Vehicular body assembly locking apparatus and method

• US 10,442,482 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Kilibarda, Velibor, Dugas, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Minh N
• Application Number:
  US15/333,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20170036720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/022 Transferring or handling sub-units or components, e.g. in work stations or between workstations and transportation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/024 Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/026 by using a jig or the like; Positioning of the jig
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/18 Transportation, conveyor or haulage systems specially adapted for motor vehicle or trailer assembly lines conveyors and haulage in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 9/056 the intermediate member extending through the flat surface; the rod or tubular part extending through the flat surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49829 Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53313 Means to interrelatedly feed plural work parts from plural sources without manual intervention
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5337 including assembly pallet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53435 including assembly pallet

Abstract

A vehicle body positioning and locking devices for use in assembling a vehicle body positioned on a movable vehicle support positioned at a vehicle build station. The locking device includes a remote vehicle locking device for selectively securing and locking a vehicle body to a support pallet. The support pallet is accurately and precisely positioned at a build station through alignment and inserting engagement of locating pads in at least one four-way and at least one two way receiver mounted to a build station foundation. A compliant body clamp design is included to provide a desired clamping force between the pallet and a vehicle body across a range of motion of the body clamp to accommodate vehicle build variances.

Claims

1. A method for locking a vehicle body to a vehicle body support located at a vehicle process station, the method comprising steps of:

positioning a body clamp relative to the vehicle body support to a first open position;

positioning the vehicle body in engagement with the vehicle body support;

moving the body clamp along a path of travel toward a second closed position;

generating a predetermined clamping force on the vehicle body by the body clamp over a clamping force compliance range, wherein generating the predetermined clamping force comprises deforming a biasing member connected to the body clamp on abutting engagement of the body clamp with the vehicle body; and

locking the vehicle body to the vehicle body support when the body clamp reaches the second closed position.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of deforming the biasing member further comprises step of compressing a coil spring connected to the body clamp.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the coil spring is connected to a rod linked to a locking arm in selective communication with a remote actuator, and wherein the step of compressing the coil spring further comprising steps of moving the rod downward thereby moving a hook portion of the body clamp downward in engagement with the vehicle body against a resistance force applied by the coil spring.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising steps of providing the vehicle body support with a pillar having a locating pin;

and

positioning the body clamp substantially within the locating pin when the body clamp is in the first open position.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the clamping force compliance range is between zero (0) and three (3) millimeters (mm).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the clamping force compliance range comprises a predetermined linear distance greater than zero (0) millimeters (mm) between the body clamp first open position and the body clamp second closed position.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined linear distance is substantially vertically oriented.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined linear distance is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of an elongate rod connected to the body clamp.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising steps of:

determining a predetermined gap equal to a thickness of the vehicle body material to be clamped; and

setting the body clamp second closed position within the predetermined gap.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle body support is positioned on a movable pallet selectively movable along an assembly path of travel through the vehicle process station.

11. A method for locking a vehicle body to a vehicle body support located at a vehicle process station, the method comprising steps of:

positioning a body clamp relative to the vehicle body support to a first open position;

positioning the vehicle body in engagement with the vehicle body support;

selectively engaging a locking arm in connection with the body clamp with an actuator positioned at a vehicle process station, wherein selectively engaging the locking arm further comprises rotating a crank arm connected to the actuator to rotate the locking arm connected to the body clamp;

moving the body clamp along a path of travel toward a second closed position;

generating a predetermined clamping force on the vehicle body by the body clamp over a clamping force compliance range; and

locking the vehicle body to the vehicle body support when the body clamp reaches the second closed position.