JPS62149421A - Joining of bumper beam and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To continuously and efficiently produce a bumper beam without staining heaters and entering of foreign matter between joint surfaces by a method wherein two half bodies made of thermoplastic resin are positioned so as to oppose the joint surfaces of the bodies in the state separated from each other and the joint surfaces are melted by heating and brought into contact under pressure so as to be integrally welded. CONSTITUTION:Firstly, a half body 5, which is held with a first clamper 22, and heaters 33 are lowered so as to position the heaters 33 between the planes 5a, 5b and 5c of the half body 5 and the planes 6a, 6b and 6c of a half body 6. Secondly, the heaters 33 are energized and heated so as to melt the planes of the half bodies 5 and 6 by heat rays such as infrared rays and the like emitted from the heaters 22. Thirdly, the half body 5 and the heaters 33 are raised so as to escape the heaters 33 from between the half bodies 5 and 6 by shifting a travelling body 30 rightwards. Fourthly, the half body 5 is lowered so as to press the molten planes 5a, 5b and 5c of the half body 5 against the similarly molten planes 6a, 6b and 6c of the half body 6 in order to form a beam 2 by welding the half bodies 5 and 6 together into an integral body.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for joining bumper beams.

(Prior Art) A vehicle bumper has a bumper face attached to the vehicle body through a bumper beam. This bumper beam is generally made by press-forming a steel plate, but since it is heavy and prone to rust, recently the beam halves are molded from resin with excellent rigidity such as polypropylene. They are integrated via screws, etc.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, in the past, the beam halves were joined using screws, which was time-consuming and difficult to continuously produce bumper beams. It has become.

Therefore, it has been considered to thermally weld the beam halves together, but according to this method, since the panel heater is brought into contact with the joint surface and melted, the molten resin may adhere to the panel heater and become dirty. There are disadvantages in that smoke is emitted or foreign matter such as carbide is mixed into the molten part, resulting in a decrease in adhesive strength.

To solve this problem, it may be possible to coat the surface of the panel heater with Teflon, but Teflon easily peels off, so the panel heater must be replaced periodically.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides that, while the two halves made of thermoplastic resin constituting the bumper beam are stored on a movable platform, one half is moved by a clamper. lift the
A heater is placed between each half, and the joint surfaces of the halves are heated and melted in a non-contact state, and then the heater is removed from between the halves.
The joining surfaces of each half were brought together and crimped.

(Function) The heater is positioned at a predetermined distance from the joint surface of each half of the bumper beam. Then, each joint surface is melted by heat rays such as infrared rays from the heater. The bumper beam is then welded and integrated by pressing this molten surface and cooling it.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bumper face and a bumper beam before joining, and the bumper face (1) and bumper beam (2) are both obtained by injection molding of thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. In particular, the bumper beam (2) is made of thermoplastic resin filled with glass fibers. A creel portion (3) is formed on the lower front surface of the bumper face (1), and both ends (4) are bent at approximately right angles. Also, the bumper beam (2) is in half (5).

(6), and these halves (5) and (8) consist of a plurality of planes with uneven cross-sections, and the plane (5) of half (5)
a), (5b), (5c) as plane (8a) of half body (8)
, (8b), and (8c) are thermally welded using the method described later to form one bumper beam (2), and the side surface becomes flush with the bumper beam (2). (2a) to the inner surface (1a) of the bumper face (1)
) is heat welded using the method described below to complete the bumper.

Next, the joining method will be explained in detail based on FIGS. 2 to 8.

First, the configuration of the bonding apparatus will be explained based on FIG.

The joining device (10) has a rail (12) on the base (11),
(13), and the rail (12) is provided with a moving platform (14) on which the beam (2) is placed and moved.
3) is a moving table (1) on which the face (1) is placed and moved.
5), and the movable table (15) has a swingable arm (
1B)..., and the face (1)? is equipped with a vacuum pad x 17) attached to the tip of the arm (1B). Move while fixed by suction.

On the other hand, columns (18) and (18) are erected on the base (11), and a support plate (19) is attached to the upper end of the column (18). 20) and the second cylinder unit) (21) are fixedly installed. A rod (2) extending downward from the first cylinder unit (20)
The first clamper (22) is attached to 0a), and the rod (21a) extends downward from the second cylinder unit (21).
(21) An arm (24) hangs down from the nearby support plate (19), and a heater (25) extends between the lower ends of the arm (20) in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. is installed.

The arm (24) and the heater (25) are provided at a position that does not interfere with the vertical movement of the second clamper (23) caused by the operation of the second cylinder unit (21), and the heater (25)
As shown in Fig. 8, the structure of is made up of a tube body (2B) made of quartz or metal, in which a heating wire (27) such as a nichrome wire is built into a coil. It is bendable and its overall length is approximately equal to the length of the halves (5) and (8).

Also, on the base (11) are other supports (2B), (2B
) are erected, a rail (29) located below the support plate (18) is fixed to the upper end of this support (2B), (28), and a traveling body (30) is mounted on this rail (28). It is installed.

A cylinder unit (31) is fixed to the traveling body (30), and a rod (31a) of this cylinder unit (31)
An arm (32) extending laterally is attached to the. A pair of arms (32) are provided spaced apart in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper.
1 7- ノ, f9 wa) IHI v Song 9 〉 Five electric lights at the bottom of the plate; Warning Heida (33)... has been erected. Furthermore, a pallet (31) is attached to the traveling body (30), which is vertically swingable.

A bonding method using the bonding apparatus (10) configured as above will be described below.

First, the beam (2) containing the unbonded halves (5) and (8) is set on the moving table (14) and moved to the right in FIG. Then, the movable table (14) is connected to the first clamper (22).
The movement is (14) stops when it moves to just below is.

Then, as shown in Fig. 3, the first cylinder unit (20
) operates, and the first clamper (22) descends.

Holding the half body (5) of the beam (2), the first cylinder unit (20) operates again, and the first cylinder unit (20), which grips the half body (5),
Clan, < -(22) increases. Once the half body (5) has risen, the traveling body (30) is moved to the left as shown in FIG. 4, and the traveling body (30) is positioned between the halves (5) and (8). In this case, the pallet (30) is swung upward to prevent interference with the pallet (34) when the half body (5) held by the first clamper (22) descends.

Next, as shown in Fig. 5, the first cylinder 22) (2
0) and the running body (30) shilling 22) (31)
is activated, the body (5) held by the first clamper (22) and the heater (33) are lowered, and the heater (
33)... are the planes (5a) and (5b) of the half body (5)
), (5c) and F plane (8a) of half body (6), (
Place n between 8b) and (6c). Here, the heater (
The distance between 33) and each plane is 5 to 15+a+a. Then, the heater (33) is energized and heated to 500-600°C, and the planes (5a), (5b), (5a), (5b), ( 5c
), (&a), (8b), and (8c) are melted. Incidentally, in order to promote melting, unevenness may be formed on the plane.Next, contrary to the above, the il cylinder unit (20)
and cylinder unit) (31), and half (5)
Then, the heater (33) is raised and the traveling body (30) is moved to the right to form the half body (5).

(8) After that, as shown in FIG. 5a).

(5b) and (5c) are also melted halves (6
) to the planes (Ela), (8b), (13c) and weld the halves (5>, (8) together to form a beam (2).
form.

Next, as shown in Fig. 7, the first cylinder (22) (
20) to raise the beam (2) held by the first clamper (22) above the traveling body (30),
Position the traveling body (30) directly below the first clamper (22), release the holding state by the first clamper (22),
The beam (2) is placed on the traveling body (30) or the pallet (34), and the traveling body (30) is moved to just below the second clamper (23).

After this, as shown in Fig. 2, the second cylinder unit) (
21) to hold the beam (2) by the second clamper (23).Then, as shown in FIG.
The cylinder unit (2+) is activated to raise the beam (2) by the second clamper (23), and move the moving table (15) to the left to move the face (1) towards the heater (33). position. Then, actuate the cylinder unit (31) of the traveling body (30),
The heater (33) is placed inside the face (1). At this time, the arms (te) and (ts
), at this time the side surface (2a) of the beam (2) held by the second temperer (23) is exposed to the upper heater (
25) and are facing each other with heat for a predetermined period of time.

In this state, the heaters (25) and (33) are energized, and the inner surface (la) of the face (1) and the side surface (2) of the beam (2) are heated.
a) is melted. Note that the subsequent halves (5) and (6) are moved during this step.

Next, as shown in Fig. 4, move the running body (30) to the left and insert the heater (33) from between the face (1) and the beam (2).
As mentioned above, the heater (33) also faces between the halves (5) and (8) due to the movement of the traveling body (3o).

After this, as shown in Fig. 5, the second cylinder unit (21
) to bring the beam (2) held by the second clamper (23) into the face (1), then close the arm (IS) and (1B) to move the side surface (2a) of the beam (2)
and the inner surface (1a) of the face (1) are crimped to obtain the desired bumper. After that, as shown in Fig. 6, the :52 cylinder unit (21) is operated and the third clamper (2
3), move the moving table (15) to the right, and take out the bumper.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, since the bumper beam is composed of two halves made of thermoplastic resin, both weight reduction and rigidity are satisfied, and in addition, when joining each half, Since the joint surfaces of each half are melted without contacting the heater, there is no need for the heater to become dirty or for foreign matter to get into the melted part, and there is no need to coat the heater surface with Teflon, etc. .

According to the apparatus according to the present invention, bumper beams can be produced continuously and efficiently.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bumper face and bumper beam before joining, FIGS. 2 to 7 are diagrams showing the operation of the joining device in the order of steps, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the heater. In one drawing, (1) is the bumper face, (la). (2a-), (5a), (5b), (5c), (6a
), (8b), and (8c) are joint surfaces. (2) is a bumper beam, (5) and (Ei) are beam halves, (10) is a joining device, and (14) and (15) are moving platforms. (20), (21), (31) are cylinder units, (22), (23) are clampers, (25),
(33) is a heater, and (30) is a horizontal body.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) The two halves made of thermoplastic resin that make up the bumper beam are placed apart so that their bonding surfaces face each other, and a heater is placed between these opposing bonding surfaces to prevent the bonding surfaces from being exposed. A bumper beam joining method characterized in that the bumper beams are heated and melted in a state of contact, and then the heater is removed from between the joint surfaces, and then the joining surfaces of each half in the molten state are pressed together and welded and integrated. . (2) A moving platform that transports the two halves made of thermoplastic resin that make up the bumper beam, a clamper that grips one of the halves placed on the moving platform; A bumper beam joining device comprising: a lifting device that moves a clamper to separate the halves; and a running body that moves a heater in and out between the separated halves.