IP Library Patent Application 16163015
Patent Application
App. No. 16/163,015

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING AN EDGEFOLD

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
16/163,015
Abstract

A device for producing an edgefold on a component is suggested, wherein the component includes a support and a cover layer. The component may be an inner lining part of a motor vehicle, without limitation thereto. The device comprises an elastic body, which is set up to pull the cover layer over an edge of the support by deforming the elastic body.

Claims (27)

1 . A device for producing an edgefold on a component, which includes a support and a cover layer, comprising

an elastic body, which is set up to pull the cover layer over an edge of the support by deforming the elastic body.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body includes an elastomer or is produced from an elastomer.

3 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is clamped between two pressure plates.

4 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic body can be deformed by means of a relative movement of the two pressure plates, wherein material of the elastic body is pressed outwards beyond the periphery of the pressure plates when the pressure plates are moved towards one another.

5 . The device according to claim 1 , including

a pressing device for exerting pressure on two opposite surfaces of the elastic body for deforming the elastic body, and a clamping device for positioning the component relatively to the elastic body,

wherein the pressing device and the clamping device are set up in such a manner that, when the elastic body is compressed and deformed, material of the elastic body is pressed in the direction of the component and this material pulls or pushes the cover layer from the front side of the support over the edge of the support and/or presses the same in the direction of the rear side of the support.

6 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body has a Shore A hardness of between 2 and 20, more specifically between 3 and 15.

7 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is at least approximately cuboidal in the relaxed state and has a width B, a length L and a height H.

8 . The device according to claim 7 , wherein 5 mm≤B≤20 cm, 5 mm≤H≤10 cm, wherein the relationship B/H is approximately 2.

9 . The device according to claim 7 , wherein the length L is dependent on the length of the edgefold to be produced, wherein L: 10 mm≤L≤1 m.

10 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is at least approximately cylindrical in the relaxed state and the cylinder has a maximum diameter D.

11 . The device according to claim 10 , wherein the elastic body has an oval, elliptic or round base surface and 5 mm≤D≤50 cm.

12 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is configured for producing an edgefold at an edge of an opening, which is formed in the support, and a contour of the elastic body is adapted to the contour of the opening, wherein at least one dimension of the elastic body in the relaxed state, which lies in a plane parallel to the opening, is smaller by Δx than the corresponding dimension of the opening, wherein 0.5 mm≤Δx≤4 mm, more specifically 1 mm≤Δx≤2 mm.

13 . The device according to claim 12 , wherein a plurality of dimensions of the elastic body in the relaxed state, which lie in a plane parallel to the opening, are smaller by Δx than the corresponding dimensions of the opening.

14 . A method for producing an edgefold on a component, which includes a support and a cover layer, comprising

positioning the component relatively to an elastic body, so that a boundary of the elastic body comes to lie adjacent to an edge of the component on which the edgefold should be produced,

deforming the elastic body, so that material of the elastic body is pressed outwards in the direction of the edge and forms a material bulge and the material bulge pulls or pushes the cover layer from the front side of the support over the edge of the support and/or presses the same in the direction of the rear side of the support.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the elastic body is clamped between two pressure plates and the two pressure plates are moved relatively to one another for deforming the elastic body.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the elastic body in a plane, which extends perpendicularly to the height thereof centrally between the top surface of the body and base surface of the body, has a first cross-sectional area A 1 in the relaxed state, has a second cross-sectional area A 2 upon exertion of a first pressure P 1 , wherein the material bulge protrudes from the top surface and the base surface by a first dimension B 1 , and has a third cross-sectional area A 3 upon exertion of a second larger pressure P 2 , wherein the material bulge protrudes from the top surface and the base surface by a second dimension B 2 , wherein A 1 <A 2 <A 3 and wherein B 1 <B 2 .

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the pressure plates are initially set to a first spacing, in order to exert the first pressure P 1 on the elastic body, and then the material bulge of the elastic body is moved from the front side, past the edge of the component in the direction of the rear side of the support, so that the material bulge pulls or pushes the cover layer along the edge of the component, from the front side of the support in the direction of the rear side of the support.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the pressure plates are subsequently set to a second smaller distance, in order to exert the second pressure P 2 on the elastic body, and the material bulge of the elastic body, forced outwards in the process, pulls or pushes the cover layer in the direction of the rear side of the support and presses the same against the rear side of the support.

19 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the elastic body is configured for producing an edgefold at an edge of an opening, which is constructed in the support, and the contour of the elastic body is adapted to the contour of the opening, wherein

the elastic body is guided at least to some extent through the opening, in order to pull the cover layer along at the edge of the component from the front side of the support in the direction of the rear side of the support, and

the elastic body is deformed, in order to form a material bulge at a plurality of sides of the elastic body or at part of the periphery or the entire periphery of the elastic body, wherein the material bulge presses the cover layer along a part of the edge or along the entire edge of the opening in the direction of the rear side of the support.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the elastic body is deformed prior to guiding through the opening, in order to form a first smaller material bulge, and is relaxed after the pressing of the cover layer against the rear side of the support, in order to move the elastic body out of the opening, at which the edgefold was produced, without contact.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 057569/0893. Recorded Jun 6, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP NORTH AMERICA, INC.; INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 071494/0829 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 063121/0799. Recorded Jun 6, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP NORTH AMERICA, INC.; INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 071494/0928 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 067006/0846. Recorded Jun 6, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP NORTH AMERICA, INC.; INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 071494/0946 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 20, 2023
From: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
To: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 063121/0799 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2019
From: SCHEDLBAUER, ANDREAS JOSEF; DUBLASKI, CHRISTIAN; SCHWITZ, MATTHIAS; VAVILIN, ILJA
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 047921/0153 →