Letter Box Strip Punching for Faster Riveted Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional processes for attaching the ends of a side frame and fixing a base plate to the flanges of a letter box are cumbersome and time-consuming, resulting in an aesthetically unpleasing final product.

Innovation Solution

A new process involving a bender, processor, and puncher to measure and punch holes in a strip of material, allowing for easier attachment of the side frame ends and base plate to the flanges, using a bender to shape the material into a desired form with flanges and notches, and a puncher to create matching holes for rivets or screws.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional processes are used for attaching the ends of the side frame and fixing the base plate, then the attachment can be completed, but the process is cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment process speedVSAvoidattachment process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Holes are punched in the strip of material at predetermined locations before the bending and assembly operations. This preliminary action eliminates the need for drilling or punching holes during assembly, significantly reducing the attachment process time and complexity while improving productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment process is divided into distinct stages: hole punching, bending, and assembly. The hole punching operation is separated and performed independently on the flat strip before forming, allowing for optimized processing and easier automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional attachment processes are used, then the letter box can be assembled, but the final product appearance is aesthetically unpleasing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly easeVSAvoidfinal product appearance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The hole punching operation is merged with the bending and forming operations into a single integrated process flow. The holes are created on the flat strip and remain in correct positions after bending, eliminating separate alignment and drilling steps and ensuring consistent aesthetic appearance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11247255B2Letter box with auto riveting

Publication Date: 2022.02.15 SDNS INC

AI summary

An apparatus to produce a letterbox using a strip of material includes: a bender to receive and bend the strip of material into a desired shape of a letterbox including flanges and notches, and the bender to bend at least one end of the strip of material slightly to produce a slight bent; a processor 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; and a puncher 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, and the puncher to punch the second plurality of holes on the flanges according to the second plurality of hole positions.