Henrob Limited

Christopher James Clarke

Russell John Trinick

Roger Stanton Doo

Stuart Edmund Blacket

Wojciech Gostylla

Neal Sean Williams

Margaret Lucas

A joint is produced in at least two overlapping workpieces using a joining tool including a punch reciprocally disposed in a cylinder. The workpieces are disposed between the tool and a die. The tool applies a compressive force to deform the workpieces into a joint at a joining area between the tool and die. Continuous ultrasonic energy is applied to at least one of the workpieces in the joining area for at least part of the time during production of the joint to increase the ductility of at least one of the workpieces in the joining area. This induces an acousto-plastic effect in the material being formed which temporarily reduces its strength so as to exhibit increased ductility. The joining method may be used in self-piercing riveting and clinching techniques and enables viable joints to be formed in high strength materials or thick sheets of material.

Joining apparatus and method

A method of riveting comprising using a punch to push a rivet through a workpiece such that a shank of the rivet is received in a die defined by a die body which is in contact with the workpiece, a slug of material being removed from the workpiece by the rivet and being received in the die, the method further comprising closing or substantially closing the die using a rod and using the rod to upset the shank of the rivet.

Riveting method and apparatus

A self-piercing rivet () for forming joints in stacked sheets of high or low strength, light alloy metals such as aluminum and magnesium. The rivet () comprises a head () and a substantially cylindrical shank () that is at least partially hollow so as to define a bore () that extends along at least part of its length. The outside diameter (D) of the shank () is at least 6 mm, the effective length of the rivet is at least 1.3 times the diameter of the shank and the bore () has a volume that is at least 38% of the effective solid volume of the rivet (). The rivet geometry is such that it has enhanced column strength to withstand the high insertion forces required and a high bore volume to accommodate displaced sheet material.

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Cheshire, United Kingdom

Christopher James Clarke