Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING
A HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE AND A HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE
Description
The invention concerns a device for production of a honeycomb structure
according to the
preamble of claim 1. The invention further concerns a method for production of
a honeycomb
structure according to the preamble of claim 19. The invention further
concerns a honeycomb
structure according to the preamble of claim 32.
Prior art
Use of honeycomb core materials in the production of structural elements, like
doors, floors, side
walls or ceiling walls, is known. Ordinarily the honeycomb core material is
joined on one side or
both sides to a cover layer in order to form a plate-like structural element.
The honeycombs are
configured as hexagonal honeycombs, which are also referred to as honeycomb-
like structures.
Document WO 2008/003015 discloses a device and method for production of a
honeycomb
structure. The honeycomb structure disclosed in it has the drawback that it
has only restricted
stability. The use possibilities of lightweight walls produced with such
honeycomb structures are
therefore limited.
Presentation of the invention
The task of the invention is to form economically more advantageous honeycomb
structures that
can be produced especially cost-effectively, which have increased stability
and, in particular,
permit production of more advantageous lightweight walls.
This task is solved, in particular, with a device for production of a
honeycomb structure from
strip material, comprising a feed and forming device, which forms a structured
strip from the
strip material and also determines a conveyance speed of the structured strip,
and also including
a stop device with a feed channel, in which the stop device is positioned
after the forming device
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so that the structured strip can be fed to the feed channel and in which the
honeycomb structure
has a stop edge, which runs parallel to the feed channel and in which the stop
device includes a
stop and stop means, configured movable so that the structured strip can be
connected to a stop
edge of the honeycomb structure. Dependent claims 2 to 18 concern additional
advantageous
embodiments of the devices.
The task is further solved in particular with a method for production of a
honeycomb structure
from strip material where the strip material is formed into a structured strip
and in which the
structured strip is fed to a stop edge of honeycomb structure and in which the
structured strip is
joined to the stop edge so that the structured strip becomes part of the
honeycomb structure.
Dependent claims 20 to 30 concern additional advantageously configured method
steps.
The task is further solved with a honeycomb structure comprising a number of
structured strips,
in which each strip has contact sections and in which opposite contact
sections and two adjacent
structured strips are mutually joined to form a thermoplastic or thermosetting
joint and in which
the structured strips in the transitional area between the contact sections
have deflections running
in arc-like fashion, but no kinks.
The production device according to the invention in a preferred embodiment is
configured to a
certain extent similarly to a loom. A woven fabric produced with a loom has
warp and weft
threads in which the weft threads are held together by the warp threads. In
weaving terminology
the structured strip to be fed according to the invention corresponds to a
weft thread. The
function of the warp thread is taken over in the production device according
to the invention and
in the produced honeycomb structure by fixed joining of the fed structured
strip to the
honeycomb structure, in which case this joint can be configured as a
thermoplastic joint, a
thermosetting joint or a glue joint. Because of the relatively large
similarity between the
production device according to the invention and a loom, like an air or
gripper loom, the
production device according to the invention has a number of properties that
were previously
known only in looms. As in looms, the production device according to the
invention permits feed
of a number of possibly also differently structured strips in which the
structured strips can differ,
for example, in terms of structure, weight, width B, color or material. In
addition to structured
strips, a number of other materials or structures can be fed, for example, a
channel having a
channel element. The structure of the honeycomb structure according to the
invention is
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preferably formed from strip-like material containing cellulose or paper. If
necessary, however, it
is possible to include additional other material in the honeycomb structure.
As a first
approximation, it can be assumed that such materials can be joined to the stop
edge of the
honeycomb structure, which can be firmly joined to the stop edge of the
honeycomb structure,
for example, also by gluing.
The production device according to the invention includes at least a feed
device, which can
supply a structured strip to the stop device. The stop device includes a feed
channel into which
the structured strip can be introduced and then stopped on a stop edge of a
honeycomb structure.
A variety of possible honeycomb structures can be produced with the production
device
according to the invention, since the production device according to the
invention has
extraordinarily high flexibility.
The honeycomb structure according to the invention has the advantage that it
consists of a
number of structured strips, which are joined to each other via a
thermoplastic joint or
thermosetting joint. The honeycomb structure therefore has advantageous
mechanical stability.
The method according to the invention has the advantage that the honeycomb
structure can be
produced cost-effectively. In addition, the honeycomb structure can be
produced in a number of
possible forms and widths. The honeycombs can be produced in a number of
possible geometric
shapes. In another advantageous method linear or straight honeycomb strips are
produced in a
first partial method step and in a second partial method step the linear
honeycomb strips are
joined to each other, for example, by gluing, so that a flat honeycomb
structure is formed. This
method permits individual honeycomb strips to be produced in a number of
possible geometric
shapes, for which reason the honeycomb structures can also be produced in a
number of possible
structures. The honeycomb strips of the structured strips can be produced in a
variety of widths,
in which case this width determines the height of the honeycomb structure, for
which reason
honeycomb structures of different constant height can be produced in a very
simple fashion. It is
also possible to produce honeycomb strips or structured strips with different
width, which makes
it possible to produce a honeycomb structure with different height.
The method according to the invention permits production of honeycomb
structures or
honeycomb strips, starting from a strip material or starting from a strip-like
material. Cellulose is
advantageously used as strip material, in which case the strip material is
provided and coated
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preferably with the thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic or in which the
strip material is
impregnated with a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic before the honeycomb
structure is
produced as strip material. The strip material can also consist of another
material, for example, a
plastic.
It can prove to be advantageous to provide the strip material and/or honeycomb
structure with a
silicate, by dipping it into a silicate or spraying it with silicate, which
permits production of
fireproof or fire-retardant honeycomb strips or strip material and therefore
also production of
honeycomb structures with such properties.
In another advantageous embodiment the honeycomb strips or structured strips
can also be
produced in three dimensions, in which case a honeycomb structure comprising a
number of
such honeycomb strips or structured strips also has a three-dimensional
course. The method
according to the invention therefore permits production of honeycomb
structures according to
requirements in a number of possible three-dimensionally extending structures.
The method according to the invention and the device according to the
invention for production
of honeycomb structures permit cost-effective production of the honeycomb
structures and also
permit production of honeycomb structures in a number of shapes and
thicknesses, and with a
number of possible honeycomb geometries. The honeycomb structures according to
the
invention can serve as core material. The honeycomb structures according to
the invention can
also be provided on both sides with a cover plate in order to produce
especially lightweight walls
with a sandwich structure, in which case the lightweight walls consist of a
core with a
honeycomb structure and cover plates arranged on both sides of the honeycomb
structure.
The invention is explained in detail below with reference to practical
examples.
Brief description of the drawings
The drawings used to explain the practical examples show:
Figure 1 - a schematic perspective view of the production device;
Figure la - a schematic, perspective view of another production device;
Figure 2 - a perspective view of a heating device;
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Figure 3 - a perspective view of a forming device;
Figure 4 - a perspective view of a joining device;
Figure 5, 5a, 5b - several practical examples of a first embossing wheel;
Figure 6, 6a, 6b, 6c - several practical examples of structured strips;
Figure 7, 7a - two practical examples of a honeycomb strip;
Figure 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f - differently configured structured strips;
Figure 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e - differently configured honeycomb strips;
Figure 10 - schematic side view of the production device;
Figure 10a - schematic side view of another production device;
Figure 10b - a detailed view of the press device depicted in Figure 10a;
Figure 10c - another practical example of a forming and feed device;
Figure 10d - a practical example of a guide device with stop;
Figure 10e - a detailed view of the press device depicted in Figure 10d;
Figure 10f, 10g, 10h, 10i - different methods steps during joining of a
structured strip to a
honeycomb structure;
Figure 10k - schematic top view of a stop device;
Figure 101, 10m, 10n, 10o - different method states during joining of a
structured strip to a
honeycomb structure in a top view on the stop device;
Figure 10p - schematic top view of a stop device having a device to support
feed by means of a
gaseous fluid;
Figure 11 ¨ schematically, another practical example of a forming device;
Figure 12 ¨ schematically, a guide device for forming of a honeycomb strip;
Figure 13 - a side view of the three-dimensionally shaped honeycomb structure;
Figure 14 - another practical example of a two-dimensionally shaped honeycomb
structured;
Figure 15 - a detail view of joining of a honeycomb structure to a cover
plate;
Figure 16 - side view through a honeycomb structure provided with cover
layers;
Figure 17 ¨ schematic side view of another production device;
Figure 18 - a top view of a cutting device, especially for production of
narrower strips;
Figure 19 - another practical example of a production device;
Figure 20 - another practical example of a press device;
Figure 21 - another practical example of a production device;
Figure 22 - another practical example of a production device;
Figure 23 - schematic top view of another practical example of a production
device;
Figure 24 - side view of a produced honeycomb structure;
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Figure 24a - a top view of a produced honeycomb structure;
Figure 25 - a side view of a strip;
Figure 25a - a top view of another produced honeycomb structure;
Figure 25b - a view of the front of the honeycomb structure depicted in Figure
25a;
Figure 26 - a side view of a first embossing wheel with a ferromagnetic
sprocket;
Figure 26a - a perspective view of the embossing wheel depicted in Figure 26;
Figure 26b - a detailed view of intermeshing of the embossing teeth of the
first and second
embossing wheels;
Figure 26c - a section along line c-c of the embossing wheel depicted in
Figure 26;
Figure 26d - a side view of another practical example of an embossing tooth;
Figure 27 - a schematic side view of two embossing wheels arranged next to
each other;
Figure 28 - a strip with stipulated shape with protruding tabs;
Figure 28a - a top view of a strip according to Figure 28 arranged in a
honeycomb structure;
Figure 29 - a schematic top view of another production device;
Figure 29a - a side view of a sandwich plate during production;
Figure 29b - a schematic top view of another production device;
Figure 29c - a side view of another sandwich plate during production.
In principle, the same parts in the drawings are provided with the same
reference numbers.
Ways to execute the invention
Figure 1 schematically and three-dimensionally depicts a device 1 for
continuous production of a
honeycomb structure 10. The honeycomb structure 10 lies on a conveyor belt 9
moving in a
conveying direction 9a, in which honeycomb strips 13 are continuously fed in
the conveying
direction 9a to the rear end of honeycomb structure 10 and glued at the end to
the honeycomb
structure 10 so that the glued honeycomb strips 13 become a part of the
honeycomb structure 10
and thereupon an additional honeycomb strip 13 can be glued onto the honeycomb
structure 10.
The depicted production device 1 includes two not visible holding devices 20
with feed rolls, on
which a strip material 2, especially paper strips or cellulose strips, are
stored. The strip material 2
preferably has a constant width B, width B preferably lying in the range
between 2 cm and
25 cm. The width B determines the desired height in the honeycomb structure 10
so that,
depending on the desired height of the honeycomb structure 10, a
correspondingly wide strip
material 2 is used to produce the honeycomb strip 13.
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The strip material 2 is preferably pre-impregnated or impregnated or coated
with a polymer
material. The strip material 2 preferably consists of cellulose, especially
paper or scrap paper.
The strip material 2, however, could also be configured as a woven fabric,
especially as a glass
fiber fabric. The strip material 2 could also be configured as a fiberglass
mat or ceramic paper.
The strip material 2 could also consist of plastic, especially a
thermoplastic.
A thermosetting plastic is especially suited as polymer material.
Thermosetting plastics include
amino plastics and phenolic plastics, both of which are joined to each other
via methylene
bridges (-CH2-) or methylene ether bridges, but also synthetic resins, like
melamine resin,
phenolic resin or a melamine resin-phenolic resin derivative, epoxy resins,
crosslinked
polyacrylates and other crosslinked polymers. However, a thermoplastic is also
suitable as
polymer material, also called plastomers, which can be deformed in a specified
temperature
range. Thermoplastics include, for example, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene
(ABS), polyamide
(PA), polylactate (PLA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC),
polyethylene
terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS),
polyether ketone
(PEEK) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
The practical example of a device 1 depicted in Figure 1 uses strip material
2, 2a, 2b consisting
of a synthetic resin-coated or thermosetting plastic-coated paper strip or
cellulose strip to
produce the honeycomb structure 10. The strip material 2 is stored on feed
rolls (not shown). A
heating device 3 is arranged following the feed rolls, which heats the strip
material 2, 2a, 2b
removed from the feed rolls before the heated strip material 2c, 2d reaches
the forming device 4,
5, which produces structured strips 2e, 2f from the previously unstructured
strips 2c, 2d by
forming. The structured strips 2e, 2f produced after this processing step are
fed to a joining
device 6, in which the two strips 2e, 2f are positioned opposite each other in
their running
direction and are pressed against each other so that the opposite surfaces 2h,
2i, also referred to
as contact sections, mutually touch. A chemical reaction with a thermosetting
plastic means that
the two contact sections 2h, 2i of the two strips 2e, 2f form a thermosetting
joint, which forms a
connection after cooling that can no longer be plastified by thermal effects.
The two joined strips
2e, 2f form a honeycomb structure 2g, which is cut by means of a cutting
device 7 so that the
honeycomb structure 2g becomes a honeycomb strip 13 after the cutter. In the
depicted practical
example the honeycomb strip 13 lies on a support 8, which is mounted to pivot
around a center
of rotation 8b in rotational direction 8a. It can prove to be advantageous to
cool the honeycomb
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structure 2g or the honeycomb strip 13 situated on support 8 by means of a
corner device 11, for
example with supplied air 11a in order to cool the heated honeycomb strip 13
in so doing.
The method for continuous production of a honeycomb structure 10 can therefore
occur, in that
two strip materials 2a, 2b provided with a polymer material are formed to
structured strips 2e, 2f;
the two structured strips 2e, 2f are combined and joined to each other to a
honeycomb structure
2g, in which case a thermoplastic or thermosetting joint is formed between the
two structured
strips 2e, 2f, the honeycomb structure 2g is cut in a predetermined length to
a honeycomb strip
13, honeycomb strip 13 has a stop side 13b intended to stop on a stop edge 10a
of the
honeycomb structure 10, the stop side of the honeycomb strip 13 and/or the
stop edge 10a of the
honeycomb structure 10 is provided with glue and the stop side 13b of the
honeycomb strip 13 is
fed to the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 and glued to it so that
the honeycomb
strip 13 forms part of honeycomb structure 10, in which case the last supplied
and glued-on
honeycomb strip 13 forms a stop edge 10a, to which the next honeycomb strip 13
is glued.
Figure 2 shows the heating device 3 depicted in Figure 1 in detail. It
includes six heatable,
rotatable rolls 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, each two opposite rolls producing a
mutual pressure in order
to exert a pressure force on the strip material 2. The fed strip material 2 is
heated, on the one
hand, in the heating device 3 and pressed under pressure, on the other hand,
so that the synthetic
resin is heated and the strip material 2 is preferably fully impregnated by
synthetic resin. In an
advantageous embodiment the surfaces of the rolls 3a to 3f are coated with a
dirt-repellant layer
or with a non-stick surface. The rolls 3a to 3f could be made, for example,
from chromium steel
and have a surface coating of nanoparticles, which prevent adhesion of
contaminants, like
synthetic resin. Advantageously a cleaning device 19 is also provided, which
is only depicted
schematically in Figure 2 and which serves especially to clean contaminants
from the surfaces of
rolls 3a to 3f, which come in contact with the strip material 2, 2a, 2b.
Figure 3 shows a practical example of a forming device 4 in detail. The heated
and therefore
particularly flexible and simple deformable strip material 2c is fed to the
forming device 4 and
then has the predefined structure because of the shape of the forming device
4. In the depicted
practical example two opposite embossing wheels 4a, 4b are used for this
purpose, a first
embossing wheel 4a, which engages in a second embossing wheel 4b. The
embossing wheels 4a,
4b are configured as gears with embossing teeth 4c arranged at a spacing in
the peripheral
direction, in which recesses 4d or base surfaces 4d with subsequent side
surfaces 4g are arranged
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in the peripheral direction between the embossing teeth 4c. In the depicted
practical example a
second embossing wheel 4b is configured opposite the first embossing wheel 4a
so that one
embossing tooth 4c of the first embossing wheel 4a engages in a recess 4d of
the second
embossing wheel 4b and vice versa so that, as shown in Figure 3, strip
material 2c is shaped into
the shape specified by the geometry of the embossing wheels 4c so that a
structured strip 2e is
formed with a lower surface 2i, an upper surface 2h and side surfaces 2k.
Since the structure of
the structured strip 2e is determined by the geometry of the embossing wheels
4a, 4b, it is
possible in very simple fashion to generate structured strips 2a with
different structure so that
embossing wheels 4a, 4b with a differently shaped peripheral surface are used.
For example, the
surface of the first embossing wheel 4a running in the peripheral direction
can be altered so that
the embossing tooth 4c has a wider or narrower surface in the peripheral
direction or that the
base surface 4d has a wider or narrower surface in the peripheral direction or
that the embossing
tooth 4c has a different shape and, for example, is configured round, or that
the side surfaces 4g
are configured differently with respect to shape or also with respect to
depth. In addition, the
total diameter of the embossing wheel 4a can be chosen according to
requirements, which means
that structured strips 2e can be produced in a large variety of shapes because
of the variety of
arrangement possibilities and configuration possibilities of embossing teeth
4c, as shown, for
example, in Figures 8a to 8f.
The forming device 5 depicted in Figure 1 is configured identical to the
forming device 4
depicted in Figures 1 and 3.
Figures 9a to 9e show practical examples of differently configured honeycomb
strips 13, which
consist of two combined and joined structured strips 2e. Figure 9a shows a
large honeycomb
structure. Figure 9b shows a honeycomb structure having the same shape as the
honeycomb
structure depicted in Figure 9a, in which the honeycomb structure according to
Figure 9b is
configured much smaller in terms of dimension. Figure 9c shows another
honeycomb structure
13, which, however, has a much larger length in the running direction in
comparison with the
variant according to Figure 9b, which can be obtained by configuring the
embossing tooth 4c
much longer in the peripheral direction than the embossing tooth 4c used to
produce the structure
according to Figure 9b. Figure 9d shows another practical example of a
structured strip 2e, which
has a semi-round trend. This structure can also be produced by a
correspondingly shaped surface
trend of the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b. Figure 9e shows another
practical example,
in which, in contrast to the practical example according to Figure 9c, round
transitional sites
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were embossed. By corresponding configuration of the surface of the first and
second embossing
wheel 4a, 4b running in the peripheral direction, structured strips 2e can
therefore be produced in
a variety of possible structures and geometric dimensions.
Figure 4 shows a joining device 6 in detail. The two heated structured strips
2e, 2f are fed to the
joining device 6. The task of the joining device 6 is to mutually position the
two structured strips
2e, 2f in their running direction and weld them to each other. Mutual
positioning in the running
direction preferably occurs as shown so that a lower section 2i of the first
structured strip 2e is
brought into contact with an upper section 2i of the second structured strip
2f in order to produce
mutual joining of the two strips 2e, 2f and thus generate a honeycomb
structure 2g or honeycomb
strip 13. The joining device 6 has a first and second guide wheel 6a, 6b. The
guide wheels 6a, 6b
are configured as gears with teeth 6f, these teeth 6f forming on their front a
press surface 6c, in
which case a recess 6d with side walls 6e is arranged between teeth 6f
adjacent in the peripheral
direction. The geometry of the press surfaces 6c, recesses 6d and side walls
6e is configured
according to the geometry of the structured strips 2e, 2f so that the section
2i of the first
structured strip 2e as well as the section 2h of the second structured strip
2f are preferably
arranged opposite each other and then pressed together and joined so that the
honeycomb
structure 2g is formed. The joining device 6 depicted in Figure 4, on the one
hand, has the
advantage that the hot and flexible structured strips 2e, 2f can be positioned
very precisely by
means of the teeth 6f engaging in the strips 2e, 2f in the running direction
of strips 2e, 2f and, on
the other hand, has the advantage that the mutually touching sections 2i, 2h
of the two strips 2e,
2f are pressed against each other by the pressing force caused by the teeth 6f
so that a
particularly advantageous joint is formed, in which the two strips 2e, 2f are
firmly joined to each
other on the common contact sites after polymerization. This joint is also
subsequently referred
to as mutual "welding". In an advantageous variant a cleaning device 19 shown
only
schematically is provided in order to clean the surfaces of the first and
second guide wheels 6a,
6b from contamination, especially residues of the epoxy resin or synthetic
resin.
Figure 5 shows the first embossing wheel 4a with a number of teeth 4c arranged
spaced in the
peripheral direction in detail. Figure 6 shows as an example a section of the
first structured strip
2e, which was produced with the forming device 4 depicted in Figure 3 in
detail. The first
structured strip 2e has upper sections 2h, lower sections 2i and side sections
2k. In addition, the
strip 2e has transitional areas 2m, which are formed as kinks 2n. Figure 7
shows a section of a
honeycomb structure 2g and a section of a honeycomb strip 13 in detail. The
first structured strip
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2e and the second structured strip 2f are firmly joined to each other via the
polymerized contact
sites 2s, subsequently also referred to as "welding sites".
Figures 5a and 5b show additional practical examples of first embossing wheels
4a, which in
contrast to the variant depicted in Figure 5 have embossing teeth with
geometry rounded in the
peripheral direction so that especially at the transition sites of the
embossing tooth 4c to the side
surface 4g and side surface 4g to recess 4d a rounder arc-like transition is
produced without
kinks. In the practical example according to Figure 5b certain embossing teeth
4c are missing in
the peripheral direction. The strips 2e depicted in Figure 8f could be formed
with a forming
device 4, which includes the first embossing wheel 4a depicted in Figure 5b
and a second
embossing wheel 4b not shown, in which case the surface of the second
embossing wheel 4b is
configured opposite the surface of the first embossing wheel 4a in the
peripheral direction in
order to form the structured strip 2e depicted in Figure 8f.
A forming device 4 comprising two intermeshing embossing wheels 4a, one of
which is shown
in Figure 5a, has the advantage that because of the rounded embossing teeth 4c
structured strips
2c can be formed as depicted in Figure 6a or 6c. The structured strips 2e do
not have a kink 2n in
the transitional area 2m but have a curvature in transitional area 2m or an
arc-like trend, for
example, a curvature with a radius of curvature 2r.
Figure 6a shows a perspective view of a structured strip 2e, which, in
contrast to the structured
strip 2e depicted in Figure 6, has arc-like transitional areas 2m, that is,
transitional areas 2m
without kinks 2n. Figure 6c shows in a side view another practical example of
a structured strip
2e with arc-like or curved transitional areas 2m. The structured strip 2e also
has upper sections
2h, lower sections 2i and side surfaces 2k. The depicted strip 2e also has
turning points 2q, at
which an arc-like transitional area 2m grades into the next arc-like
transitional area 2m. Between
the two arc-like transitional areas 2m a linear section could also be arranged
so that no distinct
turning point 2q is formed between subsequent transitional areas 2m. The strip
2e depicted in
Figure 6c therefore has a curved trend, that is, a trend without kinks.
Figure 6b shows in a side view a partial section of the structured strip 2e
depicted in Figure 6
with kinks 2n. A shortcoming in this structured strip 2e is the fact that
movement or loading of
the strip 2e in direction 2o means that the kinks 2n are strongly loaded,
since subsequent partial
sections of the strip 2e are also moved in the movement direction 2p, which
results in weakening
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or rupturing of kinks 2n. Quite in contrast to this, the structured strip 2e
depicted in Figure 6c
with arc-like transitional areas 2m has the advantage that during movement of
loading strip 2e in
direction 2o no distinct loading site is formed because strip 2e is deformable
at a variety of
locations, just like a spring. In a structured strip 2e with arc-like
transitional areas 2m, as
depicted, for example, in Figure 6a and 6c, no kinks 2n are formed in the
transitional area 2m
and therefore no weakenings or ruptures. The structured strip 2e with arc-like
transitional areas
2n therefore has significantly improved long-term behavior with respect to
rupture. A sandwich
plate having a honeycomb core with curved structured strips 2e as shown in
Figure 6c therefore
also has improved tensile loading and improved vibrational loading. Figure 7a
shows a section of
a honeycomb structure 2g and a section of a honeycomb strip 13 in detail, in
which it is formed
from structured strips 2e, 2f with arc-like transitional areas 2m. The first
structured strip 2e and
the second structured strip 2f are firmly joined or welded to each other via
the polymerized
contact sites 2s.
Figure 10 shows in detail the production device 1 in a side view. The
honeycomb structure 10
being produced lies on a support surface 9, in which the support surface 9 is
moved in the
conveying direction 9a. The honeycomb structure 2g is first pushed onto
support 8 during the
production process and then cooled in a preferred variant by means of a
cooling device 11 by
inflowing cooling air 11 a. As soon as the honeycomb structure 2g has reached
the prescribed
length, it is separated with the cutting device 7 so that a honeycomb strip 13
is formed. The
honeycomb strip 13 has a stop side 13b, which is provided by means of a glue
feed device 12
with a glue, in which the surfaces coming in contact with honeycomb structure
10 in particular
are provided with glue. The support 8 is mounted to rotate in rotational
direction 8a so that the
honeycomb strip 13a is rotated by 90 , as shown, and then placed on the
support surface 9. A
pusher 17 then pushes the honeycomb strip 13a in displacement direction 9a to
stop edge 10a of
honeycomb structure 10 until the honeycomb strip 13a with its stop side 13b
lies against the stop
edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 so that it is glued to the stop edge
10a of honeycomb
structure 10 and the honeycomb strip 13 becomes part of the honeycomb
structure 10. This
glued-on honeycomb strip 10b therefore now forms a stop edge 10a for a
subsequent honeycomb
strip 13a so that through this continuing process the honeycomb structure 10
becomes
increasingly longer in the displacement direction 9a and the honeycomb
structure 10 is so
formed.
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
13
Figure la schematically and three-dimensionally depicts another practical
example of a device 1
for continuous production of honeycomb structure 10. In contrast to the
practical example
depicted in Figure 1, the production device 1 depicted in Figure la uses only
one structured strip
2e, which is fed in the feed direction 21, in which case the structured strip
2e is produced by
means of the forming device 4, which comprises a first and second embossing
wheel 4a, 4b. As
soon as the completely required length of the strip 2e is introduced to
support 8, it is cut with a
cutting device 7 and the structured strip 2e then stopped against the stop
edge 10a of the
honeycomb structure 10. A feed roll with strip material 2 is arranged in front
of the forming
device 4, in which case the strip material passes through a heating device 3
and then is fed as
unstructured strip 2c to the forming device 4, whereupon the structured strip
2e is formed.
Stopping of the structured strip 2e against the stop edge 10a occurs in one
possible variant as
already described in Figure 10, in that the structured strip 2e is fed to
support 8, the structured
strip 2e is then cut with a cutting device 7 and provided with a glue,
whereupon the structured
strip 2e is pivoted on the support surface 9 and the structured strip 2e is
then fed, for example, by
means of a pusher 17 to the stop edge 10a so that the structured strip 2e is
glued to the
honeycomb structure 10 so that the structured strip 2e just glued on now forms
a stop edge 10a
for another structured strip 2e to be fed.
An individual structured strip 2e, or a number of at least two structured
strips 2e already joined
to each other, also referred to as honeycomb strip 13, can be fed in a variety
of ways to stop edge
10a of the honeycomb structure 10. Figure 10a schematically shows a structured
strip 2e for a
honeycomb strip 13, which lies on a support surface 9 and can be fed to the
stop edge 10a by
means of the pusher 17 moving in direction 17a. Beneath the support surface 9
a press device 21
is arranged, which includes punches 21a, 21b, which are positioned to move in
the vertical
direction 21c and in the horizontal direction 21d. Figure 10b shows in a top
view stopping of a
structured strip 2e on the stop edge 10a by means of press device 21. The
structured strip 2e is
first fed to the stop edge 10a of honeycomb structure 10. The punches 21a, 21b
are then raised in
the vertical direction 21c and then forced against each other in the
horizontal direction 21d so
that the structured strip 2e is forced against the stop edge 10a. The punches
21a, 21b are then
moved slightly back in the horizontal direction 21b and then moved in the
vertical direction 21c
until they are arranged beneath the support surface 9. The structured strip 2e
is then joined to the
honeycomb structure 10, forms part of the honeycomb structure 10 and also
forms the stop edge
10a for a subsequent structured strip 2e to be stopped. At the location of a
structured strip 2e a
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
14
honeycomb strip 13 could also be stopped in the same way against the stop edge
10a of the
honeycomb structure 10. The arrangement depicted in Figure 10b has the
advantage that the
press device 21 can exert via punches 21a, 21b a force on the stop edge 10a
and the structured
strip 2e so that the structured strip 2e is properly joined to the stop edge
10a. In an advantageous
embodiment no glue is required for this joining because a thermoplastic or
thermosetting joint is
formed between the stop edge 10a and the structured strip 2e in contact with
it. In an
advantageous embodiment the punches 21a, 21b are heatable in order to heat the
stop edge 10a
and the structured strip 2e at the contact location and improve mutual joining
in so doing.
The production device 1 for honeycomb structures 10 depicted in Figure 1 a
includes in particular
a feed device 32, a stop device 34, a control device 30 and a support surface
9. The feed device
32 includes especially a forming device 4, a heating device 3, as well as a
cutting device 7. The
stop device 34 includes all necessary means in order to stop the structured
strip 2e on the
honeycomb structure 10 so that the structured strip 2e becomes part of the
honeycomb structure
10. The means required for the stop device 34 are shown in the subsequent
figures. The control
device 30 is of special significance for operation of the production device 1.
In one possible
embodiment the control device 30 controls the heat generated by the heating
device 3 and the
speed of the forming device 4. The speed of the forming device 4 is of special
significance, since
it determines, on the one hand, the feed speed of the structured strip 2e in
the conveying
direction 21 to the stop device 34. In addition, the rotational speed of the
forming device 4
determines the takeoff speed of the strip material 2 from the feed roll and
the speed of the
unstructured strip 2c. This speed also determines the dwell time of the
unstructured strip 2c in
the heating device 3. In another advantageous embodiment the forming device 4
also has a
heating device, which is controllable via the control device 30.
In the depicted practical example the control device 30 is connected via an
electrical line 31a to a
speed sensor (not shown) in order to measure the speed of the unstructured
strip 2c. An electrical
line 31b is connected to the heating device 3 in order to supply it with the
target value for the
heat energy to be released and/or to measure the temperature in the heating
device and/or the
unstructured strip 2c. An electrical line 3c is connected to the forming
device 4 in order to
control the rotational speed of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b and to control the
mutual pressing
pressure of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b and the heat released by the embossing
wheels 4a, 4b.
An electrical line 31d controls a motor (not shown), which controls the
rotational movement 8a
of the support 8. An electrical line 31e controls a motor (not shown), which
controls the
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
_
displacement speed of the support surface 9 in the movement direction 9a. An
electrical line 31f
controls a cutting device 7 in order to separate the structured strips 2e. An
electrical line 31g
detects a signal of a sensor 24, which detects the location of the structured
strip 2e and which
especially detects complete entry of strip 2e. An electrical line 31h controls
any cutting or
punching device 23 that is present, which changes the strip material 2 in its
shape by cutting or
punching. Production device 1 can also include a number of additional sensors
and/or actuators,
which are not shown in detail, and which can be monitored and/or controlled
especially by the
control device 30.
Figure 10c discloses partial components of a particularly advantageous
production device 1. The
feed device 32, including the heating device 3, the forming device 4, as well
as the cutting device
7, is configured and arranged so that the structured strip 2e is fed aligned
to the support surface 9
so that it need not longer be turned as shown in Figures 1 and la, but already
has the required
position for stopping against the stop edge 10a. The structured strip 2c is
introduced over the
width of the support surface 9, in which the strip 2e has an upright position
or in which the strip
2e runs perpendicular to the support surface 9. In an advantageous embodiment
a guide device
26 is provided, which limits the movement freedom of the structured strip 2e
at least on one side
so that it is reliably and preferably almost linearly introduced over the
support surface 9. In an
advantageous embodiment the guide device 26 also includes an entry area 26a,
26b that widens
funnel-like, only the footprint of the entry area 26b being shown.
Figure 10d shows another practical example of a guide device 26, which is
configured as a stop
27. The stop 27 preferably has a structure on the side facing the structured
strip 2e so that it
corresponds to the course of the structured strip 2e, that is stop side 27h
facing the structured
strip 2e has recessed sites 27a, raised sites 27b and sloped sites 27c, which
corresponds with a
geometric trend of the structured strip 2e. In an advantageous embodiment the
stop side 27h also
has holes 27d, through which a gaseous fluid can be released or drawn in. In
another
advantageous embodiment the support surface 9 has perforation 9b, only one
perforation 9b
being shown, in which case a perforation 9b is preferably arranged directly
before each recessed
site 27a and directly before each raised site 27b. A punch 21 is preferably
arranged in the
perforation 9b, which is described below in detail. In another advantageous
embodiment the
guide device 26 with a stop 27 is mounted to move at least in the movement
direction 27e of the
guide device 26 or at least in the vertical direction 27b or at least in the
movement direction 27g
of the support surface 9.
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
16
Figure 10e shows a cutout of a honeycomb 10 with stop edge 10a, in which a
structured strip 2e
is joined to this stop edge 10a. For this purpose a punch is raised from
beneath the support
surface 9 so that the stop edge 10a and the structured strip 2e come to lie
between the raised site
27b of the stop 27 and punch 21a, in which case punch 21a produces a pressing
force in
movement direction 21c in order to cause mutual joining of the sections of the
stop edge 10a and
the structured strip 2e lying between the raised site 27b and the punch 21a.
This stopping of the
structured strip 2e against the stop edge 10a is explained in Figures 10f to
10i in four consecutive
method steps in detail. In Figure 10f the punch 21a is situated beneath the
surface of the support
surface 9. In Figure lOg the punch 21a is raised through the perforation 9b
and the structured
strip 2e is also introduced. In Figure 10h the punch 21a is moved in direction
21c and the strip 2e
is welded to the stop edge 10a and in Figure 10i the punch 21a is attracted
downward again.
Figures 10k to 10p show another possible method for stopping of the structured
strip 2e against
the stop edge 10a in detail. Figure 10k shows in a top view the elements
required for stopping.
The stop 27 includes holes 27d for a gaseous fluid. The gas can flow from
holes 27d or gas can
be drawn in via holes 27d. The stop side 27h has recessed sites 27a, raised
sites 27b and sloped
sites 27c, in which a first set of punches 21a is arranged opposite the
recessed sites 27a and a
second set of punches 21b is arranged opposite the raised sites 27b. In
addition, the honeycomb
structure 10 with stop edge 10a and an introduced structured strip 2e are also
shown. In
Figure 10k the arrangement of the punches 21a, 21b recognizable from the top
is shown, in
which it is not depicted whether the punches 21a, 21b protrude above the
support surface 9.
Figures 101 to 10o now show a possible stop method in detail. The punches 21b
protrude above
the support surface 9 and are arranged directly behind the stop edge 10a of
the honeycomb
structure 10. An intermediate space is formed between the stop edge 10a and
the stop 27, in
which the structured strip 2e was introduced. Subsequently, in the method step
depicted in
Figure 10m, the two punches 21b are moved in direction 21c toward stop 27 so
that the stop edge
10a of the honeycomb structure 10 and the structured strip 2e are pressed
against each other
along the length of the punch 21b and along the length of raised site 27b. The
punches 21b are
then moved downward and a gaseous fluid, like air, is blown from the holes 27d
so that the stop
edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 is pushed away from stop 27. Figure 10n
shows a
subsequent method step in which the punches 21a are raised and engage in the
honeycomb
structure 10. The entire stop 27 is then shifted leftward so that the raised
sites 27b of stop 27
come to lie opposite the punches 21a. In addition, the structured strip 2e is
introduced between
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
17
the stop 27 and the stop edge 10a. As soon as this introduction occurs, the
punches 21a are
pushed in direction 21c to stop 27, in which case the raised sites 27b are
arranged opposite
punches 21a in order to press the structured strips 2e along the section of
the punches 21 against
the stop edge 10a and thus join the structured strip 2e to the honeycomb
structure 10. The
punches 21c are then moved downward and the stop 27, as shown in Figure 101 is
moved
rightward again in the movement direction 27e so that the method can continue
with the state
depicted in Figure 101.
Figure 101 shows the stop device 34 in one possible entry position, during
which the structured
strip 2e is introduced in the feed direction 21. Figure 10p shows the stop
device 34 in another
possible entry position, during which the structured strip 2e is introduced to
the feed direction 21.
The punches 21a are then in the raised position so that the structured strip
2e is introduced
between punches 21a and stop 27 and, if necessary, guided by the punches 21a
and stop 27. It
can prove advantageous to provide punches 21a and/or stop 27 with channels
27h, 21f that
conduct fluid, which are arranged so that a gaseous fluid emerging from these
channels 27h, 21f
causes a force acting in the feed direction 21 on the structured strip 2e. The
channels 27a, 21f run
within the stop 27 or within the punch 21a, for which reason the channels 27a,
21f are only
indicated. The outflowing gaseous fluid can also heat or cool the structured
strip 2e, depending
on the requirements, in which case the temperature and/or the outflow velocity
of the gaseous
fluid is chosen accordingly. An additional possibility for mechanically
supporting introduction of
the structured strip 2e is disclosed in Figure 101. For this purpose a pull-in
device 35 is used,
which is configured so that it can grasp the front part of the tip 2e and pull
the strip 2e in the
entry direction 21 through the opened partition, in the depicted practical
example from right to
left, in which case the strip 2e is grasped on the right side and pulled
leftward by the pull-in
device 35 through the opened partition. The pull-in device 35 in the depicted
practical example is
configured as a gripper 35a, which can grasp the tip of the strip 2e. The
gripper 35a is fastened to
a rod 35b, which can be moved in direction 35c so that the gripper 35a can be
moved to the input
area of the opened partition, i.e., up to the right side of the stop device 34
in the depicted
practical example so that the gripper 35a can grasp the tip of the strip 2e
and can fully pull the
strip 2e through the opened partition, in which case the gripper 35a is moved
in the entry
direction 21. After complete introduction of strip 2e, the gripper 35a
releases the tip of strip 2e so
that the gripper 35a is ready to introduce a subsequent strip 2e. Instead of a
gripper 35a, another
device could also be used, which is capable of holding the tip or front
section of the strip 2e, for
example, the device can generate a vacuum that holds strip 2e.
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
18
Figure 11 schematically depicts another practical example of forming device 4.
Instead of an
embossing wheel 4a, 4b configured as a gear, in this practical example two
oppositely arranged
punches 4e, 4f are used, which are mounted movable perpendicular to the
running direction of
strip 2c and which can deform the strip 2c so that the structured strip 2e is
formed.
Figure 12 schematically depicts a top view of a possible variant of a support
8, which in contrast
to the variant depicted in Figures 1 and 10, however, does not have a linear
but a curved guide
device 14 with side guides 14a and 14 so that the still flexible honeycomb
structure 2g acquires a
curvature during introduction into the guide device 14. The honeycomb strip 13
occurring after
cutting with the cutting device 7 therefore has a curved shape.
Figure 13 shows a side view of a composite plate 21 comprising a honeycomb
structure 10
formed from a number of honeycomb strips 13 depicted in Figure 12, in which
the honeycomb
structure 10 is joined on both sides to a lower cover plate 15 and upper cover
plate 16.
Since the honeycomb structure 2g fed in the guide device 14 is still
relatively soft and
deformable, honeycomb structures 2g and therefore honeycomb strips 13 can be
formed with a
wide variety of two- or three-dimensional shapes, in which the shape of the
honeycomb strip 13
is dictated by the corresponding guide device 14. Figure 14 shows another
practical example of a
honeycomb strip 13. This can extend in a two- or three-dimensional direction
in a variety of
shapes and, as depicted in Figure 10 can then be stopped on a stop edge 10a of
the honeycomb
structure 10. The support 9 must then naturally be configured according to the
course of the
honeycomb structure 10. In an advantageous variant, as shown in Figure 13, the
lower cover
plate 15 of the composite plate 21 being produced is used as support 9. It is
therefore possible to
produce honeycomb structures 10 and therefore composite plates 21 in a variety
of two- or three-
dimensional shapes.
Figure 15 shows a detail view of a section through a composite plate 21 with
honeycomb strips
13. The honeycomb strip depicted in cross section is produced, as shown in
Figure 7, from two
strips 2e, 2f, which are joined firmly to each other via the mutual contact
surfaces 2h, 2i. The
honeycomb strip 13 is connected firmly to the lower cover plate 15 via a
liquid joining agent 22,
especially a glue. In a particularly advantageous variant not only is the face
of the honeycomb
strip 13 facing cover plate 15 provided with glue 22, but lateral bulge-like
glue sites 22a, 22b are
formed, which offer the particular advantage that the honeycomb strip 13 is
better secured with
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
19
reference to the forces acting in the running direction 22c. The laterally
arranged glue sites 22a,
22b therefore increase the strength of the composite plate 21, especially with
reference to shear
forces acting in direction 22c.
Figure 16 shows a side view of another practical example of a composite plate
21 with
honeycomb structure 10 and with lower cover plate 15 and upper cover plate 16.
The honeycomb
structure 10 is formed from a number of honeycomb strips 13 arranged next to
each other with
sometimes different width, in which the width of the honeycomb strips 13 was
chosen so that the
honeycomb structure 10 has a varying height trend. In an advantageous
embodiment the strip
material 2 could have an increasing width B so that the section 21a of the
composite plate 21
depicted in Figure 16 can be produced in simple fashion with the production
device 1 depicted in
Figures 1 and 5, in which the produced honeycomb strips 13 become increasingly
wider.
Figure 17 schematically depicts another practical example of a production
device 1, which in
contrast to the production device 1 depicted in Figure 10 can simultaneously
produce three
honeycomb strips 13, in which case it has three separate supports 8 and the
three separate joining
devices 6 positioned in front and the three separate forming devices 4, 5. The
produced
honeycomb strips 13 are placed in succession as honeycomb strips 13a on the
conveyor belt 9,
where they are pushed individually by means of a pusher 17 moving in direction
17b to the stop
edge 10a of honeycomb structure 10 and glued there to the honeycomb structure
10. The pusher
17 is connected to a drive device via a rod 17a. The production device 1 can
be configured in a
number of possibilities and also in variants with only two or four or even
more simultaneously
producible honeycomb strips 13. A production device 1 configured in this way
permits
particularly rapid and high-performance production of the honeycomb structure
10.
Instead of pusher 17 or in addition to pusher 17, other devices can be
helpful, which permit
secure joining and insertion of the honeycomb strip 13 in the honeycomb
structure 10. A press
device 21 is depicted as a possible practical example of such a device in
Figure 21, which
includes punches 21a, 21b and 21d, which are configured so that they can
engage into the
internal space 21 of honeycomb strips 13 via movement in direction 21c in
order to press at least
two adjacent honeycomb strips 13 against each other and join them in so doing.
The press device
21 preferably has a number of punches 21a, 21b, 21c arranged next to each
other perpendicular
to the depicted view, preferably enough so that one punch 21a, 21b, 21c can
engage in each
internal space 21 of a honeycomb strip 13. In an advantageous embodiment the
pusher 17 could
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
also be dispensed with by moving the press device 21 so that the group of at
least two
honeycomb strips joined to each other becomes the stop edge 10a and is joined
to the honeycomb
structure 10.
For the production device 1 depicted in Figure 17, as shown in Figure 18, it
has proven to be
particularly advantageous to use a strip band 2 with triple width 3b, which is
pulled off in
direction A and cut by means of two cutting device 18 so that three strips 2c
of width B are then
available, each of which is fed to a heating device 3 and the subsequent
forming devices 4, 5 and
the subsequent joining devices 7.
Figure 19 shows another practical example of a production device 1. This
production device 1
has two feeds 20, on which strip material 2 stored on rolls is positioned. The
strip material 2a, 2b
is pulled from the roll and fed to the forming device 4 and the forming device
5 in order to
produce structured strips 2e, 2f. Production device 1 depicted in Figure 19 is
suitable, for
example, to produce fireproof honeycomb structures 10. For this purpose the
strip material 2, 2a,
2b is provided with a silicate, by impregnating the strip material 2, 2a, 2b
with a silicate, for
example, a two-component silicate resin. A paper, for example, cellulose, or a
ceramic fiber
paper or fiberglass mat is suitable as strip material 2, 2a, 2b. The strip
material 2, 2a, 2b is either
impregnated with silicate before it is stored on the roll or the strip
material 2 is provided with
silicate after pulling from the roll by passing the strip materials 2a, 2b
through a silicate liquid
before they are fed to the forming devices 4, 5. Honeycomb structure 10 is
otherwise produced as
described with Figure 1 by joining the two structured strips 2e, 2f in a
joining device 6, then
generating a honeycomb strip 13 and gluing it to the honeycomb structure 10.
Figure 20 shows another practical example of a press device 3 comprising two
conveyor belts 3h,
which are mounted to move on deflection rolls 3g in their running direction.
The conveyor belts
3h and/or the deflection rolls 3g exert a pressing force on the strip material
2 running in between.
It can prove advantageous to arrange an additional press device 3i and/or
heating device 3i in
order to produce additional pressing force on the strip material 2 and/or to
heat the strip material
2.
In the depicted practical example the heating rolls 3a-3f and/or the embossing
wheels 4a, 4b, 5a,
5b and/or the guide wheels 6a, 6b are each configured with roughly the same
width as the strip
material 2. However, it can prove advantageous to configure the mentioned
rolls and wheels
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
21
relatively wide, for example, 10 cm or even 20 cm wide so that a strip
material 2 of different
width up to 10 cm width or up to 25 cm width can be processed without changing
the rolls and
wheels. The geometric configuration of the structure of strips 2e, 2f can be
changed simply on
this account by replacing the embossing wheels 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b of the forming
devices 4, 5 with
embossing wheels 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, which are configured so that the strips 2e,
2f can be
correspondingly formed. The invention therefore has the advantage that the
structure of the strips
2e, 2f can be simply altered by replacing the embossing wheels 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b.
Figure 22 schematically and three-dimensionally depicts production of a
honeycomb structure 10
in which the honeycomb structure 10 lies on a conveyor belt 9 moving in a
conveying direction
9a. The honeycomb structure 10 has a stop edge 10a to which structured strips
2e are fed in a
manner not shown and stopped on it. Feeding of the strip 2e could occur with a
stop device 34 as
depicted in Figures 101 to 100. The produced honeycomb structure 10 has an
intermediate space
10f as well as a first partial honeycomb structure lOg and a second partial
honeycomb structure
10h. The first honeycomb structure lOg is possible, for example, by means of a
gripper 35
depicted in Figure 101, in which the gripper 35 positions the structured strip
2e intended for the
first partial honeycomb structure 1 Og on this stop edge 10a of the first
partial honeycomb
structure 10a so that it can be stopped there. Generation of an intermediate
space 10f has the
advantage that a sandwich structure, whose honeycomb core 10 is covered with a
cover layer,
has a cavity within the honeycomb core 10, namely, the intermediate space 2f.
Figure 23 schematically depicts a practical example of the production device
according to the
invention for production of a honeycomb structure 10. The production device 1
includes at least
a feed device 32 to feed a structured strip 2e, and includes a stop device 34
in order to position
the structured strip 2e in front of the stop edge 10a and then join it to the
honeycomb core 10.
The stop device 34, on the one hand, forms a feed channel 34a in order to
introduce the
structured strip 2e, starting from the feed device 32, and position it in
front of the stop edge 10a.
The stop device 34 also includes stop means, like punches 21a, 21b, in order
to join the
structured strip 2e to the stop edge 10a so that the strip 2e becomes part of
the honeycomb
structure 10. The production device 1 according to the invention is similar to
a loom. A fabric
produced with a loom has warp threads and weft threads in which the weft
threads are held
together by the warp threads. In weaving terminology the structured strip 2e
being introduced
corresponds to a weft thread. The function of the warp thread is assumed in
the production
device 1 according to the invention or the honeycomb structure 10 produced in
it by the fixed
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
22
joining of the introduced structured strip 2e with the honeycomb structure 10,
in which this
joining is configured as a thermoplastic joint, a thermosetting joint or a
glue joint. Because of the
relatively large similarity between the production device according to the
invention and a loom,
for example, an air or gripper loom, the production device 1 according to the
invention has a
number of properties that were previously known only in looms. As in looms,
the production
device 1 according to the invention permits introduction of a variety of
possible, also differently
structured strips 2e, 2f, in which the structured strips 2e, 2f can differ
with respect to structure,
weight, width B, color or material. In addition to structured strips 2e, 2f, a
number of other
materials or structures 28a, 28b, 28c can also be introduced, for example, a
channel element 28a
having a channel 28, as shown in Figure 24 and 24a. The structure of the
honeycomb structure
according to the invention is preferably formed from strip-like material
containing cellulose
or paper. If necessary, however, it is possible to include additional other
materials of the
honeycomb structure 10. As a first approximation it can be assumed that such
materials can be
joined to the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10, which can be firmly
joined to the stop
edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10, for example, also by gluing. If the
honeycomb structure
10, however, is additionally joined to the support surface 9 by configuring
the support surface 9
as a lower cover plate, or by covering the honeycomb structure 10 additionally
with an upper
cover plate, this lower and/or upper cover plate can assume the function of
"warp thread" at least
partially so that introduced materials need not necessarily be joined to the
honeycomb structure
10 via the stop edge 10a. It would therefore even be possible to form an
intermediate space 10f,
as depicted in Figure 22, in which this intermediate space 10f, in contrast to
the variant depicted
in Figure 22, would run perpendicular to the displacement direction 9a. The
production device 1
depicted in Figure 23 has a feed device 32 on both sides, which can feed a
structured strip 2e, 2f
to the stop device 34. A number of feed devices 33 can be provided, in which
the individual feed
devices 32 form geometrically differently shaped structured strips, for
example, structured strips
of different width B. In addition, feed devices can also be provided in order
to feed other
materials or other structures 28a, 28b, 28c to the stop device 34.
Figure 24 shows in a side view and Figure 24a in a top view a selection from a
variety of
possibilities for production of honeycomb structures 10 with the production
device 1 according
to the invention. The displacement direction during production of the
honeycomb structure 10
occurs in direction 9a, for which reason the structure of the depicted
honeycomb structure 10 is
started with the first introduced strip, the strip 2e depicted on the right.
It should then be noted
that in conjunction with the description of Figure 24 and 24a the term "strip"
is used, although
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
23
the honeycomb structure 10 no longer has strips, but forms an overall
structure. With the term
"strip" it is subsequently only explained how the honeycomb structure 10 was
constructed, in
which the depicted honeycomb structure 10 no longer has any "strips", since
these are firmly
joined to each other or melted to other or welded to each other. Beginning
from the right the
honeycomb structure 10 was produced by first stopping a strip 2e and then a
strip 2f and a strip
2e. A through element 28a was then stopped, which has a continuous channel 10e
and which
consists, for example, of a plastic or metal. A strip 2f and then a metal
strip 28c were then
introduced. Subsequently, a narrower strip 2f1 was introduced, in which this
was stopped flush
with honeycomb structure 10 on the top so that a recess 10d is produced on the
bottom. In order
to stop the narrow strip 2f1 it is necessary to arrange it previously
precisely on stop 27 in a
horizontal direction. This can occur by means of the arrangement depicted in
Figure 10d so that
the narrow strip 2f1 lies on the support surface 9 lying on stop 27 at the
recessed site 27a, raised
site 27b and sloped site 27c. Thereupon a vacuum is generated via holes 27d so
that the narrow
strip 2f1 lies firmly against stop 27. Thereupon the stop 27 is moved upward
in movement
direction 27f and the narrow strip 2f1 then stopped as depicted in Figure 10e
against the stop
edge 10a and therefore joined to the honeycomb structure 10. Instead of stop
27, the support
surface 9 and/or the honeycomb structure 10 could naturally also be moved in
the vertical
direction in order to position the strip 2f1 relative to the honeycomb
structure 10. Displacement
of the stop 27 in the displacement direction 27f has the advantage that a
strip 2e held by the stop
27 can be positioned quickly and precisely relative to honeycomb structure 10
and stopped. Back
to Figure 24 two narrow strips 2e2 and 2f2 would then be stopped following the
narrow strip 2f1,
in which no height adjustment of the stop 27 is necessary to stop these narrow
strips 2e2 and 2f2,
since these strips lie on the support surface 9 and are therefore positioned
on the stop edge 10a of
honeycomb structure 10. A strip 2e was then stopped. The narrow strip 2f1 was
then stopped first
in the same way as the already previously described narrow strip 2f1. The
narrow strip 2e2 was
then introduced on the support surface 9 and, as depicted in Figure 10e, also
stopped against the
stop edge 10a and therefore joined to the honeycomb structure 10. In the
practical example
according to Figure 24 this process was repeated, whereupon metal strip 28 was
introduced and
then a structured strip 2f introduced, which forms the stop edge 10a. A
continuous cavity 10e
was formed between strips 2f1 and 2e2, which can be used, for example, as a
channel, for
example, to pass through lines like electrical or water lines. The narrow
strips 2f1, 2f2 and/or 2e2
can be furnished via a feed device 32 by positioning a feed roll with strip
material 2 of this
narrow width. Another possibility of producing narrow strips 2f1, 212, 2e2
consists of processing
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
24
the strip material 2 with a cutting device 23 depicted in Figure la so that
narrower strips with the
required width can be generated starting from a strip material 2 with the
stipulated width B.
By means of a cutting or punching device 23 a strip material 2 with stipulated
width B can be
changed to a number of possibilities in order to produce in the strip material
2 the desired cutout
sites 2u or perforations 2v. Figure 25 shows as an example an unstructured
strip 2, 2a with a
cutout site 2u and a perforation 2v. Figure 25a shows a top view of a
honeycomb structure 10 in
which the unstructured strip 2a depicted in Figure 25 was used by feeding it
to the forming
device 32 and then feeding the structured strip 2e to the stop device 34 and
stopping it against the
stop edge 10a with a honeycomb structure 10. If all unstructured strips 2a
would be generated
with identically arranged cutout sites 2u and/or perforations 2v, these would
then run precisely in
the running direction 9a in Figure 25a. In the practical example according to
Figure 25a the
position of the cutout site 2u and the perforation 2v was changed in
succession so that the
depicted trend of the cutout site 2u and the perforation 2v was formed in a
honeycomb structure
10. Figure 25b shows a front view of the honeycomb structure 10 depicted in
Figure 25a.
Figure 26b shows a cutout of the forming device 4, namely meshing of the teeth
4c of the first
and second embossing wheels 4a, 4b in order to form the unstructured strip 3c
into a structured
strip 2e. In a particularly advantageous embodiment the surface of the teeth
4c is configured in
the peripheral direction of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b so that during rolling
of the embossing
wheels 4a, 4b a linear or flat pressing site 4p is produced, which runs
continuously along the
unstructured strip 2c. In an advantageous embodiment the transition site
between the unsaturated
strip 2c and the structured strip 2e is situated on the pressing site 4p. In a
preferred embodiment
the pressing site 4p is relatively short in the peripheral direction of the
embossing wheels 4a, 4b
and preferably has a length 4u between 1 mm and 10 mm. The shorter the length
4u of the
pressing site 4p, the higher the surface pressure produced at the pressing
site 4p on strips 2c, 2e.
A high surface pressure gives the advantage that the cellulose in strip 2c, 2e
crosslinks well with
the thermoplastic or thermosetting material. The surface pressure, for
example, has a pressure in
the range between 10 and 50 bar, especially about 20 bar.
Figure 26 shows in a side view a first embossing wheel 4a, whose outer part 4q
consists of a
ferromagnetic material and whose inner part 4r consists of a non-ferromagnetic
material or an
electrically non-conducting material. Figure 26a shows the first embossing
wheel 4a in Figure 26
in three-dimensional view. Figure 26c shows a section through the first
embossing wheel 4a
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
along line C-C, in which the outer part 4q and the inner part 4r are visible.
In the running
direction of the outer part 4a and at spacing relative to embossing wheel 4a
an induction device
4n is arranged on both sides, which is formed as a Helmholz coil in the
depicted practical
example. This induction device 4n together with the outer part 4q forms an
induction heater, in
which case the heat generated in the outer part 4q can be controlled via the
current and frequency
fed to the Helmholz coil. In an advantageous embodiment the inner part 4a
consists of a good
heat-conducting material so that heat generated in the outer part 4q can also
be quickly taken off
again. It can prove advantageous to also provide a cooling device, for
example, a fan arranged
next to embossing wheel 4a. The arrangement depicted in Figure 26c permits
rapid and very
precise hating of the outer part 4q and very rapid and very precise heating or
also cooling of the
strip 2c, 2e situated between the embossing wheels 4a, 4b. If the embossing
wheel 4a is
additionally provided with a cooling device, heating or cooling of the strip
2c, 2e can occur even
more precisely. The temperature, in addition to pressure, is the most
important parameter for
influencing the chemical reaction occurring in strip 2c, 2e, which occurs
based on
polymerization. The temperature is preferably regulated so that the strip 2c,
2e situated in the
embossing wheel 4a, 4b has a temperature in the range between 120 and 180 C.
Figure 26d shows in a side view another practical example of a particularly
advantageous
embodiment of an embossing tooth 4c of embossing wheel 4a. In contrast to the
embossing teeth
4c depicted in Figure 26 or 26b, the embossing tooth 4c depicted in Figure 26d
has a recess 4s,
which has a length 4t in the peripheral direction. In a particularly
advantageous embodiment of
embossing wheel 4a each embossing tooth 4c has a recess 4s with the same
length 4t, in which
case the geometric shape of recess 4s is of subordinate significance. The
recess 4s has the result
that, during rolling of the embossing wheels 4a in the running direction of
strip 2c, 2e, no
pressure site 4p is formed in sections anywhere the recess 4s of embossing
wheel 4a, 4b comes to
lie against the opposite embossing wheel 4b, 4a so that no or only very
limited pressure acts on
the strip 2c, 2e in this section. In Figure 6c such sections are designated 2x
in a possible practical
example. If the outer part 4q is heated, this has the result that the strip
2c, 2e in the section of
length 4t or in the section 2x is exposed to a lower temperature, since the
strip 2c, 2e is less
heated at this site. This means that crosslinking or the chemical reaction
occurring in strip 2c, 2e
does not occur or occurs less quickly. A structured strip 2e can therefore be
produced, which has
sections with a different polymerization state in the running direction, for
example, sections like
the side surfaces 2k, in which polymerization is further advanced, and
sections like section 2x in
which polymerization and/or crosslinking of cellulose with the thermoplastic
or thermosetting
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
26
plastic is still not far advanced or has scarcely occurred or not occurred at
all. Such a structured
strip 2e can be joined particularly advantageously to the stop edge 10a with
the honeycomb
structure 10 since, as depicted in Figure 10e, the sections situated between
the stop 27 and punch
21a correspond to section 2x according to Figure 6c. In a particularly
preferred embodiment the
punch 21a and the stop 27 are heated, preferably also with an induction
heater. In addition, a
pressure is preferably exerted via the punch 21a on this section situated
between the stop 27 and
punch 21a so that polymerization and/or crosslinking of the cellulose or
thermoplastic or
thermosetting plastic occurs and that two sections situated between stop 27
and punch 21a are
mutually joined well or welded to each other. This produces a particularly
advantageous joint so
that the supplied structured strip 2e becomes a component of the honeycomb
structure 10.
Figure 27 shows a schematic side view of a forming device 4, comprising a
first embossing
wheel 4a, which is mounted on a hub 4k and is driven by a drive device 4h, for
example, an
electric motor. A second embossing wheel 4b is positioned on a hub 41 and is
driven by a drive
device 4i, for example, an electric motor. In an advantageous embodiment the
two hubs 4k, 41
are connected to each other via a pressure generation device 4m, preferably
via an electrically
driven pressure generation device 4m in order to influence by corresponding
control of this
pressure generation device 4m the pressure force acting on strips 2c, 2e at
the pressure site 4p
depicted in Figure 26b. In one possible embodiment at least the drive devices
4h, 4i are drivable
by a control device 30 in order to control the rotational speed and to
increase and reduce the
rotational speed. In another advantageous embodiment an induction device 4p is
also arranged at
least on one of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b in order to heat the embossing
wheels 4a, 4b as
described in Figure 26c. The induction device 4a is preferably also
controllable by the control
device 30, in which case temperature sensors (not shown) could also be
connected to the control
device 30, in which these temperature sensors detect the temperature of the
embossing wheels
4a, 4b or the temperature of the strips 2c, 2e in order to produce
controllable induction heating
by means of the induction device 4n, which makes it possible to precisely
control heating of the
strip 2c, 2e. In another possible embodiment cooling devices 4o could also be
provided,
especially controllable cooling devices 4o in order to also cool the embossing
wheels 4a, 4b,
preferably to cool them via the control device 30.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment the forming device 4 is configured
so that the
embossing wheels 4a, 4b can be replaced, for example, by embossing wheels 4a,
4b with the
same diameter but a different width D and/or embossing wheels 4a, 4b with
differently arranged
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
27
or geometrically differently configured teeth, as shown, for example, in
Figures 5a and 5b and/or
embossing wheels 4a, 4b with a larger or smaller diameter. In a particularly
advantageous
embodiment the forming and feed device 32 as well as the stop device 34 are
configured so that
they can process a maximum width B of strip 2c, 2e, as well as smaller strips
2c, 2e, for example,
by configuring the height of the stop 27 to process a strip of maximum width
B. The production
device 1 according to the invention therefore has the advantage that the
strips 2c, 2e, which can
be processed with the same production device 1, can have any width below
maximum width B.
The structure produced with the forming device 4 of a structured strip 2e can
be changed simply
by replacing the two embossing wheels 4a and 4b. The production device 1
according to the
invention is therefore extraordinarily flexible, because in an advantageous
variant only the
embossing wheels 4a, 4b are to be replaced in order to form a wide variety of
honeycomb
structures 10. If a cutting device 23 is used, the width B of the strip 2e can
be determined via the
cutting device 23. To avoid cutting waste, however, it can prove to be
advantageous to also
replace the strip material 2 together with replacement of embossing wheels 4a,
4b in order to use
a strip material of appropriate width so that no cutting is required.
Figure 28 shows a view of an unstructured strip 2a. It has cutout sites 2u and
protruding tabs 2w.
Figure 28a shows a structured strip 2e formed from the strip 2a according to
Figure 28 in a top
view in which the strip 2e was on a baseplate 9 and in which only the lower
protruding tabs 2w
lying on the baseplate 9 are shown. These tabs 2w have the advantage that a
particularly
advantageous connection between strip 2e and baseplate 9 is possible.
Figure 29 shows in a top view and Figure 29a in a side view production of a
double layered
sandwich structure 23 having a base layer 33a, a first honeycomb structure
33b, 10, an
intermediate layer 33c, a second honeycomb structure 33d, 10 as well as a
cover layer 33e.
Structured strips 2e, 2f are fed to the stop edges 10a by means of a feed
device 32, introduced
and stopped by means of a stop device 34, as shown in Figure 29 so that the
first and second
honeycomb structure 33b, 33d is formed. In addition a roll with intermediate
layer 33 and cover
layer 33e is positioned on the axes 33f, 33h so that, as shown in Figure 29a,
they are positioned
on the corresponding honeycomb structure 33b, 33d.
Figure 29b shows in a top view and Figure 29c in a side view the production of
an additional
double layered sandwich structure 33 having a base layer 33a, a first
honeycomb structure 33b,
10, an intermediate layer 33c, a second honeycomb structure 33d, 10 as well as
a cover layer
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
28
33e. A structured strip 2e is fed to the stop edge 10a by means of the feed
device 32 and
introduced to the stop by means of a stop device 34, as shown in Figure 29b.
An intermediate
layer 33c is applied to the first honeycomb structure 33b by positioning it
rotatable as a supply
roll 33g above on an axis 33f. After complete production of the first
honeycomb structure 33b
and covering with the intermediate layer 33c, a structured strip 2f is then
introduced by means of
a feed device 32 in order to form a second honeycomb structure 33d, in which
the strip 2f runs
perpendicular to the structured strip 2e. Sandwich structure 33 is therefore
formed with two
honeycomb structures 33b, 33d running perpendicular to each other. It is also
possible to leave
out certain strips 2e in order to form a recess 10d or a through channel 10d
in the sandwich
structure 33.
One possible method for continuous production of a honeycomb structure 10 is
characterized by
the fact that two strip materials 2a, 2b provided with a polymer material or a
silicate are shaped
to structured strips 2e, 2f; that the two structured strips 2e, 2f are brought
together and joined to a
honeycomb structure 2g, in which a thermoplastic or thermosetting joint or
silicate joint is
formed between the two structured strips 2e, 2f, that the honeycomb structure
2g is cut in a
predetermined length to a honeycomb strip 13, that the honeycomb strip 13 has
a stop side 13b
intended to stop on a stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10, that the
stop side of the
honeycomb strips 13 and/or the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 are
provided with a
glue, and that the stop side 13b of the honeycomb strip 13 is fed to the stop
edge 10a of the
honeycomb structure 10 and glued to it so that the honeycomb strip 13 forms
part of the
honeycomb structure 10, in which case the last supplied and glued on honeycomb
strip 13 forms
a stop edge 10a to which the next honeycomb strip 13 is glued.
In another possible method the strip material 2a, 2b is provided with a
polymer material and the
strip material 2a, 2b is heated before structuring.
A possible device 1 for continuous production of a honeycomb structure 10
includes a feed 20
for at least two strip materials 2a, 2b, a forming device 4, 5 for structuring
of each strip material
2a, 2b to a structured strip 2e, 2f, and a joining device 6 for mutual
positioning and bringing
together of the two structured strips 2e, 2f to a honeycomb structure 2g, a
cutting device 7 for
cutting of the honeycomb structure 2g to a honeycomb strip 13, a support
surface 9 for
positioning of the honeycomb strip 13, a glue feed device 12 to provide a stop
side 13b of the
honeycomb strip 13 and/or a stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 with a
glue, and a feed
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
29
device 17 in order to feed the honeycomb strips 13 with their stop side 13b to
the stop edge 10a
of the honeycomb structure 10 in order to glue the honeycomb strips 13 to the
honeycomb
structure 10.
One possible honeycomb structure includes a number of honeycomb strips in
which each
honeycomb strip consists of two strips comprising contact sections and in
which opposite contact
sections of the two strips are mutually joined to form a thermoplastic bond, a
thermosetting bond
or a silicate bond and in which each honeycomb strip has a stop edge 10a and a
glue surface 13b
and in which a stop edge 10a and a glue surface 13b of two adjacent honeycomb
strips 13 are
firmly joined to each other via a glue bond 22.
In an advantageous embodiment the device 1 for production of a honeycomb
structure 10 from
strip material 2 includes a feed and forming device 32, which forms a
structured strip 2e, 2f from
the strip material 2 and also determines a conveying speed of the structured
strip 2e, 2f, as well
as a stop device 34 with a feed channel 34a, in which the stop device 34 is
arranged after the
forming device 32 so that the structured strip 2e, 2f can be fed to the feed
channel 34a and in
which the honeycomb structure 10 has a stop edge 10a, which runs parallel to
the feed channel
34a and in which the stop device 34 includes a stop 27 and a stop means 21a,
21b, which are
configured to move so that the structured strip 2e, 2f can be joined to a stop
edge 10a of the
honeycomb structure 10.
The feed and forming device 32 advantageously includes a first and a second
embossing wheel
4a, 4b with mutually intermeshing embossing teeth 4c, in which the first and
second embossing
wheel 4a, 4b are configured adjusted to each other so that the strip material
2 can be arranged
between the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b and can be formed into the
structured strip
2e, 2f during rotation of the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b, in
which case the rotational
speed of the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b also determines the
conveying speed of the
structured strip 2e, 2f.
The stop 27 and the stop means 21a, 21b are preferably configured movable so
that the stop 27
and the stop means 21a, 21b include the structured strip 2e, 2f and the stop
edge 10a from one
side so that the structured strip 2e, 2f and the stop edge 10a can be pressed
against each other.
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
In an advantageous embodiment the embossing wheels 4a, 4b are configured
running in the
peripheral direction so that the structured strips 2e, 2f have only arc-like
deflections 2m but no
kinks.
In an advantageous embodiment the first and second embossing wheels 4a, 4b are
arranged
replaceable, in which a number of sets of the first and second embossing wheel
4a, 4b are
available, in which case a differently structured strip 2e, 2f can be produced
with each set of a
first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b.
In an advantageous embodiment air nozzles and/or outlet openings 27h for a
gaseous fluid are
arranged along the feed channel 34a, which are aligned so that they support
feed of the structured
strip 2e, 2f in the feed channel 34a.
In an advantageous embodiment at least the rotational speed of the embossing
wheels 4a, 4b and
the heating device 3 and/or the induction device 4n are controlled with a
control device 30 so
that the structured strip 2e, 2f has a predetermined temperature in the feed
and forming device
32.
In an advantageous embodiment a controllable cutting device 7 is arranged
after the embossing
wheels 4a, 4b, which cuts the structured strips 2e, 2f especially so that the
length of the
structured strip 2e, 2f corresponds essentially to the width of the honeycomb
structure 10.
In an advantageous embodiment a storage device 36 is arranged between the
embossing wheels
4a, 4b and the feed channel 34a for temporary storage of the structured strip
2e, 2f fed from the
embossing wheels 4a, 4b.
In an advantageous method for production of a honeycomb structure 10 from
strip material 2 the
strip material 2 is formed to a structured strip 2e, 2f in which the
structured strip 2e, 2f is fed to a
stop edge 10a of a honeycomb structure 10 and in which the structured strip
2e, 2f is joined to
the stop edge 10a so that the structured strip 2e, 2f becomes part of the
honeycomb structure 10.
In an advantageous method step the embossing wheels are rotated quickly enough
that the strip
material 2 and/or the embossing wheels 4a, 4b are heated so that the
structured strips 2e, 2f have
CA 02819755 2013-06-03
31
a predetermined temperature between the embossing wheels 4a, 4b or after
leaving the
embossing wheels 4a, 4b.
,
In an advantageous method step the conveying speed of the structured strip 2e,
2f is determined
by the rotational speed of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b.
In an advantageous method step sections 2x are generated in the structured
strip 2e, 2f, on which
the embossing wheels 4a, 4b have exerted no or reduced pressure force.
In an advantageous method step the structured strip 2e, 2f is fed
synchronously to the stop edge
10a of the honeycomb structure 10 relative to the rotational speed of the
embossing wheels 4a,
4b.
In another advantageous method step the embossing wheels (4a, 4b) are operated
continuously.
In another advantageous method step the structured strip 2e, 2f is cut, in
which case the
structured strip 2e, 2f supplied after cutting by the embossing wheels 4a, 4b
is temporarily stored
at least until the structured strips 2e, 2f situated previously in the feed
channel 34a has been
removed from the feed channel 34a, and in which the subsequent, partially
stored structured strip
2e, 2f is then introduced to the feed channel 34a.
