초록 ▼

A joining system head (22) is proposed for fixation to a movable frame (12), in particular to a robot (12), having a holding means (66) for an element (36) to be joined to a part (38), a joining drive means (64) to move the holding means (66) along a joining direction (40) for joining, and a feed

A joining system head (22) is proposed for fixation to a movable frame (12), in particular to a robot (12), having a holding means (66) for an element (36) to be joined to a part (38), a joining drive means (64) to move the holding means (66) along a joining direction (40) for joining, and a feeding means (44) for feeding elements (36) to the joining system head (22). Here a control means (42) to control the joining drive means (64) is arranged at the joining system head (22) spatially distanced from the holding means (66) and the joining drive means (64), so that the holding means (66) and the joining drive means (64) form a joining tool (32) of small dimensions, and means (68) are provided to pass on the elements (36) fed to a transfer station (46) of the feeding means (44) in each instance to the holding means (66) from in front.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A welding apparatus comprising: multiple depositable elements; a robot having at least one joint between elongated, structural and movable members; a welding tool coupled to one of the structural members by a second joint, the second joint allowing automatic movement of

The invention claimed is: 1. A welding apparatus comprising: multiple depositable elements; a robot having at least one joint between elongated, structural and movable members; a welding tool coupled to one of the structural members by a second joint, the second joint allowing automatic movement of the tool independent from the structural members, the tool operably welding the elements; and a control unit connected to the tool, the control unit being movable with at least one of the structural members and the tool being movable independently from the control unit. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the welding tool comprises a holder operably holding at least one of the elements at a time, and an electromagnetic driver operably moving the element relative to the holder. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the driver is a linear motor. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a feeder and a transfer station, the feeder operably sequentially feeding the elements to the transfer station, the transfer station being movable with at least one of the members. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the element is transferred to the holder in at least two discrete steps. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the welding tool includes an element holder, the holder is rotatable relative to the transfer station, the holder automatically grasps the element and moves it from the transfer station and then the holder rotates the element into a joining position. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a welding arc being created from at least one of the elements when in the tool. 8. A welding machine comprising: a robot having at least one joint between elongated structural members; an arc-welding tool being coupled to one of the structural members; a depositable element-transfer station movable with at least one of the structural members, and the tool being spaced away from and independently movable from the transfer station; a depositable element-feeder; and a tube connecting the feeder to the transfer station, the feeder being substantially stationary and at least a portion of the tube being movable with the transfer station. 9. The machine of claim 8, wherein the arc-welding tool includes a linear depositable element-driver and a set of depositable element retaining jaws. 10. The machine of claim 9, further comprising an automatic actuator operably rotating the arc-welding tool relative to the structural members. 11. The machine of claim 9, wherein the driver is a linear motor. 12. The machine of claim 8, further comprising compressed air causing individualized depositable elements to move through the tube. 13. The machine of claim 8, further comprising a weldable element transferred to the holder in at least two discrete steps. 14. The machine of claim 8, wherein the tool rotates from a joining orientation to a feeding orientation, and the element is fed from the transfer station to the tool when the tool is in the feeding orientation. 15. The machine of claim 8, further comprising an elongated welding head carrier coupling the tool to the one structural member, and an actuator rotating the tool relative to the carrier from a welding orientation to an aligned orientation, the tool being substantially aligned and flush with the adjacent portion of the carrier when in the aligned orientation. 16. The machine of claim 8, further comprising a weldable element directly fed into a distal end of the tool from the transfer station without a hose therebetween. 17. The machine of claim 8, further comprising a weldable element including an elongated shank and a laterally enlarged head, at least a portion of the shank projecting from the transfer station when the head is in the transfer station. 18. A joining system, comprising: multiple depositable elements; a robot having at least one joint between elongated structural members; a fastening tool being coupled to one of the structural members, the tool further comprising an element-holder; and a feeder unit operably containing the elements; the elements being automatically and individually transferred from the feeder unit to the holder in at least two discrete steps to allow at least a first one of the elements to be fastened by the tool simultaneously with feeding of at least a second one of the subsequent elements; each of the elements being fed into an end of the holder from outside the tool. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the tool includes a driver operably linearly moving the depositable elements and a set of jaws operably retaining the depositable elements. 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising an automatic actuator operably rotating the tool relative to the structural members. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the driver is a linear motor. 22. The system of claim 18, wherein the elements are elongated and weldable parts. 23. The system of claim 18, wherein the elements are rivets. 24. The system of claim 18, further comprising a welding arc created adjacent at least one of: one of the elements and the tool. 25. The system of claim 18, further comprising a workpiece, wherein at least a portion of the feeder unit is stationary when the structural members are automatically moved, and the end of the holder is adjacent the workpiece when the element is being joined to the workpiece. 26. The system of claim 18, wherein the tool rotates from a joining orientation to a feeding orientation, and one of the elements is fed into the tool when in the feeding orientation. 27. The system of claim 18, further comprising an elongated welding head carrier coupling the tool to the one structural member, and an actuator rotating the tool relative to the carrier from a welding orientation to an aligned orientation, the tool being substantially aligned and flush with the adjacent portion of the carrier when in the aligned orientation. 28. The system of claim 18, wherein the elements are transferred to a location spaced away from the feeder unit and the tool at the end of the first step. 29. The system of claim 18, wherein the elements are pneumatically transferred in the first step and are mechanically transferred in the second step. 30. A joining system comprising: a robot having at least one joint between elongated structural members; a joining tool coupled to one of the structural members by a second joint; and an electrical control unit connected to the tool, the control unit being movable with at least one of the structural members and the tool being movable independently from the control unit. 31. The system of claim 30, further comprising a set of individual metallic elements welded by the tool. 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the tool includes a holder and an electromagnetic driver which advances the elements relative to the holder, the tool is movable in a manner to allow the holder to release the welded-on element in a direction substantially transverse to a welding direction. 33. The system of claim 30, further comprising a rotary drive unit operable to rotate the tool at the second joint. 34. The system of claim 33, further comprising an elongated drive transmission coupling the rotary drive unit to a member associated with at least one of the tool and the second joint, the rotary drive unit being remotely located away from the tool and the second joint, and the rotary drive unit being movable with at least one of the structural members. 35. The system of claim 30, further comprising a set of rivets linearly inserted by the tool. 36. The system of claim 30, further comprising depositable elements and workpieces, wherein the tool operably bonds the elements to the workpieces. 37. The system of claim 30, further comprising an electric step motor operably rotating the tool at the second joint. 38. A joining system, comprising: an element; a holder operable to at least temporarily retain the element during joining; an automatic element driver located adjacent the holder; a controller connected to and operably controlling the driver, the controller being movable with the holder and the driver in at least one operating condition; a transfer station spaced apart from the holder; and a feeder unit spaced apart from but connected to the transfer station, the feeder unit operably transferring the element to the transfer station where its movement is interrupted before being further transferred to the holder. 39. The joining system according to claim 38, further comprising a projecting elongated carrier, the holder being mounted on an end portion of the projecting elongated carrier. 40. The joining system according to claim 39, wherein the holder is movably mounted on the end portion of the carrier and further comprising a loading drive member operable to move the holder to the transfer station in order to transfer the element to the holder. 41. The joining system according to claim 40, wherein the holder is rotatably mounted on the end portion of the carrier and the loading drive member is operable to rotate the holder along a path to the transfer station. 42. The joining system according to claim 40, wherein the loading drive member comprises a motor arranged on the end portion of the carrier. 43. The joining system according to claim 40, wherein the loading drive member comprises a motor positionable adjacent the controller and a transmission that transmits motions of the motor to the holder. 44. The joining system according to claim 43, wherein the motor is a rotary motor and the transmission is a tension transmission. 45. The joining system according to claim 40, wherein the joining drive member comprises a linear electric motor. 46. The joining system according to claim 45, wherein a longitudinal axis of the joining drive member and a longitudinal axis of the holder are parallel to each other. 47. The joining system according to claim 38, wherein the holder comprises a plurality of jaws positioned around a longitudinal axis of the holder, the jaws being movable towards and away from each other, to one of hold and release the element. 48. The joining system according to claim 47, wherein the plurality of jaws comprises two jaws. 49. The joining system according to claim 47, wherein the jaws are movable away from each other to permit the holder to release the element by being drawn off from the element in a direction oblique to an element joining direction. 50. The joining system according to claim 47, wherein the jaws are movable away from each other to permit the holder to release the element by being swung away from the element about an axis of rotation oriented transverse to an element joining direction. 51. The joining system according to claim 47, further comprising a jaw actuator operable to actively move the jaws. 52. The joining system according to claim 47, wherein the jaws are passively movable relative to each other. 53. The joining system according to claim 39, wherein the transfer station is connectable to the elongated carrier. 54. The joining system according to claim 38, further comprising a robot movable on at least two coordinate axes and a joining system head fixed to the robot. 55. The joining system according to claim 38, further comprising a stationary individualizing device operable to convey the element to the feeder unit. 56. The joining system according to claim 38, wherein the feeder unit comprises an element magazine. 57. A joining system, comprising: an element; a holder operable to at least temporarily retain the element during joining; an automatic element driver located adjacent the holder; a controller connected to and operably controlling the driver, the controller being movable with the holder and the driver in at least one operating condition; a robot having at least one joint between elongated structural members, the controller being connectable to a first one of the structural members by a second joint; a transfer station spaced apart from the holder; and a feeder unit spaced apart from but connected to the transfer station, the feeder unit operably transferring the element to the transfer station where its movement is interrupted before being further transferred to the holder; wherein the controller is spaced apart from the holder and the driver such that the holder and the driver are movable independently from the controller in another operating condition. 58. The system of claim 57, wherein the element further comprising a weld depositable element operably moved relative to the holder by the driver. 59. The system of claim 58, further comprising a welding arc current operably transferred through the element when the element is retained by the holder. 60. The system of claim 57, wherein the element is transferable to the holder in at least two discrete steps. 61. The system of claim 57, wherein the first one of the structural members is operable to separate the controller from the holder and the driver. 62. The system of claim 57, wherein the holder is movable relative to the first one of the structural members. 63. The system of claim 57, further comprising: a metallic element; a workpiece having an opening; and a stationary base of the robot located on one side of the opening of the workpiece; wherein the holder is insertable through the opening of the workpiece to join the element to the workpiece on an opposite side of the opening from the stationary base. 64. The system of claim 57, wherein the driver includes an electromagnetic device. 65. The system of claim 57, wherein the driver includes a linearly moving electric motor. 66. An arc welding system comprising: a weld stud having an elongated shank; a welding head further comprising an elongated carrier and a welding tool moveably coupled to the carrier, the welding tool including a holder and an electromagnetic actuator operably moving the holder, the holder operably holding the stud during arc welding; a transfer station movable with the carrier and temporarily retaining the stud at a position spaced from the welding tool; the welding tool being movable from a welding orientation to a feeding orientation, the holder of the welding tool gripping and removing the shank of the stud from the transfer station when the welding tool is in the feeding orientation. 67. The system of claim 66, further comprising an actuator rotating the welding tool relative to the carrier from the welding orientation to an aligned orientation, the welding tool being substantially aligned and flush with the adjacent portion of the carrier in the aligned orientation. 68. The system of claim 66, wherein the stud includes a laterally enlarged head which is inside the transfer station when the shank projects out of the transfer station immediately prior to gripping of the stud by the holder. 69. The system of claim 66, further comprising a stationary feeder containing multiples of the stud, and a hose connecting the feeder to the transfer station, the studs being fed to the transfer station substantially simultaneously with welding by the welding tool. 70. The system of claim 66, wherein the transfer station includes a magazine containing multiples of the stud. 71. The system of claim 66, wherein the transfer station includes jaws that movably clamp the stud and a sensor operably sensing presence of the stud.