Method and apparatus for attaching a handle using self piercing rivets
AssigneeThe Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
InventorsKurt Coyne, Alfred Alexander Arlic, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooking apparatus includes a cooking surface and a wall depending from the cooking surface. The wall has an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface. A handle is adjacent the exterior surface. The handle has a first surface adjacent the wall and a second surface opposite the first surface. A rivet is disposed through the interior surface, the exterior surface, and the first surface of the handle. The second surface of the handle is unpierced by the rivet. The rivet is bonded with a mating material.
Claims22
A cooking apparatus comprising:
- a cooking surface;
- a wall depending from said cooking surface, said wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite said interior surface;
- a handle adjacent said exterior surface, said handle having a first surface adjacent said wall and a second surface opposite said first surface;
- a rivet that is disposed through the interior and exterior surfaces of the wall and the first surface of the handle,
- wherein the second surface of the handle is unpierced by said rivet, and said rivet being bonded with a mating material;
- and
- wherein the second surface of the handle is free from dimples or depressions.
A method comprising:
- placing a first surface of a handle adjacent to an exterior side of a wall of cookware, wherein the handle further comprises a second surface opposite to the first surface, and wherein the wall further comprises an interior side opposite to the exterior side;
- placing a rivet adjacent the interior side of the wall;
- applying a force to move said rivet through the wall and into said handle without piercing through the handle;
- molding said rivet and a mating material to form a bond with the wall securing said handle to said wall;
- and
- joining the rivet with the handle so that the second surface of the handle is free from dimples or depressions.
A method comprising:
- fastening a top sheet of material to a bottom sheet of material to form a cooking apparatus by applying a force to a self-piercing rivet to drive the rivet through the top sheet and upset the rivet, under the influence of a die, into the bottom sheet without piercing through the bottom sheet;
- forming a bond by upsetting or molding the rivet with mating material formed of material from the top sheet and the bottom sheet;
- and
- joining the rivet and mating material so that a side of the mating material opposite the rivet is free from dimples or depressions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.