Riveting system and process for forming a riveted joint
AssigneeNewfrey LLC
InventorsDieter Mauer, Hermann Roeser, Reinhold Opper, Andreas Wojcik, Christian Schoenig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A riveting system is operable to join two or more workpieces with a rivet. In another aspect of the present invention, a self-piercing rivet is employed. Still another aspect of the present invention employs an electronic control unit and one or more sensors to determine a riveting characteristic and/or an actuator characteristic.
Claims20
A method of operating a riveting system having a riveting tool, a self-piercing rivet, and automotive vehicle panels, the riveting tool including an electric motor and a rivet punch, the method comprising:
- (a) determining if the self-piercing rivet is located in the riveting tool;
- (b) moving the self-piercing rivet to the riveting tool if step (a) is negative;
- (c) energizing the electric motor to advance the self-piercing rivet;
- (d) rotating a portion of the electric motor in response to step (c);
- (e) converting the rotation of step (d) to linear displacement of the rivet punch;
- (f) advancing the self-piercing rivet into an unpierced portion of the automotive vehicle panels, in response to step (e);
- (g) outwardly diverging a leading end of the self-piercing rivet during insertion of the self-piercing rivet into the automotive vehicle panels;
- (h) preventing the self-piercing rivet from completely piercing through a die side one of the automotive vehicle panels;
- and
- (i) determining displacement associated with the rivet punch as a function of actuation speed used to insert the self-piercing rivet.
A method of operating a riveting system having a riveting tool, a C-frame, a die, a self-piercing rivet, and automotive vehicle panels, the riveting tool including an electric motor and a rivet punch, the method comprising:
- (a) robotically moving the C-frame to align a joint area of the automotive vehicle panels between the rivet punch and the die;
- (b) inserting a self-piercing rivet to the riveting tool;
- (c) rotating a portion of the electric motor;
- (d) linearly moving the rivet punch;
- (e) punching the self-piercing rivet into a solid portion of the automotive vehicle panels;
- (f) using the die to outwardly diverge a leading end of the self-piercing rivet during insertion of the self-piercing rivet into the automotive vehicle panels;
- (g) preventing the self-piercing rivet from completely piercing through a die side one of the automotive vehicle panels;
- and
- (h) sensing real-time velocity of a component coupled to at least one of:
- the electric motor and the rivet punch.
A method of operating a riveting system including an electric motor, a belt, a transmission, a punch, a die, a workpiece clamp, a C-frame, and a self-piercing rivet, the method comprising:
- (a) stationarily attaching the die to the C-frame;
- (b) sensing if the self-piercing rivet has been fed adjacent to the punch;
- (c) rotating a portion of the electric motor;
- (d) rotating the belt in response to rotation of the electric motor;
- (e) rotating a portion of the transmission in response to rotation of the belt;
- (f) linearly displacing the punch in response to rotation of the portion of the transmission;
- (g) linearly advancing the workpiece clamp;
- (h) using the punch to directly contact against and linearly push a solid head of the self-piercing rivet;
- (i) using the die to outwardly diverge a leading end of the self-piercing rivet while preventing the self-piercing rivet from contacting directly against the die;
- and
- (j) electronically comparing a sensed and real-time action associated with operation of at least one of:
- the electric motor, the transmission, and the punch, to at least one pre-programmed value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.