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US 5,211,687 AGranted
Apparatus and method for producing a hole in an article of wood or wood product
AssigneeHerman Miller, Inc.
InventorLarry L. Loser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for producing a hole in an article comprising wood or wood products includes a piercing tool having a punch extending therefrom. One of said piercing tool and article is moved relative to the other such that the piercing tool is positioned in a desired location relative to the article. The punch is propelled outwardly with a sufficient impact load to create a hole in the article and then retracted.
Claims40
A method for producing a screw hole in an article comprising wood or wood products, the method comprising:
- providing a piercing tool having a punch extending therefrom and means for propelling said punch outwardly with a sufficient impact load to create a screw hole in the article;
- automatically moving one of said piercing tool and article relative to the other such that the piercing tool is positioned in a desired location relative to the article;
- actuating said propelling means to propel the punch through a surface of the article and thereby produce a screw hole therein;
- and
- retracting the punch.
2 more elements
A method for producing a plurality of screw holes in an article comprising wood or wood products, the method comprising:
- providing a piercing tool including a punch extending therefrom and a pneumatic cylinder for propelling said punch outwardly with a sufficient impact load to create a hole in the article;
- automatically moving one of said piercing tool and article relative to the other such that the piercing tool is positioned in a plurality of desired locations relative to the article;
- actuating said pneumatic cylinder to propel the punch through a surface of the article and produce a hole therein at each of said locations;
- and
- retracting the punch at each of said locations;
- whereby a plurality of holes are formed in the panel in a desired pattern.
3 more elements
A method for producing a plurality of screw holes in an article comprising wood or wood products, the method comprising:
- placing the article in a predetermined reference position;
- entering desired coordinates in a robotics machine having an arm with a piercing tool attached thereto, said piercing tool having a punch extending therefrom and a pneumatic cylinder for propelling said punch outwardly therefrom with a sufficient impact load to create a hole in the article;
- and
- actuating the robotics machine, wherein the piercing tool of said robotics machine automatically moves to a plurality of desired locations, and the punch is propelled outwardly from the cylinder and retracted into said cylinder at each of said locations to produce a hole in the article at each location.
1 more element
A method for producing a plurality of screw holes in an article comprising wood or wood products, the method comprising:
- placing the article on support means adapted to allow horizontal movement of said article;
- moving the article in a horizontal direction by drive means;
- propelling a punch downwardly from a desired number of pneumatic cylinders housed in a plurality of piercing tools, said piercing tools being positioned above the article and said punches being propelled out of the cylinders with a sufficient impact load to punch a hole in the article;
- and
- retracting the punches into said cylinders;
- whereby a desired pattern of holes are formed in the article.
3 more elements
A method for producing a plurality of screw holes in an article comprising wood or wood products, the method comprising:
- placing the article on passively rotatable, horizontal rollers rotatably connected to a support structure;
- moving the article in a horizontal, longitudinal direction by an actively driven roller;
- moving a plurality of horizontally aligned piercing tools positioned above the article in a lateral direction to a plurality of desired locations relative to the article, said piercing tools including a pneumatic cylinder having a punch extending downwardly therefrom;
- propelling the punches downwardly from a desired number of cylinders at desired time intervals with a sufficient impact load to produce a hole in the article;
- and
- retracting the punches into said cylinders to allow the article and piercing tools to move to a new location;
- whereby a desired pattern of holes area formed in the article.
4 more elements
An apparatus for producing a screw hole in an article comprising wood or wood products, the apparatus comprising:
- means for supporting the article;
- a piercing tool including a punch and actuating means for propelling the punch outwardly from the piercing tool and retracting the punch into said tool, said actuating means being adapted to propel the punch outwardly with a sufficient impact load to create a screw hole in the article;
- means for supporting the piercing tool adjacent a surface of the article such that the axis of the punch is perpendicular to the surface of the article;
- and
- means for automatically moving one of said article and piercing tool relative to the other such that the piercing tool is positioned in a desired location relative to the article.
2 more elements
An apparatus for producing a plurality of screw holes in a panel comprising laminated particleboard, the apparatus comprising:
- means for supporting the panel;
- a piercing tool including a punch and actuating means for propelling the punch outwardly from the piercing tool and retracting the punch into said tool, said actuating means being adapted to propel the punch outwardly with a sufficient impact load to create a hole in the laminate and particleboard;
- means for supporting the piercing tool adjacent a surface of the laminate such that the axis of the punch is perpendicular to the panel;
- and
- means for moving one of said panel and piercing tool relative to the other such that the piercing tool is positioned in a plurality of desired locations relative to the panel;
- whereby a plurality of holes are produced in the panel in a desired pattern.
3 more elements
An apparatus for producing a plurality of screw holes in a panel comprising laminated particleboard, the apparatus comprising:
- means for supporting the panel in a predetermined reference position;
- a robotics machine having an arm adapted to automatically move to a desired location relative to the panel;
- a piercing tool adapted to be connected to an end of said arm, said piercing tool including a pneumatic cylinder and a punch extending outwardly therefrom, said pneumatic cylinder being adapted to propel the punch outwardly with a sufficient impact load to produce a hole in the laminate and particleboard when the cylinder is in a desired location relative to said panel, and an end portion of the punch having a shape sufficient to prevent the laminate from cracking, produce a hole having a substantially uniform, compact wall, and preclude the punch from locking in the particleboard;
- and
- control means for actuating said robotics machine;
- whereby the robotics machine is actuated by the control means, the arm moves to a plurality of desired locations, and the punch is propelled out of the cylinder to produce a hole in the panel and retracted into the cylinder at each of said locations.
3 more elements
An apparatus for producing a plurality of screw holes in a panel comprising laminated particleboard, the apparatus comprising:
- means for supporting the panel, said means being adapted to allow horizontal movement of said panel;
- drive means for moving the panel in a horizontal direction;
- a plurality of piercing tools positioned above the panel, said piercing tools including a pneumatic cylinder and a punch extending outwardly therefrom, said cylinders being adapted to propel the punch outwardly with a sufficient impact load to pierce the laminate and produce a hole in the laminate and particleboard when the panel is in a desired location relative to the cylinders, an end portion of the punch having a shape sufficient to prevent the laminate from cracking, produce a hole having a substantially uniform, compact wall, and preclude the punch from locking in the particleboard;
- and
- control means for actuating the punches out of a desired number of cylinders at desired time intervals to produce a desired pattern of holes in the panel.
2 more elements
An apparatus for producing a hole in an article comprising wood or wood products, the apparatus comprising:
- a high-speed press having a punch extending downward therefrom, said press being adapted to force the punch into the article with a sufficient impact load to create a hole in said article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.