Piercing element driving method, element composite, and welding member
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
InventorTakayuki KIMURA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for driving a piercing element includes: preparing a plate material, the piercing element, a preceding punch, and a die; arranging the plate material on a hole portion of the die; arranging the piercing element and the preceding punch in order downward from above on the plate material and on a position corresponding to the hole portion; punching the plate material via the preceding punch by pressing the piercing element downward; dropping a punched piece downward from the hole portion; following the punching of the plate material, driving the piercing element to be embedded in the plate material and causing the plate material to bite a constricted portion; and dropping the preceding punch downward from the hole portion.
Claims12
A method for driving a piercing element, the method comprising:
- 1) preparing
- a plate material made of a metal,
- a piercing element comprising an upper portion, a lower portion, and a connecting portion configured to connect the upper portion and the lower portion, the connecting portion being smaller than the upper portion and the lower portion in a plan view, the piercing element comprising a constricted portion defined by a lower surface of the upper portion, an upper surface of the lower portion, and a side surface of the connecting portion, the piercing element having a thickness equal to or less than a thickness of the plate material,
- a preceding punch being larger than the lower portion in a plan view, and
- a die having a hole portion larger than the preceding punch in a plan view;
- 2) arranging the plate material on the hole portion of the die;
- 3) arranging the piercing element and the preceding punch in order downward from above on the plate material and on a position corresponding to the hole portion;
- 4) punching the plate material via the preceding punch by pressing the piercing element downward, and driving the piercing element to be embedded in the plate material;
- and
- 5) fixing the piercing element to the plate material by the plate material biting the constricted portion due to the plastic deformation of the plate material in the driving.
An element composite, comprising:
- a main body comprising an upper portion, a lower portion, and a connecting portion configured to connect the upper portion and the lower portion, the connecting portion being smaller than the upper portion and the lower portion in a plan view, the main body comprising a constricted portion defined by a lower surface of the upper portion, an upper surface of the lower portion, and a side surface of the connecting portion;
- a preceding punch arranged directly below the main body, the preceding punch being larger than the lower portion in a plan view;
- and
- a bridging portion configured to connect the lower portion and the preceding punch, the bridging portion having strength to be broken when the lower portion and the preceding punch are driven into a plate material.
A welding member, comprising:
- a plate material;
- and
- a piercing element comprising an upper portion, a lower portion, and a connecting portion configured to connect the upper portion and the lower portion, the connecting portion being smaller than the upper portion and the lower portion in a plan view, the piercing element comprising a constricted portion defined by a lower surface of the upper portion, an upper surface of the lower portion, and a side surface of the connecting portion, the piercing element having a thickness equal to or less than a thickness of the plate material,
- wherein the piercing element is embedded in the plate material, and is fixed to the plate material by biting the plate material in the constricted portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.