Actuating assembly for a clinching die, in particular for clinching the peripheral edge of a vehicle window

Abstract

 An actuating assembly (1) for a clinching die (2), in particular for clinching the peripheral edge of a vehicle window (4), has a supporting table (29) guided to translate along a vertical axis (13); and two actuators (37, 38), one for translating the supporting table (29) between two reference positions to change the working blades (14, 15) in the clinching die (2), and the other for translating the supporting table by a work travel about each reference position, so as to perform a pre-clinching operation and a clinching operation respectively; one of the two actuators (37, 38) is fixed, the other is movable longitudinally during at least part of the translatory movement of the supporting table (29), and the two actuators activate respective connecting rod and crank transmissions (47, 57).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuating assembly for a clinching die, in particular for clinching the peripheral edge of a vehicle window, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.

[0002] To clinch the tabs defining the peripheral edge of a window formed in a metal sheet or metal panel, e.g. in a vehicle door or roof, clinching dies are known which are inserted through the window, and which comprise two sets of blades located at two different levels and activated to perform, respectively, a so-called pre-clinching operation followed by an actual clinching operation, each defined by a roughly 45° bend of the tabs.

[0003] The blades are operated to move horizontally between a withdrawn position towards the centre of the window, and an extracted position facing the tabs to be clinched, and are carried by a supporting table in turn operated synchronously by two motors. One of the motors translates the clinching die vertically between two reference positions to selectively position the two sets of blades at the peripheral edge of the window, and the other motor translates the blades, in the extracted position, vertically by a work travel about each reference position, so as to bend the tabs.

[0004] In known solutions, the motors operating the supporting table are located in fixed positions alongside the clinching die, and move the supporting table by means of respective transmissions which are extremely complex and bulky.

[0005] Moreover, being so complex, the transmissions operating the supporting table tend to introduce errors in the positioning of the supporting table and, therefore, in the pre-clinching and clinching operations.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an actuating assembly for a clinching die, in particular for clinching the peripheral edge of a vehicle window, designed to provide a straightforward, low-cost solution to the aforementioned problems.

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided an actuating assembly for a clinching die, in particular for clinching the peripheral edge of a vehicle window; the assembly comprising:

• a supporting table for supporting said clinching die and movable along a longitudinal axis; and
• two actuators, one for selectively translating said supporting table longitudinally between two reference positions, and the other for translating said supporting table longitudinally by a work travel about each said reference position;

   characterized in that one of said actuators is fixed, while the other of said actuators is movable longitudinally during at least part of the translatory movements of said supporting table.

[0008] A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic cross section of a preferred embodiment of the actuating assembly for a clinching die, in particular for clinching the peripheral edge of a vehicle window, according to the present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 show schematic cross sections of the clinching die as operated by the Figure 1 assembly, and a sequence of steps in the clinching of the peripheral edge of a vehicle window.

[0009] Number 1 in the accompanying drawings indicates an actuating assembly for a clinching die 2, in particular for clinching the peripheral edge of a window 4 formed in a body panel 5 of a vehicle.

[0010] In the Figure 2 example, panel 5 is defined by a door, and comprises a sheet metal outer panel 6 terminating inwards with a number of tabs 7, which define the peripheral edge of window 4 and, before being clinched and by virtue of a previous press operation, form an angle of about 90° with the rest of outer panel 6.

[0011] To perform the clinching operation, door 5 is set up in a fixed position at a station 9, which houses a supporting structure 10 for supporting outer panel 6, a clamping device 11 for clamping door 5, and die 2. Die 2 has a vertical axis 13, extends axially through structure 10, projects from the top of structure 10 to engage window 4, and comprises a number of blades 14 for performing a pre-clinching operation, and a number of blades 15 for performing the actual clinching operation and located at a lower level than blades 14.

[0012] With reference to Figures 2 and 3, blades 14, 15 are operated, in known manner not shown, to move, crosswise to axis 13, between a withdrawn position towards the centre of die 2 and window 4, and an extracted position vertically facing tabs 7.

[0013] Die 2 is movable axially along axis 13 by assembly 1, which is located beneath die 2 at station 9.

[0014] With reference to Figure 1, assembly 1 comprises a frame 19 in turn comprising a base plate 20 fixed at station 9, and a structure 21 projecting upwards from plate 20. Structure 21 comprises a vertical wall 22 having a U-shaped top seat 23; two transverse vertical wings 25 (only one shown) on opposite sides of wall 22; and a plate 26 fitted to one end of wings 25 and parallel to wall 22.

[0015] Assembly 1 also comprises a substantially mushroom-shaped supporting carriage 27 in turn comprising a tubular bottom portion 28 extending along axis 13, and a top table 29 integral with portion 28, perpendicular to axis 13, and defining a supporting surface to which die 2 is fixed. One of the walls, indicated 31, of portion 28 is parallel to and faces wall 22, has a bottom seat 32, and is fitted to wall 22 by a preferably recirculating-ball-type guide and slide device 33 (shown schematically). Device 33 comprises two vertical guides 34 (only one shown) spaced transversely apart and connected integrally to wall 22; and two pairs of slides 35 (only one shown) connected to wall 31 and which run along guides 34.

[0016] Carriage 27 is translated axially by a drive device 36 comprising a fixed motor reducer 37 and a movable motor reducer 38 (both shown partly and schematically), which are preferably electromechanical and are located diametrically opposite with respect to axis 13.

[0017] More specifically, motor reducer 37 is connected integrally to frame 19, on the opposite side of wall 22 to plate 26, and motor reducer 38 is connected integrally to portion 28, on the opposite side of portion 28 to wall 22.

[0018] Motor reducers 37, 38 rotate respective output shafts 39, 40 fitted to structure 21 and portion 28 respectively to rotate about respective parallel horizontal axes 41, 42. Shaft 40 comprises an intermediate portion 43 housed in portion 28, and an end 44 projecting inside seat 23; and shaft 39 comprises an end portion 45 extending axially between wall 22 and plate 26, through seat 32, and beneath portion 28.

[0019] Shaft 39 drives a first connecting rod and crank transmission 47 to translate carriage 27, and therefore die 2, along axis 13 and by a travel of roughly 60 millimetres, between a lowered reference position and a raised reference position, in which blades 14 and 15, when extracted, are positioned facing and over tabs 7 respectively.

[0020] Transmission 47 comprises a crank disk 48 integral with portion 45 and having an axis 49 parallel to and eccentric with respect to axis 41; and a connecting rod 50 comprising a bottom portion 51 hinged to disk 48 about axis 49. Disk 48 comprises a portion 52 projecting with respect to shaft 39 and supporting a projection 53, which projects towards plate 26 and, as shaft 39 rotates, selectively contacts tangentially a top stop member 54 and a bottom stop member 55, which are carried by plate 26 to arrest carriage 27 in said reference positions.

[0021] With reference to Figure 1, connecting rod 50 comprises a top end portion 56 housed in portion 28, and also forms part of a second connecting rod and crank transmission 57 driven by shaft 40 to translate carriage 27, and therefore die 2, back and forth along axis 13 by a work travel of roughly 8 millimetres about each reference position, so that blades 14 and 15 bend tabs 7 to perform a pre-clinching and clinching operation respectively.

[0022] Transmission 57 comprises a crank disk 58 integral with portion 43, and which has an axis 59 parallel to and eccentric with respect to axis 42, and is hinged to portion 56 about axis 59.

[0023] With reference to the accompanying drawings, at the start of the clinching cycle, blades 14 and 15 are withdrawn; projection 53 of transmission 47 rests against member 55 to keep axis 49 in a bottom dead centre position beneath axis 41, to keep die 2 in the lowered reference position, and so keep blades 14 at tabs 7 (Figure 2); and axis 42 of transmission 57 is stationary in a top dead centre position over axis 59.

[0024] Blades 14 are extracted (as shown by the dash line on the left-hand side of axis 13 in Figure 2) and are then lowered onto tabs 7 to perform the pre-clinching operation by operating motor reducer 38 to lower table 29 and die 2 axially by the work travel (as shown by the continuous line on the right-hand side of axis 13 in Figure 2), while shaft 39 remains stationary.

[0025] More specifically, as shaft 40 rotates, the eccentricity of disk 58 produces relative rotation between axis 42 and 59, swings connecting rod 50 about axis 49, and translates axis 42 into a bottom dead centre position beneath axis 59. As shaft 40 rotates further to move axis 42 into the top dead centre position over axis 59, die 2 moves back up to detach blades 14 from tabs 7.

[0026] Blades 14 are then withdrawn (as shown by the dash line on the right-hand side of axis 13 in Figure 2), and motor reducer 37 is operated to rotate shaft 39 and so lift shaft 40, carriage 27, and die 2 along axis 13 into the raised reference position to change the working blades (Figure 3). More specifically, as shaft 39 rotates, the eccentricity of disk 48 rotates axis 49 about axis 41, so that connecting rod 50 swings about axis 59 to bring projection 53 into contact with member 54 in the top dead centre position of axis 49.

[0027] Like blades 14, blades 15 are extracted (as shown by the dash line on the left-hand side of axis 13 in Figure 3) and are then lowered, to perform the clinching operation and complete the bending of tabs 7, by operating motor reducer 38 to lower die 2 axially by the work travel (as shown by the continuous line on the right-hand side of axis 13 in Figure 3), while shaft 39 remains stationary.

[0028] Once die 2 is raised by motor reducer 38 to detach blades 15 from tabs 7, blades 15 are withdrawn (as shown by the dash line on the right-hand side of axis 13 in Figure 3), and die 2 is restored to the lowered reference position, i.e. to the start condition, by operating motor reducer 37 in the opposite direction to that for raising die 2.

[0029] Assembly 1 is therefore extremely compact, by motor reducer 38 being movable vertically to accompany carriage 27, and therefore only requiring an extremely straightforward transmission 57, which is also movable by motor reducer 37 and transmission 47.

[0030] The compactness of assembly 1 is also due to the relative arrangement of shafts 39, 40 and motor reducers 37, 38, and to the particular type of transmissions 47, 57, which are extremely straightforward by comprising a small number of component parts, while at the same time transmitting fairly considerable power to convert the rotary movement of shafts 39, 40 to linear movement of carriage 27.

[0031] The small number of component parts and connections reduces slack and wear, and therefore greatly increases the positioning precision of carriage 27 and blades 14, 15.

[0032] Clearly, changes may be made to assembly 1 as described with reference to the accompanying drawings, without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0033] In particular, the bending of tabs 7 may be activated by the fixed, as opposed to the movable, motor reducer, and movement between the reference positions may be activated by the movable, as opposed to the fixed, motor reducer.

[0034] The motor reducers may differ from those shown, e.g. may comprise translating, as opposed to rotary, output shafts. The movable motor reducer may be at least partly connected to connecting rod 50 or to any other intermediate transmission members interposed between carriage 27 and the fixed motor reducer, so as only to be moved during translation produced by the fixed motor reducer, and not during translation of its own making. The connecting rod and crank transmissions may also be replaced by other types, e.g. cam, lever, or screw and nut screw transmissions.

[0035] Finally, actuating assembly 1 may be used for a die other than the one shown, and for clinching the edge of parts other than those described by way of example.

Claims

1. An actuating assembly (1) for a clinching die (2), in particular for clinching the peripheral edge of a vehicle window (4); the assembly comprising:

- a supporting table (29) for supporting said clinching die (2) and movable along a longitudinal axis (13); and

- two actuators (37, 39), one for selectively translating said supporting table (29) longitudinally between two reference positions, and the other for translating said supporting table (29) longitudinally by a work travel about each said reference position;

   characterized in that one of said actuators (37) is fixed, while the other of said actuators (38) is movable longitudinally during at least part of the translatory movements of said supporting table (29).

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinally movable actuator (38) activates translation of said supporting table (29) by said work travel, and the fixed actuator (37) activates translation between said reference positions.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said longitudinally movable actuator (38) is connected integrally to said supporting table (29).

4. An assembly as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said actuators (37, 38) comprise respective output shafts (39, 40) parallel to each other.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said actuators (37, 38) are diametrically opposite with respect to said longitudinal axis (13).

6. An assembly as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized by also comprising transmission means (47, 57) for converting rotary motion to translatory motion.

7. An assembly as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that said transmission means (47, 57) comprise at least one connecting rod and crank transmission (47, 57).

8. An assembly as claimed in Claim 7, characterized in that said transmission means (47, 57) comprise a first connecting rod and crank transmission (47) activated by said fixed actuator (37), and a second connecting rod and crank transmission (57) activated by said longitudinally movable actuator (38).

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8, characterized in that said first and said second connecting rod and crank transmission (47, 57) comprise a connecting rod (50) in common.

10. An assembly as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that said first and said second connecting rod and crank transmission (47, 57) are activated by respective output shafts (39, 40) of said actuators (37, 38), and comprise at least one crank disk (48, 58) connected integrally to one of said output shafts (39, 40) and hinged to said connecting rod (50) about an axis (49, 59) eccentric with respect to the axis (41, 42) of the output shaft.

Drawing