# US 11,440,077 B2 · Method for producing a sealed folded connection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,077 B2 - Document ID: US11440077B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/534,323 - Filed: 2019-08-07 - Published: 2020-02-20 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-16 - Assignees: Tesa SE - Applicants: tesa SE - Inventors: Christoph Mette; David Tuffe; Klaus Keite-Telgenbüscher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440077B2 ## CPC - B21D 39/028: {Reinforcing the connection otherwise than by deforming, e.g. welding} - C09J 5/00: Adhesive processes in general; Adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. relating to primers - B21D 39/021: {for panels, e.g. vehicle doors} - B21D 53/88: other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards - B62D 27/00: Connections between superstructure {or understructure} sub-units {(B62D33/0207, B62D33/044 take precedence; between sub-units predominently made of synthetic material B62D29/048)} - B62D 27/026: {Connections by glue bonding (in general F16B11/00; processes C09J5/00)} - B62D 29/005: {preformed metal and synthetic material elements being joined together, e.g. by adhesives} - B62D 65/024: {Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components} - C09J 7/10: without carriers - C09J 2301/21: the adhesive layer being formed by alternating adhesive areas of different nature - C09J 2400/163: in the substrate - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - C09J: ADHESIVES; NON-MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF ADHESIVE PROCESSES IN GENERAL; ADHESIVE PROCESSES NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; USE OF MATERIALS AS ADHESIVES (preparation of glue or gelatine C09H) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract Systems and methods produce or provide a folded connection, sealed by means of an adhesive composition, between a first sheetlike element and a second sheetlike element. The systems and methods bond a second flange of the second sheetlike element with at least one layer of an adhesive composition to a first flange of the first sheetlike element, in such a way that an end of the second flange of the second sheetlike element is indented by a distance relative to an end of the first flange of the first sheetlike element. The systems and methods bead the first flange of the first sheetlike element around the second flange of the second sheetlike element and, after the beading, an adhesive-composition part is placed around an edge of the first flange of the first sheetlike element and bonded to a second surface of the first flange of the first sheetlike element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing a folded connection, sealed by means of an adhesive composition, between a first sheetlike element and a second sheetlike element, wherein the first sheetlike element comes to lie externally with respect to the folded connection and the second sheetlike element comes to lie internally with respect to the folded connection, a first flange of the first sheetlike element has a first end, a first surface, and a second surface opposite with respect to the first surface of the first flange and is taken back over a second flange of the second sheetlike element, and the second flange of the second sheetlike element has an end, a first surface, and a second surface opposite with respect to the first surface of the second flange, the method comprising: (I) bonding the second flange of the second sheetlike element with at least one layer of an adhesive composition to the first flange of the first sheetlike element, in such that an end of the second flange of the second sheetlike element is indented by a distance (A) relative to the first end of the first flange of the first sheetlike element; (II) beading the first flange of the first sheetlike element around the second flange of the second sheetlike element to produce a beaded edge, wherein, after the beading of (II), an adhesive-composition part of the at least one layer of the adhesive composition protrudes from the beaded edge by a distance (a) from the first end of the first flange of the first sheetlike element and, at least in a region of the adhesive-composition part, a surface of the adhesive composition that bears on the second flange is less tacky than an adjacent surface of the adhesive composition which lies within the beaded edge; and (III) placing, after the beading of (II), the adhesive-composition part around an edge at the first end of the first flange of the first sheetlike element and bonding to the second surface of the first flange of the first sheetlike element, wherein, after the production of the folded connection, the adhesive composition on the first surface, with the adhesive composition on the second surface of the first flange of the first sheetlike element, on the edge at the first end of the first flange, forms a continuous layer covering the edge of the first flange of the first sheetlike element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in (I), the adhesive composition is initially applied to the first surface of the first sheetlike element, lying internally in the folded connection, in such a way that the adhesive-composition part overhangs the edge of the first flange of the first sheetlike element by the distance (a), wherein, at least in the region of the adhesive-composition part, the surface of the adhesive composition that is facing away from the first flange is less tacky than the adjacent surface of the adhesive composition that is facing away from the first flange and that does not lie in the region of the adhesive-composition part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in (I), the adhesive composition is firstly bonded around the end of the second flange, and so the adhesive-composition part is bonded on the second surface of the second flange of the second sheetlike element and a part of the adhesive composition is bonded on the first surface of the second flange of the second sheetlike element, in such a way that on the first surface of the second flange of the second sheetlike element, a segment of the adhesive composition with the length (a) adheres more weakly than the adjacent adhesive composition or does not adhere. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a lower tack on surface of the adhesive composition that bears on the second flange in a region of the adhesive-composition part is accomplished by chemical or physical deactivation of an adhesive-composition surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the chemical or physical deactivation of the adhesive-composition surface is by poisoning, covering, or irradiating. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the surface of the adhesive composition that bears on the second flange in a region of the adhesive-composition part is substantially nontacky. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: (IV) activating the adhesive composition that is an activatable adhesive composition and producing the folded connection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive composition is applied as an adhesive tape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the adhesive tape is single-layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the adhesive tape is provided at least partially with a carrier material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the carrier material has a softening temperature that lies below the activation temperature of the adhesive composition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive composition is a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a hotmelt adhesive composition, an activatable adhesive composition, or an activatable pressure-sensitive adhesive composition. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the adhesive composition is an expandable adhesive composition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the expansion of the adhesive composition takes place parallel to the activation in (IV) or subsequent to (IV). ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A folded connection obtainable by the method of claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An adhesive tape comprising the folded connection of claim 15. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) An automobile construction comprising the folded connection of claim 15. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The automobile construction of claim 17, wherein the automobile construction is at least one bodywork manufacture.