EP2808477A1 - Apparatus for assembling insulating glass units - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for assembling insulating glass panes (1ABC, 2ABC) from glass sheets (1A-1C, 2A-2C) comprising a first horizontal conveyor (20) with a conveying track (21), a turning station (50), a second horizontal conveyor ( 60) with two conveyor tracks (61 a, 61 b) and an assembly and pressing station (80), wherein the first horizontal conveyor (20) to the insulating glass panes (1ABC, 2ABC) zusammenzusetzenden glass sheets (1A-1C, 2A-2C) to the Turning station (50) promotes the turning station (50) each pair of glass panels (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B) and the second horizontal conveyor (60) the paired glass panels (1AB, 2AB) of the rotating station (50) for assembly and Pressing station (80) promotes. According to the invention, it is provided that the rotating station (50) has a rotating frame (52) with supporting walls (53a, 53b) which are inclined with respect to the vertical.

Description

The invention relates to a device for assembling insulating glass panes of glass panels, which has a first horizontal conveyor with a conveyor track, a turning station, a second horizontal conveyor with two conveyor tracks and an assembly and pressing station, wherein the first horizontal conveyor promotes the glass panels to be assembled into insulating glass panes to the rotating station , the turning station pairs two glass panels each and the second horizontal conveyor conveys the glass panels from the turning station to the assembly and pressing station.

A device of the aforementioned type is known from DE 44 37 998 known. In this document, an apparatus for assembling insulating glass panes is described from glass panels, which makes it possible to produce two or three glass panels existing insulating glass panes. In the former case of a double insulating glass pane, a first glass sheet is first conveyed on the first horizontal conveyor and enters the turning station. The glass sheet moves along a support wall of the horizontal conveyor, which is inclined by a few degrees, in particular by 6 °, to the vertical. The turning station has a mounted on one foot and according to the inclination of the support wall of the horizontal conveyor a few degrees inclined against the horizontal bogie, on which two parallel conveyor tracks are provided, each consisting of a horizontal row of synchronously driven rollers with matching diameter whose Rotary axes lie in a common plane which runs at a right angle to the support wall of the horizontal conveyor. To support the glass panels has the rotating station of the known device support roller rows, one support roller each line in conjunction with the two rows of driven rollers, between each two driven rollers is a support roller which projects slightly above the top of the driven rollers. One of the two conveyor tracks is still assigned a third support roller line which is substantially level with the first two support roller rows, but is between the two, in such a way that the support rollers of the support roller line in the spaces between the driven rollers in one of the two conveyor tracks intervention. The support roller rows thus assume the function of the support wall of the horizontal conveyor in the known rotary station. Since this support roller rows of the rotating station and the support wall of the horizontal conveyor are aligned, that are arranged at the same angle to the vertical, a glass panel can be easily transported from the first horizontal conveyor in the turning station. The bogie runs with multiple wheels on a circular path on top of the foot of the turning station, wherein the rotary drive z. B. via a pneumatically driven friction gear. The axis of rotation of the turning station is centered with respect to the length of the Turning station and is located near the plane in which lie the axes of the support rollers of the central support roller line. Since the foot of the rotary station and thus the axis of rotation of the bogie is inclined at the same angle to the horizontal as the support wall of the horizontal conveyor to the vertical, the glass sheet in the starting position of the rotating device supporting support roller rows are again rotated at 180 ° to the rotation of 180 ° Supporting wall of the horizontal conveyor arranged to vertical, only offset by twice the radius of rotation relative to this position. As soon as the first glass sheet with its rear edge has run into the rotating frame of the turning station, it is stopped in a predetermined position and the rotating frame is rotated by 180 °. The glass sheet is then again arranged at the angle of the support wall of the horizontal conveyor to the vertical, but it is no longer in the plane of this support wall, but is removed from it by the aforementioned distance. It falls with its upper edge of the first support roller line against the adjacent second support roller line and is thus held by this support roller line quasi floating. After the rotational movement is completed by 180 ° and the rotating frame of the rotating station is fixed in this position, the second, with a spacer occupied glass panel is promoted on the first horizontal conveyor in the second conveyor of the turning station until it is congruent next to the first glass sheet. The second glass sheet and the first glass sheet are thus parallel and spaced from each other.

From this position, the two glass panels, as soon as the assembly and pressing device is ready and opened, are conveyed together by the second horizontal conveyor and simultaneously into its press nip. For this purpose, the two glass sheets are synchronously advanced by the two conveyor belts of the second horizontal conveyor until they have arrived with their front edge at the outlet end of the assembly and pressing station, where they are stopped in a predetermined position. Then, in a manner known per se, the filling of the insulating glass panes with a gas and their assembly to the finished insulating glass pane. To get one from three glass panels Assemble existing triple insulating glass pane, it is provided that initially in the manner described, a first and a second glass sheet are assembled into a glass sheet pair. Meanwhile, the third glass panel is fed into the turning station and rotated there by 180 °. Once the first and second glass sheets are assembled, the blank formed therefrom is fed out of the assembly and pressing station, stopped on a subsequent further horizontal conveyor, and the first glass sheet is there provided with a further spacer. Meanwhile, the third glass sheet on the second conveying path is fed to the movable pressing plate of the assembling and pressing station. Thereafter, the occupied with the second spacer blank is returned to the assembly and pressing device and there positioned congruent with the third glass panel, assembled with this and optionally. Provided with a heavy gas filling. Thereafter, the thus assembled triple insulating glass sheet is pressed and conveyed away.

The known device has the disadvantage that it allows only very slow cycle times, since the supply of the second glass sheet of a pair of glass panels to be assembled into a two-pane insulating glass pane can only then take place after the first glass panel has been described by the rotary unit by 180 ° was rotated and fixed there in its "floating" position. For this purpose, as also already described, it is necessary for the supporting line rollers supporting the glass panel to be positioned before rotation of the glass panel can take place. The requirement to fix the glass sheet in its rotated position, further brings with it the disadvantage that with the known device only rectangular glass sheets with at least the same dimension in height and therefore no model formats can be processed. In addition, it is necessary that the glass panels to be assembled into an insulating glass pane are placed in a defined order.

The known device further has the disadvantage that it has only a very low clock rate and thus a low production capacity in the production of triple insulating glass panes. In order to produce a triple insulating glass pane, after assembly, the resulting blank from the assembly and pressing station must be moved out to secure a further spacer to one of the two glass plates forming the blank. Thereafter, the blank together with the spacer attached to it must be conveyed back into the assembly and pressing station before it can be assembled with the third glass panel to a triple-glazed pane, which increases the cycle time again considerably. The function of the known turning station contributes primarily to rotate the coated side of functional glasses by 180 ° inwards before assembly without this coated side is touched. For this purpose, significantly longer cycle times are accepted. This disadvantageously reduces the production capacity of the known device.

A development of the known from the aforementioned document device is in the EP 0 857 849 disclosed. From this document, a device for assembling insulating glass panes of glass panels is known, which has a horizontal conveyor on which the insulating glass panes or their blanks stand upright. Above the horizontal conveyor, a support device is arranged, on which lean the standing on the horizontal conveyor insulating glass panes or their blanks. For the assembly of the insulating glass panes it is provided that a supported on its first surface first glass sheet is conveyed to a certain position on a first path of the horizontal conveyor in the turning station. Then, a second glass sheet is conveyed to a certain second position on the first path of the horizontal conveyor in the turning station. Then, the first and the second glass sheet in the turning station are displaced by a second web of the horizontal conveyor parallel to the first web. This relocation of the first and the second glass panel takes place thereby, that the receiving them rotating frame of the rotating station is rotated by 180 ° about an axis parallel to the glass panels by 180 °, so that the first located on the first conveyor track first and second glass panel after this rotation on the second conveyor track of the rotary station passing Put on horizontal conveyor. By this measure it is achieved that then the first conveyor track is free for the transport of the third and the fourth glass panel. The third and fourth sheets of glass are conveyed until the two sheets of glass have arrived on the first web of the turning station, with either the first and second or third and fourth sheets carrying a frame-shaped spacer on their unsupported surface. The two glass panel pairs, ie the first and the third and the second and the fourth glass panel are positioned parallel and congruent at a distance from each other and simultaneously transferred to the assembly and pressing device. This known device has - since it uses the same turning station as that from the DE 44 37 998 known device - also their disadvantages. In particular, it has the disadvantage that it allows only extremely expensive to produce triple insulating glass panes.

The DE 10 2004 009 858 B4 describes a method and apparatus for positioning mutually opposite glass sheets in a vertical assembly and press apparatus which is part of the production line for insulating glass sheets. In this production line, a first glass sheet and a second glass sheet provided with a spacer are supported on a horizontal conveyor and, leaning against an inclined first support, are fed to the assembling and pressing apparatus of the production line. This has an arrangement of two pressing plates, which are convertible from a first position in which they are inclined in the opposite direction, in a second position in which they are parallel to each other. The first glass sheet, which is supported against the first supporting device, is moved on a first section of the horizontal conveyor to a predetermined first position, in which it is stopped and which is located in front of the assembly and pressing device. promoted. Then, this first glass sheet is transversely to the conveying direction of the horizontal conveyor in a position opposite the first layer in which it is leaning on the horizontal conveyor standing against a second support means, which is inclined in the opposite direction than the first support means transferred. The leaning against the first support means second glass sheet is conveyed to the aforementioned first position. This process is followed by concurrent feeding of the first and second glass sheets, the glass sheets resting against their respective support means on a second section of the horizontal conveyor which is drivable separately from its first section. By repeating the aforementioned steps for glass panels, which are intended for assembly of at least one further insulating glass pane, at least once, a second pair of glass sheets is formed. In this case, the first pair of glass sheets already standing on the second section of the horizontal conveyor is advanced by more than the length of the or each pair of glass sheets that follow each other. The two pairs of glass sheets thus formed are then introduced by concurrently conveying on the second section of the horizontal conveyor into the opened assembly and pressing device having a third section of the horizontal conveyor, which is separately engageable by the second section of the horizontal conveyor, and the insulating glass pane is assembled.

It is an object of the present invention, a device of the type mentioned in such a way that in a simple manner an efficient production of insulating glass is possible.

To solve this problem, the device according to the invention provides that the turning station has a rotating frame with supporting walls which are inclined relative to the vertical.

The inventive measures an apparatus is provided in an advantageous manner, which is characterized by a simplified structure and characterized a faster operation, which leads to higher cycle times in the production of double or multiple insulating glass panes. The V-shaped configuration of the rotating frame of the rotating station according to the invention with respect to the vertical inclined support walls has the advantage that for supporting the glass panels, especially in their rotated by 180 ° position, no additional means such as support rollers, which - as described above - elaborately positioned need to be. Rather, the inclination of the support walls relative to the vertical causes the glass panels safely rest on the support walls by the action of gravity. Since no fixing of the glass sheets before, during and after the rotation is required, the turning station according to the invention operates faster than the known from the cited document rotary station, which leads to higher cycle times of the device according to the invention used for the production of insulating glass panes. There are thus possible increases in performance over the known device, which may be two to four times. Immediately after the arrival of the first glass panel in the turning station, the aided on the first support wall glass panel can be rotated. After completion of this turning operation, it is then possible to immediately introduce the second glass sheet in the turning station according to the invention, wherein it rests against the second support wall. The two such paired glass panels can then be transported immediately to the subsequent processing station of the device to the turning station.

The device according to the invention has the further advantage that not only rectangular glass panels can be processed with it, but also model formats, since no further devices are required for positional positioning of the glass panels. This is particularly advantageous for glass panels with a sensitive coating, since this coating is not exposed to mechanical loading during the entire manufacturing process. Another advantage of the device according to the invention is that so existing production lines can be retrofitted.

An advantageous development of the invention provides that the turning station has two conveyor tracks which are independently drivable, and that the first conveyor track and in the rotated state of the rotary station, the second conveyor track are aligned with the first conveyor track of the first horizontal conveyor.

A further advantageous development of the invention provides that the swivel station upstream or downstream of a swap station is arranged, through which a glass panel conveyed by the single-track first horizontal conveyor can be moved out of the transport path and brought into a parking lane.

By these measures, an apparatus for assembling insulating glass panes is created in an advantageous manner, which is characterized by a short cycle time and thus a high production rate. By now provided that glass panels, which are now not to be assembled with the immediately preceding glass panels to an insulating glass, removed in the invention provided for retrieval from the transport path of the first horizontal conveyor and parked in this station, the production reliability of the device and the invention significantly increased process according to the invention, since it is no longer necessary, especially in the assembly of triple insulating glass, to comply with a complicated order of the glass sheets in their task. Rather, the glass sheets to be assembled in each case into an insulating glass pane can be placed directly one behind the other, as a result of which the production process is simplified in an advantageous manner. The measures according to the invention now also make it possible to assemble several glass sheets into a corresponding number of insulating glass panes in the assembly and pressing station. The device according to the invention and the method according to the invention are also suitable in particular for model glass panes. A further advantage of the measure according to the invention is that with the described device and the described method, in particular also functional glass panes, which have a coating on one side, can be assembled together to form insulating glass panes.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the removal station is arranged in front of the turning station. According to the invention, it is thus provided that the removal station is arranged between the single-lane first horizontal conveyor and the two-lane rotary station. This ensures that the retrieval station can be easily formed because the glass panel to be parked in each case only needs to be removed from a single conveyor track.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the removal station is arranged after the turning station. Such a measure has the advantage that in this way a short cycle time is achieved in the turning station, since the removal takes place only after the pairing of the glass sheets in the turning station and the removal of the corresponding glass sheet can advantageously be done only when already the required number of paired Glass panels, which are assembled in the assembly and pressing station to a glass panel pair, were paired in the turning station.

A further advantageous development of the invention provides that the glass panel to be outsourced is moved by the turning station into the removal station. Such a measure has the advantage that the removal station can be arranged outside the actual transport path of the glass panels and the auszulagernde glass sheet can be performed by a rotational movement of the rotating station and then conveying the auszulagernden glass sheet from the turning station in the removal station. Such a measure has the advantage that in this way already existing devices can be retrofitted in a simple manner.

Further advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Figur 1:

ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel einer Vorrichtung zum Zusammenbau von Isolierglasscheiben,

Figur 2:

eine Draufsicht auf das Ausführungsbeispiel der Figur 1, wobei eine Drehstation in einer gedrehten Stellung gezeigt ist,

Figuren 3 bis 9:

eine schematische Darstellung,

Figur 10:

eine schematische Darstellung des Verfahrensablaufs,

Figur 11:

eine Ausführungsform einer Zusammenbau- und Pressstation,

Figur 12:

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel einer Vorrichtung zum Zusammenbau von Isolierglasscheiben in einer Seitenansicht und einer Draufsicht,

Figur 13:

eine Vorderansicht und eine Draufsicht des zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels, wobei die Auslagerstation in ihrer Auslagerungsstellung gezeigt ist,

Figuren 14 bis 16:

eine schematische Darstellung des Verfahrensablaufs,

Figur 17:

ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel einer Vorrichtung zum Zusammenbau von Isolierglasscheiben in Vorderansicht und Draufsicht,

Figur 18:

eine Vorderansicht und eine Draufsicht auf das Ausführungsbeispiel der Figur 17, wobei die Drehstation in einer gedrehten Lage gezeigt ist, und

Figuren 19 bis 21:

eine schematische Darstellung des Verfahrensablaufs.

Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the embodiments, which are described below with reference to the drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1:

A first embodiment of an apparatus for assembling insulating glass panes,

FIG. 2:

a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 wherein a turning station is shown in a rotated position,

FIGS. 3 to 9:

a schematic representation,

FIG. 10:

a schematic representation of the procedure,

FIG. 11:

an embodiment of an assembly and pressing station,

FIG. 12:

A second embodiment of an apparatus for assembling insulating glass panes in a side view and a top view,

FIG. 13:

a front view and a top view of the second embodiment, wherein the Auslagerstation is shown in its paging position,

FIGS. 14 to 16:

a schematic representation of the procedure,

FIG. 17:

A third embodiment of an apparatus for assembling insulating glass panes in front view and top view,

FIG. 18:

a front view and a plan view of the embodiment of the FIG. 17 , wherein the rotating station is shown in a rotated position, and

FIGS. 19 to 21:

a schematic representation of the procedure.

In the Figures 1 and 2 Now, a generally designated 10 embodiment of an apparatus for assembling insulating glass panes is shown, the individual stations are substantially known and therefore not described in detail. The device 10 has a single-track first horizontal conveyor 20, which has a conveyor track 21. The conveyor track 21 of the first horizontal conveyor 20 may be formed in a known manner by a row of driven rollers 22. But it is also possible to use a circulating conveyor belt or similar device for this purpose. The first horizontal conveyor 20 has a support means 23 which, in the embodiment described here, is inclined, preferably inclined at 6 ° to the vertical, and on which the glass sheets are supported during their transport movement. Also, such a horizontal conveyor 20 is known and therefore need not be described in detail. He passes through a washing station 30 in which to be assembled to the insulating glass pane glass panels are cleaned. The glass panels loaded in a receiving station 31 and cleaned in the washing station 30 are brought by the first horizontal conveyor 20 - past a visit and frame setting station 32 - to a lane changer 40 whose construction and function will be described below. In the conveying direction below a rotating station 50 is arranged, which has two conveyor tracks 51 a and 51 b, wherein the conveyor track 21 of the first horizontal conveyor 20 - corresponding to the rotational position of the rotary station 50 - either with the first conveyor track 51 a or 51 b aligned with the second conveyor track , so that the glass panels are transferred from the first horizontal conveyor 20 in the respectively aligned with its conveyor track 21 conveyor tracks 51 a or 51 b of the rotating station 50 can. In the conveying direction connects to the turning station 50, a two-lane second horizontal conveyor 60 which has two conveyor tracks 61 a and 61 b. These are aligned with the conveyor tracks 51 a, 51 b of the rotating station 50, so that glass panels located on these conveyor tracks 51 a, 51 b can be transferred to the conveyor tracks 61 a, 61 b of the second horizontal conveyor 60.

The second horizontal conveyor 60 passes through a buffer station 70 and an assembly and pressing station 80. The structure of a preferred embodiment of the buffer station 70 and the pressing and assembly station 80 are in the international patent application WO 2005/080739 which are incorporated by reference for avoiding repetition and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In the following, therefore, the special configuration, the buffer station 70 and the pressing and assembly station 80 will be explained only to the extent that this is expedient or necessary for the understanding of this application.

Like now in the FIG. 2 a rotating frame 52 of the rotating station 50 is rotatable about a substantially orthogonal to the conveying direction of the glass sheets axis, so that after a 180 ° rotation of the in FIG. 1 front end 52 a, which faces the buffer station 70, in the rotated state then the first horizontal conveyor 20 and its second end 52 b of the buffer station 70 faces. The rotationally driven by a drive device 50 'rotary frame 52 is - as out FIG. 3 visible - formed essentially by two against the vertical, preferably by angles of 6 °, inclined support walls 53a and 53b, which have a plurality of support rollers 54, along which the glass sheets are movable. The supported by the first support wall 52a glass plate sets with its lower edge while on rollers 54a of the first conveyor track 51a and on the second support wall 52b supporting glass plate is on rollers 54b of the second conveyor track 51 b. The rotary station 50 is thus formed in two lanes and the rollers 54a of the first conveyor track 51a and the rollers 54b of the second conveyor track 51b are independently drivable, so that - as below described on each of the two tracks of the rotating station 50 one or more located on a track glass panels can be moved independently of the located on the other track glass panels.

However, before the glass panels are transported by the first horizontal conveyor 20 from the washing station 30 to the rotary station 50, they pass through the Auslagerstation 40. Their task is to remove a located on the conveyor track 21 of the first horizontal conveyor 20 glass sheet from this track, so that can be promoted by the first horizontal conveyor 20 which issued behind this glass panel more glass panel from the washing station 30 to the turning station 50. The removal station 40 thus displaces a glass panel in it from the first track formed by the conveyor belt 21 of the first horizontal conveyor 20 to a second track in which the glass panel thus displaced can be "parked". In order to realize this lane change function, the removal station 40 has two exchange units 41 a and 41 b, wherein the first exchange unit 41 a is used, on the glass panel 1C located in it away from the conveyor track 21 of the first horizontal conveyor 20 in their parking position to convey, while then the second exchange unit 41 b in the transport path of the glass panels takes the place of the first exchange unit 41 a. As in FIGS. 3 and 4 represented, the exchange units 41 a and 41 b of the Auslagerstation 40 as two each against the vertical, preferably at an angle of 6 ° inclined support walls 42 a, 42 b formed, which is provided with a plurality of rollers 43, in which the glass panels in their Support transport. The two support walls 42a, 42b are movable by a movement device 44, preferably in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of the conveying path 21, so that optionally the first support wall 42a and the second support wall 42b can be moved into the transport path of the glass sheets FIG. 3 shows the situation in which the first support wall 42a, so the first exchange unit 41 a, is located in the transport path of the glass panels. It can be seen from this figure that the first support wall 42a is arranged behind the rollers 22 of the conveyor track 21, so that one of the washing station 30 along the support means 23 of the first horizontal conveyor 20 conveyed glass panel 1C along the rollers 43 of the first support wall 42a to the subsequent turning station 50 can be moved. In the FIG. 4 now the situation is shown, in which the first support wall 42a, including the glass plate 1C struck by it, has been removed from the transport path of the first horizontal conveyor 20 by the support walls 42a, 42b being pushed forward by the displacement device, so that now the second support wall 42b has taken the place of the first support wall 42a and the in FIG. 4 illustrated glass panel 2A - as described below - can be moved by the first horizontal conveyor 20 from the washing station 30 to the turning station 50.

The operation of the device 1 for producing a triple insulating glass pane 1ABC consisting of three glass sheets 1A, 1B and 1C and another triple insulating glass pane 2ABC consisting of glass sheets 2A, 2B, 2C will now be described with reference to FIGS FIGS. 3 to 9 and the flowchart of the FIG. 10 explained. The upper half of each line of this flowchart represents the first track of the transport operation and the lower line represents the second track of the transport process. Each column represents a step of a production cycle, namely the process step which is in line 0 of the transport process FIG. 10 represented station is made. In the FIG. 11 The right-hand column thus represents the feeding step of the glass sheets 1A-1C, 2A-2C in the feeding station 31, the next column the washing process in the washing station 30, the next column a transport operation from the washing station 30 to the visit and frame setting station 32, the next Column a transport operation from the aforementioned station to the lane changer 40. The following column represents the running in the turning station 50 step, the following column, the introduction of a pair of glass pair paired into the buffer station 70, the following column the assembly of the glass panels in the assembly and pressing station 80 and the in FIG. 10 left column the removal from the device by means of another horizontal conveyor.

The glass sheets 1A-1C, 2A-2C are placed in the feeding station 31 in the above-mentioned order, that is, all three glass sheets 1A-1C and 2A-2C to be assembled into a triple-insulating glass sheet 1ABC, 2ABC are deposited in an ordered sequence. Such a measure has the advantage that in this way a large production reliability is given. The first glass sheet 1A becomes - as can be seen from line 1 of the flowchart of FIG. 10 results - now promoted from the washing station 30 from the first horizontal conveyor 20 to the turning station 50. Its first surface moves over the support means 23, its second surface is not acted upon during transport. This has the advantage that no contamination or damage to this surface can occur as a result, whereby the method is particularly suitable for functional glass panes, in which the glass sheets on one side - here on the second surface - have a coating is suitable. The glass sheet 1 A passes through the Auslagerstation 40 and then enters the turning station 50 and is positioned by means of the first conveyor track 51 a at a corresponding location. Preferably, it is provided for this purpose that the rotating station 50 has a stop for the front edge of the first glass sheet 1A, so that it comes to lie in a defined position. Then - as in line 2 of the FIG. 10 shown - the rotating frame 52 of the rotating station 50 rotated by 180 °, so that its first end is now facing the buffer station 70.

Then - as in line 3 of the FIG. 10 The second glass panel 1B of the first triple insulating glass pane 1ABC provided in the visitation and frame placing station 32 with the frame-shaped spacer H is inserted in the rotating station 50 and positioned on the second supporting wall 52b by the second conveying path 51b opposite to the first glass panel 1A. For reasons of a higher cycle time is preferred that - as can be seen from the grid of FIG. 10 results - the second glass sheet 1 B is promoted so by the first horizontal conveyor 20 that - as from line 2 of FIG. 10 it can be seen - it is already in the retrieval station 40, while the turning operation of the first glass sheet 1A takes place in the turning station 50.

The two process steps described above are readily apparent to those skilled in the art, so that they in the FIGS. 3 to 10 are not shown. The FIG. 3 now shows the third step in the flowchart of FIG. 10 in line 3 is shown. A third glass sheet 1C of the first three glass sheets 1A-1C to be produced insulating glass pane 1ABC is located in the Auslagerstation 40, in the turning station 50 are the paired glass sheets 1A and 1 B. As also from line 3 of FIG. 10 can be seen, located on the horizontal conveyor 20, the three glass sheets 2A, 2B and 2C of the second insulating glass pane 2ABC. The glass sheets 2A and 2B are now also to be paired in the turning station 50, wherein the glass sheet 1B has a spacer H. In front of these, however, is the glass panel 1C of the first insulating glass panel 1ABC. The retrieval station 40 now serves to clear the way into the rotating station 50 for these two glass panels 2A and 2B. As in FIG. 3 3, the third glass panel 1C is located in the first exchange unit 41a of the retrieval station 40, thus supporting itself on the first support wall 42a, which at that time is behind the conveyor track 21 of the first horizontal conveyor 20. The first support wall 42a and at the same time the second support wall 42b are now - as described above - advanced by its associated movement means 43, so that the first glass sheet 1C moved away from its defined by the conveyor track 21 track and - as out FIG. 4 apparent - is brought into the "parking lane". As can also be seen from the aforementioned figure, the second support wall 42b then replaces the first support wall 42a, so that the transport path is closed again and the first glass panel 2A of the second insulating glass pane 2ABC can be moved from the first horizontal conveyor 20 to the rotary station 50, whereby it overtakes the glass panel 1C parked in the retrieval station 40.

As from line 4 of the flowchart of FIG. 10 it can be seen, the paired glass panels 1A and 1B located in the rotating station 50 are brought by the rotary station 50 by means of the second horizontal conveyor 60 in the buffer station 70. The second horizontal conveyor 60 has a plurality of independently drivable sections, so that z. B. the buffer station 70 glass plates can be moved independently of the located in the assembly and pressing station 80 glass panels. The section of the two-lane second horizontal conveyor 60 which adds the buffer station 70 is also subdivided into two independently drivable sections in this station, so that in addition to the paired glass panels 1A, 1B in a further method step described below at least one further glass panel pair 2A, 2B can be introduced into the buffer station 70. The first and second conveyor track 61 a, 61 b of the second horizontal conveyor 60 is again preferably formed in the buffer station 70 by two oppositely arranged conveyor belts, wherein the first conveyor belt from the outlet end of the buffer station to the center and the second conveyor belt from the aforementioned center to the upstream end of the buffer station 70 extends. Of course, it is also possible to use correspondingly driven conveyor rollers or similar devices instead of the conveyor belts.

After the paired glass sheets 1A, 1B - as shown in line 5 of the flow chart in FIG FIG. 10 shown - were removed from the rotating station 50, then the glass sheet 2 A - as the glass sheet 1 A - promoted in the rotating station 50 and - FIG. 5 and in line 5 of the flowchart of the FIG. 11 shown - rotated by 180 °. Then - as well as out FIG. 6 and from line 6 of the flowchart of the FIG. 11 it can be seen - the second glass sheet 2B conveyed through the aging station 40 to the rotating station 50, introduced into this and paired with the first glass sheet 2A.

Now from line 7 of the FIG. 10 is visible, then the paired glass panels 2A, 2B are removed from the rotating station 50 and introduced by the second horizontal conveyor 60 in the buffer station 70 and positioned at the inlet end. In the buffer station 70 are thus the paired glass panels 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B. Meanwhile - as in line 6 of the FIG. 10 apparent is - the third glass panel 1C of the retrieval station 40 from their parking track moved back in their transport lane (see FIG. 7 ), so then - as in FIG. 8 shown - can be introduced from the first horizontal conveyor 20 in the turning station 50.

How now from the FIG. 8 and from lines 6 and 7 of the flowchart of FIG. 11 As can be seen, the paired glass panels 2A and 2B are then moved by the second horizontal conveyor 60 into the buffer station 70, while the third glass panel 1C is moved into the rotary station 50. Then, the glass sheets 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B are simultaneously conveyed from the second horizontal conveyor 60 to the assembling and pressing station 80 where they are assembled into two blanks 1AB and 2AB in a manner known per se and for the sake of completeness, below After each of the space defined by them was filled with a gas, in particular with a heavy gas. After the paired glass sheets 1AB and 2AB have been conveyed to the assembling and pressing station 80, the glass sheets 1C, 2C are conveyed to the buffer station 70 by the first horizontal conveyor 60. The simultaneous assembly of two pairs of glass sheets 1A, 1B has the advantage that this results in a reduction of the cycle time and thus an increase in the production capacity of the described device 10, since now simultaneously two or more pairs of glass panels filled with a heavy gas and assembled become.

After assembly of the glass sheets 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B to the corresponding blanks 1AB and 2AB are then in the assembly and pressing station 80 - as will be explained briefly below - positioned so that they are on the first track of the second Horizontal conveyor 60 are located. The second track is thus free and can accommodate the third glass panels 1C and 2C. As in lines 8 and 9 of the flowchart of the FIG. 10 it can be seen, then each a spacer H having third glass panels 1C and 2C from the second horizontal conveyor 60 in the assembly and Press station 80 introduced and assembled there to the triple insulating glass panes 1ABC and 2ABC. These are then in a final process step, as in line 11 of the flowchart of FIG. 11 represented, conveyed away from the assembly and pressing station 80.

The next cycle of two further triple insulating glass panes 1ABC and 2ABC then takes place as described above.

The skilled person is aware of the above description that the buffer station 70 is not mandatory. If the high clock rate enabled by their provision is not desired or required, it is possible to omit the buffer station 70 and move the glass sheets 1A-1C and 2A-2C directly from the rotary station 50 to the assembling and pressing station 80. There are then paired in the rotating station 50 glass panels 1A, 1 B in the assembly and pressing station 80 and then also in the rotating station 50 paired glass panels 2A, 2B introduced into this, so that then in line 8, column 2 the flowchart of the FIG. 10 situation shown results. After assembly of the glass sheets 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B to the blanks 1AB and 2AB then the further glass sheets 1C and 2C - as described above - introduced directly into the assembly and pressing station 80. Although this procedure is not preferred because it leads to higher cycle times, but has the advantage that thereby the buffer station 70 can be omitted.

The FIG. 11 now schematically shows the assembly and pressing station 80. It has two opposing support means 81 a and 81 b, which are mounted on a frame 82. Each support means 81 a and 81 b each have a press plate 81 a ', 81 b', which have in each case at many points distributed over the plate through holes, which are not shown in the figures for reasons of clarity. The back sides of the respective press plates 81 a, 81 b are covered by a hood 83, which is connected to a blower, not shown, through which either air in the under Hoods 83 formed chambers 84 blown or air can be sucked out of the chambers 84. The first support means 81a stands on a base 85 fixedly connected to the frame 82, and its upper end is supported on the frame 82 at the rear via struts (not shown). The arrangement of the first pressure plate 81 a 'of the first support means 81 a is made so that it, preferably at an angle of 6 °, inclined to the vertical.

The second support means 81 b is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis on a carriage 86, which in turn is linearly displaceable on rails 86 'which lie in planes perpendicular to the pivot axis and inclined at the same angle to the horizontal as the pressing plate 81 a against the vertical is inclined. Thereafter, the carriage 86 is displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the pressing plate 81 a direction. A displacement of the carriage 86 takes place by means of a drive, not shown.

The upper ends of the support means 81 a, 81 b are interconnected by a spindle gear 87, the spindles 87 'pivotally mounted in a fixed to the first support means 81 a holder 88 and is driven by a motor. By driving the spindles 87 ', the second support means 81 b can be pivoted from its initial position, in which the plates 81 a', 81 b 'V-shaped at an angle of (here) 12 °, in an intermediate position, in which the movable pressure plate 81 b 'of the second support means 81 b of the stationary pressure plate 81 a' is opposed in parallel, preferably with a distance of 5 to 7 cm. For further details of the construction of the assembly and pressing station 80 is on the WO 2005/080739 and incorporated herein by reference in the disclosure of this application.

During the conveyance of the glass sheets 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B, air is blown through the holes of the press plates 81a ', 81b', so that the glass sheets 1A, 2B and 2A, 2B, respectively, slide smoothly on the air bags formed thereby. To have the glass sheets 1A-2B reach their position, no more air is supplied. Now, the second, movable pressure plate 81 b of the support means 81 b is first pivoted by driving the spindles 87 'in a position parallel to the first pressing plate 81 a position and then by synchronously driving all spindles 87' parallel to itself until striking the opposite glass plates postponed. Now air is sucked out of the chamber behind the movable pressing plate 81 b 'and thereby the glass sheets 1 B, 2B firmly sucked to the movable pressing plate 81 b' and fixed in this way. The spindles 87 'are now driven in the opposite direction, thereby removing the pressure plate 81 b' parallel to itself from the stationary pressure plate 81 a '. In this case, because of the angle of the rails 86 relative to the horizontal, the glass panels 1 B, 2B lifted at the same angle from the second horizontal conveyor 60 and temporarily stopped in an off-hook intermediate position. After pivoting in the parallel position is between the second glass sheets 1 B, 2B together with the respective spacers only a few millimeters wide gap between them and the first glass sheets 1A, 2A. In this intermediate position is now a gas filling. For this purpose - as in the aforementioned WO 2005/080739 Sealing strips applied to the front edge of the two plates 81a ', 81b' and placed on a belt 90 of the second horizontal conveyor 60 to complete the press plates there. In the rear region of the assembly and pressing station 80, a further sealing strip is pushed out of the stationary pressure plate 81a ', which rests against the rear edge of the glass plate pair 2A, 2B in order to effect a seal there. Then, the gap between the belt 90 of the second horizontal conveyor 60 and the movable press plate 81 b 'is sealed to prevent escape of heavy gas against the conveying direction of the horizontal conveyor 60. Then, in a manner known per se, a filling process is carried out in which heavy gas is supplied by channels, not shown. Due to the inclination of the glass plates 1 B, 2B on the belt 90 of the second horizontal conveyor 60, the gap between these glass sheets and the belt depending on the thickness of the insulating glass panes to be produced between 2 mm to 5 mm wide, which uniform, almost pressureless feeding of the gas into the space between the glass sheets 1A, 1B and 2A, 2C sufficient to displace over the entire length of the two glass sheet pairs 1AB, 2AB without major turbulence the lighter air up and quickly achieve high Schwergasfüllgrad with low heavy gas loss. Since the heavy gas does not rise to the upper edge of the highest glass sheet pair 1AB, 2AB, the supply of heavy gas can be stopped even at a lower level since the glass sheet pairs 1AB and 2AB are displaced by advancing the movable press plate 81b 'against the stationary one Press plate 81 a 'still closed and must be pressed, whereby the heavy gas located between the glass panel pairs 1AB and 2AB displaced by this closing movement even further upward and his leads after complete or almost complete filling of the glass panel pairs 1AB and 2AB.

After pressing the glass sheets 1A and 1B or 2A and 2B to the glass sheet pairs 1AB and 2AB, these glass sheet pairs 1AB and 2AB are sucked again by vacuum on the movable press plate 81b ', and the movable press plate 81b' is sucked into moved back their intermediate position described above, in which the lower edges of the glass plate pairs 1AB and 2AB are spaced from the second horizontal conveyor 60, so that then the third glass sheets 1C and 2C together with their spacers A - as before the second glass sheets 1B, 2B - in the assembly and pressing station 80 can be introduced. The assembly of the glass panel pairs 1AB and 2AB with the corresponding third glass panels 1C and 2C is now carried out in accordance with the procedure described above in the assembly of the glass panels 1A and 1B and 2A and 2B to the glass panel pairs 1AB and 2AB.

In the FIGS. 12 to 16 a second embodiment of an apparatus 10 for assembling insulating glass panes of a plurality of glass sheets 1A-1C, 2A-2C is shown, wherein corresponding stations and components are provided with the same reference numerals and will not be described in detail. Of the The essential difference between the first and the second exemplary embodiment consists in the fact that a retrieval station 140 corresponding to its function according to the retrieval station 40 of the first exemplary embodiment is arranged behind the rotating station 50 in the transport path of the glass sheets 1A-1C, 2A-2C. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the retrieval station 140 is arranged directly behind the turning station 50. But it is also possible that this is arranged only before the assembly and pressing station 80, but this is not preferred.

The swap station 140, which has two exchangeable units 141a and 141b, also serves here to outsource corresponding glass panels 1C. However, that it is in the two-lane transport path which starts at the two-lane rotating station 50, a different construction than in the retrieval station 40 of the first embodiment is required. This is because the removal station 40 of the first exemplary embodiment is located in the single-track transport path of the first horizontal conveyor 20, so that in this case the glass panels 1C to be outsourced only have to be moved from the single-lane transport lane into the parking lane. In the case described here, however, the transport path is two lanes, so that therefore the glass pane to be outsourced 1C must be placed in a third lane. The second exchange unit 141 b therefore has two support walls 142 b 'and 142 b ", which are arranged according to the support walls 53 a and 53 b of the rotating station 50 and the support walls 73 a, 73 b inclined to the buffer station 70, so that by the second exchange unit 141 b of the two-lane transport path The paired glass panels 1A, 1AB and 2A, 2B, respectively, are ensured behind the support walls 142b 'and 142b "arranged here in the form of a V, a further support wall 142a is then arranged, which forms the first exchange unit 141a. The removal process of a glass sheet 1C is based on the FIGS. 14 to 16 described. In order now to move the glass sheet 1C out of the now two-lane transport path, the two exchangeable units 141a, 141b are moved by a movement device 143 in such a way that now, as in FIG FIG. 14 shown - formed by the support wall 142a first exchange unit 141a in the transport path lies. The third glass sheet 1C is moved from the rotating station 50 to the first exchanging unit 141a, as shown in FIG FIGS. 14 and 15 is shown. Then, the first exchange unit 141a is moved away from the two-lane transport path, and is replaced by the second exchange unit 142b. Their two support walls 142b 'and 142b "are aligned with the support walls of the swap station 50 upstream of the swap station 140 and the support walls of the downstream buffer station 70. Thus, once again there is a two-lane transport path.

The assembly of three glass sheets 1A-1C and three further glass sheets 2A-2C into two triple insulating glass sheets 1ABC and 2ABC is carried out as follows: The glass sheets 1A and 1B are paired in the turning station 50 to a pair of glass sheets 1AB, and then pass through the paging station 140 and reach the buffer station 70. The further procedure with respect to these two glass sheets is then as described in the first embodiment. The third glass sheet 1C is moved from the first horizontal conveyor 20 to the rotating station 50. To outsource these, the first exchange unit 141 a moves in the transport path and takes the glass sheet 1 C on. By advancing the first exchange unit 141 a and, consequently, a forward movement of the second exchange unit 141 b, the two-lane transport path is closed again. The glass panel 1C is in its outsourced parking position. The glass sheets 2A and 2B are then paired in the rotating station 50 as described in the first embodiment and then pass through the unloading station 140 and then arrive at the buffer station 70. Then, the glass sheet 1C is again moved to the transport path in which the first exchange unit 141a is moved backward, so that the glass sheet 1C can then be carried on. The glass sheet 2C is then moved through the rotating station 50, the unloading station 140 and the buffer station 70 as described in the first embodiment.

In the FIGS. 17 to 21 Now, a third embodiment of the device 10 is shown for the assembly of insulating glass panes, wherein corresponding stations and components provided with the same reference numerals and will not be described in more detail. The essential difference between the preceding embodiments and the third embodiment lies in the fact that one of their function of the retrieval station 140 and 240 corresponding Auslagerstation 240 is not located directly in the transport path of the glass sheets 1A-1C, 2A-2C, but is provided that the to be outsourced glass panel 1C is introduced via the turning station 50 in the Auslagerstation 240. This is done by giving up the glass sheets 1A-1C and 2A-2C as in the first embodiment. The pairing of the first glass sheets 1A and 1B to the glass sheet pair 1AB is performed as in the first embodiment. The third glass sheet 1C is then inserted into the turning station 50 by the first horizontal conveyor 20. This will now - like out FIG. 17 visible - rotated by a defined angle less than 180 ° until it is aligned with the Auslagerstation 240. The first glass sheet 1C is then moved from the turning station 50 to the retrieval station 240. Thereafter, the rotary station 50 pivots back to its position as shown in Figure 17, in which it is in the transport path of the glass sheets 1A-2C and 2A-2C. The glass sheets 2A and 2B are then assembled into a glass sheet pair 2AB as described above. Then, a rotation of the rotating station 50 is performed and the paged glass sheet 1C is moved back from the paging station 240 to the rotating station 50. This is turned again until the transport route is closed. The further processing of the glass panels 1C and 2C then takes place as described above. The embodiment of the third embodiment described above has the advantage that in this way the retrieval station 240 can be easily constructed. Like from the FIG. 18 and 19 As can be seen, only a support wall 241 and a conveyor 243, which allows the glass sheet 1C from the rotating station 50 in the parking position of the Auslagerstation 240 and back to move required.

In the above description, it has been assumed that two triple insulating glass sheets are simultaneously produced in the assembling station. This is not mandatory. The described method is also suitable for the case that in the assembly and pressing station 80 only one three glass panels 1A-1C existing triple insulating glass pane is made. Also, with a corresponding configuration of the assembly and pressing station 80, it is possible to produce more than two triple insulating glass panes simultaneously by then inserting the appropriate number of paired glass sheets 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, etc. into the assembling and pressing station , these are then assembled into glass sheet pairs 1AB, 2AB, 3AB, etc. and then third glass sheets 1C, 2C, 3C, etc. introduced and - as described above with reference to the glass sheet pairs 1AB and 2AB - are assembled into triple insulating glass panes ,

Claims (14)

Device for assembling insulating glass panes (1ABC, 2ABC) made of glass sheets (1A-1C, 2A-2C), comprising a first horizontal conveyor (20) with a conveying track (21), a turning station (50), a second horizontal conveyor (60) with two Conveyor tracks (61 a, 61 b) and an assembly and pressing station (80), wherein the first horizontal conveyor (20) to the insulating glass (1ABC, 2ABC) zusammenzusetzenden glass sheets (1A-1C, 2A-2C) to the rotating station (50 ), the rotary station (50) pairs two glass panels (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B) and the second horizontal conveyor (60) couples the paired glass panels (1AB, 2AB) from the turning station (50) to the assembly and pressing station (80 ), characterized in that the turning station (50) has a pivotal frame (52) with support walls (53a, 53b) which are inclined with respect to the vertical. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotating station (50) has two conveyor tracks (51 a, 51 b) which are independently drivable, and that the first conveyor track (51 a) and in the rotated state of the rotary station (50) the second Conveyor (51 b) with the first conveyor track (21) of the first horizontal conveyor (20) are aligned. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotary station (50) upstream or downstream of a Auslagerstation (40; 140; 240) is arranged, through which one of the single-track first horizontal conveyor (20) hinzuförderte glass panel (1 C, 2C) from moved out of the transport path and in a passing past a subsequent glass panel enabling parking track can be brought. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the removal station (40) in front of the turning station (50) is arranged. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the removal station (40) has two exchange units (41 a, 41 b) which are movable by a movement device (43), and that by the movement means (43), the first exchange unit (41 a) from the transport path of the first horizontal conveyor (20) movable and the second exchange unit (41 b) in place of the first exchange unit (41 a) can be positioned. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the first and / or the second exchange unit (41 a, 41 b) as a support wall (42 a, 42 b) is formed. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the removal station (140) is arranged after the turning station (50). Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the removal station (40) has two exchange units (141 a, 141 b) which are movable by a moving means (143), and that by the moving means (143), the first exchange unit (141 a) from the Transport path of the second horizontal conveyor (60) movable and the second exchange unit (141b) instead of the first exchange unit (141a) is positioned in this. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the first exchange unit (141a) has a support wall (142a) and the second exchange unit (141b) has two cooperating support walls (142b ', 142b "). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the removal station (240) outside the transport path of the first horizontal conveyor (20) and by the rotary station (50) can be loaded. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assembly and pressing station (80) comprises two support means (81 a, 81 b) each having a pressing plate (81 a ', 81 b'), wherein a pressing plate (81 a) stationary and a second press plate (81b) is disposed relatively movable to the first press plate (81a), and that the press plate (81a, 81b) is inclined with respect to the vertical by an angle, preferably 6 °. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the turning station (50) and the assembly and pressing station (80), a buffer station (70) is arranged, the support walls (71) preferably at an angle of 6 ° relative to the vertical, are arranged inclined. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second horizontal conveyor (60) has a plurality of independently drivable sections. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second horizontal conveyor (60) in the region of the buffer station (70) has at least two independently drivable sections.

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