JPS63266206A - Sheet with connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a thin plate with a connecting device, such as a connecting device such as a nut or bolt, which is fixed to a thin plate material such as sheet metal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is often necessary to connect and support other components to components made of relatively thin plates, such as sheet metal.

Such sheets are generally too thin to allow threaded holes to be drilled or tapped, so threaded female couplings or nuts are secured to such sheets by welding or other means. This allows threaded attachment of the male connector.

Conversely, it is often desirable to provide a threaded male coupling that projects υ beyond the sheet material in order to enable the threaded female coupling to support other components. In such a case, the head of the bolt is fixed to the thin plate material by welding or the like.

Another known method for securing threaded connections to sheet metal is to use specially shaped bent nuts with a pilot section projecting from the top surface.
nch nut) is produced. The leading portion is narrower than the rest of the nut and forms one or more shoulders on the nut. The leading portion is inserted into a preformed opening in the sheet material and is deformed outwardly into engagement with the sheet material at the periphery of the opening.

Another method of securing threaded connections to sheet metal is to provide a specially shaped through-nut with a lead;
The nut is shaped such that it forms an opening when it is pressed against the four plates. Using a specially shaped die on a press, the leading part and the opening in the sheet material are deformed such that a fold-shaped engagement occurs between them. A specially manufactured through-hole nut with such a special shape also has the advantage of being in close contact with the thin plate material, in order to distribute the stress relatively uniformly and increase the strength of the joint between the nut and the thin plate material. A matching shoulder is provided on the main body of the nut.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The above-mentioned two methods and devices for securing connectors to sheet metal have several disadvantages in that they require specially shaped and expensive nuts or connectors. The nine methods and apparatus described above also tend to weaken the sheet metal due to the substantial amount of sheet metal that must be removed to form the openings in the sheet metal that will receive the couplings. . When mass-produced, a large amount of scrap is produced.

The present invention provides a sheet with connections that can be manufactured by attaching standard connections such as conventional nuts or bolts to the sheet material, thereby eliminating the need for expensive special connections such as those described above. The aim is to eliminate the need for tool alloys as described above.

In the embodiments described below, standard commercially available square nuts or bolts are secured, often without openings in the sheet material, thereby eliminating or minimizing associated scrap.

The present invention relates to a thin plate with a connector formed by fixing the connector to the thin plate, and the thin plate has (a) a sheared portion overflowing to two opposing side edges of the connector, and (b) ), an integral supporting band portion located between the shear portions and offset from the rest of the sheet material in a first direction along the axial direction of the connector, (c) a support band portion closely engaging one side of the connector so as to restrain the connector; (d) The supporting band portion of the thin plate material is provided with a protrusion that engages with the stump edge so that the connector is restrained in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
, comprising a pair of side edge portions that protrude toward the two side edges of the connector along the second direction, engage with the two side edges, and clamp the connector.

The thin plate with a connecting device according to the present invention can be manufactured using a standard connecting device such as a conventional nut or bolt as the connecting device, and specifically as follows.

That is, a press machine equipped with a pair of dies that are movable relative to each other is used, and a pair of cutting means (e.g., die blades) and connecting edges on both sides are used to create a thin sheet by press processing. The plate material is sheared along two opposing side edges of the connector, and the supporting band portion is integrally formed with the thin plate material between the two sheared portions.

The support strip, which is integral with the sheet material, is simultaneously brought into a position offset in the pressing direction with respect to the rest of the sheet material by forging in a press, so that it closely engages one side of the coupling device. leading to.

After forming the supporting band portion in this way, a portion of the connector is subsequently compressed together with the thin plate material between both dies, thereby causing an outward (sideways) flow sound in the material of the connector,
The protrusions are formed protrudingly on two opposing side edges of the connector.

Such a protrusion is the protrusion 22 shown in FIGS. 2 and 5.
The sheared edges 21 of both sheared parts of the thin plate material 14 as shown in FIG.
On the other hand, the connecting member 12 (FIG. 2) or 42 (FIG. 5) is engaged so as to be prevented from being displaced in the second direction, which is the direction opposite to the biasing direction of the support band portion 16. match.

2 and 5 according to the one-shot embodiment of the invention.
The other ridges 22' shown in each of the figures are also connected to the connector 12 or 4.
1 on each side edge, and 1 on each side edge.
The paired protrusions 22, 22' are designed to hold the sheared edges 21 of each sheared portion of the thin plate material and prevent relative displacement of the connector 12 or 42 with respect to the thin plate material 14.

The above-mentioned pair of side edges of the thin plate material support band portion are connected to the connector 12, like the side edge portions 24 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5.
(Second factor) Alternatively, it is formed to engage with two opposing side edges of 42 (FIG. 5) to hold the connector. Such side edges 24 are formed when a portion of the connector is compressed together with a portion of the sheet metal support strap 16 to form the front epsilon ridge 22. It can be formed by partially deforming the supporting band portion 16 at the same time that it is deformed from the original shape 12a or 44a shown by the chain line to the shape shown by the solid line.

The thin plate with connectors of the present invention does not use the openings in the thin plate like conventional ones to fix the connector to the thin plate. When the strength is weakened, it becomes a problem, and as will be explained later, in many cases, it is not necessary to form an opening in the sheet material at all, and no scrap is generated, and it is difficult to form an opening in the sheet material. In some cases, for example, the bolt, which is an example of a coupling device, may be used in order to project the ram of the bolt onto a thin plate material, or when the coupling device is a nut, in order to connect another member to a thin plate with a nut. (Pol screwed into)? The same aperture is formed in the pass-through, and there is no need to form an aperture in the thin plate material that increases scrap 'ffi.

The supporting band portion, which is integral with the thin plate material, engages the connecting device in a plane manner and has maximum strength against the pulling force of the connecting device from the thin plate material toward the side on which the supporting band portion is formed. Make it large. The integral support band, which is offset from the rest of the sheet material in the axial direction of the connector, has a pair of side edge portions that engage with two opposite side edges of the connector to clamp the connector. Since it is provided with a holder, it surrounds the entire periphery of the connector to prevent lateral displacement and wobbling of the connector, thereby increasing the strength of the connector in place relative to the sheet material.

As described above, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, eliminates the need for expensive special-shaped connectors, allows the use of standard connectors, and substantially eliminates scrap associated with manufacturing. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thin plate with fixed connectors, in which the connectors are firmly attached to the thin plate material.

FIGS. 1-13 of the exemplary drawings show several laminates with T-connections according to the invention. An embodiment and an example of its manufacturing apparatus are shown. Although the illustrated embodiment uses nine conventional square nuts or square bolts as connectors, other connectors having other shapes can of course be used, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. .

1-3, a coupling sheet 10 is shown having a female coupling 12 secured to the sheet material 14. As shown in FIGS. Before being fixed to the sheet material 14, the connector 12 is a simple and inexpensive square nut having a center hole 32, as shown by phantom line 12a in FIG.

The sheet material 14 has an integral supporting band portion 16f, which is stepped and offset relative to the surface of the other portion of the sheet material 14. The step of the supporting band portion is offset from both side edges 1 of the connector 12 as shown by reference numeral 20.
It is advantageous to shear the sheet material 14 along the line 8. The side edges 18 of the connector 12 include a pair of spaced apart ridges through which the material of the connector flows outwardly and engages the side edges 18 of the connector 12 in a hugging manner. 22, 22' are formed, and both sheared edges 201C of the thin plate material 14 are deformed so that a pair of clear overhanging lip-like portions 21 are formed.

The side edges 24 of the support band portion 16 are deformed together with the both side edges 18 of the connector 12, and the connector 12t is restrained and held by the same side edges 24 in a hugging manner. In order to enable bolts, studs, or screws to be screwed into the center hole 32 of the connector 12 when connecting and attaching other members (not shown) to the thin plate 10 with connectors, holes are provided in the center hole 32 of the connector 12. Correspondingly aligned openings 30 are punched or otherwise punched into the orthotic portion 16.

4-6 shows a thin plate 40 with a connector, in which a male connector 42 is fixed to the thin plate 14. As shown in FIGS. The original form of the coupling 42 is a simple, inexpensive square bolt having a head 44 and a threaded thread 46.

The original shape of the head 44 is shown by an imaginary line 44a.

The head 44 is fixed to the thin plate 14 by the same means as described for the female connector 12, and the threaded rod 4
6 projects through the entire opening 30 in the support band portion 16. The threaded rod portion 46f can be made to protrude in the opposite direction to that shown in FIGS. 4-6, and the connector 42 can be attached in the next state.
In this case, the opening 30 of the support band portion 16 is not required. Since the connector 42 is secured to the sheet material 14 by means similar to those described for the connector 12 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, similar references to those used in FIGS. Numbers are also used in Figures 3-6 to avoid repetitive explanations.

The embodiments shown in Figures 1-3 and 4-6 do not require any special shapes or pilot parts as the connectors; standard threaded connectors do not require any special shapes or pilot parts. Allows the use of tools. Such standard couplings are approximately two times smaller than many specially shaped through-type couplings.
The price is as follows. In addition, it has been found that the strength of the connecting portion of the thin plate with connectors of the present invention is superior to that of many conventional connectors. In particular, the peeling resistance strength of the joint part, @1 in the tab drawing
．． 2 and 4.50 above, it is noted that the strength with which the connector is pulled upwardly from the sheet material is significantly greater than that of many conventional connectorized sheets. Such an improvement is determined based on the complete and restrictive engagement of the lamellas with the two side edges of the connector and the complete coverage of the support strip 16 on one side of the connector. be done. In addition, the push-off strength of the joint, that is, the strength that withstands pushing the connector downward away from the thin plate material as seen in Figures 1.2 and 4.5 of the drawings, is also lower than that of the conventional thin plate with connectors. It was found that the intensity was higher than that.

FIGS. 7-13 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for producing sheet metal with companion fittings according to the invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in addition to the illustrated example of manufacturing equipment, other similar equipment may also be used.

The illustrated manufacturing apparatus 60 includes a punch section 62, which is shown in a slightly lowered position in FIG. 12, and an anvil section 64. The punch section 62 is operatively connected to a ram or press device 66 that reciprocates the punch section 62, and is provided with a holding member 68, which holds a circular punch 70 and a tubular drive member 72. It has a hole 69 along the axial direction for slidably supporting the. The drive member 72 has a die portion 74 at the lower end as viewed in FIG.
At the 9th circle, the drive member 72 is held by a holding member 76 that allows limited reciprocating motion and disables rotational displacement. The punch 70 abuts the inner end of the hole 690 at its upper end as viewed in FIG. The driving member 72 is biased to move in the direction of pulling out from the hole 69 by a compression spring 78, so that the driving member 72 performs a punch separating action as described later.

In order to be able to adjust the point of action of the punch portion 62 and, accordingly, the stroke of the drive member 72, an adjustment nut 116 is provided on the drive member 72, which can be adjusted forward and backward by threading. This adjusting nut 116 is provided with a locking nut 1 to maintain the axial position of the nut 116 on the drive member 72.
17 is engaged.

As shown in FIG. 3.8, both sides of the female connector 12 are elastically held by a pair of holding springs (@springs) 115 located opposite each other on the drive member 72, as will be described later. The connector 12t is arranged to be properly aligned with the anvil 64. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5.6.9, a second pair of holding springs (plate springs) 118, located opposite to each other, are used to elastically grip both sides of the male connector 420. The latter retaining spring 118 is the former retaining spring 11.
5, and the retaining spring 118 is shorter than the protrusion 2.
2, 22', and the head 44 forms the fifth
Both sides of the connector 42 are gripped only when it is in the original shape 44a shown in the figure.

Similar retaining springs are used for gripping couplings with heads having more than four sides.

The anvil portion 64 includes a fixed die 84 having a die face 86. The die portion 74 and the fixed die 84
and a pair of shoulders 75.85 each spaced apart from each other.
t-, and the shoulder 75.85 extends both edges of the coupling from the first
As shown in FIG. 3, it is deformed to form the protrusions 22, 22' (see FIG. 2.5). A pair of die grades 88 serving as cutting means are swingably connected to the fixed die 84 by a pair of pivot pins 90. Fixed die 84f:i includes a pair of integral shoulders 114 that slidably abut corresponding surfaces 112 of die blade 88. The vertical force acting on this companion die blade 88 is directly transmitted to the fixed die 84,
It is not supposed to be absorbed by the pin 90. Section 12.1
As shown in FIG. 3, the die grade 88 is urged to move into a position adjacent the die face 86 by a pair of compression springs 92. The fixed die 84 also has an axially extending through hole 96 that communicates with a hole 116' in the ratio adjustment screw 119 provided in the anvil 64 and in communication with the hole 116' in the ratio adjustment screw 119. It is formed to receive the thin plate material punching waste 102 removed by the punch 70, and is provided to discharge the thin plate material punching waste 102 removed by the punch 70.

For purposes of explanation, the operation of the illustrated apparatus 60 will be described as it is used to attach a female coupling to a sheet of material in substantially one motion.

When the same device 60 is used for attaching a male connector, the attachment of the connector can be carried out in the same manner, with a few exceptions described below.

FIG. 10.11 shows an automatic coupler feeding device 140 that can be used with device 60 in place of the retaining spring described above. In this coupling automatic supply device 140, a large number of female couplings 12 are sequentially fed by a coupling supply chute 142.
It is transported by gravity or air pressure to the coupler carrying mechanism 144. A retractable pin 148, which can be actuated by any suitable means, cuts off the supply of couplings until the coupling carrying mechanism 144 is emptied.

The connector supporting mechanism 144 has an opening 150i with a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the connector 12! This opening 150 allows the connector 12 to be quickly oriented and aligned with the die portion 74 and fixed die 84. A number of balls 152 are biased to move by springs 156.
but extends partially into the opening 150 to support the coupling 12 until the drive member 72 is engaged with the coupling 12. When the connector 12 is pushed downward, the spring 156 compresses and the ball 15
2 is retracted and the coupling 12 is engaged with the sheet material 14 through the opening 150, as will be described below.

As can be easily understood by those skilled in the art, the manufacturing apparatus 60
A similar feeding device can be used to automatically feed the male coupling 42t. Such an automatic feeding device fil for a male type coupling device has a slot in the longitudinal direction capable of receiving the threaded rod portion 46 as a shoe 1-' corresponding to the chute 142. This allows the head 44 of the male connector 42 to be transported in the same way as described above for the device 12. A carrying mechanism corresponding to the coupling carrying mechanism 144 is also provided with a vertical slot at the joint with the chute 142 to provide a clearance for the threaded thread 46.

A method of manufacturing a thin plate with a nine-section fastener according to the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 12.13. Thin plate material 14
is placed on the anvil portion 64 such that the coupling region to be formed is located directly below the punch portion 62. Connector 12
is loaded onto the drive member 72 by passing the punch 70 through the center hole 32 if it is desired to form the aperture 30 . Loading of the coupling 12 into the manufacturing apparatus 60 can be done manually, as shown in FIG. 12, or by an automatic feeding mechanism, as shown in FIG. 10.11.

Ram 66 is then further actuated to drive punch portion 62 downward, thereby causing punch 70 to form opening 30 and retaining member 68 to drive member 72.
The die portion 74 presses the connector 12 toward the thin plate material 14, and the forging process begins.

If it is desired to provide an opening 30 with a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the center screw hole 32, such an opening 30 may be formed in advance in the thin plate material 14.
Form it into. The punching waste 102μ resulting from the punching formation of the opening 30 falls into the through hole 96 and is discharged. Thereafter, the die portion 74 is directed toward the connecting tool 12'fr: the thin sheet material 14 so that the tips or angles of both side edges 18 of the connecting tool 12 cooperate with the inner edges of the die grade 88 to form the thin sheet material 14.
is pressed with sufficient force to overflow or incise the both side edges 18. The support band portion 16 is then biased to the connector 12 through the thin plate material 14, and the connector 1
A force is applied so that the two surfaces are brought into contact with and evenly engaged with each other.

Once the support strap 16 contacts the shoulder 85 of the fixed die 84, both the connector 12 and the support strap 16 are further deformed between the shoulders 75, 85, causing the material of the connector 12 to deform. begins to flow outward, and the sheared edge 2 of the thin plate material 14
Protrusions 22 and 22' that engage with the ridges 22 and 22' in a hugging manner are formed. As the ridges 22.degree. 22' are formed, the die grade 88 swings outward as shown in FIG. As a result of the subsequent deformation of the support band 16 and the connector 12, the sheared edge 20 of the thin plate 14 is cut into the fixed die 84.
The protruding lip 2 shown in FIG.
1 is formed. As a result of the above deformation, a portion of the support band portion 16 also has side edges 24 that engage with both side edges 18 of the connector 120.
It is deformed to form.

When the punch 70 is retracted, the drive member 72 engages the coupling 12t to assist in pulling the punch 70 away from the center hole 32. When the punch portion 62 continues to retreat, the drive member 72 is lifted up and can be removed into the sheet material 141.

The apparatus and method for attaching male coupling 42 to sheet material 14 is also similar to that described above. However, since the threaded rod portion 46 protrudes from the head portion 44 of the male connector 42, the opening 30 in the support band portion 16 is drilled in advance so that the screw rod portion 46 can be inserted, and then Preferably, the connector lamella 40 is manufactured in a manner similar to that described above. However, when the connector 42 is arranged so that the threaded rod part 46 protrudes away from the support band part 16 (downward in FIG. 4.5), the second hole described above is not necessary. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 shows a structure made by fixing a female type connector to a thin plate material.
1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a thin plate with a connector according to the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in the wS1 diagram. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along gland 3-3 in FIG. 1. Figure 4 shows a structure made by fixing a male connector to a thin plate.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a thin plate with a friend connector according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a t-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a front view showing an example of a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a thin plate with a T-connector according to the present invention by fixing a connector to a thin plate material. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a part of the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 8, illustrating the retaining spring mechanism for gripping the male coupling. FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view showing a coupling supply mechanism that can be attached to the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 17, together with a part of the manufacturing apparatus. FIG. 11 is a view taken along arrows 11-11 in FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 7 together with a thin plate material and a connecting tool before the forging process. FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 12, and is a vertical cross-sectional partial view of the manufacturing equipment together with the thin plate material and the connector in the final stage of the forging process. 10...Thin plate with connector, 12...Female connector, 1
4... Thin plate material, 16... Support band portion, 18... Side edge, 20... Sheared edge, 21... Lip-like portion, 22.2
2'... Projection, 30... Opening, 40... Thin plate with connector, 42... Male connector, 44... Head, 46
...screw part. Imaichi 7

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A thin plate with a connector formed by fixing a connector to a thin plate, the thin plate having (a) a sheared portion along two opposing side edges of the connector; (b) an integral support band portion located between the two shear portions and offset from the rest of the sheet material in a first direction along the axial direction of the connector, the first (c) a support band portion closely engaged with one side of the connector so as to restrain the connector in the direction; a protrusion that engages with the sheared edge of the connecting member in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the supporting band portion of the thin plate material is provided with a protrusion that engages with the sheared edge of the connecting member in a second direction opposite to the first direction; ), a thin plate with a connector, comprising a pair of side edge portions that protrude toward the two side edges of the connector along the second direction, engage with the two side edges, and clamp the connector. 2. In the thin plate with a connector according to claim 1, the connector projects from above the two side edges and holds the sheared edges of both the sheared parts of the thin plate material together with the protrusion. A sheet with a coupling, which is provided with other ridges that prevent relative displacement of the coupling with respect to the sheet material.