Tool for assembling elements equipped with flap

A tool for attaching the following elements equipped with flaps:

• a frame of a solar panel, with a first flap with first eyelets;
• and
• a profile of a solar tracker that supports the solar panel, with a second flap, with second eyelets in correspondence with the first eyelets, and with a ferrule made of material of the second flap, which surrounds the second eyelet, wherein each ferrule has a dimension slightly smaller than that of the corresponding first eyelet,
• the tool comprising:
• a head, intended to occupy, during use, a proximal position with respect to the solar panel and the profile, and with:
• a supporting frame;
• a punch mounted on a punch holder supported on the supporting frame;
• a die supported on a die holder, linked to the supporting frame, the die facing the punch;
• and
• a front open housing defined between the die and the punch, which enables the profile to be housed together with the frame prior to using the tool, the supporting frame being frontally configured to define the open housing;
• a movement mechanism, to produce a relative approach between the punch and the die;
• an actuator for driving the movement mechanism;
• a power supply for electrical powering of the actuator;
• and
• a handle, in a distal position, opposite the head, for gripping by an operator,
• the head being configured so that, starting from a configuration with the frame and the profile between the punch holder and the die holder, and the ferrule of the profile housed in, and protruding from, the first eyelet, as well as with said ferrule inserted between the punch and the die, the relative movement of the die holder with respect to the punch holder causes the punch to make contact with the ferrule, pressing said ferrule, deforming it, to expand it around the first eyelet and attach the frame of the solar panel and the profile by means of the flaps.

A method for attaching the following elements equipped with flaps:

• a frame of a solar panel, with a first flap with first eyelets;
• and
• a profile of a solar tracker that supports the solar panel, with a second flap, with second eyelets in correspondence with the first eyelets, and with a ferrule made of material of the second flap, which surrounds the second eyelet, wherein each ferrule has a dimension slightly smaller than that of the corresponding first eyelet, the tool;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• using a tool comprising:
• a head, intended to occupy, during use, a proximal position with respect to the solar panel and the profile, and with:
• a supporting frame;
• a punch mounted on a punch holder supported on the supporting frame;
• a die supported on a die holder, linked to the supporting frame, the die facing the punch;
• and
• a front open housing defined between the die and the punch, which enables the profile to be housed together with the frame prior to using the tool, the supporting frame being frontally configured to define the open housing;
• a movement mechanism, to produce a relative approach between the punch and the die;
• an actuator for driving the movement mechanism;
• a power supply for electrical powering of the actuator;
• and
• a handle, in a distal position, opposite the head, for gripping by an operator,
• the head being configured so that, starting from a configuration with the frame and the profile between the punch holder and the die holder, and the ferrule of the profile housed in, and protruding from, the first eyelet, as well as with said ferrule inserted between the punch and the die, the relative movement of the die holder with respect to the punch holder causes the punch to make contact with the ferrule, pressing said ferrule, deforming it, to expand it around the first eyelet and attach the frame of the solar panel and the profile by means of the flaps;
• providing the frame and the profile, facing each other, and located between the punch holder and the die holder, with the ferrule of the profile housed in the first eyelet of the frame, protruding from the first eyelet, and with said ferrule inserted between the punch and the die;
• and
• operating the tool so that the power supply activates the movement of the die holder, by means of the thrust bolt, such that the die holder advances towards the punch holder guided by the guide bolts inside the guides, so that the punch makes contact with the ferrule, pressing said ferrule to expand it surrounding the first eyelet, causing a form-fit that fixes the profile to the frame.