US 5,577,313 A · Method and apparatus for joining deformable sheet stock

Abstract

A method of joining first and second sheets of deformable material by providing a first sheet having oppositely facing first and second surfaces, providing a second sheet having oppositely facing third and fourth surfaces, placing the second surface on the first sheet facially against the third surface on the second sheet, directing a first discrete element against the first sheet in a first direction to cause a part of the first sheet contacted by the first discrete element to deform and project beyond the fourth surface on the second sheet and directing a second discrete element against at least one of the first and second sheets to at least one of a) cause the part of the first sheet to deform transversely to the first direction to define a first shoulder facing oppositely to the first direction that abuts to the fourth surface and b) cause the second sheet to deform transversely to the first direction to define a second shoulder facing in the first direction that abuts to the part of the first sheet.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method of joining first and second sheets of deform able material, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first sheet having oppositely facing first and second surfaces;
providing a second sheet having oppositely facing third and fourth surfaces;
placing the second surface on the first sheet facially against the third surface on the second sheet;
directing a first discrete element against the first sheet at a first location to cause a part of the first sheet contacted by the first discrete element to be deformed to project through and beyond the fourth surface on the second sheet;
moving the first discrete element relatively away from the first sheet at the first location;
and
directing a second discrete clement to compress against at least one of the first and second sheets at the first location to at least one of a) cause the part of the first sheet to deform so as to define a first shoulder facing oppositely to the fourth surface that abuts to the fourth surface and b) cause the second sheet to deform so as to define a second shoulder that faces and abuts to the part of the first sheet.

4 more elements

A method of joining first and second sheets of deformable material, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first sheet having oppositely facing first and second surfaces;
providing a second sheet having oppositely facing third and fourth surfaces;
placing the second surface on the first sheet facially against the third surface on the second sheet;
providing first and second rotary elements with the first discrete element on the first rotary element and the second discrete element on the second rotary element;
rotating the first and second rotary elements to sequentially direct the first discrete element against the first sheet in a first direction to cause a part of the first sheet contacted by the first discrete element to be deformed to project beyond the fourth surface on the second sheet;
directing the second discrete element against at least one of the first and second sheets to at least one of a) cause the part of the first sheet to deform transversely to the first direction to define a first shoulder facing oppositely to the first direction that abuts to the fourth surface and b) cause the second sheet to deform transversely to the first direction to define a second shoulder facing in the first direction that abuts to the part of the first sheet.

3 more elements

An apparatus for joining a first sheet of deformable material having first and second oppositely facing surfaces with a second sheet of deformable material having third and fourth oppositely facing surfaces with the second surface on the first sheet abutted to the third surface on the second sheet, said apparatus comprising:

first means for deforming a part of the first sheet in a first direction past the fourth surface of the second sheet, wherein the first means comprises a first rotary element having a first discrete element to engage the first surface on the first sheet and exert a force in the first direction that deforms the part of the first sheet;
and
second means comprising a second rotary element having a second discrete element to engage at least one of the first and second sheets to at least one of (a) deform a part of the first sheet transversely to the first direction at the deformed part of the first sheet to define the first shoulder and (b) deform a part of the second sheet transversely to the first direction at the deformed part of the first sheet to define a second shoulder.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for joining deformable sheet stock

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for joining deformable sheet stock

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23