CA2158562C

CA2158562C - Arrangement for pressing-in joining parts

Info

Publication number: CA2158562C
Application number: CA002158562A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Wolfgang Luckhardt; Christoph Heinrich Luckhardt (Deceased)
Original assignee: Multifastener Corp
Current assignee: Multifastener Corp
Priority date: 1993-04-02
Filing date: 1994-04-05
Publication date: 2000-02-29
Anticipated expiration: 2014-04-05
Also published as: EP0691900B1; AU6676994A; JPH08509172A; WO1994022636A1; DE4310953A1; CA2158562A1; DE59403222D1; EP0691900A1

Abstract

An arrangement for pressing-in joining parts such as nuts into plate-shaped components has a top (16) and a bottom (18) housing part movable with respect to each other within limits and prestressed away from each other by the force of a spring. The bottom housing part (18) has a joining part channel (22) to which joining parts may be supplied one by one through a lateral supply opening. A die (20) fixed to the top housing part (16) extends into the joining part channel in order to move a joining part located inside the channel from an initial position adjacent to the supply opening to a working pos ition adjacent to the open end of the channel and to press the joining part into the plate-shaped component when the top and bottom housing parts are moved relative to each other. The pressing-in arrangement is designed as an integral module that may be mounted on a machine p art by means of a rapid action coupling (12). The pressing-in arrangement thus represents a mobile unit which has a plurality of p ossible different applications.

Description

2~~~~62 PCT/EP94/01066 R/Ru-P 3433 Profil-Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
New introduction to the specification The invention relates to a press-in device for the pressing of fastener parts, such as, for example, nuts, into plate-like components, comprising an upper housing part and a lower housing part which are restrictedly displaceable relative to one another and are biased in the direction away from one another by a spring force, wherein the lower housing part has a fastener part channel to which in each case one fastener part can be supplied through a lateral supply opening, and a plunger which is secured to the upper housing part and extends in the fastener part channel in order, on a relative displacement between the upper and lower parts of the housing to displace the fastener part located in the channel from a starting position adjacent to the supply opening to a working position adjacent to the open end of the channel and to press it into the plate-like component.
Such press-in devices are known. They serve for example to press self-piercing nuts into sheet-metal parts. The relative displacement which is necessary for this purpose between the upper part of the housing and the lower part of the housing is customarily generated in that an upper press part to which the pressing device is secured is moved downwardly whereupon the lower housing part contacts the plate-like component and, during the further downward movement of the upper housing part the plunger presses the fastener component ~m~~sz into the plate-like component. A cam-controlled holding device is customarily associated with the plunger and holds the fastener part in its position during its downward movement through the fastener part channel.
A press-in device of this kind is for example disclosed in DE-U-92 05 608.3. The press-in device is hereby integrated into the upper press part in such a way that it is secured by centring pins and screws or clamping means to the upper press part, and in such a way that the springs which prestress the housing parts are braced against the press part.
The present invention is based on the object of so further developing a press-in device of the initially named kind that the possibilities for use are increased.
This object is satisfied in accordance with the invention in that the press-in device is formed as an integral module which can be connected via a quick-closure coupling to a machine part in that the coupling means of the quick-closure coupling are provided both at the upper housing part (16) and also at the lower housing part so that the upper or lower housing part can be selectively attached to the machine part, in that the lower housing part can be attached by the quick-closure coupling to an intermediate plate which is resiliently suspended on the machine part which is formed as the upper part of a press.
The mounting of press dies to a press through quick closure couplings is known from FR-A-2 170 532.
The present invention opens up a plurality of - . ~ ~~~3 ~~

possibilities of use of such a press-in device which represents a considerable enrichment of the prior art.
Thus, the invention makes it possible to exchange one press-in device for another press-in device in simple manner in order for example to process fastener parts of different kinds or of different dimensions. A
further possibility lies in forming the press-in device as the exchangeable tool of a tool-changing system of a machine tool. It is also possible to mount the press-in device - directly or indirectly - on a robot arm. The press-in device formed in accordance with the invention thus represents a mobile unit which can be transported to any working positions that are desired, which makes it suitable for use in NC-machines, transfer lines and the like.
In order to supply the fastener parts, a hose connected to the press-in device is customarily provided which leads to a sorter or to another source for the fastener parts. In a particularly advantageous layout of the invention, a magazine for receiving a restricted number of fastener parts is however associated with the pressing-in device and has a magazine channel which stands in communication with the supply opening of the press-in device. This offers a completely free movability of the press-in device in space and, for example, makes it possible to press a predetermined number of nuts or other fastener parts into a switching plate.
The quick-closure coupling provided in accordance with the invention naturally also makes it possible to rapidly exchange the press-in device for service and repair purposes.

- . ~ V ~1~3:~'~~

The press-in device cannot only be used for the pressing of self-piercing fastener parts into solid material, but rather also for the pressing of fastener parts into pre-bored holes. Apart from nuts, other fastener parts such as, for example, bolts and rivets can also be processed.
Further advantageous developments of the invention are set forth in the subordinate claims.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings in which are shown:
Fig. 1 a longitudinal section through a press-in device in the viewing direction of the arrow I-I in Fig. 2, to explain a possible design of a quick closure coupling and the general layout of a joining device for fastener parts;
Fig. 2 a plan view of the press-in device of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 a longitudinal section through a first embodiment in accordance with the invention of a press-in device with a magazine attached thereto as seen in the direction of viewing of the arrows III-III of Fig. 4;

rt Fig. 4 a plan view of the press-in device of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 a schematically illustrated possibility of use for the press-in device of Fig. 3;
Fig. 6, 7 a side view and a plan view respectively of a modified embodiment of a quick-closure coupling for the press-in device of Fig. 3 in a schematic illustration;
Fig. 8 a partially sectioned side view of another embodiment of a quick-closure coupling in a schematic illustration;
Fig. 9 a plan view of a supply apparatus with -a magazine for the fastener parts;
Fig. 10 a longitudinal section in the direction of viewing of the arrows X-X in Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 an illustration corresponding to Fig.
of a modified embodiment of the magazine;
Fig. 12 a schematic illustration of a tool-changing system with several press-in devices;
Fig. 13 a C-shaped yoke for mounting the press-in device of Fig. 1 on a robot arm in a schematic illustration;
Fig. 14 a side view of a robot with a press-in device in accordance with Fig. 3 mounted thereon in a schematic illustration.
The press-in device 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 serves for pressing a self-piercing nut M into a plate-like component B. For this purpose, the press-in device 10 is attached by a quick-closure coupling 12 to an upper press part 14 which can be moved up and down as will be explained later in detail. The layout of the press-in device 10 is only described to the extent that is necessary for an understanding of the present invention.
The press-in device 10 has an upper housing part 16 and a lower housing part 18 which is displaceably guided in a recess 19 of the upper housing part 16. A plunger 20 _ 6 _ secured to the upper housing part 16 extends in a channel 22 formed in the lower housing part 18 so that the plunger 20 drives the nut M through the channel 22 on a relative displacement between the upper and lower housing parts. The two housing parts 16, 18 are biased in the direction away from one another by coil springs 24 which are braced, at the one end, against a plate 15 which closes the upper side of the upper housing part 16 and, at the other end, in bores of the lower housing part 18. The relative displacement between the two housing parts 16 and 18 is restricted by a stroke limiter 26.
The nuts M are supplied to the channel 22 through a lateral supply opening 28 which adjoins a cut-out 30. A
magazine or a hose leading to a source can be connected to the cut-out 30 as will be explained in detail in conjunction with Figs. 3 and 9 to 11.
For the piercing of the nut M into the component B
supported on a die 34, the upper part l4 of the press together with the press-in device 12 secured thereto is moved downwardly until the lower housing part 16 contacts the component B. During the further downward movement of the upper housing part 16, the plunger 20 drives the nut M from the point of supply adjacent to the supply opening 28 through the channel 22 out of the open end of the channel 22 and presses it into the component B. During the movement of the nut M through the channel 22, it is held in its position by a -non-shown - holding means which can, for example, consist of two cam-controlled holding claws which are pivotally connected to the lower housing part 18, as is described in the older patent application P 42 11 276.1.

~~5~~~~
_,-As shown, the press-in device is formed as an integral module, which is transported as a unit, is stored and can be attached by the quick-closure coupling 12 to any desired machine parts. In the embodiment shown in Figs.
1, 2, the quick-closure coupling 12 has two strips 40 which are secured by screws and centering pins 42 to the machine part 14. The strips 40 are provided with laterally projecting latching sections 44 which confront one another and which are slidingly received by correspondingly dimensioned grooves 46 in the upper housing part 16.
The sections 44 of the strips 40 and the grooves 46 thus form a form-fitted connection designed as a sliding guide between the machine part 14 and the press-in device 10. A relative displacement in the sliding guide is restricted at one end by an abutment 48 and at the other end by a releasable lock 50 which are both provided at one of the strips 40. The releasable lock 50 consists of a locking lever which is rotatably journalled at the strip 40 by means of a spigot 52 and is urged by a spring 54 into its locking position in which a locking nose of the locking lever contacts against one side of the upper housing part 16 of the locking device 10.
For the coupling of the press-in device 10 to the machine part 14, the upper housing part 16 is pushed into place with its grooves 46 disposed laterally between the strips 40 until the upper housing part 16 contacts the abutment 48. At this point in time, the lock 50 is automatically pressed by the spring 54 into its closed position whereby the press-irk device 10 is fixed to the machine part 14. For the release it is - g -only necessary to pivot the lock 50 into its open position, whereupon the press-in device 10 can be pulled off from the strips 40.
A modified embodiment of a press-in device 10 is shown in the Figs. 3 and 4. The same components or components which correspond to one another are designated with the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2.
The embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 is distinguished from that of Figs. 1 and 2 in that the upper and lower housing parts 16, 18 are vertically spaced from one another, the plunger 20 takes over the guidance between the two housing parts and both housing parts have a cylindrical shape and the same diameter.
The springs 24 are supported directly in bores of the upper and lower housing parts 16, 18. The plunger 20 is secured by a screw 23 in an accurately positioned recess of the upper housing part 16, whereas two screws which extend parallel to the axis of the press-in device and which are screwed into the lower housing part 18 serve as the stroke limiter 26.
As can be seen in Fig. 3, grooves 46 of the quick-closure coupling 12 are not only provided in the upper housing part 16, but rather also in the lower housing part 46. This offers the possibility of selectively securing the upper housing part 16 or the lower housing part 18 to a machine part.
As can furthermore be seen in Fig. 4 there are provided, in addition to the grooves 46, further grooves 46' which are displaced relative to the grooves 46 by 90° in the peripheral direction. This makes it ~~5~56~-possible to mount the press-in device in two positions on the machine part which are displaced by 90° relative to one another.
Figure 5 shows an application in which the punching device 10 is not attached to a machine part via the upper housing part 16, but rather via the lower housing part 18. As shown, the strips 40 of the quick-closure coupling 12 are provided on an intermediate plate 60 which is suspended and guided via springs 62 and screws 64 on a machine part 14 in the form of an upper press part. The manner of operation is in principle the same as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.
In the embodiment of the quick-closure coupling 12 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, the movement in and out takes place by a relative movement between the machine part and the press-in device in a direction which extends perpendicular to the axis of the press-in device 12 and thus perpendicular to the direction of the relative displacement between the upper and lower housing parts 16, 18. It will however be understood that a plurality of other embodiments of the quick-closure coupling exist. In the quick-closure coupling 12' which is only schematically illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the inward and outward movement likewise takes place in a plane which stands perpendicular to the axis of the press-in device 10. In this case, a ring groove 70 is however provided as the coupling means on the press-in device 10. Two coupling jaws 72 which are rotatable about the spigot 74 can be moved into and out of engagement with the ring groove 70.
In the quick-closure coupling 12" schematically illustrated in Fig. 8, the inward and outward movement - 10 - ~~,~
takes place in a direction which extends parallel to the axis of the press-in device 10. In this case, the upper housing part 16 is provided with a central spigot 76 which insertable into a bore of a ring 78 fixed to the machine part. The spigot 76 is fixed in the ring 78 by a latching device with a spring-loaded latching ball.
As already mentioned, the nuts M or other fastener parts can be supplied to the channel 22 through a hose which is fixedly or releasably connected to the lower housing part 18. Another possibility lies in supplying the fastener parts from a magazine 80 for receiving a restricted number of fastener parts. As is shown in Figs. 3 and 9 to 11, the magazine 80 forms a part of the supply device 79 which is interchangeably mounted to the lower housing part 18 of the press-in device 12.
The supply device 79 can, apart from the magazine 80, have the same layout as the supply device of the German patent application P 42 il 278.8. It has a mouthpiece 82 with a throughgoing supply channel 83. A
cross-sectionally enlarged portion of the supply channel 83 receives the magazine housing 84 so that a magazine channel 100 formed in the magazine housing 84 merges smoothly into the supply channel 83. The magazine housing 84 is fixed in the mouthpiece 82 by a clamping plate 86, pins 88 and screws 90.
The mouthpiece 82 is provided with a formation 92 which can be inserted into the recess 30 of the lower housing part 18 of the press-in device 10 (see Fig. 3). For the coupling of the mouthpiece 82 to the housing part 18 two levers 94 are provided which are pivotable about pins 76 and are biased into their locking position in - ~~a~aG~

which their hook-like ends engage around the housing part 18 by the springs 98.
A slider 102 is longitudinally displaceably journalled in the magazine channel 100 of the magazine housing 84 formed by the two parts 100a, 100b. In the embodiment of Fig. 9 the slider 102 is biased by a tension spring 104 in a direction in which it drives the nuts lying in the magazine channel 100 in the direction towards the discharge end of the formation 92 of the mouthpiece 82.
The tension spring 104 is suspended at the one end on a pin 108 fixed to the mouthpiece 82 and at the other end on a pin 106 secured to the slider 102, with the pin 106 extending through a longitudinally extending aperture 109 of the upper magazine part l0ob.
In order to prevent the nuts falling out of the mouthpiece channel 100 and thus out of the magazine 80 in the decoupled state of the supply device 79, a blocking device in the form of a pin 110 is provided which is biased by a leaf-spring 112 secured to the supply device into a position which blocks the mouthpiece channel 82 and is automatically pressed into a released position during the coupling-on.
The magazine 80 is filled in the decoupled state with a preset number of nuts (for example 10 nuts) so that the slider 102 moves from its left-hand end position in Fig. 10 into its right-hand end position in which the nuts are prevented from falling out by the pin 110.
During the coupling of the supply apparatus 79 onto the pressing-in device 10 the bolt is automatically moved into its releasing position (Fig. 3) by an inclined surface 114. The slider 102 which is preloaded by the spring 104 can then supply the nuts one after the other ,, to the channel 22 in the lower housing part 18.
Whereas, in the embodiment of Figs. 9, 10 the slider 102 is displaced by spring force, the preloading force is generated in the embodiment of Fig. 11 by compressed air. For this purpose, a compressed air connection 118 is provided at the rear end of the magazine channel 100, which is designed in fluid-tight manner, and leads via a hose connection to a source of pressurised air.
The hose connection can be guided to a compressed air coupling (not shown) provided at the mouthpiece 82 which automatically establishes a communication to the compressed air source during the coupling of the supply device to the press-in device.
With an appropriate construction of the magazine, the slider 102 can also be omitted so that then the fastener parts are acted on directly by the compressed air. In this case, a filling opening could be provided at the rear end of the magazine.
Since the pressing-in device 10 shown in the Figures represents an integral module which, through the quick-closure coupling 12, can be rapidly attached in a simple manner to any desired machine part, manifold possibilities of use are open to the press-in device 10. Thus the Figure 12 shows in schematic manner a tool changing system of a machine tool 150 indicated in chain-dotted lines in which a plurality of press-in devices 10 with attached magazines 80 are provided as exchangeable tools. The press-in devices 10 are stored together with other tools (not shown) in a store 152 and are transported, depending on the requirement, by a conveying and changing device indicated by means of a double arrow 154, to the machine tool 150 to which they ~1~3~~~

can be clamped by means of a correspondingly formed quick-closure coupling.
Another possibility of use is shown by Fig. 13. A
C-shaped yoke 122 with an upper limb 124 and a lower limb 126 is attached via an attachment connection 127 to a robot arm (not shown). The upper limb 124 of the yoke 122 carries an actuating device in the form of a piston-cylinder unit 128 with a hydraulic piston 130. A
press-in device 10 in accordance with Figs. 1 and 2 is interchangeably mounted on the hydraulic piston 130 through the quick-closure coupling 12.
The lower housing part 18 carries a magazine 80 which is interchangeably attached, in accordance with Figs. 9 to 11, to the lower housing part 18. The magazine 80 can, however, also be fixedly attached to the lower housing part 18 if a possibility for filling the magazine 80 is provided at the lower housing part 18 or at another position. As indicated in broken lines, the straight-line magazine 80 could also be replaced by a curved magazine 80' in which the fastener parts are supplied by gravity. Instead of a magazine 80 or 80', a flexible hose 125 could however also be provided which stands in connection with a sorter or another source and is so dimensioned that it does not hinder the movements of the robot arm and the press-in device secured thereon.
The lower limb 126 of the C-shaped yoke 122 has a counter-surface in the form of a die 34 for supporting a plate-like component (not shown) into which the fastener parts can be pressed.
The construction shown in Fig. 13 makes~it possible to ~~8~~~

transport the press-in device 10, with the aid of the (non-shown) robot arm, to any working position reachable by the robot arm in order to carry out a press-in procedure there.
In accordance with Fig. 14, the press-in device 10 is directly secured by the quick-closure coupling 12 to the arm 134 of the schematically illustrated robot 130 provided with a linkage 132. Likewise schematically indicated is a stationary support 136 with a mould 138 which contains a correspondingly deformed plate-like component B. A fastener part (not shown) is to be pressed into the component B at the position 140. For this purpose, the robot 130 moves the press-in device into a position in which the fastener part channel of the press-in device 12 lies precisely above the working position 140. For the pressing of the fastener part into the component B, the robot 130 then moves its arm 134 vertically downwardly so that the press-in movement of the plunger 20 is supplied by the robot itself .
If one is concerned with self-piercing fastener parts, then the piercing force must necessarily be supplied by the correspondingly designed robot. A substantially lower press-in force is necessary when the press-in device 10 presses the fastener parts into pre-manufactured holes of the component B.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Press-in device for the pressing of fastener parts, such as for example nuts, into plate-like components comprising an upper housing part and a lower housing part which are restrictedly displaceable relative to one another and are biased in the direction away from one another by a spring force, wherein the lower housing part has a fastener part channel to which in each case one fastener part can be supplied through a lateral supply opening, and a plunger which is secured to the upper housing part and extends in the fastener part channel in order, on a relative displacement between the upper and lower parts, of the housing, to displace the fastener part located in the channel from a starting position adjacent to the supply opening to a working position adjacent to the open end of the channel and to press it into the plate-like component, characterised in that the press-in device is formed as an integral module which can be connected by a quick-closure coupling to a machine part, in that the coupling means of the quick-closure coupling are provided both at the upper housing part and also at the lower housing part so that the upper or lower housing part can be selectively attached to the machine part in that the lower housing part can be attached by the quick-closure coupling to an intermediate plate which is resiliently suspended on the machine part which is formed as the upper part of a press.

2. Press-in device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the quick-closure coupling can be engaged and disengaged by a relative movement between the machine part and the press-in device which takes place in a plane parallel or perpendicular to the relative displacement of the upper housing part and the lower housing part.

3. Press-in device in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the quick-closure coupling consists of a form-fitted connection between the machine part and the press-in device which is formed as a sliding guide, with a relative movement in the sliding guide being restricted at the one end by an abutment and at the other end by a releasable lock.

4. Press-in device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that coupling means of the quick-closure coupling are provided at sides of the press-in device which are displaced relative to one another by 90° so that the press-in device can be selectively attached to the machine part at one or other of two positions displaced by 90° relative to one another.

5. Press-in device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the upper housing part and the lower housing part are vertically spaced apart from one another and the plunger which is arranged centrally to the two housing parts effects the guidance between the two housing parts.

6. Press-in means in accordance with claim 5, characterised in that the two housing parts have a cylindrical shape and the same diameter.

7. Press-in device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that it is formed as an interchangeable tool of a machine tool.

8. Press-in device in accordance with claim 9, characterised by the combination with several like press-in devices in a store associated with the machine tool and with a conveying and changing device which transports them to the machine tool.

9. Press-in device in accordance with claim 8, characterised in that the press-in devices are stored together with other tools in the store.

10. Press-in device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that it can be mounted by the quick closure coupling directly on a precisely position controlled robot arm so that the relative displacement between the upper housing part and the lower housing part necessary for the pressing in of the fastener part is generated by a corresponding movement of the robot arm.

11. Press-in device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the machine part is a C-shaped yoke mounted on a robot arm with one limb of the yoke carrying the press-in device by means of the quick-closure coupling and with the oppositely disposed limb having a counter-surface which supports the plate-like component.

12. Press-in device in accordance with claim 11, characterised in that it can be attached by means of the quick-closure coupling to the piston of a piston-in-cylinder-unit which is secured to the one limb of the c-shaped yoke.

13. Press-in device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that a hose which communicates for the supply of the fastener parts to a source for the fastener parts is attached to the lateral supply opening of the lower housing part.

14. Press-in device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that a magazine for receiving a restricted number of fastener parts can be connected to the lateral supply opening of the lower housing and has a magazine channel which stands in communication with the supply opening.

15. Press-in device in accordance with claim 12, characterised in that the magazine has a filling opening at its rear end.

16. Press-in device in accordance with claim 13, 14 or 15, characterised in that the hose or the magazine is fixedly attached to the lower housing part.

17. Press-in device in accordance with claim 13, 14 or 15, characterised in that the hose or the magazine is attached to a mouth-piece which is interchangeably mountable at the lower housing part.

18. Press-in device in accordance with any one of claims 13 to 17, characterised in that the fastener parts are displaceable in the magazine channel of the magazine by spring-force, by fluid pressure or by gravity.