Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – With control means energized in response to activator...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-29
2002-06-25
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
With control means energized in response to activator...
C029S783000, C029S791000, C029S281100, C029S281500, C029S281600, C029S897200, C029S407100, C029S467000, C029S559000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06408504
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements of a process and apparatus for assembling a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle by welding a front frame subassembly having a head pipe at a front end thereof and a rear frame subassembly to each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
A process for assembling a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle is conventionally known from Japanese Patent Publication No.4-749, for example. In this process, a center member such as a head pipe and a cross member is retained by a center jig, and left and right side frame members forming a vehicle body frame in cooperation with the center member are retained by a pair of left and right side jigs, respectively. In a state in which both of the side jigs have been righted, the side members are welded to opposite sides of the center member to assemble the vehicle body frame.
In the above conventionally known process, however, an exclusive center jig and exclusive side jigs corresponding to the type of the vehicle body frame are required. To assemble a plurality of types of vehicle body frames for motorcycles, center jigs and side jigs corresponding to the types must be prepared, resulting in an increased equipment cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a process and apparatus for assembling a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle, wherein the general-purpose properties are provided to accommodate the assembling of any of a plurality of types of vehicle body frames for motorcycles, thereby providing a reduction in equipment cost.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided a process for assembling a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle by welding a front frame subassembly having a head pipe at a front end thereof and a rear frame subassembly to each other to assemble the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle, comprising a first step of positioning left and right rear portions of the front frame subassembly by a pair of front positioning means movable at least in a direction of a Y-axis established in a widthwise direction of the vehicle body frame, a second step of clamping the head pipe at the front end of the front frame subassembly by a front clamp means which is capable of moving in directions of Z- and X-axes established in vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle body frame, and is capable of tilting about an axis extending along the Y-axis, a third step of positioning left and right rear portions of the rear frame subassembly by a pair of rear positioning means movable in the directions of the X-, Y- and Z-axes, a fourth step of clamping left and right front portions of the rear frame subassembly by a pair of rear clamp means movable in the directions of the X-, Y- and Z-axes, and a fifth step of welding the rear frame subassembly positioned relative to the front frame subassembly and the front frame subassembly to each other.
With such process, the pair of front positioning means for positioning the left and right rear portions of the front frame subassembly are movable at least in the widthwise direction of the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle, and the front clamp means for clamping the head pipe at the front end of the front frame subassembly is movable in the longitudinal and vertical directions of the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle and tiltable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body frame. Therefore, in a state in which the left and right rear portions of the front frame subassembly have been positioned by the front positioning means, changes in position and attitude of the head pipe caused by the change in type of the front frame subassembly can be covered by the movement of the front clamp means in the longitudinal and vertical directions and the tilting of the front clamp means about the Y-axis, whereby the front frame subassembly can be positioned and supported with a good accuracy. In addition, the pair of rear positioning means for positioning the left and right rear portions of the rear frame subassembly are movable in the longitudinal, widthwise and vertical directions of the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle, and the pair of rear clamp means for clamping the left and right front portions of the rear frame subassembly are movable in the longitudinal, widthwise and vertical directions of the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle. Therefore, even if the type of the rear frame subassembly is changed, the rear frame subassembly can be positioned and supported with a good accuracy relative to the front frame subassembly, thereby providing general-purpose properties to accommodate the assembling of any of a plurality of types of vehicle body frames for motorcycles, leading to a reduction in equipment cost. Moreover, the vehicle body frame having a stable welding accuracy can be assembled by welding the front and rear frame subassemblies positioned with a good accuracy relative to each other. Additionally, the rear frame subassembly is restrained while being positioned accurately relative to the front frame subassembly by the pair of rear positioning means and the pair of rear clamp means. Therefore, even if a welding strain has been produced in the rear frame subassembly, such strain can be corrected to assemble the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle with a good accuracy.
According to a second aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for assembling a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle by welding a front frame subassembly having a head pipe at a front end thereof and a rear frame subassembly to each other, comprising a pair of front positioning means capable of positioning left and right rear portions of the front frame subassembly, a front clamp means capable of clamping the head pipe at the front end of the front frame subassembly, a pair of rear positioning means capable of positioning left and right rear portions of the rear frame subassembly, a pair of rear clamp means capable of clamping left and right front portions of the rear frame subassembly, a pair of front positioning drive means for moving the front positioning means at least in a direction of a Y-axis established in a widthwise direction of the vehicle body frame, respectively, a front clamp drive means which is capable of moving the front clamp means in directions of Z- and X-axes established in vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle body frame, and is capable of tilting the front clamp means about an axis extending along the Y-axis, a pair of rear positioning drive means capable of moving the rear positioning means in the directions of X-, Y- and Z-axes, respectively, a pair of rear clamp drive means capable of moving the rear clamp means in the directions of X-, Y- and Z-axes, respectively, and a control unit for controlling the operations of the drive means, so that the front positioning means, the front clamp means, the rear positioning means and the rear clamp means are brought into positions previously determined depending on the type of the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle, which is to be assembled.
With the arrangement of the second feature, the pair of front positioning means, the front clamp means, the pair of rear positioning means and the pair of rear clamp means are moved automatically to the positions corresponding to the vehicle body frame in accordance with the change in type of the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle, which is to be assembled. Therefore, the process of the first feature can be carried out appropriately with an enhanced efficiency of assembling of the vehicle body frame for the motorcycle.
According to a third aspect and feature of the present invention, in addition to the second feature, the front clamp means includes a plurality of supporting pins capable of being fitted into lower ends of a plurality of types of head pipes, a pin-supporting plate for
Hoshi Hisashi
Ishizaki Isamu
Miwa Teiji
Ryu Hidekazu
Yamaoka Naoji
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Hughes S. Thomas
Nguyen T.
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