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DE-102024139609-B3 - Method and apparatus for checking the actual state of a connection arrangement and method for monitoring the construction of a motor vehicle

DE102024139609B3DE 102024139609 B3DE102024139609 B3DE 102024139609B3DE-102024139609-B3

Abstract

Particularly during the construction of a motor vehicle, it can happen that optical sensors and/or other measuring devices cannot reach all locations. To check whether an additional component is attached to a base component or not, it can be provided that the additional component (2) is mounted to the base component (1) by means of a magnetic connecting element (3). The presence of such a connecting element (3) can then be checked using a magnetic sensor.

Inventors

  • Martin Kreis

Assignees

  • AUDI AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241223

Claims (11)

  1. Method for checking the actual state of a connection arrangement in which, in a first possible state, a predetermined additional component (2) is mounted on a basic component (1), and in a second possible state, no such component is mounted. The additional component (2) is mounted on the basic component (1), characterized in that the additional component (2) is provided for by means of at least one magnetizable connecting element (3) on the basic component (1), and that the presence of such a connecting element (3) is checked by means of a magnetic sensor (46).
  2. Procedure according to Claim 1 , which is used when the basic component (1) is not magnetizable and/or when the additional component (2) is not magnetizable.
  3. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , in which the magnetic sensor (46) outputs a first signal when the additional component (2) is present and outputs a second signal when no additional component (2) is mounted on the basic component (1).
  4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnetic sensor (46) is guided to a position sufficient for detection to check for the presence of such a connecting element (3) of the at least one magnetizable connecting element (3).
  5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one magnetizable connecting element (3) is a connecting element (3) made of a material comprising steel, wherein the connecting element (3) is preferably a semi-tubular punch rivet.
  6. Device (4) for checking the actual state of a connection arrangement, in which in a first possible state a predetermined additional component (2) is mounted on a basic component (1) by means of at least one magnetizable connecting element (3) and in a second possible state no such additional component (2) is mounted on the basic component (1), characterized by a base body (40) and an arm (44) which carries a magnetic sensor (46) and serves to guide this magnetic sensor (46) into the area of at least one desired location for a respective connecting element (3), as well as a control and evaluation device (48) for controlling a motor (42) of the arm and for controlling the magnetic sensor as well as for receiving and evaluating signals from the magnetic sensor (46).
  7. Method for monitoring the construction of a motor vehicle in which, according to one option, an additional component (2) is mounted on a basic component (1) by means of a magnetizable connecting element (3) and otherwise not, wherein the method for testing according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 is used and preferably the device (4) according Claim 6 It is used to check whether the option has been used or not.
  8. Procedure according to Claim 7 , in which a sheet element made of aluminium is provided as the basic component (1).
  9. Procedure according to Claim 7 or 8 , in which, as part of the use of the option as an additional component (2), a sheet element made of aluminium is provided.
  10. Procedure according to one of the Claims 7 until 9 , in which the additional component (2) serves as a reinforcing component for the basic component (1).
  11. Procedure according to one of the Claims 7 until 10 , wherein the magnetizable connecting element (3) available in the context of the use of the option is made of a material comprising steel, wherein the magnetizable connecting element (3) is preferably a semi-tubular punch rivet.

Description

The invention relates to a method for checking the actual state of a connection arrangement. It also relates to a device designed for use in the method and to a method for monitoring the construction of a motor vehicle. The current state of the connection arrangement can correspond to one of two states. In the first possible state, a predetermined additional component is mounted on a basic component, and in the second possible state, no such additional component is mounted on the basic component. The inspection can be carried out to determine whether the additional component, which is always required, has actually been installed. Alternatively, it may be possible that the additional component can be optionally omitted from the connection arrangement; in this case, the inspection procedure serves to verify how the connection arrangement actually looks in a specific case. Such testing methods are often performed optically. However, it may not be easy to place an optical sensor in the area where the predetermined additional component, if present, is mounted. Similarly, other mechanical testing methods are not always feasible due to limited access. From the DE 10 2014 217 076 A1 A system for monitoring a mechanical connection in vehicle construction is known, equipped with a magnetic sensor configured to detect at least one instantaneous parameter and one instantaneous state of the mechanical connection. A rivet is used as the connection component. In the DE 10 2014 007 625 A1 A method for the non-destructive testing of a joint between a first component and a second component, which are connected to each other by means of a rivet as a third component, is described. A method for determining assembly quality during the production of a component arrangement in a vehicle is described in the DE 10 2023 200 690 A1 revealed. The KR 10 2014 0 079 623 A1 shows a device for checking the welding quality of a vehicle with a magnetic sensor attached to a multi-jointed robot. The object of the invention is to expand the possibilities for checking the actual state of a connection arrangement. The problem is solved by a method according to claim 1 and the device according to claim 6 as well as the monitoring method according to claim 7. According to the invention, it is therefore provided that the additional component is mounted on the base component by means of at least one magnetizable connecting element, and that the presence of such a connecting element is checked by means of a magnetic sensor. A magnetic sensor can be compact and, in particular, easier to place in the area where the additional component is used. A magnetic sensor can also be superior to optical sensors that might otherwise be used, since the connecting elements will not necessarily be visible (under certain shadowing/darkness). The method will be particularly efficient and therefore preferred when the base component and/or the additional component are not magnetizable. In this way, interference signals can be effectively suppressed, and the magnetic sensor can effectively detect a magnetizable connecting element. According to a preferred embodiment, the magnetic sensor outputs a first signal when the additional component is present and a second signal when no additional component is mounted on the base component. The presence of the connecting element is then checked by detecting whether the first or the second signal is output. According to a preferred embodiment, the magnetic sensor is moved to a sufficiently close position to a predetermined connecting element of at least one connecting element for detection. In this way, the presence of the connecting element, and thus the presence of the additional component, can be reliably checked even with a certain magnetic background or other magnetizable components. According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one connecting element is such a connecting element which is made of a material comprising steel, wherein the connecting element is preferably a semi-tubular punch rivet. The device provided according to the invention for checking the actual state of a connection arrangement, in which, in a first possible state, a predetermined additional component is mounted on a base component by means of at least one magnetizable connecting element, and in a second possible state, no such additional component is mounted on the base component, comprises a base body and an arm that carries a magnetic sensor and serves to guide this magnetic sensor to the area of at least one target location for a respective connecting element. The testing device further comprises an evaluation unit for controlling a movement of the arm (in particular, a suitable motor of the device) and for controlling the magnetic sensor, as well as for receiving and evaluating signals from the magnetic sensor. The device according to the invention can be used in the above-mentioned method to check for the presence of the connecting element. The me