EP2498916B2 - Device and method for preserving components - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for the cavity preservation of motor vehicle body components with a preservative according to claims 1 and 6. The invention is preferably used for the preservation of hard-to-access surfaces that are to be preserved, which besides cavity preservation e.g. also applies to seam seals (e.g. flared seams), etc. of motor vehicle body components.

Cavity conservation, i.e. The preservation of an interior surface of a cavity is mostly used in high-quality vehicles in order to significantly extend the corrosion protection. The use of cavity preservation is typical, particularly in countries in which high commitments are made regarding the so-called "rust protection guarantee" (corrosion protection guarantee), which is particularly true for many European countries. Some vehicles imported into such countries, if they have not already been subjected to cavity preservation, are subsequently subjected to cavity preservation.

In particular, high-quality vehicles with high corrosion protection guarantees have so far not been able to do without cavity preservation.

Essentially two methods are known for the cavity preservation of motor vehicle bodies, namely the flooding method and the spraying method.

In the flooding process, the cavities to be preserved in the motor vehicle body are poured out with solvent-free wax which has been liquefied by heating, a part of the wax being deposited on the cavity walls and thereby preserving them while the excess wax runs off.

In the spraying method for cavity preservation, on the other hand, the wax serving as a preservative is sprayed onto the inner walls of the cavities, for which purpose, for example, an application tube (lance) can be used, which is inserted into the cavities from the outside and has outlet openings for the wax.

A wax is usually used as the material for cavity preservation. According to the prior art, processing is typical in which the wax is atomized together with air in a pre-atomization chamber and is passed to the body by means of air through hoses (e.g. 3-8 m length). The air is used for atomization, transport and distribution in the cavity. The wax is introduced into the cavity and is usually intended to seal it. To do this, it must run. This is usually supported by a tilting station that "tilts" the body part in order to support the course (penetration) of the wax. Openings (outlet bores) in the body part to be preserved indicate that the cavity has been coated successfully.

The disadvantage of this is that wax that runs out is undesirable, in particular it can contaminate the following conveying areas.

This disadvantage is minimized by providing a wax dryer. This wax dryer heats the body parts to a certain minimum temperature over a certain minimum time, e.g. 1 min. at 60 ° C. A common wax dryer length is e.g. 60 m. After the drying process, the leakage of wax is essentially stopped. In this context, one speaks of the so-called "drop stop". The wax hardens for a few more days / weeks, but never becomes completely solid, but remains flexible. Such wax dryers have a number of disadvantages, e.g. high energy consumption in operation, high investment and / or maintenance costs, high cleaning effort, large space consumption, lack of retrofitting for many customers, etc.

DE 10 2008 011 489 A1 discloses a method for cavity sealing of a motor vehicle component by spraying a curable preservative such as. B. wax, to which a crosslinking component can be added directly before spraying. A spray gun, known per se, is provided for applying the preservative and engages with an application element in the cavity to be preserved. The crosslinking component is mixed with the preservative in a mixing chamber.

DE 103 20 341 A1 discloses a method of forming a polyurethane article wherein first and second bases of a polyurethane system are injected into an unlimited space above a mold. US 5,071,683 A discloses a similar process for making an elastomeric polyurethane layer in a mold. GB 2 251 396 A discloses schematically a method of applying two components from two nozzles.

The documents DE 35 18 584 A1 . EP 2 067 530 A1 . DE 36 16 235 C2 . EP 1 795 282 A1 . DE 31 42 154 C2 . EP 2 098 302 A1 and US 4,703,894 A describe further technological background related to the invention.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved device and an improved method for preserving components. In particular, it should be possible to achieve a "drop stop" in a short time and / or without a dryer or oven after the application of the preservative and optionally subsequent penetration. In the case of cavity preservation, for example, it should be possible in a simple manner to prevent preservatives from getting out of the cavity to be preserved.

This object is achieved with the features of the independent claims.

The invention encompasses the general technical teaching of mixing a preservative and a hardener in the preservation of components in order to allow the preservative to harden more quickly, in particular in order to achieve a "drop stop".

The device according to the invention for preserving components with a preservative is distinguished in particular by the fact that, in addition to the preservative, a hardener is applied which reacts with the preservative in order to allow the preservative to harden. The device is therefore preferably provided in order to apply a hardener in addition to the preservative in order to react with the preservative, as a result of which hardening of the preservative can be achieved.

It is particularly advantageous that no dryer or oven is required to achieve a "drop stop".

Another advantage of the invention is that the device can be designed such that no or only very few sections of the device come into contact with a mixture of preservative and hardener. The preservative hardens through the hardener from the mixing process. A conventional mixer cannot sit directly in the nozzle for reasons of space, but would have to be installed a few centimeters to meters from the nozzle. Since the hardener reacts with water, the water or residual moisture from the air / compressed air is sufficient to initiate a reaction. The process of blowing the feed line empty after pre-atomization and / or mixing would leave residues in the feed line that would no longer be completely discharged even in subsequent coating processes. Even rinsing would not make the feed line and other contaminated device parts 100% clean. This would leave residues that harden, which is associated with a number of problems. The following are particularly problematic: blockages of the nozzles, changes to the nozzle geometry due to deposits, changes in the application result, malfunction / failure of individual components (e.g. valves), pressure losses, leaks at interfaces (e.g. to interchangeable heads), etc. Atomization occurs, whereby in particular nozzles, nozzle pipes, exchangeable heads, robot components, etc. can be affected. The above problems lead to increased cleaning and maintenance costs.

According to the invention, the preservative and hardener can preferably be mixed in terms of flow technology at an end section of the device, for example in an application device, an application element and / or a nozzle. It is also possible to design the device in such a way that the preservative and the hardener mix in flight (in the air), in a cavity to be preserved and / or on a component to be preserved. Mixing is thus preferably initiated in an application device, an application element, a nozzle, in flight (in the air), in a cavity to be preserved and / or on a component to be preserved. Consequently, there is preferably no mixing of preservative and hardener in front of the application device, in front of the application element, in front of a nozzle and / or in front of an outlet opening of a nozzle. Thus, the above disadvantages can be completely avoided, or at least significantly mitigated.

According to the invention, the device comprises an application device for applying the preservative and the hardener to the component to be preserved, a preservative line for supplying the preservative to the application device and a hardener line for supplying the hardener to the application device

According to the invention, the application device has an application element with an outlet opening. The application element can be, for example, an application tube, a lance, a probe, etc.

In a preferred embodiment, the application element has a nozzle at which the outlet opening is provided. According to the invention, the preservative line and the hardener line open into the application element in such a way that the preservative and the hardener mix in the application element. The mixing process can thus be initiated in the application element. The advantage of this is that only a few sections come into contact with a mixture of preservative and hardener.

According to the invention, there is also the possibility that the preservative line and the hardener line open into the application element in such a way that the preservative and the hardener mix directly in front of the first nozzle and / or in the nozzle. The mixing process can thus be initiated immediately before and / or in the nozzle. The advantage of this is that only a few sections come into contact with a mixture of preservative and hardener. The application element is designed, for example, in such a way that it can be guided through an opening into a cavity to be preserved in order to spray its inner surfaces to be preserved with preservative and hardener.

It is also possible to provide a mixer, in particular in the application device, an application element, preferably an application tube, and / or in a nozzle. The mixer can also extend over at least two of the aforementioned sections (e.g. from the application tube into the nozzle). Around the mixer e.g. To accommodate in the nozzle and / or in the application tube, the mixer must be of correspondingly small dimensions and still achieve sufficient mixer results, which conventional mixers are unable to do. A mixer suitable for the invention could preferably be produced by means of generative processes (e.g. rapid prototyping).

Furthermore, means can be provided, in particular for the application device, the application element and / or the nozzle with a solvent / rinsing agent, a reactive substance (for example a reaction retardant, for example an organic acid chloride), which essentially stops or inhibits curing, and / or a monofunctional substance (e.g. propanol or butanol, especially in the case of an isocyanate functionality) that reacts with the preservative and / or the hardener to essentially stop or inhibit hardening (in particular by essentially preventing its chain reaction) to flow through, to coat and / or to fill. The reactive substance and / or the monofunctional substance thus act as a blocking agent in order to delay, preferably substantially prevent, hardening of the preservative or the mixture comprising preservative and hardener. It is possible that the mixture contains other components such as e.g. comprises a solvent and / or rinsing agent.

The monofunctional substance is preferably a reactive, monofunctional substance that reacts with a preservative component and / or a hardener component, preferably with a hardener component, but does not lead to polymer chains due to its monofunctionality, but ideally leads to a molecule or Oligomer from a hardener molecule and two blocking agent molecules. In particular, amines or alcohols, preferably lower alcohols, such as e.g. Ethanol, propanol, butanol and / or their isomers into consideration. The reactivity of the chain reaction, which is essentially prevented by the monofunctional substance, should be higher than that of the chain-forming reaction. Because e.g. If the bi- or multifunctional hardener molecules react with a short-chain monofunctional molecule, the viscosity of the mixture (preservative, hardener, monofunctional substance) remains low.

As such, the reactive substance should not get into the cavities to be preserved.

There is also the possibility of arranging the application device on only one robot, preferably on only one robot arm. For example, the robot could be positioned along a conveyor path for vehicle body components. However, the invention is not limited to this, but can also be used, for example, in hand-operated devices, semi-automatic systems, robot systems, waxing machines, etc.

Means may also be provided to atomize the preservative and / or the hardener.

Usually, a cavity to be preserved has at least one opening from which the introduced preservative can undesirably escape again. The invention opens up the possibility of closing this opening by means of the preservative and the hardener. For this purpose, the preservative (with and / or without hardener) is preferably conveyed into the cavity to be preserved. Then in particular the area around the opening is provided with the hardener. The main advantage of this variant is the saving in hardener. It is also possible to selectively provide the areas around the opening with hardener without the requirement that the opening close.

Alternatively, the opening in the cavity to be preserved can also be closed by means of a plug. The graft may preferably be made of metal, plastic, rubber, wax or a dissolving material (e.g. water soluble parts, ice, etc.) that dissolves after the preservative has dried.

Furthermore, the invention also comprises a method for cavity preservation of motor vehicle body components with a device according to the invention, with which the advantages described above can be achieved.

The method is characterized in particular in that, in addition to the preservative, a hardener is applied to the component to be preserved, which reacts with the preservative in order to allow the preservative to harden.

As a preservative e.g. a wax can be used, whereas as a hardener e.g. Isocyanate can be used. However, the invention can also be used with other components, e.g. different paints can be used.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer Vorrichtung zur Konservierung von Bauteilen gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung einer Vorrichtung zur Konservierung von Bauteilen gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung einer Vorrichtung zur Konservierung von Bauteilen gemäß einem dritten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 4

eine schematische Darstellung einer Vorrichtung zur Konservierung von Bauteilen gemäß einem vierten Ausführungsbeispiel.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims or result from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the attached figures, although in the Figures 2 . 3 and 4 no device according to claims 1 and 6 is shown. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a device for preserving components according to a first embodiment;

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of a device for preserving components according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of a device for preserving components according to a third embodiment;

Fig. 4

is a schematic representation of a device for preserving components according to a fourth embodiment.

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a device for preserving components according to a first embodiment, preferably for preserving an inner surface of a cavity. In addition to a preservative, the device is designed to apply a hardener to the component to be preserved, which reacts with the preservative, which causes the preservative to harden.

Shown in Fig. 1 is in particular an application device 10. The application device 10 can be arranged on a robot arm (not shown), preferably on the free end of the robot arm.

According to the first exemplary embodiment, the application device 10 comprises an application element 11. The application element 11 is preferably an application tube which, in terms of flow technology, essentially represents an end section of the device or of the application device 10.

A nozzle 12 is provided on the application element 11. An outlet opening 13 is provided on the nozzle 12. A preservative line 50 for supplying a preservative 51 (e.g. wax) to the application device 10 and a hardener line 52 for supplying a hardener (e.g. isocyanate) 53 to the application device 10 are also provided.

In the first exemplary embodiment, the preservative line 50 and the hardener line 52 open (open) in the application element 11, preferably in the nozzle 12 provided on the application element 11. The preservative 51 and the hardener 53 are thus mixed in the application element 11, i. that the mixing of the preservative 51 and the hardener 53 is initiated in the application element 11. M1 identifies this mixing area within the application element 11. Preferably there is no mixing of the preservative 51 and hardener 53 in front of the application element 11.

As in Fig. 1 can be seen, the preservative line 50 and the hardener line 52 open into the nozzle 12, which is provided on the application element 11, so that in the first exemplary embodiment the preservative 51 and the hardener 53 are mixed in the nozzle 12.

It is also possible for the preservative line 50 and the hardener line 52 to open before, in particular immediately before, the nozzle 12, so that the preservative 51 and hardener 53 are mixed in the application element 11, preferably an application tube, and the nozzle 12.

If necessary, a mini mixer can be arranged in the application element 11 and / or the nozzle 12.

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention. Parts that are similar to the first exemplary embodiment or identical parts are provided with similar or identical reference numerals, so that reference can be made to the description of the first exemplary embodiment in order to avoid repetitions.

Shown in Fig. 2 is, in particular, an application device 20. According to the second exemplary embodiment, the application device 20 comprises an application element 21. The application element 21 is preferably an application tube which, in terms of flow technology, essentially represents an end section of the device or of the application device 20.

A nozzle 22 is provided on the application element 21. Two outlet openings 23A and 23B are provided on the nozzle 22. Furthermore, a preservative line 50 for supplying a preservative 51 to the application device 20 and a hardener line 52 for supplying a hardener 53 to the application device 20 are provided.

In the second embodiment, the preservative line 50 leads to the first outlet opening 23A and the hardener line 52 leads to the second outlet opening 23B.

The nozzle 22 or the first and second outlet openings 23A and 23B are arranged and / or can be positioned in such a way that the preservative 51 and the hardener 53 are mixed outside the application element 22 in the region M2 shown schematically.

The preservative 51 and the hardener 53 are thus mixed in flight and / or on a surface to be preserved.

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a device according to a third embodiment of the invention. Parts that are similar to the first and / or second exemplary embodiment or identical parts are provided with similar or identical reference numerals, so that reference can be made to the description of the first and / or second exemplary embodiment in order to avoid repetitions.

Fig. 3 shows an application device 30. Similar to the first and second exemplary embodiments, the application device 30 comprises an application element 31. The application element 31 is preferably an application tube which, in terms of flow technology, essentially represents an end section of the device or of the application device 30.

However, the application element 31 has not only one nozzle, but two nozzles 32A and 32B. The first nozzle 32A has a first outlet opening 33A and the second nozzle 32B has a second outlet opening 33B.

Furthermore, a preservative line 50 for supplying a preservative 51 to the application device 30 and a hardener line 52 for supplying a hardener 53 to the application device 30 are provided.

In the third exemplary embodiment, the preservative line 50 leads to the first nozzle 32A or the first outlet opening 33A, so that the preservative 51 can be conveyed out of the first outlet opening 33A. The hardener line 52 leads to the second nozzle 32B or the second outlet opening 33B, so that the hardener 53 can be conveyed out of the second outlet opening 33B.

The first and second nozzles 32A and 32B or the first and second outlet openings 33A and 33B are arranged and / or can be positioned such that the preservative 51 and the hardener 53 are mixed outside the application element 31 in the region M3 shown schematically.

The preservative 51 and the hardener 53 are thus mixed in flight and / or on the surface to be preserved.

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a device according to a fourth embodiment, which is arranged along a conveying path F for motor vehicle body components. Parts that are similar to the first, second and / or third exemplary embodiment or identical parts are provided with similar or identical reference numerals, so that reference can be made to the descriptions of this exemplary embodiment in order to avoid repetitions.

In Fig. 4 essentially an application device 40 can be seen, which is shown on the one hand on robots R1, R2 and on the other hand in an enlarged representation. In contrast to the previous exemplary embodiments, the application device 40 has two separate application elements 41A and 41B, which can preferably each be an application tube. The application element 41A and the application element 41B each represent essentially end sections of the device or of the application device 40 in terms of flow technology.

The first application element 41A can be on a robot arm of a robot R1, preferably on the latter free end, whereas the second application element 41B can be arranged on a robot arm of another robot R2, preferably at its free end.

The first application element 41A comprises a first nozzle 42A, at which a first outlet opening 43A is provided. The second application element 41B comprises a second nozzle 42B, at which a second outlet opening 43B is provided.

Furthermore, a preservative line 50 for supplying a preservative 51 to the application device 40 and a hardener line 52 for supplying a hardener 53 to the application device 40 are provided.

In the fourth exemplary embodiment, the preservative line 50 opens out at the first nozzle 42A or the first outlet opening 43A, so that the preservative 51 can be conveyed out of the first outlet opening 43A. The hardener line 52 opens at the second nozzle 42B or the second outlet opening 43B, so that the hardener 53 can be conveyed out of the second outlet opening 43B.

The device for cavity preservation according to the fourth exemplary embodiment is preferably arranged on the conveyor path F for transporting motor vehicle body components. The first application element 41A can then be provided in a preservative application station S1, and the second application element 41B can be provided in a hardener application station S2. The hardener application station S2 could be positioned directly after the preservative application station S1.

The material, in particular the preservative and the hardener, could preferably be coordinated with one another in such a way that only a defined period of time is possible after the hardener has been introduced. After the preservative, preferably a wax, has penetrated, the run should be stopped very quickly ("drop stop"). However, the hardener application station S2 could also be positioned away from the preservative application station S1 in accordance with the process time of penetration. The hardener could then react without delay to trigger the "drop stop".

The first and second nozzles 42A and 42B or the first and second outlet openings 43A and 43B are provided in such a way that the preservative 51 and the hardener 53 can be mixed outside the application device 40.

Preferably, the preservative 51 and hardener 53 are delivered sequentially, i.e. in a first step the first application element 41A applies the preservative 51 to the component to be preserved and in a second step the second application element 41B applies the hardener 53 to the component to be preserved. The preservative 51 and the hardener 53 are therefore preferably mixed on the component to be preserved.

The application device can thus have one application element or a plurality of application elements. The application device preferably represents essentially an end section of the device in terms of flow technology. The application element or elements are preferably arranged behind the application device in terms of flow technology or preferably represent an essentially end section of the application device in terms of flow technology. The or the application elements are preferably designed such that they have one or can position several outlet openings on hard-to-access areas to be preserved, e.g. cavities to be preserved, undercuts, etc.

According to the invention, means for atomizing the preservative and / or the hardener can be provided, for example in the published patent application DE 103 22 170 A1 is described, so that the content of this publication is fully attributable to the present description.

The invention is preferably applicable to manual systems, semi-automatic systems, robot systems, waxing machines, etc. In manual or semi-automatic systems, a worker guides the corresponding nozzle (s) or outlet opening (s) into the cavity to be preserved and starts the coating process manually. The amount of material can be dosed automatically. After the process has been completed, the nozzle is brought to the next opening and the process is repeated. Different nozzles and material quantities as well as the other process parameters for different components on the vehicle are often different. A controller can preferably provide information with regard to the nozzle (s) to be used, whether and when the nozzle should be changed, the setting of relevant parameters, etc. After the removal (start), the coating can run fully automatically.

Robotic systems are mostly used where a high degree of flexibility is required, e.g. Body variants, low quantities, changes, etc. The robots preferably have interchangeable heads, with one or more nozzles per head, which receive the nozzle heads according to the body opening and bring them into the corresponding body openings. The coating can run fully automatically.

The body of waxing machines is usually positioned mechanically (centered). Then the nozzle (s) is inserted into the body openings by means of a mechanism and the wax is applied. These systems work fully automatically

The invention is not restricted to the preferred exemplary embodiments described above. Much more a large number of variants and modifications are possible which also make use of the inventive idea.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10, 20, 30, 40

application device

11, 21, 31, 41A

First application element

41B

Second application element

12, 22, 32A, 42A

First nozzle

32B, 42B

Second nozzle

13, 23A, 33A, 43A

First exit opening

23B, 33B, 43B

Second exit opening

50

Preservatives line

51

preservative

52

tougher line

53

Harder

M1, M2, M3

mixed areas

F

conveying

S1

Konservierungsmittelapplizierstation

S2

Härterapplizierstation

R1, R2

robot

Claims (14)

1. Device for the cavity preservation of motor vehicle body components with a preservative agent (51), the device being provided in order to apply in addition to the preservative agent (51) a hardener (53) that reacts with the preservative agent (51), which causes the preservative agent to harden, with

   a) an application device (10) for applying the preservative agent (51) and the hardener (53) to the component to be preserved;

   b) a preservative agent line (50) for feeding the preservative agent (51) to the application device (10);

   c) a hardener line (52) for feeding the hardener (53) to the application device (10), wherein the application device (10) comprises an application element (11) in the form of an application tube, a lance or a probe with an outlet opening (13) and preferably comprises a nozzle (12) on which the outlet opening (13) of the application element (11) is provided; and

   d) a robot arm on which the application device is arranged,

   characterized in that
   the preservative agent line (50) and the hardener line (52) discharge into the application element (11) in such a way that the preservative agent (51) and the hardener (53) can be mixed in the application element (11), and/or the preservative agent line (50) and the hardener line (52) discharge into the application element (11) in such a way that the preservative agent (51) and the hardener (53) can be mixed immediately upstream from and/or in the nozzle (12) of the application element (11),
   and means are provided in order to flow through and/or to coat and/or to fill the application device (10) and/or the application element (11) and/or a nozzle (12) with a reactive substance, which essentially stops or inhibits the hardening, and/or a monofunctual substance, which reacts with the preservative agent and/or the hardener, preferably with the hardener, to essentially stop or inihibit the hardening.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein

   a) the application element (11) is formed in such a way that it can be guided into a cavity to be preserved; and/or

   b) the application element (11) is an application tube or a probe.
3. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a mixer is provided in the application element (11) and/or in the nozzle (12).
4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein means are provided in order to flow through and/or to coat and/or to fill

   a) the application device (10) and/or

   b) the application element and/or

   c) a first and/or second nozzle
   with

   d) a solvent/rinsing agent.
5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein means are provided to atomize the preservative agent (51) and/or the hardener (53).
6. Method for the preservation of cavities of mtor vehicle body components with a preservative agent (51), wherein in addition to the preservative agent (51) a hardener (53) is applied that reacts with the preservative agent (51), which causes the preservative agent (51) to harden,
   the method using a device with

   a) an application device (10) for applying the preservative agent (51) and the hardener (53) to the component to be preserved;

   b) a preservative agent line (50) for feeding the preservative agent (51) to the application device (10); and

   c) a hardener line (52) for feeding the hardener (53) to the application device (10), wherein the application device (10) comprises an application element (11) in the form of an application tube, a lance or a probe with an outlet opening (13) and preferably comprises a nozzle (12) on which the outlet opening (13) of the application element (11) is provided,

   characterized in that
   the preservative agent line (50) and the hardener line (52) discharge into the application element (11) in such a way that the preservative agent (51) and the hardener (53) can be mixed in the application element (11), and/or the preservative agent line (50) and the hardener line (52) discharge into the application element (11) in such a way that the preservative agent (51) and the hardener (53) can be mixed immediately upstream from and/or in the nozzle (12) of the application element (11).
7. The method according to Claim 6, wherein
   the preservative agent and the hardener are mixed by a mixer.
8. The method according to any one of Claims 6 or 7,
   wherein the preservative agent (51) and the hardener (53) are applied from a nozzle (12).
9. The method according to any one of Claims 6 to 8,
   wherein the application of the preservative agent (51) and of the hardener (53) is executed simultaneously.
10. The method according to any one of Claims 6 to 9,
    wherein the hardener (53) is applied only to regions around an opering on a cavity to be preserved of the component to be preserved in such a way that remaining regions of the component to be preserved remain essentially hardener-free.
11. The method according to any one of Claims 6 to 10,
    wherein an opening of the component to be preserved on the cavity to be preserved is closed by the preservative agent (51) and the hardener (53).
12. The method according to any one of Claims 6 to 11,
    wherein an opening of the component to be preserved on the cavity to be preserved is closed by means of a plug made of

    a) metal;

    b) plastic;

    c) rubber;

    d) wax; or

    e) a self-soluble material, which dissolves by itself once the preservative agent is dried.
13. The method according to any one of Claims 6 to 12,
    wherein

    a) the application device and/or

    b) the application element and/or

    c) the first nozzle
    is flown through, coated or filled with

    d) a solvent/rinsing agent; and/or

    e) a reactive substance, which essentially stops or inhibits the hardening; and/or

    f) a monofunctional substance, which reacts with the preservative agent and/or the hardener, preferably with the hardener, to essentially stop or inhibit the hardening.
14. The method according to Claim 13, wherein
    the flow through and/or coating and/or filling is executed

    a) after each motor vehicle body component;

    b) after every X body components; and/or

    c) in pauses.

Images