METHOD AND DEVICE FOR APPLICATION OF A STRIP MATERIAL

• US 20090301634A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company), Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Ledermann, Thomas, Malecki, Klaus, Hoefer, Andreas, Naumann, Martin, Richert, Detlef, Wossner, Johannes
• Granted Patent: US 8,475,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/64
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/047 for flexible profiles, e.g. sealing or decorating strips in grooves or on other profiles by devices moving along the flexible profile hand tools therefor B25B27/0092

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for the application of a strip material to a substrate. Particularly, the present invention relates to a automatic application of an elongate strip of elastic material to a substrate. The present invention further relates to a device and a method for applying a seal strip such as a weatherstrip seal to a substrate. The elongate strip is advanced by drive means and positioned on a substrate by means of an application unit. The stress of the elongate strip is controlled by a stress control unit which is positioned in the area between the drive means and the application unit.

Claims

1. A device for applying an elongate strip to a substrate, comprising:

drive means for advancing the elongate strip;

an application unit for at least one of positioning, pressing and rolling the elongate strip on a substrate;

a stress control unit for controlling stress of the elongate strip, wherein the stress control unit comprises at least one sensor unit for measuring, in an area between the drive means and application unit, a stress level of the elongate strip; and

a control unit for controlling the drive means based on the stress level of the elongate strip as measured by the sensor unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive means is a belt drive means.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive means comprises two drive means arranged on opposite sides of the elongate strip.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the application unit is a pin roller.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the application unit comprises at least one of a driven application unit, a freely rotating application unit, and an application unit having an adjustable torque.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the application unit furnishes a defined stress in the elongate strip.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the stress control unit further measures a parameter (ε

_PR) of the application unit and controls the drive means also based on the measured parameter (ε

_PR).

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises a displacement transducer sensing a displacement of the elongate strip due to its stress level.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises a sensor for detecting an angular position.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein, between the drive means and the application unit, the elongate strip performs an incremental loop such that a displacement of the elongate strip due to its stress level is increased compared to a situation where the elongate strip is without a loop.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one of a lever mechanism and a forked lever mechanism.

12. A method for applying a strip to a substrate comprising:

advancing an elongate strip by means of a drive means;

applying, by at least one of positioning, pressing and rolling, the elongate strip on a substrate by means of an application unit;

measuring the stress level of the elongate strip in an area between the drive means and the application unit; and

controlling the drive means based on the stress level of the elongate strip as measured.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the drive means are controlled based on the stress level of the elongate strip and a signal of the application unit representative of at least one of rotary angle and turning moment.

14. A device for applying an elongate strip to a substrate, comprising:

a drive apparatus to advance the elongate strip;

an application unit to apply the elongate strip on a substrate;

at least one sensor unit to measure, in the area between the drive apparatus and the application unit, a stress level of the elongate strip; and

a control unit to control the drive apparatus based on the stress level of the elongate strip as measured by the at least one sensor unit.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the drive apparatus comprises at least one belt drive.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the application unit comprises a pin roller.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit further receives a measurement representative of a parameter (ε

_PR) of the application unit and controls the drive apparatus also based on the parameter (ε

_PR).

18. The device according to claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor unit comprises a displacement transducer sensing a displacement of the elongate strip due to its stress level.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor unit comprises a sensor for detecting an angular position.

20. The device according to claim 14, wherein the sensor unit comprises a forked lever mechanism.