Application device designed to apply a seal to a body element of a vehicle and method

An application device for applying a seal to a body element of a vehicle, the application device comprising:

• a guide to supply continuous material to an outlet of the application device;
• a first imaging sensor or device to check a predetermined end portion of the continuous material for the presence of at least one predetermined defect marking;
• and,
• a second imaging sensor or device positioned adjacent the outlet and disposed immediately upstream of a cutting blade of the outlet installation which, in the presence of the at least one predetermined defect marking in the predetermined end portion, detects an end position of the predetermined at least one defect marking along a longitudinal direction of the continuous material, the end position being determined based on a descending flank of a detection signal corresponding to the presence of the defect marking;
• wherein in the absence of the predetermined defect marking in the predetermined end portion, a cutting blade associated with the outlet severs the predetermined end portion of the supplied continuous material for application to the body element;
• wherein in the presence of the at least one predetermined defect marking in the predetermined end portion, the cutting blade severs an elimination portion of the supplied continuous material for supply to an elimination installation, the elimination portion comprising (i) a defective portion which is delimited by a material start of the supplied continuous material and the end position of the predetermined defect marking along the longitudinal direction of the continuous material and (ii) a safety margin portion extending from the end position of the predetermined defect marking to a cutting location having a predetermined safety margin spacing from the end position.