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US 9,027,220 B2Granted
Rivet setting machine
AssigneeNewfrey LLC
InventorJoseph Karl Schlafhauser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rivet setting machine is provided. In another aspect, a linear displacement sensor directly senses and detects a position of a rivet-setting punch relative to a nosepiece of a rivet setting machine. A further aspect provides a control system and software instructions for sensing the relative position of a punch and nosepiece used by a programmable controller to determine and monitor a rivet setting position without use of a force sensor, motor current/voltage sensor, or a rotation sensor.
Claims29
A rivet setting machine comprising:
- a rivet;
- a nosepiece;
- a feeder operably supplying the rivet to the nosepiece;
- a punch linearly moving from a retracted position to an advanced position through the nosepiece;
- a linear displacement sensor positioned adjacent to the nosepiece directly sensing a location of the punch relative to the nosepiece during setting of the rivet;
- and
- a programmable controller controlling actuation of the punch when the punch moves relative to the nosepiece;
- wherein the linear displacement sensor further comprises a longitudinally elongated magnetic scale component and a magnetic length sensor component, one of the magnetic length sensor and magnetic scale components moving relative to the other when the punch moves relative to the nosepiece, and the magnetic length sensor component detecting a magnetic radiant field and sending a position signal to the programmable controller.
5 more elements
A rivet setting machine comprising:
- a rivet;
- a nosepiece;
- a feeder operably supplying the rivet to the nosepiece;
- a punch linearly moving from a retracted position to an advanced position through the nosepiece;
- a linear displacement sensor positioned adjacent to the nosepiece directly sensing the location of the punch relative to the nosepiece during setting of the rivet;
- and
- a programmable controller connected to the linear displacement sensor, the programmable controller using an output signal from the linear displacement sensor to control the rivet setting advanced location of the punch for both the rivet which is of a first length and a second rivet which is of a different length, without sensing the actual rivet length.
4 more elements
A rivet setting machine comprising:
- a rivet;
- a nosepiece including a bore longitudinally extending therethrough, the nosepiece being movable to a workpiece-contacting position prior to or during rivet setting;
- a punch linearly retracting and advancing through the bore of the nosepiece;
- a linear displacement sensor directly sensing location of the punch relative to the nosepiece, a first component of the linear displacement sensor being moveable with the punch when it advances, and a second component of the linear displacement sensor being positioned adjacent the nosepiece and separate from the first component which is moveable relative to the second component;
- and
- a programmable controller determining the linear punch displacement relative to the nosepiece during the rivet setting based on an output from the linear displacement sensor but without force sensing, rotation sensing or current/voltage sensing.
3 more elements
A rivet setting machine comprising:
- a self-piercing rivet;
- a nosepiece;
- a punch linearly moveable in the nosepiece to set the rivet;
- a housing surrounding at least part of the punch;
- a die always being aligned with the punch during punch movement;
- a frame coupling the die to the housing;
- a handle coupled to at least one of the frame and the housing allowing for hand-held portability of at least the nosepiece, punch and die;
- a single sensor detecting a linear displacement of the punch relative to the nosepiece, an elongated component of the sensor being moveable with the punch when it advances and a second component of the linear displacement sensor being coupled to and moveable with the nosepiece;
- and
- a programmable controller monitoring a rivet setting position of the punch based on an output from the single sensor.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.