Apparatus and method for producing a film-covered component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11931970-B2
Application number	US-202117496169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2021
Priority date	Oct 7, 2020
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus and method for producing a film-covered component, having at least one assembly nest with at least one component section, on which a component to be covered can be arranged includes operating a film severing device. The film severing device is arranged on the assembly nest and has a severing element. The film severing device surrounds the component section at least partially laterally at a distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for producing a film-covered component, the apparatus comprises:
an assembly nest with a component section, on which a component to be covered can be arranged; and
a film severing device arranged on the assembly nest, the film severing device including a severing element, wherein the film severing device surrounds the component section at least partially laterally at a distance and is configured to at least partially separate a film section of the film that projects laterally beyond the film-covered component from a remainder of the film,
wherein the film severing device is arranged in a channel-shaped depression formed on the assembly nest,
wherein the film severing device includes a flexible bladder arranged at least partially within the depression and fixed within the depression,
wherein an inner cavity of the flexible bladder is configured to be subjected to a pressure or a vacuum to switch the flexible bladder between an inflated state and a deflated state, and
wherein the severing element is arranged on a side of the flexible bladder facing away from the assembly nest and configured to engage the film section when in the inflated state and to not engage the film section when in the deflated state.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the film severing device defines a recess, arranged on an opposite side from the assembly nest, configured to receive the severing element.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein when the flexible bladder is in the deflated state, the severing element is entirely received in the recess, wherein when the flexible bladder is in the inflated state, the severing element extends from the recess and protrudes from the depression.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein when the flexible bladder is in the deflated state, the severing element at least partially protrudes from the depression.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein when the flexible bladder is in the deflated state, the severing element entirely within the depression.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the severing element is configured to sever the film section from the remainder of the film via a mechanical severing element, a thermal severing element, or a combination of a mechanical severing element and a thermal severing element.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the severing element is configured to sever the film section from the remainder of the film via a mechanical severing element.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the mechanical severing element includes a blade.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the severing element is configured to sever the film section from the remainder of the film via a thermal severing element.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the thermal severing element includes an electric heating wire.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the severing element includes a blade.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the severing element includes an electric heating element.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the film severing device includes at least one thermal insulator, which is fixed within the depression and on which the electric heating element is arranged.

14. A method for producing a film-covered component using the apparatus according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
arranging the component to be covered on the component section of the assembly nest;
arranging the film on the component to be covered; and
operating the film severing device arranged on the assembly nest to at least partially separate the film section of the film that projects laterally beyond the film-covered component from the remainder of the film.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein operating the film severing device includes performing a cutting operation to separate the film section from the remainder of the film.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein operating the film severing device includes applying heat to the film to separate the film section from the remainder of the film.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the depression extends in a longitudinal path to at least partially surround the component section and the flexible bladder has a tubular shape that extends longitudinally along the longitudinal path.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the flexible bladder is in the deflated state, the severing element entirely within the depression.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Voigt Torsten
• Kaplangiray Aydemir
• Buerger Stefan Martin

Classifications

• B29C65/749 Primary

  Removing scrap (deburring welded articles B29C37/04) · CPC title

• B29C65/7453

  the severing tool being a wire · CPC title

• B29C63/04 Primary

  by folding, winding, bending or the like · CPC title

• B29C2793/0009

  Cutting out · CPC title