WO2007072532A1

WO2007072532A1 - Method and equipment for the manufacture of body parts for caravans

Info

Publication number: WO2007072532A1
Application number: PCT/IT2006/000858
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marco Valerio Bardelli; Paolo Nencioni
Original assignee: IMCS S.r.l.
Priority date: 2005-12-20
Filing date: 2006-12-19
Publication date: 2007-06-28
Also published as: EP1963071A1; ITFI20050255A1

Abstract

Body parts for caravans, by positioning structural profiles (3) , especially made of metal or the like, in a mould and in said mould, resin (1) is injected and expanded, to complete a slab incorporating said profiles, which are advantageously perforated in (5).

Description

METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BODY PARTS FOR CARAVANS

DESCRIPTION The subject of the invention is a procedure to manufacture the structures of the floor, side, roofs in motor vehicles and habitable trailers (so called campers and caravans), mobile homes and similar.

Currently, to manufacture a structure of this kind, for example of a floor or other, the following is done: - a frame is manufactured with battens of fir or other wood, with internal "line breaker" battens spaced in a variable manner, to respect requirements (they must correspond to "corners", openings, anchorages and to the structure in elevation (side walls and furniture));

- a "double skin" structure is fabricated positioning in succession: a lower skin (of plywood or glass-reinforced plastic, in a thickness variable from 1 to 10 mm); the frame in fir above; sheets or slabs of polyurethane or polystyrene of the same thickness as the frame, cut to fit ^vto the internal compartments; and then an upper skin in plywood of a variable thickness from 4 to 10 mm.

In the technical jargon the lower and upper covers are called "skins". These components are hot-glued or glued at room temperature, to form a sandwich. Finally, the perimeter of the floor - or other - is shaped and any internal openings are made with numeric control pantograph.

The invention as described below deals with a method and a product suitable for a rational economic production and suited to different applications for which the production is required.

The method envisages that structural profiles - metal or in material with equivalent characteristics - are positioned within a mould and that into said mould the resin is injected and expanded, to complete a component incorporating said profiles. In this way combinable components are obtained for the formation of floors or sides, with the application of several components and the application of "skins", which connect more components.

Conveniently said profiles include slottiήgs, i.e. holes, and the resin is injected and expanded in more zones defined by said profiles. Filling with the expanded resin and the anchorage of the profiles are assured by the continuity of the resin through said holes, in a way that completes regular filling with the expanded resin within the mould.

Areas bordered by specific profiles may be included, to define specific compartments required in the structure to be obtained. The application of so-called "skins" that is layers of plywood or laminates or other material is also possible, with an impermeable finish if required, to connect severeal components together and so create a floor or a side or other, to be finished on the perimeter subsequent to the joining of components and the . skins. On two opposite edges of the structure of each component be male and female shapes, or better stepped shapes can be' provided, to join contiguous components. At least in this last configuration, the moulds can be formed simply with two mould elements that can be brought together and spaced apart when demolded. Alternatively inserts can also be used, to form the male or female joint.

The structural profiles can be U-shaped or double T-shaped, with holes in the sides which are vertical when mounted, or preferably U-shaped with arms, which are vertical when mounted, that are bored and finished with orthogonal edges facing each other or "omega" shaped, or rectangular, always with holes.

During molding, through cavities can be made within the resin that is expanded in the mould, to house various utilities, like electrical cables, water pipes and the like. Profiles for defining hollows or apertures, can also be envisaged, that may be requested for Specific uses (such as wheel arches or the like).

The invention also concerns slabs, panels or other components that can be manufactured with the above method and which can be assembled together to form floor structures and side structures for bodies of motor vehicles and habitable trailers, for mobile homes and the like, using "skins" glued to adjoining components.

The invention also concerns equipment for producing components like slabs or panels to form floors and sides of bodies for habitable motor vehicles (caravans, campers) habitable trailers, mobile homes and other. Said equipment substantially includes: - a mould primarily consisting of two opposing walls to form the panels or slabs in synthetic resin- such as polystyrene - injected and expanded in the cavity, . contained between said walls;

- means for positioning a number of perforated structural profiles which divide the cavity into more zones;

- injection means to feed resin into each of said zones.

Means may also be envisaged to form perimeter male and female or stepped joints on two opposite sides of said panels, to connect contiguous panels on the same plane. The equipment can also include a system for connecting more coplanar panels or slabs and possibly also a system for applying coverings, or so called "skins", on more coplanar panels arranged side by side, or on a single panel.

Moreover, the equipment can also include equipment for joining perimetric shapes or perimetric components, to create male and female or similar joint profiles between contiguous coplanar panels, and/or also equipment to apply elements to create or arrange spaces, compartments and windows for the wheels and/or for other uses requested by campers, caravans or other products. ^l

The invention is better understood following the description and the drawing, which shows a practical non-limited example of said invention. In the drawing:

Figs. 1 and 2 show a possible component, in a front view and in an enlarged cross section according to H-Il of Fig. 1 ;

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show a set of assembled components according to a front view and enlarged cross sections according to IV-IV and V-V of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 to 11 show five possible shapes of structural profiles, illustrated in cross section;

Fig. 12 shows in cross section a possible mould form for the production of a component; Fig. 13 and 14 show other possible shapes of sides or panels;

Fig. 15 shows the structure for the production of a floor for camper or caravan.

According to what is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a panel making up a component for the formation of floors or sides of habitable vehicles or similar, is formed by a body 1 of synthetic expanded resin -such as expanded polystyrene, or expanded polyurethane - modeled in a suitable mould by injection in the form of a slab, in which are incorporated metal structural profiles 3 for example of aluminum, or material with suitable stiffness to ensure suitable rigidity of the slab 1 , but also to allow cut outs and removal of parts thereof. Figs. 6 to 11 show some of the possible shapes of structural profiles 3.

The slab 1 can be produced in a mould (see example Fig. 12) which defines its shape and is provided with means to inject the resin represented by the arrows fx of Fig. 1 , which are preferably related to each of the spaces between structural profiles 3. The mould will also be furnished with means (25, 27) to identify the positioning of structural profiles 3 and stabilize their location during injection of the resin.

Structural profiles 3 can be of various forms, for example of the double T kind (Fig. 7) or the U kind (Fig. 6) to use with the arms on the surface, or of the U-type with internal appendages 3A (Figs. 8 and 9), or omega-shaped (Fig. 10) or (usually square) tubular (Fig. 11). Whatever the configuration of said structural profiles, they advantageously have surfaces that surface from the body 1 of the component in which they are embedded, and one or two transverse surfaces with respect to the thickness of body 1. This or these transverse surfaces contain holes 5 suitable to allow flowing of the resin in the mould, even in the presence of profiles 3 whose size is essentially equal to the thickness of the slabs 1 formed in the mould. In this way filling the cavity of the mould with resin injected according to fx (Fig. 1) and made expand in the closed mould is ensured. The mould can have reference elements for positioning the profiles 3, which are mainly parallel to each other and extend up to two opposite sides of the slab to be formed. The reference elements can be pins, such as those shown at 25 (extractable to facilitate formation, if required), or also with a magnetic hold effect, - such as those shown at 27, when possible. In correspondence of the two sides which, in a rectangular mould, are parallel to the structural profiles 3, means can be provided to shape corresponding borders 1X and 1Y (Fig. 1 , 2 and 4) of the slabs components 1 made of expanded resin, so that more coplanar slabs 1 can be joined, with complementary stepped profiles 1X and 1YB, or male and female or other equivalent profiles. To implement this, along the other two sides of the moulds profiles can be provided, to produce said profiles 1X and 1 Y, or other equivalent profiles, directly by injection-molding of the slabs. Alternatively, along the other two opposite sides shaped inserts can be applied, which are anchored to the formed slabs through the synthetic resin injected into the mould.

During molding, the synthetic resin is injected into the spaces between . the contiguous structural profiles 3 (see arrow fx of Fig. 1) to fill said spaces defined by the closed mould 1. The holes 5 provided in profiles 3 ensure the flow of the resin in expansion, to complete filling of all the spaces defined within the mould, and to ensure formation (or holding) of male and female or stepped joints 1X, 1Y profiles along the two edges to join coplanar contiguous slabs and/or of other profiles to delimit useful holes.

More components constituted by slabs 1 with relevant structural profiles 3, are placed side by side in a coplanar manner (Fig. 3) and connected with the aid of "skins" 11 and 13 (Fig. 4), if required. Skins 11 and 13 are then glued on one or more coplanar slabs.

With one or more slab components 1 and with two skins 11 and 13 it is possible to create a unit (see Fig. 3), from which to make a floor or a side or a roof or other with a pantograph shape. W is even feasible to produce all one side or a floor of a camper or caravan with a single mould.

Conveniently, a unit like the one shown in Fig. 3. can be completed with edges 17 (Figs. 3 and 5) incorporated between skins 11 and 13, which edges can be in part removed by pantograph shaping, along with the skins 11 and 13. Where compartments are required in a side or in a floor, for example for windows or wheels or the like, it is possible to arrange edge profiles in addition to structural profiles 3, as shown at 4 in dotted line in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 15 by way of examples; in correspondence of said edge profiles it is possible to make the requested compartments.

After formation of a pantographed product, as indicated above, it is easy to complete the product making - in respect of each of the resin filled spaces - any further holes or the like as required, through easy cuts of the thickness of expanded resin of the moulded slabs Vi and of skins 11 and 13. Structural profiles 3 are arranged to allow the formation of holes. Specific profiles 4 (made of metal or of other material) can also be provided in prearranged positions in the mould, in order to obtain peripheral finishing of the holes, which are subsequently machined in the products constituted by more coplanar slabs arranged side-by-side. With structural profiles 3 in aluminum or other material, it is also possible to cut profiles 3 for the formation of holes. Fig. 12 shows a possible mould for producing panels in slabs such as those labeled 1 with structural profiles 3 incorporated therein. This mould includes two walls 21 and 23, which can be joined along guide and closure sides 21A and 23A. Reference stops 25 and/or magnets 27 ensure correct positioning of the profiles. Such a mould can be vertical or horizontal. The moulds will also include appropriate inserts to create - in the body 1 of the expanded resin - the required through cavities 1z for utilities, such as electrical lines, various ducting, to be envisaged for applications to which floors or sides are destined.

Fig. 13 shows a cross section of a panel for a side or a floor produced with the criteria explained above, but free of "skins".

Fig. 14 shows the cross section of a side (formed by one or more panels), which is shaped with curves in its extension 51 , and/or in joints 53 for connection to other components 55. Such a structure can be produced with a mould of corresponding shape. What is described and illustrated above facilitates and simplifies - with respect to the traditional systems - the formation of components for habitable vehicles (campers, caravans), habitable trailers and similar, with enormous potential for varying the shape of the products to be made according to the prevailing needs, with simple tools, an elevated production capacity and limited waste to reduce the dimensions and shapes of the goods as requested.

The products are robust due to profiles 3 incorporated in the slabs, made of metal or in any other suitable material.

The drawing is to be intended as an example of a practical embodiment of the invention, as it can vary in shape and layout without departing from the concept underlying the invention. Any reference number in the claims attached has the aim of facilitating reading of the claims with reference to the description and the drawing, and does not limit the scope of the protection represented by ^' the claims. For example it is possible to develop a mould of the total sizes requested by a side, a floor or other. Furthermore a mould may have a non- rectangular shape or can be completed with supplementary shapes, to obtain moulded components, which are already shaped for final use, rather than rectangular ones.

Claims

1. Method for the formation of products such as floors, sides, roofs for bodies of vehicles like campers, caravans, habitable trailers and other, characterized in that structural profiles (3) are positioned in a mould for expanded resin, and that into said molild the resin is injected and expanded, to complete resin slab components (1) incorporating said structural profiles, slab components being assemblage to form the final products.

2. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that in structural profiles (3) are formed holes (5), and that the resin is injected and made expand in more zones defined by said profiles (3), filling with the expanded resin and the anchorage of the profiles being ensured, by the continuity allowed through said holes (5).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that edge profiles (4) are arranged in correspondence of zones where compartments must be made, requested in the components to be obtained, assembling more slabs.

4. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by including the application of layers of coating in plywood or in laminates or other, with impermeable finish if required, to ensure joining of more slabs (1) to each other.

5. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by including the formation, on two opposite sides of said slab components, of stepped profiles (1X, 1Y) or male and female profiles, to join contiguous slabs.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that said stepped profiles or male and female profiles are formed with corresponding shapes of the mould and with the injection of resin.

7. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that said stepped profiles or male and female profiles are formed with pre-manufactured elements, which are anchored to the slab components. .

8. Method according to at least claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the incorporated structural profiles (3)are U-shaped (Fig. 5).

9. Method according to at least claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the incorporated structural profiles (3) are double T-shaped (Fig. 6).

10. Method according to at least claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the incorporated structural profiles (3) are U-shaped with juxtaposed appendices (Figs. 7 and 8).

11. Method according to at least claim 10, characterized in that the incorporated structural profiles (3) are omega-shaped (Ω).

12. Method according to at least claim 10, characterized in that the incorporated structural profiles (3) are tubular-shaped.

13. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the resin expanded locally during molding through cavities (17) are made to house any utilities (electrical cables, water and other).

14. Slab components produced with the method of at least one of the claims 1 to 10, assemblage to form floors, sides and other for bodies of habitable vehicles, campers, caravans^ and other.

15. Slab components according to claim 14, produced with curves and/or connecting profiles.

16. Equipment to produce components such as panels or slabs with which to form floors and sides of bodies of habitable vehicles and other, characterized by including:

- a mould for forming the panels or slabs in synthetic resin - such as expanded polystyrene or expanded polyurethane- injected and expanded in the cavity of the mould itself;

- in said mould, means to position a number of structural profiles which have holes and which divide the space of the mould into more zones; injection means to feed resin into each of said zones;

- means to form perimeter stepped profiles (1X, 1Y) or male and female profiles on at least two opposite; sides of said slab panels, for joining contiguous co-planar panels.

17. Equipment according to claim 16, characterized by including means for joining more coplanar panels through so-called "skin" covering on said coplanar panels arranged side by side.

18. Equipment according to at least claim 16, characterized by including means to engage perimeter shapes or perimeter components to create male and female coupling profiles between coplanar slabs or panels.

19. Equipment according to claim 16, characterized by including dividing elements to obtain shaped panels.

20. Equipment according to at least claim 16, characterized by including shaped moulds with curves to form modeled panels and/or with connecting curves.

21. Equipment according to at least claim 16, characterized by including moulds for directly shaping finished elements, such as floors, sides or other.

22. Equipment as described and illustrated.

23. Method for producing panels, as described and illustrated.

24. Panels or other components produced with the method and/or the equipment described and illustrated.