Die changer with removable die adapted thereto and die dome as well as method for removing and inserting the removable die

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10058911-B2
Application number	US-201615151825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2016
Priority date	May 11, 2015
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A die chanter for a die of a joining device, a die dome adapted to the die and a method for removing a die of a joining device and a method for inserting a die into a joining device. The die has a head having upper and bottom sides, and a shaft extending from the bottom side and receivable and lockable in a dome without rotation. The shaft comprises: at least one first web forming an undercut on two sides by which the shaft is lockable in the dome by a linear inserting movement, at least one second web, the length of which is adaptable to a diameter of the dome to ensure a lateral guiding of the shaft in the dome and which is arranged between the head and the first web, and an ejection surface by which the die can be moved out of the dome.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for removing from a joining device a removable die which is fastened in a die dome having a through opening, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
a. arranging the die dome above an ejection spike,
b. moving the ejection spike in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the ejection spike and through the die dome, wherein the ejection spike releases the removable die from a locking section of the die dome,
c. moving the removable die via the ejection spike beyond the die dome to a position wherein a dimension of the removable die in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ejection spike is laterally offset from and in lateral alignment with a holding opening of a die holder of a die changer,
d. relatively moving the die holder and the removable die with respect to each other so that the removable die is arranged in the holding opening of the die holder, and
e. inserting the removable die in the holding opening by axially moving the ejection spike.

2. Method according to claim 1 , having the further step:
moving a fixing spike or a fixing device in abutment with an upper side of a die head of the removable die, and
holding the removable die between the ejection spike and the fixing spike or the fixing device during the relatively moving of the die holder and the removable die with respect to each other.

3. Method according to claim 1 , comprising the further step:
moving the ejection spike into a through opening formed by at least one holding shell located in the locking section of the die dome and
unlocking the removable die by means of a pivoting of the at least one holding shell by means of the ejection spike.

4. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the through-opening of the die dome is
a hollow cylindrical through-opening for receiving and guiding a die shaft of the removable die, the through-opening comprising an axial guiding section and an axial locking section adjacent thereto, wherein
a1. in the locking section, a spring-pretensioned locking arrangement is provided and configured such that the die shaft is automatically lockable in the locking section by means of inserting, without rotating the die shaft, the die shaft into the locking section in an insertion direction, and the die shaft is automatically releasable from the locking arrangement and removable from the die dome by means of an inserting of the ejection spike into the through-opening in an ejection direction opposite to the insertion direction, or wherein
a2. in the locking section, a locking arrangement system with a rotatable and/or slidable locking element is provided so that the die shaft is lockable and unlockable in the locking section by means of inserting, without rotating the die shaft, the die shaft into the locking section in the insertion direction and by rotating and/or sliding or moving the locking element, and wherein the die shaft is removable from the locking arrangement system and from the die dome by means of an inserting of the ejection spike into the through-opening in an ejection direction opposite to the insertion direction.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the
holding opening is adapted to the removable die such that a die shaft of the removable die is receivable in the holding opening and a die head of the removable die can be supported at an edge of the holding opening, wherein the holding opening comprises a radial clearance for radially inserting the die shaft into the holding opening.

6. Method according to claim 1 , having the further step:
moving a fixing spike or a fixing device in abutment with an upper side of a die head of the removable die, before the moving of the removable die beyond the die dome via the ejection spike, and
holding the removable die between the ejection spike and the fixing spike or the fixing device during the moving of the removable die beyond the die dome.

7. Method for inserting a removable die into a through-opening of a die dome of a joining device, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
a. moving an ejection spike in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the ejection spike and through the through-opening of the die dome;
b. arranging a holding opening of a die holder containing a removable die above the ejection spike which has been moved through the through-opening of the die dome,
c. releasing the removable die from the holding opening by means of a moving of the ejection spike such that the released removable die remains located within the holding opening,
d. removing the holding opening from the released removable die via laterally moving the holding opening relative to the released removable die, and
e. moving the ejection spike through the through-opening of the die dome, wherein the removable die locks in a locking section of the die dome.

8. Method according to claim 7 , wherein the locking section has a plurality of holding shells, and wherein the removable die is pushed by means of a fixing spike or a fixing device into the locking section.

9. Method according to claim 7 , wherein the die holder is a die holder of a die changer, and wherein
the holding opening is adapted to the removable die such that a die shaft of the removable die is receivable in the holding opening and a die head of the removable die can be supported at an edge of the holding opening, wherein the holding opening comprises a radial clearance for radially inserting the die shaft into the holding opening, and wherein
the ejection spike is completely movable through the through-opening of the die dome for ejecting the removable die from the die dome.

10. Method according to claim 7 , wherein the through-opening of the die dome
is a hollow cylindrical through-opening for receiving and guiding a die shaft of the removable die, the through-opening comprising an axial guiding section and an axial locking section adjacent thereto, wherein
a1. in the locking section, a spring-pretensioned locking arrangement is provided and configured such that the die shaft is automatically lockable in the locking section by means of inserting, without rotating the die shaft, the die shaft into the locking section in an insertion direction, and the die shaft is automatically releasable from the locking arrangement and removable from the die dome by means of an inserting of the ejection spike into the through-opening in an ejection direction opposite to the insertion direction, or wherein
a2. in the locking section, a locking arrangement system with a rotatable and/or slidable locking element is provided so that the die shaft is lockable and unlockable in the locking section by means of inserting, without rotating the die shaft, the die shaft into the locking section in the insertion direction and by rotating and/or sliding or moving the locking element, and wherein the die shaft is removable from the locking arrangement system and from the die dome by means of an inserting of the ejection spike into the through-opening in an ejection direction opposite to the insertion direction.

11. Method according to claim 7 , wherein the joining device is a setting device.

Assignees

• Boellhoff Verbindungstechnik Gmbh

Inventors

• Ahlemeyer Fabian
• Peters Peter

Classifications

• B23Q2003/1553

  by rectilinear projection · CPC title

• Y10T483/1731

  including matrix · CPC title

• B23Q3/15566

  the tool being inserted in a tool holder directly from a storage device, i.e. without using transfer devices · CPC title

• Y10T483/10

  Process · CPC title

• Y10T29/5377

  Riveter · CPC title