Self-piercing rivet die, assembly, and method of joining materials with a self-piercing rivet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12325061-B1
Application number	US-202318532530-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 7, 2023
Priority date	Dec 7, 2023
Publication date	Jun 10, 2025
Grant date	Jun 10, 2025

Abstract

A method of joining substrates includes positioning the substrates on a die and pressing a self-piercing rivet until it penetrates into the bottom substrate and deforms the bottom substrate into a relief of the die defined by at least: a raised central portion, an outer portion disposed about a central axis of the die, a side surface disposed about the central axis, and an annular channel disposed about the central axis and disposed, in a radial direction, between the raised central portion and the outer portion. The side surface connects the outer portion to the top surface. The annular channel is recessed axially from the raised central portion and at least a part of the outer portion that is adjacent to the annular channel. The annular channel is radially inward of a toe of the self-piercing rivet after the deforming the bottom substrate into the relief.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of joining a top substrate to a bottom substrate, the method comprising:
positioning the bottom substrate on a top surface of a die;
positioning the top substrate on the bottom substrate so that the bottom substrate is between the top substrate and the die in an axial direction of the die; and
pressing a self-piercing rivet in the axial direction against the top substrate until the self-piercing rivet penetrates through the top substrate and into the bottom substrate, wherein pressing the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate into a relief defined by at least:
a raised central portion of the die;
an outer portion of the die disposed about a central axis of the die;
a side surface of the die disposed about the central axis, the side surface being located radially between the outer portion and the top surface to connect the outer portion to the top surface; and
an annular channel disposed about the central axis and disposed, in a radial direction, between the raised central portion and the outer portion, the annular channel being recessed in the axial direction from the raised central portion and at least a part of the outer portion that is adjacent to the annular channel,

wherein the annular channel is radially inward of a toe of the self-piercing rivet after the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate into the relief,
wherein the raised central portion is between the top surface and the outer portion in the axial direction.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the annular channel is radially inward of the toe of the self-piercing rivet before the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate into the relief.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of the raised central portion from the top surface is between 10% and 80% of a maximum depth of the relief.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of the outer portion from the top surface increases with radial distance from the annular channel.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein pressing the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate to enter the annular channel.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of the outer portion from the top surface increases with radial distance from the annular channel.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the depth increases at an angle between 0.5° and 10°.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the outer portion is substantially perpendicular to the axial direction.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of the annular channel from the outer portion to a deepest point of the annular channel is between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm, inclusive.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the raised central portion is substantially perpendicular to the axial direction.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein pressing the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate to fill the annular channel.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein pressing the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate such that the bottom substrate does not fill a portion of the relief proximate the side surface.

13. A method of joining a top substrate to a bottom substrate, the method comprising:
positioning the bottom substrate on a top surface of a die;
positioning the top substrate on the bottom substrate so that the bottom substrate is between the top substrate and the die in an axial direction of the die; and
pressing a self-piercing rivet in the axial direction against the top substrate until the self-piercing rivet penetrates through the top substrate and into the bottom substrate, wherein pressing the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate into a relief defined by at least:
a raised central portion of the die;
an outer portion of the die disposed about a central axis of the die, wherein the outer portion is substantially perpendicular to the central axis;
a non-planar side surface of the die encircling the central axis, the non-planar side surface connecting the outer portion to the top surface; and
an annular channel disposed about the central axis and disposed, in a radial direction, between the raised central portion and the outer portion, the annular channel being recessed in the axial direction from the raised central portion and at least a part of the outer portion that is adjacent to the annular channel,

wherein the annular channel is radially inward of a toe of the self-piercing rivet after the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate into the relief.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the annular channel is radially inward of the toe of the self-piercing rivet before the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate into the relief.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the raised central portion is between the top surface and the outer portion in the axial direction.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein a depth of the raised central portion from the top surface is between 10% and 80% of a maximum depth of the relief.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein a depth of the outer portion from the top surface increases with radial distance from the annular channel.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein pressing the self-piercing rivet deforms the bottom substrate to enter the annular channel.

19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a depth of the outer portion from the top surface increases with radial distance from the annular channel.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Huff Garret Sankey
• Ilinich Andrey M
• Freis Amanda Kay

Classifications

• B21J15/10

  Riveting machines (electric heating elements H05B) · CPC title

• B21J15/38 Primary

  Accessories for use in connection with riveting, e.g. pliers for upsetting; Hand tools for riveting · CPC title

• B21J15/025 Primary

  Setting self-piercing rivets · CPC title

• F16B5/04

  by means of riveting (rivets F16B19/04) · CPC title

• B21J15/36 Primary

  Rivet sets, i.e. tools for forming heads; Mandrels for expanding parts of hollow rivets · CPC title