Hole punch assembly and method
OwnerGordon Myles Moeggenborginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hole punch assembly includes two locating features for forming holes in a trim piece overlying a metal sheet with ridges formed therein. One locating feature is a groove into which one of the ridges is insertable. The other locating feature is a portion of the outer surface configured such that, when one of the ridges in in the groove and the trim piece contacts the portion of the outer surface, a punch is positioned to form a hole in the trim piece.
Claims11
A hole punch assembly comprising:
- a body having an outer surface, said outer surface having first, second, third, and fourth surface portions;
- said body defining a hole that extends through the first surface portion and the second surface portion;
- a punch having a head and a tip, said punch being partially within the hole and movable between a retracted position in which the tip is within the hole and the punch does not protrude from the second surface portion, and an extended position in which punch protrudes from the second surface portion and the tip is outside the hole;
- wherein the third surface portion is generally perpendicular to the second surface portion;
- and
- wherein the fourth surface portion is generally perpendicular to the third surface portion and defines a groove.
A hole punch assembly for forming a hole in a trim piece on a metal sheet having a plurality of ridges, the hole punch assembly comprising:
- a body having a first surface portion defining a groove and a second surface portion generally perpendicular to the first surface portion;
- a punch operatively connected to the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position;
- wherein the groove is sufficiently sized and shaped to at least partially contain one of the ridges such that the body is selectively slidable along the ridge when the ridge is at least partially within the groove;
- and
- wherein the hole punch assembly is configured such that when one of the ridges is at least partially within the groove and the trim piece contacts the second surface portion, the punch contacts the trim piece during movement from the retracted position to the extended position.
A method of forming holes in a trim piece on a metal sheet that defines a plurality of ridges, the method comprising:
- obtaining a hole punch assembly;
- said hole punch assembly including a body having a first surface portion defining a groove and a second surface portion generally perpendicular to the first surface portion, and a punch operatively connected to the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position;
- positioning the hole punch assembly relative to the metal sheet such that one of the ridges is at least partially within the groove and the trim piece contacts the second surface portion;
- and
- causing the punch to move from the retracted position to the extended position and thereby form a hole in the trim piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.