ES2262451B1 - PROCEDURE AND DEVICE FOR CURVING PROFILES. - Google Patents

Abstract

Method, which comprises the linear extrusion of thermoplastic material in a hot (7a) and non-stiffened profile, which is wound in the contour of a rotating drum (1) semi-submerged in a cooling liquid (3) for the gradual stiffening and cooling of said profile (7a), accommodating the curvature of the drum contour (1). The stiffened profile (7b) is extracted from the drum (1) in an area emerging from its contour for handling and / or cutting. The device is constituted by a rotating drum (1) arranged semi-submerged in a tank (2) of coolant (3), said drum (1) presenting an inlet zone (11) of the hot profile (7a) in the emerging part of said drum (1) and an exit zone (12) of the stiffened profile (7b), displaced laterally to avoid overlapping of the incoming profile section (7a) with the outgoing profile section (7b).

Description

Procedure and device for bending of profiles

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a procedure and device for profile bending, especially for thermoplastic material profiles obtained by extrusion.

Background of the invention

Thermoplastic materials can be manipulate in multiple ways, being one of the most used For the formation of complex profiles linear extrusion.

These profiles have a great use in the sector of the automotive for the realization of doors and windows of the vehicles. However, it is necessary that these profiles be curved to fit the shapes of moons, doors or windows. The shape most common industrial get these complex profiles consists of the realization of the profiles by parts, either by extrusion or by molding and these parts are welded until the profile is configured full necessary. This requires complex manipulation and delicate of the parts that form the profile, in addition to noticing the welds

In general, the profile in material thermoplastic is obtained by linear extrusion, obtaining the die outlet a hot and non-stiff profile completely and it cools in shallow channel (10-15 cm. Approximately) filled with liquid refrigerant. Subsequently the rigid and straight profile is cut to the required measure.

Description of the invention

The procedure and device for bending of Profiles of this invention have technical characteristics intended to allow obtaining in a single phase of profiles curves directly usable or that allow the manufacture of complex profiles with a smaller number of components and so much less handling, which improves product quality final.

The procedure comprises, from the linear extrusion of thermoplastic material in an even profile Hot, the following steps:

- The rolled profile still hot and not stiffened in the contour of a semi-submerged rotating drum in a coolant for gradual stiffening and cooling of said profile adjusting to the curvature of the contour of the drum.

- Profile extraction, cooled and stiffened, in an area emerging from the drum contour.

This manipulation may simply consist of you cut the profiles into units of given length in a proper cutting station.

Indeed, the procedure consists basically to mold the hot profile over the contour of the drum to acquire its shape and then by turning of the drum is introduced into the coolant. As turn the drum the profile reappears above the liquid level refrigerant, already configured according to the curved contour, with which You can extract to cut the profile. This whole process is done continuously obtaining a rigid profile with the curve corresponding cyclically.

Thus the device is constituted by a rotating drum arranged semi-submerged in a pool or vat coolant through suitable supports. This drum It has a hot profile entry area in the part emerging from said drum and an outlet area of the stiffened profile and also cooled in said emerged part. These entrance areas and profile output are displaced laterally to avoid overlap of the incoming profile section and the profile section outgoing, which would produce a pinch or overlap.

The drum support brackets are fixed at the bottom of the pool or Cuba preferably and subject to said drum along its axis of rotation horizontally and perpendicularly to the hot profile entry address.

The drum has its support contour of the profile with a corresponding curvature with the radius that is You want to confer to the profile once formed and stiffened.

It is also planned that the drum can present the support contour of the equivalent configured profile with the contour that you want to transfer to the profile, being able to contour set a variable curvature.

The refrigerant used can be any fluid that does not affect the thermoplastic material, although it will be used preferably water.

Description of the figures

To complement the description that is being performing and in order to facilitate the understanding of characteristics of the invention, is attached herein descriptive a set of drawings in which, for illustrative purposes and not limiting, the following has been represented:

- Figure 1 shows a plan view of the device installed between a profile extrusion machine linear and a handling station where the profile is cut continuous in independent units.

- Figure 2 shows an elevation view sectioning of the device, showing the semi-submerged drum in the coolant

- Figure 3 shows an example of use of the procedure in which a configuration profile is obtained semicircular from a circular contour drum.

- Figure 4 shows an example of use of the procedure in which a "U" profile is obtained to from a drum with a substantially quadrangular contour.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

As can be seen in the figures referenced the device for profile bending is constituted by a rotating drum (1) arranged semi-submerged in a pool or tank (2) of a cooling liquid, such as water (3)  by means of support brackets (4) of the axis of said drum (1), which are fixed at the bottom of the tank (2). The set of the tank (2) and the drum (1) are arranged between a machine linear extrusion (5) of hot profile (7a) and a station of handling and cutting (6) of the stiffened profile (7b) in units (7c).

The supports (4) define the axis of rotation of the drum (1) along a horizontal axis and perpendicular to the direction Hot profile input (7a) from the extrusion machine (5). In turn the drum (1) presents in its part emerged by above the water level (3) an entry area (11) of the profile hot (7a) from the extrusion machine (5) and laterally adjacent an exit area (12) of the profile stiffened (7b) towards the handling station (6), leaving the profile (7a) rolled in one or more turns in the contour of said drum (1) in a loop without overlapping.

The procedure includes the winding of the profile (7a) still hot and not stiffened in the drum contour swivel (1) for immersion in the water (3) of the tank (2) to proceed to the gradual stiffening and cooling of said profile (7a), which accommodates the curvature of the drum contour (one).

The stiffened profile (7b) is removed from the drum (1) in the upper exit zone (12) to continue on a road continuous process towards the handling station (6) for cut into units (7c) of certain length, which can present various curvatures and configurations, as shown in figures 3 and 4.

Once nature is sufficiently described of the invention, as well as a preferred embodiment, for the appropriate purposes that the materials, form, size and arrangement of the elements described may be modified, as long as this does not imply an alteration of the essential features of the invention claimed in continuation.

Claims (8)

1. Method for bending profiles, which comprises the linear extrusion of thermoplastic material in a hot (7a) and non-stiffened profile, characterized in that it comprises: - The rolled profile still hot and not stiffened in the contour of a semi-submerged rotating drum in a coolant for gradual stiffening and cooling of said profile adjusting to the curvature of the contour of the drum. - Profile extraction, cooled and stiffened, in an area emerging from the drum contour for subsequent manipulation 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the manipulation of the profile (7b) comprises the cutting of the profile (7b) into units (7c) of determined length. 3. Profile bending device, characterized in that it comprises a rotating drum (1) semi-submerged in a pool or vat (2) of coolant (3) by means of supports (4), said drum (1) presenting an inlet zone ( 11) of the hot profile (7a) in the emerging part of said drum (1) and an outlet zone (12) of the stiffened profile (7b) and also cooled in said emerged part, displaced laterally to avoid overlapping the profile section (7a) incoming with the outgoing profile section (7b). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the support supports (4) of the drum (1) are fixed to the bottom of the pool or tank (2). Device according to any of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the drum (1) has its axis of rotation arranged horizontally and perpendicular to the direction of entry of the hot profile (7a). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the contour of the drum (1), forming the support surface of the profile (7a), has a corresponding curvature with the radius that it is desired to confer to the profile (7b) once formed. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the drum (1) has the support contour of the profile (7a) configured equivalent to the contour to be transferred to the profile (7b). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the coolant (3) is water.