Method and apparatus for assembling exterior automotive vehicle body components onto an automotive vehicle body

• US 6,691,392 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kuka Systems North America LLC (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Utica Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Savoy, Mark A., Kline, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Omgba, Essama
• Application Number:
  US10/146,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20020170160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 294/070.1, 294/070.9, 294/04, 294/34, 294/64, 294/66, 294/68, 29/33.K, 292/811, 292/814, 292/815, 297/14, 297/12, 297/05, 297/07, 297/09, 294/071
• US Class Current: 29/407.09
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/06 the sub-units or components being doors, windows, openable roofs, lids, bonnets, or weather strips or seals therefor assembling sealing arrangements with vehicle parts, e.g. doors, windows B60J10/45
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4978 Assisting assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49899 by multiple cooperating aligning means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49902 by manipulating aligning means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53022 with means to test work or product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53039 with control means energized in response to activator stimulated by condition sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53052 including position sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53061 Responsive to work or work-related machine element

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for the assembly of body components to an automotive body that has undergone a progressive series of framing and welding steps so as to produce a structurally rigid body frame, termed a body-in-white. More specifically, this invention relates to creating a new net locating scheme (X-Y-Z coordinate system) for a body-in-white to direct associated tooling to create net attachment features on said rigid body frame so that components may be attached to said automotive body at a net location eliminating the need for any slip plane attachment techniques.

Claims

1. An apparatus for creating net attachment features on a three-dimensional object defined by X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinates, said apparatus comprising:

A body having one end and an opposite end, each end of said body having at least one primary locating point thereon, said at least one primary locating point selectively located within a known tolerance range with respect to said X, Y and Z directions of said Cartesian coordinate system;

means for establishing the exact location of said at least one primary locating point on each end of said body, in each of said X, Y and Z directions, said exact location being defined as a datum position;

means for immobilizing said body at said datum position of each end of said body such that an imprecise distance is established between said datum position on said one end and said datum position on said opposite end of said body in each of said X, Y and Z directions;

means for creating a median point of said imprecise distance along each of said one end and said opposite end of said body, said median point of said imprecise distance on said one end and said opposite end of said body creating an adjusted net position of said primary locating point in one of said X, Y and Z directions on each end of said body; and

means for locating at least one work performing device with respect to said adjusted net position whereby work performed on said body establishes at least one adjusted net attachment location for objects to be attached to said body.

2. The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for establishing the exact location of said at least one primary locating point on each end of said body further comprising a front and rear gantry straddling a production line such that said body can pass through thereunder.

3. The apparatus claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for establishing the exact location of said at least one primary locating point on each end of said body comprises a first plurality of position detecting apparatuses, at least two of said first plurality of position detecting apparatuses being disposed on opposing sides of the said body.

4. The apparatus claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said first plurality of position detecting apparatuses each include at least a probe and a contact block.

5. The apparatus claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said first plurality of position detecting apparatuses have a first locating pin attached thereto.

6. The apparatus claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for establishing the exact location of said at least one primary locating point on each end of said body comprises a second plurality of position detecting apparatuses each having a second locating pin attached thereto, at least two of said second plurality of position detecting apparatuses being disposed on opposing sides of said body.

7. The apparatus claimed in claim 6, wherein each said lever and crank centering system comprises a second plurality of sockets, at least two of said second plurality of sockets being disposed on opposite sides of said body, said second plurality of sockets being adapted to engage said second locating pin of said second plurality of position detecting apparatuses.

8. The apparatus claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for creating a median point of said imprecise distance comprises a lever and crank centering mechanism fixed to each of said front and rear gantry straddling said product line.

9. The apparatus claimed in claim 8, wherein each said lever and crank centering mechanism comprises a first plurality of sockets, at least two of said first plurality of sockets being disposed on opposite sides of said body, one of said at least two of said first plurality of sockets being adapted to engage said first locating pin of a respective one of said first plurality of position detecting apparatuses.

10. The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said body comprises a welded body-in-white.

11. A master locating apparatus for establishing a plurality of net attachment features on an imprecisely constructed three-dimensional body structure of unknown dimensional accuracy within a known tolerance range, relative to an X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinate system, said imprecisely constructed three-dimensional body structure adapted for attachment of one or more external members, said apparatus comprising:

at least one columnar member located adjacent said body;

at least two position detecting apparatuses located in spaced apart relation on opposing sides of said body structure, each of said at least two position detecting apparatuses further comprising;

means for engaging said body structure at one or more selected predetermined primary locating points to establish a datum in at least two-dimensional planes of said three-dimensional body structure on each side of said body structure when said body structure is therebetween said means for engaging extending in a direction away from said position detecting apparatus and toward said body structure; and

means for immobilizing said means for engaging after said datum has been located such that an imprecise distance measured along one of said X, Y and Z coordinates is established between said datum of said engaging means for each of said at least two position detecting apparatuses;

means for creating a median point of said imprecise distance between said datum of said engaging means for each of said two position detecting apparatuses, said means for creating having a first portion attached to said at least one columnar member and the remaining portion attached to said at least two position detecting apparatuses, said means for creating said median point of said imprecise distance in one of said X, Y and Z coordinates defining an adjusted net location relative to a design intent location; and

means for performing work on said body structure with respect to said adjusted net location.

12. The apparatus claimed in claim 11, wherein said means for engaging said body structure includes at least a probe and a contact block.

13. The apparatus claimed in claim 11, wherein said at least one columnar member comprises a front and rear gantry straddling a production line such that said body structure can pass through thereunder.

14. The apparatus claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said at least two position detecting apparatuses each have a first locating pin attached thereto.

15. The apparatus claimed in claim 14, wherein said means for creating a median point of said imprecise distance comprises a lever and crank centering mechanism fixed to each of said front and rear gantry straddling said production line.

16. The apparatus claimed in claim 15,wherein each said lever and crank centering mechanism comprises a first plurality of sockets, at least two of said first plurality of sockets being disposed on opposite sides of said body structure, said first plurality of sockets being adapted to engage said first locating pin of each of said at position detecting apparatuses.

17. The apparatus claimed in claim 16, wherein said at least two position detecting apparatuses comprises a first pair of position detecting apparatuses disposed on opposite sides of said body structure, and a second pair of position detecting apparatuses disposed on opposite sides of said body structure, each of said second pair of position detecting apparatuses having a second locating pin attached thereto.

18. The apparatus claimed in claim 16, wherein each said lever and centering system comprises a second plurality of sockets, at least two of said second plurality of sockets being disposed on opposite sides of said body structure, said second plurality of sockets being adapted to engage said second locating pin of a respective one of said second pair of position detecting apparatuses.

19. A method for assembling objects to a body, said method comprising the steps of:

moving a body having one end and an opposite end into an approximate location, each said end having at least one primary locating point thereon

engaging said at least one primary locating point of each said end of said body with at least one position detecting apparatus and immobilizing said position detecting apparatus at said at least one primary locating point;

determining an imprecise distance between said at least one primary location point of said one end and said at least one primary locating point of said opposite end of said body in one of X, Y and Z directions of a Cartesian coordinate system;

creating a median point of said imprecise distance, said median point defining a new adjusted net position at said median point of said imprecise distance;

locating at least one work performing tool with respect to said new adjusted net position adjacent said body; and

performing work on said body to establish a net attachment feature on said body for assembling at least one object at said net attachment feature of said body.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising the step of assembling and welding said body prior to the step of engaging said at least one primary locating point such that minimal additional variation is introduced after the position of said at least one primary locating point is established.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the step of engaging said at least one primary locating point comprises the step of providing each of said at least one position detecting apparatus with a probe and contact block, whereby said probe engages said at least one primary locating point to establish two of said X, Y, and Z directions, and said contact block engages said at least one primary locating point to establish the third of said X, Y, and Z directions.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of engaging said at least one primary locating point of each said end of said body with at least one position detecting apparatus comprises the step of engaging a first pair of primary locating points on said one end of said body with a first pair of position detecting apparatuses disposed on opposite sides of said body, and engaging a second pair of primary locating points on said opposite end of said body with a second pair of position detecting apparatuses disposed on opposite sides of said body.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of creating median point of said imprecise distance comprises the step of providing at least one lever and crank mechanism having a first plurality of sockets disposed on opposite sides of said body and a second plurality of sockets disposed on opposite sides of said body, and further wherein said step of creating a median point of said imprecise distance comprises the step of providing a first locating pin on each of said first plurality of position detecting apparatuses and a second locating pin on each of said second plurality of position detecting apparatuses.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of creating a median point of said imprecise distance further comprises the step of engaging said first plurality of locating pins with said first plurality of sockets.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the step of locating at least one work performing tool with respect to said new adjusted net position further comprises the step of engaging said second plurality of locating pins with said second plurality of sockets.

26. A master locating apparatus mounted alongside of the direction of travel of an assembly line for a three-dimensional body structure of unknown dimensional construction within a known tolerance range, said master locating apparatus comprising:

at least two columnar members in spaced apart relationship on opposite sides of said assembly line;

a support member having respective ends, one of said ends attached to one of said at least two columnar members, the other of said ends attached to the other of said at least two columnar members;

at least two position detecting apparatuses located in spaced apart relations on opposite sides of said assembly line to permit said assembly line to pass therebetween, each of said at least two position detecting apparatuses further having;

means for engaging opposing sides of said three-dimensional body structure at a plurality of preselected defined locations to establish a datum position in at least two dimensional planes of said three-dimensional body structure on each side of said three dimensional body structure when said body structure is between said engagement means, said means for engaging extending in a direction away from said position detecting apparatuses and engaging said body structure at said plurality of preselected defined locations to establish an imprecise distance in at least one of said two dimensional planes between said datum position on one side of said three-dimensional body structure and said datum position on said opposing side of said three dimensional body structure; and

means for immobilizing said at least two position detecting apparatuses;

means for establishing a median distance point of said imprecise distance between said datum position on said one side and said datum position on said opposing side of said three dimensional body structure in said at least one of said two dimensional planes, said median distance point defining an adjusted net position of said three-dimensional body structure; and

means for performing work on said three-dimensional body structure with respect to said adjusted net position.

27. The apparatus claimed in claim 26, wherein said three-dimensional body structure comprises a welded body-in-white.

28. The apparatus claimed in claim 26, wherein said means for engaging opposing sides of said three-dimensional body structure includes at least a probe and a contact block.

29. The apparatus claimed in claim 26, wherein said at least two columnar members comprise a front and rear gantry straddling a production line such that said three-dimensional body structure can pass through thereunder.

30. The apparatus claimed in claim 26, wherein each of said at least two position detecting apparatuses have a first locating pin attached thereto.

31. The apparatus claimed in claim 30, wherein said means for establishing a median distance point of said imprecise distance comprises a lever and crank centering mechanism fixed to each of said front and rear gantry straddling said production line.

32. The apparatus claimed in claim 31, wherein each said lever and crank centering mechanism comprises a first plurality of sockets, at least two of said first plurality of sockets being disposed on opposite sides of said three-dimensional body structure, one of said at least two of said first plurality of sockets being adapted to engage said first locating pin of a respective one of said at least two position detecting apparatuses.

33. The apparatus claimed in claim 32, wherein said at least two position detecting apparatuses comprises a first pair of position detecting apparatuses disposed on opposite sides of said body structure, and a second pair of position detecting apparatuses disposed on opposite sides of said body structure, each of said second pair of position detecting apparatuses having a second locating pin attached thereto.

34. The apparatus claimed in claim 32, wherein each said lever and crank centering system comprises a second plurality of sockets, at least two of said second plurality of sockets being disposed on opposite sides of said body structure, said second plurality of sockets being adapted to engage said second locating pin of a respective one of said second pair of position detecting apparatuses.