Method for positioning a component and component positioning device

Abstract

A method is provided for positioning a component, in particular a sheet metal component, which has a first hole or a first recess. The component with the first hole or the first recess is placed on a first support which is spherical-shaped or shaped as a spherical cap.

Claims

1. A method of positioning a sheet component, the method comprising the acts of: providing the sheet component with a first circular hole or a first circular recess having a hole or recess diameter; resting the sheet component with the first circular hole or the first circular recess on a surface of a first support formed by a sphere or a spherical cap having a sphere or a spherical cap diameter larger than the hole or recess diameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of: providing the sheet component with a second circular hole or a second circular recess having a second hole or recess diameter; and resting the sheet component, via the second circular hole or the second circular recess, on a surface of a second support formed by a sphere or a spherical cap having a sphere or a spherical cap diameter larger than the second hole or recess diameter.

3. A method of positioning a component, the method comprising the acts of: providing the component with a first hole or a first recess having a first hole or first recess diameter and with a second hole or a second recess having a second hole or second recess diameter; and resting the component with the first hole or the first recess on a surface of a first support formed by a sphere or a spherical cap and, via the second hole or the second recess, on a surface of a second support formed by a sphere or a spherical cap, each of the spheres or spherical caps having a sphere or spherical cap diameter larger than both the first hole or first recess diameter and the second hole or second recess diameter; wherein one or both of the first and second holes or the first and second recesses is circular.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the act of: placing the component onto a third support at a point of the component.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein one or more of the first, second, or third supports is or are magnetic, whereby during the placing the component is attracted by the magnetic support.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third support is formed by a sphere or a spherical cap.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the component is a sheet metal component.

8. A positioning device for positioning a component having a first circular hole or a first circular recess having a first diameter and a second circular hole or a second circular recess having a second diameter, the positioning device comprising: at least a first support and a second support, each configured as a sphere or a spherical cap having a sphere or spherical cap diameter larger than the first and second diameters, wherein the component is placeable so as to rest by way of the first circular hole or the first circular recess and the second circular hole or the second circular recess of the component on surfaces of the first and second supports.

9. The positioning device according to claim 8, wherein the positioning device comprises three supports, each of which is formed by a sphere or a spherical cap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a view of three spheres provided as supports for a component.

(2) FIG. 2 is a view of a sheet metal component which is placed on the supports illustrated in FIG. 1.

(3) FIGS. 3A and 3B are views of two variants of longitudinally displaceable supports.

(4) FIG. 4 is a view of a supporting table equipped with a hole grid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates an arrangement of three steel balls 1, 2, 3. The two steel balls 1 and 2 are arranged in a spatially fixed manner on an assigned support base 1a, 2a. The support bases 1a, 2a each have the shape of a cylindrical ring whose diameter is smaller than that of the ball 1 and 2, respectively.

(6) The ball 3 rests on a bearing rail formed by two parallel rail walls 4a, 4b. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the diameter of the ball 3 is larger than the spacing of the two rail walls 4a, 4b. The ball 3 can therefore be rolled or displaced in the longitudinal direction 5 of the bearing rail 4.

(7) FIG. 2 illustrates a steel or aluminum sheet component 6, in which a first circular hole 7 and a second circular hole 8 are provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the diameter of the holes 7, 8 is smaller than the diameter of the balls 1, 3. By means of its holes 7, 8, the component 6 is thereby disposed on the two balls 1, 3. Because the ball 3 is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the supporting rail 7, 8, the component lies without any induced strains on the two balls 7, 8 such that the holes 7, 8 come to be centered with respect to the balls 1, 3. A rearward area 9 of the component 6 will lie on the ball 2.

(8) Because the two balls 1, 2 are arranged in a spatially fixed manner with respect to a supporting table or a supporting plate 10 and the spacing of the two holes 7, 8 is predefined, a mere placing of the component 6 on the balls 1, 2, 3 can cause the component 6 to be moved in a very simple manner into a predefined spatial orientation. In this manner, components 6 can be aligned with high precision in an accurately repeatable manner in a defined direction in the space.

(9) FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the bearing rail 4 illustrated in FIG. 1.

(10) As an alternative to the bearing rail 4, the ball 3 could also be arranged by way of a support base 11, which is fixedly connected with a slide block 12 as shown in FIG. 3A. The slide block 12 is longitudinally displaceable in the direction of the arrow 5 arranged on a supporting rail 13. The supporting rail 13 may be coupled with the slide block 12, for example, by way of a dovetail guide.

(11) FIG. 4 illustrates a supporting table 10 which is equipped with a regular-distribution hole grid. In the case of the embodiment illustrated here, the supports 1, 2, 3 formed by the balls are fixed on the hole grid of the supporting table 10. The ball 1 can be adjusted in its height by way of a vertically adjustable holding element 14, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the supporting table 10. In the same manner, the ball 2 can be adjusted in its height by way of a vertically adjustable adjusting element 14a. Here, the ball 3 can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of an oblong hole 15 provided in a supporting part.

(12) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.