GB2092047A - Apparatus for securing components by means of high frequency vibrations - Google Patents

Apparatus for securing components by means of high frequency vibrations Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2092047A
GB2092047A GB8103030A GB8103030A GB2092047A GB 2092047 A GB2092047 A GB 2092047A GB 8103030 A GB8103030 A GB 8103030A GB 8103030 A GB8103030 A GB 8103030A GB 2092047 A GB2092047 A GB 2092047A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
horn
component
collet
holder device
workpiece
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB8103030A
Other versions
GB2092047B (en
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
PSM Fasteners Ltd
Original Assignee
PSM Fasteners Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by PSM Fasteners Ltd filed Critical PSM Fasteners Ltd
Priority to GB8103030A priority Critical patent/GB2092047B/en
Priority to DE19823201703 priority patent/DE3201703A1/en
Priority to IT19286/82A priority patent/IT1151704B/en
Priority to FR8201191A priority patent/FR2498978A1/en
Publication of GB2092047A publication Critical patent/GB2092047A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2092047B publication Critical patent/GB2092047B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/47—Joining single elements to sheets, plates or other substantially flat surfaces
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/56—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits
    • B29C65/64—Joining a non-plastics element to a plastics element, e.g. by force
    • B29C65/645—Joining a non-plastics element to a plastics element, e.g. by force using friction or ultrasonic vibrations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/739—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/7392—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/739—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/7394—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/74—Joining plastics material to non-plastics material
    • B29C66/742—Joining plastics material to non-plastics material to metals or their alloys

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Lining Or Joining Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Automatic Assembly (AREA)

Abstract

Apparatus for securing components to plastic workpieces, comprises an ultrasonically-vibrated horn (10) which is vertically displaceable with respect to a holder device (16) for holding the components by means of a collet (28) whereby the horn tip (14) serves to push the component out of the collet (28) into engagement with a workpiece and apply ultrasonic vibrations to the component. Clearance is provided between the horn (10) and the holder device (16) so that only indirect contact therebetween is possible, i.e. through the intermediary of the component. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for securing components by means of high frequency vibrations This invention relates to the securing of components to a body of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic materials by means of high frequency vibrations. The components may for example be in the form of internally screwthreaded metal bushes for insertion into pilot holes in a workpiece to provide screwthreaded anchorage points in the workpiece.
The components need not however be metallic, they may be of plastics material.
It is known to effect such installation by applying ultrasonic vibrations to the inserts so as to set up localized frictional heating at the interface between the components and the plastics workpiece. Hitherto, the location of the inserts with respect to the workpiece has, as far as we are aware, always been done manually because, as is well known, the conditions for obtaining optimum transmission of vibrational energy to the insert are quite critical and it has been universally accepted that any attempt to automate the procedure by employing some form of holder device for locating the inserts would inevitably absorb substantial vibrational energy from the socalled horn by means of which the ultrasonic energy is imparted to the inserts.
Thus, whilst the need for automating ultrasonic installation of inserts has long been recognised, this need has not yet been met despite the efforts of the major manufacturers of ultrasonic vibration equipments. It must be stressed that a major deterrent to progress in this field has, as mentioned above, been the universal belief that the conventional horn must not be allowed to come into contact or close proximity, with anything but the component which is to be vibrated.
In accordance with the present invention we provide apparatus for securing components to a body of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic material comprising a horn, means for imparting high frequency vibrations to the horn whereby the horn serves to transmit such vibrations to a component to be secured to said body, and means for displacing the horn in order to press the component into or onto the body, characterised in that said components are held in operative relation with the horn by a holder device through which the holder is movable to displace a component held by the device while applying high frequency vibrations to the component.
Preferably the arrangement is such that the component is yieldably held in the device, e.g. under the action of spring means, and such that, until the component has been set into vibration, any contact between the horn and the holder device is limited to indirect contact through the agency of the component which is yieldably rather than rigidly held by said device.
Surprisingly, in experiments carried out to date, such indirect contact has not been found to have resulted in any appreciable reduction in the vibrational energy transmitted to the components. Furthermore, in one experimental arrangement, satisfactory results were obtained even when the horn came into direct contact with the spring element employed to hold the component yieldably. Such contact was made after the component had cleared the spring element and had been partially inserted into a workpiece; it is thought that the direct contact did not affect the procedure because it did not occur until after the insert had been set into vibration at full amplitude.
Moreover the contact was made between the horn and an element which is yieldable.
In the preferred embodiment, the horn is mounted on a vertically reciprocable member and the holder device is connected to said member so that the horn and holder device are at all times supported in concentric relationship with clearances therebetween. The holder device conveniently comprises a two part body, both parts of which encircle the horn with clearance with one part connected to said vertically reciprocable member so as to be in fixed relation with the horn and the other part coupled to the first part through a lost motion coupling to enable the horn to move relative thereto when said other part encounters a stationary object such as a workpiece.The movable body part may mount a collet for locating said components, the arrangement being such that the collet and horn remain in fixed relation as they advance towards the workpiece but, when the collet engages the workpiece, it is arrested whilst the horn passes through the collet to displace the component into for example a preformed pilot hole in the workpiece, ultrasonic energy being applied to the insert during the last part of the cycle.
In order to promote further understanding of the invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an axial sectioned view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; and Figure 2 is a sectional view showing an alternative form of collet which may be used with the assembly shown in Fig. 1.
The accompanying drawing shows only that part of the ultrasonic insertion equipment which is not conventional, i.e. the horn and insert holder assembly. Accordingly to standard practice, the horn 10 is mounted for vertical reciprocation with a member 12 (e.g.
forming part of the conventional machine slide) which may be displaceable vertically by means of a pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement and associated electrical control circuitry including for example a user operable foot switch, a limit switch or switches, a solenoid valve or valves and timing circuitry so that the horn can be caused to execute a preselected sequence of movements. Ultrasonic energy is applied to the horn during part of the sequence, under control of the timer, via an ultrasonic generator which converts electrical mains energy to electrical energy at an ultrasonic frequency (typically 20 kHz) and a transducer which converts the electrical output of the generator into mechanical vibrations.
The horn 10 comprises a tip 14 whose leading end, in use, contacts the insert or other component to which ultrasonic vibrations are to be applied. As mentioned previously, the practice hitherto has been to locate and hold the inserts by hand while the horn is brought into registry with the inserts. According to the present invention, an insert dispensing and locating device is associated with the horn to enable inserts to be fed automatically into registry with the horn. The device comprises a two part body 16, 18 with a lost motion coupling, in the form of pin 20 and slot 22 connections, between the two parts 16, 18 to enable them to slide axially (i.e.
vertically) relative to one another in telescopic fashion. The body part 18 is connected directly to the member 12 and hence the body part 16 is connected to the latter through the agency of the part 18 and the lost motion coupling.
The body parts 16. 18 enclose the horn 10 and are concentric therewith, clearance being provided between the horn and the body parts throughout so that the horn at no time contacts the body part s 16, 18. It will be noted that, because the body parts are mounted on the member 12, it is possible to ensure that the necessary clearances between the body parts 16, 18 and the horn are maintained at all times.
The body part 16 is formed with a lower central bore section 24, which receives the tip 14 of the horn 10 with clearance, and an intersecting bore 26 the upper end of which is connected in use to a feed pipe for supplying inserts one at a time from a blow feeder so that the inserts can enter the bore 24 for engagement by the horn 10. A tubular, insert holding collet 28 is attached to the lower end of the body part 10 in registry with the bore 24 for reception of each insert in order to hold it yieldingly in advance of the horn 10.
In Fig. 1, the collet 28 has a slot or the like in its tubular wall through which a leaf spring 30 projects to engage the side of the insert with a relatively small spring force sufficient to prevent the insert from falling out of the collet 28.
In an alternative embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the collet 28 may instead comprise one or more spring loaded balls 32 spaced circumferentially apart and projecting through holes in the collet wall for engagement with the insert. The spring loading in this case may be provided by a rubber ring 34 located in a peripheral groove on the collet. Preferably the extent to which the balls 32 project into the passage in the collet is such that they can engage an insert but remain clear of the horn tip 14 when the latter travels through the collet. The collet of Fig. 1 may likewise be designed to afford clearance for the horn tip but as mentioned previously it has been found experimentally that even if the horn does contact the leaf spring of the collet, satisfactory results are still obtained.
The operating sequence of the equipment, in so far as it relates to the mode of operation of the dispensing and holding device, will now be described. Initially, with the horn 10 and body parts 16, 18 located in the position shown in Fig. 1, an insert is fed by the blow feeder into the collet 28 where it is retained by the spring means 30 or 32. The workpiece is located beneath the holder assembly with a pilot hole therein in registry with the collet 28. The member 12 is displaced downwardly (e.g. in response to operation of a foot switch) together with the horn 10 and the body parts 16, 18. The body part 16 continues to move downwardly in fixed relation into the horn 10 until the lower end of the collet 28 contacts the workpiece whereupon the body part 16 is arrested.The horn 10 however continues to advance relative to the body part 16 (by virtue of the loss motion coupling) until the tip has engaged the insert and displaced it partially out of the collet and into the pilot hole.
For this purpose, the inserts may be designed with a leading pilot portion of slightly smaller diameter than the pilot hole, the main body of the insert being slightly larger in diameter than the latter and having for example axially successive sets of helical teeth (which may be of opposite hand) or other anchorage formations.
At this point, ultrasonic vibrations are applied to the insert through the agency of the horn and the horn is displaced gradually as the plastics material beings to melt so as to introduce the insert into the pilot hole to the desired extent, which may be predetermined by means of a limit switch for example. After a preselectable period of time has elapsed, the ultrasonic energy source is switched off and upon completion of the insertion step, the member 12 is raised to retract the horn 10 and allow the body parts 16, 18 to resume their relative positions as shown in Fig. 1.
Thereafter a fresh insert is blown into the collet via the bore 26 to initiate a subsequent cycle of operation.
It will be noted from the foregoing that ultrasonic energy is applied to the insert via the horn while the insert is still located in the dispensing and holding device and consequently the horn in effect contacts the latter through the agency of the insert. However, contrary to expectations, it has been found that this does not result in any appreciable reduction of the energy imparted to the insert and experimental work has shown that the results obtained are comparable with manual location of the inserts.

Claims (6)

1. Apparatus for securing components to a body of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic material comprising a horn, means for imparting high frequency vibrations to the horn whereby the horn serves to transmit such vibrations to a component to be secured to said body, and means for displacing the horn in order to press the component into or onto the body, characterised in that said components are held in operative relation with the horn by a holder device through which the horn is movable to displace a component held by the device while applying high frequency vibrations to the component.
2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the arrangement is such that the component is yieldably held in the device, e.g.
under the action of spring means, and such that, until the component has been set into vibration, any contact between the horn and the holder device is limited to indirect contact through the agency of the component which is yieldably rather than rigidly held by said device.
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the horn is mounted on a vertically reciprocable member and the holder device is connected to said member so that the horn and holder device are at all times supported in concentric relationship with clearance therebetween.
4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 in which the holder device comprises a two part body, both parts of which encircle the horn with clearance with one part connected to said vertically reciprocable member so as to be in fixed relation with the horn and the other part coupled to the first part through a lost motiion coupling to enable the horn to move relative thereto.
5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 in which the movable body part mounts a collet for locating said components, the arrangement being such that the collet and horn remain in fixed relation as they advance towards the workpiece but, when the collet engages the workpiece, it is arrested whilst the horn passes through the collet to displace the component into for example a preformed pilot hole in the workpiece, ultrasonic energy being applied to the insert during the last part of the cycle.
6. Apparatus for securing components to a body of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic material, said apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.
GB8103030A 1981-01-31 1981-01-31 Apparatus for securing components by means of high frequency vibrations Expired GB2092047B (en)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8103030A GB2092047B (en) 1981-01-31 1981-01-31 Apparatus for securing components by means of high frequency vibrations
DE19823201703 DE3201703A1 (en) 1981-01-31 1982-01-21 DEVICE FOR FASTENING COMPONENTS BY MEANS OF HIGH-FREQUENCY VIBRATIONS
IT19286/82A IT1151704B (en) 1981-01-31 1982-01-26 APPARATUS FOR FIXING COMPONENTS THROUGH HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATIONS
FR8201191A FR2498978A1 (en) 1981-01-31 1982-01-26 APPARATUS FOR FIXING ELEMENTS USING HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATIONS

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8103030A GB2092047B (en) 1981-01-31 1981-01-31 Apparatus for securing components by means of high frequency vibrations

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2092047A true GB2092047A (en) 1982-08-11
GB2092047B GB2092047B (en) 1984-10-03

Family

ID=10519377

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8103030A Expired GB2092047B (en) 1981-01-31 1981-01-31 Apparatus for securing components by means of high frequency vibrations

Country Status (4)

Country Link
DE (1) DE3201703A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2498978A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2092047B (en)
IT (1) IT1151704B (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2181982A (en) * 1985-08-09 1987-05-07 Kollmorgen Tech Corp Ultrasonic stylus of wire scribing head
US5368464A (en) * 1992-12-31 1994-11-29 Eastman Kodak Company Ultrasonic apparatus for cutting and placing individual chips of light lock material
US5480501A (en) * 1993-01-19 1996-01-02 Eastman Kodak Company Ultrasonic apparatus and method for placing individual chips of light lock material
US5772100A (en) * 1996-03-22 1998-06-30 American Technology, Inc. Ultrasonic welder with dynamic nodal horn support

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3338157A1 (en) * 1983-10-20 1985-05-02 Akzo Gmbh, 5600 Wuppertal METHOD FOR SEALINGLY CONNECTING PIPE ENDS IN PIPE BASES

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2181982A (en) * 1985-08-09 1987-05-07 Kollmorgen Tech Corp Ultrasonic stylus of wire scribing head
GB2181982B (en) * 1985-08-09 1989-07-26 Kollmorgen Tech Corp Ultrasonic stylus position stabilizer
US5368464A (en) * 1992-12-31 1994-11-29 Eastman Kodak Company Ultrasonic apparatus for cutting and placing individual chips of light lock material
US5512132A (en) * 1992-12-31 1996-04-30 Eastman Kodak Company Method for cutting and placing individual chips of light lock material
US5480501A (en) * 1993-01-19 1996-01-02 Eastman Kodak Company Ultrasonic apparatus and method for placing individual chips of light lock material
US5772100A (en) * 1996-03-22 1998-06-30 American Technology, Inc. Ultrasonic welder with dynamic nodal horn support

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1151704B (en) 1986-12-24
FR2498978A1 (en) 1982-08-06
DE3201703A1 (en) 1982-09-16
FR2498978B3 (en) 1984-03-30
GB2092047B (en) 1984-10-03
IT8219286A0 (en) 1982-01-26

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4090898A (en) Methods and apparatus for spin welding thermoplastic workpieces
US20070051718A1 (en) Fastening device for fastening small components to a mounting surface by adhesive bonding
US3464102A (en) Solid acoustic horn with suction means
US5961258A (en) Apparatus for clamping and boring workpieces
RU2106926C1 (en) Automatic riveting machine
CA1206717A (en) Thermal presses
JP2019524516A (en) Ultrasonic welding equipment
US6221195B1 (en) Device for automatic setting of retaining bolts on support surfaces
GB2092047A (en) Apparatus for securing components by means of high frequency vibrations
EP0073127A3 (en) Collet-type drill
GB2196893A (en) Ultrasonic welding apparatus
US6309490B1 (en) Air actuated ultrasonic tool
US3998824A (en) Method of embedding inserts in a thermoplastic body
US3670943A (en) Riveting device
US2480451A (en) Tool
US5718032A (en) Method of jointing a flexible tubular component to the end of a main component, and device for carrying out the method
US4488672A (en) Thermal press having insert driving air biasing mechanism
US5457865A (en) Automatic boot mounting apparatus and method of automatically mounting a boot with the apparatus
EP1476274B1 (en) Spindle with axially acting collet-opening device
US2935595A (en) Stud welding apparatus
US3649420A (en) Sonic apparatus with electrical circuit means
US3059095A (en) Welding apparatus
JPH06254652A (en) Use unit for patch paste
JPH11156650A (en) Automatic screw fastener
SU1703361A1 (en) Clamping device

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee