Blind Rivet Sleeve Annular Groove for Non-Drilling Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for releasing blind rivet arrangements often result in damage to the workpiece due to swarf creation and improper drilling, leading to contamination and incomplete joint release, which can prevent re-use of the same type of rivet.

Innovation Solution

A rivet sleeve with an annular groove on the head undersurface allows for the separation of the sleeve head into a remaining head and ring, enabling easy removal without damaging the workpiece, and a flange section for enhanced holding forces and tool support to prevent surface contact during separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If the sleeve head is drilled out using a twist drill, then the rivet sleeve can be released, but swarf is created causing corrosion and damage to the workpiece arrangement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereleasing of rivet sleeveVSAvoidswarf creation causing corrosion and damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeve head is segmented from the sleeve shank through the annular groove, allowing the sleeve head to be separated and removed as a distinct component. This segmentation enables the sleeve head to be released without drilling into the workpiece, thereby eliminating swarf creation and its associated harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of repair

If a twist drill is used to release the rivet sleeve, then the sleeve can be removed, but the drill deflects into the softer rivet sleeve when contacting the harder mandrel rest

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereleasing of rivet sleeveVSAvoiddrill deflection and off-center drilling
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The annular groove creates a segmentation between the sleeve head and sleeve shank, allowing the sleeve head to be removed independently. This eliminates the need for drilling operations that could cause drill deflection when encountering the harder mandrel rest, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of drilling into the rivet sleeve from the visible side (which causes deflection), the invention inverts the approach by separating the sleeve head through the annular groove and removing it as a separate piece, avoiding the drilling-deflection problem entirely.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of repair

If drilling is performed at high contact pressure to prevent sleeve co-rotation, then the rivet sleeve can be released, but damage to the workpiece arrangement occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereleasing of rivet sleeveVSAvoiddamage to workpiece arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The annular groove segments the sleeve head from the sleeve shank, allowing the sleeve head to be separated and removed without drilling into the workpiece. This eliminates the need for high contact pressure drilling that causes damage to the workpiece arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sleeve head is extracted from the rivet arrangement through separation at the annular groove, removing it as a distinct component without requiring drilling operations that would damage the workpiece arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If the same position is reused for another blind rivet, then resource efficiency improves, but the position may be damaged by previous releasing operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvere-use of rivet positionVSAvoidintegrity of workpiece arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The annular groove segments the sleeve head from the sleeve shank, allowing the sleeve head to be removed without drilling into the workpiece arrangement. This preserves the integrity of the workpiece and the rivet hole, enabling reliable re-use of the same position for another blind rivet.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sleeve head is discarded as a separate component after separation at the annular groove, while the workpiece arrangement and rivet hole are recovered intact, maintaining their integrity for potential re-use with another blind rivet.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentEP2644909B1Rivet sleeve, blind rivet arrangement and method for releasing the same
Publication Date: 2017.08.09 NEWFREY LLC
  • EP2644909B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2644909B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP2644909B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A rivet sleeve (10) for a blind rivet arrangement (50), said rivet sleeve having a sleeve shank (14) and a sleeve head (12), which is connected to said sleeve shank, the head outside diameter (20) of said sleeve head being greater than a shank outside diameter (24) of the sleeve shank (14), and which has a head undersurface (28) which points to the sleeve shank (14), and said rivet sleeve having an axial through-bore (16) for accommodating a mandrel. In this case, an annular groove (30), the groove inside diameter (32) of which corresponds to the shank outside diameter (24), is formed on the head undersurface (28) (Figure 1).