EP1395379B1 - Portable tool for installing fixing elements - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable tool used for installing fixing elements for assembling parts, which is particularly suitable for assembling machined parts or sheet metal by riveting. The portable tool includes a device for distributing fixing elements, one by one, according to a distribution axis; mechanism for holding a fixing element according to a placement axis; loading device for transferring a fixing element from the distribution device to the mechanism for holding; and a device for mounting a fixing element in a hole provided in the parts. The tool is characterized in that the loading device alternates between a loading movement for transferring a fixing element from the distribution device to the mechanism for holding and movement back to the initial position. During movements, the loading device describes the same path, alternating between one direction and the opposite direction.

Description

The present invention relates to a portable tool, intended to be used for the installation of fasteners, for the assembly of machined parts or sheets. It is particularly suitable, but not exclusively riveting.

The riveting of different pieces together, consists in introducing an element, fixing in a hole previously-drilled in each of these parts and put in coincidence at the time of the operation. Then in a subsequent step, the fastening element is locked either by deformation thereof, or by adding a locking element such as a nut or a deformable ring. The coincidence of the holes drilled in the different parts is advantageously achieved when the parts are drilled together, during the same operation.

There is a large number of riveting devices, allowing an operator to successively perform each of these operations. However, these devices require the operator to select and manually set the fastener.

This presents in the first place a major drawback, from the point of view of the ergonomics of the workstation. Indeed, the operation does not have at his workstation any fasteners it may need to perform riveting operations. Secondly, such devices present significant risks in terms of quality of work because the operator is likely to err and use an unsuitable fastener.

There are also mechanized devices, moved by controlled machines, to achieve the complete sequence of operations. These devices include means for selecting and providing fasteners, adapted to the location where the riveting is performed, but which have the major disadvantage of being heavy and bulky. They can not therefore be a portable tool handled directly by an operator.

Document is known EP-0750954 apparatus for feeding, directing and loading a riveting gun.

However, this device is only suitable for rivets provided with a holding rod, located opposite the body of the rivet relative to the rivet head.

In addition, during operation of this apparatus, and in particular for the return of the loading arm in the starting position, the rivets door can slip on the rivet and thus twist it.

The object of the present invention is to provide a tool that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, it will provide an ergonomic tool, easily manipulated.

It will also propose a tool that improves the quality of riveting while remaining easy to use and inexpensive.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, which is given for information only and which is not intended to limit it.

• des moyens de distribution d'éléments de fixation, un à un, selon un axe dit de distribution,
• des moyens de maintien d'un élément de fixation selon un axe dit de pose,
• des moyens de chargement pour transférer un élément de fixation depuis lesdits moyens de distribution jusqu'auxdits moyens de maintien,
• des moyens de mise en place d'un élément de fixation dans un trou prévu sur lesdites pièces,
• lesdits moyens de chargement effectuant alternativement un mouvement de chargement pour transférer un élément de fixation depuis les moyens de distribution jusqu'aux moyens de maintien et un mouvement de retour en position initiale.

The invention relates to a portable tool for the installation of parts fixing elements, of the type comprising:

• fastener distribution means, one by one, along an axis called distribution,
• means for holding a fastening element along a so-called laying axis,
• loading means for transferring a fastener from said dispensing means to said holding means,
• means for placing a fixing element in a hole provided on said parts,
• said loading means alternately performing a loading movement to transfer a fastener from the dispensing means to holding means and a return movement to the initial position.

This portable tool is characterized in that during these movements the loading means describe the same path inscribed in a single plane alternately in one direction and in the opposite direction.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the loading means comprise at least one movable arm provided with means for receiving a fastening element as well as means for actuating said movable arm comprising at least one actuator and transmission means.

Advantageously, the movable arm can be in the form of a telescopic pivoting arm or in the form of a sliding arm.

• les figures 1 à 3 sont des coupes schématiques d'une première variante d'un outil conforme à l'invention, illustrant le fonctionnement de cet outil, respectivement en position de distribution et de réception d'un élément de fixation au niveau des moyens de chargement, en position de chargement de l'élément de fixation au niveau des moyens de maintien, puis lors de la mise en place d'un élément de fixation au niveau des pièces à assembler.
• la figure 4 est une coupe schématique montrant des moyens pour déposer un produit de finition,
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe d'une autre variante d'un outil selon l'invention.
• les figures 6 à 11 illustrent les étapes successives du cycle de fonctionnement de l'outil représenté à la figure 5.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description, accompanied by the appended drawings, among which:

• FIGS. 1 to 3 are diagrammatic sections of a first variant of a tool according to the invention, illustrating the operation of this tool, respectively in a distribution and receiving position of a fastening element at the level of the means of loading, in the loading position of the fastener at the holding means, and during the establishment of a fastener at the parts to be assembled.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic section showing means for depositing a finishing product,
• Figure 5 is a sectional view of another variant of a tool according to the invention.
• Figures 6 to 11 illustrate the successive steps of the operating cycle of the tool shown in Figure 5.

• des moyens de distribution 1, 5 d'éléments de fixation 24, un à un, selon un axe de distribution,
• des moyens de maintien 50 d'un élément de fixation 24 selon un axe dit de pose,
• des moyens de chargement 60 pour transférer un élément de fixation 24 depuis les moyens de distribution 1, 5 jusqu'aux moyens de maintien 50,
• des moyens de mise en place 23 d'un élément de fixation dans un trou prévu sur la pièce.

The present invention relates to a portable tool for the installation of fasteners for parts or sheets, or the like, which in the two variants presented comprises:

• distribution means 1, 5 of fixing elements 24, one by one, along a distribution axis,
• holding means 50 of a fastening element 24 along a so-called laying axis,
• loading means 60 for transferring a fixing element 24 from the distribution means 1, 5 to the holding means 50,
• means 23 for placing a fixing element in a hole provided on the part.

In addition, according to the main characteristic of the invention, the loading means 60 alternately perform a so-called loading movement and a so-called return motion in the initial position. The loading movement allows the transfer of a fastening element 24 from the distribution means 1, 5 to the holding means 50 of a fastening element 24 along the laying axis 20. The return movement in position initial allows the loading means 60 to return to the distribution axis, parallel and coplanar with the laying axis or substantially.

According to the invention, the loading means 60 follow the same path, in one direction and in the opposite direction, during the loading movement and during the return movement to the initial position. This path consists of several parts that will be detailed later.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 5, the loading means 60 can advantageously comprise at least one movable arm 4 or 62 provided with means 7 for receiving a fastening element 24.

The loading means 60 also comprise means 61 for actuating said movable arm. Said means 61 for actuating said movable arm comprise at least one actuator 12-15 and transmission means 16-19 of the movement of the actuator to the movable arm, so that means for actuating the movable arm 4 or 62 being in motion alternating in one direction and then in the opposite direction, cause said movable arm along the path mentioned above, alternately in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

The receiving means 7 may be in the form of a rivet holder adapted to cooperate with a fastening element 24, such as a rivet.

Advantageously, said transmission means are in the form of a flexible element 16 stretched between two parallel rollers 17a, 17b. Then, said movable arm 4 or 62 is secured to said flexible element 16.

For example, the flexible member 16 may be a belt or a band.

As already pointed out, the actuator is able to move the movable arm 4 or 62 by means of the transmission means 16-19. It may be a linear actuator or a rotary actuator.

A linear actuator may be in the form of a jack. In this case, the piston 14 can move back and forth in the cylinder 13 according to which, for example, air is injected into one chamber or the other of the cylinder. At the end of the tail of the piston 14, a driving member 15 is fixed. This driving element 15 is also fixed to the flexible element 16. Thus, when the piston moves in the cylinder, it drives the flexible element 16 via the driving element 15, in the portion linear located between the two rollers 17a and 17b.

A rotary actuator could be for example a motor secured to at least one of the two rollers 17a or 17b.

We will now describe, with reference to Figures 1 to 3, a first variant of a tool according to the invention.

The entire loading device 60 is fixed to a frame 2 on which is mounted a handle 3 which allows an ergonomic grip of the tool according to the invention.

Advantageously, the movable arm is in the form of a telescopic pivoting arm 4. An article 9 of the arm is pivotally mounted to the roller 17a. Another article 8 of said arm serves to support the receiving means 7 and is able to move along the pivotally mounted article 9. In addition, said article 8 is secured to said transmission means by a connecting pin 18.

For example, the connecting pin 18 is fixed to the flexible element 16 by clamping in a half-moon 19.

In addition, the portable tool is provided with distribution means 1 of fasteners. It may be for example a dispensing tube provided at its end with recentering means 5 of the fastener element. Advantageously, the recentering means are provided with a groove in which is placed a spring whose turns may be inclined relative to its axis.

It is also advantageous to provide that means 50 for holding a fastening element 24 are in the form of an elastic device 21 making it possible to exert a bearing force on at least a part of the larger zone. diameter of the fastening element, to maintain it according to a laying axis 20.

In particular, the elastic device comprises at least one spring 22 whose turns can be inclined relative to its axis.

Still with reference to Figure 1, the positioning means 23 may be in the form of a pushing device or riveting, or screwing.

Of course, the characteristics concerning the holding means 50, the distribution means 1, and the positioning means 23 may extend to other variants of a tool according to the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates the initial state of the operating cycle of a tool according to the invention. A fastener 24 is pushed into the dispensing means 1, in this case a dispensing tube, by pneumatic pressure. It then passes into the recentering means 5 and the rod of the fixing element is recentered by the recentering spring 6. This allows the fastening element to be aligned with receiving means, here the rivets holder 7. The cores of the fastener then engages in the rivets holder 7 which is at the end of the article 8 of the movable arm.

At this stage, the tail of the piston 14 is almost entirely inside the cylinder 13. only the end attached to the driving element 15 remains outside the cylinder. One chamber of the cylinder is at its maximum volume while the other chamber has a minimum volume.

When the operator activates the control of the loading means 60, air under pressure is injected into the chamber of the cylinder 13 whose volume is zero, which has the effect of pushing the piston 14 which, via the driving element 15 drives the flexible element 16 in translation.

Subsequently, the connecting pin 18 is driven first in translation then in rotation around the roller 17b.

During this movement, the article 8 of the movable arm 4 moves along the rod 9 of said arm. Since article 8 is subjected to the flexible element 16 via the connecting axis 18, and as this axis describes a rotational movement, the movable arm 4 will also rotate about the axis 10 .

This makes it possible to bring the rivet door 7 into the laying axis 20. Since the movement of the piston 14 has not been completed, the connecting pin 18 has a translational movement again, in the opposite direction to that of its previous translation movement. The movement of the rivet door 7 thus becomes rectilinear in the laying axis 20. The fastening element 24 is thus pushed into the holding means 50 at the elastic device 21. The head of the fastening element 24 can then cooperate with a 22. Then we come to the step shown in Figure 2.

Pressurized air is then injected into the now empty chamber, which was initially full, which has the effect of moving the rivet door and the movable arm along the same path in the opposite direction of travel. The fastening element 24 is retained at the holding means 50 while the movable arm returns to its initial position, the rivet holder 7 being then facing the arrival of the dispensing means 1.

It should be noted that during the return movement, the rivets door 7 moves in the laying axis, and therefore longitudinally with respect to the rivet. This avoids in particular that the fastening element is twisted during the return of the rivets door 6 and the movable arm 4 in the initial position.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the operator can then insert the fastener 24 in the hole 25 provided in the piece by moving the portable tool forward along the laying axis. When the holding means 50 come into contact with the workpiece, the movement of the tool causes the setting means 23, for example a rivet hammer, which pushes the fastening element 24 and the extract of the means 50. Then the operator can operate the riveting control.

In an advantageous embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, a tool according to the invention is further provided with means 26-31 for depositing a finishing product on the fastener or around the hole.

For example, a syringe 26 containing the finishing product is attached to the mobile arm 4 of the loading means 60. Said syringe is connected to the rivet holder 7 via a flexible hose 27 connected to a feed ring 28. The finishing product is extruded from the syringe through the pipe, passes into the hole 29 of the feed ring 28, extends into the groove 30 of the rivet holder 7 and exits from that through the openings 31 at the surface. in support with the fastening element.

The finishing product may be a sealant, glue or other suitable product.

According to another variant of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the loading means 60 comprise a movable arm which is in the form of a sliding arm 62 rather than a telescopic pivoting arm as previously described.

In this case, said arm 62 is secured to the flexible element 16 by means of a connecting pin 18 fixed to this flexible element by clamping in the half-moon 19. This makes it possible to drive the arm 62 along a path inscribed in a plane, passing the rivets door from a position located in the extension of the distribution tube 1 to a position located in the working axis 20.

For this purpose, the sliding arm 62 is provided with guide means 40 located on either side of the volume defined by the flexible element 16, and which slides freely above and below this flexible element 16.

The operation of a tool corresponding to this embodiment is illustrated in Figures 6 to 11. It is very similar to that described for the previous variant. Thus, when air under pressure is injected into the empty chamber of the cylinder 13 of the actuator, the flexible element 16 is driven by the driving element 15. As a result, the connecting pin 18 is first driven in translation in a first direction and then rotated around the roller 17b and then again in translation, in the opposite direction, until reaching the end stop 63.

During the first part of the movement of the connecting pin 18, guiding means 40 slide freely along the flexible element 16 and thus the sliding arm 62 describes a translational movement. Then, when the connecting pin 18 describes a rotational movement around the roller 17b, the guide means 40 remain substantially immobile. Thus, the movable arm describes a rotational movement corresponding to that of the connecting axis 18.

Finally, when the connecting axis 18 resumes a translation movement, the guide means 40 do the same, in the opposite direction. The movable arm 62 again follows a translational movement. Finally, the fastening element 24 is pushed into the holding means 50, similarly to that described previously.

It should be noted that during the entire loading movement, from the distribution means 1 to the holding means 50, the piston 14 has made only one movement in one direction.

The return to the initial position is obtained by injecting pressurized air into the cylinder chamber. Initially full, now empty. This has the effect of making the moving arm follow the same path, but in the opposite direction.

In summary, during the loading movement of a fastener, distribution means 1 to the holding means 50, the path followed by the fastener 24 is essentially in three parts. In a first part, it follows a translational movement along the axis of distribution. Then in a second part of this path, the fastener follows a substantially circular path, which brings it from the distribution axis to the working axis 20. Finally, in a third part, the fastening element again follows a translation movement along the working axis 20, but in the opposite direction to the previous translation movement.

The entire movement is achieved by the one-way movement of the actuator of the loading means 60.

In the embodiments described, the actuator is of linear type, in this case a jack. It is quite conceivable to provide a rotary actuator that would drive one of the two rollers 17a or 17b.

A particular configuration of a device according to the invention is to use one of these elements as a support and to fix a means ensuring its maintenance or positioning in space. It may be for example a suction cup.

Of course, other modes of implementation, within the reach of ordinary skill in the art, could still be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the claims.

Claims (9)

1. A handheld tool for installing fastening members (24) for parts, including:

   - means (1, 5) for distributing fastening members, one by one along a so-called distribution axis,

   - means -50) for holding a fastening member along a so-called laying axis (20),

   - loading means (60) for transferring a fastening member (24) from said means of distribution (1, 5) to said holding means (50).

   - means (23) for placing a fastening member in hole provided on said parts,

   wherein said loading means (60) perform alternately a loading movement to transfer a fastening member from said means of distribution (1, 5) to said holding means (50) and a movement back to the initial position, characterised in that, during said movements, said loading means (60) follow the same path inscribed in a single plane alternately in one direction and in opposite direction.
2. A handheld tool according to claim 1, wherein the loading means (60) include at least one mobile arm (4: 62) fitted with means for receiving a fastening member and means (61) for actuating said mobile arm including an actuator (12-14) and means (18-19) for transmitting the movement from the actuator to the mobile arm (4: 62), so that the means for actuating the mobile arm, alternately into one direction then In opposite direction, drive the mobile arm (4 : 62) along said path, alternately into one direction then in opposite direction.
3. A handheld tool according to claim 2, wherein said transmission means are in the form of a flexible member (1b), stretched between two parallel rolls (17a, 17b), said mobile arm (4 ; 62) being slaved to said flexible member (16).
4. A handheld tool according to claim 3, wherein said actuator is in the form of a linear actuator (12-14), slaved to the flexible member (16), for driving said flexible member (16) in the linear portion between both rolls (17a, 17b).
5. A handheld tool according to claim 3, wherein said actuator is in the form of a rotary actuator (for driving at least one of both rolls (17a, 17b).
6. A handheld tool according to any of the claims 3 to 5, wherein the mobile arm is in the form of a telescopic swivel arm (4), an item (9) of said arm being mounted pivoting and another item (8) of said arm being slaved to said transmission means (16-19) by a connecting pin (18), being capable of moving along said item (9) mounted pivoting, and acting as a prop for said receiving means.
7. A handheld tool according to any of the claims 3 to 5, wherein the mobile arm is in the form of a sliding arm (62), said arm being slaved to said transmission means (16-19) by a connecting pin (18) and being fitted with guiding means (40) sliding along said transmission means.
8. A handheld tool according to any of the previous claims, wherein said means of distribution (1) are in the form of a distribution tube fitted with means (5) for re-aligning the fastening member (24).
9. A handheld tool according to any of the previous claims, wherein the laying means (23) are in the form of a thrusting or riveting or screwing device.

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