# US 7,610,668 B2 · Automated sidewall assembly machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,668 B2 - Document ID: US7610668B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/397,826 - Filed: 2006-04-04 - Published: 2007-10-04 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-04-04 - Assignees: Great Dane Limited Partnership - Inventors: Steven A. Sprague; P. Alan Whiten; R. Wayne Achtziger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610668B2 ## CPC - B21J 15/14: specially adapted for riveting specific articles, e.g. brake lining machines - B21J 15/28: Control devices specially adapted to riveting machines not restricted to one of the preceding subgroups - Y10T 29/49622: Vehicular structural member making - Y10T 29/49771: Quantitative measuring or gauging - Y10T 29/4978: Assisting assembly or disassembly - Y10T 29/49956: Riveting - Y10T 29/5118: Riveting - Y10T 29/5124: with means to feed work intermittently from one tool station to another - Y10T 29/5137: including assembling or disassembling station - Y10T 29/53052: including position sensor - Y10T 29/53961: with work-holder for assembly - B21J: FORGING; HAMMERING; PRESSING METAL; RIVETING; FORGE FURNACES (rolling of metal B21B; making particular products by forging or pressing B21K; cladding or plating B23K; finishing surfaces by hammering B23P9/04; compacting surfaces by blasting with particulate material B24C1/10; general features of presses, presses for consolidating scrap B30B; furnaces in general F27) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An automated sidewall assembly machine is provided for attaching a sidewall panel to a top and bottom rail of a wheeled trailer. The machine comprises a frame, a carriage for longitudinal movement relative to the frame, an automated punch mounted proximate the frame and an automated riveting press mounted proximate the frame so that the sidewall assembly is movable by the carriage with respect to the frame, the automated punching machine and the automated riveting machine so that holes can be punched through one or more of the sidewall, the bottom rail and the top rail and rivets can be inserted into the punched holes to be mashed. A sensor is operably mounted to the sidewall assembly machine so that information obtained by the sensor can be used to drive the carriage, the automated punching machine and the automated riveting press. A drive motor in communication with the carriage moves the carriage longitudinally with respect to the frame, and a control system having a processor is in operative communication with the carriage, the automated puncher, the automated riveting press, the sensor, and the drive motor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for automatically fastening a sidewall to an upper or lower rail, comprising: a. providing the sidewall with a first post, said first post attached to an underside of the sidewall, said first post having a first reference point and a second reference point spaced apart from the first reference point, the first reference point and the second reference point being detectable from the topside of the sidewall, providing a carriage movable relative to the longitudinal axis of the sidewall for moving the sidewall, and providing a machine including a hole puncher, a rivet masher, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a processor; b. automatically detecting said first post using signals from said first sensor that are sent to said processor, c. automatically obtaining style information about said sidewall adjacent to said second sensor, via image data obtained from said second sensor, d. providing information to the processor from said first sensor and then to an assembly program; e. automatically punching at least one hole through the sidewall and the upper or lower rail in response to said style information obtained by said second sensor; f. inserting a rivet in said at least one hole; and g. automatically mashing said rivet in response to said information obtained by said second sensor to secure the sidewall to the upper or lower rail. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method for automatically fastening a sidewall to an upper or lower rail of claim 1, further comprising after step (e), the step of automatically moving said carriage along said longitudinal axis a fixed distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method for automatically fastening a sidewall to an upper or lower rail of claim 2, further comprising the step of automatically obtaining new information about the sidewall adjacent said second sensor after said carriage is moved a fixed distance. ### Claim 4 A method for automatically fastening a sidewall to at least one of an upper rail or a lower rail, the sidewall including at least one post, comprising: a. moving the sidewall and the at least one rail along the longitudinal axis of the sidewall, b. sensing the location of the at least one post and sensing the type of the at least one post, the type being selected from a plurality of different types of posts, wherein the type sensing includes using image data obtained from a vision sensor; c. based upon the location of the at least one post and the sensed type, automatically punching at least one hole through the sidewall and the at least one rail; d. inserting a fastener in the at least one hole; and e. automatically securing the fastener to secure the sidewall to the at least one rail. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising before step (a), the step of placing the sidewall and the at least one rail in adjacent position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising before step (a), the step of aligning the sidewall and the at least one rail. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the sidewall is gripped and moved a predetermined distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the sidewall and the at least one rail are gripped and moved by a cart mechanism. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein step (b) includes automatically sensing the at least one post using a proximity sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein in step (b), the step of determining the location of the at least one post of the sidewall is performed by taking a picture. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising before or after step (c), automatically aligning the sidewall and the at least one rail along the longitudinal axis of the sidewall based on input from the vision sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein in step (b), the step of determining the type of sidewall using image data is performed by taking a picture. ### Claim 13 A method for automatically fastening a sidewall to at least one of an upper rail or a lower rail, the sidewall including at least one post, comprising: a. sensing a style of the sidewall, wherein sensing the style of the sidewall includes taking a picture using a vision sensor; b. based upon the sensed style, automatically selecting an assembly program for automatically fastening the sidewall to the at least one rail; c. moving the sidewall by indexed movements of a cart mechanism; d. sensing either a correct position or an incorrect position of the sidewall; and e. when the incorrect position is sensed in step (d), adjusting the indexed movements by a first distance to move the sidewall to the correct position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein sensing the style of the sidewall includes imaging a fastening pattern, the fastening pattern showing the sidewall fastened to the at least one post. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein sensing the style of the sidewall includes digitally processing the picture. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising before step (a), the step of positioning a forward edge of the sidewall. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the step of sensing the style includes locating the at least one post. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising after step (b), the step of moving the sidewall and the at least one rail along the longitudinal axis of the sidewall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising after step (b), the steps of automatically punching at least one hole through the sidewall and the at least one rail, inserting a fastener in the at least one hole, and automatically securing the fastener to secure the sidewall to the at least one rail. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of determining a punching pattern for automatically punching the at least one hole using the style. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of determining a securing pattern for automatically securing the fastener using the style. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising after step (b), the step of gripping the sidewall and the at least one rails, and wherein in the step (c), the indexed movement includes moving the sidewall and the at least one rail a predetermined distance based on the assembly program. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of a further sensing of the sidewall after moving the predetermined distance. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of indexing the predetermined distance against a reference distance of the assembly program using a processor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of recognizing an incorrect distance as a difference between the predetermined distance the sidewall has been moved and the reference distance. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of adjusting a second predetermined distance based on the incorrect distance. ### Claim 27 A method for automatically fastening a sidewall to at least one of an upper rail or a lower rail, the sidewall including at least one post, comprising: a. moving the sidewall and the at least one rail along the longitudinal axis of the sidewall, b. sensing the location of the sidewall, c. sensing the style of the sidewall including taking a picture of the sidewall using a vision sensor, d. determining a fastening pattern based at least in part on the style of the sidewall. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the fastening pattern is executed, and the execution comprises automatically punching at least one hole through the sidewall and the at least one rail, inserting a fastener in the at least one hole, and automatically securing the fastener to secure the sidewall to the at least one rail. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the style is also determined in part by the location. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein step (b) includes sensing the location of the at least one post. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein in step (c), the step of taking a picture includes imaging the sidewall, and wherein, based upon the imaging, the style of the sidewall is automatically determined. ### Claim 32 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein step (c) includes digitally processing the picture using a processor. ### Claim 33 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein step (d) includes determining a fastening pattern based at least in part on the sensed location of the sidewall. ### Claim 34 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the sidewall and the at least one rail are moved a predetermined distance based on the fastening pattern.