EP0121873B1 - Method and apparatus for bending spacekeeping profiles for thermopane glasses - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A method of bending hollow spacekeeping profiles filled with drying agent for thermopane glasses, the profile in question being grasped, in particular in front of and behind a centre of motion, and being bent about the centre of motion preferably by about 90 degrees, characterized in that during the bending process the outside (7) of the bend (6) being formed is milled, rolled, hammered and/or kneaded by means of a sliding member of the like and is thereby extended, stretched or elongated and that the drying agent located in the interior of the hollow profile (2) is displaced from the outside (7) of the bend (6) partly from the area of curvature during the bending process.

Description

The invention relates to a method for bending hollow, with desiccant-filled spacer profiles for insulating glass panes, the respective profile being detected in particular in front of and behind a fulcrum and preferably being bent about 90 ° about the fulcrum.

The invention further relates to a device for bending a hollow spacer profile for insulating glass panes filled with desiccant, with a tensioning device lying approximately in the feed direction of the profile and a device for detecting the leg to be bent, as well as an abutment for fixing the inside of the curvature that arises.

From US-A-4,261,145 it is already known to bend spacer profiles for insulating glass panes filled with desiccant in order to avoid the previously common connections of individual frame parts in their corner area. So for a spacing inner frame for insulating glass panes, it is no longer necessary to miter four individual profile pieces, to miter them and, above all, to carefully seal them, but a single connection at the joint of the frame is sufficient, which does not have to lie in the corner, which is difficult to seal. Difficulties arise from the problem that on the one hand the tightest possible bend is desired so that the profile is later invisible in the window frame as far as possible in the corner areas, but on the other hand the outside of the profile tends to burst due to the filled-in desiccant, especially with a narrow radius of curvature .

Therefore, a spacer profile for insulating glass panes has already been described in DE-A-30 47 338, in which a pre-lumen area, preferably the area outside the bend, remains free of desiccant, so that it can easily participate in the bending movement without tearing. Such a profile has proven itself, but with regard to the required good filling with desiccant, on the one hand, and the area remaining free thereof, on the other hand, causes a relatively expensive production.

From FR-A-24 28 728 a method and a device for bending a spacer profile is known, which is not a hollow profile filled with desiccant, but initially only consists of a sheet metal strip which is formed into a U-profile during manufacture . Thus, the problem does not arise that the bending radius is limited by the filling with the desiccant during bending.

There is therefore the task, above all to provide a method, but also a device of the type mentioned, with which relatively inexpensive spacer profiles can be bent with a small radius of curvature despite filling with desiccant, without tearing the profile outside and without unsightly dents, folds or tears appear on the inside.

The solution to this problem is that the outside of the resulting bend is rolled, rolled, hammered and / or by means of a slider or the like during the bending process. is kneaded and thereby stretched, stretched or soaked and that the desiccant located in the interior of the hollow profile is partially displaced from the outside of the bend area during the bending process from the outside of the bend. This avoids tearing the profile in the bend area even with a narrow radius of curvature. Nevertheless, it is not necessary that the outer area of the profile remains free of desiccant. A relatively inexpensive hollow profile with normal desiccant filling can therefore be used. It is advantageous that the additional deformation and stretching process can displace the desiccant from the bending area during the implementation of the bend, so that the bend is no longer opposed from the inside of the profile to such a great degree of resistance.

An embodiment of the method according to the invention of particular importance can consist in the fact that the bending area of the profile is deformed several times during the bending process, in particular with high frequency, alternately in one and the other direction of the profile course, in particular cold rolled. Such a back and forth movement of the rolling process displaces the desiccant particularly well and results in the desired rolling out of the profile material, so that the bending process itself can be carried out in a relatively short time.

It has proven to be advantageous if a profile area of approximately 2 cm or less, preferably of approximately 1 cm in length, is additionally deformed during the bending process, preferably cold rolled, in particular at a high frequency. It is possible for at least 10 to 40, possibly about 30 hammering or rolling operations per second to be carried out on the bending area during the bending process. This is possible above all through the advantageous back and forth movement of the rolling, which can take place at a correspondingly high frequency.

The above-mentioned device for bending a hollow spacer profile for insulating glass panes filled with desiccant, which has a tensioning device lying approximately in the feed direction of the profile and a device for detecting the leg to be bent as well as an abutment for fixing the inside of the resulting curvature, is the solution the task preferably characterized in that it has at least one roller acting on at least the outer region of the bend for mechanical plastic deformation, in particular elongation or stretching of the outer region during the bending process, the axis of rotation of which lies parallel to the bending axis and which can be moved back and forth under contact pressure relative to the side of the profile facing away from the abutment and can be advanced or pressed transversely to this back and forth movement. This results in a device with a rolling tool, the drive of which on the one hand allows a rapid back and forth movement, but at the same time allows a good adaptation to the ever increasing curvature during the back and forth movement. In this way, the desired rolling of the profile material in the bending area is also carried out in the final phase of the bending.

A particularly expedient embodiment of the device according to the invention can consist in that the roller is arranged at the end of a pivoting lever which can be driven for the back-and-forth movement in the pivoting direction and that in addition an effective device in the direction of this lever is provided for pressing the roller. The use of swivel levers for the drive allows different ratios or reductions depending on the relation of the distances between the points of attack of the drive devices, the pressure roller and the swivel bearing, in order to be able to coordinate corresponding forces, paths and / or speeds.

Refinements and modifications of the drive of the roller are the subject of claims 7 to 11.

It may be expedient if the abutment around which the profile can be bent is spike-shaped and if this abutment simultaneously forms the inner end of a flap which can be pivoted about its center and which lies against the inside of the leg to be bent during the bending process and together with it aligns and holds an external bending tool. This prevents the leg to be bent from experiencing uncontrolled curvatures at a distance from the abutment.

On the top of the spike-shaped abutment or the like to be bent profile on a side surface overlapping stop. be provided. During the bending process, the side surface is therefore secured against buckling or buckling.

Further refinements, in particular of the deformation tool, of the clamping devices and possibly related ejectors or the like. are the subject of claims 14 to 18.

The claims result in a method and also a device with which profiles can not only be bent from easily deformable metals such as aluminum alloys with narrow radii of curvature, but also allow analog processing of steel profiles. The rolling frequencies and / or the pressing force can be selected and adjusted to match different profile thicknesses, materials or the like. to take into account changeable sizes on the profiles to be deformed.

It should also be mentioned that in the device according to the invention, the roller can be replaced by an impact tool or a press-on slide. However, preference is given to the roller, which can carry out a constant and effective material displacement. B. has to overcome less resistance compared to a slider due to its rollability.

Overall, there is a method and a device with which, despite the hard and practically incompressible desiccant, a hollow spacer profile with narrow radii can be bent, so that it is well suited as an interior space for an insulating glass pane which also has a clean inside corner in the area of curvature shows, but can be practically invisible from the side in the window frame.

The invention is described below with reference to the drawing in one embodiment.

• Fig. 1 eine Ansicht einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung, bei welcher an dem Antrieb einer Walze zum zusätzlichen Verformen der Außenseite eines Abstandhalter-Profiles zwei sich kreuzende Schwenkhebel vorgesehen sind, und
• Fig. 2 eine Ansicht einer abgewandelten Ausführungsform der Erfindung, bei welcher die Andrückvorrichtung für die Druckwalze unmittelbar in Längsrichtung an dem Schwenkhebel der Walze angreift.

It shows in a schematic representation:

• Fig. 1 is a view of an embodiment of the invention, in which two intersecting pivot levers are provided on the drive of a roller for additionally deforming the outside of a spacer profile, and
• Fig. 2 is a view of a modified embodiment of the invention, in which the pressing device for the pressure roller acts directly in the longitudinal direction on the pivot lever of the roller.

In both exemplary embodiments, a device designated as 1 for bending a hollow spacer profile 2 filled with desiccant has a tensioning device 3 lying in the feed direction of the profile 2 and a device 4 for detecting the leg 2 a of the profile 2 to be bent. Furthermore, the device 1 includes an abutment 5, which in the exemplary embodiment is spike-shaped, for fixing the inside of the curvature 6. In both drawings, the bending process in which the leg 2 a to be bent is 90 ° with respect to the original profile 2 profile was just finished.

It is essential that at least the outside 7 of the resulting bend 6 is additionally rolled during the bending process. The desiccant located in the interior of the hollow profile 2 can be partially displaced from this area of curvature during the bending process from the outside of the bend 6 and at the same time the profile outside stretched, elongated and rolled out. Above all, the bending area 6 of the profile 2 can be rolled several times during the bending process, in particular with a high frequency, alternately in one and the other direction of its course. Above all, the profile outside 7 is rolled out like a cake batter and thereby receives a correspondingly larger dimension, which is desirable on the outside of the bend 6, so that the desiccant located inside, which can only be partially displaced, does not blow this outside of the profile through the bend.

One can now see in both exemplary embodiments a roller 10 lying with its axis of rotation 8 parallel to the bending axis 9, which can be moved back and forth under contact pressure relative to the outside 7 of the profile 2 facing away from the bending mandrel 5 and thereby displaceable or transversely to this back and forth movement. can be pressed.

For this purpose, the roller 10 is arranged at the end of a pivoting lever which can be driven in the pivoting direction for the back-and-forth movement according to the double arrow Pf 1, with an additional device for pressing the roller 10 which is effective in the direction of this pivoting lever 11 and will be described in more detail below is provided. This - -AndrDckvomchtung allows a certain advance of the roller 10 in the direction of the pivot lever 11 carrying it, so that an adaptation to this deviation of the workpiece to be machined while maintaining the required contact pressure is possible, especially with the ever increasing curvature. For example, a profile area of approximately 2 cm in length or less, preferably approximately one cm in length, can be rolled. It can be seen in the figures that the profile area of the outside 7 of the curvature 6 is rolled, which begins in front of the actual apex 12 of the later finished bend 6 and extends approximately to this apex 12 or preferably just behind it. As a result, material is repeatedly pushed and rolled into the area that should flow somewhat in the direction of profile 2 due to the bending movement according to arrow Pf 2.

In both exemplary embodiments, for the back and forth movement of the pivot lever 11 carrying the roller 10, a working cylinder 13 acts transversely to the lever 11 on the latter outside of its pivot bearing 14. Pneumatic or hydraulic working cylinders of this type are known which can be reversed at the desired high frequency in order to enable the rapid back and forth movement of e.g. B. 10 to 40 z. B. 30 rolling movements per second.

1, a second pivot lever 15 acts on the pivot lever 11, the pivot direction of which is oriented essentially in the direction of the first pivot lever 11 carrying the roller 10, which carries the pivot bearing 14 of this first pivot lever 11 and on which an adjusting element 16, preferably attacks another pressure cylinder or the like. The two pivot levers 11 and 15 thus intersect and can be pivoted against one another at their crossing point, namely the pivot bearing 14. In the exemplary embodiment, the adjusting element 16 is a working and pressure cylinder and engages at one end of the second lever 15, while this second pivot lever 15 is in turn pivotally mounted about a point 17 which is opposite the attack of this pressure cylinder 16 on the pivot bearing 14.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the pressure cylinder forming the adjusting element 16 engages directly on the end of the pivot lever 11 opposite the roller 10, while the working cylinder 13 which generates the back and forth movement of the pivot lever 11 in turn pivots between the roller 10 and this pressure cylinder, for example approximately attacks in the middle.

The distances between the pivot bearing 17 and the attack of the adjusting element 16 are selected in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 for a pressure ratio of approximately 2: 1 in the sense of a pressure intensification. Thus, a pressure translation can be achieved through the structural design of FIG. 1, while in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, such a pressure translation possibility is dispensed with in the interest of the simplest possible structural design.

The mandrel-shaped abutment 5, around which the profile 2 can be bent, has already been mentioned. This abutment 5 can simultaneously form the inner end of a flap 18 which can be pivoted about its center 9 and which bears against the inside of the leg 2 a to be bent during the bending process and aligns and holds it together with the outer bending tool 4. On the upper side of the abutment 5, a stop which overlaps the side face of the profile 2 and which can prevent bulges in this area is provided in a manner not shown in detail. This stop can be moved at right angles to the side surface in order to be able to release it well after the bending process.

In the direction of advance of the profile 2 in front of the bending point, the clamping device is provided, the movable clamping jaw 3 of which can be pressed from the outside against the side of the profile 2, the continuation of which forms the outside 7 of the bend 6 to be produced. A corresponding abutment 19 is provided on the inside. If necessary, the clamping jaw 3 can, in addition to its movement at right angles to the profile 2, perform a clamping movement against the base of the profile 2 and overlap the edge of the profile 2 in order to improve the fixation and alignment.

Especially for inward facing Flanges having profiles 2, an ejector 20 can be provided, the plunger 21 of which can engage the profile, preferably in the region of the inside of the curvature produced by the bending process, when the bend is completed and the rolling tool and the clamping jaw and bending tool are sufficiently far away from the profile area .

It should also be mentioned that the rolling frequency and / or the pressing force can be selected and adjusted so that different profile thicknesses, materials and. Like. Can be taken into account so that not only aluminum profiles, but also steel profiles can be bent in the manner according to the invention.

Instead of the exemplary embodiments described, in which an additional deformation takes place on the outside 7 of the bend 6 of a profile 2 to be bent with the aid of a roller 10, another additional plastic deformation and elongation in this area is also possible during the bending process. For example, the outside 7 of the bend 6 could be hammered at least during the bending process or kneaded or rolled by means of a slider. Accordingly, a striking tool, preferably a striking tool displaceable along the bending 6, or a press-on slide, kneading tool or the like could be provided as a tool for lengthening the outside 7 of the bend 6. In this case, similar to the above-described exemplary embodiments, this tool would act on the outside, which on the other hand would be displaced along the bend 6. However, a rollable or rollable tool in accordance with the roller 10 described above is preferred because this results in a constant displacement of the material with at the same time the lowest possible resistance to the aforementioned feed movement.

Instead of the working cylinder 13, other adjusting elements on the pivot lever 11 can attack, for. B. an electric or pneumatic motor with a corresponding push or pull rod or a type of connecting rod. It is also possible that an adjusting motor acts directly on the pivot bearing 14 on the lever 11 in order to move it in the manner described above.

Claims (20)

1. A method of bending hollow spacekeeping profiles filled with drying agent for thermopane glasses, the profile in question being grasped, in particular in front of and behind a centre of motion, and being bent about the centre of motion preferably by about 90°, characterized in that during the bending process the outside (7) of the bend (6) being formed is milled, rolled, hammered and/or kneaded by means of a sliding member or the like and is thereby extended, stretched or elongated and that the drying agent located in the interior of the hollow profile (2) is displaced from the outside (7) of the bend (6) partly from the area of curvature during the bending process.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that during the bending process the bending area (6) of the profile (2) is repeatedly deformed in the one and the other direction in which the profile extends alternately, in particular at high frequency, and in particular is cold-rolled.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that a profile area of about 2 cms or less, preferably about one centimetre in length of the profile, is additionally deformed during the bending process, preferably cold-rolled.

4. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that during the bending process at least 10 to 40, possibly about 30, hammering or rolling actions per second are performed on the bending area.

5. An apparatus for bending a hollow spacekeeping profile (2) filled with drying agent for thermopane glasses including a work-holding device lying approximately in the direction of feed of the profile (2) and a device (4) for grasping the side (2a) to be bent over as well as -an abutment (5) for fixing the inside of the curvature (6) being formed, characterized by having at least one roll acting upon at least the outer area (7) of the bend (6) for mechanical, plastic deformation, in particular stretching or elongation of the outer area during the bending process, the axis of rotation (8) of said roll being parallel to the axis of bending (9) and said roll being adapted to reciprocate with contact pressure relative to the profile side (7) averted from the abutment (5) and to be advanced and pressed transversely to said reciprocation.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the roll (10) is disposed at the end of a rocking lever (11) which is adapted to be driven in the direction of swivel for the reciprocation and that additionally a device operative in the direction of said lever (11) is provided for contact pressure of the roll (10).

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that for the reciprocation of the rocking lever (11) carrying the roll (10), a working cylinder (13), electric or pneumatic motor with push or pull rod acts on the lever (11) transversely thereto outside the swivel bearing (14) of the latter or a servomotor acts on the swivel bearing (14) indirectly or directly.

8. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the rocking lever (11) is acted on by a second rocking lever (15), the direction of swivel of the latter being oriented essentially in the direction of the first rocking lever (11) carrying the roll (10), said second rocking lever carrying the swivel bearing (14) of the first rocking lever (11) and being acted on by a control element (16), preferably a further pressure cylinder.

9. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the two rocking levers intersect and in their point of intersection at the swivel bearing (14) are capable of swivelling relative to one another and that the control element (16) acts on an end of the second lever (15) and that the second rocking lever (15) is in turn swivel-mounted about a point (17) which is opposite where the control element (16) acts on the point of intersection.

10. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the control element (16) directly acts on the rocking lever (11) end opposite the roll (10) and the working cylinder (13) producing the reciprocation of the rocking lever (11) acts in a swivelling manner at about the middle between the roll (10) and said control element (16).

11. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the distances between swivel bearing (14) and acting point of the control element (16) are selected for a pressure transmission of about 2:1 to boost the pressure.

12. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 11, characterized in that the abutment (5) about which the profile (2) is bendable is mandrel-like and that said abutment (5) simultaneously forms the inner end of a flap (1.8) adapted to be swivelled about the middle (9) of said abutment, during the bending process said flap resting against the inside of the side (2a) to be bent and aligning and keeping the former straight together with an outer bending tool.

13. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 12, characterized in that a stop or the like is provided at the upper side of the mandrel-like abutment (5) and engages over the profile (2) to be bent at a side face.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the stop engaging over a side face of the profile (2) in the region of the bend is movable at right angles to said side face.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the stop engaging over a side face of the profile (2) in the region of the bend is movable at right angles to said side face.

15. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 14, characterized in that the movable clamping jaw (3) of the work-fixing device provided in front of the bending point in the direction of feed of the profile (2) is adapted to be pressed from the outside against the profile (2) side whose continuation forms the outside (7) of the bend (6) to be made.

16. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 15, characterized in that in addition to moving at right angles to the profile (2) at least one of the movable clamping jaws (3) or the like (4) performs a clamping motion against the backing of the profile (2) and engages over the edge of the profile (2).

17. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an ejector (20) or the like is provided in particular for profiles (2) having inwardly directed flanges or sides (29), the ram (21) of said ejector preferably acting in the region of the inside of the curvature produced by the bending process.

18. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 17, characterized in that the frequency of hammering or rolling and/or the contact force of the roll (10) can be selected and set.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the roll (10) is replaced by a striking tool or a sliding member capable of applying contact pressure.

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