Method of positioning and fastening a flat body in space and onto at least one other body and device for carrying out the method.

G attung

The invention relates to a method for positioning and securing planar bodies in space to at least one other body, in particular for positioning and subsequently securing parts to an Kraftfahrzeug-body, wherein the flat body of the other body heranbewegt is and at least one sensing finger its position is sensed to the other body and thereafter the flat body moved up against the body and is advanced to the physical contact to the other body and detected subsequently in two different planes at a single-piece part of the planar body, the position in space, in particular palpated ,

The invention further relates to a device for performing this method.

State of the art

It is known to weld manually in the production of motor vehicles, the hinges of doors or tightening.

Both are uneconomic under current competitive conditions.

Moreover, installation errors can be the manual placing of motor vehicle doors, trunk lids, engine compartment lids o. The like. Never be completely ruled out, because the arrangement and mounting of these parts depends on the care of people and the task.

Through EP 00 72 277 a method for automatic installation of window elements such as windshields, rear windows or a sky is previously known, wherein a gripper grips the anzumontierenden object and bring it on a trolley in an installation position. By probe the trolley and the support are so controlled that the anzumontierende object enter the purpose appropriate position. Hereby it is not possible to bring flat elements such as car doors, trunk lid or engine compartment covers in the exact location and to secure the necessary for fixing such parts stock as plates and the like, without human intervention is possible.

The FR-PS 13 90 177 relates to a device, be included in the horizontally transported on a conveyor belt of glass bands and these are separated vertically to a second conveyor which is driven independently of the first conveyor. For this purpose, suction arms are used.

The pre-conveying parts to a car body and its attachment is not possible with this apparatus.

DE-Z. "Promote and raise" 1964 H. 4, pages 339-340 it is known to automatically mount car doors that are already equipped with the guide rails for the window and with the work of their operation. The worker is a door in the device filters and presses a button. When the body has approached up to a prescribed distance, the device pivots about a vertical axis approximately 45 degrees and moves with the same speed with the conveyor. The two joint halves are aligned with those on the door jamb. Then push the hinge pins a stamp. Then the device moves back into the working position. Also from this device, it is not known, automatically introduce a flat body like a door with its hinges on the door posts and fasten. Rather, the aforementioned device describes the assembly of parts that have already been prepared in advance, namely mauell.

task

The invention is based on the object, a method according to the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that it is completely automatic possible with him, a sheet member, such as a door, a hood or a trunk lid automatically zoom out on a motor vehicle, and without any human to secure engagement there.

Furthermore, the invention has for its object to provide an advantageous apparatus for performing the method, which makes it possible to be used in large numbers, for example, on assembly of an automobile manufacturer.

Solution concerning the procedure

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Some advantages

When applying the method according to the invention, a planar body, z. B. can be a door on a motor vehicle, just in a different part in space, for example on a motor vehicle body, positioned and secured, which can be done eg., By welding. The inventive method is particularly suitable for positioning and fixing of parts of motor vehicle bodies.

As far as in the application documents of "flat bodies" is mentioned, as including also be understood as those bodies which are not necessarily limited by plane-parallel surfaces. Rather, including body are understood to be such. B. as automobile doors, trunk lid or engine compartment covers can be spatially curved perfectly, but cover larger areas or openings. However, can be the novel method can also be completely plane-parallel surfaces positioned limited body and in the respectively desired position, eg., By welding, fasten.

If the process is integrated into a conventional manufacturing process for motor vehicles, so can the positioning and fixing of the flat body, for example of doors o. Like., Carried out completely automatically, because it is the allocation of the flat body completely automatically to another body in space tiäch determined and also the to positionierenden and to be fastened flat body of this vorgesehenen location for example a hinge or Scharnierteil and / or a Türholm Knockout dgl. a Kraftfahrzeug body with high accuracy maps.

This is z. B. possible in that the spatial position of the body by sensing finger palpated each other and these pulses will be passed on to an industrial robot, which then control and / or control impulses to other devices, such. As welding robot passes.

In addition, the spatial position of the flat body in two different, in particular mutually perpendicular planes is determined to the other body and only then a signal to an industrial robot, z. B. on a welding robot, given, then the hinge parts are welded together.

In this way, human error during installation of flat bodies, in particular of doors of motor vehicle bodies, completely off and a high degree of accuracy and uniformity can be achieved in the assembly and mounting of such parts. This practice will be no more committee.

More Ausführungsfornen

In claim 2, a particularly advantageous method for positioning and fixing of doors to automotive bodies is described.

Solution of the problem concerning the device

This object is achieved by the reproduced in claim 3 features.

Some advantages

The device is made with relatively venigen, robust parts, which especially in automotive position flat parts made of sheet metal and can be attached eg., By welding.

Further embodiments

The embodiment of claim 4 enables accurate sensing of the position of the hinges of a motor vehicle door or the like .. Only when caused thereby pulses give the robot for mounting the flat part, z. B. a welding robot, a signal., The attachment of the sheet takes place part, z. B. the Anschweißung of hinges to the door pillars concerned. In four-door cars you will usually so procedure is to start with the plastic wrapping of the rear doors and only at the end einschweißt the front doors. It can of course on both sides, such devices can be arranged to simultaneously cyclically opposite to weld the rear and then the front doors.

In the embodiment according to claim 5 as is the flat part, in particular a motor vehicle door, as it were "floating" in space on the other part, eg., Introduced to a body, so that the flat part with plant against the other body so to speak spatially can do.

Often it is necessary to scale body subsequently to order parts, installed for example in car doors to their positioning and Anschweißung to the door posts, the mechanism for the operation of the windows and the windows themselves. These additional components act on relatively long lever arms on the hinges so that it can lead to a distortion of the doors, which a subsequent, complicated alignment thereof would require. Therefore, the invention provides that scale Parts, in particular vehicle doors, to counter the weight of the component parts to be used subsequently to weld a small amount of z. B. 1.5 degrees relative to the horizontal at an angle. After installation of these parts can be then the doors open and close (claim 6).

The claim 7 describes a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing, the invention - partly schematically - illustrates on exemplary embodiments. Show it:<ul><li>Figure 1 is a partial plan view of a device according to the invention.</li><li>Fig. 2 is a view in the direction of arrow "Y" of FIG. 1;</li><li>Fig. 3 shows a detail in "X" of FIG. 1;</li><li>Fig. 4 is a section along the line A - A of FIG. 3;</li><li>Fig. 5 is a detail at "Z" in FIG. 2 and</li><li>Fig. 6 is a partial view in the direction of the arrow "W" in FIG. 5.</li></ul>

In the drawing the invention is illustrated as applied to an apparatus for positioning and welding of doors on an automobile body.

Reference numeral 1 are cyclically called by a not shown in detail and is not designated, z. B. as clocking linear conveyor or as a combined linear-stroke vertical conveyor formed endless conveyor zoom funded automotive Korosserien which is not shown in the illustrated embodiment two on each side have doorways that are to be provided with a door.

In advance exactly adjusted range of subsequently described inventive device the endless conveyor is respectively stopped and the body in question 1, lifted by an alternate working towards C or D lifting device 2 from the endless conveyor by a predetermined amount in the direction D, ie upwards. The longitudinal distance of the endless conveyor a plurality of such lifting devices 2 and a plurality of the devices for positioning and welding of doors described below can be arranged spaced from one another, which are each fitted at the cyclical stopping of the endless conveyor with bodies 1st

On each side of the body 1 are in the illustrated embodiment each two computer-controlled welding robots 3, 4 or 5, 6, wherein the fixed respectively at the top of a ceiling construction 7 Welding robots 3 and 5 upper welds and each bottom mounted on a foundation 8 welding robots 4 and 6 respectively below welds welding. In this way, the reliability is increased and achieved even in case of a welding robot with a reliable security Anschweißung.

The part to be welded doors are conveyed forward by a depositor 9, which is parallel to the direction of the car body zoom promotional conveyor movable to a magazine conveyor 10th The insert 9 comprises a running feline frame which lla from the ground at a distance on a track can be moved and the doors 11, z. B. by means of compressed air and / or hydraulic tensioner keeps, and record them in a single magazine 12 the magazine conveyor which also an endless conveyor on which the magazines are constituted by 12 with spaced apart projections, which are intermittently driven by a motor drive 61 on a conveyor 13 that the trays 12 integrally interconnects. In the manner shown in Fig. 2 embodiment, four to be welded doors 11 are arranged in the magazine conveyor 10 and extend substantially in the vertical plane from the magazines 12 of the magazine conveyor 10 forth. Clearly be seen from Fig. 2 that the doors 11 corresponding to the outer contour of the body extend curve-shaped.

On diametrically opposite side of the lifting device 2 at least one further insert 9 and a further magazine conveyor 10 are arranged (not shown).

The zoom funded by the depositor 9 doors 11 have been with them through welds integrally connected on hinges, generally designated by the numeral 14th With every door 11 two such hinges 14 are vertically spaced one above the other firmly connected by welds (Fig. 5).

As FIG. 3 can be seen, each hinge 14 has two tabs 15 and 16 respectively, which are each connected by a vertical pivot axis 17 joint movable together. The tab 15 is integrally connected by welds in the manner mentioned, so that the doors 11 superposed respectively with these two, are firmly welded hinges 14 transported by the depositor 9 for magazine conveyor 10 with the outer contour 18 (Fig. 3).

It is now necessary to weld these 11 equipped with two permanently welded hinges 14 doors with their tabs 16 on the respectively associated rail of the body. In four-door motor vehicles is preferably started in the order so that initially positions the rear doors and the tabs 16 are welded to the associated rails, whereupon only the respective front doors positioned are welded in just such a way. The following describes the positioning and welding by means of a door 11th Naturally happens positioning and welding the other doors 11 accordingly.

The doors 11 are one by one removed from the magazine conveyor 10 by a transport and positioning frames 19th This happens because, lifted by a three-axis industrial robot 20, the 19 can raise and lower the transportation and positioning frames towards K or V, ie in the vertical plane of this and in the direction E (Fig. 2) transported to the magazine conveyor 10 becomes. There, the transport and positioning frame 19 is lowered in the direction K and driven in the direction E against the outer contour of the respective door 11 until the buffer elements 21, 22 and 23, and sucker 55, 56 abut against the outer contour of the door in question eleventh The buffer members 21 to 23 consist in the shown embodiment made of synthetic rubber, but may also be formed in other ways. In addition, the transport and positioning frame 19 has suitable clamping elements for gripping and transporting the door, which can be actuated, for example by pneumatic and / or hydraulic toggle joint devices. This z. B. can be take the upper frame of the door 11 by a clamping action. In addition, it is possible to take effect by such toggle-lever clamping devices at the door another pincer-shaped member. Finally, the vacuum cleaner 55, 56 with negative pressure applied to the additional door 11 safe for supporting and transporting are.

The buffer members 21 to 23 are further disposed at the vertices of a triangle. About the intersection of the angle bisector of this triangle there is a space joint 24, which also consists in the illustrated embodiment of synthetic rubber or may be formed in the manner of a silent block or as a universal joint or ball joint, but is ersetztbar by another joint arrangement. The space joint 24 makes it possible that the door 11 receiving and halternde during transport to the vehicle body 1 part 25 of the transporting and positioning frame 19 to some extent on all sides may move floatingly by a limited amount, so that the transport and positioning frame 19 to the system can be moved against the body 1, so that the zoom led door 11 - is able to compensate in the contour 26 of the body 1 until the outer contour of the door 11 exactly corresponds to the outer contour of the body 26 - as it were floating. It is provided on the piston-cylinder unit 27 in the direction of conveying movement F a pneumatic compensation while done by the piston-cylinder unit 28, such a pneumatic compensation in the vertical plane. Finally, the reference numeral 29 is a controlled, z. B. pneumatic piston-cylinder unit referred to in a perpendicular to the i by the piston-cylinder unit level 27^Ge- _i is honest pneumatic compensation movable so that the transport and positioning frame 19 by this piston-cylinder units 27, 28 and 29 in three levels

is supported by a limited amount, and is also made possible by the space joint 24, a limited tilting movement on all sides of the part 25 and thus of the buffer elements 21, 22 and 23 and mounted on this door eleventh

Numerals 30 and 31 denote guides for the pneumatic compensation in the vertical plane.

The transport and positioning frame 19 is in the illustrated embodiment associated with at least one distance finger 32 against a part of the body 11, for. Example, abuts a door pillars when approaching a door 11 by the transport and positioning frame 19, and thus the door 11 to the door opening aligns.

The command to the robot 20 for pre conveying a door 11 by means of the transport and positioning frame 19 is, however, only be given if the lifting device 2, the body 1 abuts several spacing fingers 33 and 34 respectively. In the longitudinal direction of the body 1, ie in its conveying direction may be arranged on each side of the body 1, for. Example, two such spacer fingers. Then the body is in the correct height position for pre-feeding the door 11 by means of which the Industrieroboter'2 transport and positioning frame 19. The exact lifting movement of the lifting device 2 and the switching pulse to the endless conveyor for the body 1 is pre-determined by adjustment.

After receiving a door 11 by the transport and positioning frame 19 of the robot 20 rotates about a vertical axis 35 the transport and positioning frame 19 by 180 degrees (FIG. 1) in the correct position to the vehicle body 1.

Stands on the floor on each side of the body 1 is a measuring station 36, a measuring head 37 (Fig. 4). This measurement head 37 comprises in the vertical plane at a distance one above the other on touch plates 38 and 39, 40 and 41 have coaxially at their mutually facing side walls of each feeler finger arranged integrally. The distance of the touch plates 38 and 39 and thus the sensing finger 40 and 41 is variable to a limited degree by displacement. Here, the distance corresponding to the sensing finger 40 and 41 of the vertical height of the tab 16 of the hinge 14. The touch movements of the sensing finger 40 and 41 are on the touch plates 38 and 39 each have stops 42 and 43 is transmitted to sensor 44 or 45, which by the stops 42 and 43, respectively, are thus unilaterally acted each on its outwardly directed end face. The stop 42 is integral with the touch panel 38 and the stopper 43 integrally with the touch panel 39 is connected. The movement of the sensors 44 and 45 are forwarded to a computer. In the context of the invention are also embodiments in which the movement is transmitted via a single line to the computer.

offset by 90 degrees to the displacement direction of the touch plates 38, 39 and thus the sensing finger 40 and 41 two further switches 46 and 47 are arranged, which are pivotally movable to a limited extent also and brought to bear against the outer surface 48 of the tab 16 of the hinge 14 can be. The push buttons 46 and 47 are also spaced from one another and are at their Tastaußenfläche 49 and 50 which can be brought to bear against the outer surface 48 of the tab 16, by a circular arc extend, is formed. The movements of these buttons 46 and 47 is transmitted to sensor 51 or 52, whose movements are also transmitted to the computer.

The measuring head 37 is in the direction G and H, respectively (Fig. 1) by a limited amount by an unillustrated piston-cylinder unit displaceable and can be moved out of a housing 53, but is protected during the welding work disposed in said housing 53, so as not to welding spatter may be damaged or dirty. When fall or after the initial break before the front opening of the housing 53 dampers.

By the measurement head 37 to determine the position of the door 11 in two mutually perpendicular planes is possible. Have the probe the flap 16 taken 40 and 41 between itself and does not exceed the 49 and 50 forwarded by the buttons on the calculator value by a predetermined amount so received by the respective welding robots 3, 4 or 5, 6 the welding command. The sensed by the probe 49 and 50 value is a measure of the inclination of the flap 16 with respect to the surface to which the tab is welded. In general, a slight wedge-shaped configuration of the tab 16 to the outer contour of the body or of the spar to which the tab 16 is to be welded, aspire. However, it is also possible to arrange the tab 16 parallel to the plane to be welded part.

The transport and positioning frame 19 also includes a manual adjusting device 54, through which the part 25 can be rotated about a horizontal axis with all the clamping devices, and thus also with the buffers 21, 22 and 23 by a certain angular extent, so that the positioning to and to be welded door 11 is attached to a certain angular extent, as it were "wrong", z. B. 1.5 degrees to the horizontal inclined to the weight component. This means that exactly fits on the subsequent installation of all mechanical parts for the window lift, door trim, etc. the door while they may be stuck by the weight component of the additionally incorporated parts in advance precisely fixing.

Furthermore, the positioning frame 19 by piston-cylinder units 57 and 58 operable Andrückstücke 59 and 60, respectively, which press during the welding process, the tabs 16 of the hinges 14 against the respective rail of the body first By opposite Druckmitteldruckbeaufschlagung the prestress lugs are 59 and 60 retracted.

The operation of the embodiment shown in the drawing is as follows:

Suppose a body 1 with four doorways for mounting four doors had been lifted by the lifting device 2 in the direction D until the sensing finger 33 and 34 come into contact with contact the appropriate parts of the body. 1 Then the industrial robot 20 is automatically set in action, drives the transport and positioning frame 19 to the magazine conveyor 10 whereupon the transport and positioning frame 19 is lowered in the direction K, a door 11 receives from the Magzinförderer 10, is raised again in the direction V , that is, the door 11 is removed from the relevant magazine 12th Then move the robot 20 to transport and positioning frame 19 in the direction F and turns it case by 180 degrees and moves the door 11 against the intended opening of the body 1 until the sensing finger 32 against the designated stop the body 1 and against the bars comes to bear, with a somewhat floating centering of the door 11 is formed by the space joint 24 with respect to the opening and a pneumatic balancing while facing driving of the door 11 against the body 11 by the appropriate pneumatic piston-cylinder; the units 27, 28, where, while the piston-cylinder unit is controlled 29th Then moves the measuring head 37 from the housing 53 out and touched by the test fingers 40 and 41, the tab 16 of the hinge 14 from. Simultaneously, the push-button 46 and 47 pass with their rounded outer surfaces 49 and 50 against the outside 48 of the flap 14 and palpate so spaced from one another, two reference points of the hinge strap 16 in body width, thus determine to a certain extent a plane. If the 40 and 41 and the buttons 46 and 47 given from the fingers to the computer values ​​with the preset values ​​within the tolerance limits correspond, receive that are on this side of the wagon welding robots, for. Example 3 and 4, a weld command. The respective upper robot, z. B. 3, then welds the upper seam of the respective tab 16 and the lower robot, z. B. 4, the respective lower seam on the tab 16.

After completion of the welding operation the welding examination is therefore in the direction C (Fig. 2) is automatically moved toward, cleaned and blown out to a cleaning device, after which the body 1 is lowered with the welded doors, is moved and the endless conveyor continues to move in cycles, until a new body is 1 arrives at the lifting device 2 and raised again in the direction D, then repeats the cycle. This door can be 11, but also the trunk lid, engine compartment lid, etc., in the room completely automatic and fix it.

The magazine conveyor 10 is automatically replenished by the depositor 9 and also moves intermittently in the direction F, so that the industrial robot 20 with its transport and positioning device 19 can always take out the front in the transport direction F door 11 from the magazine conveyor 10th

The in the description, in the summary and in the claims described and in the drawing can be essential to the realization of the invention both individually and in any combination.

B ezugszeichenste

<ul><li>1 body</li><li>2 lift</li><li>3 welding robots</li><li>4</li><li>5</li><li>6 "</li><li>7 ceiling construction</li><li>8 foundation</li><li>9 depositors</li><li>10 magazine conveyor</li><li>11 door</li><li>lla floor</li><li>12 Magazine</li><li>13 funding</li><li>14 hinge</li><li>15 tab</li><li>16 "</li><li>17 pivot axis</li><li>18 outer contour</li><li>19 transport and positioning frames</li><li>20 robots</li><li>21 buffer element</li><li>22</li><li>23 "</li><li>24 room joint</li><li>25 part</li><li>26 outer contour</li><li>27 piston-cylinder unit</li><li>28 "" "</li><li>29 controlled piston-cylinder unit</li><li>30 guide</li><li>31 "</li><li>32 distance finger</li><li>33 distance finger</li><li>34 "</li><li>35 axis</li><li>36 measuring station</li><li>37 measuring head</li><li>38 touch plate</li><li>39 "</li><li>40 sensing finger</li><li>41 "</li><li>42 stop</li><li>43 "</li><li>44 probe</li><li>45 "</li><li>46 button</li><li>47 "</li><li>48 outer surface</li><li>49 button outer surface</li><li>50 "</li><li>51 probe</li><li>52 "</li><li>53 housing</li><li>54 adjustment</li><li>55 vacuum cleaner</li><li>56 "</li><li>57 piston-cylinder unit</li><li>58 "" "</li><li>59 press-down</li><li>60 "</li><li>61 drive</li><li>C stroke direction</li><li>D "</li><li>E direction of movement</li><li>F "</li><li>G displacement direction</li><li>K movement direction</li><li>V "</li></ul>