IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
| 출원번호 |
US-0158978
(2011-06-13)
|
| 등록번호 |
US-8641398
(2014-02-04)
|
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Winget, Larry J.
- Preisler, Darius J.
- Murar, Jason T.
- Krowl, William G.
|
| 출원인 / 주소 |
|
| 대리인 / 주소 |
|
| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
30 |
초록
▼
An automated method and system for making painted vehicle body panel skins and vehicle body panels, such as instrument panels, are provided wherein throughput and equipment utilization are greatly improved at a relatively low cost. The method includes transferring a mold having a mold surface from a
An automated method and system for making painted vehicle body panel skins and vehicle body panels, such as instrument panels, are provided wherein throughput and equipment utilization are greatly improved at a relatively low cost. The method includes transferring a mold having a mold surface from an entrance station to a paint station within a dispensing area. The method further includes applying paint on the mold surface to form a layer of paint on the mold surface at the paint station. The method still further includes spraying curable polyurethane elastomer on the painted surface at a spray station within the dispensing area. The paint and spray stations may be coincident. The method still further includes, after the step of spraying and while the polyurethane elastomer is uncured, transferring the mold with the paint and the uncured polyurethane elastomer from the spray station to at least one accumulator station in a curing area to allow the polyurethane elastomer to completely cure in the mold and form the skin.
대표청구항
▼
1. A system for making painted vehicle body panel skins, the system comprising: an entrance station;a paint station within a dispensing area wherein paint is applied on mold surfaces of molds to form a layer of paint on each mold surface at the paint station;a spray station within the dispensing are
1. A system for making painted vehicle body panel skins, the system comprising: an entrance station;a paint station within a dispensing area wherein paint is applied on mold surfaces of molds to form a layer of paint on each mold surface at the paint station;a spray station within the dispensing area and within a first chamber, the spray station including a program-controlled manipulator having a work envelope and an automatic sprayer supported on the manipulator for movement relative to at least two control axes for spraying curable polyurethane elastomer therefrom on the painted surfaces of the molds to form a layer of elastomer on each layer of paint;a plurality of accumulator stations adjacent to and separate from the spray station and within a second chamber spaced apart from the first chamber in a curing area to expose an entire surface of each layer of elastomer opposite the paint to ambient air and to allow the curable polyurethane elastomer to completely cure in the molds to form the skins in the accumulator stations wherein the plurality of accumulator stations are configured to increase throughput and to maximize utilization of the manipulator;an unload station wherein the skins are unloaded from the molds at the unload station and wherein each of the paint, spray, accumulator, and unload stations is located along a guide path; anda transport mechanism for transporting the molds, the mechanism conveying the molds along the guide path and stopping and maintaining each of the molds in a stationary predetermined position relative to the guide path during painting, spraying and unloading functions performed in the paint, spray, and unload stations, respectively; anda control system for causing the manipulator to move the sprayer through a predetermined spray path relative to the at least two control axes, for controlling the sprayer so that the flow of the polyurethane elastomer on each painted surface is controlled, for causing the transport mechanism to move an uncured mold from the spray station along the guide path and to the accumulator stations for curing after spraying in the spray station and after transporting of the molds from the spray station into the accumulator stations by the transport mechanism, and for causing the transport mechanism to move the molds between each of the paint, spray, accumulator, unload stations along the guide path, wherein, after each skin is unloaded from its corresponding mold in the unload station, the corresponding empty mold is maintained in a stationary predetermined position in the entrance station. 2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism includes a plurality of pallets, each of the pallets receiving and returning one of the molds thereon. 3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unload station is coincident with the entrance station and the guide path is loop-shaped. 4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the paint, spray and accumulator stations has an enclosed chamber and wherein the system further comprises blower means for pressurizing each of the chambers with the ambient air at subatmospheric pressure to exhaust fumes from the polyurethane elastomer and not allow the fumes to escape at each of the paint, spray and accumulator stations. 5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the entrance, paint, spray, accumulator and unload stations has an enclosed chamber and wherein the system further comprises blower means for pressurizing each of the enclosed chambers with the ambient air at subatmospheric pressure to exhaust fumes from the polyurethane elastomer and not allow the fumes to escape at each of the entrance, paint, spray, accumulator and unload stations. 6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the paint station is coincident with the spray system. 7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manipulator also applies paint to the mold surfaces of the molds at the paint station. 8. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transport mechanism also includes a transfer mechanism disposed within each of the enclosed chambers for conveying the pallets along the guide path. 9. A system for making vehicle body panels including the system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising: a plastic injection mold for receiving and retaining an unloaded skin, for receiving molten plastic which at least partially covers a surface of the skin opposite the paint and which allows the molten plastic to cool and bond with the skin to form the vehicle body panel within the mold. 10. A system for making vehicle body panels including the system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising: a foam mold for receiving and retaining an unloaded skin and a corresponding injection molded part in spaced relationship in the foam mold to form a space between the skin and the part, the foam mold also receiving foam into the space between the skin and the part and allowing the foam to cure thereby bonding the skin to the part with the cured foam therebetween to thereby form the vehicle body panel within the foam mold.
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