EP3551404A1

EP3551404A1 - Device and method for coating a workpiece

Info

Publication number: EP3551404A1
Application number: EP17828664.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Frick
Original assignee: Homag GmbH
Current assignee: Homag GmbH
Priority date: 2016-12-06
Filing date: 2017-12-05
Publication date: 2019-10-16
Also published as: WO2018104294A1; DE102016224217A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for coating a workpiece (2) at least some sections of which preferably consist of wood, manufactured wood products, plastic or the like, comprising an activation unit (30) for activating an activatable adhesive layer (14) which is provided to join the coating material (12) and said workpiece (2). The activation unit (30) is arranged and configured to activate the activatable adhesive layer (14) when in a state in which said coating material (12) and workpiece (2) already at least partially lie one against the other via the activatable adhesive layer (14), in the region upon which said activation unit acts.

Description

Apparatus and method for coating a workpiece

Technical area

The invention relates to a device for coating a workpiece, which is preferably at least partially made of wood, wood materials, plastic or the like, according to the preamble of claim 1, and further a method for coating a workpiece.

State of the art

In the field of furniture and components industry will be

Workpieces on their surface often with a

Coating material provided, for example, an edge. For attaching the coating material to the workpieces, for example, a pre-coated edge with hot melt can be heated by means of an energy source, so as to bring the hot melt adhesive to the desired AufSchmelztemperatur for bonding.

Thus, DE 10 2006 056 010 discloses a

Coating device of the type mentioned, in which an adhesive provided on the coating material or the workpiece is heated or activated using a laser. Furthermore, DE 10 2014 213 526 AI discloses a coating device of the type mentioned, in which a on the coating material or the

Workpiece provided adhesive using a

Microwave source is heated or activated.

These methods have proven to be efficient because the activatable layer (e.g., precoated Hot melt adhesive) can be specifically heated or activated. However, there is a need to use

activatable layer and energy to further reduce and improve the quality of the joint connection. In addition, in the known devices a certain

Minimum amount of coating material required, so not all workpiece lengths can be coated. In addition, the space in the joint gap is sometimes a critical factor.

Presentation of the invention

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device and a method of the type mentioned, which decreased at high quality of the joint connection

Enable resource use.

This object is achieved by a device for coating a workpiece according to claim 1 and a

A method of coating a workpiece according to claim 10 is achieved. Particularly preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the idea that at

conventional "open time", i. to eliminate the time between activating the activatable adhesive layer and the actual joining process. For this purpose is according to the invention

provided that in a generic device for coating a workpiece, the activation unit is arranged and arranged to activate the activatable adhesive layer in a state in which the

Coating material and the workpiece in the acted upon by the activation unit area already at least partially over the activatable adhesive layer abut each other. In this way, the "open time" occurring in the prior art can be eliminated. This results in a further increased quality of the joint connection, while at the same time the activation process (eg energy input) can be better controlled. In the exemplary case of activation by means of energy, it is also possible overall to work with a lower energy level. In addition, the activation process can also be done by the

Decouple environmental conditions. Thus, in the exemplary case of activation by means of energy, the required energy no longer depends on the ambient conditions, the length of the open time, etc.

In addition, thanks to the present invention, however, there are other advantages. So can with the

Device of the invention also very short edge lengths are processed, while in the prior art, the minimum edge length was predetermined by the distance between the activation unit and pressing device. In addition, the installation space can be optimally utilized in the device according to the invention, in particular since there is no in the so-called joint gap between the workpiece and the coating material

Activation unit must be provided more. This also results in an increased flexibility of the construction.

According to one embodiment of the invention it is provided that the activation unit is provided on a side facing away from the conveyor side of the pressing device. In this way, a simple construction of the device according to the invention results in the restrictions on the space to be avoided or minimized.

According to a development of the invention is further

provided that the activation unit has a power source with at least one power generation section, which is preferably selected from the group consisting of Laser generating section, infrared generating section,

Ultrasonic generating section,

Magnetic humor generating section,

Microwave generation section, plasma generation section, Beflammungsabschnitt and Begasungsabschnitt.

Each of these energy sources has its specific advantages. This is how a laser makes it possible

goal-oriented and speedy work, while infrared and plasma sources allow widespread operation and good depth. Energy sources with ultrasound, magnetic field and microwave work without contact and are particularly well suited to bring energy into the process even during the pressing of the coating material. In particular, have a magnetic field and a

Microwave exposure a good depth effect.

According to a development of the invention is further

provided that the pressing device at least one

Pressing agent having for the of

Energieaufbringabschnitt output energy is at least partially permeable. This results in a particularly high variability and free configurability of the device according to the invention, in which the available space can be optimally utilized. In addition, maintenance or repair work is also facilitated.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that it further comprises a shielding device which

is set up, at least part of the

Shield energy source energy. As a result, the reliability of the device according to the invention is further increased. At the same time, however, the flexibility of the operation of the device is increased, for example because the activation unit can move freely in space, in particular with suitable shielding means, for example in so-called stationary machines, in which the workpiece during the coating process in

Essentially stationary.

It is particularly preferred that the

Shielding device is provided at least partially in the region of an output opening of the activation unit, since at this point a particularly effective and efficient

Shielding can take place. Preferably, the

Shielding configured as an energy trap, in particular as a so-called λ / 4 trap. This can be achieved with little design effort and high efficiency of the desired shielding effect.

Moreover, it is preferred according to the invention that the shielding device is set up to

At least partially surround coating workpiece. As a result, the reliability and efficiency of the shielding device is further increased.

The inventive device can in principle with any coating materials and activatable

Adhesive layers are used. Thus, the adhesive layer which can be activated (for example by means of energy) can be or are provided, for example, on the surface of the workpiece to be coated. Alternatively or additionally, an activatable adhesive layer can also be supplied separately.

In addition, according to a development of the invention alternatively or additionally provided that in the

Feeding a coating material is arranged, which contains the activatable adhesive layer. This results in not only a particularly simple construction and low-noise operation of the device according to the invention, but it can also be a particularly appealing

Achieve joint appearance with high quality of the joint connection. In this case, the activatable adhesive layer may be provided, for example, by way of coextrusion, but also by way of coating on the coating material, wherein the Coating can be done both in advance, but possibly also within the device according to the invention.

An inventive method for coating a

Workpiece is the subject of claim 10. By this method, the advantages described above can be

also reach.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 shows schematically a perspective view of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows schematically a plan view of another

Embodiment of the device according to the invention;

Fig. 3 shows schematically a plan view of another

Embodiment of the device according to the invention;

4 shows schematically a side detail view from FIG. 3.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An apparatus 1 for coating a workpiece 2 is shown schematically in FIG. 1 in a perspective view. The device 1 is used to coat workpieces 2, e.g. completely or partially made of wood,

Wood materials, plastic or the like exist.

Such workpieces can be used for example in the field of furniture and component industry, but also in other areas. The apparatus 1 comprises first a feeding device 10 for feeding a coating material 12, wherein the

Feeding device 10 may also include a supply of coating material 12 not shown in detail. In which

Coating material may be, for example

so-called edge bands act, which may consist of a variety of materials such as plastic, veneer, aluminum, etc. However, it may also be a rather sheet-like material, not necessarily for a narrow surface, but possibly also for a

Wide surface of the workpiece 2 to be coated is provided.

In the present embodiment, this is

Coating material 12 with an energy

activatable adhesive layer 14 provided, which may be coextruded, for example, with the coating material 12 or may have been applied to this in the wake of the preparation of the coating material 12. In principle, it may also be an integral layer of the coating material 12 which, in any case, can not be seen as a separate layer 14 with the naked eye and may possibly be in one piece and structurally identical to the one

Coating material 12 is configured. However, as already mentioned above, it is also possible to use the energy activatable adhesive layer 14 alternatively or

additionally on the surface to be coated

Provide workpiece 2 and / or supply as a separate layer in the device 1.

Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a pressing device 20 for pressing the coating material 12 against a surface 2a of the workpiece 2 to be coated

Pressing device 20 is configured in the present embodiment as a pressure roller, which of course also several pressure rollers can be provided and also

different pressure elements can be used.

In addition, the device 1 has a

Conveyor 4 for causing a relative movement between the pressing device 20 and the workpiece 2. In the present embodiment, the conveyor 4 is designed as a continuous conveyor, for example as a conveyor belt, conveyor chain or the like. However, the present invention is not limited to such conveyors. Rather, in the inventive

Device 1, the conveyor also serve to move the pressing device 20 and possibly other components, while the workpiece 2 during the

Coating process is kept stationary. In addition, mixed forms of both concepts are possible in which, if appropriate, at least temporarily workpiece and

Can move pressing device.

Between the pressing device 20 and the feeder 10, an activation unit 30 is provided. In the

In the present embodiment, the activation unit is configured as an energy application section 30 for applying energy to the energy-activatable adhesive layer 14. The energy application section 30 serves to activate the activatable adhesive layer 14 by introducing energy in such a way that the activatable adhesive layer 14 is used to join the

Coating material 12 and the workpiece 2 can be used. In this case, the energy application section 30 is on the side facing away from the workpiece 2 of the

Coating material 12 is arranged. Thus, the

Energieaufbringabschnitt 30 energize the activatable adhesive layer 14, while the coating material 12 and the workpiece 2 in the energized area already with the interposition of the activatable adhesive layer 14 abut each other. Of the

Energieaufbringabschnitt 30 is thus arranged and arranged that the energy at least partially through the coating material 2 on the activatable

Adhesive layer 14 is applied.

The energy application section 30 is connected to a power source 34 having a power generation section that may be based on a variety of power generation technologies. Here, the power generation section is preferably selected from the group consisting of

Laser generating section, infrared generating section,

Ultrasonic generating section,

Magnetic humor generating section,

Microwave generation section, plasma generation section, Beflammungsabschnitt and Begasungsabschnitt. The particular advantages of these different technologies have already been described above.

Furthermore, the embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 comprises a shielding device 40, which serves to cover at least part of the of the

Energieaufbringabschnitt 30 output energy

shield. In this case, the shielding device 40 in the present embodiment, a discharge opening 32, in which the workpiece 2 to be coated partially

extends. Furthermore, the shielding device 40 advantageously has an energy trap 42, which may be designed differently depending on the technology of the energy source. A possible embodiment of the energy trap 42 is shown schematically in FIG. 4 in a side view. Thereafter, the energy trap 42 may be configured, for example, as a λ / 4 trap having a plurality of ribs 44. This type of energy trap is particularly well suited for a microwave energy source, the geometry and arrangement of the ribs then being advantageous to the operating parameters of the

Microwave energy source can be tuned. The operation of the device 1 shown schematically in FIG. 1 takes place, for example, as follows.

While a workpiece 2 is moved on the conveyor 4, the coating material 12 is supplied with the activatable adhesive layer 14 by means of the feeder 10 and brought into abutment with the surface 2a of the workpiece 2 to be coated. In this state, the activatable adhesive layer 14 sandwiched between the coating material 12 and the workpiece 2 is formed by means of the

Energieaufbringabschnitts 30 activated by energy input, in particular melted. That's it

Coating material 12 under the interposition of the activatable adhesive layer 14 to be coated

Surface 2a of the workpiece 2 on. Subsequently, the coating material 12 is still pressed by means of the pressing device 20 to the workpiece 2.

A second preferred embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention is shown schematically in FIG. 2 in a plan view. In this embodiment, the

Pressing device 20 and the energy application section 30 entangled or arranged overlapping, wherein the

Energieaufbringabschnitt 30 at least partially on a side remote from the conveyor 4 side of the

Pressing device 20 is provided. This entangled or partially overlapping arrangement of pressing device 20 and energy application section 30 is shown in more detail in FIG. In this case, at least those pressing means of the pressing device 20, which overlap with the

Energieaufbringabschnitt 30 are located, at least partially permeable to the output from the energy application section 30 energy.

The rest of the structure of the device 1 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 otherwise corresponds in principle to the structure shown schematically in FIG. 1, wherein the same or corresponding

Components are each provided with the same reference numerals.

Claims

claims

Device (1) for coating a workpiece (2), which is preferably at least partially made of wood,

Wood materials, plastic or the like, comprising: an activation unit (30) for activating an activatable adhesive layer (14), which is used to join the

Coating material (12) and the workpiece (2), characterized in that the activation unit (30) is arranged and arranged to activate the activatable adhesive layer (14) in a state in which the

Coating material (12) and the workpiece (2) in the area acted upon by the activation unit already at least partially over the activatable

Adhesive layer (14) abut each other.

Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by feeding means (10) for feeding a

Coating material (12), a pressing device (20) for pressing the

Coating material (12) to a surface (2a) of the workpiece (2), and a conveyor (4) for inducing a

Relative movement between the pressing device (20) and the workpiece (2). Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized

in that the activation unit (30) is provided on a side of the pressing device (20) remote from the conveying device (4).

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the activation unit (30) has a power source (34) with at least one

Energy generating portion, which is preferably selected from the group consisting of

Laser generating section, infrared generating section, ultrasonic generating section,

Magnetfeiderzeugungsabschnitt, microwaves ^¬ generating section, PIasmaerzeugungsabschnitt,

Flaming section and fumigation section.

Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the pressing device (20) at least one

Pressing means (22), which for the of the

Energy source (34) output energy at least

partially permeable.

Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterized

characterized in that it further comprises a

Shielding device (40) which is adapted to shield at least a part of the energy output from the energy source (34).

Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the shielding means (40) at least

partially in the region of a discharge opening (32) of

Activation unit (30) is provided and preferably an energy trap (42), in particular λ / 4 trap,

having .

Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, characterized

characterized in that the shielding device (40) is set up to at least partially surround a workpiece (2) to be coated.

9. Device according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that in the feed device (10) a coating material (12) is arranged, which contains the activatable adhesive layer (14).

10. A method for coating a workpiece (2), the

preferably at least partially made of wood,

Wood materials, plastic or the like, preferably using a device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps:

Feeding a coating material (12),

Pressing the coating material (12) to a

Surface (2a) of the workpiece (2),

Activating an activatable adhesive layer (14) provided for joining the coating material (12) and the workpiece (2), wherein the activatable adhesive layer (14) is activated, in particular energized, in a state in which the coating material (12) and the

Workpiece (2) in the activated area already

at least partially over the activatable adhesive layer (14) abut each other.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the energy is at least partially through the

Coating material (12) is applied to the activatable adhesive layer (14).

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized

characterized in that the energy is at least partially is applied to the activatable layer (14) through the pressing device (20).