Roller hemming machine
AssigneeValiant Corporation
InventorsDominique Baulier, Gabor Sztvorecz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hemming machine having a nest adapted to support a part to be hemmed. A hold down is movable between a retracted position in which the hold down is spaced from the part and an extended position in which the part is sandwiched between the hold down and the nest and a guide surface is formed around the periphery of the hold down. A hemming head having a roller hemmer assembly and mounted to and manipulated by a robotic arm. The roller assembly includes a first roller which engages the guide surface during a roller prehemming operation of the part performed by the robotic arm and a second roller which prehems the part.
Claims14
A hemming machine comprising:
- a nest adapted to accurately locate and support a part to be hemmed,
- a hold down movable between a retracted position in which said hold down is spaced from said part and an extended position in which the part is sandwiched between said hold down and said nest,
- wherein said hold down includes at least one guide surface formed about the periphery of said hold down,
- a robotic arm,
- a roller hemming head mounted to said robotic arm,
- a roller hemmer assembly mounted to said hemming head,
- wherein said roller hemmer assembly includes a first roller which engages said guide surface during a roller hemming operation of the part.
A roller hemming head for use with a robot comprising:
- a base adapted for attachment to the robot,
- a guide assembly mounted to said base,
- an elongated piston shaft axially slidably mounted to said assembly, said piston shaft being movable between an extended and a retracted position,
- at least one hemming roller attached to a free end of said piston shaft,
- a flexible sleeve connected between said base and said shaft and forming a pressurizable chamber encompassing said guide assembly,
- a source of fluid pressure fluidly connected to said pressurizable chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.