IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,303,997
Granted Patent B2
US 12,303,997 · App. 17/920,370 · Granted May 20, 2025

Device for setting a connecting element

Inventors: Gerhard Dubiel (Tambach-Dietharz, DE); Angelique Wolff (Tambach-Dietharz, DE); Marco Werkmeister (Georgenthal / OT Schoenauv.d.W, DE); Tim Koeppchen (Georgenthal / OT Hohenkirchen, DE)
Assignee: EJOT SE & Co. KG
B23K20/127B23K20/129B23P19/006B25B23/08B25B31/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,303,997
App. No.
17/920,370
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a device ( 10 ) for setting a connecting element ( 100, 300 ) with a top-side drive structure ( 22, 44 ), comprising a feed device ( 12 ) for applying an axial force, a rotary spindle ( 14, 40, 68, 82, 140 ) and a drive bit ( 20, 42, 60, 70, 80, 142, 242 ) connected to same, which has drive structures ( 22, 44 ) arranged circumferentially and at the end in a setting direction (S) in order to interlockingly cause the connecting element ( 100, 300 ) to rotate, wherein the drive bit ( 20, 42, 60, 70, 80, 142, 242 ) has an axial through-opening, and the device also comprises a suction unit ( 18 ) with which air can be suctioned out at the end side of the drive bit ( 20, 42, 60, 70, 80, 142, 242 ).

Claims (16)

1. Device ( 10 ) for setting a connecting element ( 100 , 300 ) having a top-side drive structure ( 22 , 44 ), comprising a feed device ( 12 ) for applying an axial force, a rotary spindle ( 14 , 40 , 68 , 82 , 140 ) and a drive bit ( 20 , 42 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 142 , 242 ) connected to same, which has drive structures ( 22 , 44 ) arranged circumferentially and at the end in a setting direction (S) in order to interlockingly cause the connecting element ( 100 , 300 ) to rotate, wherein the drive bit ( 20 , 42 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 142 , 242 ) has an axial through-opening, which device further comprises a suction unit ( 18 ) with which air can be suctioned out at the end side of the drive bit ( 20 , 42 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 142 , 242 ), characterized in that an insert element ( 24 , 50 , 72 , 150 ) is provided which has a suction surface ( 26 , 54 ) on the end side, which circumferentially delimits a suction cross-section ( 30 ), said insert element ( 24 , 50 , 72 , 150 ) being designed in such a way that the suction surface ( 26 , 54 ) can move relative to the drive bit ( 20 , 42 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 142 , 242 ) in the axial direction, and a negative pressure can be transmitted from the side of the insert element ( 24 , 50 , 72 , 150 ) facing away in the setting direction (S) to the suction surface ( 26 , 54 ) of the insert element ( 24 , 50 , 72 , 150 ), wherein, before the suctioning of a connecting element ( 100 , 300 ), the suction surface ( 26 , 54 ) adopts a first end position which is spaced apart from the end-side edge region of the through-opening in the setting direction (S) and adopts a second position, shifted opposite the setting direction (S), during the setting process.

2. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the insert member ( 24 , 50 , 72 , 150 ) comprises a sleeve ( 52 , 74 , 84 , 90 , 152 , 252 ) having a first contact surface, and the drive bit ( 42 , 70 , 80 , 142 , 242 ) has a second contact surface, the second contact surface being designed to correspond to the first contact surface in such a way that, in a predefined end position of the suction surface with respect to the drive bit ( 42 , 70 , 80 , 142 , 242 ), the contact surfaces interact in a sealing manner in such a way that a negative pressure can be transmitted through the sleeve ( 52 , 74 , 84 , 90 , 152 , 252 ).

3. Device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the contact surface on the sleeve ( 52 , 74 , 84 , 90 , 152 , 252 ) is designed as a collar and the contact surface on the drive bit ( 42 , 70 , 80 , 142 , 242 ) is designed as a shoulder, with the collar and shoulder extending transversely to the setting direction.

4. Device according to claim 3 , characterized in that the sleeve ( 52 , 74 , 84 , 90 , 152 , 252 ) is pressed in the setting direction against the shoulder in the drive bit ( 42 , 70 , 80 , 142 , 242 ) against a spring preload.

5. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the end position is spaced at a distance of between 0.1 mm and 4 mm from the front end of the drive bit.

6. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the spring preload is generated by at least one spring ( 56 , 86 , 156 , 256 ), which is supported indirectly against a spring support element ( 42 , 70 , 80 , 144 , 246 ) lying stationary relative to the drive bit or directly against the drive bit.

7. Device according to claim 6 , characterized in that the spring is an elastic element, which is in particular a rubber element, which is in particular an O-ring.

8. Device according to claim 6 , characterized in that the spring seat element is formed by a rotary spindle ( 14 , 40 , 68 , 82 ) screwed into the drive bit ( 42 , 60 , 70 , 80 ).

9. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the spring seat element is provided by an insert sleeve ( 144 ) fixedly inserted into the drive bit ( 142 ).

10. Device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the insert sleeve ( 144 ) serves as an abutment for the rotary spindle, with the insert sleeve ( 144 ) bearing against a shoulder in the drive bit ( 142 ) in the setting direction.

11. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the spring preload exerts a force of between 5 N and 100 N on the sleeve ( 52 , 74 , 84 , 90 , 152 , 252 ).

12. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the sleeve ( 52 , 74 , 84 , 90 , 152 , 252 ) has an inner diameter of between 1.0 mm and 10 mm with a wall thickness of between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

13. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the sleeve ( 52 , 74 , 84 , 90 , 252 ) has a stop facing away from the setting direction which comes into contact with the rotary spindle ( 14 , 40 , 82 140 ) or an insert sleeve ( 144 ), whereby the process force is transmitted in full or in part to the front end of the sleeve.

14. Device according to claim 13 , characterized in that the stop is designed as a sleeve section having a larger diameter than the front-side diameter and the spring ( 56 , 76 ) is located within the sleeve ( 52 , 74 ).

15. Device according to claim 13 , characterized in that the stop is designed as a sleeve section having the same diameter as the end-side diameter and the spring ( 86 ) rests against a collar surrounding the sleeve ( 84 ).

16. Device according to claim 14 , characterized in that the stop surface ( 92 ) is of a discontinuous design, i.e. it has at least one shoulder ( 96 ) in which dirt collects.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2024
From: DUBIEL, GERHARD; WERKMEISTER, MARCO; WOLFF, ANGELIQUE; KOEPPCHEN, TIM
To: EJOT SE & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 069435/0244 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 110 855.9 · Apr 21, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230158600A1 · May 25, 2023
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