WO2000059710A2

WO2000059710A2 - Application of vehicle protection films

Info

Publication number: WO2000059710A2
Application number: PCT/CA2000/000316
Authority: WO
Inventors: Les Poroszlay; Gerard Biasutto; Ian Williams
Original assignee: Synchrotek Automation Inc.
Priority date: 1999-04-01
Filing date: 2000-03-24
Publication date: 2000-10-12
Also published as: WO2000059710A3; CA2267813A1

Abstract

Apparatus for applying protective tack film (16) having tack and non-tack surfaces to upward facing panels of vehicles, having an applicator unit (6) suspended for vertical movement above a path of movement of a vehicle to be protected, the unit including a primary applicator roll (8) engaging the non-tack surface of the film and extending transversely of the unit so as to apply the film to an upper surface of the vehicle as it moves along said path, means (12) to apply vertical movement to the unit, and means (10) sensing upward pressure applied to the unit through the applicator roll to control the vertical movement application means to maintain substantially constant pressure between the applicator roll (8) and the vehicle, and means to provide tack film from a supply roll to the applicator unit, the applicator unit further including a drive roll (18) driven by a motor to draw tack film from the supply roll, a vacuum manifold arranged to apply vacuum to points distributed over an outside surface of the roll in contact with said tack film to hold the latter against the roll, and means to detach a length of film applied to the vehicle while leaving the end of the film from which the length was detached held to the applicator roll (8).

Description

APPLICATION OF VEHICLE PROTECTION FILMS

The invention relates to the application of protective films to motor vehicles .

It is known to apply synthetic plastic film treated on one side with low tack adhesive to upwardly facing panels such as hoods, trunk lids and roofs of new motor vehicles during finishing and delivery so as to protect such vulnerable panels from damage. Typically such film has been applied manually but desirably such application should be effected automatically if this can be carried out reliably and economically .

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for achieving such automation.

According to the invention apparatus for applying protective tack film having tack and non-tack surfaces to upward facing panels of vehicles comprises an applicator unit suspended for vertical movement above a path of movement of a vehicle to be protected, the unit including a primary applicator roll engaging the non-tack surface of the film and extending transversely of the unit so as to apply the film to an upper surface of the vehicle as it moves along said path, means to apply vertical movement to the unit, and means sensing upward pressure applied to the unit through the applicator roll to control the vertical movement application means to maintain substantially constant pressure between the applicator roll and the vehicle, and means to provide tack film from a supply roll to the applicator unit: the applicator unit further including a drive roll driven by a motor to draw tack film from the supply roll, a perforator to form lines of weakness across the film drawn from the supply roll at predetermined locations, a vacuum manifold arranged to apply vacuum to points distributed over an outside surface of the roll m contact with said tack f lm to hold the latter against the roll, and means to halt the film as a line of weakness formed by the perforator passes over the applicator roll, whereby to detach a length of film applied to the vehicle along the line of weakness while leaving the end of the film from which the length was detached held to the applicator roll.

In an alternative arrangement, the perforator is omitted, and instead of halting the film to break it at the perforation, means is provided to cut the film downstream of the applicator roll when an appropriate length has been dispensed.

Preferably one or more secondary transverse applicator rollers are disposed on the applicator unit downstream of the primary applicator roll relative to the path of movement of the vehicle, the secondary applicator rollers being idler rollers vertically moveable at at least one end so as to accommodate their attitude to a profile of panels to which film is to be applied.

Preferably also a further roll is provided downstream of the drive roll to provide a control loop in the film, together with means to sense the size of the loop and control the drive roll motor.

Preferably also the means to provide tack film from a supply roll includes means to change supply rolls as the film from one supply roll is exhausted without interrupting the supply of film to the applicator unit.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus, as seen from the front of an approaching vehicle, with certain parts omitted;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating an exemplary arrangement of secondary application rollers;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of preferred means to supply tack film; and

Figures 5-8 are further side elevations of the supply means illustrating initial threading and how the supply rolls are changed.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, side stands 2 form a portal through which automobiles to be protected are advanced. Suspended from an overhead support frame 4 is an applicator unit 6 which is guided by the side stands for vertical movement. At the bottom of the unit is a primary applicator roller 8 which in its lowest position will contact an advancing vehicle and roll over its upwardly facing surfaces. The roller 8 is supported through load cells 10 which send signals to a programmable logic controller (PLC) (not shown) which in turn controls actuators 12, acting between the frame 4 and the unit 6, which lift and lower the applicator unit to maintain the pressure applied to the roller by the vehicle at a substantially constant level, in known manner.

Supported adjacent the unit 6 is a film dispensing unit 14 from which a protective tack film 16 may be drawn as required. The dispensing unit is described m more detail below with reference to Figures 4-9. The film has a tack layer on one side (the supper side as seen leaving the unit 14) . Film is drawn from the unit 14 by drive rolls 18 in the unit 6, driven by a motor 20. Rather than pinch rollers as shown, a roller with a non-conductive surface may be used to grip the film through static electricity generated as the film is driven off the supply roll. Film from the feed rollers is fed into a control loop 22, the amount of film m the loop being sensed by an ultrasonic sensor 24 which turns on the motor 20 as required to maintain the size of the loop between predetermined limits. At the exit of the loop is a further roll 26 associated with a pinch bar 28 which can be forced against the roll 26 associated with a pinch bar 28 which can be forced against the roll 26 by an actuator (not shown) to hold the film static. The actuator may be controlled by the PLC referred to above to brake or release the film.

The film passes downward from the roller 26 through a perforator formed by a brush roll 30 and a rotary knife with a discontinuous blade 31 which can be rotated under control of the PLC to bring the blade against the brush roll and perforate the film transversely at selected points along its length. The film then passes downward on to the periphery of the applicator roller 8 with its non-tack side towards the roller. The roller 8 is perforated and provided with a non- rotating internal vacuum manifold which applies vacuum to the film through the perforations of that part of the roll between the point where it is contacted by the descending film and the lowest point of the roller. Other arrangements for applying vacuum to the surface of the roller could utilized.

As a vehicle approaches the apparatus (from the left as seen in Figure 2) , and assuming that its hood is to be protected, the forward edge of the hood will contact the roller 6, or more precisely, the tack surface of the film held by vacuum against the roller, causing the film to adhere to the hood and be drawn forward by the vehicle under the roller (the pinch bar 28 is released at this point) . The movement of the film drawn by the roller is monitored, and when a point on the film spaced from its free end by a distance just greater than the length of the hood is passing the rotary knife, the latter is actuated to perforate the film across its width. When the film has moved to a point at which the perforation is leaving the roller 6, the pinch bar is used to halt the film, causing it to break at the perforations just downstream of the primary application roller 6. In an alternative arrangement, the perforator is omitted, and a knife or possibly a heated wire is actuated to sever the film just upstream of the end of the panel and downstream of the roll 6.

The same apparatus may be used to apply further sheets of film to further panels of the same vehicle. For example, the controller may be programmed using input from appropriate sensors to lift the applicator unit as the film is severed, either until the roller 6 contacts the front end of a roof panel, if film is to be applied thereto, or until the unit is lifted over the roof panel, the unit then being lowered on to the leading edge of the trunk lid to apply film thereto m the manner previously described. Since the roof panel will typically be wider than the hood or trunk panels, it may be preferred to use a second apparatus m tandem with the first to apply film to the roof from wider supply rolls.

Figure 3 illustrates secondary applicator rolls 34 located downstream of the primary rolls to smooth film onto profiled panels. In the example shown, the rolls 34 are foam rubber idler rolls suspended between inner struts 36 and outer telescopic struts 38 from a cross-rail 40 so that they can accommodate the profile of the panel. The number of rollers and their lateral position and inclination can be varied to suit the profile of the panel to be protected.

Referring to Figures 4-8, the apparatus shown in these figures allow the apparatus to operate without downtime to change film supply rolls. A roll holder 42 comprises spaced triangular plates connected by a centre axle, with pneumatical operated pintles 44 at each corner of each plate to engage the cores of rolls 46 of film. Rolls of film are placed on a stepper table 48 along which they can be advanced to the right by a motor driven belt. During initial loading, a first roll is advanced between and engaged by the pintles 44 of the lowermost apex of the roll holder (Figure 5) which is then rotated to the position shown in Figure 6, so that a second roll can be advanced between the pintles of a following apex, and the prepared end of the first roll drawn off manually and fed between the drive rolls 18. When the first roll is almost exhausted, the holder 42 is again rotated through 120° so that the tack side of the film is wrapped around the second roll . In the meanwhile a third roll is moved between and engaged by the pintles at the third apex of the holder (see Figure 7) . A knife 50 then severs the film from the first roll, and the pintles holding that roll release its core which is conducted away to the right hand end of the conveyor by a chute 52. The core can then be removed and replaced by a fresh roll.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. Apparatus for applying protective tack film having tack and non-tack surfaces to upward facing panels of vehicles, comprising an applicator unit suspended for vertical movement above a path of movement of a vehicle to be protected, the unit including a primary applicator roll engaging the non-tack surface of the film and extending transversely of the unit so as to apply the film to an upper surface of the vehicle as it moves along said path, means to apply vertical movement to the unit, and means sensing upward pressure applied to the unit through the applicator roll to control the vertical movement application means to maintain substantially constant pressure between the applicator roll and the vehicle, and means to provide tack film from a supply roll to the applicator unit, the applicator unit further including a drive roll driven by a motor to draw tack film from the supply roll, a vacuum manifold arranged to apply vacuum to points distributed over an outside surface of the roll in contact with said tack film to hold the latter against the roll, and means to detach a length of film applied to the vehicle while leaving the end of the film from which the length was detached held to the applicator roll .

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a perforator to form lines of weakness across the film at predetermined locations and the detachment means comprises means to halt the film as a line of weakness passes over the applicator roll.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detachment means comprises means to cut the film downstream of the applicator roll when an appropriate length has been dispensed.

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 - 3 , wherein one or more secondary transverse applicator rollers are disposed on the applicator unit downstream of the primary applicator roll relative to the path of movement of the vehicle, the secondary applicator rollers being idler rollers vertically moveable at at least one end so as to accommodate their attitude to a profile of panels to which film is to be applied.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 - , wherein a further roll is provided downstream of the drive roll to provide a control loop in the film, together with means to sense the size of the loop and control the drive roll motor.

6. Apparatus according to any one of claim 1-5, wherein the means to provide tack film from a supply roll includes means to change supply rolls as the film from one supply roll is exhausted without interrupting the supply of film to the applicator unit.