Joining device and joining process

Abstract

A joining method and to a joining device (1) for joining roof skins (11) to parts (4) of vehicle bodies (3) is provided. The joining device (1) includes one or more joining grippers (2), which are comprised of at least one frame (24), of a number of gripping elements (29, 30), of at least one pressing strip (27), which acts upon the roof skin (11), and of an associated adjusting device (32). The pressing strip (27) is adapted to the joining contour (6) of the part (4) and has one or more dimensionally stable strip segments (33, 34, 35, 36, 37) that, independent of one another, are mounted on a strip support (26) with a limited flexibility in the direction of adjustment (41). The roof skin (11) with the joining part edge (13) thereof, is pressed against and fixed to the contact area (7) of the part (4) by means of the strip segments (33, 34, 35, 36, 37) and, optionally, is permanently deformed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.