Patent EP-0147530-A2 (EP)
Inventor: JACK KURT
IPC: B23K37/04
Filed: 1984-09-05
Abstract: 1. Method for positioning and securing planar bodies (11) spatially to at least one other body (1), in particular for positioning and subsequently securing parts (11) to an automobile body (1) where the planar body (11) is moved towards the other body (1) and during this part of the movement its position relative to the other body (1) is established by means of at least one distance probe (32) whereby the planar body (11) is moved further in three degrees of freedom until making bodily contact with the other body (1) and is subsequently probed in two different planes, on a one-piece part (10) of the planar body (11), the spatial position is established, is probed in particular and that the value obtained by the probing is routed to a computer, which, in order to carryout the securing work for the planar body (11) and/or its thereby connected one-piece part, is routed further whereupon an industry robot (e.g. 3, 4) connects the pertinent part (16) to the other body (1) characterized in that ; a) one of the parts is an automobile body which is elevated until its height position is established by means of the sensing elements (33, 34) ; b) and that the planar body is an automobile door (11) which is provided with two hinges (14), particularly welded and which are secured in two planes one above the other, and which is moved toward the opening especially provided for it, until the distance probe (32) which moves rigidly with the door of the automobile (11), butts-up against an especially-provided location, for example the spar of an automobile body (1), whereby a cardan joint makes it possible for the part (19), which picks-up the door (11) and holds it during the time it is being transported to the body (1) in a "floating" manner, to move to a limited extent on all sides, whereby the transported automobile door (11), more-or-less "floating" can fit into the contour (26) of the body (1), until the outer contour of the door (11) is positioned exactly in the outer contour of the body (1), whereby an adjustment movement follows as compared to the body (1) as a fine adjustment in one plane, which, in the direction of transport (E - F) lies orthogonally to the body (1) whereas a further finer adjustment is carried-out in the vertical plane and repeated fine adjustments parallel to the body (1) ; c) and that the vertical height correlation of the hinge (14) is probed by means of the probe (40, 41) and these values are routed to a computer, whereby compression fittings (59, 60) are pressed against the door prior-to, during and subsequent to the probing-measuring sequence, in order to prevent the door (1), which has not been welded yet, from moving ; d) and that simultaneously with the probing of the height of the hinge (14) a pertinent, correlated, preferred perpendicular plane, the side wall of the subject hinge part (16) which is facing outward, is probed by means of two probes (46, 47) which are arranged at a distance from each other and thereby establishing the angular position of the hinge part (16) as compared to the body (1) and is similarly routed further to a computer ; e) and that, within previously-specified tolerance values in accordance with c) and d), the computer issues welding instructions to one or more welding robots (3, 4 or 5, 6) on each side of the body (1), subsequent to which these welding robots (3, 4 or 5, 6) produce a weld, respectively, at least one upper weld and at least one lower weld on each fastener (18) of each hinge (14) of each door (11) ; f) that prior to commencing the welding sequence the probes (40, 41 or 46, 47) move out of the welding range and are arranged in such a way that they are protected ; g) and that subsequent to the welding sequence the welding device is cleaned either mechanically and/or by means of pressurized gas e.g. lubricated, compressed air ; h) and that subsequent to the welding cycle the body (1) is again lowered onto the cycled linear conveyor or onto the endless conveyor which is in the form of a combined linear-elevating-lowering conveyor and is transported further cycled.