EP3418013A1

EP3418013A1 - Method for applying inserts in a panel or a similar element

Info

Publication number: EP3418013A1
Application number: EP18177308.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Neri
Original assignee: SCM Group SpA
Current assignee: SCM Group SpA
Priority date: 2017-06-22
Filing date: 2018-06-12
Publication date: 2018-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 2038-06-12
Also published as: EP3418013B1; IT201700069432A1; EP3418013B8

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for applying inserts in a panel (1) or similar element, said method comprising the steps of: providing a panel (1) in which is defined at least a first lateral edge; providing a first tool (2); forming, by means of said first tool (2), at least a first cavity (3) extending along a first predetermined direction on a portion of said at least a first lateral edge; providing at least a first insert (5); providing a pressing device (4); and inserting said at least a first insert (5) in said at least a first cavity (3) moving said pressing device (4) along said at least a first lateral edge from a first position to a second position in such a way that said pressing device (4) pushes said at least a first insert (5) inside said at least a first cavity (3) progressively along said first predetermined direction.

Description

This invention relates to a method for applying inserts in a panel or in a similar element.
More in detail, the invention relates to a method for applying flexible and/or deformable inserts of different shapes on edges of a panel, a door, or a similar element.
The following description refers to a method for applying seals on the edges of a fire door, but it is clear that it must not be considered to be limited to this specific use, as the method according to the invention can be extended, conveniently, to the application of inserts of a different type on supports different from fire doors.
Currently, in order to apply the seals on the lateral edges of fire doors, operating machines are used which are equipped with milling cutter units which are able to form grooves, by milling, along the lateral edges of the panels which constitutes the door.
The type and dimensions of the milling cutter are selected on the basis of the shape of the groove to be formed.
Once the grooves have been formed, the seals are applied on the edges of the doors inserting them by hand inside the grooves made previously.
However, the methods adopted until now for the application of seals on the edges of fire doors require quite lengthy execution times, as well as the use of operating personnel for carrying out the steps for picking up and inserting seals in the grooves previously formed by mean of machine tools, with the obvious increase in the costs of the production personnel.
In light of the above, the aim of the invention is therefore to provide a method for applying inserts in a panel or a similar element, which allows the inserts to be applied on the edges of panels in an automatic manner.
Another aim of the invention is to provide a method for applying inserts in a panel or a similar element, which allows the inserts to be applied quickly on the edges of panels.
A further aim of the invention is to provide a method for applying inserts in a panel or a similar element, which allows inserts of different shapes to be applied on the edges of panels.
The invention therefore specifically relates to a method for applying at least one insert in a panel or similar element, said method comprising the steps of: providing a panel in which is defined at least a first lateral edge; providing a first tool; forming, by means of said first tool, at least a first cavity extending along a first predetermined direction on a portion of said at least a first lateral edge; providing at least a first insert; providing a pressing device; and inserting said at least a first insert in said at least a first cavity moving said pressing device along said at least a first lateral edge from a first position to a second position in such a way that said pressing device pushes said at least a first insert inside said at least a first cavity progressively along said first predetermined direction.
Further, according to the invention, said at least a first insert may be flexible and/or deformable.
Preferably, according to the invention, said at least a first insert is a seal.
Again, according to this invention, said first tool may be a milling cutter.
Advantageously, according to this invention, said method may comprise the step of cutting at least a portion of said at least a first insert exceeding, longitudinally, said at least a first lateral edge.
Further, according to the invention, said first position may be at a first edge of said panel and said second position may be at a second edge of said panel.
Preferably, according to this invention, said pressing device comprises a movable pressing element for pressing on an outer surface of said at least a first insert.
Further, according to the invention, said pressing element may comprise a freely rotatable roller.
Advantageously, according to the invention, said method may comprise the steps of: providing a second tool; forming, by means of the second tool, at least a second cavity extending along a second predetermined direction in a portion of a second lateral edge of said panel, said at least a second cavity having a different shape to said at least a first cavity; providing a second insert with a shape different to said at least a first insert; and inserting said second insert in said at least a second cavity moving said pressing device along said second lateral edge from a third position to a fourth position, in such a way that said pressing device pushes said second insert inside said at least a second cavity progressively along said second predetermined direction.
Further, according to the invention, said method may comprise the steps of: providing a second pressing element different to said first pressing element; and mounting said second pressing element in said pressing device.
Again, according to the invention, said at least a first insert may be substantially shaped to match said at least a first cavity.
The invention is now described, by way of example and without limiting the scope of the invention, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a first panel before being subjected to the method according to this invention;
Figure 2 shows a first step of the method according to this invention applied to the panel illustrated in Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows the semi-worked element resulting from the execution of the first step;
Figure 4 shows a second step of the method according to the invention;
Figure 5 shows a component of a machine for the execution of the operating step illustrated in Figure 4;
Figure 6 shows the finished product resulting from the execution of the method according to the invention.

The similar parts will be indicated in the various drawings with the same numerical references.
With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a panel, for example a panel for making a fire door.
According to the method according to the invention the panel 1 is loaded on a machine tool equipped with a movable operating head equipped with an interchangeable milling cutter 2.
The machine tool is also equipped with a unit for housing machine tools, including milling cutters of various types, shapes or dimensions, to allow the execution of various milling operations on panels to be processed.
The above-mentioned operating head is connected to a movement system equipped with a system of guides, such as to allow the operating head to reach the unit for housing the milling cutters for replacement of the relative tool.
After having loaded the panel 1 on the machine tool, grooves 3, 3' are formed on the lateral edges of the panel 1, by means of a relative motion between the milling cutter 2 and the panel 1.
Thanks to the interchangeability of the milling cutters 2, it is also possible to form, by means of the above-mentioned machine tool, grooves with different shapes and dimensions on edges of the same panel 1.
Considering that the grooves 3, 3' must act as seats for housing the inserts, the above-mentioned milling operation is such as to not affect the entire surface of each lateral edge of the panel 1 where the relative insert is to be applied.
As a result of the above-mentioned milling operations it is possible to obtain, on the edges of the panel 1 affected by the machining, grooves 3, 3' with different shapes, but in any case defined, laterally, by two relative protruding edges 3a, 3b, 3a', 3b'.
The bottom of these grooves may be, for example, formed by a flat surface such as that shown in Figures 2 and 3, or by an oblique or curved surface, or even by several surfaces positioned at different levels from each other.
Similarly, the above-mentioned protruding surfaces 3a, 3b, 3a', 3b' can also adopt shapes different from the substantially parallelepiped ones shown in Figures 2 and 3.
The above-mentioned machine tool is also equipped with a further operating unit for inserting flexible and/or deformable inserts inside the grooves 3, 3'.
More specifically, the latter operating unit comprises an interchangeable presser device 4 (see Figure 5), upstream of which there is a feed device (not illustrated) for continuously feeding to the presser device 4 a seal 5, 5' or another type of flexible and/or deformable insert.
The presser device 4 in turn comprises a pressing element 6, which in the specific case illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 adopts the form of a roller rotatable about itself in an idle manner.
However, according to further variants not shown in the accompanying drawings, the pressing element 6 may also adopt forms different from that illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, according to the specific geometry of the seal to be applied to the edge of the panel 1.
However, it is preferable to select, in each case, a pressing element which has a surface of contact with the seal shaped to match the outer surface of seal, that is to say, the profile which will face outwards after the relative application.
The above-mentioned machine tool is also equipped with a further unit for housing presser devices with pressing elements of different shapes and dimensions, to allow the insertion of seals or other flexible and/or deformable inserts of different shapes.
The operating unit for the insertion of inserts is also connected to a dedicated movement system, equipped with a special system of guides, to allow the operating unit to reach the unit for housing the presser devices and thereby allow the replacement of the presser device in use.
Therefore, once the grooves 5, 5' have been formed as described above, the presser device 4 positions itself, automatically, on an end of a lateral edge of the panel 1 in such a way as to push, using the pressing element 6, a flap of the seal 5 inside the relative groove.
The presser device 4 is now fed along the entire lateral edge of the panel 1 up to the opposite end, in such a way that the seal is inserted in the underlying groove progressively along the direction of extension of the latter.
The above-mentioned machine tool is also equipped with a cutting device (not illustrated) for cutting any part 5" of the seal 5 which may exceed, longitudinally, the edge of the panel 1 on which it is applied.
The method described above may therefore be used for applying on one or more edges of a panel, or element with a similar shape, seals or other types of inserts having the same or a different shape.
More specifically, in the case of applying seals or other types of inserts with different shapes from each other, the method comprises the replacement of the milling cutter 2 provisionally in use, to allow the execution of a groove with a shape suitable for housing the insert with a shape different to that applied previously, and also the subsequent replacement of the presser device 4 for inserting the insert in the relative groove formed by the new milling cutter.
Moreover, if this method is to be applied on a panel to be used for making a door, such as, for example, a fire door, it will also be necessary to form, on the edges of the panel 1, one or more cavities or seats for housing hinges 7 or locks.
As may be inferred from the above description, the method according to the invention allows inserts to be applied on the edges of a panel or elements of a similar shape in a completely automatic fashion, without the need for direct intervention by the operators.
This therefore results in a significant reduction in the times for execution of the machining and also of the relative production costs.
The present invention is described by way of example only, without limiting the scope of application, according to its preferred embodiments, but it shall be understood that the invention may be modified and/or adapted by experts in the field without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept, as defined in the claims herein.

Claims

A method for applying at least one insert in a panel or in a similar element, said method comprising the following steps:
providing a panel (1) in which at least one lateral edge is defined;

providing a first tool (2);

forming, by means of said first tool (2), at least a first cavity (3) extending along a first predetermined direction on a portion of said at least a first lateral edge;

providing at least a first insert (5);

providing a pressing device (4); and

inserting said at least a first insert (5) in said at least a first cavity (3) moving said pressing device (4) along said at least a first lateral edge from a first position to a second position in such a way that said pressing device (4) pushes said at least a first insert (5) inside said at least a first cavity (3) progressively along said first predetermined direction.
The method according to claim 1, characterised in that said at least a first insert (5) is flexible and/or deformable.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said at least a first insert (5) is a seal.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first tool is a milling cutter (2).
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises the step of cutting at least a portion of said at least a first insert (5) exceeding, longitudinally, said at least a first lateral edge.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first position is at a first edge of said panel (1) and in that said second position is at a second edge of said panel (1).
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said pressing device (4) comprises a removable pressing element (6) for pressing on an outer surface of said at least a first insert (5).
The method according to claim 7, characterised in that said pressing element (6) comprises a freely rotatable roller.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:
providing a second tool;

forming, by means of said second tool, at least a second cavity (3') extending along a second predetermined direction in a portion of a second lateral edge of said panel (1), said at least a second cavity (3') being of a different shape to said at least a first cavity (3);

providing a second insert (5') of a shape different to said at least a first insert (5); and

inserting said second insert (5') in said at least a second cavity (3') moving said pressing device (4) along said second lateral edge from a third position to a fourth position in such a way that said pressing device (4) pushes said second insert (5') inside said at least a second cavity (3') progressively along said second predetermined direction.
The method according to claim 9, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:
providing a second pressing element different to said first pressing element (6); and

mounting said second pressing element in said pressing device (4).
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said at least a first insert (5) is substantially shaped to match said at least a first cavity (3).