EP3678801B1 - Separator for rivet elements - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a separator for the rivet elements according to the preamble of claim 1 and a rivet cartridge according to the preamble of claim 14.

Separators for rivet elements are known in various configurations from the prior art, for example from US Pat EP 0 511 093 A1 (Basis for the preamble of claim 1), the WO 2009/087333 A1 , the FR 3 006 923 A or the EP 0 618 022 A1 . Separators usually have two locking elements which alternately lock and release a guide for guiding the rivet elements. For example, a separator from a rivet cassette is known in which a double pin is moved as the first locking element for locking the guide between a locking position and a release position. Furthermore, this separator has a second locking element, which is also designed as a double pin and is arranged offset from the first locking element along the conveying direction of the rivet elements. By alternately moving these two locking elements into their locking position and from the locking position into their release position, the rivet elements can easily be separated. The direction of movement of the locking elements in the locking position or in the release position is directed here perpendicular to the conveying direction. The disadvantage of this design of the rivet elements is that they regularly jam with the rivet elements to be locked and thus lead to a blockage of the separator and thus to a malfunction. As a result, a production process is unnecessarily interrupted, since a riveting machine can no longer be supplied with riveting elements.

The invention is based on the object of improving the reliability of a separator and thus the supply of a riveting machine with riveting elements.

The above object is achieved in a separator according to the preamble of claim 1 by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1.

Because at least one locking element, preferably both locking elements, are arranged in such a way that the direction of movement of the locking element or elements is oriented at an angle to the conveying direction of the rivet elements, jamming of the rivet element and locking element is effectively avoided. Since the pressure of the rivet element in the conveying direction on the locking elements is no longer at right angles here, the risk of jamming is considerably reduced.

In order to further increase the reliability of the separator, it can be provided that the direction of movement of at least one blocking element, preferably both blocking elements, from the blocking position to the release position has a movement component opposite to the conveying direction (claim 2).

Blocking or jamming of the rivet elements with the locking element (s) can be avoided particularly reliably if, as required according to claim 3, the direction of movement of at least one locking element, preferably both locking elements, from the locking position to the release position is at an angle between 40 ° and 50 °, preferably between 43 ° and 47 °, more preferably of essentially 45.2 °, to the conveying direction. Further advantageous geometric relationships between the blocking elements and the conveying direction are described in claims 4 to 7.

The movement of at least one blocking element, preferably both blocking elements, from the blocking position into the release position is preferably a translational movement and / or a folding movement.

According to the development according to claim 9, the guide is an, in particular linear, tunnel. It preferably has a round cross section. The tunnel is particularly preferably formed by a bore.

In the further development according to claim 10, the locking elements are preferably actuated by one actuator each. This results in a structurally very simple control of the separator.

For coupling the separator to a transport path, the separator according to claim 11 preferably has a coupling element for coupling a Coupling element of the transport path, in particular to a riveting machine, to the output of the separator.

Further preferred configurations of the separator, in particular of the coupling element, are described in claims 12 and 13.

In addition, the above-described object is achieved by a rivet cartridge according to the preamble of claim 14 through the features of the characterizing part of claim 14.

The same advantages result as described above in connection with the separator. The separator can be designed as described.

According to the development according to claim 15, the rivet cassette can have a cassette inlet for easier filling of the same with rivet elements.

According to the preferred embodiment according to claim 16, a hose is used as the rivet storage device. This enables a particularly simple form of the aligned storage of the rivet elements. Furthermore, as proposed in claim 17, the rivet cassette can have a bypass for guiding compressed air from the separator past the rivet storage device to the cassette inlet.

According to claim 18, in a preferred development of the invention, the rivet cartridge can have a cover for opening the rivet cartridge. This allows in particular the separator to be fastened from the inside in the rivet cassette.

Fig. 1

eine vorschlagsgemäße Nietkassette mit einem vorschlagsgemäßen Vereinzeler,

Fig. 2

den vorschlagsgemäßen Vereinzeler aus Fig. 1 und

Fig. 3

schematisch das Prinzip der Nietelementvereinzelung mit dem vorschlagsgemäßen Vereinzeler.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with the aid of a drawing showing only a preferred exemplary embodiment and its advantages. In the drawing shows

Fig. 1

a proposed rivet cassette with a proposed separator,

Fig. 2

the proposed separator Fig. 1 and

Fig. 3

schematically the principle of the rivet element separation with the proposed separator.

Fig. 1 shows a proposed rivet cartridge 1 with a proposed separator 2 for rivet elements 3. The separator 2 has an inlet 4 and an outlet 5 for the rivet elements 3 to be separated. It also has a guide 6 which extends along a center line from the inlet 4 to the outlet 5. The rivet elements 3 can be conveyed in a conveying direction F along the guide 6. Here and preferably, the guide 6 ensures that the rivet elements 3 are conveyed in an aligned manner. This means that the guide 6 ensures that the rivet elements 3 are always moved with their shank or rivet head first in the conveying direction F, i.e. the rivet head and shank are aligned relative to the conveying direction F cannot switch. The guide 6 is designed here and preferably as a bore 7.

The rivet elements 3 can be rivets, collars and / or spacers. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the rivet elements 3 are rivets with a shank and a rivet head, the rivet head having a larger diameter than the shank of the rivet.

The separator 2 also has a first blocking element 8 and a second blocking element 9 spaced apart from the first blocking element 8 along the center line M. Here and preferably, the first locking element 8 is designed as a first pin and / or the second locking element 9 is designed as a second pin. The pins here and preferably have a round cross section and / or a rounded head.

The first blocking element 8 and the second blocking element 9 can be moved independently of one another between a blocking position that blocks the guide 6 for a rivet element 3 and a release position that releases the guide for a rivet element 3.

Here, and preferably, the position in which a rivet element 3 is held by the first locking element 8 in the separator 2 differs from the position in which the rivet element 3 was held in the separator 2 by the second blocking element 9 with a time delay.

Because at least one locking element 8, 9, preferably both locking elements 8, 9, are arranged in such a way that the direction of movement of the locking element or elements 8, 9 is or are oriented obliquely to the conveying direction F of the rivet elements 3, jamming between a to be conveyed rivet element 3 and one of the locking elements 8, 9 are effectively prevented. Here and preferably, “obliquely aligned” is to be understood as meaning that the direction of movement B ₁ , B ₂ of the locking element (s) 8, 9 is oriented at an acute or obtuse angle to the conveying direction F of the rivet elements 3.

Due to the non-rectangular alignment of the conveying direction F of the rivet element 3 and the direction of movement B ₁ , B ₂ of the locking element (s) 8, 9, wedging of the rivet element 3 and locking element 8, 9 does not occur, so that the movement of the locking element 8, 9 is not blocked in the release position.

Like in the Figure 2b shown, the direction of movement B ₁ , B _{2 of} at least one locking element 8, 9, here both locking elements 8, 9, has a movement component opposite to the conveying direction F when moving from the locking position into the release position. This makes it possible in particular to ensure that if the conveying air pressure is too great, which presses the rivet element 3 against the blocking element 8, 9, the blocking element 8, 9 cannot be pressed into its release position. A secure holding of the rivet elements 3 by the locking elements 8, 9 is nevertheless ensured.

Fig. 2 shows that the direction of movement B ₁ , B _{2 of} at least one locking element 8, 9, preferably both locking elements 8, 9, from the locking position to the release position here and preferably an angle W ₁ , W ₂ between 40 ° and 50 °, preferably between 43 ° and 47 °, more preferably essentially 45.2 °, to the conveying direction F. It is particularly preferred that the angle W _{1 of} the direction of movement B _{1 of} the first locking element 8, 9, from the locking position into the release position to the conveying direction F dem Angle W _{2 of} the direction of movement B _{2 of} the second blocking element 8, 9, from the blocking position into the release position to the conveying direction F essentially corresponds.

Additionally or alternatively, the angle W ₁ , W ₂ between the direction of movement B ₁ , B _{2 of} at least one locking element 8, 9, preferably both locking elements 8, 9, from the locking position to the release position essentially corresponds to the bevel angle W _{F of} one in the guide 6 Rivet element 3 to be held in a blocking manner. Here, and preferably, “essentially” means a deviation of less than 20%, preferably of less than 10%, more preferably of less than 5%.

Furthermore, the directions of movement B ₁ , B _{2 of} the first and / or second locking element 8, 9 can differ. In principle, the directions of movement B ₁ , B _{2 can be designed in} parallel. Here and preferably, however, it is such that the direction of movement of the first locking element 8 from the locking position into the release position forms an angle W ₃ between 37 ° and 47 °, preferably between 40 ° and 44 °, more preferably essentially 42 °, to the direction of movement of the has second locking element 9 from the locking position into the release position. Here and preferably, the directional axes of the direction of movement B ₁ , B _{2 of} the first and / or the second locking element 8, 9 intersect the center line M of the guide 6. This results in a particularly compact arrangement and particularly secure locking of the rivet elements 3 by the locking elements 8 .9 reached.

In the exemplary embodiment, the locking elements 8, 9 protrude at least in their locking position, in particular through openings 6a, 6b of the guide 6, into the guide 6, as in FIG Fig. 2 shown.

As in the Figure 2b and the schematic representation according to Fig. 3 shown, here and preferably at the point where the blocking elements 8, 9 penetrate through the openings 6a, 6b of the guide 6, the spacing component A of the distance between the central axes of the two blocking elements 8, 9 from one another in the conveying direction F is a maximum of 10 mm, preferably a maximum of 8 mm , more preferably a maximum of 6 mm, and / or, at the point where the blocking elements 8, 9 penetrate through the openings 6a, 6b of the guide 6, the spacing component A of the distance between the two central axes of the two locking elements 8, 9 to one another in the conveying direction F at least 3 mm, preferably at least 5 mm.

Like in the Fig. 3 Shown in a schematic view, at the point where the locking elements 8, 9 penetrate through the openings 6a, 6b of the guide 6, the spacing component A of the distance between the central axes of the two locking elements 8, 9 from one another in the conveying direction F is greater than the length of the rivet head of one in The rivet element 3 to be held in a blocking manner on the guide 6 and / or at the point where the blocking elements 8, 9 penetrate through the openings 6a, 6b of the guide 6, the spacing component A of the distance between the central axes of the two blocking elements 8, 9 from one another in the conveying direction F is smaller than the rivet length of a rivet element 3 to be held in a locked manner in the guide 6.

If these conditions are met, a particularly safe and reliable separation of the rivet elements 3 is guaranteed. Rivet elements 3 received in separator 2 can preferably be assigned to separator 2.

In the exemplary embodiment, the movement of at least one locking element 8, 9, here both locking elements 8, 9, from the locking position into the release position is a translational movement. Here the movement is a translational movement along the longitudinal axis of the locking elements 8, 9. Additionally or alternatively, however, the movement can also be a folding movement.

Again Fig. 2 can be removed, the guide 6 is a tunnel, in particular a linear one. Here and preferably it has a round cross section. In the exemplary embodiment, it is produced as a bore 7. The guide 6 extends here along the longitudinal extension of the separator 2.

In the exemplary embodiment, the separator 2 also has actuators 10, 11. Here and preferably, the first blocking element 8 is actuated by an actuator 10 and / or the second blocking element 9 is preferably actuated by a second actuator 11. In the exemplary embodiment, the actuators 10, 11 are pneumatic cylinders. The actuators 10, 11 here and preferably each have a return spring 12, 13 which bias the locking elements 8, 9 into the locking position.

By pretensioning in the blocking position, it can be reliably avoided that no rivet elements 3 can unintentionally leave the separator 2 when the separators 2 are not supplied with compressed air. This is particularly important in the case of rivet cassettes 1, since these are generally not supplied with compressed air while they are being transported.

Furthermore, the separator 2 here and preferably has a coupling element 14 for coupling a coupling element 15 of a transport path 16, in particular to a riveting machine 17, to the output of the separator 2. The separator 2, preferably the coupling element 14 of the separator 2, has here and preferably a first air inlet 18, a second air inlet 19 and a third air inlet 20 for supplying compressed air, in particular to the separator 2 and / or a rivet cassette 1 accommodating the separator 2. Alternatively, only a first air inlet 18 or only a first air inlet 18 and a second air inlet 19 can be provided.

The air inlets 18, 19, 20 are preferably distributed over the circumference of the coupling element 14 of the separator 2, preferably evenly. Here and preferably, the coupling element 15 of the transport path 16 preferably has air outlets corresponding to the air inlets 18, 19, 20 for supplying the separator 2 or the rivet cassette 3 with compressed air.

In the exemplary embodiment and preferably, the first actuator 10 for actuating the first blocking element 8 is supplied with compressed air by means of the first air inlet 18. Additionally or alternatively, the second actuator 11 for actuating the second blocking element 9 can be supplied with compressed air by means of the second air inlet 19. By means of the third air inlet 20, compressed air for conveying rivet elements 3 through the separator 2 can additionally or alternatively be passed on. Here, the compressed air is passed on by means of the third air inlet 20 to a bypass 21 of a rivet cassette 1 having the separator 2.

The rivet cartridge 1 having the separator 2 is shown in FIG Fig. 1 shown and here and preferably comprises a rivet store 22. Additionally or alternatively, the rivet cartridge 3 can have a rivet element outlet 23 for dispensing Have rivet elements 3 from rivet storage 22. In the exemplary embodiment, the rivet element outlet 23 is formed by the separator 2. In addition, a cassette inlet 24 for filling the rivet store 22 with rivet elements 3 can be provided. The cassette inlet 24 is preferably located on the same end face of the rivet cassette 1 as the rivet element outlet 23.

The rivet storage 22 has a hose 25 here. The hose 25 is wound here and preferably as a hose package 26, as shown in FIG Fig. 1 is shown. It enables the rivet elements 3 to be stored and conveyed in an aligned manner. A rotation and thus an exchange of the alignment of the rivet head and shaft of a rivet element 3 relative to the conveying direction 6 is not possible. The ends of the hose 25 are connected to the inlet 4 and the outlet 5 of the rivet cartridge 1.

The rivet cassette 1 also has a bypass 21 for guiding compressed air from the separator 2, in particular from the third air inlet 20 of the separator 2, past the rivet reservoir 22 to the cassette inlet 24. The compressed air conducted through the bypass 21 is used to convey the rivet elements 3 out of the rivet cartridge 1.

In the exemplary embodiment and preferably, the rivet cartridge 1 also has a housing 27 for protecting the separator and / or the rivet storage device 22. In order to insert and / or exchange the separator 2 and / or the rivet storage device 22, the rivet cartridge 1 preferably also has a cover 28 for opening the rivet cartridge 1. When the separator 2 is replaced, the separator 2 is here and preferably released from the inside in the rivet cartridge 1 or attached to the rivet cartridge 1 from the inside.

The rivet elements 3 are separated here and preferably as in FIG Fig. 3 shown. In the exemplary embodiment and in the schematic representation of Fig. 3 when the guide for a rivet element 3 is blocked, the respective locking element 8, 9 is in engagement with the rivet head of the rivet element 3 to be held. The respective locking element 8, 9 engages here and preferably not on the shaft of the rivet element 3 to be held, but rather at its rivet head to stop.

In the Fig. 3a ) an initial situation is shown. Here the first locking element 8 is in a locking position and the second locking element 9 is in a release position. In this position, the first locking element 8 is here and preferably in engagement with a rivet element 3, while the second locking element 9 is not in engagement with a rivet element 3. The rivet element 3 with which the first locking element 8 is in engagement is the first rivet element 3 held on the output side.

To release this rivet element 3, the second locking element 9 is here and preferably also moved into a locking position, cf. Figure 3b ). In this position, too, the first locking element 8 is preferably in engagement with the first output-side rivet element 3, while the second locking element 9 is not yet in engagement with a further rivet element 3.

To release the first rivet element 3 on the output side, the first locking element 8 is now moved into a release position. The first output-side rivet element 3 is now released from the separator 2 by means of the compressed air for conveying the rivet elements 3 and fed to the transport path 16. The further rivet elements 3 also slide due to the compressed air for conveying the rivet elements 3 in the rivet storage device until the next rivet element 3 on the output side reaches the second locking element 9. It is kept safe by this. This is in the Figure 3c ) shown.

The first blocking element 8 is then moved back from the release position into the blocking position, cf. Fig. 3d ).

If the second locking element 9 is subsequently moved into a release position, the remaining rivet elements 3 can be fed up to the first locking element 8, as shown in FIG Fig. 3a ) is shown. The separation of a rivet element 3 with the separator 2 is thus described schematically once. The same situation has arisen as above for Fig. 3a ) described. The process is repeated with each additional rivet element 3 to be separated.

Finally, it should be noted that in the schematic representation of the Fig. 3 simplifying the first locking element 8 and the second locking element 9 are shown in a common plane. Preferably, however, the directions of movement of the locking elements 8, 9 are as in connection with the Fig. 1 and 2 radially offset from one another by an angle.

Claims (18)

1. Singulator for rivet elements (3), having an entrance (4) and an exit (5) for the rivet elements (3) to be separated and having a guide (6) extending along a center line (M) from the entrance (4) to the exit (5), through which the rivet elements (3) can be delivered along a delivery direction (F),
   wherein the singulator (2) has a first blocking element (8), especially a first pin, and a second blocking element (9) spaced apart from the first blocking element (8) along the center line (M), especially a second pin, wherein the first blocking element (8) and the second blocking element (9) are movable independently of each other between a blocking position blocking the guide (6) for a rivet element (3) and a releasing position releasing the guide (6) for a rivet element (3), characterized in that
   at least one blocking element (8, 9), preferably both blocking elements (8, 9), are arranged such that the direction of movement (B₁, B₂) of the blocking element or elements (8, 9) is oriented at a slant to the delivery direction (F) of the rivet elements (3).
2. Singulator according to Claim 1, characterized in that the direction of movement (B₁, B₂) of at least one blocking element (8, 9), preferably both blocking elements (8, 9), from the blocking position to the releasing position, has a movement component situated opposite the delivery direction (F).
3. Singulator according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the direction of movement (B₁, B₂) of at least one blocking element (8, 9), preferably both blocking elements (8, 9), from the blocking position to the releasing position, has an angle (W₁, W₂) between 40° and 50°, preferably between 43° and 47°, further preferably substantially 45.2°, to the delivery direction (F).
4. Singulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the angle (W₁, W₂) between the direction of movement (B₁, B₂) of at least one blocking element (8, 9), preferably both blocking elements (8, 9), from the blocking position to the releasing position, corresponds substantially to the bevel angle (W_F) of a rivet element (3) to be held blocked in the guide (6).
5. Singulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the direction of movement (B₁) of the first blocking element (8) from the blocking position to the releasing position has an angle between 37° and 47°, preferably between 40° and 44°, further preferably substantially 42°, to the direction of movement (B₂) of the second blocking element (9) from the blocking position to the releasing position.
6. Singulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blocking elements (8, 9) at least in their blocking position protrude into the guide (6), in particular through openings (6a, 6b) of the guide (6), preferably
   in that at the place where the blocking elements (8, 9) pass through the openings (6a, 6b) of the guide (6) the distance component (A) of the distance between the center axes of the two blocking elements (8, 9) in the delivery direction F is at most 10 mm, preferably at most 8 mm, further preferably at most 6 mm,
   and/or
   in that at the place where the blocking elements (8, 9) pass through the openings (6a, 6b) of the guide (6) the distance component (A) of the distance between the center axes of the two blocking elements (8, 9) in the delivery direction F is at least 3 mm, preferably at least 5 mm.
7. Singulator according to Claim 6, characterized in that at the place where the blocking elements (8, 9) pass through the openings (6a, 6b) of the guide (6) the distance component (A) of the distance between the center axes of the two blocking elements (8, 9) in the delivery direction F is greater than the length of the rivet head of a rivet element (3) to be held blocked in the guide (6),
   and/or in that at the place where the blocking elements (8, 9) pass through the openings (6a, 6b) of the guide (6) the distance component (A) of the distance between the center axes of the two blocking elements (8, 9) in the delivery direction F is less than the rivet length of a rivet element (3) to be held blocked in the guide (6) .
8. Singulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement of at least one blocking element (8, 9), preferably both blocking elements (8, 9), from the blocking position to the releasing position is a translatory movement and/or a hinged movement.
9. Singulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide (6) is a tunnel, especially a linear tunnel, preferably with a round cross section.
10. Singulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one blocking element (8, 9), preferably both blocking elements (8, 9), are activated by a respective actuator (10, 11), especially a pneumatic cylinder, preferably in that the actuator (10, 11) or the actuators (10, 11) have a reset spring (12, 13), which pretensions the blocking element (8, 9) or the blocking elements (8, 9) in the blocking position.
11. Singulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the singulator (2) has a coupling element (14) for coupling a coupling element (15) of a transport section (16), especially for a riveting machine (17), to the exit (5) of the singulator (2).
12. Singulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the singulator (2), preferably the coupling element (14) of the singulator (2), has at least one first, preferably a first and a second, further preferably a first, a second, and a third air inlet (18, 19, 20) for compressed air supply, especially that of the singulator (2) and/or a rivet cassette (1) containing the singulator (2).
13. Singulator according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the first actuator (10) can be supplied with compressed air by means of the first air inlet (18) for the activating of the first blocking element (8),
    and/or in that the second actuator (10) can be supplied with compressed air by means of the second air inlet (19) for the activating of the second blocking element (9), and/or in that compressed air can be relayed by means of the third air inlet (20) for the delivery of rivet elements (3) by the singulator (2), especially to a bypass (21) of a rivet cassette (3) containing the singulator (2).
14. Rivet cassette for the storing of rivet elements (3) having a rivet store (22) for the storing of rivet elements (3) and having a rivet element exit (23), characterized in that
    the rivet cassette (1) has a singulator (2) according to one of the preceding claims, preferably in that the rivet element exit (23) is formed by a singulator (2) according to one of the preceding claims.
15. Rivet cassette according to Claim 14, characterized in that the rivet cassette (1) has a cassette entrance (24) for filling the rivet store (22) with rivet elements (3), preferably in that the cassette entrance (24) and the rivet element exit (23) are arranged at the same end face of the rivet cassette (1).
16. Rivet cassette according to Claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the rivet store (22) is configured as a tube (25), especially as a coiled tube pack (26), preferably in that one end of the tube (25) is connected to the singulator (2) and the other end of the tube (25) is connected to the cassette entrance (24).
17. Rivet cassette according to one of Claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the rivet cassette (1) has a bypass (21) for taking compressed air from the singulator (2), especially from the third air inlet (20) of the singulator (2) past the rivet store (22) to the cassette entrance (24), preferably in that the air taken through the bypass (21) serves for delivering the rivet elements (3) from the rivet cassette (1).
18. Rivet cassette according to one of Claims 14 to 17, characterized in that the rivet cassette (1) has a lid (28) for opening the rivet cassette (1), preferably in that the singulator (2) is secured in the rivet cassette (1) from the inside.

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