Clamp assemblies and methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10836017-B2
Application number	US-201715825381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Nov 29, 2017
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A clamping assembly sized to clamp adjacent body panels of a vehicle together for an assembly operation includes a handle assembly including a handle that rotates in a first plane about a pivot location. A jaw assembly includes a first jaw structure that moves relative to a second jaw structure in a second plane parallel to the first plane. A linkage assembly operably connects the handle assembly and the jaw assembly using an actuation pin such that rotating the handle assembly in the first plane moves first jaw structure toward and away from the second jaw structure in the second plane between open and closed configurations by extending and retracting the actuation pin relative to the second jaw structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clamping assembly sized to clamp adjacent body panels of a vehicle together for an assembly operation, the clamping assembly comprising:
a handle assembly comprising a handle that rotates in a first plane about a pivot location;
a jaw assembly comprising a first jaw structure that moves in a line toward and away from a second jaw structure in a second plane parallel to the first plane by rotation of the handle; and
a linkage assembly that operably connects the handle assembly and the jaw assembly using an actuation pin such that rotating the handle assembly in the first plane moves first jaw structure toward and away from the second jaw structure in the second plane between open and closed configurations by extending and retracting the actuation pin relative to the second jaw structure.

2. The clamping assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly comprises a base portion connected to the pivot location and a handle portion connected to the base portion defining an opening that is sized to fit a hand of an operator.

3. The clamping assembly of claim 1 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises an arm actuation member that is pivotally connected to the actuation pin, the arm actuation member being operatively connected to the handle assembly.

4. The clamping assembly of claim 3 , wherein the handle assembly comprises a pair of bushings that are spaced-apart defining a gap therebetween, the arm actuation member having an arm that is slidingly received within the gap.

5. The clamping assembly of claim 4 , wherein the handle assembly rotates in the first plane rotating the arm actuation member thereby extending and retracting the actuation pin.

6. The clamping assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly is connected directly to the second jaw structure and indirectly to the first jaw structure.

7. The clamping assembly of claim 6 , wherein the jaw structure comprises guide assembly that connects the first jaw structure to the second jaw structure.

8. The clamping assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first jaw structure has a face that is shaped to grasp the body panels of the vehicle, the first jaw structure comprising a shim structure that extends outwardly from the face.

9. The clamping assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second jaw structure has a face that is shaped to grasp the body panels of the vehicle, the second jaw structure comprising a shim structure that extends outwardly from the face of the second jaw structure that is sized to be received within a seam between the body panels.

10. The clamping assembly of claim 9 , wherein the shim structures of the first and second jaw structures are aligned to be received within a seam between the body panels of the vehicle.

11. A method of holding a first body panel and a second body panel of a vehicle using a clamping assembly, the method comprising:
placing the clamping assembly in an open configuration, the clamping assembly comprising:
a handle assembly comprising a handle that rotates in a first plane about a pivot location;
a jaw assembly comprising a first jaw structure that moves relative to a second jaw structure in a second plane parallel to the first plane; and
a linkage assembly that operably connects the handle assembly and the jaw assembly using an actuation pin such that rotating the handle assembly in the first plane moves the first jaw structure in a line toward and away from the second jaw structure in the second plane between open and closed configurations by extending and retracting the actuation pin relative to the second jaw structure;

placing the second jaw structure on the first body panel and the second body panel; and
rotating the handle assembly to move the jaw assembly from the open configuration to the closed configuration.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of placing the clamping assembly in the open configuration is performed by gravity moving the first jaw structure relative to the second jaw structure.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of rotating the handle assembly is performed manually using a single hand of an operator.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first jaw structure has a face that is shaped to grasp the first and second body panels of the vehicle, the first jaw structure comprising a shim structure that extends outwardly from the face.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second jaw structure has a face that is shaped to grasp the body panels of the vehicle, the second jaw structure comprising a shim structure that extends outwardly from the face of the second jaw structure.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising locating the shim structures of the first and second jaw structures within a seam between the first body panel and the second body panel.

17. A clamping assembly sized to clamp adjacent body panels of a vehicle together for an assembly operation, the clamping assembly comprising:
a handle assembly comprising a handle that rotates about a pivot location;
a jaw assembly comprising a first jaw structure that moves relative to a second jaw structure; and
a linkage assembly that operably connects the handle assembly and the jaw assembly using an actuation pin, the linkage assembly comprising an arm actuation member that is pivotally connected to the actuation pin, the arm actuation member being slidably connected to the handle assembly within a gap between spaced-apart bushings.

18. The clamping assembly of claim 17 , wherein the linkage assembly connects the handle assembly and the jaw assembly using the actuation pin such that rotating the handle assembly in a first plane moves the first jaw structure toward and away from the second jaw structure in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane.

19. The clamping assembly of claim 17 , wherein
the first jaw structure has a face that is shaped to grasp the body panels of the vehicle, the first jaw structure comprising a shim structure that extends outwardly from the face; and
the second jaw structure has a face that is shaped to grasp the body panels of the vehicle, the second jaw structure comprising a shim structure that extends outwardly from the face of the second jaw structure that is sized to be received within a seam between the body panels.

20. The clamping assembly of claim 19 , wherein the shim structures of the first and second jaw structures are aligned to be received within a seam between the body panels of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Boeglin Alvin J

Classifications

• B25B5/125

  C-clamps · CPC title

• B25B5/12

  using toggle links · CPC title

• B23P19/04

  for assembling or disassembling parts · CPC title

• B25B5/04

  with pivoted jaws · CPC title

• B25B5/163 Primary

  Jaws or jaw attachments · CPC title