Omni-positional adhesion device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535322-B2
Application number	US-202016800940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2020
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

Aspects are provided for retaining components of an assembly to a support, including additively manufactured (AM) parts of a vehicle chassis to an assembly table. A cartridge for securing the component to the assembly table is provided which includes a housing including at least one compartment, an adhesive disposed within the at least one compartment, a fastener removably attached to the assembly table, and a membrane lid enclosing an opening of the housing. The membrane lid is configured to receive a protruding member from the component such that the protruding member becomes adhered to the adhesive upon penetrating the membrane lid. The cartridge thus allows the component to be quickly retained in any selected position while constraining movement of the component along six degrees of freedom, thereby allowing AM and non-AM parts to be securely retained to accommodate strict tolerance and precise fit between the components of the assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge for securing a component of an assembly to a support, the cartridge comprising:
a housing including a first compartment and a second compartment;
a two-part adhesive comprising a resin and a hardener, the resin disposed within the first compartment and the hardener disposed within the second compartment;
a fastener connected to the housing and removably attached to the support; and
a membrane lid enclosing an opening of the housing and configured to receive a protruding member from the component such that the protruding member becomes adhered to the two-part adhesive upon penetrating the membrane lid.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes, for mixing the resin and the hardener, one of:
compressed air within the resin or the hardener,
a loaded mechanical spring in the first compartment or the second compartment, or
a pressure differential between the first compartment and the second compartment.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the assembly is within a vertical assembly cell.

4. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the two-part adhesive comprises a low-viscosity, quick set adhesive.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising a divider disposed between and separating the first compartment and the second compartment, the divider forming a seal against the housing.

6. The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the divider comprises a film sheathing, and wherein the resin and the hardener are configured to mix upon breakage of the film sheathing by the protruding member of the component.

7. The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the divider includes a plurality of orifices, and wherein the resin and the hardener are configured to mix through the plurality of orifices upon displacement of the divider by the protruding member of the component.

8. The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the divider is pressurized to allow the resin and the hardener to volatilely mix upon breakage of the divider.

9. The cartridge of claim 5 , further comprising at least one divider guide disposed within the first compartment or the second compartment for holding the divider in place within the housing.

10. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the component is constrained in movement along six degrees of freedom when inserted into the first compartment or the second compartment.

11. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the protruding member includes saw-tooth edges configured to grip and form a seal against the membrane lid.

12. A vehicle chassis assembly comprising:
a chassis comprising a plurality of components, each component including a protruding member; and
a plurality of cartridges for individually securing each component to a support, each cartridge comprising:
a housing including at least one compartment;
an adhesive within the at least one compartment;
a fastener connected to the housing and removably attached to the support; and
a membrane lid enclosing an opening of the housing and configured to receive a protruding member from the component such that the protruding member becomes adhered to the adhesive upon penetrating the membrane lid.

13. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 12 , wherein the chassis is within a vertical assembly cell.

14. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 12 , wherein the at least one compartment comprises a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the adhesive is a two-part adhesive comprising a resin and a hardener, and wherein the resin is disposed within the first compartment and the hardener is disposed within the second compartment.

15. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a divider disposed between and separating the first compartment and the second compartment, the divider forming a seal against the housing.

16. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 15 , wherein the divider comprises a film sheathing, and wherein the resin and the hardener are configured to mix upon breakage of the film sheathing by the protruding member of the component.

17. The vehicle chassis assembly of claim 15 , wherein the divider includes a plurality of orifices, and wherein the resin and the hardener are configured to mix through the plurality of orifices upon displacement of the divider by the protruding member of the component.

18. A cartridge for securing a component of an assembly to a support, the cartridge comprising:
a housing including at least one compartment;
an adhesive within the at least one compartment;
a fastener connected to the housing and removably attached to the support; and
a membrane lid enclosing an opening of the housing and configured to receive a protruding member from the component such that the protruding member becomes adhered to the adhesive upon penetrating the membrane lid, the protruding member including saw-tooth edges configured to grip and form a seal against the membrane lid.

19. The cartridge of claim 18 , wherein the cartridge includes, for curing the adhesive within a predetermined time, at least one of:
inductive heating coils disposed around the at least one compartment, or
conductive metal placed inside the adhesive.

20. The cartridge of claim 18 , wherein the assembly is within a vertical assembly cell.

21. The cartridge of claim 18 , wherein the adhesive comprises a low-viscosity, quick set adhesive.

22. The cartridge of claim 18 , wherein the at least one compartment comprises a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the adhesive is a two-part adhesive comprising a resin and a hardener, and wherein the resin is disposed within the first compartment and the hardener is disposed within the second compartment.

23. The cartridge of claim 18 , wherein the component is constrained in movement along six degrees of freedom when inserted into the at least one compartment.

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Rawas Oussama
• Marbury Finley Hugh

Classifications

• B62D65/026 Primary

  by using a jig or the like; Positioning of the jig · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B62D65/00 Primary

  Designing, manufacturing, e.g. assembling, facilitating disassembly, or structurally modifying motor vehicles or trailers, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B23Q3/18

  for positioning only · CPC title

• B25B11/02

  Assembly jigs · CPC title