US 2012/0073353 A1Published application

Adjustable Clamshell Assembly Fixture

AssigneeMagna International Inc.

InventorJohn T. McNally

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system for forming different types of clamshell components including a moveable base, a stationary base, and a squeezer assembly capable of accommodating different types of clamshell components having different lengths, shapes, locations of piercings. The squeezer assembly includes interchangeable squeezer elements. To switch between forming a first type of clamshell component and a second type of clamshell component, one of the two bases is moved relative to the other of the two bases and/or squeezer units for forming the first type of clamshell component are replaced with squeezer units for forming the second type of clamshell component. Reconfiguring the bases and interchanging the squeezers of a clamshell tool, instead of replacing an entire clamshell tool with a different clamshell tool, minimizes lost productivity time, reduces capital costs, and eliminates the problem of storing several different clamshell assembly tools.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A system for forming a plurality of different types of clamshell components, comprising:

a plurality of interchangeable squeezer units comprising a first pair of squeezer units for use during forming of a first type of clamshell component and a second pair of squeezer units for use during forming of a second type of clamshell component, each squeezer unit having a first mounting structure and having a contacting surface;
a squeezer assembly having a pair of second mounting structures, each one of the pair of second mounting structures for detachably coupling with the first mounting structure of one of the squeezer units of the first pair of squeezer units during forming of the first type of clamshell component and for detachably coupling with the first mounting structure of one of the squeezer units of the second pair of squeezer units during forming of the second type of clamshell component;
a support assembly comprising a first locator member and a second locator member, the first locator member controllably movable relative to the second locator member, the support assembly being adjustable between a first configuration in which the first locator member and the second locator member are disposed one relative to the other for locating first and second parts of the first type of clamshell component between the contacting surfaces of the first pair of squeezer units and a second configuration in which the first locator member and the second locator member are disposed one relative to the other for locating first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component between the contacting surfaces of the second pair of squeezer units;
and
wherein the squeezer assembly includes a drive mechanism, and at least one squeezer arm and wherein said drive mechanism is coupled to the at least one squeezer arm, for moving the squeezer units of the first pair of squeezer units one toward the other such that the contacting surfaces thereof are brought into contact with at least one of the first and second parts of the first type of clamshell component during forming of the first type of clamshell component, and for moving the squeezer units of the second pair of squeezer units one toward the other such that the contacting surfaces thereof are brought into contact with at least one of the first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component during forming of the second type of clamshell component.

2 more elements

A method for forming a plurality of different types of clamshell components, comprising:

supporting first and second parts of a first type of clamshell component such that first and second locator features of each of the first and second parts engage first and second locator members, respectively, of a support assembly, and such that first and second edge portions of the first part are aligned with respective first and second edge portions of the second part in an overlapping arrangement;
using a first pair of squeezer units mounted on a squeezer assembly, squeezing together the overlapping first and second edge portions of the first and second parts of the first type of clamshell component;
during squeezing, joining the first and second parts of the first type of clamshell component so as to form the first type of clamshell component;
moving the first locator member relative to the second locator member so as to reconfigure the support assembly for forming a second type of clamshell component;
replacing the first pair of squeezer units with a second pair of squeezer units, the second pair of squeezer units having contacting surfaces that are configured for squeezing together first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component;
supporting first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component such that first and second locator features of each of the first and second parts engage the first and second locator members, respectively, of the support assembly, and such that first and second edge portions of the first part are aligned with respective first and second edge portions of the second part in an overlapping arrangement;
using the second pair of squeezer units mounted on the squeezer, squeezing together the overlapping first and second edge portions of the first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component;
and
during squeezing, joining the first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component so as to form the second type of clamshell component.

6 more elements

A method for forming a plurality of different types of clamshell components, comprising:

configuring a support assembly for locating first and second parts of a first type of clamshell component such that first and second edge portions of the first part are aligned with respective first and second edge portions of the second part in an overlapping arrangement;
using a first pair of squeezer units mounted on a squeezer assembly, squeezing together the overlapping first and second edge portions of the first and second parts of the first type of clamshell component;
during squeezing, joining the first and second parts of the first type of clamshell component so as to form the first type of clamshell component;
re-configuring the support assembly for locating first and second parts of a second type of clamshell component such that first and second edge portions of the first part are aligned with respective first and second edge portions of the second part in an overlapping arrangement;
replacing the first pair of squeezer units with a second pair of squeezer units, the second pair of squeezer units having contacting surfaces that are configured for squeezing together the first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component;
using the second pair of squeezer units mounted on the squeezer assembly, squeezing together the overlapping first and second edge portions of the first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component;
and
during squeezing, joining the first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component so as to form the second type of clamshell component.

5 more elements

A method for forming a plurality of different types of clamshell components, comprising:

providing a support assembly having a first locator member and a second locator member, the second locator member being movable relative to the first locator member;
moving the second locator member relative to the first locator member to provide a first predetermined configuration of the support assembly;
supporting a first part of a first type of clamshell component on the support assembly, such that a first locator feature of the first part engages the first locator member and a second locator feature of the first part engages the second locator member;
supporting a second part of the first type of clamshell component on the support assembly such that a first locator feature of the second part engages the first locator member and a second locator feature of the second part engages the second locator member, and such that first and second edge portions of the first part are aligned with respective first and second edge portions of the second part in an overlapping arrangement;
squeezing together the overlapping first and second edge portions of the first and second parts of the first type of clamshell component, using a first pair of squeezer units mounted on a squeezer assembly;
during squeezing, joining the first and second parts of the first type of clamshell component so as to form the first type of clamshell component;
detaching the first pair of squeezer units from the squeezer assembly;
mounting a second pair of squeezer units on the squeezer assembly;
moving the second locator member relative to the first locator member to provide a second predetermined configuration of the first locator member and the second locator member;
supporting a first part of a second type of clamshell component on the support assembly, such that a first locator feature of the first part engages the first locator member and a second locator feature of the first part engages the second locator member;
supporting a second part of the second type of clamshell component on the support assembly such that a first locator feature of the second part engages the first locator member and a second locator feature of the second part engages the second locator member, and such that first and second edge portions of the first part are aligned with respective first and second edge portions of the second part in an overlapping arrangement;
squeezing together the overlapping first and second edge portions of the first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component, using the second pair of squeezer units mounted on the squeezer assembly;
and
during squeezing, joining the first and second parts of the second type of clamshell component so as to form the second type of clamshell component.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/243,061Filed 23 Sep 2011
Priority: 23 Sep 2010
Published: 29 Mar 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B23K 37/0435
Fixtures for other work: clamps
B21D 39/028
Of sheet metal by folding, e.g. connecting edges of a sheet to form a cylinder: reinforcing the connection otherwise than by deforming, e.g. welding
B23K 37/0452
Fixtures for other work: orientable fixtures
B23K 2101/006
Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting: vehicles

Family

Application61/385,724Us provisional application · filed 23 Sep 2010
US 9,180,555 B2Related patent
US 2012/0073353 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

Citations

Open elsewhere

Building an agent or pulling many patents? Use the API or MCP server instead of scraping pages. Get an API key