APPLICATOR FOR STAMPED PARTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for applying stamped components (8) to holes (15) in surfaces (12) by a stamped component strip (10) having the stamped components (8) being unrolled from a stamped component strip roll (2), a starting position of one of the stamped components (8) being detected by means of a first sensor (6), the stamped component strip (10) being driven by means of a drive until the stamped component (8) has reached the starting position, the first sensor (6) then transmitting a stop signal and the drive being stopped and by means of a second sensor (7) the holes (15) in the surface (12) being detected, and, when one of the holes (15) is detected, a start signal being transmitted and the drive being started and the stamped component (8) being released from the stamped component strip (10) and applied to the hole (15).

Claims

1. A method for applying a stamped component to a hole in a surface, the method comprising: providing a stamped component strip having the stamped component, wherein the stamped component strip is wound into a stamped component strip roll, detecting a starting position of the stamped components on the stamped component strip with a first sensor, driving the stamped component strip with a drive until the stamped component has reached the starting position, transmitting a stop signal with the first sensor and then stopping the drive, detecting the hole in the surface with a second sensor, transmitting a start signal when the hole is detected to start the drive, releasing the stamped component from the stamped component strip, and applying the stamped component to the hole.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising pulling the stamped component strip around a redirection edge prior to the releasing the stamped component from the stamped component strip.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the starting position is determined relative to the redirection edge.

4. The method as of claim 1, wherein the stamped component strip roll is disposed on an applicator; and wherein an application speed of the applicator is measured by means of a speed sensor, wherein the time for producing the start signal is determined from the time of the detection of the starting position by the first sensor and the application speed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second sensor is activated by means of positive speed measurement values of the speed sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second sensor is deactivated when the speed sensor detects zero speed measurement values or a negative speed measurement values.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stamped component strip is driven by a rubber roller drive or a stamped component strip winding.

8. An applicator for applying a stamped component to a hole in a surface, the applicator comprising: a stamped component strip roll comprising a stamped component strip having stamped components, a first sensor configured to detect a starting position of the stamped component, a drive which drives the stamped component strip until the stamped component has reached a desired position, a first signal-conducting connection between the first sensor and the drive and configured to transmit a stop signal to stop the drive. a second sensor configured to detect the hole in the surface, a second signal-conducting connection between the second sensor and the drive, and configured to transmit a start signal to the drive when the hole is detected, and an application means for releasing the stamped component from the stamped component strip and applying the stamped component to the hole.

9. The applicator of claim 8, further comprising a redirection edge around which the stamped component strip is pulled to release the stamped component from the stamped component strip.

10. The applicator of claim 8, further comprising an application wheel oriented in an application direction and positioned after the redirection edge and configured to press the stamped component over the hole.

11. The applicator of claim 10, wherein the application wheel comprises a speed sensor configured to measure an application speed of the applicator in the application direction.

12. The applicator of claim 9, further comprising a runoff face for the stamped component strip, wherein the runoff face is disposed between the redirection edge and the stamped component strip roll.

13. The applicator of claim 8, further comprising a control unit configured to compute the time of a start signal for the drive, wherein the start signal is determined from when the first sensor detects the starting position and an application speed of the applicator.

14. The applicator of claim 13, further comprising a speed sensor connected in a signal-conducting manner to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to switch the second sensor into an active state when it receives a positive speed measurement value and also to switch the second sensor into an inactive state when it receives a zero speed measurement values or a negative speed measurement values.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The applicator is described in an embodiment in five Figures. In the drawings:

[0035] FIG. 1 is a lateral sectioned view of an applicator according to the invention in a first step of an application method according to the invention,

[0036] FIG. 2 shows an applicator according to FIG. 1 in a second step of the application method according to the invention,

[0037] FIG. 3 shows an applicator according to FIG. 1 in a third step of the application method according to the invention,

[0038] FIG. 4 shows an applicator according to FIG. 1 in a fourth step of the application method according to the invention,

[0039] FIG. 5 shows an applicator according to FIG. 1 in a fifth step of the application method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 is a lateral view of an applicator 1 according to the invention which is partially kept as a section. The view is schematic and not true to scale.

[0041] The applicator 1 according to the invention serves to apply stamped components 8 to holes not illustrated in FIG. 1 in surfaces. The stamped components 8 are releasably adhesively bonded along a stamped component strip 10. The stamped component strip 10 with the stamped components 8 is rolled on a stamped component strip roll 2.

[0042] The stamped component strip 10 is constructed as a long strip with a consistent width and thickness over the length. The stamped components 8 themselves comprise a carrier film which is arranged opposite the stamped component strip 10. Polymer films, composite films or films or composite films which are provided with organic and/or inorganic layers are preferably used as the material of the carrier film of the stamped components 8.

[0043] The stamped component strip may be a separation paper or film strip on which the stamped components 8 are preferably arranged spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction. Both the carrier film and the film strip may be constructed from or comprise the same materials.

[0044] Such films/composite films may comprise all conventional plastics materials which are used for film production, by way of non-limiting example these include:

[0045] polyethylene, polypropylene—in particular orientated polypropylene produced by means of mono or biaxial stretching (OPP), cyclic olefin copolymers (COC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester—in particular polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and poylethylene naphthalate (PEN), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), polyethersulfone (PES) or polyimide (PI).

[0046] The carrier film may additionally be combined with organic or inorganic coatings or layers. This can be carried out by means of conventional methods, such as, for example, painting, printing, vaporization, sputtering, co-extrusion or lamination. It is possible to mention by way of non-limiting example oxides or nitrides of silicon and aluminum, indium-tin-oxide (ITO) or sol gel coatings.

[0047] At the side facing the stamped component strip 10, there is applied along the carrier film an adhesive mass layer which is preferably constructed as a contact adhesive mass layer. The contact adhesive mass layer covers the lower side of the stamped components 8 completely and over the entire surface. It has a thickness which remains consistent over the entire lower side.

[0048] Adhesive masses which already under relatively weak pressure enable a permanent connection to the adhesive base, they have an adhesive force greater than 1 N/cm and can after use be released again from the adhesive base substantially without any residue are referred to as contact adhesive masses. Contact adhesive masses at ambient temperature have a permanent adhesive effect, thus have a sufficiently low viscosity and a high level of touch-adherability so that they already wet the surface of the respective adhesive base at a low level of pressure. The adhesion ability of corresponding adhesive masses is based on their adhesive properties and the removability on their cohesive properties.

[0049] A contact adhesive mass comprises a base and a cross-linkable component, which is also referred to as reactive resin.

[0050] As a basis for contact adhesive masses, different materials, in particular non-polar elastomer materials may be used.

[0051] Non-polar elastomer materials, such as, for example, vinyl aromatic block copolymers, are distinguished in that they can be dissolved in non-polar solvents, that is to say, in solvents and/or solvent mixtures whose polarity corresponds to ethylacetate or which are non-polar. These are in particular solvents and/or solvent mixtures having a dielectric constant of less than 6.1 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solvent] and/or having Hansen parameters δP Polar≤5.3; δ.sub.H Hydrogen bonding≤7.2 [Abbott, Steven and Hansen, Charles M. (2008) Hansen solubility parameters in practice, ISBN 0-9551220-2-3 or Hansen, Charles M. (2007) Hansen solubility parameters: a user's handbook CRC Press, ISBN 0-8493-7248-8].

[0052] If block copolymers are used as elastomer materials then these contain at least one block type having a softening temperature greater than 40° C., such as, for example, vinyl aromatics (also partially or fully hydrated variants), methyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate and isobornyl acrylate.

[0053] In a further preferred manner, the block copolymer contains a block type having a softening temperature less than −20° C.

[0054] Examples of polymer blocks having low softening temperatures (“soft blocks”) are polyethers such as, for example, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol or polytetrahydrofuran, polydienes, such as, for example, polybutadiene or polyisoprene, (partially) hydrated polydienes such as, for example, polyethylene butylene, polyethylene propylene or polybutylene butadiene, polybutylene, polyisobutylene, poly (alkyl vinyl ether), polymer blocks of α,β-unsaturated esters, such as in particular acrylate copolymers.

[0055] The soft block is in this instance in one configuration constructed in a non-polar manner and then preferably contains butylene or isobutylene or hydrated polydienes as the homopolymer block or copolymer block, the latter preferably copolymerized with itself or with each other or with other, particularly preferably non-polar comonomers. For example, (partially) hydrated polybutadiene, (partially) hydrated polyisoprene and/or polyolefins are suitable as non-polar comonomers.

[0056] The cross-linkable component, also referred to as reactive resin, comprises a cyclical ether and is suitable for radiation chemical and where applicable thermal cross-linking with a softening temperature less than 40° C., preferably less than 20° C.

[0057] The reactive resins based on cyclical ether are in particular epoxides, that is to say, compounds which carry at least one oxirane group, or oxetanes. They may be of aromatic or in particular aliphatic or cycloaliphatic nature.

[0058] Reactive resins which can be used may be configured to be monofunctional, difunctional, trifunctional, tetrafunctional or higher functional up to polyfunctional, wherein the functionality is based on the cyclical ether group.

[0059] Examples, without wishing to be limited, include 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3′,4′-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate (EEC) and derivatives, dicyclopendadiene dioxide and derivatives, 3-ethyl-3-oxetanemethanol and derivatives, tetrahydrophthalide acid diglycidyl ester and derivatives, hexahydrophthalide acid diglycidyl ester and derivatives, 1,2-ethane diglycidyl ether and derivatives, 1,3-propane diglycidyl ether and derivatives, 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether and derivatives, higher 1,n-alkane diglycidyl ethers and derivatives, bis-[(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)methyl]-adipate and derivatives, vinylcyclohexyldioxide and derivatives, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol-bis-(3,4-epoxycyclohexancarboxylate) and derivatives, 4,5-epoxy tetrahydrophthalide acid diglycidyl ester and derivatives, bis-[1-ethyl(3-oxetanyl)methyl) ether and derivatives, pentaerythritol tetraglycidyl ether and derivatives, bisphenol-A-diglylcidyl ether (DGEBA), hydrated bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ether, bisphenol-F-diglycidyl ether, hydrated bisphenol-F-diglycidyl ether, epoxy phenol-novolacs, hydrated epoxy phenol-novolacs, epoxy cresol-novolacs, hydrated epoxy cresol-novolacs, 2-(7-oxabicyclo)spiro[1,3-dioxane-5,3′-[7]oxabicyclo[4.1.0]-heptane], 1,4-bis((2,3-epoxypropoxy)methyl)cyclohexane.

[0060] Reactive resins can be used in their monomeric, or also dimeric, trimeric, etc. up to oligomeric form.

[0061] Mixtures of reactive resins with each other, but also with other coreactive compounds, such as alcohols (monofunctional or multifunctional) or vinylethers (monofunctional or multifunctional) are also possible.

[0062] The applicator 1 has a receiving frame 5 on which the stamped component strip roll 2 is rotatably arranged at an end facing away from a surface 12. A free end of the stamped component strip 10 with stamped components 8 is released from the stamped component strip roll 2 and guided along a runoff face 13 which extends during operation obliquely with respect to the surface 12. An end of the runoff face 13 which faces away from the stamped component strip roll 2 has a redirection edge 14. In this instance, this is a sharp edge about which the stamped component strip 10 is placed. The redirection edge 14 has the function of separating the stamped components 8 from the stamped component strip 10. The stamped component strip 10 which is freed from the stamped components 8 is guided to a drive which in this instance drives a rubber roller pair 11. In this instance, two rubber rollers 11 are rolled under a pressure in opposite directions against each other and the stamped component strip 10 is guided and pulled between the two rollers. As a result of the opposing rotational movement of the two rubber rollers 11, the stamped component strip 10 is advanced and thereby pulled around the redirection edge 14 and at the same time unrolled from the stamped component strip roll 2. It is also possible to drive the stamped component strip 10 over a stamped component strip winding and consequently to initiate the dispensing operation of the stamped component 8.

[0063] The applicator 1 comprises a handle 4 in which a battery or an accumulator or the like may be arranged so that the electronic control system, the sensors 6 and 7 and the drive 11 inter alia are supplied with power. The applicator 1 is guided by the handle 4 in an application direction A over the surface 12.

[0064] The applicator 1 according to the invention further comprises a first sensor 6 which is directed onto a region slightly, approximately 1-2 mm, in front of the redirection edge 14. The first sensor 6 is constructed as an object detector and arranged with a predetermined spacing from the redirection edge 14 and can detect whether an object is present in front of it with a specific spacing, for example, of up to 20 cm and can consequently detect that a front end of the stamped component 8 when the stamped component strip 10 is advanced has reached the redirection edge 14 and protrudes slightly beyond it and consequently extends into the detection region of the first sensor 6. The first sensor 6 may, however, also be constructed as a sensitive distance meter. Since the stamped component 8 is adhesively-bonded to the stamped component strip 10 and protrudes in a slightly raised position from 0.1 mm to 1 mm above the plane of the stamped component strip 10, this height difference between the upper side of the stamped component strip 10 and the upper side of the stamped component 8 can be detected.

[0065] When the first sensor 6 detects the front edge of the stamped component 8, it transmits a stop signal. The stop signal is supplied to a control unit which is not illustrated. The control unit controls the drive 11. The stop signal is supplied to the drive and stops the drive. The control unit can stop the drive immediately or only after a delay after receiving the stop signal. The stamped component 8 is thereby located in a starting position. The starting position of the stamped component 8 is illustrated in FIG. 2. The stamped component 8 is released at the leading end of the stamped component strip 10, but not yet adhesively bonded to a hole 15, but instead in the starting position in order to be able to be subsequently applied to the hole 15.

[0066] The applicator 1 is then guided by means of an application wheel 3 over the surface 12. The application wheel 3 is also a roller, preferably a rubber roller, which enables the applicator 1 to be guided over the surface 12 to the greatest possible extent without sliding and in constant contact. It may also be constructed as a tandem wheel (two rollers which are arranged in the running direction one behind the other) in order as a result of the two-point contact with the surface to keep the spacing of the second sensor 7 with respect to the surface as constant as possible. After the stamped component 8 has been applied with the leading edge thereof to the surface 12, the leading edge of the stamped component 8 under pressure of the application wheel 3 is pressed onto the surface 12 and a contact adhesive connection between the adhesive mass layer of the stamped component 8 and the surface 12 is thereby produced. This step is illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0067] In FIG. 3, the function of a second sensor 7 according to the invention is illustrated. The second sensor 7 may also be an object detector. The second sensor 7 detects whether the surface is present in front of it in the detection region thereof or whether the hole 15 is already arranged in the detection region thereof.

[0068] The second sensor 7 may alternatively also be constructed as a distance sensor which measures the distance from the surface 12. If the second sensor 7 does not detect any object or measures continuously, the second sensor 7 transmits a start signal and the drive of the rubber roller pair 11 starts either immediately or with a time delay.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows the state in which the applicator 1 is moved so far towards the hole 15 that the hole 15 is detected by the second sensor 7 at the edge thereof. At this time, the second sensor 7 transmits the start signal which is supplied to a programmable control unit which is not illustrated. The control unit controls the drive either immediately or with a time delay.

[0070] The length of the time delay is determined from the application speed at which the applicator 1 is pulled over the surface 12. The application speed is measured by means of a speed sensor which is not illustrated in the application wheel 3. The speed sensor is also connected to the control unit so as to conduct signals. The control unit switches the second sensor 7 into the free state only when it receives a speed signal from the speed sensor. When the applicator 1 is idle, the second sensor 7 is switched off.

[0071] From the time of the detection of the hole 15 and the transmission of the start signal by the second sensor 7 and the measurement values of the application speed, the control unit calculates in a simple manner the time at which the drive is started again so that the stamped component 8 is pressed with an overlap which is based on the size of the stamped component 8 and the hole 15 and which is preferably a few millimeters, preferably 5 mm, onto the edge of the surface 12 immediately adjacent to the hole 15. This state is illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0072] The stamped component 8 can now be pressed with the application wheel 3 onto the surface 12 or onto the region of the surface 12 which is arranged around the hole 15 which is intended to be adhesively bonded. The drive runs until the stamped component 8 according to FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 is completely released from the stamped component strip 10. The drive is stopped again by the control unit at the time at which the first sensor 6 detects the next stamped component 8 and the next stamped component 8 is in the starting position.

[0073] The applicator according to the invention thus enables holes 15 to be repeatedly masked with a consistent overlap of a stamped component 8.

[0074] The applicator 1 has a handle 4 by means of which it can be guided by hand; however, applicators 1 with a plurality of handles 4 are also conceivable.

[0075] In the advance direction of the stamped component strip 10, after the rubber roller pair 11, a blade 9 is arranged. The blade 9 may be able to be covered. It may be a jagged steel edge via which the stamped component strip 10 is torn away transversely and is thus separated. It is also possible to wind the stamped component strip by means of a suitable drive and consequently where applicable also to initiate the dispensing operation of the stamped component - in this instance, the blade 9 is then dispensed with.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0076] 1 Applicator

[0077] 2 Stamped component strip roll

[0078] 3 Application wheel

[0079] 4 Handle

[0080] 5 Receiving frame

[0081] 6 First sensor

[0082] 7 Second sensor

[0083] 8 Stamped component

[0084] 9 Blade

[0085] 10 Stamped component strip

[0086] 11 Rubber roller pair

[0087] 12 Surface

[0088] 13 Runoff face

[0089] 14 Redirection edge

[0090] 15 Hole

[0091] A Application direction