Hemming apparatus and method for creating a hem
OwnerJoseph D. Kraftinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for forming a crimped hem between two flanged components supported in a nest. The apparatus including a translational drive assembly configured to translate the nest and a wiper assembly along a longitudinal axis such that the wiper assembly is simultaneously directed transverse to the longitudinal axis. In this manner, the wiper asembly engages and bends the flange of one component over the flange of a second component forming a hem.
Claims11
An apparatus for hemming a first component having a first flange with a second ductile component having a second flange comprising:
- a nest having a support member configured to support a first component having a straight flange and a second component having an angled flange;
- a wiper assembly;
- and
- a translational drive assembly configured to translate the nest and wiper assembly along a longitudinal axis and simultaneously direct the wiper assembly transverse to the longitudinal axis to engage and bend the angled flange of the second component over the first flange of the first component to form a hem;
- wherein the translational drive assembly includes a first side slide and a second side slide, wherein the nest includes a nest hem support and a nest beveled surface, and wherein the wiper assembly includes a first wiper and second wiper each having a wiper hem edge and a wiper crimp surface, the first wiper is attached to the first side slide and the second wiper is attached to the second side slide, the first side slide and second side slide each having a side slide beveled edge configured to engage the nest beveled edge as the wipers are directed transverse to the longitudinal axis.
An apparatus for hemming a first component having a straight flange with a second component having an angled flange comprising:
- a nest having a support member configured to support the first component having a straight flange and the second component having an angled flange, the nest further including a flange support surface and a beveled nest edge, the nest floatably and removeably supported by a slide carrier block;
- a first wiper and a second wiper having a wiper edge and a wiper crimp surface, the first and second wipers attached to a first and second side slide slideably supported on the slide carrier block;
- a first angled guide and a second angled guide having a inner guide surface at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a translational drive assembly configured to translate the nest and wiper along a longitudinal axis such that the angled guides simultaneously direct the wipers transverse to the longitudinal axis whereby the wipers engage and bend an angled flange of the second component over a straight flange of the first component forming a hem;
- the translational drive assembly further including a first and second side slide each having a beveled slide edge configured to engage the beveled nest edge on the nest as the wipers are directed transverse to the longitudinal axis raising the nest toward the wiper crimp surface whereby the hem is compressed between the flange support surface and the wiper crimp surface forming a crimped hem.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.