Method and device for joining members

A method for joining members, the method comprising:

• providing a first member that is provided with a hole portion, a second member that is hollow in shape, a guide shaft member, an elastic body that has a through-hole through which the guide shaft member can be inserted, a first plunger that has a through-hole through which the guide shaft member can be inserted, a second plunger to which the guide shaft member is connected, and a drive mechanism that drives the guide shaft member;
• inserting the second member into the hole portion of the first member;
• inserting the guide shaft member into the through-hole of the elastic body;
• inserting the elastic body, into which the guide shaft member is inserted, inside the second member;
• arranging an assembly in which the first member, the second member, the elastic body, and the guide shaft member are combined so as to horizontally extend;
• arranging the assembly so as to be sandwiched by the first plunger and the second plunger in a direction where the guide shaft member extends;
• and
• moving the second plunger connected to the guide shaft member toward the first plunger by driving the guide shaft member by the drive mechanism in a state where the first plunger is fixed, compressing the elastic body by the first plunger and the second plunger in the direction where the guide shaft member extends, and expanding the elastic body radially outside the guide shaft member, thereby expanding and deforming at least a portion of the second member that is inserted into the hole portion to join the second member to the first member by press-fitting, wherein:
• the second member is provided with a partition wall that extends in a longitudinal direction of the second member and partitions an internal space of the second member;
• and
• the elastic body, the guide shaft member, the first plunger, and the second plunger are provided each corresponding to the number of the internal spaces partitioned by the partition wall.

A device for joining members, the device using an elastic body that has a through-hole to join a first member that is provided with a hole portion and a second member that is hollow in shape by press-fitting, the device comprising:

• a guide shaft member that can be inserted into the through-hole of the elastic body;
• a first plunger that has a through-hole through which the guide shaft member is inserted, the first plunger having a fixed position and a first pressing surface with a flat shape;
• a second plunger that is connected to the guide shaft member, the second plunger having a movable position and a second pressing surface that has a flat shape and is opposed to the first pressing surface;
• and
• a drive mechanism that drives the guide shaft member to move the second plunger toward the first plunger, wherein
• the drive mechanism further includes a cam mechanism that converts a force applied in a direction different from the direction where the guide shaft member extends into a force in the direction where the guide shaft member extends;
• and
• the drive mechanism compresses the elastic body with the force whose direction has been converted by the cam mechanism.