Joining device
AssigneeNewfrey LLC
InventorsAlexander Schug, Hans-Gerhard Kortmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a joining device for the joining, in particular the welding, of two parts one to the other, having a joining head comprising a lift device for linear transport of a joining unit along a lift axis relative to the joining head, said joining device executing a joining operation by transporting the joining unit out of a lift position towards a base position, and said joining unit comprising a boom extending outside of the joining head, at the free end of which the joining operation takes place offset parallel to the lift axis, wherein the joining unit is so oriented relative to the joining head that the joining unit is run out relative to the joining head in the lift position.
Claims34
A joining device for the joining of two parts, one to the other, the joining device comprising:
- a joining head comprising a lift device for linear transport of a joining unit along a lift axis relative to the joining head, said joining device executing a joining operation by transporting the joining unit out of a lift position towards a base position;
- said joining unit comprising a boom extending outside of the joining head, at the free end of which the joining operation takes place offset parallel to the lift axis;
- wherein the joining unit is so oriented relative to the joining head so that the joining unit is extended relative to the joining head in the lift position.
A joining device comprising:
- a head;
- a guide coupled to and automatically moving the head;
- an automatic actuator coupled to the head;
- a boom coupled to the actuator, and being movable toward and away from the head due to operation of the actuator;
- a fastener holder coupled to and movable with the boom;
- and
- the fastener holder being automatically movable to join in a rearward direction.
A welding device comprising:
- a welding head;
- a robotic arm;
- a linear slide operably moving the head relative to the arm along a first axis;
- an automatic actuator coupled to the head and being elongated along a second axis substantially parallel to and offset from the first axis;
- and
- a boom coupled to and movable with the actuator, the boom being elongated along a third axis substantially perpendicular to the second axis;
- the boom allowing workpiece welding in a rearward direction substantially parallel to the first and second axes.
A method for joining a fastener to a workpiece, the method comprising:
- (a) automatically moving a head relative to a robotic member;
- (b) automatically moving a distal end of an extension member and a fastener holder coupled thereto into a cavity in the workpiece;
- (c) automatically moving the extension member toward the head;
- and
- (d) advancing the fastener toward a segment of the workpiece for joining the fastener to the segment, simultaneously with step (c) and after step (b).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.