U.S. patent application number 12/771837 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-04 for blind rivet fastening device.
This patent application is currently assigned to NEWFREY LLC. Invention is credited to Hiroyuki Masugata.
Application Number | 20100275424 12/771837 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42542879 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100275424 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Masugata; Hiroyuki |
November 4, 2010 |
Blind Rivet Fastening Device
Abstract
To provide a blind rivet fastening device that makes it easy to
mount a blind rivet in the nose and that keeps the mounted blind
rivet from falling out of the nose. When the nose is connected
slidably to the tool housing in the axial direction, the nose
resists the action of the elastic pushing means and is slid so as
to be pulled rearward in the axial direction, and the jaw is pulled
rearward in the axial direction in the jaw guide. When this has
occurred, the inner diameter of the jaw is increased, the mandrel
is easily inserted into the jaw, the force pulling the nose
rearward in the axial direction is released, the jaw is returned
forward axially in the jaw guide by the pushing force of the
elastic pushing means, and the inner peripheral surface of the jaw
is frictionally engaged with the mandrel.
Inventors: |
Masugata; Hiroyuki; (Hosoda,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION
701 EAST JOPPA ROAD, TW199
TOWSON
MD
21286
US
|
Assignee: |
NEWFREY LLC
Newark
DE
|
Family ID: |
42542879 |
Appl. No.: |
12/771837 |
Filed: |
April 30, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/243.521 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21J 15/326 20130101;
B21J 15/105 20130101; Y10T 29/5373 20150115; B21J 15/043 20130101;
B21J 15/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/243.521 |
International
Class: |
B23P 11/00 20060101
B23P011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 30, 2009 |
JP |
2009 111053 |
Claims
1. A blind rivet fastening device for joining a plurality of
workpiece components with a workpiece blind rivet, the blind rivet
comprising a mandrel, including a shank and a head, and a main
body, including a sleeve and a flange, and the sleeve deforms and
spreads when compressed by the movement of the mandrel head,
thereby capturing and compressing the fastened plurality of
components between a spread deformed sleeve portion and the flange;
and the rivet fastening device comprises: a tubular hollow nose for
receiving the mandrel shank; a tool housing arranged axially to the
rear of the nose; a jaw guide arranged inside the nose and axially
movable within the nose, the jaw guide including a radially tapered
inner surface that defines a cavity that expands from a forward
smaller first radius to a rearward larger second radius; a pulling
head connected to the jaw guide for moving the jaw guide axially in
the nose; a jaw, including a plurality of jaw segments, defining a
mandrel gripping space of a variable diameter, and the jaw is
axially and radially movable inside the jaw guide; a spring acting
between the pulling head and the jaw to push the jaw forward within
the jaw guide; a transmission arranged in the tool housing and
operable to move the pulling head axially, the transmission being
operable by a trigger lever installed in a handle formed integrally
with the tool housing; and characterized in that the nose is axial
slidably relative to the tool housing, and: when the nose is pulled
rearward, then the jaw is moved rearward in the jaw guide and
compresses the spring, and the jaw segments move radially outward
and increase the diameter of the mandrel gripping space; and when
the nose is released, the spring pushes the jaw forward in the jaw
guide, and the jaw pushes the nose forward, and the jaw segments
move radially inward and decrease the diameter of the mandrel
gripping space.
2. The rivet fastening device of claim 1, wherein the trigger lever
is connected pivotably to the handle by a pin, and the trigger
lever includes an operating portion extending lengthwise from the
pin in a first direction and a mounted portion extending lengthwise
from the pin in a second direction opposite to the first direction,
and the operating portion is operable to energize the transmission,
and the mounted portion is operable to pull the nose rearward.
3. The rivet fastening device of claim 2, wherein the nose includes
a nosepiece and a nose housing integrally connected with the
nosepiece and axially slideable with respect to the tool housing,
and rivet fastening device further comprises a linkage extending
rearward along the tool housing, and a first end of the linkage
engages the mounted portion of the trigger lever, and a second end
of the linkage is connected to a rear end of the nose housing, and:
when the mounted portion is depressed, then the link slides
rearward and pulls the nose rearward, and the nose pushes the jaw
rearward along the jaw guide and against the spring, and when the
mounted portion is released, then the spring pushes the jaw
forward, and the jaw pushes the nose forward.
4. The rivet fastening device of claim 1, wherein a back end of the
jaw guide is connected integrally with a front end of the pulling
head.
5. The rivet fastening device of claim 4, wherein the spring
comprises a jaw pusher engaging the back end of the jaw and a jaw
pusher spring acting between the jaw pusher and the pulling
head.
6. The rivet fastening device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of
jaw segments are assembled circumferentially to define the mandrel
gripping space.
7. The rivet fastening device of claim 2, wherein the transmission
includes a motor and a drive shaft rotated by the motor, and the
rivet fastening device further comprises a power switch for
supplying power to the motor, and the power switch is located in
the handle, and the power switch includes an operating pin acted on
by the operating portion of the trigger lever.
8. The rivet fastening device of claim 7, wherein a front end
portion of the drive shaft is formed with one of male threading and
female threading, and a rear portion of the pulling head is formed
with the other of male threading and female threading, and the male
threading is engaged with the female threading, and the pulling
head can not rotate, whereby rotation of the drive shaft in a first
rotary direction causes the pulling head to move forward, and
rotation of the drive shaft in a second rotary direction causes the
pulling head to move rearward.
9. The rivet fastening device of claim 8, wherein a hollow cavity
within the tool housing forms a mandrel collector for housing
expended mandrels, and the expended mandrels enter the mandrel
collector via an axial bore in the jaw guide and pulling head.
10. The rivet fastening device of claim 9, wherein a cover is
installed on the mandrel collector that can be opened to remove the
expended mandrels stored therein.
11. The rivet fastening device of claim 7, wherein the motor is
installed in the rear of the tool housing, and the pulling head is
arranged in the front of the tool housing, and the mandrel
collector is arranged in the middle of the tool housing between the
motor and the pulling head.
12. A blind rivet fastening device for joining a plurality of
workpiece components with a workpiece blind rivet, the blind rivet
comprising a mandrel, including a shank and a head, and a main
body, including a sleeve and a flange, and the rivet fastening
device comprises: a tool housing defining a longitudinal axis and
including a handle; a tubular jaw guide slidably mounted in and
axially movable relative to the tool housing between a forward
start position and a rearward stop position, the jaw guide
including a front end, a rear end, and a tapered interior surface
tapering rearwardly from a lesser radius to a greater radius, the
tapered interior surface including a jaw engagement surface; a
plurality of jaw segments located coaxially within the jaw guide
and defining an axial gripping bore of a variable diameter, the jaw
segments engageable with the jaw engagement surface and radially
movable thereby between an inward compressed position and an
outward expanded position, the jaw segments axially movable within
the jaw guide from a forward position to a rearward position, and
due to the interaction of the jaw segments and the jaw engagement
surface the forward position corresponds to the compressed position
and the rearward position corresponds to the expanded position; a
bias mechanism acting on the jaw segments to urge the jaw segments
forward into the compressed position; a tubular nose, including a
forward end and a rearward end, mounted on and coaxially with the
jaw guide, and axially movable relative to the jaw guide between a
forward normal position and a rearward mandrel loading position,
and in the rearward mandrel loading position the nose rearward end
pushes the jaw segments from the compressed position rearward
within the jaw guide to the expanded position; and wherein, when
the nose is in the mandrel loading position, then the blind rivet
shank may be inserted through the nose into the gripping bore
defined by the jaw segments, which jaw segments will be in the
expanded position.
13. The rivet fastening device of claim 12, wherein the nose
includes a nose piece and a nose housing, the nose housing
coaxially surrounding and axially movable relative to the jaw guide
and including a nose housing front end and a nose housing rear end,
and the nose piece is connected at the nose housing front end.
14. The rivet fastening device of claim 12, and further comprising
a linkage, and an operator, the operator is mounted in the handle
and the linkage is connected between the operator and the nose, and
the operator is operable for moving the nose, via the linkage, from
the normal position to the mandrel loading position.
15. The rivet fastening device of claim 12, wherein the bias
mechanism includes a spring acting between the jaw guide and the
jaw segments.
16. The rivet fastening device of claim 12, further comprising a
transmission located in the housing and operatively connected to
the jaw guide and operable for moving the jaw guide between the
start position and the stop position.
17. The rivet fastening device of claim 16, wherein the
transmission includes a pulling head, a motor, and a drive shaft
rotated by the motor, and the pulling head includes a front end
connected to the jaw guide, and a front end portion of the drive
shaft is formed with one of male threading and female threading,
and a coaxial rear portion of the pulling head is formed with the
other of male threading and female threading, and the male
threading is engaged with the female threading, and the pulling
head can not rotate, whereby rotation of the drive shaft in a first
rotary direction causes the pulling head to move forward and pushes
the jaw guide toward the start position, and rotation of the drive
shaft in a second rotary direction causes the pulling head to move
rearward and pulls the jaw guide toward the stop position.
18. The rivet fastening device of claim 17, wherein the rivet
fastening device further comprises a power switch for supplying
power to the motor, and the power switch is located in the handle,
and the power switch includes an operating pin acted on by a
trigger lever.
19. The rivet fastening device of claim 12, wherein at least the
nose, jaw segments and jaw guide define an axial bore that provides
a passage for the movement of expended mandrels rearward to a
mandrel collector located in the housing.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent
Application No. 2009 111053, filed on Apr. 30, 2009, the disclosure
of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a blind rivet fastening
device and, more specifically, to a blind rivet fastening device
that makes it easy to mount a blind rivet in the nose and that
keeps the mounted blind rivet from falling out of the nose.
[0003] A blind rivet consists of a hollow rivet main body and a
mandrel inserted into the rivet main body. The rivet main body
consists of a hollow sleeve and a flange at one end of the sleeve.
The mandrel passed through the sleeve is forcibly pulled until it
becomes ruptured on the flange side. This distorts a portion of the
sleeve so that it expands. The expanded sleeve portion and the
flange secure the fastened components on both sides and fasten the
rivet main body to the fastened components. A blind rivet has the
advantage of being able to fasten a fastened component such as a
panel from one side. Because the mandrel is forcibly pulled until
it ruptures, expanding and deforming a portion of the sleeve, the
ruptured mandrel can be stored in a collector.
[0004] In order for the blind rivet fastening device to fasten a
blind rivet to fastened components, the mandrel is inserted into
the hole in the nose of the fastening device and the rivet main
body is mounted so as to protrude from the nose. The fastening
device is then positioned so that the rivet main body can be
inserted into the mounting hole in the fastened components. The
fastening device is then activated, forcibly pulling the mandrel
until it ruptures. This expands and distorts the sleeve of the
rivet main body, fastening the blind rivet to the fastened
components. A blind rivet fastening device is desired that makes it
easy to mount a blind rivet in the nose and that keeps the mounted
blind rivet from falling out of the nose when the blind rivet is
fastened.
[0005] Patent Document 1 Published Unexamined Utility Model
Application No. 1-177040 and
[0006] Patent Document 2 Published Unexamined Patent Application
No. 6-262290
[0007] Patent Document 3 Published Unexamined Patent Application
No. 5-200476
[0008] Patent Document 4 Published Unexamined Patent Application
No. 2003-266143
[0009] A motor-driven blind rivet fastening device is described in
Patent Document 1. In this fastening device, a jaw driven by a
motor installed pulls back the mandrel of the blind rivet mounted
in the nose of the device, fastening the blind rivet to the
fastened components. The jaw returned by the motor pulls the
mandrel remaining in the nose through the nose and discards it.
Thus, the blind rivet fastening device in Patent Document 1 is not
configured in a way that makes it easy to mount a blind rivet in
the nose and that keeps the mounted blind rivet from falling
out.
[0010] The blind rivet fastening device in Patent Document 2 has an
elastic ring in the nose to keep the blind rivet mounted in the
nose from falling out. This elastic ring keeps the blind rivet from
falling out but provides resistance when a blind rivet is installed
in the nose. As a result, the mounting process is not easy.
[0011] A motor-driven blind rivet fastening device is also
disclosed in Patent Document 3. This blind rivet fastening device
has a recovery container for ruptured mandrels in the rear portion
of the device. However, the blind rivet fastening device in Patent
Document 3 is not configured in a way that makes it easy to mount a
blind rivet in the nose and that keeps the mounted blind rivet from
falling out. Another motor-driven blind rivet fastening device is
disclosed in Patent Document 4. This blind rivet fastening device
also has a recovery container for ruptured mandrels in the rear
portion of the device. However, the blind rivet fastening device in
Patent Document 4 is not configured in a way that makes it easy to
mount a blind rivet in the nose and that keeps the mounted blind
rivet from falling out.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The object of the present invention is to provide a blind
rivet fastening device that makes it easy to mount a blind rivet in
the nose and that keeps the mounted blind rivet from falling out of
the nose.
[0013] In order to achieve this object, the present invention is a
blind rivet fastening device comprising a hollow nose for receiving
the mandrel of a blind rivet consisting of the mandrel and the
rivet main body, a tool housing arranged axially to the rear of the
nose, a jaw arranged inside the nose to hold the mandrel received
by the nose, a jaw guide arranged inside the nose so as to be able
to be pulled to the rear axially and engage the outer peripheral
surface of the jaw in such a way that the inner diameter of the jaw
is reduced when pulled to the rear axially and the reduced inner
diameter of the jaw is restored when returned forward axially from
the rear axial position, a pulling head connected to the jaw guide
for pulling the jaw guide rearward into the tool housing, a drive
means arranged in the tool housing and operated to pull the pulling
head axially in the rearward direction, and an elastic pushing
means for always pushing the jaw forward in the axial direction so
that the outer peripheral surface of the jaw engages the inner
peripheral surface of the jaw guide, the drive means being operable
by a trigger lever installed in a handle formed integrally with the
tool housing, and the sleeve of the rivet main body being deformed
so as to spread when pulled to the rear by the pulling head, jaw
guide and jaw, fastening the rivet main body to the fastened
component with the spread deformed sleeve portion and the rivet
main body portion, characterized in that:
[0014] The nose is connected slidably to the tool housing in the
axial direction, the nose resists the action of the elastic pushing
means and is slid so as to be pulled rearward in the axial
direction, and the jaw is pulled rearward in the axial direction in
the jaw guide, increasing the inner diameter of the jaw, allowing
the mandrel to be easily inserted into the jaw, releasing the force
pulling the nose rearward in the axial direction, returning the jaw
forward axially in the jaw guide by means of the pushing force of
the elastic pushing means, and frictionally engaging the inner
peripheral surface of the jaw with the mandrel inserted in the
jaw.
[0015] These characteristics make it easy to mount a blind rivet in
the nose and keep the mounted blind rivet from falling out of the
nose.
[0016] In this blind rivet fastening device, the trigger lever is
connected rotatably to the handle by a pin, the trigger lever
comprises an operating portion extending lengthwise from the pin to
one side of the handle and a mounted portion extending lengthwise
from the pin to the other side of the handle, the operating portion
is the trigger lever portion rotating the pin and activating the
drive means with a pulling action, and the mounted portion is the
trigger lever portion slid by the pulling action of the mounted
portion so as to pull the nose rearward in the axial direction. The
pulling action of the mounted portion of the trigger lever mounts
the blind rivet and keeps it from falling out.
[0017] In this device, the nose comprises a nosepiece and a nose
housing integrally connected with the nosepiece and also connected
so as to slide axially with respect to the tool housing, a link
extending rearward axially along the tool housing and engaging the
mounted portion of the trigger lever is connected to the back end
of the nose housing, the pulling action of the mounted portion
slides the link rearward in the axial direction so as to pull the
nose rearward in the axial direction, pull the jaw rearward in the
axial direction along the jaw guide and against the pushing of the
elastic pushing means, and enlarge the inner diameter of the jaw,
the release of the pulling action of the mounted portion causes the
force pulling the nose rearward in the axial direction to be
released, and the pushing force of the elastic pushing means
returns the jaw forward in the axial direction along the jaw guide
and reduces the diameter of the jaw. Here, the back end of the jaw
guide is connected integrally with the front end of the pulling
head, the elastic pushing means comprises a jaw pusher engaging the
back end of the jaw and a jaw pusher spring elastically pushing the
jaw pusher towards the jaw from the pulling head, a plurality of
portions are assembled circumferentially to form a slender tube
facing forward, the jaw guide is a hollow tube tapered so as to
reduce the inner diameter in the forward direction, and the jaw
pusher spring causes the outer peripheral surface of the jaw to
elastically and frictionally engage the inner peripheral surface of
the jaw guide.
[0018] The drive means encompasses a motor and a drive shaft
rotated by the motor, the battery serving as the power source of
the motor and a trigger switch for supplying power from the battery
to the motor are stored in the handle, the trigger switch has an
operating pin pushed by the operating portion of the trigger lever,
and the pulling action of the operating portion supplies power to
the motor. The drive shaft is formed with male threading or female
threading in the front end portion, the hollow section in the rear
portion of the pulling head is formed with male threading or female
threading to engage the male threading or female threading in the
drive shaft, and the rotation of the drive shaft causes the pulling
head to move forward or backward axially.
[0019] In this blind rivet fastening device, the hollow cavity
between the outer periphery of the drive shaft and the inner
periphery of the tool housing forms a mandrel collector for housing
the mandrel portion ruptured when the rivet main body is fastened
to the fastened component, and the ruptured mandrel portion is
placed in the mandrel collector from an axial slit in the drive
shaft via the jaw, jaw guide and pulling head. A cover is installed
on the mandrel collector that can be opened to remove the ruptured
mandrels stored inside. The motor is installed axially in the rear
of the tool housing, the pulling head is arranged axially in the
front of the tool housing, and the mandrel collector is arranged in
the middle of the tool housing between the motor and the pulling
head.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the blind rivet
fastening device in the first embodiment of the present invention
showing the device in the original position before a blind rivet is
mounted.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the blind rivet
fastening device in FIG. 1 showing a blind rivet mounted in the
nose and the mounted portion in the upper portion of the trigger
lever being pulled.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the blind rivet
fastening device in FIG. 1 showing the released mounted portion in
the upper portion of the trigger lever after a blind rivet is
finished being mounted in the nose.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the blind rivet
fastening device in FIG. 1 showing the pulled operating portion in
the lower portion of the trigger lever immediately after a blind
rivet has been fastened to the fastened components.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the blind rivet
fastening device in FIG. 1 showing the released operating portion
in the lower portion of the trigger lever after the fastening
operation with the blind rivet fastening device removed from the
fastened component.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the blind rivet
fastening device in FIG. 1 showing the next blind rivet being
mounted and the ruptured mandrel portion from the previous blind
rivet being stored in the mandrel collector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] The following is an explanation with reference to the
figures of the blind rivet fastening device in the first embodiment
of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the blind rivet fastening
device 1 before a blind rivet 2 has been mounted with the blind
rivet fastening device in the original position. The blind rivet
fastening device 1 fastens blind rivets 2 to fastened components
such as car panels. The blind rivet 2, as shown in FIG. 1, is of
the well known type and consists of a mandrel 3 and a blind rivet
main body 5, and the rivet main body 5 consists of a hollow sleeve
6 and a flange 7 on one end. The mandrel 3 consists of a portion
passing through the rivet main body 5, extending a long length from
the flange 7 and gripped by the blind rivet fastening device 1, and
a mandrel head 9 extending from the end of the sleeve 6 on the
opposite side of the flange 7 with a diameter larger than the inner
diameter of the sleeve. As is well known, a blind rivet 2 is
applied by inserting the sleeve of the rivet main body 5 into a
mounting hole in the fastened component, bringing the flange 7 into
contact with the fastened component, forcibly pulling the mandrel 3
until a predetermined ruptured portion has been ruptured, deforming
and widening a portion of the sleeve 6 with the mandrel head 9, and
securely interposing the fastened component between the expanded
sleeve portion and the flange 7. This fastens the rivet main body 5
to the fastened components. Thus, a blind rivet 2 has the advantage
of being able to fasten the fastened components from one side, even
when the fastened components are large panels (e.g., car panels).
Blind rivets 2 are usually made of a metal material such as steel
or aluminum. The ruptured mandrel portion has to be recovered after
the blind rivet has been fastened. Before the blind rivet is
fastened, the blind rivet 2 should be held by and kept in the blind
rivet fastening device 1. After the blind rivet 2 is held by the
blind rivet fastening device 2, the fastening device is positioned
in the fastening position. At this time, the blind rivet 2 may fall
out. This prevents proper fastening from being performed.
[0027] The blind rivet fastening device 1 in FIG. 1 comprises a
hollow nose 10 for inserting the mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2, a
jaw 11 arranged inside the nose 10 serving as a means for holding
the mandrel 3 inserted into the nose, a motor 14 arranged in the
tool housing 13 behind the nose 10 serving as the drive means for
pulling the jaw 11 gripping the mandrel rearward from the nose, and
a transmission 15 for transmitting the drive force (torque) of the
motor 14. The transmission 15 is used to decelerate the rotation of
the motor 14 and increase the torque in order to obtain enough
force to pull and rupture the mandrel 3. Here, the motor 14 and the
transmission 15 serve as the drive means. However, a hydraulic
piston/cylinder device or a pneumatic piston/cylinder device can be
used as the drive means if it is able to forcibly pull the jaw 11
holding the mandrel 3 rearward from the nose 10. The handle 17 in
the tool housing 13 is gripped by the operator. The battery 18
serving as the power source for the motor 14 is housed inside the
handle 17. A trigger switch 19 is also attached to the handle 17 to
supply power to the motor 14. A trigger lever 22 is rotatably
attached in the handle 17 on a pin 21 near the trigger switch 19.
As shown in FIG. 1, the lower portion of the trigger lever 22 is
near the operating pin 19A of the trigger switch 19. When the
operator rotates the operation portion 23 in the lower portion of
the trigger lever 22 towards the handle 17 (counterclockwise around
the pin 21 in FIG. 1), power from the battery 18 is supplied to the
motor 14 and the drive shaft 25 is rotated via the transmission 15.
The drive shaft 25 is a portion of the drive means. The trigger
lever 22 consists of an operating portion 23 in the lower portion
of the pin 21 and a mounted portion 24 in the upper portion of the
pin 21. The mounted portion 24 is described below.
[0028] The nose 10 in the blind rivet fastening device 1
encompasses a nosepiece 26 at the front end and a nose housing 27
extending from the back end of the nosepiece 26 towards the tool
housing 13 in a tubular shape. The front end of the nose housing 27
is screwed into the rear end of the nosepiece 26 and integrally
connected to the nosepiece 26 to form the nose 10.
[0029] In the blind rivet fastening device 1, the rear end of the
nose housing 27 is connected slidably in the axial direction to the
front end of the hollow tool housing 13. Thus, the nose 10
consisting of the nosepiece 26 and the nose housing 27 is movably
connected to the tool housing 13 in the axial direction over a
predetermined length.
[0030] The inside of the front portion of the nose housing 27
contains a tube-shaped jaw guide 29 able to slide in the nose
housing 27 in the axial direction. The inside of the jaw guide 29
contains a jaw 11 able to slide in the jaw guide 29 in the axial
direction. The jaw 11 is arranged so that the front end is near the
back end of the nosepiece 26, and the jaw is formed with a shape
that is slender in the direction of the nosepiece 26. The jaw 11 is
segmented into two to four pieces in the circumferential direction
inside the tube-shaped jaw guide 29. These pieces are assembled so
that they form a tube-shaped body inside the jaw guide 29. The
pieces of the jaw 11 have a shape that forms a gripping space
inside the assembled tube-shaped body that can receive the mandrel
3 of the blind rivet 2. As described above, the jaw guide 29 is
formed with a hollow cavity that is tapered so that the inner
diameter becomes smaller in the forward direction (left in FIG. 1)
and conforms to the slender shape of the jaw 11. The jaw 11
assembled to form a slender tube-shaped body is slidably inserted
into the tapered hollow cavity in the axial direction. Therefore,
when the jaw guide 29 is forward with respect to the jaw 11 in the
axial direction (left in FIG. 1), the diameter of the space inside
the tube-shaped body formed by the pieces of the jaw 11 enlarges.
This makes it easy to insert the mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2.
When the jaw guide 29 is rearward with respect to the jaw 11 in the
axial direction (right in FIG. 1), the diameter of the space inside
the tube-shaped body formed by the pieces of the jaw 11 narrows.
This frictionally holds the mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2 inserted
into the space and securely grasps the entire blind rivet 2.
[0031] A specific gap G is formed at the original position in FIG.
1 between the front surface of the jaw guide 11 and the inner wall
surface at the front end of the nose housing 27 so that the nose 10
consisting of the nosepiece 26 and the nose housing 27 can move in
the tool housing 13 a predetermined length in the axial direction.
When this gap G is formed, the inner diameter on the inside of the
jaw 11 is smaller than the outer diameter of the mandrel 3.
[0032] The tube-shaped pulling head 30 is screwed into the back of
the jaw guide 29 and connected integrally. A slit (not shown)
extending axially to receive the pin 31 fixed to the tool housing
13 is formed in the pulling head 30, and the slit and pin 31 are
arranged so that the pulling head 30 (and jaw guide 29) can slide
axially in the tool housing 13 but not rotate axially. Female
threading 30A is formed inside on the back end of the pulling head
30, and the front end of the tube-shaped drive shaft 25 extending
forward from the transmission 15 also extends to the female
threading portion. Male threading 25A is formed in the front end of
the drive shaft 25 that engages the female threading 30A in the
back end of the pulling head 30. Because the male threading in the
drive shaft 25 is screwed into the female threading of the
rotationally constrained pulling head 30, the rotational action of
the drive shaft 25 not moving axially is converted to retreating
action pulling back the pulling head 30 axially or advancing action
pushing forward the retreated pulling head 30 axially.
Alternatively, the male threading in the drive shaft 25 and the
female threading in the pulling head 30 can be switched to female
threading in the drive shaft 25 and male threading in the pulling
head 30. A sensor switch 33 acts to reverse the rotation of the
motor 14. After the pulling head 30 has retreated a certain length
(the length required to rupture the mandrel 3), it retreats no
further and the pulling head 30 begins to advance.
[0033] A jaw pusher 34 consisting of a hollow tube-shaped body is
arranged behind the jaw 11 inside the jaw guide 29 and the pulling
head 30 so as to push the jaw 11 forward. In order to apply force
so that the jaw pusher 34 pushes the jaw 11 forward, a jaw pusher
spring 35 consisting of a coil spring is arranged at the back end
of the jaw pusher 34 inside the front portion of the pulling head
30. The jaw pusher spring 35 always applies force to push the jaw
pusher 34 forward, and the jaw 11 is pushed forward. This always
pushes the jaw 11 in the direction of the nosepiece 26, and the
slender-shaped outer surface of the jaw 11 is pushed against the
tapered inner surface of the jaw guide 29. When the jaw guide 29 is
forward axially with respect to the jaw 11, the diameter of the
space inside the tube-shaped body formed by the pieces of the jaw
11 is increased so that the mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2 can be
easily inserted. When the jaw guide 29 is rearward with respect to
the jaw 11 in the axial direction, the diameter of the space inside
the tube-shaped body formed by the pieces of the jaw 11 narrows.
The elasticity of the jaw pusher spring 35 frictionally holds the
mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2 inserted into the space and securely
grasps the entire blind rivet 2.
[0034] The drive shaft 25 is formed with a hollow core so that the
portion of the mandrel ruptured by the jaw 11 can be sent through
the hollow portion of the drive shaft 25 via the hollow portion of
the jaw pusher 34 and the jaw pusher spring 35. The drive shaft 25
extends in the tool housing 13 a fixed length forward from the
transmission 15. A mandrel collector 37 for storing the ruptured
mandrel portions is formed in the large drum-shaped cavity between
the outer surface of the drive shaft 25 and the inner surface of
the tool housing 13. The ruptured mandrel portion sent to the drive
shaft 25 is discharged from the slit 36 extending axially in the
drive shaft 25 and is stored in the mandrel collector 37. The
ruptured mandrel portions stored and collected in the mandrel
collector 37 can be discarded by opening the cover 38. The cover 38
is usually closed. When necessary is can be opened to the position
indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. In order to mount blind
rivets 2 and recover ruptured mandrels after the blind rivet has
been fastened, the axial portion of the nosepiece 26, the axial
portion of the jaw 11, the axial portion of the jaw pusher 34 and
the axial portion of the pulling head 30 are hollow. This allows a
mandrel to be held and passed through. The mandrel collector 37 is
arranged in the middle portion of the tool housing 13 between the
motor 14 and the transmission 15 at the back end of the tool
housing 13 and the pulling head 30 at the front end of the tool
housing 13. A handle 17 extends down at an oblique angle from the
tool housing 13 in the middle position so that the handle 17 is
easy to grip. Because the mandrel collector 37 can be arranged in
the middle position of the tool housing 13, the mandrel collector
does not have to be installed in the back end of the tool housing
as in Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4, and instability
caused by the weight of the collected ruptured mandrels is reduced
when the device is held by the operator.
[0035] As described above, the nose 10 consisting of a nosepiece 26
and a nose housing 27 is connected so as to be able to move in the
tool housing 13 a predetermined length in the axial direction. The
back end of the nose housing 27 constitutes a ring-shaped
engagement portion 39 protruding outward radially. The engagement
portion 39 engages the engagement portion 43 at the front end of
the link 42 extending in the axial direction to the outside of the
tool housing 13 from the inside of the tool housing 13 via a
connecting pin 41. The link 42 consists of a front link 42A on the
inside of the tool housing 13 and a rear link 42B on the outside of
the tool housing 13 connected to the front link 42A by the
connecting pin 41. The back end 45 of the rear link 42B extends to
a position near the handle 17 and extends below the handle to a
position near the handle 17 to form an L shape. The back end 45 of
the L-shaped rear link 42B extends into the gap between the mounted
portion 24 in the upper portion of the trigger lever 22 and the
handle 17. The link 42 is connected to the tool housing 13 by the
connecting pin 41 located in the axial slit in the tool housing 13,
so that it can slide axially in the tool housing 13.
[0036] As described above, the trigger lever 22 has a mounted
portion 25 extending to the upper portion of the pin 21 on the
outside of the operating portion 23 in the lower portion of the pin
21. When the operator pulls the operating portion 23 in the lower
portion in the direction of the handle 17 using a finger, the
trigger lever 22 rotates counterclockwise around the pin 21, pushes
the operating pin 19A in the trigger switch 19, and supplies power
from the battery 18 to the motor 14.
[0037] When the operator pulls the mounted portion 24 in the upper
portion in the direction of the handle 17 using a finger, the
trigger lever 22 rotates clockwise around the pin 21, the back end
of the rear link 42B of the link 42 moves to the rear of the tool
housing 13, and the entire link 42 slides to the rear of the tool
housing 13. By sliding to the rear of the link 42, the engagement
portion 43 of the front link 42A slides the engagement portion 39
at the back end of the nose housing 27 to the rear, and the nose 10
is slid to the rear in its entirety. By sliding the nose 10 to the
rear, the jaw 11 is pushed to the rear 11 via contact with the jaw
pusher 34 and jaw pusher spring 35 which moves the nosepiece 26.
Because the jaw guide 29 engaged with the outer surface of the jaw
11 does not move, the jaw 11 moves to the rear in the axial
direction with respect to the jaw guide 29, i.e., it moves in the
direction that expands the inner diameter. This increases the
diameter of the interior space of the tube-shaped body formed by
the pieces of the jaw 11, making it easier to insert the mandrel 3
of the blind rivet 2. Next, when the operator releases the pull on
the mounted portion 24 in the upper portion, the jaw pusher 34 and
the jaw pusher spring 35 returns the jaw 11 to the forward position
through contact which pushes on the nosepiece 26, thereby returning
the nose 10 to the forward position. By returning the nose 10 to
the forward position, the link 42 slides to the original forward
position along with the connecting pin 41. The jaw 11 returned to
the forward position by the jaw pusher 34 and the jaw pusher spring
35 moves the jaw guide 29 forward. This reduces the diameter of the
interior space inside the tube-shaped body formed by the pieces of
the jaw 11, which frictionally retains the mandrel 3 of the blind
rivet 2 inserted into the space and secures the entire blind rivet
2.
[0038] The blind rivet 2 mounting operation, fastening operation
and ruptured mandrel storing operation performed by a blind rivet
fastening device 1 with this configuration will now be explained
with reference to FIG. 2 through FIG. 6. FIG. 2 shows a blind rivet
2 mounted in the fastening device 1. A blind rivet 2 is mounted in
the blind rivet fastening device 1, as shown in FIG. 1, by
inserting the mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2 into a hole in the
nosepiece 26 of the nose 10. When inserted, as indicated by arrow
46 in FIG. 2, the mounted portion 24 in the upper portion of the
trigger lever 22 is pulled in the direction of the handle 17, the
trigger lever 22 is rotated clockwise around the pin 21, the back
end 45 of the rear link 42B of the link 42 moves to the rear of the
tool housing 13, and the entire link 42 is slid to the rear of the
tool housing 13. By sliding the link 42 to the rear, the engagement
portion 43 of the forward link 42A slides the engagement portion 39
at the back end of the nose housing 27 to the rear, and slides the
entire nose 10 to the rear. By sliding the nose 10 to the rear, the
jaw pusher 34 and the jaw pusher spring 35 move the jaw 11 in
contact with and pushing the nosepiece 26 to the rear. Because the
jaw guide 29 engaging the outer surface of the jaw 11 does not
move, the jaw 11 moves to the rear axially with respect to the jaw
guide 29 by the length of gap G in FIG. 1. This increases the inner
diameter of the jaw guide in the portion engaged by the jaw 11. The
diameter of the tube-shaped interior space formed by the pieces of
the jaw 11 in the jaw guide 29 is thereby increased, which makes it
easy to insert the mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows the state after the pulled mounted portion 24
in the upper portion of the trigger lever 22 has been released by
the operator. When released, the force on the back end 45 of the
rear link 42B of the link 42 is eliminated. The spring action of
the jaw pusher spring 35 pushing on the nosepiece 26 returns the
jaw pusher 34 and the jaw 11 to the forward position which, in
turn, returns the nose 10 to the forward position. When the nose 10
has returned to the forward position, the link 42 slides forward
along with the connecting pin 41 and returns to the original
position shown in FIG. 1. The jaw 11 returned to the forward
position by the jaw pusher 34 and the jaw pusher spring 35 moves
the jaw guide 29 forward, which reduces the diameter of the
interior space of the tube-shaped body formed by the pieces of the
jaw 11. This frictionally holds the mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2
inserted into the interior space of the jaw 11 against the inner
surface of the jaw 11, and secures the entire blind rivet 2.
Because the jaw 11 is always pushed by the spring action of the jaw
pusher spring 35, the frictional engagement between the inner
surface of the jaw 11 and the outer surface of the mandrel 3 is
maintained at a constant strength. This keeps the blind rivet 2
held in the nose 10 from falling out however the blind rivet
fastening device 1 is held.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows a blind rivet 2 fastening fastened components
47 such as two or three panels. When fastening fastened components
47 with a blind rivet 2, the operator inserts the rivet main body 4
of the blind rivet 2 mounted in the nose 10 into a mounting hole in
the fastened component 2 and properly maintains the position of the
blind rivet fastening device 1 with respect to the fastened
components 47. The operator pulls the operating portion 23 in the
lower portion of the trigger lever 22 towards the handle 17 in the
direction indicated by arrow 49, which rotates the trigger lever 22
counterclockwise around the pin 21. The operating pin 19A in the
trigger switch 19 is pushed by this, and power from the battery 18
is supplied to the motor 14. The motor 14 operates in the forward
direction and the drive shaft 25 is rotated axially by the strong
torque via the transmission 15. Because the male threading 25A at
the front end of the drive shaft 25 is meshed with the female
threading 30A formed in the hollow cavity at the back end of the
pulling head 30, the rotation of the drive shaft 25 forcibly causes
the pulling head 30 to be pulled back. The retreat of the pulling
head 30 strongly pulls back the integrally connected jaw guide 29,
and the jaw 11 engaging the inner tapered surface of the jaw guide
also retreats. Because the mandrel 3 of the blind rivet 2 is held
in the jaw 11, the pull back of the jaw 11 ruptures a predetermined
portion of the mandrel 3. The mandrel head 9 deforms and enlarges a
portion of the sleeve 6, and the fastened components 47 such as two
panels are interposed securely between the deformed and enlarged
sleeve portion and the flange 7. This fastens the rivet main body 5
to the fastened components 47, e.g., fastening two panels to each
other. As shown in FIG. 4, a portion of the ruptured mandrel 3
remains held by the jaw 11 inside the fastening device 1.
[0041] When the pulling head 30 moves the jaw 11 to the position at
which a predetermined portion of the mandrel 3 is ruptured, a
reverse motor switch installed at position 33 in FIG. 4 (and FIG.
1) is activated. The motor 14 or transmission 15 is controlled by
the signal from this switch, and the drive shaft 25 is reversed.
The reverse operation causes the threaded drive shaft 25 to move
and return the pulling head 30 to the forward position. When the
pulling head 30 has been returned to the original position shown in
FIG. 1, the movement stops. Once it has stopped, the operator
releases the pulled operating portion 23 of the trigger lever 22
and the blind rivet fastening device 1 is removed from the fastened
components 47. FIG. 5 shows this state. The trigger lever 22 is
returned to the state in which the operating portion 23 is not
pushing on the operating pin 19A of the trigger switch 19. Thus,
power from the battery 18 to the motor 14 is being blocked. Because
the pulling head 30 and the jaw guide 29 have been returned to
their original positions, the jaw 11 and the jaw pusher 34 are
returned to their original positions by the jaw pusher spring 35.
At this time, the ruptured mandrel 3 is held by the jaw 11 and a
portion may protrude from the nose 10.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows the next blind rivet 2. Here, the next blind
rivet 2A is mounted in the blind rivet fastening device 1, and a
portion of the previous ruptured mandrel is stored in the mandrel
collector. The following is an explanation with reference to FIG. 2
of the operation performed to mount the next blind rivet 2A in the
fastening device 1. In other words, as indicated by arrow 46 in
FIG. 6 (and FIG. 2), the operator pulls the mounted portion 24 in
the upper portion of the trigger lever 22 towards the handle 17.
The trigger lever 22 is rotated clockwise around the pin 21, and
the back end 45 of the rear link 42B of the link 42 is moved toward
the rear end of the tool housing 13, and the entire link 42 is slid
to the rear of the tool housing 13. The engaged portion 43 of the
front link 42A slides the engaged portion 39 at the back end of the
nose housing 27 rearward, the entire nose 10 slides to the rear,
and the jaw 11 moves to the rear. Because the jaw guide 29 engaging
the outer surface of the jaw 11 does not move, the jaw 11 moves
axially to the rear in the jaw guide 29, and the inner diameter of
the portion of the jaw guide engaging the jaw 11 is enlarged. This
enlarges the diameter of the tube-shaped inner space formed by the
plurality of jaws 11 in the jaw guide 29, allowing the blind rivet
2 to be easily accepted by the mandrel 3. The mandrel 3A for the
next blind rivet 2A moves the remaining ruptured mandrel 3 to the
rear but only by the length inserted in the jaw 11, which releases
the hold of the jaw 11. When the blind rivet 2A is fastened to the
fastened component, the mandrel 3A ruptures. At the moment of
rupture, the remaining ruptured mandrel 3 is struck, and the
ruptured mandrel 3 is suddenly sent into the drive shaft 25 by
means of the pulling head 30 as indicated by arrow 50. The ruptured
mandrel 3 in the drive shaft 25 passes through the axial slit 36 in
the drive shaft 25 and is stored in the mandrel collector 37. When
a certain quantity of ruptured mandrels 3 is stored in the mandrel
collector 37, the cover 38 is opened in the direction of the arrow
51 and the spent material is removed.
* * * * *