Side aperture welding assembly system
First Claim
1. A multiple style vehicle body side aperture welding system characterized by overhead carrier means including laterally spaced side aperture support means for respectively carrying a plurality of components of left and right side apertures to be welded together in integrated relation, a framing station including alternatively positionable floor mounted fixture means for each body style extending inside between the left and right side aperture support means of said carrier means upon entering said station, means for effecting relative closing movement between said support means and said fixture means at said framing station, said fixture means having tooling for accurately locating and clamping said side aperture components for the particular body style at said station relative to each other and said station upon closing of said support means and fixture means, and selectively programmable welding means at said station for integrally joining said components in accurate relation while held by said fixture means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A car body side aperture assembly system for welding together multiple component parts of side apertures for different vehicle bodies at successive framing and respot welding stations. Overhead conveyor carriers each with laterally spaced racks for supporting loosely mounted component parts for left and right side apertures move into station position over selectively positioned framing station fixtures for accurately locating the component parts in required relation. Programmable robot welders produce different pretack welds at successive framing stations as well as respot welds at intermediate stations as required for different side apertures. The system includes means for selectively shuttling framing station pallets each with outwardly expandable fixtures having tooling for locating the multiple component parts of a particular side aperture at each framing station. Side aperture components exposed outwardly of both carrier and locating fixture provide optimum flexibility and accessability for robot welders located on either side of the framing station.
80 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. A multiple style vehicle body side aperture welding system characterized by overhead carrier means including laterally spaced side aperture support means for respectively carrying a plurality of components of left and right side apertures to be welded together in integrated relation, a framing station including alternatively positionable floor mounted fixture means for each body style extending inside between the left and right side aperture support means of said carrier means upon entering said station, means for effecting relative closing movement between said support means and said fixture means at said framing station, said fixture means having tooling for accurately locating and clamping said side aperture components for the particular body style at said station relative to each other and said station upon closing of said support means and fixture means, and selectively programmable welding means at said station for integrally joining said components in accurate relation while held by said fixture means.
Specification