Method and apparatus for assembling exterior automotive vehicle body components onto an automotive vehicle body
AssigneeUtica Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsMark A. Savoy, John A. Kline
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for the assembly of body components to an automotive body that has undergone a progressive series of framing and welding steps so as to produce a structurally rigid body frame, termed a body-in-white. More specifically, this invention relates to creating a new net locating scheme (X-Y-Z coordinate system) for a body-in-white to direct associated tooling to create net attachment features on said rigid body frame so that components may be attached to said automotive body at a net location eliminating the need for any slip plane attachment techniques.
Claims4
An apparatus for creating net attachment features on a three-dimensional object defined by X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinates, said apparatus comprising:
- A body having one end and an opposite end, each end of said body having at least one primary locating point thereon, said at least one primary locating point selectively located within a known tolerance range with respect to said X, Y and Z direction of said Cartesian coordinate system;
- means for establishing the exact location of said at least one primary locating point on each end of said body, in each of said X, Y and Z direction, said exact location being defined as a datum position;
- means for immobilizing said body at said datum position of each end of said body such that an imprecise distance is established between said datum position on said one end and said datum position on said opposite end of said body in each of said X, Y and Z direction;
- means for creating a median point of said imprecise distance along each of said one end and said opposite end of said body, said median point of said imprecise distance on said one end and said opposite end of said body creating an adjusted net position of said primary locating point in one of said X, Y and Z directions on each end of said body;
- and
- means for locating at least one work performing device with respect to said adjusted net position whereby work performed on said body establishes at least one adjusted net attachment location for objects to be attached to said body.
A master locating apparatus for establishing a plurality of net attachment features on an imprecisely constructed three-dimensional body structure of unknown dimensional accuracy within a know tolerance range, relative to an X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinate system, said imprecisely constructed three-dimensional body structure adapted for attachment of one or more external members, said apparatus comprising:
- at least one columnar member located adjacent said body;
- at least two position detecting apparatuses located in spaced apart relation on opposing sides of said body structure, each of said at least two position detecting apparatuses further comprising:
- means for engaging said body structure at one or more selected predetermined primary locating points to establish a datum in at least two-dimensional planes of said three-dimensional body structure on each side of said body structure when said body structure is therebetween said means for engaging extending in a direction away from said position detecting apparatus and toward said body structure;
- and
- means for immobilizing said means for engaging after said datum has been located such that an imprecise distance measured along one of said X, Y and Z coordinates is established between said datum of said engaging means for each of said at least two position detecting apparatuses;
- means for creating a median point of said imprecise distance between said datum of said engaging means for each of said two position detecting apparatuses, said means for creating having a first portion attached to said at least one columnar member and the remaining portion attached to said at least two position detecting apparatuses, said means for creating said median point of said imprecise distance in one of said X, Y and Z coordinates defining an adjusted net location relative to a design intent location;
- and
- means for performing work on said body structure with respect to said adjusted net location.
A method for assembling objects to a body, said method comprising the steps of:
- moving a body having one end and an opposite end into an approximate location, each said end having at least one primary locating point thereon,
- engaging said at least one primary locating point of each said end of said body with at least one position detecting apparatus and immobilizing said position detecting apparatus at said at least one primary locating point;
- determining an imprecise distance between said at least one primary location point of said one end and said at least one primary locating point of said opposite end of said body in one of X, Y and Z directions of a Cartesian coordinate system;
- creating a median point of said imprecise distance, said median point defining a new adjusted net position at said median point of said imprecise distance;
- locating at least one work performing tool with respect to said new adjusted net position adjacent said body;
- and
- performing work on said body to establish a net attachment feature on said body for assembling at least one object at said net attachment feature of said body.
A master locating apparatus mounted alongside of the direction of travel of an assembly line for a three-dimensional body structure of unknown dimensional construction within a known tolerance range, said master locating apparatus comprising:
- at least two columnar members in spaced apart relationship on opposite sides of said assembly line;
- a support member having respective ends, one of said ends attached to one of said at least two columnar members, the other of said ends attached to the other of said at least two columnar members.
- at least two position detecting apparatuses located in spaced apart relations on opposite sides of said assembly line to permit said assembly line to pass therebetween, each of said at least two position detecting apparatuses further having:
- means for engaging opposing sides of said three-dimensional body structure at a plurality of preselected defined locations to establish a datum position in at least two dimensional planes of said three-dimensional body structure on each side of said three dimensional body structure when said body structure is between said engagement means, said means for engaging extending in a direction away from said position detecting apparatuses and engaging said body structure at said plurality of preselected defined locations to establish an imprecise distance in at least one of said two dimensional axes between said datum position on one side of said three-dimensional body structure and said datum position on said opposing side of said three dimensional body structure;
- and
- means for immobilizing said at least two position detecting apparatuses;
- means for establishing a median distance point of said imprecise distance between said datum position on said one side and said datum position on said opposing side of said three dimensional body structure in said at least one of said two dimensional planes, said median distance defining an adjusted net position of said three-dimensional body structure;
- and
- means for performing work on said three-dimensional body structure with respect to said adjusted net position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.