Method and device for bonding sheets

• US 20070064938A1
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LISA Drã¤Xlmaier GmbH (Fritz Dräxlmaier Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: LISA Drã¤Xlmaier GmbH (Fritz Dräxlmaier Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Riester, Christoph, Schlemmer, Christian, Magunia, Robert, Muller, Henry, Afzalian, Mand
• Application Number:
  US11/517,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20070064938A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/201
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/141 Hiding joints in the lining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7802 Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7841 Holding or clamping means for handling purposes clamping means for the purpose of applying pressure on the parts to be joined, in the area to be joined B29C66/81; work holders in general B25B; devices for holding or positioning work for welding metal B23K37/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7847 using vacuum to hold at least one of the parts to be joined vacuum work holders in general B25B11/005
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/112 Single lapped joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/13 Single flanged joints; Fin-type joints; Single hem joints; Edge joints; Interpenetrating fingered joints; Other specific particular designs of joint cross-sections not provided for in groups B29C66/11 - B29C66/12
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/133 Fin-type joints, the parts to be joined being flexible the parts to be joined being rigid B29C66/1312
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/135 Single hemmed joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being hemmed in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/727 being porous, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/80 General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81423 being concave
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81431 comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8161 said pressing elements being supported or backed-up by springs or by resilient material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/832 Reciprocating joining or pressing tools B29C66/834 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8362 Rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3005 : Body finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0206 : Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings devices for fastening or securing F16B
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0281 : made of a plurality of visible parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0293 : Connection or positioning of adjacent panels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/103 : Encasing or enveloping the configured lamina

Abstract

A method and a device for bonding at least two sheets, is disclosed. The sheets may be joined by a groove and are connected to each other at least in one contact area in the sheet surface of the first sheet. The sheets may first be shaped whereby the first sheet may be shaped with at least one hook which forms an angle with the sheet surface and the second sheet may be shaped with at least one groove and one leg. The hook may be accommodated by the groove and the leg may be substantially parallel to the contact area of the first sheet. The shaped sheets are then bonded to each other, whereby the hook is inserted in the groove and the leg is bonded to the contact area.

Claims

1. A method for bonding two sheets, whereby the sheets are joined together by a groove and at least in one contact area in the sheet surface of the first sheet bonded to each other, comprising:

a. shaping the first and the second sheet, whereby the first sheet is shaped with at least one hook which forms an angle with the sheet surface and the second sheet is shaped with at least one groove and one leg, whereby the hook may be accommodated by the groove and the leg is substantially parallel to the contact area of the first sheet;

b. bonding the shaped sheets, whereby the hook is inserted in the groove and the leg is bonded to the contact area.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein during bonding, the first sheet is held in a holder and the second sheet is applied to the first sheet.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first sheet is held in the holder by vacuum and/or by a counterstamp.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying an adhesive layer at least to the contact area on the first sheet before bonding the shaped sheets.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising applying an adhesive layer to the hook on the first sheet.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1, further comprising pressing the sheets together with a stamp.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising pressing the sheets onto each other with a roller.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising guiding the roller with a manipulator.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising holding the hook in the first sheet with a strut at least during the bonding.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a carrier behind the bonded sheets.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the carrier is formed by back-foaming and/or by injection molding.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising moving the strut during the forming of the carrier and after the achievement of a specific pressure.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising unrolling at least one of the sheets from a roll, shaping the sheet and then cutting off the sheet from the roll.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the first sheet is one leg at the end of the hook, whereby the leg sets a distance between the bonded sheets.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the second sheet with a second groove at the end of the leg, whereby the length of the leg corresponds to the length of the area laminated with the first sheet.

16. A device for bonding two sheets comprising:

a holder, constructed and arranged to join the sheets, whereby the sheets joinable by a groove and bondable to each other at least in one contact area in the sheet surface of the first sheet,

wherein the holder is adapted to hold the first sheet, whereby the first sheet is provided with at least one hook which forms an angle with the sheet surface, and the first sheet being held in the holder in a manner whereby the first sheet can be bonded to a second sheet, whereby the second sheet is provided with at least one groove and one leg, the hook is adapted to be accommodated by the groove and the leg is substantially parallel to the contact area of the first sheet so that the hook is insertable in the groove and the leg is adapted to be bonded to the contact area on the sheet surface of the first sheet.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the holder comprises a vacuum and/or counterstamp to hold the first sheet.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein, before bonding the sheets, an adhesive layer is applied at least to the contact area on the first sheet.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein an adhesive layer is applied to the hook in the first sheet.

20. The device according to claim 16, wherein the holder comprises at least one stamp, whereby the sheets can be pressed against each other by the stamp.

21. The device according to claim 16, wherein the holder comprises at least one roller, whereby the sheets can be pressed against each other by the roller.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the roller is spring-mounted.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the roller is guided by a manipulator.

24. The device according to claim 16, wherein the holder comprises a strut, whereby the hook lies on the strut.

25. The device according to claim 16, wherein, behind the bonded sheets, a carrier can be formed by a mold whereby the mold interacts with the holder.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the carrier can be formed by the mold by back-foaming and/or by injection molding.

27. The device according to claim 24, wherein the strut is movable.