Selective cutting one shot
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a process and a device for forming a planiform piece intended, in particular, for the interior fittings of motor vehicles, in which a layer of support material ( 1 ) is covered, at least on one of its faces ( 2 ) and in the area of a portion ( 3 ), at least, of its contour, or so-called portion to be bordered, with a cladding sheet ( 4 ) and said support ( 1 ) is cut along said portion to be bordered ( 3 ) in such a way that said cladding ( 4 ) projects from said support ( 1 ) in the area of said portion. According to the invention, a cutting tool ( 5 ) is pre-positioned between said cladding ( 4 ) and said support ( 1 ) along said portion to bordered ( 3 ) said cutting is effected with said cutting tool ( 5 ), when the support ( 1 ) is covered by the cladding ( 4 ).
1. A device for forming a planiform piece having a support material and a cladding sheet intended for the interior fittings of motor vehicles, the device comprising:
a mould including a punch and a die for covering the support material, on at least one of its faces with a cladding sheet, wherein an air gap is defined between the punch and the die and the punch and the die are movable towards one another to permit the closing of the mould in a forming direction and wherein the support material and cladding have a first zone located in the air gap and a second zone projecting from said air gap;
a pivotable member;
an intermediate member rotatably securing the pivotable member with respect to the die;
a jack fixedly mounted at a first end to the intermediate member and pivotably secured at a second end to the pivotable member;
a cutting tool mounted to the pivotable member for cutting the support material, the cutting tool is positionable between the cladding and the support material in the vicinity of the limit between the first zone and the second zone by the pivotal movement of the pivotable member, and
wherein the pivotable member cooperates with the die to simultaneously cut and form the planiform piece when the mould moves from a first to a second configuration.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the mould further comprises at least one stop mounted to one of the punch and the die outside the air gap for pressing on the pivotable member when the mould is in the second configuration.
3. The device according to claim 2 , further comprising at least two stops wherein one of the at least two stops is mounted to the punch and the other of the at least two stops is mounted to the die outside the air gap for pressing on the pivotable member when the mould is in the second configuration.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting tool further comprises a non-cutting portion for contacting the cladding sheet and holding the cladding against the die as the die is moved toward the punch.
5. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a frame attached to the mould for contacting the cladding sheet and holding the cladding against the die as the die is moved toward the punch.
6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the frame is attached to the jack, wherein the jack is attached to mould for actuating the frame to contact the cladding sheet and hold the cladding against the die as the die is moved toward the punch.
7. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising elastic return means located between a fixed point on the mould and the pivotable member to restore pivotable member to an initial position.
8. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising elastic return means located between a fixed point on the mould and the intermediate member to restore intermediate member to an initial position.
9. A method for forming a planiform piece having a support material and a cladding sheet intended for the interior fittings of motor vehicles, the method comprising:
covering the support material on at least one of its faces with a cladding sheet using a mould including a punch and a die, wherein an air gap is defined between the punch and the die and the punch and the die are movable towards one another to permit the closing of the mould in a forming direction and wherein the support material and cladding have a first zone located in the air gap and a second zone projecting from said air gap;
positioning a cutting tool between the cladding and the support material in the vicinity of the limit between the first zone and the second zone by the pivotal movement of a pivotable member wherein the pivotable member is rotatably secured to an intermediate member and wherein the intermediate member is fixedly secured to the die;
actuating a jack fixedly mounted at a first end to the intermediate member and pivotably secured at a second end to the pivotable member; and
cutting the support material with the cutting tool mounted to the pivotable member, wherein the pivotable member cooperates with at least one of the punch and the die to simultaneously cut and form the planiform piece when the mould moves in the forming direction.
10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising pressing on the pivotable member when the mould is moving in the forming direction with at least one stop mounted to one of the punch and the die outside the air gap.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein pressing on the pivotable member further comprises pressing on the pivatable member when the mould is moving in the forming direction with at least two stops wherein one of the at least two stops is mounted to the punch and the other of the at least two stops is mounted to the die outside the air gap.
12. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising contacting the cladding sheet and holding the cladding against the die as the die is moved toward the punch.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein contacting the cladding sheet and holding the cladding further comprises contacting and holding the cladding with a frame attached to the mould.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein contacting and holding the cladding using the frame further comprises actuating the frame to contact the cladding sheet and held the cladding against the die as the die is moved toward the punch using the jack.
15. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising restoring the pivotable member to an initial position using an elastic return means located between a fixed point on the mould and the pivotable member.
16. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising restoring the intermediate member to an initial position using elastic return means located between a fixed point on the mould and the intermediate member.