Back to results
US 2015/0101170 A1Published application
Expandable Clinch Joint Punch
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorAmanda Kay Freis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clinch punch including a core and an sleeve that includes a plurality of teeth for forming an enhanced clinch joint. The core includes a first cam surface that engages cam surfaces on the teeth that drive the teeth into the sides of the clinch joint. In an alternative embodiment, the core acts upon jaws that are driven into engagement with the sides of the clinch joint.
Claims16
A clinch punch comprising:
- a core having a first cam surface;
- an sleeve defining an opening and having a plurality of teeth each including a second cam surface;
- and
- an actuator drives the core and sleeve into a plurality of panels, wherein the core is moved within the sleeve by the actuator with the first cam surface engaging the second cam surfaces to move the teeth outwardly to join the panels together.
1 more element
A method of forming a clinch joint in a plurality of panels comprising:
- driving a punch assembly including a core and an sleeve having a plurality of teeth to form a depression in the panels;
- and
- shifting the teeth outwardly within the depression in the panels to mechanically interlock the panels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.