Method and processing station for connecting components of a vehicle body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227246-B2
Application number	US-202318230246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2023
Priority date	Aug 4, 2022
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a processing station and to a method for connecting a first component to a second component in a processing station, wherein a workpiece holder is moved into a geometry clamping station of the processing station, wherein a clamping jig of the processing station in a first movement, and the workpiece holder moved into the geometry clamping station in a second movement, are simultaneously moved in each case from a preliminary position (PS 1 , PW 1 ) to a connecting position (P 2 ) in which the first component is connected to the second component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A processing station for connecting a first component of a vehicle body to a second component of a vehicle body, the processing station comprising:
a geometry clamping station and a clamping jig, wherein the clamping jig is disposed on a mobile support unit which by means of a first drive unit can be moved horizontally, and wherein the geometry clamping station includes a receptacle unit configured to receive a workpiece holder, wherein the receptacle unit is assigned a second drive unit by way of which the receptacle unit can be moved in vertically, and the processing station is assigned a control unit configured to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit in such a manner that the clamping jig and the workpiece holder are moved to a connecting position in which the first component can be connected to the second component;
wherein the clamping jig of the processing station is configured to receive the first component, and the geometry clamping station is configured to receive the workpiece holder that supports the second component, wherein the control unit is configured to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit in such a manner that, simultaneously, the first component received by the clamping jig is moved horizontally at a horizontal movement speed by the first drive unit and the second component received by the receptacle unit by way of the workpiece holder is moved vertically at a vertical movement speed by the second drive unit, wherein the horizontal movement speed and the vertical movement speed are such that the first and second components are simultaneously moved toward one another and attain the connecting position at a defined angle that is neither horizontal nor vertical and that is based on geometries of the first and second components.

2. The processing station of claim 1 , wherein the second component and the first component, the latter being provisionally disposed on the second component, form a component assembly, the clamping jig comprises a clamping group, the processing station furthermore comprises a fixing element for fixing the clamping jig in the connecting position, and the geometry clamping station comprises a receptacle unit which is configured to receive the workpiece holder that supports the component assembly, wherein the control unit is furthermore configured to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit in such a manner that the clamping group of the clamping jig and the component assembly received by the receptacle unit by way of the workpiece holder are moved to the connecting position in which the first component can be joined to the second component.

3. A processing station for connecting a first component of a vehicle body to a second component of a vehicle body, the processing station comprising:
a component arrangement formed by the second component and the first component, which is provisionally arranged on the second component, the component arrangement comprising a geometry clamping station, a frame with a clamping group and a fixing element for fixing the frame in a connection position;
a movably designed support unit, wherein the frame is arranged on the movably designed support unit, which is configured to be moved in a first direction of movement (BR 1 ) by a first drive unit; and
a receiving unit provided by the geometry clamping station, the receiving unit configured to receive a workpiece carrier carrying the component arrangement;
wherein a second drive unit is assigned to the receiving unit, with which the receiving unit is configured to be moved in a second direction of movement (BR 2 ), the first direction of movement (BR 1 ) and the second direction of movement (BR 2 ) being non-parallel, and the processing station is assigned a control unit which is configured to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit such that the clamping group of the frame and the component arrangement received by the receiving unit via a workpiece carrier are moved simultaneously into a joining position (P 2 ) in which the first component is joined to the second component.

Assignees

• thyssenkrupp Automotive Body Solutions GmbH
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Presser Heiko
• Doering Dominic

Classifications

• F16B2/00

  Friction-grip releasable fastenings (for cables or ropes, e.g. cleats F16G11/00 ){(connections of rods or tubes, e.g. of non-circular section, mutually, including resilient connections F16B7/00)} · CPC title

• B62D65/024

  Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components · CPC title

• B62D65/022 Primary

  Transferring or handling sub-units or components, e.g. in work stations or between workstations and transportation systems · CPC title