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US 2002/0162211 A1Published application
Hand held joining apparatus
OwnerEdwin G. Sawdoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A force generating apparatus includes a housing, a piston movably mounted in a cavity and a punch and die mounted in the housing. The punch and die are normally spaced apart to receive two overlapping sheets of metal. The piston moves a wedge against the punch toward the die in order to clinch two overlapping sheets together.
Claims32
A workpiece joining apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a central axis;
- a punch disposed on the central axis;
- a die aligned with the punch;
- a piston movably mounted in the housing;
- and
- a wedge located between the piston and the punch, the wedge being operable by the movement of the piston to urge the punch along the central axis relative to the die.
3 more elements
A force generating device comprising:
- a workpiece joining member;
- a first member coupled to the workpiece joining member, the first member having an inclined surface, the first member being moveable in a first linear direction;
- a second member adjacent the first member, the second member having an inclined surface to engage the inclined surface of the first member;
- and
- a piston adjacent to the first member, the piston operably advancing in a second linear direction which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, so that the piston urges the second member to slidingly engage the first member to generate force which is transmitted to the workpiece joining member.
2 more elements
A hand held apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a cavity;
- a punch and die coupled to the housing, the punch and die being substantially aligned on a central axis;
- a piston movably mounted in the cavity;
- a wedge drivingly located substantially between the piston and the punch, the wedge operably advancing the punch along the central axis toward the die;
- at least two overlapping workpiece sheets disposed between the punch and the die;
- and
- a clinch joint formed between the overlapping sheets when the piston moves substantially perpendicular to the punch thereby urging the punch toward the die and engaging the overlapping sheets.
4 more elements
A method of workpiece joining using a punch, piston, a first inclined member, and a second inclined member, the method comprising:
- (a) moving the piston in a first direction;
- (b) moving the first inclined member in the first direction in response to step (a);
- (c) moving the second inclined member in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, in response to step (b);
- and
- (d) advancing the punch substantially in the second direction.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.