US 12,227,246 B2
Method and processing station for connecting components of a vehicle body
Heiko Presser, Freisen (DE); and Dominic Doering, Merchweiler (DE)
Assigned to thyssenkrupp Automotive Body Solutions GmbH, Heilbronn (DE); and thyssenkrupp AG, Essen (DE)
Filed by thyssenkrupp Automotive Body Solutions GmbH, Heilbronn (DE); and thyssenkrupp AG, Essen (DE)
Filed on Aug. 4, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/230,246.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2022 208 113.7 (DE), filed on Aug. 4, 2022; and application No. 10 2022 208 453.5 (DE), filed on Aug. 15, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0043079 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. B62D 65/02 (2006.01); F16B 2/00 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 65/022 (2013.01) [F16B 2/00 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A processing station for connecting a first component of a vehicle body to a second component of a vehicle body, the processing station comprising:
a geometry clamping station and a clamping jig, wherein the clamping jig is disposed on a mobile support unit which by means of a first drive unit can be moved horizontally, and wherein the geometry clamping station includes a receptacle unit configured to receive a workpiece holder, wherein the receptacle unit is assigned a second drive unit by way of which the receptacle unit can be moved in vertically, and the processing station is assigned a control unit configured to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit in such a manner that the clamping jig and the workpiece holder are moved to a connecting position in which the first component can be connected to the second component;
wherein the clamping jig of the processing station is configured to receive the first component, and the geometry clamping station is configured to receive the workpiece holder that supports the second component, wherein the control unit is configured to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit in such a manner that, simultaneously, the first component received by the clamping jig is moved horizontally at a horizontal movement speed by the first drive unit and the second component received by the receptacle unit by way of the workpiece holder is moved vertically at a vertical movement speed by the second drive unit, wherein the horizontal movement speed and the vertical movement speed are such that the first and second components are simultaneously moved toward one another and attain the connecting position at a defined angle that is neither horizontal nor vertical and that is based on geometries of the first and second components.