U.S. patent application number 14/034148 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-12 for electric riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling and operation method for the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to TRANMAX MACHINERY CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is TRANMAX MACHINERY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to HSIN-CHI CHEN.
Application Number | 20150040373 14/034148 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52388715 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150040373 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHEN; HSIN-CHI |
February 12, 2015 |
ELECTRIC RIVETER CAPABLE OF RIVET PRE-PULLING AND OPERATION METHOD
FOR THE SAME
Abstract
An electric riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling includes an
operating unit, a controlling unit, a driving unit, and a clamping
unit. The controlling unit controls the driving unit according to
the way in which a user operates the operating unit, the clamping
unit is driven by the driving unit to move between an initial
position, a pre-pulling position, and a severing position. The
operation method for the electric riveter entails: providing a
rivet when the clamping unit is at the initial position; operating
the operating unit in a first operation mode to move the clamping
unit to the pre-pulling position and clamp the rivet; and operating
the operating unit in a second operation mode to move the clamping
unit to the severing position and sever the rivet. Accordingly, the
rivet is prevented from falling off during the operation process,
thereby enhancing ease of use of the electric riveter.
Inventors: |
CHEN; HSIN-CHI; (TAICHUNG
CITY, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TRANMAX MACHINERY CO., LTD. |
TAICHUNG CITY |
|
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
TRANMAX MACHINERY CO., LTD.
TAICHUNG CITY
TW
|
Family ID: |
52388715 |
Appl. No.: |
14/034148 |
Filed: |
September 23, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/525.06 ;
29/243.521 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21J 15/32 20130101;
B21J 15/28 20130101; B21J 15/26 20130101; Y10T 29/5373 20150115;
B21J 15/02 20130101; B21J 15/105 20130101; Y10T 29/49956 20150115;
B21J 15/043 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/525.06 ;
29/243.521 |
International
Class: |
B21J 15/32 20060101
B21J015/32; B21J 15/02 20060101 B21J015/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 9, 2013 |
TW |
102128709 |
Claims
1. An electric riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling, comprising: an
operating unit operable by a user; a controlling unit electrically
connected to the operating unit; a driving unit electrically
connected to the controlling unit; and a clamping unit connected to
the driving unit, wherein the controlling unit controls the driving
unit according to how a user operates the operating unit, such that
the clamping unit is driven by the driving unit to move between an
initial position, a pre-pulling position, and a severing position,
allowing the clamping unit at the initial position to receive a
rivet, the clamping unit at the pre-pulling position to clamp the
rivet, and the clamping unit at the severing position to sever the
rivet.
2. The electric riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling of claim 1,
wherein the user operates the operating unit in a first operation
mode to move the clamping unit from the initial position to the
pre-pulling position, operates the operating unit in a second
operation mode to move the clamping unit from the pre-pulling
position to the severing position, and operates the operating unit
in a third operation mode to move the clamping unit from the
pre-pulling position to the initial position.
3. The electric riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling of claim 2,
wherein the operating unit comprises a button for being pressed
once in the first operation mode, pressed for a long period of time
in the second operation mode, and pressed twice in the third
operation mode.
4. The electric riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling of claim 1,
wherein the controlling unit causes automatically the clamping unit
to move to the initial position and release the rivet when the
clamping unit stays at the pre-pulling position throughout a
predetermined duration.
5. An operation method for the electric riveter capable of rivet
pre-pulling of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: a:
inserting a rivet into a clamping unit when the clamping unit is at
an initial position; b: operating an operating unit in a first
operation mode to cause the clamping unit to move from the initial
position to a pre-pulling position and clamp the rivet; and c:
operating the operating unit in a second operation mode to cause
the clamping unit to move from the pre-pulling position to a
severing position and sever the rivet.
6. The operation method of claim 5, wherein the operating unit
comprises a button for being pressed once in the first operation
mode and pressed for a long period of time in the second operation
mode.
7. The operation method of claim 6, wherein the clamping unit
returns to the initial position when the button has been pressed
for a long period of time and then released.
8. The operation method of claim 5, wherein, after step b, the
operating unit is operated in a third operation mode to cause the
clamping unit to move from the pre-pulling position to the initial
position and release the rivet.
9. The operation method of claim 8, wherein the operating unit
comprises a button for being pressed twice in the third operation
mode.
10. The operation method of claim 5, wherein the controlling unit
causes automatically the clamping unit to move to the initial
position and release the rivet when the clamping unit stays at the
pre-pulling position throughout a predetermined duration.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to electric riveters, and more
particularly, to an electric riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling
and an operation method for the same.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A conventional electric riveter essentially comprises a
casing, a button, a nozzle, a driver, and a rivet pulling
mechanism. The button and the nozzle are disposed outside the
casing. The driver and the rivet pulling mechanism are disposed
inside the casing. A user inserts a stem of a rivet into the nozzle
and then inserts a body of the rivet into a through-hole of an
object to be fixed in place. Afterward, the user presses the button
to start the driver; hence, the rivet pulling mechanism is driven
to move in a direction away from the nozzle, whereas the rivet
pulling mechanism clamps the stem of the rivet and moves. After
moving for a predetermined distance, the rivet pulling mechanism
severs the stem, and thus the body of the rivet is fixed in place
within the through-hole of the object to be fixed in place.
[0005] However, the rivet will fall off the nozzle if the nozzle
tilts downward slightly before the user presses the button. Hence,
it is necessary for the user to hold the electric riveter with both
hands in a manner to allow the nozzle to point horizontally or
slightly upward. As a result, the conventional electric riveter
lacks ease of use.
[0006] In attempt to overcome the aforesaid drawback of the prior
art, a commercially available electric riveter features fixing the
rivet to the nozzle by magnetic attraction before the driver starts
driving the rivet pulling mechanism with a view to preventing the
rivet from falling off during the operation process. However, the
commercially available electric riveter itself does have a
drawback--if a user does not want a rivet which has been fixed to
the nozzle, the user has to pull the rivet out by hand,
inconveniently, and laboriously.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art, it is
an objective of the present invention to provide an electric
riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling and an operation method for
the same so as to overcome the drawbacks of the aforesaid
conventional electric riveters.
[0008] In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the
present invention provides an electric riveter capable of rivet
pre-pulling, comprising: an operating unit operable by a user; a
controlling unit electrically connected to the operating unit; a
driving unit electrically connected to the controlling unit; and a
clamping unit connected to the driving unit, wherein the
controlling unit controls the driving unit according to how a user
operates the operating unit, such that the clamping unit is driven
by the driving unit to move between an initial position, a
pre-pulling position, and a severing position, allowing the
clamping unit at the initial position to receive a rivet, the
clamping unit at the pre-pulling position to clamp the rivet, and
the clamping unit at the severing position to sever the rivet.
[0009] The present invention further provides an operation method
for use with the aforesaid electric riveter capable of rivet
pre-pulling. The operation method comprises the steps of: a:
inserting a rivet into a clamping unit when the clamping unit is at
an initial position; b: operating an operating unit in a first
operation mode to cause the clamping unit to move from the initial
position to a pre-pulling position and clamp the rivet; and c:
operating the operating unit in a second operation mode to cause
the clamping unit to move from the pre-pulling position to a
severing position and sever the rivet.
[0010] Hence, the user performs step a and step b first, such that
an intended rivet is fixed in place with the electric riveter
beforehand. After the rivet has been positioned at an object to be
fixed in place, the user performs step c to cause the electric
riveter to sever the rivet and fix the rivet to the object to be
fixed in place. In doing so, the rivet is prevented from falling
off during the operation process, thereby enhancing ease of use of
the electric riveter.
[0011] Furthermore, as regards the electric riveter and operation
method of the present invention, after step a, the user operates
the operating unit in a third operation mode to cause the clamping
unit to move from the pre-pulling position to the initial position
and then release the rivet. Furthermore, the controlling unit
causes automatically the clamping unit to move to the initial
position and release the rivet when the clamping unit stays at the
pre-pulling position throughout a predetermined duration, such that
the user can remove the rivet from the electric riveter
conveniently and easily.
[0012] The structures, features, assembly, and use of the electric
riveter and operation method of the present invention are described
in detail and illustrated with an embodiment hereunder. However,
persons skilled in the art understand that the detailed description
and the specific embodiment are illustrative of the present
invention rather than restrictive of the claims of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electric
riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling according to an embodiment of
the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electric riveter capable of
rivet pre-pulling according to the embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electric
riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling according to the embodiment of
the present invention, showing a clamping unit at an initial
position;
[0016] FIG. 4 is identical to FIG. 3, except that FIG. 4 shows the
clamping unit at a pre-pulling position;
[0017] FIG. 5 is identical to FIG. 3, except that FIG. 5 shows the
clamping unit at a severing position; and
[0018] FIG. 6 is a flowchart-block diagram of an operation method
for use with the electric riveter capable of rivet pre-pulling
according to the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment of the
present invention, an electric riveter 10 capable of rivet
pre-pulling, which is no different from its conventional
counterparts in appearance, comprises a case 20, a nozzle 30, and
an operating unit 40. The case 20 comprises a grip portion 22 to be
gripped by a user, a base 24, and a body 26, wherein the base 24
and the body 26 are disposed at the two ends of the grip portion
22, respectively. The nozzle 30 extends from the front end of the
body 26. The operating unit 40 is disposed at the grip portion 22
and adapted to be operated by the user conveniently.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 2 through FIG. 5, a controlling unit 50, a
driving unit 60, and a clamping unit 70 are disposed inside the
case 20 of the electric riveter 10. The controlling unit 50 is
electrically connected to the operating unit 40 and the driving
unit 60. The clamping unit 70 is connected to the driving unit 60.
The controlling unit 50 controls the driving unit 60 in a manner
according to the way in which the user operates the operating unit
40, such that the clamping unit 70 is driven by the driving unit 60
to move 4), between an initial position P1 (shown in FIG. 3), a
pre-pulling position P2 (shown in FIG. 4), and a severing position
P3 (shown in FIG. 5).
[0021] In this embodiment, the operating unit 40 comprises a button
42 (shown in FIG. 1) and an electrically conductive component (not
shown) which can be triggered by the button 42 and is electrically
connected to the controlling unit 50. The driving unit 60 comprises
a motor (not shown) and a transmission wheel 62 (shown in FIG. 3).
The motor is disposed at a rear half portion 262 of the body 26 and
electrically connected to the controlling unit 50. The motor drives
the transmission wheel 62 to rotate. The clamping unit 70 is
positioned at a front half portion 264 of the body 26 and comprises
a spindle 72, a limit element 74, and two clamping elements 76. The
spindle 72 has a rear end meshing with the transmission wheel 62
and a front end extending into the nozzle 30. The limit element 74
is fixed to the front end of the spindle 72. The two clamping
elements 76 are disposed in a tapered through-hole 742 of the limit
element 74. The controlling unit 50 controls the motor of the
driving unit 60 to rotate in a manner that the transmission wheel
62 rotating together with the motor drives the spindle 72 of the
clamping unit 70 to rotate. The clamping unit 70 rotates to perform
linear motion simultaneously and thereby moves to the initial
position P1, the pre-pulling position P2, and the severing position
P3.
[0022] The aforesaid preferred embodiment is not restrictive of the
structures of the operating unit 40, the driving unit 60, and the
clamping unit 70 of the present invention. The electric riveter 10
of the present invention will function well to fulfill the above
and other objectives, provided that the operating unit 40 is
operable by the user to enable the controlling unit 50 to control
the rotation of the driving unit 60 and thereby drive the clamping
unit 70 to move. An operation method for use with the electric
riveter 10 is described in detail below. Also, the effects of
positioning the clamping unit 70 at the aforesaid positions P1, P2,
P3 are described below.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 6, the operation method for use with the
electric riveter 10 comprises the steps as follows:
[0024] Step a: Insert a rivet 80 into the clamping unit 70, when
the clamping unit 70 is at the initial position P1 (i.e., step 91
in FIG. 6.) Referring to FIG. 3, when the clamping unit 70 is at
the initial position P1, the user can insert a stem 82 of the rivet
80 into the nozzle 30, thereby allowing the stem 82 to be inserted
between the two clamping elements 76.
[0025] Step b: Operate the operating unit 40 (for example, press
the button 42 once, that is, press the button 42 gently and then
release it) in a first operation mode to move the clamping unit 70
from the initial position P1 to the pre-pulling position P2 and
clamp the rivet 80 (i.e., step 92 in FIG. 6.) Referring to FIG. 4,
when the clamping unit 70 is at the pre-pulling position P2, the
two clamping elements 76 are compressed by the limit element 74 to
thereby clamp the stem 82 of the rivet 80; at this point in time,
the user positions a body 84 of the rivet 80 at an object (not
shown) to be fixed in place, and the rivet 80 will not fall off
even if the nozzle 30 does not point horizontally or upward during
the aforesaid positioning process.
[0026] Step c: Operate the operating unit 40 (for example, keep
pressing the button 42, that is, press the button 42 continuously)
in a second operation mode to move the clamping unit 70 from the
pre-pulling position P2 to the severing position P3 and sever the
rivet 80 (as shown in FIG. 5), i.e., step 93 in FIG. 6. At this
point in time, the body 84 of the rivet 80 is separated from the
stem 82 of the rivet 80 and fixed to the object to be fixed in
place.
[0027] As regards the electric riveter 10 capable of rivet
pre-pulling and the operation method for the same, the controlling
unit 50 is configured to control the clamping unit 70 to return to
the initial position P1 when the button 42 has been pressed for a
long period of time and then released (i.e., step 94 in FIG. 6),
such that the user can perform step a through step c once more.
[0028] As regards the electric riveter 10 capable of rivet
pre-pulling and the operation method for the same, after step b
(i.e., step 92 in FIG. 6), the user operates the operating unit 40
in a third operation mode (for example, presses the button 42
twice) to cause the clamping unit 70 to move from the pre-pulling
position P2 to the initial position P1 and then release the rivet
80 (i.e., step 95 in FIG. 6). Hence, after step a and step b, if a
user does not want the rivet 80 which has been fixed to the nozzle
30, the user can remove the rivet 80 conveniently and easily.
[0029] As regards the electric riveter 10 capable of rivet
pre-pulling and the operation method for the same, the controlling
unit 50 is configured to cause automatically the clamping unit 70
to move to the initial position P1 and release the rivet 80 (i.e.,
step 96 in FIG. 6) when the clamping unit 70 stays at the
pre-pulling position P2 throughout a predetermined duration (such
as 10 minutes), so as to protect the clamping unit 70 against
damage which might otherwise arise from pre-pulling the rivet 80
for a long period of time.
[0030] Constituent components disclosed in the aforesaid
embodiments of the present invention are illustrative of the
present invention rather than restrictive of the scope of the
present invention. Changes made to the constituent components or
replacement thereof by the other equivalent components should fall
within the scope of the claims of the present invention.
* * * * *