Hammer-operated indentation tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10598208-B2
Application number	US-201715595139-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	May 15, 2017
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

An indentation tool includes an installation axis, a radially oriented indentation axis, and a defined reserved space for an indentation site of a cylindrically-shaped structure, as well as a base for installing onto the structure, and an elongate punch for indenting it at its indentation site. The reserved space is spaced apart from the installation axis, and has the indentation axis passing through it. The base extends along the installation axis, and is configured for coaxial installation onto the structure, whereby its indentation site occupies the reserved space. The punch is spaced apart from the installation axis, and is supported by the base for movement along the indentation axis between a home position, in which the punch vacates the reserved space, and an indentation position, in which the punch, leading with an indentation tip, reaches into the reserved space to indent the structure at its indentation site.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An indentation tool, comprising:
an installation axis, a radially oriented indentation axis intersecting the installation axis at an incline angle away from normal, and a defined reserved space for an indentation site of a cylindrically-shaped structure, the reserved space spaced apart from the installation axis, and having the indentation axis passing through it;
a base extending along the installation axis, the base configured for coaxial installation onto the cylindrically-shaped structure, whereby the indentation site thereof occupies the reserved space; and
an elongate punch spaced apart from the installation axis and extending along the indentation axis, the punch having an indentation tip, and supported by the base for reciprocating radial movement along the indentation axis between a radially outer home position, in which the punch vacates the reserved space for occupation by the indentation site of the cylindrically-shaped structure, and a radially inner indentation position, in which the punch, leading with the indentation tip, reaches into the reserved space to indent the cylindrically-shaped structure at the indentation site thereof, including forcible radial movement along the indentation axis from the home position to the indentation position.

2. The indentation tool of claim 1 , wherein the base is configured, as part of the coaxial installation onto the cylindrically-shaped structure, to assume axial alignment with the cylindrically-shaped structure.

3. The indentation tool of claim 2 , wherein the base features a radially-facing radial engagement face complementary to one or more radially-facing parts of the cylindrically-shaped structure, and is configured, as part of the coaxial installation onto the cylindrically-shaped structure, to assume axial alignment with the cylindrically-shaped structure by radially engaging the complementary one or more radially-facing parts of the cylindrically-shaped structure with the radial engagement face.

4. The indentation tool of claim 3 , wherein the one or more radially-facing parts of the cylindrically-shaped structure to which the radial engagement face is complementary exhibit mutual radial opposition.

5. The indentation tool of claim 2 , wherein the base is configured, as part of the coaxial installation onto the cylindrically-shaped structure, to assume a given axial position on the axially-aligned cylindrically-shaped structure.

6. The indentation tool of claim 5 , wherein the base features an axially-facing axial engagement face complementary to one or more axially-facing parts of the cylindrically-shaped structure, and is configured, as part of the coaxial installation onto the cylindrically-shaped structure, to assume the given axial position on the axially-aligned cylindrically-shaped structure by axially engaging the complementary one or more axially-facing parts of the cylindrically-shaped structure with the axial engagement face.

7. The indentation tool of claim 1 , wherein the indentation tip has an edge extending normally to the indentation axis along an imaginary line intersecting the installation axis.

8. The indentation tool of claim 1 , wherein the incline angle is 30-60 degrees away from normal.

9. The indentation tool of claim 1 , wherein the incline angle is one of 45 degrees away from normal and 54 degrees away from normal.

10. The indentation tool of claim 1 , wherein the punch has a head opposite the indentation tip, the head, in the home position, open to receiving a hammer blow on behalf of the punch, under which the punch is induced to forcibly radially move along the indentation axis from the home position to the indentation position.

11. The indentation tool of claim 1 , wherein the punch is supported by the base for automatic return movement along the indentation axis from the indentation position to the home position.

12. The indentation tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
an elongate handle extending from the base.

13. The indentation tool of claim 12 , wherein the indentation tool further includes a primary axis, the installation axis along which the base extends is common to the primary axis, and the handle extends along the primary axis shared with the base.

14. The indentation tool of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrically-shaped structure is a component set that includes an internally threaded component threaded together with an externally threaded component, and has the indentation site thereof at a neck of the internally threaded component.

15. A method of progressing the assembly of a component set using an indentation tool having an installation axis and a radially oriented indentation axis intersecting the installation axis at an incline angle away from normal, comprising:
with a component set, in a partially-assembled state, including an internally threaded component with a neck threaded together with an externally threaded component featuring an external notch, such that the neck of the internally threaded component has an indentation site at which the neck is subject to indentation into the external notch of the externally threaded component:
employing a base belonging to the indentation tool, and extending along the installation axis, to coaxially install onto the component set, whereby the indentation site at the neck of the internally threaded component occupies a defined reserved space therefore spaced apart from the installation axis, and having the indentation axis passing through it; and
employing an elongate punch belonging to the indentation tool, spaced apart from the installation axis, extending along the indentation axis, having an indentation tip, and supported by the base for reciprocating radial movement along the indentation axis between a radially outer home position, in which the punch vacates the reserved space for occupation by the indentation site at the neck of the internally threaded component, and a radially inner indentation position, in which the punch, leading with the indentation tip, reaches into the reserved space, to indent the neck of the internally threaded component, at the indentation site thereof, into the external notch of the externally threaded component, the employment of the punch including imparting a hammer blow to the punch, and thereby inducing the punch to forcibly radially move along the indentation axis from the home position to the indentation position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the external notch of the externally threaded component is angled; and
employing the punch to indent the neck of the internally threaded component, at the indentation site thereof, into the external notch of the externally threaded component, involves indenting the neck of the internally threaded component, at the indentation site thereof, at an incline, into the external notch of the externally threaded component, at a complementary inclined incidence angle normal to the external notch of the externally threaded component.

17. An indentation tool, comprising:
an installation axis and a radially oriented indentation axis intersecting the installation axis at an incline angle away from normal;
an annularly-shaped base extending along the installation axis, the base having:
two opposed ends, one of which is a leading end terminating in an axially-facing lip;
a radially-facing internal wall between the opposed ends, the internal wall framing a receiving space opening from the leading end, the receiving space including, as a sub-space, a defined reserved space at the internal wall, spaced apart from the installation axis, thro

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Mai Lieu Xuan

Classifications

• F16B39/025 Primary

  by plastic deformation of a part of one of the threaded elements into a notch or cavity of the other threaded element (F16B39/103 and F16B39/106 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60B2900/113

  Production or maintenance time · CPC title

• B21D17/02

  by pressing (grooving or notching of bolts, studs, or the like B21K1/54) · CPC title

• B60B2310/314

  by deformation · CPC title

• B60B27/00

  Hubs (non-metallic B60B5/00; of high resiliency B60B9/00) · CPC title