Core element fastening and assembly method

• US 6,865,806 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Watkins, Gregory D., Wildrick, Donald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIMENEZ, MARC QUEMUEL
• Application Number:
  US10/210,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20040020048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 298/880.1, 294/32, 294/321, 295/250.1, 297/98, 227/19, 227/7, 164/137, 164/370, 164/24, 606/75
• US Class Current: 29/888.01
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 21/14 for reinforcing or securing moulding materials or cores, e.g. gaggers, chaplets, pins, bars
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/024 Belt drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49231 I.C. [internal combustion] engine making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49833 Punching, piercing or reaming part by surface of second part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5343 Means to drive self-piercing work part

Abstract

Core sand elements are rapidly and reliably retained in an assembly by driving one or more smooth surface fasteners, such as staples, nails or brads, into the core elements. Such an assembly method comprises positioning at least two core elements in a core assembly, positioning a smooth surface fastener for entry into the at least two core elements, and driving the smooth surface fastener into the two core elements to fasten them in the core assembly. In such a preferred method, the smooth surface fastener comprises a staple with two smooth surface tines connected by a crown and the staple is positioned for entry of one tine into each of two core elements with the crown of the staple spanning the interface between the two core elements.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a core assembly in a casting process, comprising:

providing at lest two core elements formed from core sand;

positioning the core elements to create the core assembly;

positioning a smooth surface fastener having at least one smooth, straight projecting fastening surface for entry into the core elements; and

driving the at least one smooth straight projecting fastening surface into the two core elements without bending the at least one smooth, straight projecting fastening surface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the smooth surface fastener is a staple having a crown with two smooth surface straight tines projecting from the crown;

the staple is positioned for entry of one smooth surface straight tine into only a first one of the at least two core sand elements and for entry of the other smooth surface straight tine into only a second one at the at least two sand core elements; and

the two smooth surface straight tines are driven into the at least two core sand elements without bending, with one unbent tine in the first one of the at least two core elements and the other unbent tine in the second one of the at least two core sand elements, and with the crown of the staple crossing the interface of the at least two core sand elements.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the smooth surface fastener is positioned for entry of the smooth surface straight projection through one core element and into a second core element.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the smooth surface fastener is a nail.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the smooth surface fastener is a staple having a crown and two smooth, straight projecting tines.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the staple is driven into the two core elements without penetration of the crown of the staple into a core element.

7. In a method of assembly of at least two core sand elements for an internal combustion engine casting assembly, the improvement comprising retaining the at least two core sand elements in an assembly thereof by driving a smooth surface fastener to span an interface between the at least two core sand elements, wherein the smooth surface fastener is a staple having a crown and two spaced, smooth surface, projecting tines with one tine driven into one of the two core sand elements and the other tine driven into the other of the two core sand elements so the crown of the staple spans the interface between the two core elements.

8. A method of fastening two sand cores together to create a core assembly for casting an internal combustion engine part, comprising:

assembling two sand cores, each of the sand cores having a surface that interfaces with the other sand core when assembled and an adjacent surface, the adjacent surfaces of the two sand cores extending in opposite directions from the surfaces that interface when assembled,

positioning a staple gun against the adjacent surfaces of the sand cores so that one tine of a staple is positioned for entry into the adjacent surface of one of the sand cores and the second tine of the staple is positioned for entry into the adjacent surface of the other sand core, and so that the crown of the staple will lie across the surfaces that interface between the two sand cores, and

driving the staple into the two adjacent surfaces of the two sand cores with the crown of the staple lying across the interface between the two sand cores to retain the two sand cores in their assembled positions.