EP3569512B1 - Device and method for positioning a sticker on a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the field of applying stickers to motor vehicle parts.

In order to distinguish motor vehicles from one range to another, certain motor vehicle manufacturers plan to apply flexible stickers of different colors to the surface of certain of their elements, such as the skin of the front bumper.

In general, when assembling the vehicle, the installation of these stickers is carried out exclusively manually. However, such an operation often proves to be long and delicate insofar as the sticker, plane before gluing, must be placed on a curved surface. It is particularly necessary to keep the sticker under tension to avoid the appearance of air bubbles, while affixing it to the right place. The task of applying the sticker can therefore only be entrusted to an operator with the necessary dexterity and experience, who alone can perform it, from the first attempt, satisfactorily and consistently on each vehicle. A device for positioning a flexible sticker intended to be stuck on a part of a motor vehicle, comprising means for positioning the sticker and means for lowering the assembly, formed by a support and means for inclination along the vertical axis, is known from FR 2 966 770 .

This type of artisanal installation by an experienced operator is not suited to the cost and speed constraints of the industry. On the contrary, there is a need to limit the exposure time to allow mass production, to make it easily repeatable, and above all independent of the operator in charge of the operation, all without the latter having to have experience. particularly advanced in this area.

• au moins deux pions de centrage s'étendant selon un axe dit vertical, destinés à être insérés respectivement dans des orifices correspondants de l'autocollant ;
• pour chaque pion de centrage, au moins un pion d'ajustement s'étendant selon l'axe vertical, destiné à être inséré respectivement dans au moins un orifice correspondant de l'autocollant ;
• des moyens de déplacement de chaque pion d'ajustement par rapport au pion de centrage correspondant selon une direction contenue dans un plan transversal à l'axe vertical, de préférence un plan normal à l'axe vertical ; et
• des moyens de descente de l'ensemble formé par les pions de centrage et les pions d'ajustement selon l'axe vertical.

The object of the invention is to meet this need by providing a device for positioning a flexible sticker intended to be stuck on a part of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• at least two centering pins extending along a so-called vertical axis, intended to be inserted respectively into corresponding orifices of the sticker;
• for each centering pin, at least one adjustment pin extending along the vertical axis, intended to be inserted respectively into at least one corresponding orifice of the sticker;
• means for moving each adjustment pin relative to the corresponding centering pin in a direction contained in a plane transverse to the vertical axis, preferably a plane normal to the vertical axis; and
• means for lowering the assembly formed by the centering pins and the adjustment pins along the vertical axis.

Thanks to the centering pins, the adjustment pin and the means of movement of the adjustment pin, it is possible to hold the sticker in place by locking it in the three directions without isostatism, while keeping it under tension, above the part on which it must be stuck. Then, thanks to the lowering means, it is possible to move the sticker towards the part on which it must be stuck. The delicate operation of positioning the sticker on the part of the vehicle is therefore carried out by the device. The operator therefore only has to eventually finish sticking the sticker on the part of the vehicle by making it fit the contours of the part, which does not require any particular dexterity or experience.

It is thus possible to make the application of the sticker rapid, reliable, repeatable and independent of the operator in charge. It is also not necessary that the latter has a very important know-how in the matter.

Furthermore, the motor vehicle part itself does not have to be modified by adding elements to it (such as notches, ribs, etc.) to position or center the sticker correctly. Thanks to the invention, it is only necessary to position the motor vehicle part correctly with respect to the device in order to obtain good repeatable positioning of the sticker on the motor vehicle part.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is well suited to stickers of slender shape, the positioning device comprises, for each centering pin, two adjustment pins arranged on either side of the centering pin so that the centering pin and the two adjustment pins are aligned along an alignment axis, preferably at equal distance from the centering pin.

Preferably, the direction of movement of the pairs of adjustment pins is the alignment axis.

In order to keep the sticker even more under tension before fitting, the means for moving the pairs of adjustment pins comprise means for elastic return of the adjustment pins, for example at least one spring.

In order to prevent the sticker from slipping along the centering pins, at least one of the centering or positioning pins is provided with a shoulder, the shoulder defining a flat bearing surface for the sticker contained in a plane normal to the alignment axis.

Preferably, each of the centering and positioning pins is provided with a shoulder, all of the shoulders defining a flat bearing surface for the sticker contained in a plane normal to the vertical axis.

In order to ensure that the surface of the vehicle part and the sticker are at the same temperature, which makes it possible to improve the quality of the bonding, the positioning device further comprises heating means and means for measuring the sticker temperature.

The invention also relates to a flexible sticker intended to be stuck on a part of a motor vehicle using the positioning device according to the invention, comprising a useful surface intended to be stuck on the part of the vehicle, and at least two centering surfaces, arranged on either side of the centering surface, each provided with a centering orifice and at least one positioning orifice.

In order to be able to easily separate them from the useful surface, the centering surfaces are provided with pre-cuts so as to be able to separate them from the useful surface.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention suitable for stickers of slender shape, the centering surfaces are each provided with two positioning orifices arranged on either side of the centering orifice and the two adjustment orifices are substantially aligned along an alignment axis, preferably equidistant from the centering orifice.

Preferably, in order to avoid a phenomenon of isostatism of the sticker, the centering orifices have a contour of substantially circular shape and the adjustment orifices have a contour of substantially oblong shape, extending along the axis d 'alignment.

The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a flexible sticker intended to be glued to a part of a motor vehicle and a device for positioning this sticker, characterized in that the positioning device is according to the invention and in that the sticker is according to the invention.

Preferably, the device for positioning the assembly comprises, for each centering pin, two adjustment pins arranged on either side of the centering pin so that the centering pin and the two adjustment pins are aligned along an alignment axis, preferably at equal distance from the centering pin, and the sticker comprises centering surfaces each provided with two positioning orifices arranged on either side of the centering orifice and the two adjustment holes are substantially aligned along an alignment axis, preferably equidistant from the centering hole, and the alignment axis of the centering pins and the adjustment pins is parallel to the axis d alignment of the centering holes and the positioning holes.

• positionnement du dispositif de positionnement en regard de la partie de véhicule automobile ;
• mise en place de l'autocollant sur les pions de centrage et de positionnement ; et
• déplacement du dispositif de positionnement vers la partie de véhicule automobile jusqu'à mise en contact de l'autocollant avec la partie de véhicule automobile.

The invention also relates to a method for bonding a flexible sticker to a part of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it is implemented using the positioning device according to the invention and in that it includes the following steps:

• positioning of the positioning device opposite the vehicle part automobile;
• installation of the sticker on the centering and positioning pins; and
• displacement of the positioning device towards the part of the motor vehicle until the sticker is brought into contact with the part of the motor vehicle.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un dispositif de positionnement selon un mode de réalisation particulier de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique de côté d'une pièce de véhicule munie d'un autocollant souple ;
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique de côté d'un autocollant souple selon un mode de réalisation particulier de l'invention ;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique de côté d'un autocollant souple selon un mode de réalisation particulier de l'invention en cours de positionnement à l'aide du dispositif de positionnement de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue schématique en perspective de moyens de déplacement des pions d'ajustement du dispositif de positionnement de la figure 1 ;

We will now present an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and with the support of the appended figures in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a positioning device according to a particular embodiment of the invention;
• the picture 2 is a schematic side view of a vehicle part provided with a flexible sticker;
• the picture 3 is a schematic side view of a flexible sticker according to a particular embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 4 is a schematic side view of a flexible sticker according to a particular embodiment of the invention being positioned using the positioning device of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of means for moving the adjustment pins of the positioning device of the figure 1 ;

We represented at the figure 1 a device 10 for positioning a flexible sticker 12, shown in figure 2 and 3 , intended to be glued to a part of a motor vehicle 14. As shown in the picture 2 , the motor vehicle part 14 is for example a front bumper skin 16, on which the sticker 12 will be stuck.

The positioning device 10 comprises a support 18 on which are mounted two centering pins 20 intended to be inserted into corresponding centering holes 22 of the sticker 12. More specifically, in the embodiment shown in the figures, the support 18 comprises a frame 19 forming a base of substantially rectangular section. The centering pins 22 are connected to the frame via support platforms 23.

The centering pins 20 comprise for example a body 20a of generally cylindrical shape of revolution of circular section, extending along an axis called the vertical axis Z-Z. In what follows, the term "vertical axis" means an axis normal to the plane on which the positioning device is held, for example the ground on which it is placed. In this case, the vertical axis is normal to the plane on which the support 18 is arranged. It will be noted that the section of the body 20a could have a shape other than the circular shape.

Body 20a is extended by a receiving portion 20b, also of generally cylindrical shape of revolution of circular section extending along the vertical axis ZZ, but of reduced section, so as to form a shoulder 20c between the body 20b and the receiving portion 20c. As will be seen later, each shoulder 20c defines a plane bearing surface for the sticker 12 contained in a plane normal to the vertical axis ZZ. However, one can also consider that only one of the two centering pins 20 is provided with such a shoulder 20c. The end of the receiving portion 20c distal to the body 20b is left free so that it can be inserted into the centering holes 22.

For each centering pin 20, the positioning device 10 comprises two adjustment pins 25, preferably also mounted on the support 18 via support platforms 23 connected to the frame 19, also extending along the axis vertical Z-Z, intended to be inserted into corresponding adjustment holes 27 of the sticker 12. It is also possible, in variants not shown, for there to be only one adjustment pin 25 per pin of centering 20.

In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the pins of a pair of adjustment pins 25 are arranged on either side and at equal distance from the centering pin 20 so that the centering pin 20 and the two adjustment pins 25 are substantially aligned along an alignment axis X-X. As we will see later, the alignment along the X-X alignment axis limits the risks that the breakable zone of the sticker will accidentally be cut in the device before the end of the removal and the manual cutting by the operator. . Indeed, thanks to the alignment, the tension on the sticker is in the axis of the cut line, therefore in shear in the plane of the sticker, where this breakable zone has the best mechanical strength.

In variants not shown, adjustment pins 25 are not necessarily aligned with centering pin 20, for example if the shape of the sticker is curved. Furthermore, the adjustment pins 25 do not necessarily have to be arranged at an equal distance from the centering pin 20.

The adjustment pins comprise for example a body 25a of generally cylindrical shape of revolution of circular section, extending along the vertical axis ZZ. The body 25a is extended by a receiving portion 25b, also of generally cylindrical shape of revolution of circular section extending along the vertical axis ZZ, but of reduced section, so as to form a shoulder 25c between the body 25b and the receiving portion 25c. All of the shoulders 20c of the centering pins 20 and 25c of the adjustment pins define a flat bearing surface for the sticker 12 contained in a plane normal to the vertical axis. Note however that in variants not shown of the positioning device 10, only one of the adjustment pins 25 is provided with a shoulder 25c, or several, without all the pins adjustment 25 are equipped. The end of the receiving portion 25b distal to the body 25b is left free so that it can be inserted into the positioning holes 27.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, for simplification purposes, the centering pins 20 and the adjustment pins 25 are identical. It could also be envisaged that they have a different shape.

The positioning device 10 further comprises means 30 for moving the pairs of adjustment pins 25 along a direction contained in a plane normal to the vertical axis ZZ, shown schematically in figure 5 . In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures, the direction of movement of the pairs of adjustment pins 25 is the direction of alignment XX of the centering pins 20. More precisely, the adjustment pins 25 can be moved along of this alignment direction XX in both directions.

Provision can be made for the displacement pins 25 of the same pair, that is to say the displacement pins 25 arranged on either side of the same centering pin 20, to move simultaneously in opposite directions. along the X-X alignment direction. It is also possible to provide for their movements to be independent.

For this purpose, the alignment pins 25 are for example mounted on a carriage movable along a guide rail (not shown) extending along an axis parallel to the alignment axis X-X. To this end, provision may be made for the support platforms 19 to be mounted so as to be movable along a guide rail and driven by motorized displacement means (not shown).

Preferably, the displacement means 30 are provided with elastic return means 31 for the adjustment pins 25. As will be seen below, this makes it possible to keep the sticker 12 under tension. The elastic return means 31 comprise for example at least one spring. Preferably, each carriage on which an alignment pin 25 is mounted is provided with such a spring which will return the carriage.

The positioning device 10 also comprises means 32 for lowering the assembly formed by the centering pins and the adjustment pins along the vertical axis Z-Z.

For this purpose, the frame 19 of the support 18 is mounted so as to be movable along the vertical axis Z-Z and driven by a motor (not shown).

The lowering means 32 comprise a plurality of worm screws 32a arranged on the support platforms 23 of each centering pin 20 or adjustment pin 25, cooperating with a corresponding thread pitch 32b carried by these pins. In the embodiment shown in the figures, there are as many endless screws 32a and thread 32b than centering pins 20 and alignment 25. Thus, the centering pins 20 and alignment 25 are driven downhill with the frame 29. allow both the descent and the ascent of the centering pins 20 and adjustment 25.

The positioning device 10 further comprises heating means and means for measuring the temperature of the sticker 12. These means being known per se, they have not been shown in the figures. They make it possible in particular to ensure that the temperature of the latter and that of the surface on which it is to be bonded, here the bumper skin 16, are substantially identical in order to improve the quality of the bonding.

We will now describe the sticker 12 in more detail with reference to the picture 3 .

The sticker 12 is flexible, and made for example of PVC film. Before it is placed on the vehicle 14, it is substantially flat.

The sticker 12 comprises a useful surface 33 intended to be stuck on the part of the motor vehicle 14, here the front bumper skin 16, and two centering surfaces 34. Of course, the shape and dimensions of the useful surface 33 are adapted to the shape of the part of the vehicle on which it is to be applied. Thus, in the present case, the useful surface 33 has a substantially elongated shape. Conventionally for a sticker, the useful surface 33 is protected by a protective strip intended to be removed by tearing just before gluing.

Each centering surface 34 is provided with a centering orifice 22 and two positioning orifices 27, arranged on either side and at equal distance from the centering orifice 22 so that the centering orifice and the orifices adjustment are substantially aligned along the X-X alignment axis. Alignment along the X-X alignment axis limits the risk of the breakable zone of the sticker accidentally being cut in the device before the end of the removal and manual cutting by the operator. Indeed, thanks to the alignment, the tension on the sticker is in the axis of the cut line, therefore in shear in the plane of the sticker, where this breakable zone has the best mechanical strength.

However, in variants not shown, it is possible to provide only one positioning orifice per centering orifice.

Furthermore, in variants not shown, in the positioning holes 27 are not necessarily aligned with the centering hole 22, for example if the shape of the sticker is curved. Furthermore, the positioning orifices 27 do not necessarily have to be arranged at an equal distance from the centering orifice 22.

The centering orifices 22 have an outline of substantially circular shape. They are preferably placed in the center of the centering surface 34 on which they are placed. The diameter of the centering holes 22 is substantially identical to that of the receiving portion 20b of the centering pin 20 so as to be able to avoid the movement of the sticker 12 in a plane normal to the vertical axis Z-Z with respect to the pins of centering pin 20 once the centering pin 22 has been threaded into the centering hole 22, but with sufficient clearance to allow the centering pin 20 to be inserted into the centering holes 22.

Positioning holes 27 have a substantially oblong outline, preferably extending along the X-X alignment axis. They are preferably placed at each end of the centering surface 24 on which they are placed. The small diameter of the positioning holes is substantially equal to that of the centering pins so as to avoid the movement of the sticker 12 in the direction perpendicular to the axis of alignment X-X contained in the plane normal to the vertical axis Z-Z , but with sufficient clearance to allow the insertion of the centering pin 20 in the centering holes 22.

As can be seen on the figure 4 , when the centering pins 20 are inserted into the centering holes 22 and the adjustment pins 25 are inserted into the adjustment holes 27, the sticker 12 is blocked in all directions in a plane normal to the axis vertical ZZ, while avoiding isostatism thanks to the clearance allowed by the oblong shape of the adjustment holes 27.

Furthermore, thanks to the shoulders of the centering pins 20c and the shoulders of the adjustment pins 27, the sticker 12 rests on a support surface so that it does not move along the vertical axis Z-Z.

We will now describe a method of bonding the flexible sticker 12 to the front bumper 16 of the motor vehicle using the positioning device 10.

During a first step, the positioning device is placed facing the part of the motor vehicle, in this case facing the front bumper skin 16. This position is that represented on the figure 1 .

Then, an operator puts the sticker on the centering and positioning pins. All he has to do is insert the centering pins 20 into the centering holes 22 and the adjustment pins 25 into the adjustment holes 27. Thanks to the shoulders of the centering pins 20c and the shoulders of the adjustment pins 27, the sticker 12 rests on a support surface so that it cannot slide on the centering 22 and adjustment 25 pins and accidentally fall on the part of the motor vehicle.

If necessary, the operator actuates the means 30 for moving the adjustment pins 25 so as to further tension the sticker 12. This operation can also be envisaged by automating the device in this sense, after detection of the positioning of the sticker at this stage.

The sticker 12 is then exactly in the right position above the front bumper 16 and ready to be glued there.

The operator then removes the protective strip located on the useful surface 33, then actuates the lowering means 32 so as to lower the positioning device 10 towards the motor vehicle part 16 until the sticker 12 with this one.

The operator can now separate the useful surface 33 from the centering surfaces 34 using the pre-cuts 36. Then, he only has to finish sticking the useful surface 33 of the sticker 12 by making it marry the surface of the bumper skin 16, then possibly removing any air bubbles by scraping.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is in particular possible to vary the number of centering and adjustment pins as required, as well as the spacing of the positioning pins of the same pair with respect to the centering pin. It is also possible for the sticker to be placed in a plane which is not normal to the axis along which the pins extend.

The invention is also not limited to the sticking of stickers of motor vehicle parts and could be applied to other fields such as the sticking of stickers on other vehicles (planes, ships, etc.), or even other objects requiring the sticking of stickers at industrial rates.

Claims (13)

1. Positioning device (10) of a flexible sticker (12) intended to be stuck to a part (16) of a motor vehicle (14), comprising:

   - at least two centering pins (20) extending along a so-called vertical axis (Z-Z), intended to be inserted respectively into corresponding orifices (22) of the sticker (12);

   - for each centering pin (20), at least one adjustment pin (25) extending along the vertical axis (Z-Z), intended to be inserted respectively into at least one corresponding orifice (27) of the sticker (12);

   - displacement means (30) of each adjustment pin (25) with respect to the corresponding centering pin in a direction contained in a plane transverse to the vertical axis (Z-Z), preferably a plane normal to the vertical axis (Z-Z); and

   - descent means (32) of the ensemble formed by the centering pins (20) and the adjustment pins (25) according to the vertical axis (Z-Z).
2. Positioning device (10) according to claim 1, comprising, for each centering pin (20), two adjustment pins (25) arranged on either side of the centering pin (20) so that the centering pin and the two adjustment pins (25) are aligned along an alignment axis (X-X), preferably at equal distance from the centering pin (20).
3. Positioning device (10) according to claim 2, wherein the displacement direction of the adjustment pins (25) is the alignment axis (X-X).
4. Positioning device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the displacement means of the pairs of adjustment pins (25) comprise elastic biasing means (31) of the adjustment pins (25), for example at least one spring.
5. Positioning device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the centering (20) or positioning (25) pins is provided with a shoulder (20c, 25c), the shoulder defining a flat support surface for the sticker (12) contained in a plane normal to the vertical axis (Z-Z).
6. Positioning device (10) according to claim 5, wherein each of the centering (20) and positioning (25) pins is provided with a shoulder (20c, 25c), the set of shoulders defining a flat support surface for the sticker (12) contained in a plane normal to the axis vertical (Z-Z).)
7. Positioning device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising heating means and means for measuring the temperature of the sticker (12).
8. Flexible sticker (12) intended to be stuck to a part of a motor vehicle using the positioning device (10) according to claim 1, comprising a working surface (33) intended to be stuck to the part of the vehicle (16) and at least two centering surfaces (34), arranged on either side of the working surface (33), each comprising a centering orifice (22), at least one positioning orifice (27) and pre-cuts (36) so as to separate them from the working surface (33).
9. Flexible sticker (12) according to claim 8, wherein the centering surfaces (34) are each provided with two positioning orifices (27) arranged on either side of the centering orifice (22) such that the centering orifice (22) and the two positioning orifices (27) are substantially aligned along an alignment axis (X-X), and preferably equidistant from the centering orifice (22).
10. Sticker (12) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the centering orifices (22) have a substantially circular contour and the positioning orifices (27) have a substantially oblong contour, extending along the alignment axis (X-X).
11. Ensemble formed by a flexible sticker (12) intended to be stuck to a motor vehicle part (16) and a positioning device (10) of this sticker, characterized in that the positioning device (10) is according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and in that the sticker is according to any of claims 8 to 10.
12. Ensemble formed by a flexible sticker (12) intended to be stuck to a motor vehicle part (16) and a positioning device (10) of this sticker, characterized in that the positioning device (10) is according to claim 2 and in that the sticker is according to claim 9, wherein the alignment axis (X-X) of the centering pins (20) and the adjustment pins (22) is parallel to the alignment axis (X-X) of the centering orifices (25) and the positioning orifices (25).
13. A method of gluing a flexible sticker (12) on a part (16) of a motor vehicle (14), characterized in that it is implemented using the positioning device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and in that it comprises the following steps:

    - positioning the positioning device (10) facing the motor vehicle part (16);

    - placing the sticker (12) on the centering (20) and positioning (25) pins; and

    - displacing the positioning device (10) towards the motor vehicle part (16) until the sticker (12) comes into contact with the motor vehicle part (16).

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