CN212555404U - Sheet attaching apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A sheet attaching apparatus is provided which can automatically attach a sheet around an edge of a substrate panel having a complicated shape. The sheet attaching apparatus includes: a base (1) for placing a substrate panel (X); a gripping device (2) for guiding a flexed region of the sheet (Y) to be folded back along the edge of the substrate panel (X) to a predetermined position on the back surface side of the substrate panel (X) while gripping the flexed region in the vicinity of the bent portion of the edge and pulling the flexed region in a desired direction; and a pressing device (3) for pressing the folded region against the back surface side of the substrate panel (X). The clamping device (2) comprises: a plurality of gripper arms (21) having front ends facing each other; and an operation portion (22) for changing a gap between facing front ends of the clamp arms (21). The pressing device (3) has a pressing surface (32) for pressing a bent area of an appropriate range guided by the clamping device (22) against the back surface side of the substrate panel (X).

Description

Sheet attaching apparatus

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for attaching a sheet to a substrate panel, and more particularly to an apparatus for folding back a preformed bent region of a sheet along an edge of a substrate panel and attaching the folded bent region to a back surface side of the substrate panel.

Background

Interior panels are used in the interior of automobiles and other vehicles. The inner panel is formed by attaching a decorative sheet, a cushion material laminated sheet, or the like to the surface of the base panel (see patent document 1). In recent years, various interior panels have been developed, including interior panels having a sound absorbing effect and interior panels having a cushioning effect. However, the main purpose of these interior panels is to improve the decorative effect of the vehicle interior (see patent document 2).

To improve the decorative effect, the shape of the inner panel is becoming more and more complicated. Thus, the interior panel is divided into a plurality of component parts that when assembled contribute to the overall decoration of the vehicle interior. As a result, the inner panel constituting the respective component part is not a simple rectangular flat plate, but has a periphery with many expanded portions and concave portions and thus has a member with an edge with many arc-shaped or angular portions.

CITATION LIST

Patent document

[ patent document 1] Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2004-

[ patent document 2] Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2005-

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

Technical problem

In producing such an inner panel having a complicated shape as described above, the substrate panel can be produced relatively easily, for example, by molding a resin, but attaching a sheet material (e.g., a decorative sheet) to the substrate panel is not easy. Although the substrate panel is molded into a complex shape, the sheet is a flat sheet-like member cut out based on the shape of the edge of the substrate panel, and is attached onto the back surface side of the substrate panel by folding back a bent region of a predetermined width formed along the edge of the substrate panel. This attachment on the back surface side is a production step that does not expose at least the end surface of the sheet at the front surface or edge of the substrate panel. The inner panel formed as a plurality of component parts requires that almost all edges except an edge part connected to another inner panel or the like are covered with a sheet.

Such complicated attaching work can be performed only by a skilled worker called a craftsman. However, due to the recent shortage of skilled workers, it is difficult to perform the attaching work. Further, since the attaching work by a skilled worker is a manual operation, the work efficiency is low and the labor cost is high. This results in a reduction in the profitability of the manufacturer.

In view of the above problems, the present invention has been made. An object of the utility model is to provide an equipment, this equipment can be around the attached sheet of the edge automation of the base plate panel that has complicated shape.

Solution to the problem

The utility model relates to an attached equipment of sheet, the attached equipment of sheet is arranged in the attached use of sheet, the sheet is attached to include: attaching a sheet having a bent region of a predetermined width formed in advance along an edge of a substrate panel onto a front surface of the substrate panel; folding back the folded region along the edge of the substrate panel; and attaching the flexed region to a back surface side of the substrate panel. The utility model discloses an equipment is the attached equipment of sheet, the attached equipment of sheet is used for being located the base plate panel near the bend portion that is arc or angle extension shape at edge the regional attached to of flex the base plate panel on the back surface side, wherein the attached equipment of sheet includes: a base for placing the substrate panel; a clamping device for clamping the flexed region to be folded back along the edge of the substrate panel in the vicinity of the bent portion of the edge, and for guiding the flexed region to a predetermined position on the back surface side of the substrate panel while pulling the flexed region in a desired direction; and pressing means for pressing the flexed region against the back surface side of the substrate panel. The clamping device includes: a plurality of gripper arms having front ends facing each other; and an operating portion for changing a gap between the facing front ends of the clamp arms. The pressing device has a pressing surface for pressing the flexed region of an appropriate range guided by the clamping device against the back surface side of the substrate panel.

With the above structure, the clamping device can clamp the flexed region and guide the flexed region to a predetermined position on the back surface side of the substrate panel while pulling the flexed region in a desired direction. Then, the pressing surface of the pressing device can press the bent region of the predetermined range in the guided state, thereby attaching the bent region to the back surface side of the substrate panel. When the adhesive is applied in advance in a predetermined range on the back surface side of the substrate panel, only the pressing by the pressing device can achieve the attachment of the flexed region. However, when a heating device is provided to heat the leading end of the pressing device, for example, by ultrasonic vibration or the like, the heating can melt the overlapped portion of the sheet material that cannot contact the applied adhesive and weld the overlapped portions to each other. The sheet attaching apparatus having such a structure can prevent poor attachment of the flexed region after pressing.

In the present invention having the above structure, the base includes a contact portion capable of pressing the flexed region of the sheet toward an end surface of the substrate panel to be placed. The contact portion bends the bent region at a boundary between a front surface and the end surface of the substrate panel and guides a periphery of the bent region to the back surface side of the substrate panel by pressing the bent region toward the end surface of the substrate panel.

In the above structure, the bent region of the sheet on the base side is bent in advance at the boundary between the front surface and the end surface of the substrate panel. The remaining task of bending the bent area toward the back surface side is performed by the gripping device to allow bonding of the sheet onto the back surface.

Preferably, at least a part of the contact portion pushes the flexed region to the back surface side of the substrate panel, and after the flexed region is guided by the clamping means, the at least a part of the contact portion functions as a holding means for holding the flexed region on the back surface side of the substrate panel. Further, the holding device is capable of advancing to and retreating from the end surface of the substrate panel from outside the edge, and has an engaging portion. The engaging portion partially presses and holds a portion of the flexed region sandwiched by the plurality of gripper arms at or near the end surface of the substrate panel as the holding device advances. In this case, the plurality of holding devices individually hold the flexed region in the vicinities on both sides of at least a part of an expanded shape of the bent portion continuously forming the edge of the substrate panel, respectively.

According to the above configuration, the holding device constituted by a part or all of the contact portion can hold the bent region on the back surface of the substrate panel in a state of being guided by the clamping device. As a result, when the pressing device presses the flexed region, the state in which the flexed region is guided by the clamping device is maintained, and the flexed region is affixed while being held in the guided state. Further, when the plurality of holding means individually hold the flexed region in the vicinities on both sides of at least a part of the expanded shape of the bent portion continuously forming the edge, respectively, it is possible to maintain the state in which the flexed region is guided by the gripping means.

When the bent portion of the edge of the substrate has a very protruding expanded shape and the bent region for covering the bent portion is folded back along the bent portion of the edge, the adjoining portions of the bent region tend to form a large amount of overlap on the back surface side of the substrate panel. Therefore, in the above-described structure, in the vicinities on both sides of at least a part of the expanded shape of the bent portion continuously forming the edge of the substrate panel, the plurality of clamp arms simultaneously clamp the flexed region, and the plurality of clamp arms form partial overlaps of the flexed region, and the pressing device presses the flexed region in a range including the partial overlaps.

According to the above structure, the holding device simultaneously holds the flexed region in the vicinity of both sides of one or more portions of the expanded shape that continuously form the bent portion of the edge of the substrate panel. Therefore, the clamping device can pull and guide the flexed region to a predetermined position while a redundant part of the flexed region is previously overlapped on the back surface side of the substrate. When the flexed region in this state is pressed one or more times by the pressing means within an appropriate range including partial overlap, the appropriate range of the flexed region contacting the adhesive applied on the back surface side of the substrate panel can be completely pressed and bonded. Since the adhesive is not present between the overlapping portions of the flexed region, the overlapping portions are not bonded to each other. However, since the bent area in the vicinity of the edge of the substrate panel is partially bonded on the back surface side, the edge of the substrate panel can be covered with the sheet. Further, when the adhesive is applied within an appropriate range from the edge on the back surface side of the substrate panel, the outermost layers of the overlapping portions of the bent regions can be partially bonded, and therefore the bent regions can be bonded while maintaining the overlapping state.

In the present invention having each of the above-described structures, the gripping device as a whole is driven in such a manner as to be able to advance, retreat and rotate, and as the gripping device advances, retreats and/or rotates, the leading ends of the plurality of gripping arms change in position and direction, thereby pulling and rotating a portion of the flexed region while holding the portion of the flexed region.

In this structure, when a portion of the flexed region on the back surface side of the substrate panel is pulled while being held sandwiched by the sandwiching arm, the sandwiched portion of the flexed region is pulled toward the front end of the sandwiching arm. Further, the sheet can be pressed by rotation of the gripping device (gripping arm). Therefore, wrinkles around the edge of the substrate panel can be reduced as much as possible.

In the present invention having each of the above-described structures, the clamping device and the pressing device can be provided at the front end of the numerical control arm. The clamping device can clamp the bent region bent along the edge of the substrate panel placed on the base at a predetermined position, and the clamping device can guide the bent region to the back surface side of the substrate panel. The pressing device is capable of pressing the flexed region guided to the back surface side of the substrate panel at a predetermined position.

In this structure, when the flexed region is guided to the back surface side of the substrate panel placed on the susceptor in advance and the front end of the numerically controlled robot arm is moved while using the position of the substrate panel placed on the susceptor as a reference, the gripping device can grip the flexed region at a predetermined position, and the pressing device can press the flexed region at the predetermined position. It should be noted that the movement of the numerically controlled robot arm is appropriately controlled according to the shape (especially, the edge shape) of the substrate panel to which the sheet is attached.

Beneficial effects of the utility model

According to the present invention, the sheet can be folded back along the edge of the substrate panel having a complicated shape, particularly along the expanded shape of the bent portion forming the edge, and the overlapped portion can be bonded on the back surface side of the substrate panel. In particular, since the guiding of the bent region to the back surface side of the substrate panel can be made uniform by clamping the bent region of the sheet by the clamping device, the attaching work can be performed without depending on the manual labor of a skilled worker called a craftsman. In addition, by providing the gripping device and the pressing device at the tip of the numerical control robot arm, the sticking work of the bent area of the sheet can be automatically performed.

Drawings

Fig. 1(a) and 1(b) are explanatory views illustrating a relationship between a substrate panel and a sheet.

Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is an explanatory view showing a clamping device and a pressing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4(a) to 4(c) are explanatory views illustrating a state of the sheet during attachment to the substrate panel.

Fig. 5(a) to 7(c) show the procedure of the attaching operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

List of reference numerals

1 base

2 clamping device

3 extrusion device

4 rotating shaft

5 base part

6 mechanical arm

11 positioning member

12 contact part (holding device)

12a contact surface

12b joint

21. 21a, 21b clamp arm

22. 22a, 22b operation part

23 axis of rotation

31 projecting member

32 extrusion surface

33. 34 cooling part

51 clamping base

52 sliding part

53 extrusion base

54 servo motor

X substrate panel

Front surface of Xa substrate panel

Back surface side of Xb substrate panel

Xc binder

Bent portion (expanded shape) of edge of Xd, Xe substrate panel

Y sheet

Ya flex zone

Parts of Yd, Ye sheets

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For convenience of description, a substrate panel to which a sheet is attached by the sheet attaching apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention will be summarized first, and then the sheet attaching apparatus of the embodiment will be described.

< overview of substrate Panel >

Fig. 1(a) and 1(b) schematically show a substrate panel X and a sheet Y. As shown in these drawings, the substrate panel X to which the sheet Y is attached constitutes, for example, a base of an interior panel to be used as an interior component part of a door panel of a vehicle (such as an automobile). Generally, the substrate panel X is formed of a hard synthetic resin. As shown in fig. 1(a), the front surface Xa is a flat and smooth surface. On the other hand, as shown in fig. 1(b), the back surface Xb has a rib b1 for reinforcement and connecting portions b2, b3 for attachment to a door panel or the like. The portion b4 of the edge of the substrate panel X is an area to be connected to another inner panel and will therefore not be covered by the sheet Y. The portion b5 notched with a predetermined shape to form a hole for passage of the component member will also not be covered with the sheet Y to contact the component member.

The substrate panel X itself is formed of the synthetic resin as described above, and the front surface Xa does not have a cushioning effect for providing a good texture or a beautiful decoration. Therefore, all the front surface Xa of the substrate panel X will be covered with the sheet Y. Further, by folding back the peripheral portion Ya of the sheet Y and bonding the folded-back peripheral portion Ya to an appropriate range of the back surface Xb, a portion of the substrate panel X other than the front surface Xa, which is to be seen from the outside when the substrate panel X is attached to a door panel or the like, will be covered with the sheet Y. Such a peripheral portion Ya of the sheet Y to be folded back will be referred to as a folded region hereinafter.

The substrate panel X covered with the sheet Y obtains a texture with a cushioning effect and/or presents a decorative effect depending on the quality of the sheet Y. As illustrated in fig. 1(b), the adhesive Xc is applied to the back surface Xb of the substrate panel X in a predetermined range from the edge except for the portions b4, b5 that will not be covered by the sheet Y. The adhesive Xc thus applied allows bonding of the portion of the flexed region Ya of the sheet Y to be attached on the back surface side.

With the concave portions b6, b7 of the edge of the panel substrate X, by appropriately providing the notches Y6, Y7 having appropriate widths and lengths in the folded region extending from the edge of the sheet Y, it is possible to expand the periphery of the sheet Y on the back surface side to be attached. Due to the attachment after the notch formation, the flexed region Ya can be attached without forming wrinkles around the concave portions b6, b7 of the edge of the panel substrate X.

< overview of attaching apparatus >

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a sheet attaching apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the sheet attaching apparatus of the embodiment includes a fixing apparatus a to which the substrate panel X is to be fixed and a movable apparatus B that operates while moving at a position away from the fixing apparatus a.

The fixing apparatus a is an apparatus for placing the substrate panel X at a predetermined position, and includes a base 1 on which the substrate panel X can be placed. The base 1 includes a positioning member 11, and the positioning member 11 is used to partially position the edge of the substrate panel X. By placing the substrate panel X along the positioning member 11, the substrate panel X can be placed at a predetermined position.

The sheet Y is attached to all the front surfaces Xa of the substrate panels X to be placed on the base 1. Further, the bent region Ya of the sheet Y is attached in advance around the linear portion and the concave portion of the edge of the substrate panel X. That is, the bent region Ya of the sheet Y is not attached around the bent portion of the edge of the substrate panel X in the expanded shape. The sheet attaching apparatus of the present embodiment is used to attach the bent area Ya around the bent portion of the edge in the expanded shape. Thus, the sheet Y is placed on the base 1 together with the substrate panel X.

The susceptor 1 further includes a contact portion 12, and the contact portion 12 is capable of advancing to and retreating from an edge of the placed substrate panel X. The contact portion 12 is for holding the folded region Ya of the sheet Y in the folded-back state. That is, since the periphery of the sheet Y in the vicinity of the bent portion in the expanded shape of the edge of the substrate panel X (hereinafter referred to as the bent portion of the edge) is not bonded by the applied adhesive, such a partially bent periphery of the sheet Y needs to remain located on, i.e., in close contact with, the end surface of the substrate panel X, and needs to allow subsequent attachment to the applied adhesive. Thus, part or all of the contact portion 12 functions as a holding means. It should be noted that part or all of the above-described positioning member 11 may be constituted by the contact portion 12.

On the other hand, the removable apparatus B includes: a gripping device 2 for partially gripping a portion of the sheet Y; and a pressing device 3 for pressing a part of the folded-back flexed region Ya against the adhesive applied on the back surface of the substrate panel X by the pressing device 3. The clamping device 2 and the pressing device 3 are held by a base 5 connected to the rotating shaft 4. The rotary shaft 4 is controlled in the rotational direction, the rotational angle, and the rotational speed. Due to the control of the rotation axis 4, in particular in the direction of rotation and the angle of rotation, the clamping device 2 and the pressing device 3 can be moved to a desired position.

< clamping device and pressing device >

Now, the holding device 2 and the pressing device 3 will be described in detail. As shown in fig. 3, the rotation axis 4 may be part of a robot arm 6. The robot arm 6 is a numerically controlled operation arm called an industrial robot. The robot arm 6 can move and rotate in three-dimensional directions while being held by a column or the like (not shown) standing within the work space (e.g., on the base 1).

The clamp device 2 is held by a clamp base 51 and a slide portion 52, the clamp base 51 having a plane of a predetermined area along which the slide portion 52 is slidable (on a back surface side of the plane). On the other hand, the pressing device 3 is fixed to the pressing base 53. The clamp base 51, the slide portion 52, and the pressing base 53 constitute the base 5. By rotating the rotary shaft 4, the directions of the front ends of the clamping device 2 and the pressing device 3 can be freely changed, and the front ends of the clamping device 2 and the pressing device 3 can alternately face the back surface side of the substrate panel X.

< clamping device >

As shown in fig. 3, the holding device 2 has a pincer-like structure comprising: a plurality of (two in the drawing) gripper arms 21, the plurality of gripper arms 21 having front ends facing each other; and a plurality of (two in the figure) operating portions 22, the plurality of operating portions 22 being for operating the clamp arm 21. That is, the grip arms 21a, 21b and the operating portions 22a, 22b are intersecting but continuous members, and are rotatably connected by the axis 23 in the boundary between the two grip arms 21a, 21b and the two operating portions 22a, 22 b. Therefore, by driving the end portions of the operating portions 22a, 22b in the direction of increasing or decreasing the gap between the operating portions 22a, 22b, the leading ends of the clamp arms 21a, 21b can be moved in the direction of increasing or decreasing the gap between the clamp arms 21a, 21 b.

One operation portion 22a of the two operation portions 22a, 22b is fixed to the clamp base 51 of the base 5, and the other operation portion 22b is held by the slide portion 52. Therefore, when the slide portion 52 is slid in the predetermined direction, the other operating portion 22b changes the gap with the one operating portion 22a, that is, the gap between the two operating portions 22a, 22b can be increased or decreased. It should be noted that the slide portion 52 is controlled by the servomotor 54, and the operation portion 22b is operated by the servomotor 54 by controlling the applied voltage.

Therefore, when the servo motor 54 is actuated, the gap between the front ends of the gripper arms 21 can be increased or decreased by the operating portion 22. Due to the operation of increasing or decreasing the gap and the operation of the robot arm 6 and the rotation shaft 4, the front end of the clamp arm 21 can clamp an appropriate portion at a desired position.

< extrusion apparatus >

As shown in fig. 3, the pressing device 3 is basically constituted by a protruding member 31, the protruding member 31 having a predetermined area at a front end thereof. When the protruding member 31 is, for example, a cylindrical protruding portion having a smooth rounded end, the protruding member 31 may have a rounded pressing surface 32. The protruding member 31 may be heated by ultrasonic vibration. When the protruding member 31 presses a portion of the sheet Y, which is gripped by the gripping device 2 and guided to a predetermined state against the back surface Xb of the substrate panel X (see fig. 2), the protruding member 31 can heat the pressed area with the application of ultrasonic vibration. The ultrasonic generator is not shown in fig. 3.

The pressing device 3 is provided on the base 5 connected to the rotating shaft 4 as described above, and has a pressing surface 32 capable of facing the substrate panel X by the rotation of the rotating shaft 4. The ultrasonic transducer is disposed between the base 5 and the protruding member 31. As described above, when the rotary shaft 4 is a part of the robot arm 6, the pressing force can be applied by the driving force of the robot arm 6 in the moving direction. It is only necessary that the pressing force be large enough to bring the sheet Y into close contact with the substrate panel X. However, when the sheets Y are partially overlapped, the pressing force needs to be large enough to prevent the sheets Y from returning to their original state from the overlapped state while bringing the sheets Y into close contact with the substrate panel X.

It should be noted that the front ends of the cooling portions 33, 34 are provided in the vicinity of the pressing surface 32 of the protruding member 31 to cool the vicinity of the pressing surface 32 heated by the ultrasonic vibration. The cooling portions 33, 34 discharge the cooled air from the front end, but alternatively, other cooling means may be used.

< overview of attaching apparatus >

In the attaching apparatus of the present embodiment having the above-described structure, by attaching the substrate panel X to the fixing apparatus a and actuating the contact portion 12 provided on the base 1 constituting the fixing apparatus a, the bent portion of the sheet Y around the edge of the substrate panel X can be guided to the back surface side Xb of the substrate panel X. Further, by gripping a portion of the sheet Y by the gripping device 2 and changing the direction of the gripping device 2 via rotation of the rotary shaft 4, the portion of the sheet Y can be guided to a predetermined state.

The above-described contact of the contact portion 12 and the sheet Y may be temporarily released while a part of the sheet Y is guided by the gripping device 2. This helps eliminate wrinkles that may occur on the front surface or the end surface of the sheet Y. After the gripping device 2 finishes guiding a portion of the sheet Y, the contact portion 12 may contact with the portion of the sheet Y again, thereby maintaining the portion of the sheet Y in the guided state. Then, the bonding of the part of the sheet Y with the applied adhesive Xc may be completed by pressing the part of the sheet Y in the guided state by the pressing device 3. Further, a part of the portion of the sheet Y that cannot contact the applied adhesive Xc may be melted and welded to each other by heating by ultrasonic vibration.

< operation >

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in fig. 2, the base 1 of the fixture a includes: a positioning member 11, the positioning member 11 being used for positioning the edge of the substrate panel X; and a contact portion 12, the contact portion 12 being capable of contacting an end surface of the substrate panel X through the sheet Y. Although the positioning member 11 is basically fixed and does not advance or retreat, the positioning member 11 may be a member capable of advancing and retreating. On the other hand, since the contact portion 12 is for holding the flexed region Ya of the sheet Y in the folded-back state, the contact portion 12 can advance and retreat.

When the sheet Y is attached around the curved portion of the edge of the substrate panel X, the contact portion 12 is used to hold the sheet Y in a non-attached state bent at least along the edge of the substrate panel X. Therefore, the contact portion 12 is designed to contact the substrate panel X with the sheet Y in such a manner as to provide a pressing force toward the end surface of the substrate panel X at an appropriate time.

Incidentally, referring to fig. 4(a) to 4(c), the edge of the substrate panel X has bent portions Xd, Xe in an angle-expanded shape as shown in fig. 4 (a). Such bent portions Xd, Xe of the edge of the substrate panel X are covered by the continuous portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y. When the end surface of the substrate panel X is to be covered with the portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y in addition to the front surface, as shown in fig. 4(b), the portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y covering the bent portions Xd, Xe have an area larger than necessary, and wrinkles may be formed. Therefore, as illustrated in fig. 4(c), the excess portion of the sheet Y is intentionally forced to form a crease on the back surface side Xb of the substrate panel X, thereby consuming the excess portion for forming the crease. Therefore, wrinkle formation on the front surface and the end surface of the substrate panel X is suppressed.

Now, the operation process of the sheet attaching apparatus of the present embodiment will be described below, focusing on the attachment of the above-described bent portions Xd, Xe (particularly, the bent portion Xd) around the edge. Fig. 5(a) to 7(c) show the operation modes of the present embodiment.

First, as shown in fig. 5(a), the substrate panel X to be placed on the susceptor 1 (see fig. 2) has been stuck on the back surface side Xb around the straight portion of the edge of the substrate panel X, and the bent portions Xd, Xe around the edge are kept unattached. The peripheries of the portions Yd, Ye of the bent portions Xd, Xe of the sheet Y for covering the edge are located on the back surface side Xb of the substrate panel X and are associated with attachment of the sheet Y to the straight portions of the edge.

As shown in fig. 5(a), as the contact portion 12 advances, the front end of the contact portion 12 presses the end surface of the substrate panel X, thereby stabilizing the state of the portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y. The pressing of the contact portion 12 applies pressure to the end surface of the substrate panel X in the vicinity of the bent portions Xd, Xe of the edge, and the contact portion 12 sandwiches the bent portions Xd, Xe of the edge together with one of the positioning members 11 disposed in the vicinity of the contact portion 12. Thus, one positioning member 11 located in the vicinity of the bent portions Xd, Xe of the edges may be another contact portion 12 of the same type.

The contact portion 12 can contact the end surface of the substrate panel X through the sheet Y. For example, as shown in fig. 5(a), the front end of the contact portion 12 may have a divided structure including a contact surface 12a for contacting the end surface of the substrate panel X by the sheet Y and an engaging portion 12b protrudingly provided above the contact surface 12 a. When the contact portion 12 has such a divided structure and the contact surface 12a is brought into contact with the end surface of the board panel X by the sheet Y, the engaging portion 12b may partially protrude on the back surface side Xb of the board panel X and prevent the portion Yd or Ye of the sheet Y from departing from the back surface side Xb of the board panel X. Since the state of the sheet Y can thus be held by the projection of the engaging portion 12b on the back surface side Xb of the board panel X, at least one of the contact portions 12 can function as holding means as a whole. However, although depending on the state of the portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y, the state of the sheet Y may be maintained only by contact with the contact surface 12a without providing the engaging portions 12 b. In this case, the contact portion 12 may function as a holding means without the engaging portion 12 b.

Regardless of the structure of the contact portions 12, as described above, the portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y are sandwiched between each of the contact portions 12 and one of the positioning members 11 in the vicinity of the bent portions Xd, Xe of the edges, with the result that the portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y are in an upright state at a desired position on the back surface side Xb of the substrate panel X.

Then, as illustrated in fig. 5(b) and 5(c), the leading end of the gripping device 2 (gripping arm 21) is operated to approach and grip the portion Yd of the sheet Y in the standing state. After the gripper arm 21 grips the Yd portion of the sheet Y, the contact portion 12 is retreated, thereby allowing the portion Yd of the sheet Y to freely move and be guided to a desired state.

Therefore, if the clamp arm 21 is moved or rotated in a desired direction while the contact portion 12 is retreated, the portion Yd of the sheet Y can be guided to a desired position on the back surface side Xb of the substrate panel X.

One example of such guidance is shown in fig. 6(a) to 6 (c). First, as shown in fig. 6(a), the clamp arm 21 is rotated by about 90 degrees. Next, as shown in fig. 6(b), the clamp arm 21 is raised to pull the portion Yd. Third, as shown in fig. 6(c), the clamp arm 21 is further rotated by about 90 degrees in the same direction as before. The pulling portion Yd after rotating the clamp arm 21 eliminates wrinkles that may occur around the bent portion Xd of the edge of the substrate panel X. The additional rotation of the clamp arm 21 presses the portion Yd of the sheet Y and brings the bent portion of the portion Yd around the edge close to the back surface side Xb of the substrate panel X and slightly adheres to the adhesive applied on the back surface side Xd, thereby obtaining a temporary fixing effect.

Then, in the vicinity of the temporarily fixed portion Yd of the sheet Y, the contact portion 12 advances to contact the end surface of the substrate panel X again by the sheet Y, that is, the engagement portion 12b of the contact portion 12 holds the temporarily fixed portion Yd of the sheet Y. Therefore, even after the gripping device 2 (gripping arm 21) leaves or stops gripping the Yd portion of the sheet Y, the Yd portion of the sheet Y is kept in the above-described guided state (see fig. 7 (a)).

Therefore, as illustrated in fig. 7(b), the grip arm 21 may stop gripping the portion Yd of the sheet Y, and instead of the grip arm 21, the pressing device 3 (the pressing surface 32 of the protruding member 31) may be in contact with the portion Yd of the sheet Y. In the case where an appropriate pressing force is applied and the pressing device is heated by ultrasonic vibration, the contact of the pressing device 3 affixes the portion Yd of the sheet Y to the applied adhesive, and welds a portion of the portion Yd of the sheet Y that does not contact the applied adhesive, thereby sufficiently maintaining the portion Yd in a state of being guided by the clamp arm 21.

As shown in fig. 7(c), after such appropriate pressing and sufficient adhesion are finished, the portion Yd of the sheet Y is attached on the back surface side Xb of the substrate panel X while a crease is intentionally formed. The portion Yd of the sheet Y is stably attached to the back surface side Xb of the substrate panel X while the excess portion of the portion Yd is consumed by the intentionally formed crease.

When the portion Yd of the sheet Y is attached around one of the bent portions Xd, Xe of the edge end of the substrate panel X, the clamping of the sheet Y by the clamping device 2 and the pressing of the sheet Y by the pressing device 3 are repeated around the other one of the bent portions Xd, Xe of the edge. If there are other bent portions of the edge of the substrate panel X to be covered, the attachment of the sheet Y to the other bent portions is sequentially repeated, thereby completing the attachment.

It should be noted that the attachment state of the portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y around the bent portions Xd, Xe of the edge of the substrate panel X differs in whether or not the portions Yd, Ye overlap and the degree of overlap of the portions Yd, Ye depending on the bending angle or radius of curvature of the bent portions Xd, Xe of the edge. Therefore, when the clamping device 2 clamps the portions Yd, Ye of the sheet Y, the rotation (see fig. 6(a)), the pulling (see fig. 6(b)), and the additional rotation (see fig. 6(c)) are individually controlled according to the bent portions Xd of the edges, the bending angle of Xe, the radius of curvature, and the like.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Therefore, the constituent elements of the above-described embodiments may be modified, and other constituent elements may be added.

Although the clamp device 2 of the present embodiment has a forceps-like structure in which the clamp arm 21 and the operating portion 22 are rotatably connected by the axis 23, the clamp device 2 may have a structure in which two independent clamp arms 21a, 21b are held separately. Further, although the pressing device 3 of the present embodiment is the protruding member 31 to which ultrasonic vibration can be given, the protruding member 31 may be heated by other methods.

Although the substrate panel X shown in the drawings is a flat panel member, the substrate panel X may have a complex three-dimensional shape having a concave shape and a convex shape greatly expanded in the surface direction. Although a bend of the edge in a typical expanded shape is shown, the bend of the edge may have a complex shape.

Claims (8)

1. A sheet attaching apparatus characterized by comprising:

the base is used for placing the substrate panel;

a clamping device for clamping a flexed region to be folded back along an edge of the substrate panel in the vicinity of a bent portion of the edge of the substrate panel, and for guiding the flexed region to a predetermined position on a back surface side of the substrate panel while pulling the flexed region in a desired direction; and

pressing means for pressing the flexed region against the back surface side of the substrate panel,

the clamping device includes: a plurality of gripper arms having front ends facing each other; and an operating portion for changing a gap between the facing front ends of the clamp arms, and

the pressing device has a pressing surface for pressing the flexed region of an appropriate range guided by the clamping device against the back surface side of the substrate panel.

2. The sheet attaching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base includes a contact portion capable of pressing the flexed region of the sheet toward an end surface of the substrate panel to be placed, and

the contact portion bends the bent region at a boundary between a front surface and the end surface of the substrate panel and guides a periphery of the bent region to the back surface side of the substrate panel by pressing the bent region toward the end surface of the substrate panel.

3. The sheet attaching apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that at least a part of the contact portion pushes the flexed region to the back surface side of the substrate panel, and after the flexed region is guided by the gripping device, the at least a part of the contact portion functions as a holding device for holding the flexed region on the back surface side of the substrate panel.

4. The sheet attaching apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said holding device is capable of advancing to and retreating from the end surface of said substrate panel from the outside of said edge to the outside of said edge, and has a joint portion, and

the engaging portion partially presses and holds a portion of the flexed region sandwiched by the plurality of gripper arms at or near the end surface of the substrate panel as the holding device advances.

5. The sheet attaching apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a plurality of the holding devices individually hold the flexed region, respectively, in the vicinity of both sides of at least a part of an expanded shape of the bent portion continuously forming the edge of the substrate panel.

6. The sheet attaching apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein in vicinities on both sides of at least a part of an expanded shape of the curved portion continuously forming the edge of the substrate panel, the plurality of gripper arms simultaneously grip the flexed region, and portions of the plurality of gripper arms forming the flexed region overlap, and

the pressing means presses the flexed region in a range including the partial overlap.

7. The sheet attaching apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said gripping device as a whole is driven in a manner capable of advancing, retreating and rotating, and

as the clamping device advances, retracts, and/or rotates, the leading ends of the plurality of clamping arms change in position and orientation, pulling and rotating a portion of the flex region while maintaining clamping of the portion of the flex region.

8. The sheet attaching apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said gripping device and said pressing device are provided at a leading end of a numerically controlled robot arm,

the clamping device clamps the bent region bent along the edge of the substrate panel placed on the base at a predetermined position, and guides the bent region to the back surface side of the substrate panel, and

the pressing device presses the flexed region guided to the back surface side of the substrate panel at a predetermined position.

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