Method for connecting two components, and component connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9550259-B2
Application number	US-201414516057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2014
Priority date	Apr 26, 2012
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A method for connecting a first component to a second component having a through hole includes the following steps: bringing the two components against one another and positioning them relative to one another, detecting the spatial position of the hole by a position detection electronic unit, positioning a connecting element at a location within the hole as a function of the spatial position of the hole or as a function of position data determined by the position detection electronic unit, connecting the connecting element to the first component, with the result that the connecting element projects into or through the hole, and clipping onto the connecting element a clip element which holds the two components together.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of connecting a first component with a second component, the second component having a through-hole, the method comprising the acts of:
bringing the first and second components together and positioning the first and second components relative to one another;
detecting a spatial position of the through-hole in the second component via an electronic position detection unit;
positioning a connection element at a location within the through-hole as a function of the spatial position of the through-hole or as a function of position data determined via the electronic position detection unit;
connecting the connection element with the first component so that the connection element projects out of the through-hole; and
clipping a clip element onto the connection element, the clip element holding together the first and second components, wherein
the connection element consists of at least two spherical elements.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic position detection unit comprises an opto-electronic system, the method further comprising the opto-electronic detection of the spatial position of the through-hole.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the acts of:
detecting a spatial position of the connection element via an electronic position detection unit or by use of position data from the electronic position detection unit; and
automatically clipping the clipping element onto the connection element via robotic control as a function of the spatial position of the connection element.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the act of:
gluing the first and second components together prior to the connecting or clipping acts.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising the acts of:
detecting a spatial position of the connection element via an electronic position detection unit or by use of position data from the electronic position detection unit; and
automatically clipping the clipping element onto the connection element via robotic control as a function of the spatial position of the connection element.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the act of connecting the connection element further comprises the act of welding the connection element onto the first component via an electronically controlled welding device.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the acts of:
detecting a spatial position of the connection element via an electronic position detection unit or by use of position data from the electronic position detection unit; and
automatically clipping the clipping element onto the connection element via robotic control as a function of the spatial position of the connection element.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the act of clipping the clipping element is carried out manually.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the acts of:
detecting a spatial position of the connection element via an electronic position detection unit or by use of position data from the electronic position detection unit; and
automatically clipping the clipping element onto the connection element via robotic control as a function of the spatial position of the connection element.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the two or more spherical elements includes a first spherical element is connected to the first component a second spherical element that is connected to the first spherical element.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Van Niekerk Johann
• Vietze Eva
• Martin Erik

Classifications

• B23Q17/2428

  for measuring existing positions of tools or workpieces · CPC title

• F16B5/0642 Primary

  the plates being arranged one on top of the other and in full close contact with each other · CPC title

• F16B2/20

  Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening · CPC title

• Y10T29/49769

  Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing] · CPC title

• B23P19/04 Primary

  for assembling or disassembling parts · CPC title