US 7,094,299 B2 · Method for robotically applying large volumes of structural foam within automotive applications

Abstract

An innovative robotic foam application process that integrates system communications, non-contact vehicle insertion point locations, and applications controls to accurately dispense a two-component structural foam at a high volume and flow rate. The process begins by first inserting a baffle within the support structure. After an electrocoat application and bake, the baffles expand and are sealed within the support structure to form cavities having a fill hole. A hydraulic driven robotic dispensing system equipped with a high-pressure static mixer senses the respective fill hole, moves a robotic arm to a location sensed, and injects a high volume of mixed two-component viscous material within each of the respective located fill holes at a high fill rate. After dispensing, the viscous material undergoes an exothermic curing reaction to cure and is expanded to substantially fill each cavity.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method for reinforcing hollow support structures comprising:

providing the hollow support structure having an inner wall and a fill hole;
introducing a pair of baffles within the hollow support structure;
applying an electrocoat coating to said hollow support structure and said pair of baffles;
heating said hollow support structure within an oven to expand said pair of baffles to seal to said inner wall of said hollow support structure, therein forming a cavity defined between each of said pair of baffles and within said inner wall;
forming a two-component viscous fluid within a robotic viscous fluid application device;
injecting a high volume of said two-component viscous fluid from said robotic viscous fluid application device through said fill hole at a high fill rate, wherein said two-component viscous fluid reacts to form a reacted viscous fluid and wherein said reacted viscous fluid expands to form a foam that substantially fills said cavity.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for robotically applying large volumes of structural foam within automotive applications

Life of this patent

Method for robotically applying large volumes of structural foam within automotive applications

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7