U.S. patent application number 13/927624 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-31 for unified head for a staked fastener.
The applicant listed for this patent is Clark A. Denslow. Invention is credited to Clark A. Denslow.
Application Number | 20130283597 13/927624 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49476053 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130283597 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Denslow; Clark A. |
October 31, 2013 |
Unified Head for a Staked Fastener
Abstract
A unified head for a staked fastener wherein the unified head is
made from a first member in combination with a supplemental member,
and the two members have at least one shared fiber. In a staking
operation that forms the unified head, the operation is conducted
in such a manner that a portion of a fiber, initially within the
first member or the supplemental member, crosses the boundary
therebetween creating the shared fiber, i.e., a segment of a single
fiber is embedded in the first member and a segment is embedded in
the supplemental member.
Inventors: |
Denslow; Clark A.; (Madison,
CT) |
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Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Denslow; Clark A. |
Madison |
CT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49476053 |
Appl. No.: |
13/927624 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13135676 |
Jul 11, 2011 |
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13927624 |
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12012595 |
Feb 4, 2008 |
7996975 |
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13135676 |
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|
10955174 |
Sep 30, 2004 |
7351022 |
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12012595 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/524.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 5/04 20130101; B21J
15/02 20130101; Y10T 29/49943 20150115; Y10S 411/90 20130101; F16B
19/06 20130101; F16B 19/1027 20130101; Y10S 411/908 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/524.1 |
International
Class: |
B21J 15/02 20060101
B21J015/02 |
Claims
1. A method of making a rivet: providing a shank having an initial
head, passing the shank through a body, thereby defining on the
shank a gripping portion and a clinching portion, placing a
supplemental member having at least one fiber therein proximate the
clinching portion and the body, and staking the clinching portion
and the supplemental member such that at least one fiber of the at
least one fiber in the supplemental member penetrates the clinching
portion whereby a unified head is created.
2. A method of staking a clinch portion of a fastener comprising
the steps of: providing a clinch portion having at least one fiber
therein, providing a supplemental member, staking the clinch
portion into the supplemental member creating a pre-head, and
fixing the pre-head causing at least one of the at least one fiber
in the clinch portion to penetrate the supplemental member.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein in the step of fixing, the fixing
employs an ultrasonic method.
4. A method of making a head on a shank: providing a shank, passing
the shank through at least one body, thereby defining on the shank,
a gripping portion and a clinching portion, the clinching portion
extending outwardly above a surface of one of the at least on body
and having at least one fiber therein, providing a continuous
supplemental material having at least two holes, wherein the
distance between the holes is sufficient to provide supplemental
member for at least the creation of two heads, positioning the
shank through one hole of the supplemental body defining a
clinching portion, and staking the clinching portion thereby
defining a supplemental member and a balance of the continuous
supplemental material, the clinching being sufficient to cause the
at least one fiber in the clinching portion to penetrate from the
clinching portion into the supplemental member, whereby a unified
head is created.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the shank has a head on an end
opposite from the clinch portion, such that the head, gripping
portion and unified head create a formed rivet.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the shank has an end opposite from
the clinch portion and the end is attached to a surface, such that
the stank is a stud.
7. The method of claim 5 further including the step of removing the
balance of the continuous supplemental material.
8. A method of making a head on a shank: providing a shank, passing
the shank through at least one body, thereby defining on the shank,
a gripping portion and a clinching portion, the clinching portion
extending outwardly above a surface of a body, providing a
continuous supplemental material having at least two holes, wherein
the distance between the holes is sufficient to provide
supplemental member for the creation of at least two heads and the
continuous supplemental material has at least one fiber therein,
positioning the shank through one hole of the continuous
supplemental material defining a clinching portion, and staking the
clinching portion thereby defining a supplemental member and a
clinched portion, the clinching being sufficient to cause the at
least one fiber in the supplemental member to embed in the
clinching portion, whereby a unified head is created.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the shank has a head on an end
opposite from the clinch portion, such that the head, gripping
portion and unified head create a formed rivet.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the shank has an end opposite
from the clinch portion and the end is attached to a surface, such
that the stake is a stud.
11. The method of claim 8 including the further step of removing
the balance of the supplemental continuous material.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/135,676 filed Jul. 11, 2011 entitled
"Unified Head For a Staked Fastener," which is a continuation of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/012,595 filed on Feb. 4, 2008
now U.S. Pat. No. 7,996,975 which is a divisional of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/955,174 filed on Sep. 30, 2004, now U.S.
Pat. No. 7,351,022. The entire disclosure of these applications is
hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to fasteners and more
specifically to fasteners formed by staking, such as studs and
rivets.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Staked fasteners, such as studs and rivets, are a well-known
fastening technology. Studs are typically used to secure a body,
such as a circuit board, to a foundation. Rivets, on the other
hand, are typically used to fasten two bodies, such as sheet
materials, together at an overlapping seam. For either a stud or a
rivet, fastening is accomplished by the creation of a head on a
shank. In the case of a stud having two ends, a head is formed on
one end of the shank with the other end fixed to the foundation
with the body therebetween. In the case of a rivet, heads are
formed on both ends of the shank with the bodies therebetween.
[0004] A staked fastener can be made from many materials, such as
steel, aluminum and plastic. Where weight is a concern, such as in
an airplane, helicopter, or spacecraft, materials with high
strength-to-weight ratios, such as plastic, are preferred.
Unfortunately, plastic rivets simply do not have the ultimate
strength of rivets made from other materials. As a result, plastic
rivets, though desirable for many applications, cannot be
practicably used, or in some cases used at all.
[0005] There have been many advances in the plastic rivet. From an
initial beginning when plastic rivets were simply all plastic, such
as a thermoplastic (e.g., polyetheretherketone (more commonly known
as "PEEK")), newer composite plastic rivets have some type of
reinforcement added to the plastic. For example, many composite
plastic rivets are reinforced with fibers, such as carbon or
glass.
[0006] Rivets are typically formed in a two step process. First, an
initial head is formed with a shank extending therefrom. Generally,
the initial head is formed in a factory setting by a machine, by
molding or staking an end of a rod, which tends to make a high
quality initial head with a properly contoured contact surface (the
surface of the head that will abut the body). Also, additional
fabrication of the initial head, such as cleanup of the contact
surface, can be performed relatively easily.
[0007] Then in an application, a second head is formed in situate
on the end of the shank. More specifically, when a rivet is used in
an application, such as connecting two bodies, a hole is made in
each of the two bodies. The diameter of the holes is sized such
that when the holes are aligned with each other the shank can pass
through, but the initial head can not pass through the first hole
that the shank passed through. The second head is then formed on
the other end of the shank, thereby securing the two bodies
together.
[0008] Unlike the initial head, the second head is formed at the
job site, typically using a hand held tool, thus the conditions are
not as controlled as those during the formation of the initial
head. Additionally, cleanup of its contact surface is impossible,
as it is abutting the body. As a result, the precision of the
contact surface of the second head is generally not to the level of
that of the contact surface of the initial head. This discrepancy
results in a second head with less strength than the initial
head.
[0009] More specifically, many processes used on plastic rivets to
form the second head create voids in the contact surface of the
rivet head. As a result, the head has a local weakness at its
parameter edge. If pressure is applied thereto, it will cause a
local failure of the head. These local failures result in "play"
between the rivet and body, thereby creating the unacceptable
amount of movement between the head and the shaft, causing the
rivet to fail.
[0010] What is needed in the art is a staked fastener head and way
to make the head such that the resulting rivet, or stud, is
stronger than it otherwise would be.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] This invention is a unified head and a method for making it
for a staked fastener, such as a rivet. In an exemplary embodiment
of a rivet employing the unified head, a shank with two ends has an
initial head formed at one end. Proximate the other end is at least
one fiber embedded in the shank. In an application, the shank is
passed through a body and a unified head is formed by staking the
shank's other end, thereby trapping the body between the heads. In
forming the unified head, a first member is created from a clinch
portion of the shank (which has at least a portion of the at least
one fiber therein), and a supplemental member placed proximate the
first member such that the supplemental member is trapped during
staking between the forming first member and the body. Additional
sufficient energy is applied during staking such that at least one
of the at least one fibers will become a shared fiber (a fiber
having one segment embedded in the supplemental member and another
segment embedded in the first member).
[0012] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of
embodiments of the present invention will become apparent with
reference to the following description in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the
drawings are designed solely for the purposes of illustration and
not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a rivet connecting two bodies
having a unified head of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a series of three drawings, individually
identified as A, B, and C, each taken along cross-section 2-2 of
FIG. 1, showing the creation of a unified head of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a style of supplemental
member for use in the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of another style of
supplemental member for use in the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the supplemental member
shown in FIG. 4 taken along line 5-5.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another style of
supplemental member for use in the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a side view of the supplemental member depicted in
FIG. 6.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the supplemental member
depicted in FIG. 6 used in an application.
[0021] FIG. 9 is an expanded perspective view of another embodiment
of a supplemental member.
[0022] FIG. 10 is an expanded perspective view of another
embodiment of a supplemental member.
[0023] FIG. 11 is a side view of another embodiment of a
supplemental member.
[0024] FIG. 12 is a side view of the supplemental member depicted
in FIG. 11 having another orientation.
[0025] FIG. 13 is yet another style of supplemental member for use
in the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of another shape of a
first member of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 15 is a top view of the first member depicted in FIG.
14.
[0028] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a stud employing a
supplemental member.
[0029] FIG. 17 is a continuous supplemental member.
[0030] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a rivet positioned through
two plates and a continuous supplemental member with the clinch
portion of the rivet extending above the continuous supplemental
member.
[0031] FIG. 19 is a cutaway view taken along line 19-19 shown in
FIG. 18.
[0032] FIG. 20 depicts a clinching tool shaping a head on the
clinch portion of the rivet depicted in FIG. 19.
[0033] FIG. 21 shown the clinching tool completing the clinching of
the refit depicted in FIG. 20.
[0034] FIG. 22 shows the retraction of the clinching tool depicted
in FIG. 21.
[0035] FIG. 23 shows the removal of the balance of the continuous
supplemental material from around the clinch head of the rivet.
[0036] FIG. 24 is a top view of the continuous supplemental
material after use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] Referring to FIG. 1, a rivet, generally referred to by
reference number 10, secures a first body 12, such as a sheet
material, to a second body 14, such as a sheet material. The rivet
10 has an initial head 16 having a contact surface 18, a unified
head (generally referred to by reference number 20) having a
contact surface 22, and a grip member 24. The unified head 20 has a
first member 26, which is formed from a clinch portion 28, and a
supplemental member (not easily seen in this view, discussed
below).
[0038] The grip member 24 and the clinch portion 28 are separate
segments of a shank 30, which extends outwardly from the initial
head 16. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the grip member 24
is that segment of the shank 30 passing through holes 32, 34, which
are defined by the first and second bodies 12, 14. The clinch
portion 28 (depicted by dotted lines) is the segment of the shank
30 extending outwardly beyond a surface 35 of the second body 14.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the precise
demarcation between the grip member 24 and the clinch portion 28 of
the shank 30 is a function of the style of head (flush, as shown,
or countersunk), which determines the contact surface of the head.
Thus, the demarcation point should not be strictly construed to
begin at the surface of the body from which the shank extends, as
shown in this exemplary embodiment. Additionally, the use of
additional elements, such as washers, may alter the demarcation
point. Also, it should be appreciated that the initial head 16
could be formed from another clinch portion of a rod (not shown),
thereby creating the shank 30 with the initial head 16. It should
also be appreciated that the initial head 16 could be of the same
structure as the unified head 20.
[0039] Referring to the series of Figures that comprise FIG. 2, the
rivet 10 has the unified head 20 formed in the following manner. As
shown in FIG. 2A, the rivet 10 originally has the initial head 16
and the shank 30, with the grip member 24 and the clinch portion
28, which has an end 36. An enlarged view of the clinch portion 28
of FIG. 2A, shows at least one fiber 38 contained therein. The at
least one fiber 38 in the clinch portion 28 is oriented generally
parallel to the centerline of the shank 30.
[0040] A supplemental member 40 is collocated with the clinch
portion 28 of the shank 30 proximate the second body 14. Further
discussion of the supplemental member 40 is presented below.
[0041] Continuing with FIG. 2B and 2C, the first member 26 is
formed by staking the end 36 of the clinch portion 28 with a
staking tool (not shown). The staking operation continues over a
distance d.sub.s until the unified head 20 is formed.
[0042] As shown in the expanded view of FIG. 2B, the staking
operation, which may utilize a staking tool, such as one having a
semi-hemispherical shape (not shown), tends to bend the at least
one fiber 38 in the first member 26 toward a perimeter segment 42,
which will eventually abut the supplemental member 40. A void 44
defined by the perimeter segment 42 of the first member 26 may be
formed during the staking operation.
[0043] As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the staking operation brings
the first member 26 into contact with the supplemental member 40.
The energy from the staking operation enters the supplemental
member 40 causing it to deform to the contour of the perimeter
segment 42, entering the void, and forming at least part of the
contact surface 22 of the unified head 20.
[0044] The staking procedure imparts to at least one of the at
least one fibers 38 and the supplemental member 40 sufficient
energy such that a portion of those fibers cross the boundary and
become embedded in the supplemental member 40. As a result, at
least one of the at least one fibers 38 will become a shared fiber
45. The shared fiber 45 being a fiber that is simultaneously
embedded in the first member 26 and the supplemental member 40. In
other words, the shared fiber 45 will have a segment embedded in
the first member 26 and a segment embedded the in supplemental
member 40. As shown in FIG. 2C in the expanded view, a shared fiber
45a could cross the perimeter segment 42 more than once.
[0045] The staking method employed depends upon the materials
selected for the clinch portion 28 and the supplemental member 40.
For example, where the clinch portion 28 and the supplemental
member 40 are plastic, such methods as ultrasonic and/or induction
could be used.
[0046] The staking procedure to create a shared fiber 45, however,
is different than conventional procedures. In a standard ultrasonic
procedure, the staking procedure is controlled by the distance
d.sub.s the staking tool must travel to accomplish the formation of
the relevant head. More specifically, sufficient energy is applied
to the clinch portion 30 via the staking tool to cause the clinch
portion to flow thereby allowing the staking tool to act on the
clinch portion to travel the distance d.sub.s to deform the clinch
portion into a desired head shape. Once the desired head shape is
accomplished, i.e., the travel distance d.sub.s has been
accomplished, the energy is removed, but the staking tool is held
in position for some hold time. The hold time allows the head,
which is under the staking tool and still fluid enough to flow, to
cool sufficiently so that the staking tool can be removed without
the clinch portion further flowing. In the procedure of the
invention, there is fixer step in the staking procedure that occurs
after the travel distance d.sub.s has been accomplished prior to
the hold. In the fixer step, energy is still applied, generally at
the level previously used, to the pre-head (the head as it exists
immediately after the travel distance d.sub.s has been reached).
The fixer step adds additional energy to the pre-head to create the
shared fiber 45, thereby converting the pre-head to a unified head
20. The amount of energy is application dependent depending on such
factors as the materials used in the pre-head and their associated
masses. Depending upon the degree of additional energy added during
the fixer step and the materials used, the supplemental member 40
and the first member 26 may merely be welded to each other or may
form a coherent mass.
[0047] If induction staking is used, materials that generate heat
when exposed to induction energy would most likely have to be
present in the clinch portion 30, but could be present elsewhere,
such as in the supplemental member 40.
[0048] The supplemental member 40 can be of almost any shape, such
as a rectangular solid (FIG. 3), a washer (FIG. 4), a keyed
structure (FIG. 6), or a graduated structure (FIG. 11). Typically
these types of structures have a hole 46, 48, 50 and 71, which is
defined by the supplemental member 40, sized to allow the clinch
portion 28 of the shank 30 to pass through.
[0049] The supplemental member 40 should have a sufficient initial
volume V1, V2, V3, V4 to permit it to at least fill the void 44.
The supplemental member 40 may have a greater volume than that
necessary to fill the void 44 that will simply flow out during the
staking operation. As those skilled in the art will appreciate,
some material of the first member 16 may also flow out from under
the staking tool as it travels the distance d.sub.s, causing a
decrease in the density of the first member 16. Therefore, the
volume V1, V2, V3, V4 of the supplemental member 40 may be
sufficiently increased above that required to fill the void 44 to
compensate for this loss in density.
[0050] As depicted in FIG. 5, at least one fiber 54 could be
incorporated in the supplemental member 40. It is, therefore,
within the scope of the invention if at least one of the at least
one fibers 54 from the supplemental member 40 becomes a shared
fiber 45 regardless of whether the clinch portion 28 of the shank
30 has fibers or not.
[0051] Referring to FIGS. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, the supplemental
member 40 may be a keyed structure. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a
supplemental member 40 has a keyed structure of a top-hat design
having a brim 56 with a crown 58 extending therefrom. In one
application, the crown 58 is inserted into the hole 34 of the
second body 14, and the shank 30 of the rivet 10 is inserted
through the hole 54 such that the clinch portion 28 extends
outwardly from the brim 56. As shown in FIG. 8, in a keyed
structure, a portion, i.e., a key, of the supplemental member 40,
such as the crown 58, can be positioned between the grip member 24
of the shank 30 and the second body 14 and even into the first body
12.
[0052] The keyed structure may also have the additional feature of
a non-rotational cross-sectional shape such that in cooperation
with the cross-sectional shape of the hole the supplemental
material will not rotate within the hole defined by the body, or
bodies. For example referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the hole 34 and
the supplemental member 40 could have a crown 58 with a
complementary rectangular cross-sections, or a corresponding
protrusion 62 and slot 64.
[0053] The supplemental member 40 may also be graduated. Referring
to FIG. 11, an example of a graduated design for a supplemental
member 40 in the form of a top-hat having a brim 66 and a crown 68.
In application, the crown 68 would most likely extend outwardly
from the surface 35; however as shown in FIG. 10 the graduated
member could have the opposite orientation. Depending upon the
application, other graduated shapes, such as frustum of pyramid,
could be used.
[0054] The supplemental member 40 may also be designed to engage
the clinch portion. Engagement could be by friction or mechanical
fastener. As shown in FIG. 12, the fastener could be grips 70 for
engaging the clinch portion 28 extending outwardly from a surface
72 that defines the hole 71. The fastener could be of a one-way
design, i.e., the fastener is broken to effectuate removal of the
supplemental member 40.
[0055] Referring to FIG. 13, the supplemental member 40 could also
be a wrap 60, such as a cord or tape, applied around the rivet 10,
most likely the grip member 28 proximate the second body 14. The
cross-section of the wrap 60 could be any shape.
[0056] While the results of a hemispherical shaped head for a
staking tool have been previously depicted, other shapes can be
used. FIGS. 14 and 15 depict a symmetrical unified head 20. The
symmetrical head 20 has a first member 26 where the at least one
fibers 38 generally extend radially from the centerline of the
clinch portion 28. This symmetry is accomplished by using a staking
tool 74 with a shank center locator 76. The shank center locator 76
penetrates into the clinch portion 28 of the shank 30 on the
longitudinal axis causing the at least one fibers 38 to be splayed
radially outwardly therefrom.
[0057] Materials for the rivet 10 and supplemental member 40 are a
matter of design choice. Typical plastics, which include
thermoplastics, such as PEEK or polyetherimide (more commonly known
as PEI), are particularly well suited for the invention. As
discussed above, staking may cause a weld to occur between the
material of the rivet 10 and the supplemental member 40 and even
between the rivet and/or the supplemental member and the second
body 14.
[0058] As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the strength of
the weld or whether a coherent mass is formed between the first
member 26 and supplemental member 40 is, among other things,
dependent upon the materials from which the rivet and supplemental
member are made. If the rivet and supplemental member are made from
compatible or the same material, the weld could be stronger and the
coherent mass more uniform than it might otherwise be.
[0059] Any fibers can be embedded into the plastic of the rivet 10
or supplemental member 40. Fibers are also a matter of design
choice and may include carbon or glass. Carbon fibers are
particularly strong and lightweight.
[0060] The at least one fiber 38 in the shank 30 has been depicted
in FIG. 2 as being oriented generally parallel with the centerline
of the shank 30, but the at least one fibers could have any
orientation. Where there are two or more fibers 38 in the shank 30,
they could be randomly oriented one to the other. Additionally, the
at least one fibers 38 can be of any length, even running from end
to end through the grip portion and clinch portions of a rod (not
shown) from which the rivet 10 was created. Also in the case of
multiple fibers 38, fibers of varying lengths could be used.
Therefore, depending upon the length of the particular fibers in
the first member 26, a majority of the length of the shared fiber
45 could be in the first member, or in the supplemental member 40.
This is equally true for the at least one fibers 54 incorporated in
the supplemental member 40.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 2, a filler 78 maybe added about the grip
member 24 between the two bodies 12, 14. The filler 78 can be of
any shape, such as a washer, and be made from any number of
materials to meet any particular need. For example, the filler 78
could contain a rubber or neoprene to provide a seal, or an
adhesive, such as a 100% solids adhesive, that would be activated,
in the case of a 100% solids adhesive melt and flow, as a result of
the staking operation for providing additional bonding between the
first and second bodies 12, 14.
[0062] Referring to FIG. 16, in the case of a stud 80 having one
end affixed to a foundation 82, it would be beneficial to create a
stop 84 to support the filler 78. The stop 72 could be created in
any number of ways such as by a notch in or taper of the shank
30.
[0063] FIG. 17 illustrates a continuous supplemental material 1700.
The continuous supplemental material 1700 is a planer material in
which multiple passages 1702 are defined from which multiple
supplemental members can be obtained. The continuous supplemental
material 1700 reduces the time consuming task of forming and
placing individual supplemental members around the clinch portion
of a stake or rivet.
[0064] The passages 1702 are spaced on the planer material in a
pattern consistent with use with an anticipated rivet. Where a
riveting operation uses the same size rivet, the passages will be
the same size and will generally have consistent spacing to
maximize material usage. However, where a riveting operation uses
multiple sized rivets, the passages may be of different sizes and
the spacing may not be consistent. In the particular case where the
riveting operation uses multiple size rivets in a pattern, the
passages could mimic the pattern.
[0065] As illustrated, the planer material is a strip having a
single line of passages 1702. This is but an example, as the planer
material could be a sheet having multiple rows of passages 1702, to
even randomly placed passages.
[0066] The placement, or spacing, of the passages 1702 in the
planer material should leave sufficient material between adjacent
passages such that all passages can be utilized in multiple
riveting operations. This is discussed in detail below.
[0067] FIGS. 18-24 show the use of the continuous supplemental
material 1700 in a riveting operation. In this illustrative
example, the continuous supplemental material 1700 is in the form
of a strip having multiple passages of a diameter and spacing
suitable for use with rivets having shanks of the same
cross-section (e.g., diameter).
[0068] As shown in FIG. 18, in this illustrative example a rivet
1802 is being used to secure one plate 1804 to another plate 1806.
This is but one example and is generally applicable to all rivet
applications as well as applications wherein a head is formed on a
shake to secure a member.
[0069] As illustrated the shank 1810 of the rivet 1802 is placed
through a passage 1702 in the continuous supplemental material 1700
with a clinch portion 1808 of the rivet extending outwardly from
one body, in this case plate 1804. While any passage 1702 could
have been used, in this illustrative example the first passage in
the sequence of passages is used.
[0070] As shown in FIG. 19, which is a side, cutaway view, the
rivet 1802 has a head 1902, attached to a shank 1810 which upon
passage through the plates 1804, 1806 and a passage 1702 in the
continuous supplemental material 1700, defines a gripping portion
1904, and a clinch portion 1808.
[0071] Continuing with FIG. 20, which is a side, cutaway view, a
clinching tool 2002 is brought into contact with the distal end of
the clinch portion 1808 which cause the clinch portion to begin
forming a head 2004 out of the clinch portion.
[0072] As shown in FIG. 21, the advancing clinching tool 2002 will
eventually contact the continuous supplemental material 1700. The
clinching tool 2002 is advanced sufficiently to form a unified head
2012. More specifically, a portion of the continuous supplemental
material 1700, the supplemental member 2006, is trapped under the
deformed clinch portion 1808 and there is at least one shared
fiber.
[0073] As shown in FIG. 22, during the formation of the unified
head 2012, a channel 2202 is cut in the continuous supplemental
material 1700. The channel 2202 defines the demarcation between the
balance of the continuous supplemental material 2204 and the
supplemental member 2006, that material which remains with the
unified head 2012.
[0074] As shown in FIG. 23, the balance of continuous supplemental
material 2204 is flexed, in this case rotated in direction A, which
removes the balance of the continuous supplemental material 1700
from around the unified head 2012. It should be appreciated that
the channel 2202 may have cut completely through the continuous
supplemental material 1700; thus, the rotation of the continuous
supplemental material is merely removing the material, or in the
alternative the rotation is causing a fracture in any remaining
material at the bottom of the channel. As with the method of using
individual supplemental members, some flash may remain with the
supplemental member, which could be removed in a later
operation.
[0075] As shown in FIG. 24, after the riveting operation, the
supplemental member 2006 of the continuous supplemental material
1700 has been removed leaving the balance of the continuous
supplemental material 2204. To maximize the use of the balance of
continuous supplemental material 2204, the supplemental member 2006
removed should leave sufficient material, but not necessarily
excessive material which would be wasteful, around remaining
adjacent passages 1702, such that the adjacent passages can be used
to create another unified head. As illustrated, the supplemental
member 2006 removed from the continuous supplemental material 1700
defines a parameter having a point B approximately equidistant
between the centers of adjacent passages.
[0076] In the formation of the unified head, is may be desirable to
momentarily pause (apx. 0.2 seconds) the advance of the clinching
tool as it comes into contact with continuous supplemental
material. At the position shown in FIG. 20.
[0077] As discussed above for individual supplemental members, the
continuous supplemental material 1700 can incorporate fibers, at
least in the areas which will become supplemental member.
[0078] As those skilled in the art of ultrasonic welding and other
similar processes will appreciate, the method described above will
form a unified head if that at least one fiber originates in the
clinch portion or supplemental member, or both, due to the fluidity
created in each element due to the forming operation. Thus, a
unified head could be formed where either the clinch portion or
supplemental member, or both contain fibers.
[0079] While there has been illustrated and described what is at
present considered to be preferred and alternative embodiments of
the claimed invention, it will be appreciated that numerous changes
and modifications are likely to occur to those skilled in the art.
For example, while the unified head has been shown for a rivet, it
is equally applicable for use with a stud. In addition, the unified
head could be used for both heads of a rivet. Also, the use of the
singular should be interpreted to mean at least one unless the
specification makes such expressly clear. It is intended in the
appended claims to cover all those changes and modifications that
fall within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.
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