthermore conceivable for the positioning members 30, apart from the disposing elements 13 which are configured as bores or through bores, respectively, to have disposing elements 13 which are also configured in the form of protrusions such as those illustrated in FIG. 3d, so that respective gripping elements or clamping elements, respectively, of the connection system 40 (cf. FIG. 4) and/or of the processing system 1 (cf. FIG. 1 or 2) and/or of the transportation system 20 (cf. FIG. 1 or 2) may engage on these disposing elements 13. It is furthermore conceivable for rivet elements or screw elements, respectively, to be able to be used as connection means, as is shown in FIG. 3b, instead of a thread element as a connection means 15 as shown in FIG. 3a. As is elucidated in FIG. 3d, it is also conceivable for the positioning members 30 to be connected to the semifinished product 10, in particular to the overlap regions 14 of the semifinished product 10, by employing an adhesive means (not visible here).
[0038] A side view of a sectional illustration of an embodiment of a connection system 40 is shown in FIG. 4. The connection system 40 has a joining device 41 having a joining element 42 disposed thereon, wherein the joining device 41 per se may be a sewing head, and the joining element 42 may be a needle element, for example. It is consequently conceivable for the connection system 40 to be a sewing system, in particular a two-dimensional portal sewing system. Furthermore, the connection system 40 has a retaining means 43 from which placing means 44.1 and 44.2 advantageously extend perpendicularly upward in the vertical direction V and consequently in the direction of the joining device. The placing means 44.1 and 44.2 advantageously have introduction regions 45.1 and 45.2, respectively, so as to facilitate the disposal of receptacle means 22.1 and 22.2, respectively, of a transportation system 20, for example, as is shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore, in FIG. 4 a connection means 50 is shown which in the case of a sewing system being present as the connection system 40 may be a thread element, so as to connect a semifinished product 10 to at least one positioning member 30, and as is shown in FIG. 4, to connect at least two positioning members 30.1 and 30.2. The retaining means 43 moreover has an alignment means 46 which, as is shown in FIG. 4, may be configured in the form of a recess or a clearance, respectively. Part of the semifinished product 10, or a portion thereof, respectively, is introducible in particular into this alignment means 46 so as to align or dispose, respectively, the semifinished product 10 in relation in particular to the placing means 44.1 and 44.2, such that the semifinished product 10 is consequently also aligned in relation to positioning members 30 which are disposed by way of the placing means 44.1 and 44.2.
TABLE-US-00001 List of reference signs 1 Processing system 2.1, 2.2 Positioning means 3.1, 3.2 Engagement region of the positioning means 4 Bearing element 5.1, 5.2 Depression of the bearing element 10 Semifinished product 10.1, 10.2 Bore of the semifinished product 11 Component region 13 Disposing element 14 Overlap region 15 Connection means 20 Transportation system 21 Carrier element 22.1, 22.2 Receptacle means 23.1, 23.2 Locking means 24.1, 24.2 Clearance of the receptacle means 30 30.1, 30.2 Positioning member 40 Connection system 41 Joining device 42 Joining element 43 Retaining means 44.1, 44.2 Placing means 45.1, 45.2 Introduction region of the placing means 46 Alignment means 50 Connection means V Vertical direction
[0039] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the embodiments of the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the embodiments of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the embodiments of the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
