Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – With testing or indicating
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-25
2004-07-27
Bryant, David P. (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
With testing or indicating
C029S407100, C029S432100, C029S464000, C029S798000, C227S002000, C227S015000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06766569
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjusting method of button attaching apparatus for attaching a button to a fabric and adjusting jig used in the adjusting method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a button attaching apparatus for automating operation for attaching button etc. such as snap fastener has been utilized (see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 3-1447).
In such button attaching apparatus, one and the other of a pair of button components (button and backing member) are respectively attached to a pair of dies (first die and second die) sandwiching the fabric, the dies being pressed to caulk and engage the button and the backing member with each other sandwiching the fabric, thereby attaching the button to the fabric.
In the button attaching apparatus, a pair of holders capable of attaching and detaching the respective dies are provided so that a die corresponding to the button to be attached can be selectably used. A drive mechanism is provided on one or both of the respective holders to advance and retract the one or both of the dies in a direction for the dies to be moved toward and away from each other (along an advancement-retraction axis line), so that the respective dies are pressed or separated for attaching the button by caulking.
A cushion structure using spring etc. is provided to a part of the holder or the drive mechanism for absorbing fluctuation of the thickness of the fabric to a degree. In other words, even when the thick fabric is used, the die is pushed against, for instance, biasing force of a spring, so that generation of excessive pressing force between the dies can be prevented. Such cushion mechanism may be provided on either one of the dies or, alternatively, on both of the dies. When the cushion mechanism is provided on one of the dies, either of the advanceable holder and a stationary holder may be provided with the cushion mechanism. Further, various arrangements such as installing the cushion mechanism in the holder, supporting the holder in a cushioning manner against the drive mechanism and disposing the cushion mechanism on a part of the drive mechanism are possible for disposing the cushion mechanism.
Incidentally, when the button is attached by the button attaching apparatus, relatively low pressing force is required for the die in caulking claw portion. However, when rivet-bar type or eyelet type button is caulked, relatively high pressing force is necessary. In order to widely respond to the strong caulking force and weak caulking force, weak spring may be used for supporting one of the dies and strong spring may be used for supporting the other dies.
FIG. 4
shows a button attaching apparatus using the two, i.e. strong and weak springs.
The button attaching apparatus
10
has a metal, approximately box-shaped frame
11
, the frame
11
having a recessed work portion
12
at a front side thereof. An upper holder
21
(first holder) for supporting an upper die
20
(first die) is located on the upper side of the work portion
12
and a lower holder
31
(second holder) for supporting a lower die
30
(second die) is located on the lower side thereof.
The lower holder
31
is fixed to the frame
11
. On the other hand, the upper holder
21
is vertically advanced and retracted by a drive mechanism
40
installed in the frame
11
for a predetermined stroke. The drive mechanism
40
has a motor
41
as a drive source, which pivotably moves a link mechanism
46
through an arm
42
, a rod
43
, a crank
44
and a rod
45
, the pivot movement vertically moving the upper holder
21
.
Accordingly, in the button attaching apparatus
10
, the upper holder
21
and the lower holder
31
are moved toward and away from each other by driving the drive mechanism
40
, so that upper die
20
and the lower die
30
supported by the respective holders are separated and pressed to caulk the button and the backing member respectively held by the dies.
In the button attaching apparatus
10
, the upper holder
21
and the drive mechanism
40
for advancing and retracting the upper holder constitute a first side portion and the lower holder
31
disposed on the frame
11
in a fixed manner constitutes a second side portion. An upper cushion mechanism
22
(a first cushion and a first cushion adjuster) are provided on the upper holder
21
included in the first side portion and a lower cushion mechanism
32
(a second cushion and a second cushion adjuster) are provided on the lower holder as the second side portion.
FIG. 5
shows an upper holder
21
.
The upper holder
21
has a cylindrical case
210
, the case
210
having a hollow section extending from the lower side of the figure to the upper side thereof, the hollow section accommodating a large number of coned disc springs
211
(first cushion), and an end member
212
is disposed on a free end of the coned disc spring
211
.
A sleeve
213
is accommodated around the opening of the hollow section of the case
210
, and an upper die
20
is attached to the sleeve
213
to prevent detachment by a setscrew
214
. The sleeve
213
is abutted to the end member
212
through an adjusting bolt
215
and receives biasing force toward lower side in the figure by the coned disc spring
211
. The movement of the sleeve
213
toward the lower side of the figure is restricted by an engaging member
217
projecting into a side opening
216
of the case
210
at a predetermined position. Accordingly, the sleeve
213
can be moved against the biasing force of the coned disc spring
211
when receiving a force in the upper direction in the figure. The adjusting bolt
215
can be rotated to change projection thereof from the sleeve
213
, so that initial load applied to the coned disc spring
211
can be increased and decreased, thereby adjusting the biasing force from the coned disc spring
211
to the sleeve
213
(first cushion adjuster).
FIG. 6
shows a lower holder
31
.
The lower holder
31
has a cylindrical case
310
, the case
310
integrally clamping and fixing a part of the frame
11
and a base
312
along the backside of the frame
11
by screwing a nut
313
to an external screw formed on the outer circumference thereof. A plurality of tie rods
314
are connected to the base
312
. A support plate
315
is inserted to an end of the tie rods
314
, where an adjusting nut
316
is screwed. A coil spring
317
(second cushion) is disposed coaxially with the case
310
between the support plate
315
and the case
310
.
A support rod
301
and a sleeve
302
are coaxially disposed inside the case
310
in an overlapping manner. A flange
303
is formed at the halfway of the sleeve
302
, the flange
303
being supported by an upper end (in the figure) of the coil spring
317
and being held while being pressed to the nut
313
by the biasing force in the upper direction in the figure from the coil spring
317
. A lower end (in the figure) of the sleeve
302
extends to a central opening of the support plate
315
. An internal thread is formed at a distal end of the sleeve
302
. An adjusting bolt
305
is screwed to the internal thread. A rotation-stop lock nut
304
is screwed to the adjusting bolt
305
. An upper end (in the figure) of the adjusting bolt
305
is abutted to the lower end (in the figure) of the support rod
301
. A lower die
30
is attached to an upper end (in the figure) of the case
310
. The rotation of the lower die
30
is restricted by a buried screw
311
screwed from a side of the case
310
but is capable of vertical movement in the figure relative to the case
310
. An end of the lower die
30
is abutted to the support rod
301
to support the load applied thereto. Accordingly, when the lock nut
304
is loosened and the adjusting bolt
305
is rotated relative to the sleeve
302
, the support rod
301
is elevated and lowered relative to the sleeve
302
or the frame
11
, so that the position of the lower die
30
relative to the upper die
20
can be adjusted (die position adjuster).
When a for
Bell Boyd & Lloyd LLC
Bryant David P.
YKK Corporation
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