Patent · US Expired

Ductile material lance joiner

US6760963B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
5References
16Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 23, 2002
Grant dateJul 13, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 17, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49936
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

The present invention relates to a joiner for lance joining ductile materials, such as metal sheets, and in particular to a joiner including a die assembly and a punch assembly. The die assembly includes a die anvil and an anvil surface. There are at least two die blades around the anvil, the blades extending in a longitudinal direction, generally above and below opposite sides of the anvil surface to form a die aperture for the punch. Each blade is arranged to move away from the anvil to open up the aperture when ductile material is forced in the longitudinal direction into the aperture and against the anvil by the punch. Each blade has a cutting edge above the anvil facing towards the die aperture for cutting through the ductile material to make a lance joint when the material is forced into the aperture. The assembly also has at least one biasing means by which the blades are biased towards the anvil to constrict the aperture. Each blade can be removed from the anvil, rotated relative to the anvil surface about the longitudinal direction, and then returned to the anvil to present a different cutting edge above the anvil and facing towards the die aperture.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.