Joining apparatus and method for loading a joining element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018009056-A1
Application number	US-201715637498-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Jan 11, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Joining apparatus for joining joining elements onto workpieces, comprising a joining element holding device, which is configured to radially hold a joining element, and comprising a loading pin arrangement, which is configured to slide a joining element axially into a holding position in the joining element holding device, and/or to axially support the joining element during a joining process, wherein the loading pin arrangement has a loading pin, which is slidable by means of a loading pin actuator arrangement in the direction of the joining element holding device. The loading pin arrangement is here designed to variably establish a loading pin stroke of the loading pin between at least two stages, so that in a first stage the loading pin is displaceable less far in the direction of the joining element holding device than in a second stage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A joining apparatus for joining joining elements onto workpieces, comprising a joining element holding device, which is configured to radially hold a joining element, and comprising a loading pin arrangement, which is configured to slide a joining element axially into a holding position (H) in the joining element holding device, and/or to axially support the joining element during a joining process, wherein the loading pin arrangement has a loading pin, which is slidable by means of a loading pin actuator arrangement in the direction of the joining element holding device, wherein the loading pin arrangement is designed to variably establish a loading pin stroke of the loading pin between at least two stages, so that in a first stage the loading pin is displaceable less far in the direction of the joining element holding device than in a second stage.

2 . The joining apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the loading pin is coupled with a loading pin piston of a loading pin cylinder which defines a first piston stroke ( 66 ) for the loading pin piston.

3 . The joining apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the loading pin piston is displaceable in a first cylinder chamber of the loading pin cylinder.

4 . The joining apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the loading pin cylinder is displaceable on a housing of the loading pin arrangement by a second piston, between at least two different axial positions.

5 . The joining apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second piston is fixed in relation to the housing.

6 . The joining apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second piston is displaceable in a second cylinder chamber of the loading pin cylinder.

7 . The joining apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a loading pin piston coupled with the loading pin and the second piston have the same diameter.

8 . The joining apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a first cylinder chamber, in which a loading pin piston coupled with the loading pin is displaceable, and a second cylinder chamber, in which the second piston is displaceable, are mutually separated by a partition.

9 . The joining apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the loading pin arrangement is configured such that, in a feed position (SP) of the loading pin in which the loading pin frees a feed channel for a joining element which is to be fed into the joining element holding device, the loading pin piston and the second piston are disposed adjacent to the partition.

10 . The joining apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a variable cylinder chamber is configured between a loading pin piston coupled with the loading pin and the second piston.

11 . The joining apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the loading pin arrangement includes, at least for the second stage of the loading pin stroke, a stroke fine adjustment device.

12 . The joining apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a loading pin cylinder is axially displaceable on a housing of the loading pin arrangement, wherein a stroke-limiting stop between the housing and the loading pin cylinder has a screwing element.

13 . A method for loading a joining element into a joining element holding device of a joining apparatus, wherein the joining apparatus has a loading pin which is alternatively transferable into a feed position (SP), into a first joining position (SP 1 ) and into at least a second joining position (SP 2 ), comprising the steps of:
providing a joining apparatus for joining joining elements onto workpieces, the joining apparatus comprising a joining element holding device, which is configured to radially hold a joining element, and comprising a loading pin arrangement, which is configured to slide a joining element (axially into a holding position (H) in the joining element holding device, or to axially support the joining element during a joining process, wherein the loading pin arrangement has a loading pin, which is slidable by means of a loading pin actuator arrangement in the direction of the joining element holding device, and wherein the loading pin arrangement is designed to variably establish a loading pin stroke of the loading pin between at least two stages, so that in a first stage the loading pin is displaceable less far in the direction of the joining element holding device than in a second stage. detecting whether a supplied joining element has a first axial length or a second axial length; and displacing the loading pin into the first joining position (SP 1 ) if the supplied joining element has the first axial length, or displacing the loading pin into the second joining position (SP 2 ) if the supplied joining element has the second axial length.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , comprising the step of performing on the joining apparatus a fine adjustment for the establishment of the second joining position (SP 2 ).

Assignees

• Newfrey Llc

Inventors

• Schneider Michael
• Ivo Hubert
• Fischermanns Bettina

Classifications

• B23K9/20 Primary

  Stud welding · CPC title

• B23K1/005

  Soldering by means of radiant energy · CPC title

• B23K9/206

  with automatic stud supply · CPC title

• B23K37/04

  for holding or positioning work · CPC title

• B23K9/201 Primary

  of the extremity of a small piece on a large basis · CPC title