The present invention basically concerns a device to place a joint, such as a water jet joint, on a motor vehicle body.
It also concerns a method to implement said device.
The expression xe2x80x9cwater jet sealxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdrip moulding sealxe2x80x9d denotes a seal intended to be placed on the body of the vehicle at the upper portion of the door frame and used firstly to ensure that water does not trickle along the window pane or penetrate inside the passenger compartment, and secondly to limit aerodynamic noise.
To date, no device and method are available for glueing a water jet seal onto a motor vehicle body able to be automated and reliable with respect to the positioning of the seal on the vehicle, the pressurizing force of the seal on the corresponding surface of the body, and the fixing operation by glueing the seal onto the receiving surface of the body, this operation often proving to be ineffective and resulting in the long run to the seal being detached from the body.
The present invention also seeks to resolve this drawback.
To this effect, the invention concerns a device for placing a seal, such as a water jet seal, onto a motor vehicle body, characterised in that it basically includes: a jig able to be placed in contact with the body of the vehicle; a carriage borne by the jig and able to move onto the latter for placing the seal; and means to guide and orientate the carriage on the jig.
According to a preferred embodiment, the carriage orientation and guiding means include three rails, possibly approximately parallel, with a circular cross-section and integral with the jig, namely a first rail with a shape matching the shape of the receiving surface of the seal on the vehicle and defining the path the carriage is to follow along the body of the vehicle, a second rail keeping the force applied to the seal on its receiving surface along a direction constantly normal on the application surface of a seal, and a third rail ensuring along a direction transversal to the vehicle a correct positioning of the carriage with respect to the vehicle so that the seal is fully flush with the geometry of the body.
According to another characteristic of the device of this invention, the carriage comprises guiding rollers which co-operate bilaterally with the first, second and third rails respectively, the axes of the rollers co-operating with the first rail being orthogonal to the axes of the rollers co-operating with the second rail, and the axes of the rollers co-operating with the third rail forming an angle (A) with the axes of the rollers co-operating with the second rail.
Also according to another characteristic of this device, said carriage is made up of two elements, namely a first element bearing the rollers associated with the first and second rails, and a second element bearing the rollers associated with the third rail and slanted with respect to the first element along an angle equal to said angle (A).
Here, it shall be stated that said second element is fitted with a roller for applying the seal on the receiving surface, the axis of this roller being orthogonal to the axis of the rollers associated with the third rail.
According to a preferred embodiment, the roller for applying the seal has a throat co-operating with the seal so as to ensure it is applied and positioned on the receiving surface and is driven in rotation by a motor integral with the carriage.
According to a further characteristic of the invention, said application roller is mounted on an element able to activated by a jack or similar device integral with the carriage so as to exert a controlled application force of the seal on the receiving surface.
Again here it shall be stated that associated with the jig is a suspended adjustable stop able to co-operate with the body of the vehicle so as to ensure the correct prepositioning of the jig on said body and subsequently its drive.
The jig is mounted suspended and rolling on a rail by means of arms, one of which bearing said stop.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the jig is kept hooked on the body by means of brackets co-operating with the roof of said body.
The jig is further fitted with a motor for driving the carriage by means of a chain or similar element.
The invention also concerns a method to implement a device meeting the characteristics mentioned above and which is basically characterised in that when said stop has struck an extremity of the body, the jig is plated and flanged on the side of the body and said carriage is moved on the jig, whereas pressure is exerted on said application roller so as to glue the seal on the receiving surface.
According to another characteristic of this method, said application roller rotates quicker than a single free rolling of this roller on the seal.
Thus, instead of using a free rolling roller on the seal, which would provoke not only pressurizing of the seal but also a. consequent elongation of the latter by the significant force crushing the sole of the seal so that the seal would risk being subsequently retracted and come away from certain portions of the body, it is possible, by advantageously making the roller rotate faster than a simple free rolling, to create friction between the roller and the seal and thus compression in the longitudinal direction of the seal which reduces or annuls said elongation and in the long run ensures that the seal remains on the body of the vehicle.