The present disclosure relates to three-dimensional signage displays formed with letter boxes, and more specifically, to automatic riveting of a letter box using a new process.
Three-dimensional signage displays are installed to inform the consumers of the name and nature of the businesses. Thus, the signage displays enable the consumers to easily recognize and understand the nature of the businesses. The signage displays include illumination units to easily identify the businesses during the day as well as night time.
This disclosure describes a new process for making holes that enable easier attachment of the ends of the side frame of a letter box and easier fixing of a base plate to the flanges of the letter box than the conventional processes. The process also describes a corresponding apparatus that performs the new process.
In one implementation, an apparatus configured to produce a letterbox using a strip of material is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a processor configured to measure a first plurality of hole positions on a first end of the strip of material and a second plurality of hole positions on flanges of the strip of material, wherein the first plurality of hole positions on the first end are measured to match a first plurality of holes on a second end of the strip of material, wherein the second plurality of hole positions on the flanges are measured to match a second plurality of holes on a base plate; a puncher configured to punch the first plurality of holes on at least one of the first end and the second end of the strip of material according to the first plurality of hole positions, the puncher also configured to punch the second plurality of holes on the flanges according to the second plurality of hole positions; a support structure; an auto rivet machine coupled to the support structure, the support structure configured to support and hold the auto rivet machine such that the auto rivet machine can be moved above the first and second plurality of holes on the letterbox to be riveted, wherein the processor is configured to measure and move the auto rivet machine above the first and second plurality of holes to be riveted.
In another implementation, a method for producing a letterbox using a strip of material is disclosed. The method includes: measuring a first plurality of hole positions on a first end of the strip of material and a second plurality of hole positions on flanges of the strip of material, wherein the first plurality of hole positions on the first end are measured to match a first plurality of holes on a second end of the strip of material, wherein the second plurality of hole positions on the flanges are measured to match a second plurality of holes on a base plate; punching the first plurality of holes on at least one of the first end and the second end of the strip of material according to the first plurality of hole positions; punching the second plurality of holes on the flanges according to the second plurality of hole positions; and supporting and moving a rivet machine above the first and second plurality of holes on the letterbox to be riveted.
Other features and advantages of the present disclosure should be apparent from the following description which illustrates, by way of example, aspects of the disclosure.
The details of the present disclosure, both as to its structure and operation, may be gleaned in part by study of the accompanying drawings.
A typical three-dimensional signage 100 is described with reference to
The side frame 120 can be formed with a strip of metallic material such as aluminum or steel. In some cases, the side frame 120 can be formed with a strip of non-metallic material such as plastic. Thus, a bender bends the strip of material into a three-dimensional shape such that the light from the illumination devices is transmitted through the upper panel 110 to light the three-dimensional signage 100. The bending process may also include flanging (i.e., folding of one side of the side frame 120) to form flanges 122 and notching (i.e., V-cutting or V-stamping) to form notches 124.
Once the side frame 120 is formed into a particular shape, the base plate 130 is inserted into the letter box and is made to rest on the flange 122. Further, the ends 126 of the side frame 120 are attached using adhesive or by welding. The base plate 130 is fixed to the letter box using adhesive or by manually drilling holes through the base plate 130 into the flange 122. However, the process of attaching the ends 126 of the side frame 120 and fixing the base plate 130 to the flange 122 can be a very cumbersome process which may take a long time and the end product may not look very aesthetically pleasing.
This disclosure describes a new process for making holes that enable easier attachment of the ends of the side frame of a letter box and easier fixing of a base plate to the flanges of the letter box than the conventional processes. The process also describes a corresponding apparatus that performs the new process. The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is intended as a description of various implementations and is not intended to represent the only implementations in which the disclosure may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the implementations. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in simplified form for brevity of description. As used herein, like reference numerals refer to like features throughout the written description.
The bender 250 can also be coupled to an automatic hole puncher (not shown) that makes holes 214 at appropriate places (measured by a processor and fed in by a feeder associated with the bender) where the ends 210, 212 overlap so that the rivets or screws 230 can be inserted into the holes to fasten the two ends 210, 212 once the three-dimensional shape has been completed. In another implementation, the slight bending can be done at either end (e.g., at the second end 210) or both ends (both ends 212, 210) of the side frame.
In one implementation, the holes are punched at appropriate places prior to the process of bending the side frame 610. In another implementation, the holes are punched at appropriate places during the process of bending the side frame 610.
In one implementation, the strip of material 1610 is metallic material such as aluminum or steel. In another implementation, the strip of material 1610 is non-metallic material such as plastic. In one implementation, the apparatus 1600 is configured to produce the letterbox using the strip of material 1600 which includes holes that are made to enable easier attachment of the ends of the strip of material 1600 and to enable easier fixing of a base plate to the flanges of the letter box than the conventional processes.
In the illustrated implementation of
In one implementation, the cutting device 1640 is similar to the cutting device 310 configured to cut the bottom portion of the tip (the portion where the flange would be) of one end of the strip of material. In another implementation, the cutting device 1650 is similar to the cutting device 400 configured as a rotatable V-cutter/stamp/punch for performing notching which produces notches (e.g., notches 124, 522). In one implementation, the puncher 1660 is configured to form and/or punch the holes on at least one end of the strip of material 1610 and the flanges according to the hole positions measured by the processor 1630. The puncher 1660 may also be configured to form and/or punch the holes on the base plate to match the holes on the flanges of the completed letter box. In one implementation, the holes are formed and/or punched at appropriate places prior to the process of bending the strip of material 1610. In another implementation, the holes are formed and/or punched at appropriate places during the process of bending the strip of material 1610.
In the illustrated implementation of
As described above regarding
In additional implementations, the formed letter box (see
In one implementation, the gantry 2000 includes a flat surface (or table) 2030 and a support structure 2032. The flat surface 2030 provides a surface on which the letter box can be placed. The support structure 2032 supports and holds the auto rivet machine 2010 so that the machine 2010 can be moved right above the hole to be riveted. Similar to the configuration of the machine, the gantry 2000 (including the flat surface/table 2030 and the support structure 2032) can be configured separate from the bender or incorporated into the bender. Further, since the processor has the “blue print” of the hole positions, the support structure 2032 and the machine 2010 are moved by the processor to place the machine 2010 above the holes for riveting.
In one implementation, an origin point 2020 (e.g., an initial hole position) is provided by placing the letter box 2022 at a particular point on the flat surface 2030 so that the rivet machine 2010 can be moved right above the particular point by the support structure 2032, which is controlled by the processor. In another implementation, the rivet machine 2010 is moved to the origin point 2020 by an operator so that the rivet machine 2010 can begin the riveting process from the origin point 2020. In illustrated implementation of
The above descriptions of the disclosed implementations are provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to these implementations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles described herein can be applied to other implementations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. For example, although the examples show two cutting stations and one sorter, any number of cutting stations and sorters can be used. Thus, it will be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent implementations of the disclosure and are therefore representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present disclosure. It will be further understood that the scope of the present disclosure fully encompasses other implementations that may become obvious to those skilled in the art and that the scope of the present disclosure is accordingly limited by nothing other than the appended claims.
Accordingly, the foregoing implementations are merely presented as examples and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatus and/or devices. The description of the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
This application is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/172,558, filed Oct. 26, 2018. This application also claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/591,671, filed Nov. 28, 2017. The disclosures of the above-referenced applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62591671 | Nov 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16172558 | Oct 2018 | US |
Child | 16203398 | US |