METHOD OF PAINTING A VEHICLE BRAKE COMPONENT USING A SEALING PLUG

Abstract

A system and method for painting a component (3) of a vehicle brake (1) includes a sealing plug (7) inserted into a recess (5), the recess extending in the direction of a longitudinal axis (L) and which has an inner face (9) which is intended to be kept free from paint. The method include providing the component (3) and introducing a sealing plug (7) into the recess (5) of the component. The sealing plug (7) has at least one sealing face (11a-11h) and the sealing face (11a-11h) is disposed inside the recess (5). The sealing face is moved into sealing abutment with the inner face (9) in a radial direction. The method includes painting the component (3) after the sealing plug (7) has been introduced. The sealing plug blocks paint from being deposited on the inner face.

Claims

1. A method for painting a component (3) of a vehicle brake (1), wherein the component (3) includes a recess (5) that extends in a direction of a longitudinal axis (L), the recess having an inner face (9) intended to be kept at least partially free from paint, the method comprising the steps of: providing (103) the component (3), introducing (105) a sealing plug (7) into the recess (5) of the component, wherein the sealing plug (7) has at least one sealing face (11a-11h) and disposing the sealing face (11a-11h) inside the recess (5), moving the sealing face into sealing abutment with the inner face (9) in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis (L), and painting the component (3) after the sealing plug (7) has been introduced into the recess (5).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component (3) has an end face (19, 21) from which the recess (5) extends, and wherein the sealing plug (7) is introduced into the recess (5) such that, in an introduced state of the sealing plug (7), the sealing plug (7) it is spaced apart from the end face (19, 21).

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the end face (19) is a first end face and the component (3) further has a second end face (21), wherein the recess (5) extends from the first end face (19) to the second end face (21) through the component (3), and wherein the sealing plug (7) is introduced into the recess (5) such that, in the introduced state, the sealing plug (7) is spaced apart from both the first end face (19) and the second end face (21).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sliding sleeve (13a, 13b) is arranged inside the recess (5), wherein the sliding sleeve (13a, 13b) has a sliding face (15) that forms a portion of the inner face (9) of the recess (5).

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sealing plug (7) is introduced such that, in the introduced state, at least one sealing face (11d, 11d, 11g, 11h) of the sealing plug (7) is in sealing abutment against the sliding face (15).

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sealing face is a first sealing face (11a, 11g) and the sealing plug (7) further has at least a second sealing face (11b-11h) that is longitudinally spaced from the first sealing face (11a, 11g) on the sealing plug (7), and wherein the sealing plug (7) is introduced such that the sealing plug (7) is also brought with the second sealing face (11d-11h) into sealing abutment with the inner face (9) within the recess (5) in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis (L).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sliding sleeve is a first sliding sleeve (13a) and a second sliding sleeve (13b) is further arranged inside the recess, the second sliding sleeve (13b) having a second sliding face (15) that forms a part of the inner face (9) of the recess (5).

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sealing plug (7) is introduced such that, in the introduced state, the second sealing face (11d, 11h) of the sealing plug (7) is in sealing abutment against the second sliding face (15).

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and second sealing faces (11a, 11c; 11a, 11e; 11a, 11f) of the sealing plug (7) are spaced apart from each other such that the first and second sealing faces enclose the sliding sleeve (13a, 13b) between them.

10. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, in the introduced state, at least one of the at least one sealing faces (11b, 11d) is in sealing abutment with an end portion (23a, 23b) of the sliding sleeves (13a, 13b).

11. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, in the introduced state, at least one of the at least one sealing faces (11a, 11c, 11e, 11f), in addition to the sliding sleeves (13a, 13b), is in sealing abutment with the recess in an axially spaced-apart or adjacent manner.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing plug (7) has a base member (25) made of a resiliently deformable material.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the base member (25) is in the form of a hollow member with a longitudinal axis (L) and is open at one or both ends.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing plug (7) has opposite ends and is reinforced in the region of at least one of the opposite ends, wherein the sealing plug (7) has a material thickening (27) and/or a support ring (32) to define a reinforced end, and wherein, in the step of the introduction, the reinforced end is also introduced into the recess (5).

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of: removing (109) the sealing plug (7) after the painting step, cleaning (113) the sealing plug (7) of paint residues, and preparing (115) the sealing plug (7) for reuse in another run-through of the method.

16. A sealing plug system for use in a painting method for a component (3) of a vehicle brake (1), in which the sealing plug is introduced into the component prior to painting, the system comprising: a component (3) for being painted, wherein the component (3) has a recess (5) extending along a longitudinal axis (L), the recess (5) having an inner face (9) intended to be kept free from paint, a sealing plug (7) configured to be introduced into the recess (5) of the component (3); and wherein the sealing plug (7) has at least one sealing face (11a-11h), the sealing face having an excess dimension relative to the inner face (9) of the recess (5); wherein the sealing plug (7) has an introduced state within the recess, wherein, in the introduced state, the sealing face (11a-11h) inside the recess (5) is in sealing abutment with the inner face (9) in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis.

17. The sealing plug system as claimed in claim 16, wherein use of the sealing plug (7) keeps the inner face (9) of the recess (5) of the component (3) free from paint during a painting operation.

18. The sealing plug system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the recess extends between opposite ends faces of the component, and wherein, in the introduced state, opposite ends of the sealing plug are spaced longitudinally inwardly relative to the opposite end faces such that use of the sealing plug permits the end faces to be fully painted.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the appended Figures and preferred embodiments. In the drawings:

[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a component of a vehicle brake, in a state prepared for painting in the method according to the present disclosure,

[0031] FIG. 2 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a sealing plug according to the present disclosure for use in the method according to the present disclosure,

[0032] FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sealing plug according to the present disclosure for use in the method according to the present disclosure,

[0033] FIG. 4 is cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sealing plug according to the present disclosure for use in the method according to the present disclosure,

[0034] FIG. 5 is cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sealing plug according to the present disclosure for use in the method according to the present disclosure,

[0035] FIG. 6 is cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sealing plug according to the present disclosure for use in the method according to the present disclosure,

[0036] FIG. 7 is cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sealing plug according to the present disclosure for use in the method according to the present disclosure, and

[0037] FIG. 8 is a schematic flow chart of an embodiment of the method of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIG. 1 shows, as a portion of a utility vehicle 1, a component 3 of a brake system of the utility vehicle. 1, in particular, a brake caliper. In the present embodiment, the component 3 is produced as a cast component but could also be a component produced in a different manner. The component 3 has a base member 4 in which a plurality of recesses 5 are introduced. The recesses 5 are, for example, configured as bolt guides for receiving and linearly guiding bolts for brake liner adjustment. In the left portion of the component 3 in FIG. 1, a sealing plug 7 is shown introduced into one of the recesses 5. A handling portion 8 protrudes from the recess 5. There are introduced in the handling portion 8 one or more, in this instance two, opposing recesses 10, by way of which the handling portion 8 can be pressed together in order to facilitate an introduction and removal of the sealing plug 7 into the recess 5 or out of the recess 5.

[0039] The sealing plug 7 is retained by way of a clamping force in a radial direction in a substantially frictionally engaging manner in the recess 5. This will be discussed in greater detail below with reference to a number of different embodiments in the following Figures.

[0040] FIGS. 2-7 show various embodiments of the sealing plug 7, which correspond to each other in terms of significant basic principles. All the sealing plugs thus have a substantially cylindrical basic shape and may be produced from a silicone-containing material, in particular silicone. The sealing plugs 7 in each case have a sealing face arrangement 11 which can be composed differently in the different variants. However, the sealing face arrangements 11 have in common that, as a result of a slight excess dimension of the sealing plug 7, they are in sealing abutment in a radial direction against an inner face 9 of the recess 5 and, in a radial direction relative to a longitudinal axis L, apply a clamping force that retains the sealing plug 7 in the recess in a frictionally engaging manner.

[0041] The recess 5 extends for all embodiments from a first end face 19 to a second end face 21 through the component 3, and the sealing plugs 7 are introduced into the recess 5 in such a manner that the sealing plugs 7, at both end faces 19, 21, are not in abutment with the end faces 19, 21, but instead are spaced apart therefrom.

[0042] The sealing plugs 7a-7e according to FIGS. 2 to 6 in each case have a hollow-cylindrical base member 25 which has, at least at one end, a through-opening 17 or at least one radial recess 29 for discharging painting agents, in particular in order to prevent undesirable spreading of painting agents and/or other fluids required for the painting process into subsequent processing steps.

[0043] The sealing plugs 7a-7e according to FIGS. 2-6 have, at the end opposite the handling portion 8, a reinforcement in the form of a material thickening 27. At the side of the handling portion, one or more engagement elements, for example flaps, which facilitate the withdrawal of the sealing plug after painting, are preferably provided. Preferably, the sealing plug has, in the region of the handling portion, one or more flaps that are configured to facilitate the withdrawal of the sealing plug after painting.

[0044] By way of example in all embodiments, at least one sliding sleeve, that is to say, in one aspect, a first sliding sleeve 13a and a second sliding sleeve 13b, is inserted in the recess 5, in particular pressed in. The sliding sleeves 13a, 13b in each case have a sliding face 15 which forms part of the inner face 9 of the recess 5.

[0045] The structural differences and different operating methods of the different sealing plugs 7a-7f will be discussed below.

[0046] The sealing plug 7a according to FIG. 2 has a plurality of sealing faces 11a-11e that are configured to seal the recess 5. The sealing plug 7a thus has a total of three sealing faces 11a, 11c, 11e which are in direct sealing abutment with the inner face 9 of the recess 5, wherein the sealing faces 11a, 11e are in each case, in addition to the sliding sleeves 13a, 13b, in abutment with the inner face 9 of the recess 5 and enclose the sliding sleeves 13a, 13b axially between them. The sealing face 11a is directly adjacently in abutment with the sliding sleeve 13a, whilst the sealing face 11e, which is arranged at an opposite end from sealing face 11a, is arranged with axial spacing from the sealing sleeve 13b. However, a different configuration is also completely conceivable, as will be seen from the other embodiments. Between the sealing faces 11a and 11b, and between 11d and 11e, there is preferably arranged at least one support face which is in particular orientated perpendicularly to the sealing faces and which is supported on the sliding sleeve and which positions the sealing plug inside the recess 5.

[0047] The sliding sleeve 13a is further located in sealing abutment with a sealing face 11b, in an end portion 23a of the sliding sleeve 13a. A sealing face 11d of the sealing face arrangement 11 is also located in an end portion 23b of the sliding sleeve 13b in sealing abutment with the sliding sleeve 13b.

[0048] Between the sealing faces 11b, 11d there is arranged another sealing face 11c which also brings about an individual closure of the sliding sleeves 13a, 13b in respective cavities, on the one hand, with the sealing face 11a and, on the other hand, with the sealing face 11e.

[0049] The sealing plug 7b according to FIG. 3 differs from the sealing plug according to FIG. 2 in that the sealing face arrangement 11 has a slightly smaller number of sealing faces. The sliding sleeves 13a, 13b are also enclosed by two terminal sealing faces 11a, 11f, wherein the sealing face 11a is constructed and arranged as in FIG. 2 while, however, the sealing face 11f is in sealing abutment with a chamfer 31 in the recess 5. As can be further seen in FIG. 3, the chamfer is slightly recessed relative to the end face 19 of the component 3 so that, in this embodiment, the sealing plug and in particular the sealing faces 11a-11f are spaced apart from both end faces 19, 21. The hollow-cylindrical base member 25 according to FIG. 3 is constructed to be continuously uniform at the inner side thereof, but has at the left end portion in FIG. 3 a radial recess 29 for discharging painting agent.

[0050] Adjacent to the sealing face 11a, the sealing plug 7b has an additional sealing face 11b which is in sealing abutment with the sliding sleeve 13a in an end portion 23a, as already described in FIG. 2.

[0051] The sealing plug 7c shown in FIG. 4 is constructed, with regard to the arrangement of the sealing faces 11a-11f thereof, in accordance with the sealing plug 7b according to FIG. 3, for which reason, with respect to identical reference numerals and in order to prevent repetition, reference may be made to the statements above. In contrast to the sealing plug 7b of FIG. 3, the sealing plug 7c has at the left end thereof in FIG. 4, that is to say, the end opposite the handling portion 8, a support ring 32 for additional reinforcement. The support ring 32, preferably in addition or as an alternative to the material thickening 27, stabilizes the base member 25 and increases the radial clamping action within the recess 5.

[0052] The sealing plugs 7a to 7c protect, in each case, at both sides of the recess 5 from paint being introduced up to the sliding sleeves 13a, 13b.

[0053] As a variant to these embodiments, which are particularly suitable for complete immersion of the component 3 in a paint bath, or for painting the component 3 at all sides using other methods, FIG. 5 sets out a sealing plug 7d which is also suitable for such methods in which the entire component 3 is intended to be painted.

[0054] The sealing plug 7d has a sealing face arrangement 11 which is formed at the side of the sealing plug 7d opposite the handling portion 8 and at that location has a sealing face 11a and two additional sealing faces 11g, 11h. The sealing face 11a is used for additional sealing, as a sliding prevention mechanism, and/or for centering. The sealing face arrangement 11 further has the sealing faces 11g, 11h by which the sealing plug 7d primarily and directly seals against the sliding faces 15 of the sliding sleeves.

[0055] From the right side, an open gap 33 remains in the recess 5 after the sealing plug 7d has been introduced so that material could theoretically penetrate at that location, but not as far as the sliding faces 15 of the sliding sleeves. The sealing plug 7d is also spaced apart at both end sides 19, 21, even when it is completely introduced.

[0056] The sealing plug 7e shown in FIG. 6 differs from the previous embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4 in that the base member 25 of the sealing plug 7e is not only in abutment with sliding sleeves 13a, 13b in an end region, but the sealing face arrangement 11, as in FIG. 5, in each case has sealing faces 11g, 11h which, preferably over the entire length of the sliding sleeves 13a, 13b, that is to say, extensively, are in sealing abutment with the sliding faces 15 of the sliding sleeves and in this manner prevent an undesirable coating of the sliding faces 15 of the sliding sleeves within the recess 5. At the side of the sealing plug 7e facing the handling portion 8, the sealing face arrangement 11 has, in contrast to FIG. 5, in turn a conical sealing face 11f which seals the chamfer 31. As in FIG. 2, the sealing plug 7e has, at the end thereof opposite the handling portion 8, a through-opening 17.

[0057] Whilst in FIGS. 2 to 6 a single-piece sealing plug 7b-7e is shown, FIG. 7 sets out a sealing plug 7f which is formed from a first plug portion 35a and a second plug portion 35b. The plug portions 35a, 35b are operationally connected to each other by a clamping member, for example, by a spindle 37 and a clamping nut 39, which is supported against a disk 43, and can produce a clamping force using the clamping member. The clamping movement is transmitted via sleeves 41, 42 which are in each case formed in the plug portions 35a, 35b. The clamping of the sealing plug 7f within the recess 5 results in the plug portions 35a, 35b, which are produced from a resiliently deformable material, in particular a silicone-containing material or silicone, being moved against the sliding sleeves 13a, 13b and, when an adequate clamping resistance is reached, being compressed in an axial direction. The axial compression movement leads to the material giving way in a radial direction, whereby the radial sealing and clamping force according to the invention is then produced within the recess 5. The sealing plug 7f according to FIG. 7 is also spaced apart from both end faces 19, 21 and is not in abutment therewith. The component 3 can thus also be completely painted from the outer side with the sealing plug 7f according to FIG. 7, whilst the recess 5 or the inner face 9 thereof, including the sliding faces 15 of the sliding sleeves 13a, 13b can be kept completely free from paint.

[0058] With reference to the method diagram according to FIG. 8, the use of the sealing plugs 7 according to FIGS. 1 to 7 in the method according to the present disclosure will now be explained.

[0059] A first step 101 represents the beginning of the method. At the beginning of the method, in step 103, a component of a vehicle brake, in particular a brake caliper for a utility vehicle brake, and a sealing plug 7, for example, one of the sealing plugs 7a-7f, is provided.

[0060] In a next method step 105, the sealing plug 7 is introduced into a recess 5 of the component 3, wherein the component 3 has an inner face 9 which is intended to be kept free from paint. The sealing plug 7 is introduced in such a manner that the sealing face arrangement 11 thereof, which has at least one sealing face 11a-11h, is in sealing abutment inside the recess 5 in a radial direction against the inner face 9 and thus closes the recess 5 in a paint-tight manner. In a next step 107, the component 3 is then painted. During the painting, the sealing plug 7 is retained in a frictionally engaging manner by the clamping force of the resiliently deformed material in the recess 5.

[0061] After the painting, in step 109, the sealing plug 7 is removed from the recess 5, for example, by the sealing plug 7 being pressed together at the handling portion 8 thereof, whereby the base member 25 of the sealing plug 7 at least partially collapses and can be pulled out of the recess 5. If a sealing plug 7f according to FIG. 7 is used, the radial clamping can be removed by releasing the clamping member 37, 39 until removal is possible.

[0062] After the sealing plug 7 has been removed from the component 3, the component can be transferred onward in the production sequence and the method can be ended in a step 111.

[0063] For the sealing plug 7, however, the method does not yet have to be ended at this point: in a next method step 113, the sealing plug 7 is preferably cleaned of paint residues so that in a subsequent method step 115 the sealing plug 7, which has been prepared in this manner, can be provided again for a method run-through and can be supplied again to the method step 105.

[0064] As long as the sealing plug 7 remains undamaged and the resilient deformability thereof is maintained to a sufficient degree, the sealing plug 7 can be used many times in the method according to the present disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS (PART OF THE DESCRIPTION)

[0065] 1 Vehicle [0066] 2 Component [0067] 3 Base member [0068] 4 Recess, component [0069] 7: 7a-7f Sealing plug [0070] 8 Handling portion [0071] 9 Inner face [0072] 10 Recess, handling portion [0073] 11 Sealing face arrangement [0074] 11a-11h Sealing face [0075] 13a, 13b Sliding sleeve [0076] 15 Sliding face [0077] 17 Through-opening, sealing plug [0078] 19 End face, component [0079] 21 End face, component [0080] 23: 23a, 23b End portion, sliding sleeve [0081] 25 Base member, sealing plug [0082] 27 Thickened portion [0083] 29 Radial recess, sealing plug [0084] 31 Chamfer, component [0085] 32 Support ring [0086] 33 Gap, component [0087] 35a, 35b Plug portion [0088] 37 Spindle [0089] 39 Clamping nut [0090] 41 Sleeve, sealing plug [0091] 42 Sleeve, sealing plug [0092] 43 Disk [0093] 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, 115 Method steps [0094] L Longitudinal axis