Spot-joining apparatus and methods
AssigneeAtlas Copco IAS UK Limited
InventorsStuart Edmund Blacket, Wojciech Gostylla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spot-joining apparatus comprises a motor, a punch for driving a fastener or performing a clinching or friction stir spot welding operation, a first transmission, a second transmission and a transmission control apparatus. The first transmission is configured to transfer rotary motion of the motor to the punch when engaged. The second transmission is configured to convert rotary motion of the motor to linear motion of the punch, and thereby drive the punch towards a workpiece, when engaged. The transmission control apparatus is arranged to selectively adjust the degree of engagement of at least one of the first and second transmissions. Further apparatus for spot joining, and methods of spot-joining, are also disclosed.
Claims35
A spot-joining apparatus comprising:
- a motor;
- a rotatable and linearly moveable punch for driving a fastener or performing a clinching or friction stir spot welding operation;
- a first transmission configured to transfer rotary motion of the motor to the punch when engaged;
- a second transmission configured to convert rotary motion of the motor to linear motion of the punch, and thereby drive the punch towards a workpiece, when engaged;
- and
- a transmission control apparatus arranged to selectively adjust the degree of engagement of at least one of the first and second transmissions,
- wherein the transmission control apparatus comprises a clutch.
A method of driving a fastener, the method comprising:
- bringing the fastener into contact with a workpiece;
- causing the fastener to rotate under action of a first transmission, the first transmission transferring rotary motion of a motor to the fastener when engaged;
- and
- driving the fastener into the workpiece under action of a second transmission, the second transmission translating rotary motion of said motor into linear motion of the fastener when engaged,
- wherein the degree of engagement of at least one of the first and second transmissions is selectively adjusted by a transmission control apparatus.
A spot-joining apparatus comprising:
- a motor;
- a rotatable and linearly movable punch for driving a fastener or performing a clinching or friction stir spot welding operation to thereby join first and second work pieces together;
- a multifunctional transmission configured to perform a first function, which is to transfer rotary motion of the motor to the punch, and a second function, which is to convert rotary motion of the motor to linear motion of the punch;
- and
- a transmission control apparatus arranged to selectively adjust the degree to which the multifunctional transmission performs at least one of the first and second functions,
- wherein the transmission control apparatus comprises a clutch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.