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US 11,446,726 B2Granted
Metal fastening die assembly
AssigneeBTM Corporation
InventorsSteven J. Sprotberry, Hans-Werner Fisch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A metal fastening or joining apparatus is provided. In another aspect, a single piece die guard includes an integral die shield section and an integral retainer section, wherein a die anvil can be removed, and the die shield section has a low height and a small lateral square width. A further aspect employs a generally square peripheral shape for a die shield within which is an anvil and movable die blades, which are operable to fasten or join sheet metal workpieces together in an interlocking manner. In still another aspect, a projecting and/or peripheral orientation structure is on a backside of a workpiece fastening die assembly which allows for anvil reorientation without the need to also reorient a laterally surrounding die shield and retainer.
Claims35
A fastening apparatus comprising:
- a metal-working die including a central anvil having a longitudinal centerline direction and a base enlarged in a lateral direction perpendicular thereto;
- multiple die blades located adjacent to lateral surfaces of the anvil and operably moveable relative to the anvil;
- an external die shield entirely laterally surrounding the anvil and the die blades;
- peripheral lateral sides and a workpiece-facing end of the die shield have a substantially cubic shape with the workpiece-facing end of the die shield being substantially square;
- a biasing member biasing the die blades toward the anvil, the biasing member being located internal to the die shield;
- a die-to-frame retainer integrally being a single part with the die shield;
- the die shield including a through bore within which is located the anvil and the die blades;
- and
- the retainer including a through bore, the through bores having parallel centerlines.
6 more elements
A fastening apparatus comprising:
- a metal-working die including a central anvil having a longitudinal centerline direction and a base enlarged in a lateral direction perpendicular thereto;
- multiple die blades located adjacent to lateral surfaces of the anvil and operably moveable relative to the anvil;
- an external die shield laterally surrounding the anvil and the die blades;
- peripheral lateral sides and a workpiece-facing end of the die shield have a substantially cubic shape with the workpiece-facing end of the die shield being substantially square;
- a retainer laterally extending from the die shield, the die shield and the retainer having an L-shape;
- apertures extending through the lateral sides of the die shield;
- and
- an exterior of the lateral sides of the die shield being flat.
5 more elements
A fastening apparatus comprising:
- a metal-working die including a central anvil having a longitudinal centerline direction and a base enlarged in a lateral direction perpendicular thereto;
- multiple die blades located adjacent to lateral surfaces of the anvil and operably moveable relative to the anvil;
- an external die shield laterally surrounding the anvil and the die blades;
- peripheral lateral sides and a workpiece-facing end of the die shield have a substantially cubic shape with the workpiece-facing end of the die shield being substantially square;
- and
- a retainer laterally extending from only a single side of the die shield, the retainer including a tapered peripheral edge and a through-bore.
3 more elements
A fastening apparatus comprising:
- a metal-working die including a central anvil having a longitudinal centerline direction and a base enlarged in a lateral direction perpendicular thereto;
- multiple die blades located adjacent to lateral surfaces of the anvil and operably moveable relative to the anvil;
- an external die shield laterally surrounding the anvil and the die blades;
- peripheral lateral sides and a workpiece-facing end of the die shield have a substantially cubic shape with the workpiece-facing end of the die shield being substantially square;
- the base integrally mounted to a backside end of the anvil as a single piece;
- a polygonal lateral edge of the base projecting outwardly past a lateral dimension of a workpiece-facing surface of the anvil;
- and
- the base being rotatable between various positions matching with a recess in the die shield, in order to reorient the anvil relative to the die shield.
5 more elements
A fastening apparatus comprising:
- a die guard comprising a shield section and a retainer section integrally being a single part, the shield section including a bore with an arcuate internal lateral surface and the retainer section including a bore, the bores being accessible in parallel directions;
- an anvil being removeably located within the bore of the shield section;
- die blades positioned between the anvil and the internal surface of the shield section, and workpiece-facing ends of the die blades projecting past a workpiece-facing surface of the anvil;
- and
- peripheral lateral sides and a workpiece-facing end of the shield section having a substantially cubic shape with flat exterior surfaces.
2 more elements
A fastening apparatus comprising:
- a die including an anvil with a working end surface;
- a die projection located adjacent to lateral surfaces of the anvil, the die projection having a workpiece-contacting end longitudinally extending past the working end surface of the anvil;
- a die housing laterally surrounding the anvil;
- a workpiece-facing end of the die housing including a square true view shape with rounded or chamfered corners;
- an extension laterally extending from a single side of the die housing, the extension including a fastener-receiving bore;
- lateral width dimensions of the die housing being equilateral;
- a longitudinally elongated punch coaxially aligned with and movable toward the anvil;
- and
- flanges of multiple workpiece sheets interlocking together when compressed between the punch and the anvil, the workpiece sheets overlying the workpiece-facing end of the die housing, when being deformed.
6 more elements
A fastening apparatus comprising:
- a die shield;
- a die retainer coupled to and laterally projecting from the die shield;
- an anvil being removeably located within a through-bore of the die shield;
- die blades located between the anvil and an internal surface of the die shield, and workpiece-facing ends of the die blades projecting past a workpiece-facing surface of the anvil;
- an enlarged base coupled to the anvil laterally extending outwardly from a backside of the anvil;
- a centering pin projecting from a backside of the base along a centerline of the anvil;
- an orientation pin projecting from the backside of the base offset from the centering pin;
- and
- the anvil, base and die blades being removable from a backside of the die shield, the anvil and the base being rotatable between different orientations relative to the die shield and the die retainer.
6 more elements
A fastening apparatus comprising:
- a die shield;
- a die retainer integrally and laterally projecting from one side of the die shield but not the opposite side, as a single piece;
- an anvil removeably located within a through-bore of the die shield;
- die blades located between the anvil and an internal surface of the die shield, and workpiece-facing ends of the die blades projecting past a workpiece-facing surface of the anvil;
- an enlarged base coupled to the anvil laterally extending outwardly from a backside of the anvil;
- the die retainer including a fastener-receiving through bore and a workpiece facing surface offset stepped less than half of a longitudinal height of the die shield;
- and
- the anvil, base and die blades being removable from a backside of the die shield;
- and
- the anvil and the base being rotatable between different orientations relative to the die shield and the die retainer.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.