Die with multi-sided cavity for self-piercing riveting process
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMichael William Danyo, Aindrea McKelvey Campbell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A die member is provided for a self-piercing riveting process, the die member comprising a die cavity having an axis and a plurality of sides positioned about the axis, wherein each side extends along a plane which includes a chord connecting two points along a circle centered on the axis.
Claims20
A die member for a self-piercing riveting process, the member comprising a die cavity having an axis and a number N of flat sides positioned about the axis, wherein each side lies along a plane including a chord connecting two points along a circle centered on the axis, and wherein an included angle between radii extending from the axis to opposite ends of any chord is equal to 360/N degrees.
A die member for a self-piercing riveting process, the die member comprising a die cavity formed in the die member, a perimeter of the cavity being formed by a plurality of sides and a plurality of fillet radii, each end of each side being connected by a fillet radius to an adjacent side at an end of the adjacent side, wherein each radius r has a value within the range 0.25 mm-3.25 mm inclusive.
The die member of claim 16 wherein the number of cavity sides is within the range of 3-20 inclusive.
A die member for a self-piercing riveting process, the die member comprising:
- a bearing surface;
- a die cavity formed in the bearing surface, the die cavity including a floor and a central axis extending through the floor;
- a plurality of flat sides extending between the floor and the bearing surface,
- wherein at least one of the sides is sloped away from the axis in a direction proceeding from the floor toward the bearing surface.
A die member comprising comprising a die cavity having an axis and a plurality of flat sides disposed about the axis, each side intersecting a chord connecting two points along a circle centered on the axis, the cavity being structured to receive therein a portion of a die button responsive to driving of a self-piercing rivet into a first panel of a plurality of panels stacked over the die cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.