Method for positioning a component and component positioning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414027-B2
Application number	US-201615214682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2016
Priority date	Mar 26, 2014
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A method is provided for positioning a component, in particular a sheet metal component, which has a first hole or a first recess. The component with the first hole or the first recess is placed on a first support which is spherical-shaped or shaped as a spherical cap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of positioning a sheet component, the method comprising the acts of:
providing the sheet component with a first circular hole or a first circular recess having a hole or recess diameter;
resting the sheet component with the first circular hole or the first circular recess on a surface of a first support formed by a sphere or a spherical cap having a sphere or a spherical cap diameter larger than the hole or recess diameter.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the acts of:
providing the sheet component with a second circular hole or a second circular recess having a second hole or recess diameter; and
resting the sheet component, via the second circular hole or the second circular recess, on a surface of a second support formed by a sphere or a spherical cap having a sphere or a spherical cap diameter larger than the second hole or recess diameter.

3. A method of positioning a component, the method comprising the acts of:
providing the component with a first hole or a first recess having a first hole or first recess diameter and with a second hole or a second recess having a second hole or second recess diameter; and
resting the component with the first hole or the first recess on a surface of a first support formed by a sphere or a spherical cap and, via the second hole or the second recess, on a surface of a second support formed by a sphere or a spherical cap, each of the spheres or spherical caps having a sphere or spherical cap diameter larger than both the first hole or first recess diameter and the second hole or second recess diameter;
wherein one or both of the first and second holes or the first and second recesses is circular.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising the act of:
placing the component onto a third support at a point of the component.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein one or more of the first, second, or third supports is or are magnetic, whereby during the placing the component is attracted by the magnetic support.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the third support is formed by a sphere or a spherical cap.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the component is a sheet metal component.

8. A positioning device for positioning a component having a first circular hole or a first circular recess having a first diameter and a second circular hole or a second circular recess having a second diameter, the positioning device comprising:
at least a first support and a second support, each configured as a sphere or a spherical cap having a sphere or spherical cap diameter larger than the first and second diameters, wherein
the component is placeable so as to rest by way of the first circular hole or the first circular recess and the second circular hole or the second circular recess of the component on surfaces of the first and second supports.

9. The positioning device according to claim 8 , wherein the positioning device comprises three supports, each of which is formed by a sphere or a spherical cap.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Hammer Maik
• Van Niekerk Johann

Classifications

• B25B11/00

  Work holders not covered by any preceding group in the subclass, e.g. magnetic work holders, vacuum work holders (for holding or positioning work for welding, soldering, or cutting by applying heat locally B23K37/04; specially adapted to machine tools B23Q3/00) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49998

  Work holding · CPC title

• Y10T29/50

  Convertible metal working machine · CPC title

• B25B11/002 Primary

  Magnetic work holders · CPC title