Automated assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11480204-B2
Application number	US-202016839657-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2020
Priority date	Apr 5, 2019
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

A method of assembling a set of panels, to obtain an assembled product, including connecting a first edge of a first panel, with a first main plane, to a first edge of a second panel, with a second main plane, including arranging a third panel with a third main plane perpendicular to the first main plane, arranging a first edge of the third panel at a second edge of the second panel and arranging the third main plane with a second angle in relation to the second main plane; connecting the first edge of the third panel to the second edge of the second panel, by displacing the third panel and/or the second panel; and connecting a second edge of the third panel to a second edge of the first panel and connecting the first edge of the third panel to the second edge of the second panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a set of panels to obtain an assembled product, comprising:
connecting a first edge of a first panel, with a first main plane, to a first edge of a second panel, with a second main plane, the first main plane is arranged with a first angle in relation to the second main plane;
arranging a third panel with a third main plane perpendicular to the first main plane, arranging a first edge of the third panel at a second edge of the second panel and arranging the third main plane with a second angle in relation to the second main plane;
connecting the first edge of the third panel to the second edge of the second panel, by displacing the third panel and/or the second panel; and
connecting both (i) a second edge of the third panel to a second edge of the first panel and (ii) the first edge of the third panel to the second edge of the second panel, by pivoting the third panel in relation to the second main plane, so that the second angle between the third main plane and the second main plane is reduced to 90°.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising
arranging a fourth panel, with a fourth main plane, perpendicular to the first main plane, arranging a first edge of the fourth panel at a third edge of the second panel and arranging the fourth main plane with a third angle in relation to the second main plane; and
connecting the first edge of the fourth panel to the third edge of the second panel, by displacing the fourth panel and/or the second panel; and
connecting both (i) a second edge of the fourth panel to a third edge of the first panel and (ii) the first edge of the fourth panel to the third edge of the second panel, by pivoting the fourth panel in relation to the third edge of the first panel, so that the third angle between the fourth main plane and the second main plane is reduced to 90° and the fourth main plane is parallel to the third main plane.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , comprising
arranging a fifth panel, with a fifth main plane, perpendicular to the third and/or fourth main plane and with a fourth angle in relation to the first main plane;
connecting a first edge of the fifth panel to a fourth edge of the first panel, by displacing the fifth panel and/or the first panel; and
connecting (i) a second edge of the fifth panel to a third edge of the third panel and/or (ii) a third edge of the fifth panel to a third edge of the fourth panel, by pivoting the fifth panel in relation to the first main plane so that the fourth angle is reduced to 90° and the fifth main plane is parallel to the second main plane.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the fourth angle is more than 90°, before said pivoting of the fifth panel.

5. The method as described in claim 3 , wherein the step of connecting the first edge of the fifth panel to the fourth edge of the first panel comprises:
positioning of the fifth panel at a back position with an edge groove of the fifth panel positioned at a back position of the fourth edge of the first panel,
displacing the fifth panel in a first direction to a front position with the edge groove of the fifth panel positioned at a front position of the fourth edge of the first panel,
displacing the fifth panel in a third direction and thereby increase an extent to which the fourth edge of the first panel is positioned in the edge groove of the fifth panel, and
displacing the fifth panel in a second direction D 2 , which is opposite to the first direction, to a position in which the edge groove of the fifth panel is at a fully assembled position of the fourth edge of the first panel.

6. The method as described in claim 5 , wherein the method comprises displacing the fifth panel in a third direction and thereby increase the extent to which the fourth edge of the first panel is positioned in the edge groove of the fifth panel.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the step of connecting the first edge of the fifth panel to the fourth edge of the first panel comprises the step of arranging an edge groove of the fifth panel off-set in relation to the fourth edge of the first panel, arranging the fifth panel at the fourth angle in relation to the first main plane, moving/displacing the edge groove of the fifth panel towards the fourth edge of the first panel to reduce the off-set and arranging the fourth edge in the edge groove of the fifth panel by reducing the fourth angle of the fifth panel in relation to the first main plane and moving the fifth panel towards the first panel to connect the fifth panel to the first panel.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the third angle is more than 90°, before said pivoting of the fourth panel.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising
connecting the first edge of the first panel to the first edge of the second panel by displacing the first panel relative the second panel and pivoting the second panel in relation to the first main plane so that the first angle is reduced to 90°.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first angle is more than 90°, before said pivoting of the second panel.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the set of panels comprises at least five panels, wherein each connecting step comprises linearly displacing of one of said five panels.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein each linear displacement is executed in a direction parallel to the first main plane.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the connecting comprises displacing an outer part of a flexible tongue of a locking device into a tongue groove for locking an edge and an adjacent edge together.

14. The method as claimed claim 13 , wherein at least one of the connecting comprises displacing an inner part of the flexible tongue in an insertion groove for locking the edge and the adjacent edge together.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one edge comprises an edge groove for locking an edge and an adjacent edge together.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said at least one edge groove comprises a recess at an outer edge of the at least one edge groove for enabling said connecting by linear displacing and/or pivoting.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second angle is more than 90°, before said pivoting of the third panel.

Assignees

• Vaelinge Innovation Ab
• Valinge Innovation Ab

Inventors

• Derelöv Peter

Classifications

• A47B2230/0096

  Assembling sheet parts by male and female parts formed in the sheet thickness · CPC title

• A47B96/201

  Edge features · CPC title

• F16B12/125

  using mortise and tenon joints · CPC title

• A47B2230/0077

  Interlocking assemblies with dovetail mortise grooves · CPC title

• A47B47/042 Primary

  Panels connected without frames · CPC title