EP3110578B1 - Tool for attaching a joining or functional element to a component section - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

Devices or tools for attaching joining elements and / or functional elements to components are known, for example setting tool heads or setting or riveting tools.

Functional elements or joining elements such as semi-hollow punch rivets, solid punch rivets or clinch rivets can be processed with such devices or tools.

The joining elements or functional elements provided for a joining point on the component are moved from a template position of the device to the component with a linearly movable punch before they are attached to the component and attached there under the action of force.

Joining elements are elements which are attached to at least one material or sheet metal layer or which are used to connect in particular two or more material layers such as metal or sheet metal layers, with a joining process taking place when the joining element is attached. All types of rivet elements are considered joining elements. Functional elements are viewed as elements that are attached to at least one material layer in order to provide a function and / or shape on the material layer, e.g. B. a pin, thread and / or a spherical section or another functionality and / or shape.

A combination of a joining element and a functional element in one element is possible.

The WO 01/97999 A2 and the EP 0 922 538 A2 relate to known riveting devices. The U.S. 5,733,089 A relates to a device for attaching a joining element according to the preamble of claim 1.

Object and advantages of the invention

The object of the present invention is to improve the devices or tools mentioned in the introduction with regard to a long service life, in particular to avoid disruptions due to tilting or tilting of joining or functional elements that are presented in the device or in the tool and moved on .

This problem is solved by the independent claims.

Advantageous variants of the invention are shown in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on a tool for attaching a joining element or functional element to a component section with a stamp that can be moved linearly forwards from a position moved back on the tool and moved back again, with a joining element or functional element being connected to a The template position can be brought into a template area on the front side in front of the retracted stamp, so that the stamp takes a joining element or functional element with it from the template area and pushes it into a guide line during its forward movement. The guide line connects in particular to the template position or is adjacent to the template position and leads from the template position z. B. transversely to the feed line in the direction of a die unit of the tool on which the component section is supported for an attachment process.

There are at least two positioning strips that run along the guide line and are designed to position a joining element or a functional element during the sliding movement through the guide line, the at least two positioning strips extending from the guide line into the template area, so that the positioning strips are positioned laterally next to one in the Template position located joining element or functional element are available. This creates a compact, reliable and non-interference-critical device. A jamming or jamming of a joining or functional element in the template area and adjacent areas is avoided.

The invention is characterized in that the at least two positioning strips can be pivoted about a pivot axis, which is resiliently mounted, in the template area. The storage is accordingly carried out in the region of the ends of the at least two positioning strips on the punch side. The resilient mounting is advantageously supplemented or superimposed by a pivotable mounting. In this way, an ideal and safe holding effect is advantageously implemented in a space-saving and simple manner, taking into account the lowest possible friction on the joining or functional element over the entire length of the guide line. For example, a cylindrical pin can be provided as a bearing element of the pivot bearing, which engages through a suitable round opening or hole in the positioning strip, so that the positioning strip around the longitudinal axis of the pin in particular a few degrees of angle is pivotable or adjustable. The pivot axis that can be provided with the pin is in particular aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the guide line, for example in the direction of the transport through the supply line.

The pivot axis is resiliently mounted in particular radially to the longitudinal axis of the guide line or radially to the axis of movement of the stamp. For example, the pin of the pivot bearing is on a backdrop such. B. a groove, a recess or an elongated hole into which a protruding portion of the pin extends from the positioning bar, so that the alignment and / or a length of the spring travel in one direction is determined by the backdrop. With the backdrop, a radial path of movement of the pin is in particular limited to the inside and thus the radial path of movement of the positioning bar inward z. B. predetermined by one end of the backdrop.

In particular, each positioning strip is in one piece. The positioning strips extend into the guide line over almost the entire or substantial length thereof and extend into or onto the presentation area. In this case, the ends of the positioning strips extending in the direction of the ram are advantageously somewhat laterally spaced from the joining or functional element by, for example, a few fractions of a millimeter in the template position of the joining or functional element.

The at least two positioning strips extend over a substantial portion of the guide line, received in this, and with an upper portion protrude over a lower edge of a feed channel of the feed line. From At the lower edge of the feed channel, the projection of the positioning strips, based on the height of the feed channel, is advantageously in particular 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100 percent.

Coming from the guide line, the positioning strips protrude comparatively far beyond the lower edge of the feed line, in particular over the entire height of the feed area, the positioning strips being present on the side of a joining or functional element presented in the feed position. The positioning strips extending upwards to the presentation area are provided laterally in an extension of the feed channel in such a way that a joining or functional element arriving from the feed channel cannot hit the positioning strips or tilt on them. Since differently dimensioned joining or functional elements can be processed by the device, the positioning strips are appropriately matched to the supply line for each dimension of the joining or functional elements to be processed.

Advantageously, the positioning strips extend in the direction of displacement of the punch at least almost into an area somewhat below an end face of the retracted punch that acts on a joining or functional element. The positioning strips or their inner sides are provided, radially offset to the side in relation to the slide direction of the punch, to a volume that can be taken up by the punch when the retracted punch moves forward.

The feed line is present below the feed area or in front of the feed area in the pushing direction of the stamp. The guide line adjoins a joining or functional element presented in the presentation position in the presentation area below or in the advancing direction of the stamp. A distinction must be made between the template area and the guide line; if necessary, the associated component sections must be viewed differently for each joining or functional element dimensioning.

The device according to the invention comprises, in particular, a guide line with a component surrounding it, for example a hold-down device with the positioning strips, a feed section via which joining or functional elements are received by the feed line and arrive at the template position, and components in the area of the template position, for example a stop component to which the joining element or functional element docks in the template position. The device can, for example, as an attachment to a tool. B. a riveting tool can be designed for an attachment, so that the device according to the invention is integrated on a rivet setting head of the tool. With the device according to the invention, if it is adapted accordingly to a relevant tool, conventional tools can optionally be retrofitted or converted with a punch.

The invention has hitherto been used to counteract regularly critical operating phases when a joining or functional element is moved further out of the template position into the guide line. With the aid of the positioning strips, the moving joining or functional element cannot, in particular, jam or tilt in an undefined manner or slip or fall forward in the tool due to a missing holding contact. In particular, a holding contact for the joining or functional element with the positioning strips is set up shortly or immediately after leaving the template position. For example, a joining or functional element held in a defined or aligned position in the template position can already be acted upon or held and positioned by the positioning strips after moving a few tenths of a millimeter out of the template position. The joining or functional element is moved in a defined manner into and along the guide line by the further punch movement. The joining or functional element is in particular continuously moved or guided in a defined manner along the positioning strips without interrupting the contact situation.

It is an advantage if the positioning strips are positioned over the Guide line extend out into the template area in such a way that a joining element or functional element comes into contact with the positioning strips when moving out of the template position on the way into the guide line and is held in a defined manner between the positioning strips. The defined holding of the joining or functional element by the positioning strips takes place in particular at every point or continuously on the path of the joining or functional element from the template position further through the guide line.

Advantageously, a joining or functional element held between the positioning strips is centered directly in the guide line over the entire length of the sliding movement.

The positioning strips act as mechanical holding means for joining or functional elements without a critical interfering contour along the movement path of the joining element. The positioning strips not only provide a holding force to hold the joining or functional element in place, but also, if necessary, urge the joining or functional element into the correct alignment together with the driving and aligning effect of the punch.

It is also advantageous that the positioning strips protruding in the direction of the presentation position on the guide line exercise a guiding and / or alignment function on a joining or functional element which emerges from the supply line on the last partial path when it is fed into the presentation position. For this purpose, the relevant end section of the positioning strips can stand up on the side in the direction transverse to the feed line and form a boundary wall on the outside for a joining or functional element, so that it is functionally correct in the presentation position and is held there by retaining mechanisms in the presentation position. The corresponding end sections of the positioning strips can be matched to the outer shape of the relevant section of the joining or functional element.

A front end of the stamp acting on the joining or functional element advantageously has a maximum external dimension that is equal to or slightly smaller than a maximum external dimension or a maximum diameter of the joining or functional element. The joining or functional element generally has a head section which has a larger diameter than a shaft section of the joining or functional element, the head section or its head top facing the punch in the template position. With the matched stamp, a joining or functional element that is pushed along the positioning strips in front of the stamp can rest against the positioning strips with part of an edge of the head section. The positioning strips, which for example act opposite to the joining or functional element longitudinal axis or symmetrically on the outside of the joining or functional element, hold the joining or functional element between the positioning strips in a clamped manner, but only to the extent that the Joining or functional element can be pushed through between the positioning strips. The positioning strips are pushed outwards a little. Accordingly, the positioning strips are advantageously supported somewhat against a spring force radially to the longitudinal axis of the guide line or are pretensioned.

The at least two positioning strips are preferably designed to be identical to one another. It is also advantageous if there are exactly two positioning strips, in particular opposite one another with a hollow volume of a guide channel of the guide line between them.

One aspect of the invention is that the guide line comprises sections of a bore wall of a guide bore in a guide base body and at least two positioning strips present along the guide line, which are designed for positioning a joining or functional element during its sliding movement through the guide line Positioning strips on the bore wall like this are coordinated so that a joining or functional element can reach the sections of the bore wall during the sliding movement through the guide line. The positioning strips are in particular received or supported on the basic guide body and protrude somewhat radially inwards beyond the wall of the bore. A joining or functional element can touch the bore wall with its outside in particular when the bore wall and inner sides of the positioning strips are circumferentially aligned with one another, with the inner sides of the positioning strips being in holding contact with the joining or functional element or somewhat pushed outwards. In a basic state of the device, when there is no joining or functional element, the inner sides of the positioning strips, which are designed to rest on the joining or functional element, protrude slightly or, for example, a few tenths of a millimeter radially inward beyond the bore wall. A joining or functional element held between these in this position of the positioning strips generally remains at a distance when being pushed through the guide line from sections of the bore wall which are circumferentially adjacent to the positioning strips. The wall of the bore is matched in particular to a maximum diameter of the joining or functional elements, wherein a large number of joining or functional elements, possibly with different dimensions in the maximum diameter, can be processed with the device. For problem-free processing of the joining or functional elements, the maximum diameter of the joining or functional elements only has to be within a diameter range permissible for the device, the different maximum diameters of the joining or functional elements e.g. B. are caused by tolerances. The positioning strips are preferably accommodated in receiving volumes or recesses in the bore wall that are appropriately matched to the positioning strips, e.g. B. in that the bore wall is circumferentially interrupted over its substantial length via at least two recesses. The recesses can, for example, by longitudinal grooves running parallel to the bore with, for example, angled sides in the bore wall be educated. The recesses allow a comparatively small adjustment movement radial to the longitudinal axis of the guide line and a slight adjustment of the positioning strips obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the guide line.

In practice, a joining or functional element will be in contact with the positioning strips when it is pushed through the guide line, in particular brief contact of the joining or functional element with sections of the bore wall that are circumferentially present between the positioning strips . The positioning strips give way radially outwards.

The relevant sections of the bore wall can advantageously take on positioning and / or guiding tasks for the joining or functional element when it is pushed through the guiding line.

From a theoretical point of view, starting from the essentially cylindrical shapes of the elements involved, an arrangement is conceivable in which a maximum outer diameter of the joining or functional element corresponds exactly to the diameter of the bore wall and the inner sides of the positioning strips, which rest against the joining or functional element , have the shape of a circular arc section with the radius of the bore wall, so that when the joining or functional element has the same outer diameter of the joining or functional element head is pushed through the guide line, the insides of the positioning strips are pushed outwards exactly up to the diameter of the bore wall over the entire circumference of the outer diameter of the joining or functional element head, for example an edge of the joining or functional element head, idealized a touching contact with the inner sides of the positioning strips and the intermediate section takes place en the bore wall. In reality, however, there are deviations from this state, for example with a smaller outer diameter of the joining or functional element head or of the punch or due to deviations from the cylindrical shape and / or due to tolerances of the parts concerned.

With an outer die diameter that is identical to the diameter of the joining or functional element head, in the idealized or theoretical case, sections on the associated circumference of the joining or functional element head will come into contact with the inner sides of the positioning strips and also corresponding sections on the outer circumference of the die . The punch diameter is advantageously somewhat smaller than the diameter of the joining or functional element head.

To slightly radially outwardly offset sections of the bore wall, which are present circumferentially between the positioning strips, a comparatively very small air annular gap remains with a radial extent of z. B. a few tenths of a millimeter. In the case of a particularly brief and slight tilting or radial displacement of the joining or functional element when it is pushed through the guide line, the joining or functional element can also touch the relevant sections of the bore wall for a short time.

The passage or the hollow volume provided by the guide line, into which the punch dips when moving forward and through which the joining or functional element is pushed, is delimited by the sections of the bore wall and the insides of the at least two guide strips.

It is also advantageous that at least one of the at least two positioning strips can be pivoted about a pivot axis in the region of the template area. In particular, there are two or three positioning bars, both of which are pivotable. The pivotability or longitudinal adjustment of the positioning strips is possible in particular by a maximum of a few degrees of angle, for example by a maximum of 1, 2, 3 or 4 degrees. The pivot axes are in particular transverse or oblique to Pushing direction through the guide line or transversely to the longitudinal axis of the positioning strips. The pivot axes of the, for example, two positioning bars are preferably at the level of the template area, laterally offset to a volume that the punch moving forward from the retracted position occupies, somewhat spaced from the end face of the retracted punch or on both sides of a volume that is supported by a joining or Functional element can be taken in the template position. In other words, the pivot axes are parallel to the feed direction as an extension of the respective opposite walls of the feed line. With the swivel bearing, the positioning strips in the guide line can be positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the guide line.

The positioning strips are preferably designed in the same way or are pivotable. In particular, the at least two positioning strips can each be pivoted about a pivot axis which are aligned parallel to one another and are at the level of a cross section to the direction of movement of the punch. With the pivotability, when a joining or functional element is pushed through the guide line, the positioning strips can advantageously assume an orientation that converges in the manner of a funnel or at an angle in the sliding direction through the conveying line. This ensures that a joining or functional element is held between the positioning strips during the entire sliding process and cannot occur due to the constriction formed in the sliding direction.

In principle, a pivot mounting of the positioning bars can alternatively or additionally be provided in an end region of the positioning bars facing away from the template position or at another point.

According to an advantageous modification of the invention, the at least two positioning strips are resiliently mounted in the template area. For this, z. B. a spring bearing assembly available. In particular, the resilient storage takes place in radial direction to the direction of movement of the punch or to the longitudinal axis of the guide line. In particular, precisely one of the at least two positioning strips is resilient or all of the positioning strips are, in particular, resiliently mounted in each case in the same way. The spring loading is advantageous in such a way that the positioning strips are pretensioned in the basic state without a joining or functional element, in particular aligned at least almost parallel to the punch axis, with a, if possibly comparatively low, pretensioning force acting on the positioning strips through the spring force of corresponding spring bearing means of the spring bearing arrangement.

The type or design of the resilient mounting of the positioning strips in the area of the template position can be set up in the most varied of ways, for example by means of screw, spiral, leaf, ring or other springs. The force acting on the joining or functional element via the positioning strips due to the spring force of the resilient mounting is coordinated in such a way that, on the one hand, there is no excessive friction between the joining or functional element and the inside of the positioning strips when it is pushed through the guide line to prevent heat generation To minimize abrasion and wear, and on the other hand, there is always sufficient holding force acting on the joining or functional element so that the joining or functional element is held between the positioning strips in all possible spatial positions of the device or tool, even with a Overhead application, for example if the punch is withdrawn in a special or malfunction operating state before the joining or functional element has left the guide line and is attached to the component section. In addition, when operation is restarted after the malfunction, it can be safely assumed that the joining or functional element is present in a functionally correct alignment within the guide line. This is because the holding function of the positioning strips on a joining or functional element acts purely mechanically and over the entire possible path of movement of the joining or functional element directly after that of a joining or functional element within the device after leaving the original position. In the presentation position itself, other holding mechanisms usually act on the joining or functional element, for example a holding force through suction with a negative or differential pressure acting on the joining or functional element. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the longitudinal ends of the at least two positioning strips, which are opposite the longitudinal ends in the template area, are resiliently received in the radial direction to the longitudinal axis of the guide line. With this measure, a holding force is reliably and compactly applied to a joining or functional element pushed through along the guide line, in particular over the entire movement path through the guide line.

If necessary, at least one resilient receptacle can also be provided at one point or at several points over the length of the positioning strips.

In particular, the ends of the positioning strips, which are assigned to a free end of the guide line, at which a joining or functional element leaves the guide line and can be attached to the component section, via an elastic element that acts radially on the outside of the positioning strips, for example, a ring-shaped surrounding elastic element such. B. a closed annular coil spring, a toroidal spring, a rubber or O-ring is resiliently applied. The elastic element can bear directly on the outside of the positioning strips or act indirectly on the positioning strips through an intermediate element located in between.

The positioning strips are resiliently mounted or preloaded in particular in the region of the longitudinal ends which are assigned to the end of the guide line. The positioning strips can accordingly yield outwardly in the radial direction to the longitudinal axis of the guide line when a pushed-through joining or functional element pushes the positioning strips apart at the bottom.

It is also advantageous that the positioning strips extend over at least a substantial length of the guide line. Thus, with the positioning strips, a defined positioning of a joining or functional element is possible over the essential or possibly entire length of the guide line set up, which is pushed through the guide line with the punch. The positioning strips protrude, in particular, on the punch side over the guide line, in particular over the entire height of the transversely arriving feed line, and can extend as far as a free end of the guide line facing a die unit of the tool.

It is also advantageous that the positioning strips and the basic guide body are matched to one another in such a way that, based on a total circumference of a cross section of the guide line, the at least two positioning strips make up approx. 30%, in particular approx. 50%, in particular approx. 60% or more. The 100% additional portion of the total circumference of approx. 70%, in particular approx. 50%, in particular approx. 40% or less is formed by sections of the bore wall of the guide bore lying circumferentially between the positioning strips. Advantageously, there are exactly two opposite or three positioning strips, each of which makes up, for example, approximately 10 to 20 or more percent of the total circumference of a cross section of the guide line.

Another advantageous modification of the invention is characterized in that the at least two positioning strips are present in such a way that they are coordinated to provide a holding force on the joining or functional element as soon as a joining or functional element moved out of the template position comes into contact with the positioning strips, wherein a holding force acts on the joining or functional element with the positioning strips on the entire path that can subsequently be covered by the joining or functional element along the positioning strips. The positioning strips can be coordinated so that a joining or functional element held in the template position, for example by suction, is not in contact with the positioning strips, which applies to all dimensions of the joining or functional elements that can be processed by the device. The distance between the joining or functional element in the template position and the However, the positioning bar is comparatively very small or is, for example, approx. Millimeters or a fraction of a millimeter. After a correspondingly short disengaging movement of the joining or functional element from the template position by lowering the punch and pressing a stamp face against a particularly flat top of a head of the joining or functional element in the template position, after a brief disengaging movement of the joining or functional element Outer section of the joining or functional element in abutment contact with the positioning strips and is held in a clamped manner when the positioning strips are reached. Even at this point in time, the holding position of the joining or functional element is retained in a defined manner. Thus, the joining or functional element remains securely held in the guide line even in the event of a malfunction, for example if the advancing punch suddenly moves back again before reaching an extension end point, i.e. the joining or functional element remains in the guide line. To provide the holding force, the positioning strips are designed accordingly, in particular via the preload or spring mounting.

The holding force is in particular significantly less than a punch force that acts on the joining or functional element from the punch, so that a joining or functional element can be pushed through the guide line by the driven punch without any problems, but at the same time held clamped between the positioning strips .

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the positioning strips with an external shape of a joining or

Functional element section coordinated system side are designed. The contact side is formed by an inside of the positioning strip, the inside being adjacent to a passage volume provided by the guide line for the joining or functional elements to be pushed through. The contact side is, for example, on an outer shape of an area of the largest diameter of the joining or functional element matched, for example, to a head section of the joining or functional element. A large number of commercially available joining or functional elements have a cylindrical basic shape, especially in the area of the largest outer or radial dimension, so that the contact side is correspondingly concave in the same radius or corresponding to a section of a hollow cylinder. The contact side can advantageously rest flat on the outside of the joining or functional element or press on the outside of the joining or functional element via a line contact or at least over several contact points in the contact.

The positioning strips can advantageously each be formed as a strip-shaped half-shell with a concave inner side shaped in a radius.

The two or more positioning strips are advantageously positioned circumferentially uniformly relative to one another in relation to cross-sections of the guide line, for example according to two positioning strips lying opposite in the guide line or according to three positioning strips each circumferentially offset by 120 degrees.

It is also advantageous that a leaf spring arrangement for the resilient mounting of the at least two positioning strips is present in the template area. Leaf springs can be designed in a simple and space-saving manner and also function reliably.

In principle, it is conceivable to receive the positioning strips via a spring-mounted pivot axis at the free end or an end at which the joining or functional element is ejected from the extended punch and to only receive or support the positioning strips in the area of the template position via a radially acting spring bearing . to pretension.

In addition, it is advantageous that there is a differential pressure arrangement with which a pressure difference can be generated in the area of a joining or functional element presented in the presentation position, so that the joining or Functional element is held in position in the template position with the acting differential pressure. In particular, a negative pressure arrangement for applying a negative pressure in the area of the template position for holding a joining or functional element located in the template position in a fixed position is advantageously designed. If the joining or functional element is held in the template position by the negative pressure or suction and is moved slightly out of the template position by the punch, the negative pressure effect on the joining or functional element is torn off, at which point the joining or functional element is already in Holding contact is with the positioning strips resting on the outside of the joining or functional element.

The invention also relates to a tool for attaching a joining or functional element to a component section with a punch that can be moved linearly forwards from a moved back position on the tool and moved back again, a device according to one of the above-mentioned variants being present.

In this way, the advantages explained above can be realized on a riveting tool, for example.

The tool can, for example, be designed as a semi-hollow punch rivet, solid punch rivet or clinch rivet tool or as a tool with which other joining elements and / or functional elements can be introduced into a sheet metal layer or several sheet metal layers.

The tool particularly advantageously also comprises sensor means and a control unit, in particular with a computer unit for processing sensor data from the sensor means or for controlling the operating processes, for example a drive unit also assigned to the tool, such as a hydraulic, pneumatic, hydropneumatic and / or electric drive for linear movement of the stamp or for other driven functional parts.

Character description:

Further features and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail using the exemplary embodiment of a tool according to the invention shown in the figures.

In detail shows:

Figure 1

a part of a tool according to the invention with a joining element presented in front of a retracted punch and an adjoining feed line for joining elements in section,

Figure 2

a perspective detail of part of the tool according to Figure 1 partially cut,

Figure 3

the arrangement according to Figure 1 in one to the cut according to Figure 1 cut offset by 90 degrees,

Figure 4

in section according to Figure 3 the arrangement in a later operating state with partially advanced punch and

Figure 5

in section according to the Figures 3 and 4th the arrangement in a further operating state with the punch extended to the maximum.

In the figures, part of a tool according to the invention, designed as a riveting tool 1 with a feed 6 for joining elements, for attaching a joining element to a component section B indicated by dashed lines is shown in section and schematically. The component section B consists, for example, of two or more sheet metal material layers to be connected to one another. Should as an alternative to Joining element a functional element are processed, this is usually attached to exactly one sheet metal. However, the functional element can also be designed to be able to be attached to several sheet metal layers, possibly with the additional function of connecting several sheet metal layers.

According to the Figures 1 to 3 is a joining element presented individually in the riveting tool 1, here as an example a semi-tubular punch rivet 2, which can be processed by the riveting tool 1 or can be pressed into component section B under the action of force and partial deformation of semi-tubular punch rivet 2 and component section B. The semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is in the Figures 1 to 3 held in a fixed position in a waiting or presentation position 3 in the riveting tool 1. In the template position 3, the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is present in a template area 3a or occupies the template area 3a.

The semi-tubular punch rivet 2 comes from a memory (not visible) remote from the riveting tool 1 for a large number of semi-tubular punch rivets via, for example, a feed tube (not shown), which guides the semi-tubular punch rivets to a feed channel 7 of the feed 6. The semi-tubular punch rivets are conveyed in the direction P3 through the feed channel 7 into a rivet setting head 4 of the riveting tool 1. A punch of the riveting tool 1 designed as a rivet setting pin 5 and designed as a rivet setting pin 5 via a drive unit of the riveting tool 1, which cannot be seen according to the arrows P1 and P2, is located in the Figures 1 and 3 in a position fully retracted in direction P2. Figure 4 shows the rivet setting pin 5 in a partially extended and Figure 5 in a fully extended position with the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 in front of it.

The semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is not fed from the memory in the axial direction or in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 in the rivet setting head 4, but in the transverse direction to the longitudinal axis L of the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 through the feed 6 Advantageously, the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 can be shot directly under the rivet setting pin 5, whereby an otherwise necessary mechanism, for example a slide mechanism, can be dispensed with, which must turn the semi-tubular punch rivet by 90 degrees before the punch pushes the semi-tubular punch rivet in the direction P4 according to the in Figure 1 alignment shown with one rivet bottom first.

The semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is conveyed, for example, by means of an air stream 8 or pneumatically in the direction P3 and shot directly under the rivet setting pin 5 or its end face 5a and held there aligned in the template position 3 or in the template area 3a.

The semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is sucked in by applying a negative pressure p in a low-pressure bore 10 to a stop 11 or to a contact contour 14 configured thereon and is held in a fixed position in the template position 3. The semi-hollow punch rivet 2 which has been sucked in closes an opening 10a of the low-pressure bore 10.

From the according to the Figures 1 and 3 When the rivet setting pin 5 moves backward, it takes a single semi-tubular punch rivet with it from the template position 3 shown for the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 in the template area 3a in the direction P4 during the subsequent advancement according to P1, by moving the end face 5a, which is designed as a flat plane surface, onto a head-side, likewise flat face 2a of the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 acts and the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 advances in the direction of P4, which the Figures 4 and 5 clarify. The semi-hollow punch rivet 2 becomes somewhat radial or in accordance with FIG Figure 1 template position 3 offset laterally to the longitudinal axis S of the rivet setting pin 5, set back until the longitudinal axis L of the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 and the longitudinal axis S of the rivet setting pin 5 lie on a common straight line. As a result of the action of the end face 5a on the end face 2a, the semi-hollow punch rivet 2, if its longitudinal axis L is not aligned exactly parallel to the longitudinal axis S of the rivet setting pin 5 is brought into an exact parallel alignment of L and S, so that the end face 5a lies parallel to the end face 2a.

In the template position 3 is the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 with a rivet head 13, which merges on the outside via a concave groove 13a into a shaft 12 of the semi-hollow punch rivet 2, in an at least almost form-fitting contact with a correspondingly convex section of the contact contour 14 at the stop 11 the contact contour 14, the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 is moved in the first movement section from the template position 3 or from the template area 3a by the rivet setting pin 5 against P3 and in direction P4 until the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 comes into holding contact on guide strips 15, 16. Subsequently, the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 is pushed by the rivet setting pin 5 linearly in the direction P4, which Figure 4 and 5 clarify.

In order to ensure that the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 can be moved forward from the template position 3 by the advancing rivet setting pin 5 or comes into clamping contact centrally or centrally between the guide strips 15, 16, the longitudinal axis of the stop 11 and thus the contact contour 14 is The wall is slightly offset in the direction of P3 in relation to the longitudinal axis S of the punch. Thus, the correspondingly offset semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is moved slightly in the opposite direction to P3 by the rivet setting pin 5 advancing according to P1, relative to the end face 5a of the rivet setting pin 5, i.e. slightly back against the direction when arriving through the feed channel 7. After the rivet head 13 moves with its hollow groove 13a has moved out of its at least almost form-fitting position on a section of the contact contour 14 approximating the shape of the hollow groove 13a, the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is inserted through a punch channel 9a in a hold-down lug 9 or adjacent to concave inner sides 15a, 16a of the guide strips 15 , 16 continued. Circumferentially adjacent to the guide strips 15, 16 and radially to the inner sides 15a, 16a by a few tenths of a millimeter to the outside Bore wall sections 9b of the punch channel 9a are present.

The sectional views of the riveting tool 1 result from sections through the longitudinal axis S of the rivet setting pin 5.

The upper section of the guide strips 15, 16 advantageously extends so far into the template area 3a that the guide strips 15, 16 clearly protrude beyond a lower edge 7b of the feed channel 7, in particular corresponding to an entire height 7a of the feed channel 7.

The rivet setting pin 5 is shown in the extended state in the direction of a die unit (not shown) of the riveting tool 1 Figure 5 Surrounded on the outside circumferentially over its entire length by the hold-down device designed as a hold-down nose 9, which serves to fix the component section B supported on the underside of the die unit on the upper side.

The transition from the lateral feed of the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 according to P3 to the template position 3 and from there further in direction P4 is supported by the contact contour 14, which represents a continuous path without interfering contours and / or without component offsets for the moving semi-tubular punch rivet 2.

In the template position 3 or in the template area 3a of the semi-hollow punch rivet 2, the latter is, for example, spaced a few tenths of a millimeter from sections of the guide strips 15 and 16, which is explained in more detail below. The holding force on the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 due to the negative pressure p acting in the template position 3 breaks off as soon as the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 is pushed minimally or slightly out of the template position 3 by the action of the rivet setting pin 5 moving down according to P1. When the template position 3 is left, the inner sides 15a, 16a coming into contact with the semi-tubular punch rivet 2 take on the holding function or guide the semi-tubular punch rivet 2. The semi-tubular punch rivet 2 is always defined aligned moved or positioned. The guide strips 15, 16 of the same type are advantageously designed as elongated longitudinal shells with their inner sides 15a, 16a in a concave shape, which are received in the hold-down lug 9.

As soon as the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 leaves the template position 3, the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is clamped between the spring-loaded guide strips 15, 16, which, if the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is not present, are pre-tensioned and positioned in a defined manner.

The semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is held in a slightly pressing manner on the outside by the guide strips 15, 16. The guide strips 15, 16 are designed to be deflectable and adjustable to the outside. The guide strips 15, 16 represent a partial extension of a delimitation of the feed channel 7. The guide strips 15, 16 are each in their upper end area or in the area of the template position 3 or in the area to the side of the template area 3a by a linearly displaceable and guided swivel joint 17 or 18 with pivot axes D1 and D2 and are each under the bias of a respective leaf spring 19 or 20.

At the other end or in the lower end region of the two guide strips 15, 16, the guide strips 15, 16 are spring-loaded. This is set up, for example, by an elastic element or a spring ring 21 which is placed around the outside of the guide strips 15, 16. The spring ring 21 acts via an intermediate element 22 on the guide strips 15 and 16.

The guide strips 15, 16 are inserted into recessed cutouts in the longitudinal direction of the hold-down nose 9 or in suitably matched longitudinal grooves 23, 24 in the hold-down nose 9. The arrangement in the longitudinal grooves 23, 24 enables a slight inclined adjustment according to P6 and resilient evasive movement of the guide strips 15, 16 according to R1 and R2 in the area of the swivel joints 17 and 18 when one is pushed through Joining element through the punch channel 9a depending on the position of the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 along the punch channel 9a.

In the case of the semi-hollow punch rivet 2, a circumferential, circular edge 13b of the rivet head 13 comes into contact with the respective concave inner side 15a or 16a of the guide strips 15, 16 when it is pushed through the punch channel 9a (see Fig. Figure 4 ).

The guide strips 15, 16 deflect somewhat radially outwardly according to P5 or R1, R2 against the spring action of the leaf springs 19, 20 or the spring ring 21 or are temporarily positioned around the pivot axes D1 and D2 somewhat according to P6.

The swivel joints 17, 18, which are guided linearly or radially according to R1, R2, enable the guide strips 15, 16 to be widened or opened for a funnel-like adjustment when the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is pushed through the punch channel 9a, so that the semi-hollow punch rivet 2 is always clamped in front of the rivet setting pin 5 will and does not occur.

The swivel joints 17, 18 enable the guide strips 15, 16 to be adjusted or pivoted from the point in time at which the lower sections of the guide strips 15, 16 open somewhat towards the outside against the spring ring 21.

The swivel joints 17, 18 include bolts 17a, 18a, with which maximum positions or a fixed stop towards the inside or towards one another can be specified with respect to the radial position of the guide strips 15, 16. For the maximum or stop positions of the guide strips 15, 16 viewed inward in the radial direction, the bolts 17a, 18a are each guided in coordinated guide slots 25 transversely to the direction of movement of the rivet setting pin 5. The guide slot 25 is designed radially outwards in such a way that no stop is effective for the guide strips 15, 16 in order to reliably prevent a joining element from jamming.

In the state without a semi-tubular punch rivet 2 in the riveting tool 1, the guide strips 15, 16 with the leaf springs 19, 20 are pressed inwardly so that the protruding inner sides 15a, 16a form an aligned extension of a side wall of the feed channel 7, so that an incoming semi-tubular punch rivet 2 Guided on both sides or laterally, the template position 3 is reached under the rivet setting pin 5 that has been moved back.

The arrangement according to the invention advantageously consists of a few and simple components. This means that only a small amount of space is required. In addition, comparatively simple construction elements such as the leaf springs 19, 20, the guide strips 15, 16 and the spring ring 21 can be used.

The guide strips 15, 16 are slightly spaced at their respective lower ends from the free lower end of the punch channel 9a or the hold-down nose 9, the corresponding distance between the ends of the guide strips 15, 16 and the lower end of the hold-down nose 9 being a few millimeters. The distance is in particular less than a length of the shortest joining element of all variants of joining elements that can be processed by the device, so that even when processing the shortest joining or functional element that can be operated by the device, it is already stuck in the material layer or remains stuck before it is released from the guide strips 15, 16 or loses contact with them. A joining element is thus still held securely by the guide strips 15, 16 when the joining element is already protruding from the guide bore and is partially anchored in the component section, with the partial anchoring in the component section no longer requiring a holding function acting on the joining element by the guide strips 15, 16 is because the joining element with the partial anchoring in the component section can no longer tilt spatially in an undefined manner.

List of reference symbols:

1

Riveting tool

2

Semi-tubular punch rivet

2a

Face

3

Template position

3a

Template area

4th

Rivet head

5

Rivet setting pin

5a

Face

6th

Feed

7th

Feed channel

7a

Feed channel height

7b

edge

8th

Airflow

9

Hold-down nose

9a

Stamp channel

9b

Bore wall section

10

Low pressure drilling

10a

opening

11

attack

12

shaft

13

Rivet head

13a

Fillet

13b

edge

14th

System contour

15th

Guide bar

15a

inside

16

Guide bar

16a

inside

17th

Swivel joint

17a

bolt

18th

Swivel joint

18a

bolt

19, 20

Leaf spring

21st

Spring washer

22nd

Intermediate element

23, 24

Longitudinal groove

25th

Leadership backdrop

Claims (9)

1. Tool (1) for attaching a joining element (2), such as all types of rivet elements, or a functional element to a component portion, having:

   - a punch (5) which from a retracted position on the tool (1) is movable forward in a linear manner and movable back again;

   - a presentation region (3a) at the end face in front of the moved-back punch (5);

   - a feed line (7) by way of which the joining element (2) or functional element is able to be moved to a presentation position (3) in the presentation region (3a) at the end face in front of the moved-back punch (5); and

   - a guide line (9a) so that the punch (5) in the forward movement thereof is able to entrain a joining element (2) or functional element from the presentation region (3a) and slide said joining element (2) or functional element into the guide line (9a),

   - wherein at least two positioning strips (15, 16) which run along the guide line (9a) and which are configured for positioning the joining element (2) or the functional element during the sliding movement through the guide line (9a) are present, wherein the at least two positioning strips (15, 16) from the guide line (9a) reach into the presentation region (3a) such that the positioning strips (15, 16) are present so as to be laterally beside a joining element (2) or functional element which is located in the presentation position, wherein the at least two positioning strips (15, 16) in the presentation region (3a) are pivotable about a pivot axis (D1, D2),

   characterized in that the pivot axes (D1, D2) are mounted in a resilient manner.
2. Tool according to Claim 1, characterized in that the positioning strips (15, 16) extend beyond the guide line (9a) into the presentation region (3a) in such a manner that a joining element (2) or functional element, when moving out of the presentation position (3), on the path into the guide line (9a) comes into contact with the positioning strips (15, 16) and is held in a defined manner between the positioning strips (15, 16).
3. Tool according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide line (9a) comprises sections (9b) of a bore wall of a guide bore in a guide basic body (9) and at least two positioning strips (15, 16) which are present along the guide line (9a) and configured for positioning a joining element (2) or a functional element in the sliding movement thereof through the guideline (9a), wherein the positioning strips (15, 16) are adapted to the bore wall such that a joining element (2) or functional element in the sliding movement through the guide line (9a) is able to reach the sections (9b) of the bore wall.
4. Tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal ends of the at least two positioning strips (15, 16) that lie opposite the longitudinal ends in the presentation region (3a) are received so as to be resilient in the direction radial to the longitudinal axis of the guide line (9a).
5. Tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positioning strips (15, 16) extend across at least a substantial length of the guide line (9a).
6. Tool according to Claim 3, characterized in that the positioning strips (15, 16) and the guide basic body (9) are mutually adapted in such a manner that, in terms of a total circumference of a cross section of the guide line (9a), the at least two positioning strips (15, 16) form a proportion of the total circumference of approximately 30%, in particular approximately 50%, in particular approximately 60% or more.
7. Tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least two positioning strips (15, 16) are present and adapted in such a manner so as to provide a holding force on the joining element (2) or functional element as soon as a joining element (2) or functional element that is being moved out of the presentation position (3) comes into contact with the positioning strips (15, 16), wherein a holding force acts on the joining element (2) or functional element by way of the positioning strips (15, 16) along the entire path that is subsequently able to be covered by the joining element (2) or functional element along the positioning strips (15, 16).
8. Tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positioning strips (15, 16) are designed having a contact side (15a, 16a) which is adapted to an external shape of a joining or functional element section.
9. Tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a leaf spring assembly for the resilient bearing of the at least two positioning strips (15, 16) is present in the presentation region (3a).

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