EP1517755A1

EP1517755A1 - Automobile door holder or automobile lid holder

Info

Publication number: EP1517755A1
Application number: EP03761532A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Heinz Fiedler
Original assignee: Pro-Tech Beratungs- und Entwicklungs GmbH
Current assignee: Pro-Tech Beratungs- und Entwicklungs GmbH
Priority date: 2002-07-01
Filing date: 2003-06-26
Publication date: 2005-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-26
Also published as: ATE322346T1; WO2004002632A1; US20060086317A1; AU2003246608A1; DE20210136U1; EP1517755B1; DE50302898D1

Abstract

An automobile door or compartment-cover holder to fix in position a door or a cover for an engine or luggage compartment of an automobile during a processing event in the manufacturing procedure, in particular the application of a CDP coating and/or paint, constructed as a multi-part plastic holder or combined plastic-metal holder with contact or engagement sections disposed at or near several ends to cooperate with engagement sections on parts of the vehicle body in order to fix the components at a pre-specified distance from one another, such that the engagement sections have a substantially peg-like structure or are shaped like a flat hook, and each set of two contact or engagement sections is connected together by way of a holder section that extends linearly or is bent at substantially a right angle.

Description

Car door or car hood holder

description

The invention relates to a car door or hood holder for vehicle construction according to the preamble of claim 1.

Operating resources (car door or car hood holders) of the type in question, also referred to as production aids, have the task of holding attachments, such as doors, tailgates, front flaps, etc., at a defined distance from the body of the body touching or beating the add-on part with the base body, for example to prevent during a painting process. These devices or spacers are inserted at the end of the body shop before they pass through the pretreatment belts, consisting of degreasing, rinsing, phosphating and cataphoretic dip coating (KTL). After the KTL coating has been baked in a convection oven at temperatures up to 220 ° C, the primed body goes into the actual painting process.

These resources are specifically designed for the respective area of application and depending on the vehicle model and are currently made in practice from steel and are intended for multiple use. Specially and elaborately designed fixing or engagement sections at which these parts come into contact with the body body or the attachments serve to avoid damaging the sensitive surfaces. Because of this and the material used, the known equipment is relatively expensive.

Since these holding devices are also coated in the painting process, they must be used after each use. Circulation mechanically, thermally or chemically, combined with high costs, can be removed. The measure is necessary to prevent contamination of the freshly coated or painted body surface by possible pieces of paint. To avoid splinters of paint, which are due to the necessary handling operations, such as opening the add-on parts for internals in the vehicle. The paint stripping includes the following steps: After removal (removal), the equipment must be sorted by type. Since in the painting process the moving parts of the equipment, such as. B. screws, brackets etc. lose their mobility and become inoperable, they have to be made manually movable again. After the paint has been stripped, the equipment must be checked whether, firstly, paint residues are still present and secondly, whether they are not bent and can therefore no longer be used. If the required quality is not met, the equipment must be sorted again according to type, returned to the paint stripping process or repaired.

Multiple use of the fasteners is only possible through labor-intensive and cost-intensive reworking, whereby there is always a residual risk with regard to quality and, if necessary, costs on the production line during vehicle construction can be caused by reworking the product.

The entire paint stripping operation is either the responsibility of the supplier or the vehicle manufacturer, which is not actually one of his core tasks and is therefore uneconomical. Resources such as space, people (workers), management etc. must be made available, which are therefore not available for other tasks. On the other hand, execution of this work by the supplier (manufacturer of the equipment) is impossible, at least in his own operating facilities, because of the unacceptable transport costs and the high number of items of equipment to be kept. In addition, the effort for the paint stripping work in any case increases the cost - regardless of who has to carry it.

Furthermore, in addition to the high costs in the overall ecological balance, stripping is not sensible, since the coating can only be removed with large emissions of exhaust gases and with environmentally hazardous residues.

After all, the handling of conventional precision steel equipment requires some qualification and great care, i.e. the use of qualified and highly paid worker, or the use of highly precise handling robots.

WO 03/004173 AI, which goes back to the applicant, therefore proposes a new type of operating device which is designed as a plastic holder with two contact or engagement sections arranged near its ends for insertion between two body parts during a machining operation. This plastic holder preferably consists to a large extent of recycled material, so that in the production process, especially in the handling of these holders, substantial simplifications and savings are achieved compared to holders made of steel and which are difficult to clean after each use.

However, it has been shown that further improvements of this new type of plastic equipment are possible for certain areas of application.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a functionally further improved and easy-to-use equipment of the generic type.

This object is achieved by a car door or hood holder according to claim 1 or 2. Appropriate developments of the inventive concept are the subject of the dependent claims.

After intensive practical tests, suitable plastics were found for such holders, which have the required properties and can be used for injection molding. Thereby, temperature-resistant plastics with a continuous use temperature of greater than 170 ° C are preferred, e.g. Polysulfone, poly (acrylic ether) ketone, poly (ether sulfone), ABS (acrylonitrile / butadiene / styrene), but especially polyamides.

Plastics reinforced with fibers such as glass, carbon or Kevlar etc. are particularly suitable. As a particularly suitable material with regard to procurement costs, recyclability, injection molding (optimal flow behavior) As well as mechanical properties even at high temperatures, such as those found in the stoving ovens, glass fiber reinforced polyamide has been proven. The elasticity of the form of the plastics mentioned and the bending behavior of the structurally adapted holder, extension and engagement sections made of these materials enable easy insertion into the openings provided in the add-on parts or the body of the body. On the one hand, the risk of damage to adjacent surfaces is significantly lower than in the known hard and not or hardly flexible metal equipment, and on the other hand, the equipment according to the invention functions with high reliability and precision.

The advantages described can be demonstrated in particular when the plastics are reinforced by fillers in a ratio of 0.1 to 40%. In this variation range of the filling, a desirable optimum can be achieved depending on the requirements for a good flow behavior during injection molding and a corresponding dimensional stability and strength of the equipment during the painting process.

The equipment according to the invention is first of all produced in an injection molding process and is ground after each use or in any case after a limited number of uses, if necessary after prior stripping, using processes known per se, the resulting powder being used directly again for the production of the equipment can be.

Advantageously, a certain amount - preferably about 5 - 30%, in particular 10% - of the original raw material is added during injection molding in the recycling plant. This can be particularly useful if the quality of the plastic recycling material contaminated with paint is no longer satisfactory. By adding the original raw material, the functionality of the equipment can be maintained with the advantages mentioned in advance.

The peg-shaped or hook-shaped contact or engagement sections of the proposed plastic resources are of course in adaptation to the body design of the vehicle type and the specific design of the door lock areas, lock reinforcements etc. of the add-on parts, but are characterized by a coordinated material elasticity of the selected plastic and formula elasticity. This enables easy handling even for semi-skilled workers without the risk of damaging the adjacent surfaces. The above-mentioned elasticity of formulas is realized, for example, by suitably dimensioned and oriented folding, hook, spring or spiral elements. In addition to the selection of the basic plastics, the formula elasticity is set by choosing a suitable filler or a fiber reinforcement and its or its proportion.

The insertion of the plastic holder between the body or add-on parts to be kept at a distance and the removal between them after the machining process (especially painting) is also made possible by the flexurally elastic design of the bars, brackets, plates or the like which form the basic body of the plastic holder. facilitated. A suitable setting of the desired bending elasticity is easily possible on the design side with the fiber-reinforced plastics mentioned.

The proposed materials just as easily enable the shaping of suitable handling sections, which enable the plastic holders to be inserted with handling robots and are adapted to their gripping tools. In principle, it also applies to robot-assisted assembly that the material-related handling advantages make it possible to place lower demands on the precision in the movement sequences, which enables more cost-effective handling solutions.

In a first preferred embodiment, the proposed holder has a bow-shaped or substantially plate-shaped handling section, which is designed for manual gripping or gripping of a gripping tool of a handling robot. As a result, it can be used both on assembly lines on which movable body parts for the KTL bath or painting line are fixed by hand, and on those where this is done by a robot. In a first basic embodiment, the proposed holder is a door hook with two hooks for engaging in the window shaft of a door and at least one pin for engaging in an opening of the door used to fasten a door trim. This door hook can furthermore - alternatively to the aforementioned feature or combined with it - be characterized by an extension plane defined by the connecting sections between the engagement sections, the essentially plate-shaped handling section having a circular ring shape in plan view and a plane parallel to the extension plane of the door hook. In another advantageous embodiment, the door hook has a two-part structure consisting of a base body with a plurality of engagement sections for engaging in recesses in a vehicle door and optionally recesses or abutments of an adjacent body part, and an essentially L-shaped pivot bracket which can be swiveled onto the base body and has engagement portions for engagement in Recesses or body sections adjacent to the door. With these features, a car door holder that can be used reliably for various processing steps (KTL immersion bath or painting) can be realized.

When designed as a hood holder or rod with a first and second plastic part, the second plastic part has essentially the outer shape of a cuboid, with a cylindrical first recess for engaging the pin of the first plastic part and at least one elongated second recess for engaging one Body section, in particular metal bracket. This enables easy insertion into and removal from the body opening.

Of particular advantage in connection with robot handling of the holders is an embodiment which is characterized by a locking device which can be locked or released against each other by linearly displacing two plastic parts for fixing the car door or car hood at a predetermined distance from the body of the body or to release this fixation. It is particularly provided that the bow-shaped or substantially plate-shaped Handling section is attached to the locking device and is used to lock or release.

Advantages and expediencies of the invention also result from the subclaims and the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. Of these show:

1A to IC a base body of a door hook according to a first embodiment of the invention in a front view, a top view .0 and a side view,

2A and 2B a swivel bracket, which together with the base body

8A to 8C form a door hook, in a front view and a top view, L5

3A to 3C a door hook assembled from the base body and the swivel bracket in a front view, top view and a side view,

4A to 4E show different views of two parts of a cover hook

Installation of a hood according to a further embodiment of the invention,

5 shows a side view of the lid hook assembled from the individual parts according to FIG.

6A to 6D a door hook composed of a base body and a sliding element according to a further embodiment of the invention in front and side view in the locked state (FIGS. 6A, 6B) or unlocked state (FIGS. 6C, 6D),

7A and 7B are a front view and side view of the associated base body, 8A and 8B are a front view and side view of the associated push bracket,

9A to 9C a further door hook composed of base body and sliding element in front and side view in the locked state (FIGS. 9A, 9B) or unlocked state (FIGS. 9C, 9D) and

Fig. 10 is a front view and side view of the associated

Schiebeeiementes.

FIGS. 1A to 3C show a first embodiment of a door hook 1 according to the invention in various views, in a manner that is essentially self-explanatory for the person skilled in the art.

This comprises a base body 2 shown in FIGS. 1A to IC with different engagement sections for engagement in existing openings of a door. In particular, the hooks Hl and H2 serve to fix the door hook in the window shaft of a door, i.e. they engage behind the window rebate, one of the bracket ends Bl or B2 (in the case of a left or right door) engages in existing openings in a door and serves to prevent the door hook from tilting, and the pin Z engages in an opening in the door, in which is usually attached to a door panel. 2A and 2B show a swivel bracket 3 which can be placed on this base body, and FIGS. 3A to 3C show overall views of the door hook 1. The attached swivel bracket 3 assumes different swivel positions in the production process and, with its engaging sections E1 to E3 for abutting or engaging on / in adjacent body sections, prevents the door from "knocking through" and, if necessary, serves to ensure an extended open position.

FIGS. 4A to 4E initially show two plastic individual parts 4, 5 of a lid holder in side and top views and a sectional view (FIG. 13E). kens 6 for installing a hood according to another embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 5 shows the assembled plastic part. In use, this is plugged onto a (not shown) metal rod and locked with it and together forms an item of equipment of the type according to the invention. The metal rod has a ring section for engaging a handling robot, which is also useful in manual operation.

The smaller part 4 of the cover hook 6 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4C is rotatably fitted onto the larger part shown in FIGS. 4B, 4D and 4E in the manner shown in FIG. 5. A catch hook on the bonnet engages in the groove N of the smaller part in use, and the bonnet is pushed up by means of the rod. With the equipment made up of the plastic part and the metal rod, the bonnet is kept open at any angle, and the plastic part is held captive.

After going through the corresponding production stages, the plastic part can be "unclipped" from the metal rod again without complicated handling in the sense of screwing, pulling or the like. would be required. It is then usually contaminated with paint and is sent to the recycling described above.

FIGS. 6A to 8B on the one hand and FIGS. 9A to 10B on the other hand show two modified versions of the door hook of the type shown in FIGS. 1A to 3C. The door hook 7, which is shown in the assembled state in FIGS. 6A to 6D, represents the simpler version represents, while the door hook 7 ', which is shown assembled in Fig. 9A to 9D, represents a variant in the functionality for use also in the KTL immersion area.

The door hook 7 consists of a base part 8 (FIGS. 7A, 7B) and a part that can be moved on it, the so-called sliding element 9 (FIGS. 8A, 8B). A bow-shaped handle 10 for manual actuation or for engaging the corresponding gripping section of a robot is provided on the sliding element 9 in order to handle the door hook 7 and in particular by means of a purely translational movement, namely a displacement of the sliding element 9 relative to the base body 8, locking the opened door or releasing the locking.

Similar to the first embodiment described above, the base body 8 has a pin Z8 protruding from its central region for engaging in a corresponding, essentially circular door opening and two hook sections H8 / 1 and H8 / 2 for engaging in a window shaft or behind a window rebate the door. It can be seen that these and other pins (not described in more detail here) are connected to one another at the ends of the base body 8 or sliding element 7 by straight profile parts, possibly connected to them by brackets projecting at right angles.

When door hook 7 ¹ according to FIG. 9A to 10B, the same basic body 8 as in the above embodiment is used, however, an expensive constructed pushing member 9 'with two additional arms HA and attached 11B and to the ends of the additional pin pairs Z9A' or Z9b ' to realize additional fixation options in the KTL area. The locking and unlocking mechanism is the same as in the simpler embodiment described above.

The door hook described above is set in the unfinished state and remains in the door until final assembly. The "sliding technology" that is possible with it covers the following functions during the relevant processing steps: a) opening the doors, b) closing and locking the doors, c) locking the doors during in-house transport (to prevent opening and avoiding them) associated damage, d) painting by robots, the appropriate gripping means for opening and

Have the doors closed, or manual painting with manual operation. No additional resources are required to sit in the B or C pillar to secure the door during the painting process.

In a further modified version (not shown here), the bracket of the sliding element is replaced by a plate-shaped or circular handle, which under certain conditions is even more suitable for handling by means of a robot, but at the same time also enables adequate manual operation.

The implementation of the invention is not limited to the examples and highlighted aspects described above, but is also possible in a large number of modifications which are within the scope of professional action.

Claims

claims

1. Car door or hood holder for holding a car door, a bonnet or a trunk lid during a machining process in the manufacturing process, in particular the KTL dip coating and / or the

Painting, designed as a multi-part plastic holder or combined plastic-metal holder with contact or engagement sections arranged at or near a plurality of ends for engagement in engagement sections of body parts and for fixing them at a predetermined distance from one another, characterized in that the engagement sections essentially Have pin shape or flat hook shape and two contact or engagement sections are connected to each other via a rectilinear or substantially right-angled holder section.

2. Car door or hood holder for holding a car door, a hood or a trunk lid during a machining process in the manufacturing process, in particular the KTL dip coating and / or painting, designed as a multi-part plastic holder or combined

Plastic-metal holder with contact or engagement sections arranged on or near a plurality of ends for engagement in engagement sections of body parts and for fixing them at a predetermined distance from one another, characterized by an elongated first plastic part, at one end of which an engagement section, in particular in the form of a sleeve, for engaging an extension rod and the other end of which carries a second plastic part pivotably mounted on a peg projecting perpendicularly to the longitudinal extent of the first plastic part for engagement with an engagement section of a bonnet or a trunk lid.

3. A car door or hood holder according to claim 1, which is a bow-shaped or substantially plate-shaped handling section which is designed for the manual detection or attack of a gripping tool of a handling robot.

4. car door or car hood holder according to claim 2, d a d u rc h g e k n n ze i c h n e that the second plastic part substantially the outer shape of a cuboid, with a cylindrical first recess for engaging the pin of the first

Plastic part and at least one elongated second recess for engaging a body part section, in particular metal bracket.

5. car door or hood holder according to one of the preceding claims, dadu rc hge ke nnzeichn et that the plastic holder or a plastic part of the plastic-metal holder consists at least to a substantial extent of a high temperature resistant plastic with a continuous use temperature of at least 170 ° C. ,

6. car door or hood holder according to one of the preceding claims, that the plastic holder or a plastic part of the plastic-metal holder made of glass fiber reinforced polyamide with a filler reinforcement in a proportion between 0.1% and 40%, especially between 5% and 20%.

7. Car door or hood holder according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u rc h g eken n ze i ch n et that the plastic holder or a plastic part of the plastic-metal holder to a substantial extent, in particular 50% or more and preferably to

70% or more, consists of recycled material.

8. car door or hood holder according to one of the preceding claims, Therefore, the pin or hook sections have a predetermined shape and material elasticity for the gentle penetration into the recesses of the body parts intended for this purpose and through slightly flexible parts of a plastic holder base body, in particular with the

Basic form of a U or double T profile, are interconnected.

9. car door or hood holder according to one of claims 1, 3 or 5 to 8, ge ke nn ze ichn et du rch training as a door hook with two hooks for engaging in the window shaft of a door and at least one pin for engaging in one Fastening of a door panel serving opening of the door.

10. car door or hood holder according to one of claims 1, 3 or 5 to 9, ge ke nn ze ichn et du rc h training as a door hook with an extension plane defined by the connecting sections between the engagement sections, the substantially plate-shaped handling section in Top view has an annular shape and is a plane parallel to the extension plane of the door hook.

11. Car door or hood holder according to one of claims 1, 3 or 5 to 10, ge ke nn ze ichn et du rch the training as a door hook, the two-part structure of a base body with a plurality of engagement sections for engaging in recesses in a vehicle door and optionally Recesses or abutments of an adjacent body part and an essentially L-shaped pivot bracket which can be swiveled onto the base body and has engaging sections for engaging recesses or for abutting the door, has adjacent body sections.

12. Car door or auto hawbe holder according to one of the preceding claims, ge ke nn ze ichn et du rc h a locking device which can be locked or released by rectilinear displacement of two plastic parts relative to one another for fixing the car door or hood at a predetermined distance from the main body of the body or for releasing this fixing.

13. car door or hood holder according to claim 12 and one of claims 3 to 12, d a d u rc h g e ke n n z e i c h n et that the bracket-shaped or substantially plate-shaped handling section is attached to the locking device and is used for locking or releasing.