Self-piercing rivet fastening device and die used by the fastening device
First Claim
1. A self-piercing rivet fastening device having a punch and die for driving a self-piercing rivet with a large-diameter head and hollow legs extending below the head into a plurality of fastened members, the tip of the legs becoming deformed as the legs penetrate the fastened members when the self-piercing rivet is driven into the fastened members so as to expand outward radially, the tip of the legs not penetrating the fastened member on the receiving end adjacent to the die but remaining inside, the plurality of fastened members being connected to each other by the deformed legs and the large-diameter head, wherein the die comprises a center pin in the position receiving the hollow section of the legs on the self-piercing rivet and extending towards the punch as well as a die main body with a cavity for guiding the outward radial deformation of the tip of the legs on the self-piercing rivet, wherein the center pin and the die main body are supported so as to move relatively freely in the radial direction of the center pin towards the punch, and wherein the device has a means allowing the center pin to move relative to the die main body so the center pin comes into contact with the die end surface of the fastened member on the receiving end when the self-piercing rivet under pressure from the punch is driven into the plurality of fastened members and the tip of the legs begins to pierce the fastened member on the receiving end.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The die 18 of the self-piercing rivet fastening device is equipped with a center pin 25 for receiving the hollow section of the legs 5 on the self-piercing rivet 1 and a die main body 27 having a cavity 26 for guiding the distortion of the tip of the legs on the self-piercing rivet outward radially on the outer periphery of the center pin 25. The center pin 25 and the die main body 27 are supported so as to move relatively freely in the axial direction of the center pin 25 towards the punch 14. It also has a plate spring 41 allowing the center pin 25 to move relative to the die main body 27 so the center pin 25 comes into contact with the die end surface of the fastened member 3 on the receiving end when the self-piercing rivet 1 under pressure from the punch 14 is driven into the fastened members 2, 3 and the tip of the legs begins to pierce the fastened member 3 on the receiving end. This reduces or eliminates the constraints on the fastened members in the rivet-driving direction.
121 Citations
71 Claims
- 1. A self-piercing rivet fastening device having a punch and die for driving a self-piercing rivet with a large-diameter head and hollow legs extending below the head into a plurality of fastened members, the tip of the legs becoming deformed as the legs penetrate the fastened members when the self-piercing rivet is driven into the fastened members so as to expand outward radially, the tip of the legs not penetrating the fastened member on the receiving end adjacent to the die but remaining inside, the plurality of fastened members being connected to each other by the deformed legs and the large-diameter head, wherein the die comprises a center pin in the position receiving the hollow section of the legs on the self-piercing rivet and extending towards the punch as well as a die main body with a cavity for guiding the outward radial deformation of the tip of the legs on the self-piercing rivet, wherein the center pin and the die main body are supported so as to move relatively freely in the radial direction of the center pin towards the punch, and wherein the device has a means allowing the center pin to move relative to the die main body so the center pin comes into contact with the die end surface of the fastened member on the receiving end when the self-piercing rivet under pressure from the punch is driven into the plurality of fastened members and the tip of the legs begins to pierce the fastened member on the receiving end.
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7. A riveting apparatus comprising:
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a die having a body including an elongated bore and a rivet-deforming cavity intersecting the bore, the cavity being openly accessible from a workpiece-side of the die; and
a rivet-expanding member located in the bore, at least one of the member and die being automatically moveable relative to the other during a riveting operation;
the member being substantially withdrawn from the cavity of the die during a first rivet insertion condition; and
the member projecting into the cavity of the die during a second and subsequent rivet insertion condition. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A riveting apparatus comprising:
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a rivet including a leading tip;
a punch operably advancing the rivet;
a punch-side workpiece;
a die-side workpiece;
a die including a recessed surface; and
a pin coaxially aligned with the punch;
the workpieces being positionable between the punch and the die during rivet insertion;
wherein the projection distance of the pin relative to the recessed surface of the die is varied depending upon the desired start of divergence of the rivet into the workpieces, the pin having a greater projection when the leading tip of the rivet engages the die-side workpiece as compared to when the leading tip of the rivet initially passes through the punch-side workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A riveting system comprising:
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a self-piercing rivet;
a punch-side panel;
a die-side panel;
an automatically moveable punch operably driving the rivet into the panels;
a die assembly aligned with the punch, the panels being positionable between the punch and the die assembly;
wherein the punch and die assembly act to delay divergence of a leading end of the rivet until when the leading end begins penetration of the die-side panel during rivet installation. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A riveting machine comprising:
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a rivet advancing punch;
a die assembly having a moveable member; and
an actuation assembly operably moving the member of the die assembly to correspond with a characteristic of the punch. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A workpiece joining die comprising:
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a stationary outer member having a workpiece contacting edge;
an inner member moveably located within the outer member, the inner member having a workpiece contacting edge; and
a central member moveably located internal to the inner and outer members, the central member having a workpiece contacting peak;
the central, inner and outer members all being coaxially aligned adjacent their workpiece contacting peak and edges;
wherein a tip of the peak and the workpiece contacting edges are all substantially coplanar when in a first workpiece joining condition; and
wherein the peak and workpiece contacting edge of the inner member are retracted below the workpiece contacting edge of the outer member when in a second workpiece joining condition. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. A riveting machine comprising:
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a structure having a hollow section;
a die including a workpiece contacting surface and a body, the body being located in the hollow section; and
a substantially T-shaped member having an elongated pin and an enlarged retainer, the retainer being removeable secured to the structure;
the pin projecting through an opening in the workpiece contacting surface of the die; and
the die being moveable relative to the structure and the pin. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A riveting system comprising:
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a rivet-driving punch;
a rivet-deforming die assembly aligned with the punch; and
a controller operably determining a riveting characteristic and automatically varying the die assembly. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A riveting control system comprising:
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memory including stored data values indicative of a desired die configuration to achieve a desired riveted joint;
real-time riveting characteristics sensed and compared to the previously stored data;
a controller operably calculating if die configuration variations are required and if so, sending a die configuration varying signal; and
causing rivet insertion with the varied die configuration to achieve desired joint engagement. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65)
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66. A method of manufacturing a joint by installing a rivet into workpieces using a riveting machine, the machine including a driving member, a first rivet-deforming member, and a second rivet-deforming member, the method comprising:
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(a) advancing the rivet toward the workpieces with the driving member;
(b) causing the rivet to penetrate a first of the workpieces without substantially diverging;
(c) projecting the first rivet-deforming member further past a workpiece interfacing surface of the second rivet-deforming member after at least initiation of step (b); and
(d) penetrating a second of the workpieces with the rivet in coordination with step (c) to cause diverging of the rivet. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification