VEHICULAR BODY ASSEMBLY LOCKING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20120030924A1
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Comau Incorporated (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Kilibarda, Velibor, Dugas, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,839,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/525.01
• 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 remote locking apparatus for use in securing an automotive vehicle body to a vehicle body support, the vehicle support including at least two pillars and is positionable at a process station along a progressive assembly line, the locking apparatus comprising:

a locking arm connected to a vehicle support surface, the locking arm adapted to be accessible and engagable by an actuator positioned at the build station;

an elongate axle having a first and a second end, the first end connected to the locking arm;

an elbow connected to the axle second end;

an elongate rod having a first and a second end, the rod connected to the elbow at the first end; and

a body clamp connected to the second end of the rod wherein on movement of the locking arm, the body clamp is articulated through a path of travel to engage a portion of the vehicle body to secure the vehicle body to the vehicle body support.

2. The locking apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a crank body connected to the second end of the axle and having an axis or rotation, the crank body further having a crank pin radially positioned from the axis of rotation and connected to the elbow, wherein on rotation of the crank body about the axis of rotation, the crank pin linearly moves the elbow and rod in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the vehicle support.

3. The locking apparatus of claim 2 wherein the rod, elbow and at least a portion of the crankbody are positioned inside a hollow cavity defined by the vehicle support pillar.

4. The locking apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body clamp further comprises an articulatable hook having a body portion defining at least one slot, the apparatus further having at least one cam pin positioned in the slot and adapated to be connected to the pillar, wherein on movement of the actuating arm the hook is articulated through a path of travel determined by the cam pin and slot to engage the vehicle body.

5. The locking apparatus of claim 4 wherein the hook is substantially positioned inside of a cavity defined by a locating pin connected to the pillar and wherein the hook path of travel includes a first position wherein the hook is raised and is positioned inside the locating pin and a second position wherein the hook is in a lower position and a portion of the hook extends outward from the locating pin.

6. The locking apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a compliance device connected to the rod and the body clamp, the compliance device defining a compliance range of the body clamp wherein a predetermined clamping force is applied by the body clamp to the vehicle body throughout the compliance range.

7. The locking apparatus of claim 6 wherein the compliance device includes a compression spring positioned between the rod and the body clamp.

8. The locking apparatus of claim 6 wherein the compliance device further comprises a base connected to the rod for supporting the compression spring, the rod having a threaded second end and a nut theadibly engaged thereon positioning the spring between the base and the nut.

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

aligning a powered actuator positioned remotely at the build station with a locking arm connected to the vehicle body support;

engaging the remote actuator with the locking arm;

moving the locking arm connected to a body clamp positioned adjacent the vehicle body;

articulating the body clamp through a path of travel; and

engaging the body clamp with a portion of the vehicle body to lockingly secure the vehicle body to the vehicle body support.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of articulating the body clamp through a path of travel further comprises the step of pivoting the body clamp about at least one cam pin in engagement with the body clamp and connected to a pillar mounted on the vehicle body support.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of engaging the body clamp with a portion of the vehicle body further comprises the step of:

engaging a biasing member connected to the body clamp to apply a predetermined clamping pressure by the body clamp on the vehicle body through a range of compliance along the body clamp path of travel.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of engaging a biasing member further comprises the step of compressing a coil spring positioned between the locking arm and the body clamp.

13. An apparatus for remotely locking a vehicle body to a movable vehicle body support, the apparatus comprising:

aligning a powered actuator positioned remotely at the build station with a locking arm connected to the vehicle body support;

means for engaging the remote actuator with the locking arm;

means for moving the locking arm connected to a body clamp positioned adjacent the vehicle body;

means for articulating the body clamp through a path of travel; and

means for engaging the body clamp with a portion of the vehicle body to lockingly secure the vehicle body to the vehicle body support.