US 11,453,080 B2Granted

Joining apparatus and method for loading a joining element

AssigneeNewfrey LLC

InventorsMichael Schneider, Hubert Ivo, Bettina Fischermanns

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Abstract

Joining apparatus for joining joining elements onto workpieces, comprising a joining element holding device, which is configured to radially hold a joining element, and comprising a loading pin arrangement, which is configured to slide a joining element axially into a holding position in the joining element holding device, and/or to axially support the joining element during a joining process, wherein the loading pin arrangement has a loading pin, which is slidable by means of a loading pin actuator arrangement in the direction of the joining element holding device. The loading pin arrangement is here designed to variably establish a loading pin stroke of the loading pin between at least two stages, so that in a first stage the loading pin is displaceable less far in the direction of the joining element holding device than in a second stage.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A joining apparatus for joining a joining element onto workpieces, the joining apparatus comprising:

a joining element holding device, which is configured to radially hold the joining element;
and
a loading pin arrangement including a loading pin actuator arrangement and a loading pin with a front end, wherein the loading pin-is slidable by means of the loading pin actuator arrangement in the direction of the joining element holding device, and wherein the loading pin arrangement is operable to establish one of a first loading pin stroke and a second loading pin stroke, and the first loading pin stroke is in the direction of the joining element holding device from a feed position to a first joining position, while the second loading pin stroke is from the feed position to a second joining position, and wherein the first loading pin stroke is less long than the second loading pin stroke and the front end of the loading pin is displaceable less far in the direction of the joining element holding device than in the second loading pin stroke;
and
wherein the loading pin arrangement further includes a housing and the joining element holding device is axially fixed relative to the housing;
and
wherein the loading pin actuator arrangement includes:
a loading pin cylinder located in and axially displaceable within the housing of the loading pin arrangement, the loading pin cylinder includes a first cylinder chamber and a second cylinder chamber, and a partition divides the loading pin cylinder into the first cylinder chamber and the second cylinder chamber;
a first piston coupled with a rear end of the loading pin and is displaceable in the first cylinder chamber of the loading pin cylinder which defines a first piston stroke;
and
a second piston is located in the second cylinder chamber of the loading pin cylinder.

8 more elements

A joining tool for joining a fastener onto a workpiece, the joining tool comprising:

a housing defining a bore with a longitudinal axis and including a first end and a second end opposed to the first end;
a receiver fixedly connected to the housing at the first end and including:
a joining element holding device including a plurality of holding tongues arranged around a joining axis;
and
an inlet opening through which the fastener is fed radially inward then axially downward via a feed channel to the joining element holding device;
a loading pin extends inside the housing along the joining axis coaxially to the joining element holding device and is movable along the joining axis from a feed position to a first joining position or a second joining position;
and
a loading pin actuator including:
a loading pin cylinder mounted in and axial displaceable within the bore of the housing and including a first axial end, proximate to the joining element holding device, and a second axial end, distal from the joining element holding device;
a partition transverse to the joining axis divides the loading pin cylinder into a first chamber, proximate to the joining element holding device, and a second chamber distal from the joining element holding device;
a first piston is disposed within the first chamber of the loading pin cylinder and is connected to and axially movable with the loading pin which extends into the loading pin cylinder through the first axial end;
and
a second piston is disposed within the second chamber and is connected to the second end of the housing via a piston rod which extends through the second axial end of the loading pin cylinder.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/637,498Filed 29 Jun 2017
Priority: DE 102016112372.26 Jul 2016
Published: US 2018/0009056 A111 Jan 2018
Granted: 27 Sep 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B23K 9/201
Stud welding: of the extremity of a small piece on a large basis
B23K 9/20
Arc welding or cutting: stud welding
B23K 9/206
Stud welding: with automatic stud supply
B23K 37/04
Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass: for holding…