Button feed unit for button applicator

Abstract: A button feed unit ( 30 ) can be adapted in a button feeder to guide the button element ( 70 ) and to arrange the direction of surface pattern provided on the front face of the button element ( 70 ) and can be used widely for a variety of buttons of different sizes by exchangeable components for at least a feed path for the button element ( 70 ). A pair of front guide base members ( 31, 35 ) are provided with guide faces ( 31b, 35d ) on the upper faces for guiding the front face of the button element ( 70 ), and the guide faces ( 31b, 35d ) are disposed along the feed direction of the button element and face oppositely at the predetermined interval to guide the periphery of the button element ( 70 ). A pair of back guide members ( 32, 36 ) are respectively disposed on and secured to the guide faces ( 31b, 35d ) to guide at least the periphery of the back face of the button element ( 70 ). A pusher passage defining member ( 50 ) is disposed between a pair of the front guide base members ( 31, 35 ) to define a pusher passage for extruding the circular head of the button element ( 70 ). One of the back guide members ( 32, 36 ) for the button element is provided with a button rotating attachment ( 38 ) having a button element guide path of a wedge-shaped cross section to pinch a part of the periphery of the button head and to urge the button head resiliently toward the other back guide member, wherein at least the attachment ( 38 ) is exchangable.

Description: This invention relates to a button feed unit which is disposed in a button feeder to guide a button element into a pocket disposed directly below a punch of a caulking unit after the button element and a rivet element are respectively delivered from individual chutes to the button feeder in a button applicator, and more particularly to a button feed unit which can be adapted in a button feeder to guide the button element and arrange the direction of surface pattern provided on the front face of the button element and which can be used widely for a variety of buttons of different sizes by exchangable components of constituting at least a feed path for the button element. EP-A-0 222 543 (= JP-U-3 12738) discloses a button feed unit for a button applicator which is provided for smoothly feeding buttons without increasing frictional resistance to the movement of the buttons. The button feed unit is disposed in the button feed path to feed a button element to the button applicator while orienting the button element having a circular head with an orienting recess on the back face. It comprises a front guide member which is provided with a guide face on the upper face for guiding the front face of the button element, the guide face being disposed along the feed direction of said button element. Further, a pair of back guide members to guide at least the periphery of the back face of said button element is is provided. One of the back guide members for the button element being provided with a button rotating attachment having a button element guide path of a wedge-shaped cross-section to pinch a part of the periphery of the button head and means to urge the button head resiliently toward the other back guide member and a pusher moving back and forth to transport the button element within the button feed path. When the button element in this button feed unit is passed through the button feed path, the head of the button element with a large diameter is pinched between the wedge-shaped guide path and the pressurizing member. Therefore, as the button head is transported in the button feed path from the chute to the caulking unit, one side of the button element has a larger friction coefficient than the other side thereof. Accordingly, when the button element is extruded by the pusher through the button feed path, it is transported while it rotates about its axis. Then, a finger is moved together with the pusher and a downward projection of the finger is engaged in the recess formed on the back face of the button head to orient and place a desired direction of the button element. Furthermore, with the button feed unit disclosed in EP-A-0 222 543, since both the pressurizing member and side guide member are swingably attached to the guide base by a pin, and at the same time, compression coil springs are set between both the member and the guide base, they can not be easily disassembled once they are assembled as the feed unit. As a result, the button feed unit is difficult to correspond with various button elements having a variety of diameters of heads. Accordingly, the button feeder cannot be used widely for various buttons and button feed units as many as the number of the varieties of button elements are required if various button elements are used. Further, with these button feed units, when a part of the button element is pressurized by the pressurizing member, a portion of the button element put in the wedge-shaped groove is pushed by the slanted surface in the horizontal direction, and at the same time, the periphery of the button element put in the opposite groove is pinched resiliently between the upper and lower faces of the groove. Consequently, the button element cannot be rotated smoothly due to reduced rotating force and thus cannot be arranged in the desired direction surely as was expected. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a button feed unit which can readily correspond with a variety of button elements, of which components can be easily exchanged for new components corresponding to button elements of various sizes. Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description. As claimed, a button feed unit for a button applicator is provided which is disposed in a button feed path to feed a button element to the button applicator while orienting the button element having a circular head with an orienting recess on the back face. The button feed unit comprises a guide base member which is provided with a guide face on the upper face for guiding the front face of the button element, the guide face being disposed along the feed direction of the button element. A pair of back guide members guides at least the periphery of the back face of the button element. One of the back guide members for the button element is provided with a button rotating attachment having a button element guide path of a wedge-shaped cross-section to pinch a part of the periphery of the button head and to urge the button head resiliently toward the other back guide member. According to the invention a pair of front guide base members is provided which are oppositely faced at the predetermined interval to guide the periphery of the button element, the pair of back guide members is respectively disposed on and secured to guide faces, provided on the top side of the front guide base members, a pusher passage defining member is disposed between the pair off front guide base members to define a pusher passage for extruding the circular head of the button element and at least the button rotating attachment is exchangable. Further, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the pusher passage includes a cam face for guiding the pusher therealong. According to this invention, since only a part of the head periphery of the button element is pinched upwardly and downwardly by the wedge portion of the attachment and the head periphery in the opposite side of the pinched portion is linearly contacted with the inside of the first back guide member during rotation of the button element, the frictional resistance is almost never produced to rotate the button element very smoothly. In this case, when the button element is exchanged for the other button element of different size, firstly, locking screw parts are removed to separate the second back guide member from the second front guide base member. Thereafter, the attachment is detached from the second back guide member, and is exchanged for the other attachment for a new button element. Then, the net attachment is assembled in the second back guide member and the second back guide member is combined with the second front guide base member. It is possible to exchange the first back guide member by detaching the locking member if necessary. And it is moreover possible to exchange the second back guide member including the attachment as an unit. When button elements of different sizes will be transported along the feed path since the button feed unit comprises a pair of opposite guide members, at least one detachable guide member having a wedge-shaped space must be exchanged for new attachments prepared for the different button elements. In the following the invention is further elucidated by a description of an embodiment by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a button feed unit showing a typical embodiment of this invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the main part of a button feeder with the feed unit; FIG. 3 is an enlarged and exploded view showing a back guide member of the button feed unit; FIG. 4 is vertical sectional view of the button feeder shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of A-A line in FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a top plan view showing the main part of this button feeder; and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an outline of a button applicator. An embodiment of this invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 7 shows an outline of a button applicator which is quipped with a button feed unit according to this invention. A button caulking unit of the applicator comprises a vertically movable caulking punch 1 which has a retainer 2 for gripping a rivet element 71, and a die 4 which is disposed below the retainer 2 and has a pocket 3 for setting a button element 70, wherein the rivet element 71 is caulked in the button element 70. The button element 70 is fed from a hopper through a chute 5 and a button feeder 20 into the pocket 3. The button feeder 20 is disposed from an outlet location of the chute 5 to the location of the pocket 3. The button element is transported in the button feeder 20 while the side of the head is pushed by a pusher (not shown) which moves back and forth by means of a swing movement produced by a swing lever (not shown). Finally, the rivet element 71 is caulked through a garment in the button element 70 in operation of the punch 1 to assemble the both elements integrally. FIG. 1 is an exploded view which shows components of the feed unit 30 of this invention constituting a part of the button element feeder 20. The button element feed unit 30 as shown in Fig. 3 comprises first and second front guide base members 31 and 35 which are respectively provided with guide faces 31b and 35d for guiding the front face of the button element 70, first and second back guide members 32 and 36 which are respectively disposed and fixed onto the guide members and also respectively provided with guide faces for guiding at least the periphery of the back face of the button element 70, and a pusher passage defining member 50 which is disposed and fixed between a pair of front guide base members 31 and 35 to define a pusher passage for extruding the circular head of the button element 70. The second back guide member 36 for the button element 70 is provided with an attachment 38 having a wedge-shaped space for pinching a part of the periphery of the button head upwardly and downwardly and for resiliently urging the button element toward the other back guide base member. The composition of the individual members will be illustrated in detail below. The first front guide base member 31 is composed of a rectangular metal plate block machined to a desired shape, a recess 31a for leading the button element 70 fed from the chute 5 (in FIG. 7) being formed in one end of the upper face of the block, and a smooth guide face 31b for guiding the front side of the button element 70 being formed on the other portion of the upper face. The guide face 31b is provided with a grooved engaging portion 31c on a part of its outside, which is guided with a locking member 33 to combine the first back guide member 32 with the first front guide base member 31. Insertion holes 31d for plural bolts are drilled in the first front guide base member 31 to join the front guide base member 31 to the second front guide base member 35 by bolts. The detailed explanation of the other machined parts is omitted herein. The second front guide base member 35 is oppositely joined to the first front guide base member 31, and is provided with a guide face defining member 35b of an L-shaped cross section which is stood along a side edge of the upper face of the square block 35a as shown in FIG. 1. A recess 35c for locking a positioning member 45 of the button element 70 is formed on the upper face of the guide face defining member 35b at the portion corresponding to the button element leading recess 31a of the first front guide base member 31. The other upper face of the guide face defining member 35b is formed as a smooth guide face 35d for guiding the front side of the button element 70. A plurality of bolt holes 35e are drilled in the square block 35a to join the front guide base member 31 and a plurality of screwed holes are also formed in the guide face defining member 35b to lock the back guide member 36 and a pusher passage defining member 50. The first back guide member 32 is put on and fixed to the guide face 31b of the first front guide base member 31. The first back guide member 32 comprises a square block of an L-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 1 and 5 and is provided with an engaging groove 32a for engaging with the locking member 33 at the portion corresponding to the engaging portion 31c of the front guide base member 31 and provided with a screwed hole 32b for locking the locking member 33 in the engaging groove 32a. The locking member 33 has an engaging protrusion 33b at one end of a body 33a as shown in FIG. 1. The body 33a is engaged with the engaging groove 32a of the first back guide member 32 and the engaging protrusion 33b is also engaged with the grooved engaging portion 31c of the first front guide base member 31. A bolt is inserted through a bolt insertion hole 33c formed in the body 33a into the screwed hole 32b of the back guide member 32 to join the both first front guide member 31 and first back guide member 32 integrally. The second back guide member 36 is disposed opposite to the first back guide member 32 and comprises a plurality of attachments as shown in FIG. 3 presenting an enlarged and exploded view of the second back guide member. The second back guide member 36 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 comprises a spacer 37 of a concave plate which is directly put and secured to the guide face 35d of the second front guide base member 35, an attachment 38 which is put on the spacer 37 and is engaged with a concave portion 37a of the spacer 37, a plate of attachment guide member 39 having the same length as the front guide base member 35, which is urged resiliently from the outside toward the attachment 38, the attachment 38 being slidably pinched between the spacer 37 and the guide member 39, and a regulating plate member 41 which is secured through compression coil springs 40 to the outside of the attachment guide member 39 to urge resiliently the back face of the attachment 38 by the compression coil springs 40 and to support the rear ends of the compression coil springs 40. These parts may be freely assembled and disassembled by bolts. The attachment 38 is an important component of this invention and is composed of a plate of substantially T-shaped cross section which is provided with the wide portion 38b as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5. The attachment 38 has engaging protrusions 38a on both longitudinal ends and a portion 38c projected from the lower face along the whole length. The engaging protrusion 38a is engaged with an engaging groove 39a formed in the attachment guide member 39. The projected portion 38c has a downwardly inclined and tapered face on the inside to provide a pinching guide space 38d having a wedge-shaped cross section for pinching the button element 70 between the upper body 38e and the tapered face. The attachment guide member 39 is provided with a recess 39b having substantially the same shape as the attachment 38 and engaging grooves 39a on the back face arranged opposite to the attachment 38. The attachment guide member 39 is also provided with plural concave grooves 39c formed in the recess 39b to mount the compression coil springs 40. The pusher passage defining member 50 comprises a square block as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, and is provided with a cam surface 50a formed in the one side of the square block. The cam surface 50a is composed of a horizontal face, a downwardly inclined face and a horizontal face which are arranged in this order in the extruding direction of the pusher 22. The square block has a length equal to that of the first and second front guide base members 31 and 35 and a width of the lower part equal to that of the square block 35a of the second front guide base member 35. The cam surface 50a has a width substantially equal to the thickness of the pusher 22. The width of the upper face of the pusher passage defining member 50 is equal to the width of the back face of the guide face defining member 35b of the second front guide base member 35. Plural insertion holes 50b for bolts are drilled in the pusher passage defining member 50, and screwed holes are also formed in the guide face defining member 35b of the second front guide base member 35, to join the both members 50 and 35 integrally by bolts. In this embodiment, the second front guide base member 35 and the pusher passage defining member 50 are individually formed, however, the both members 35 and 50 may be formed together of one piece material. FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 show an embodiment of a button feeder having the above-mentioned button element feeding attachment according to this invention. Since a tension spring 23 is set between the rear end of a pusher 22 and the middle part of a swing lever 21 as shown in the drawings, the end of the pusher 22 is always urged resiliently downwardly. A longitudinally extended recess 22a is formed on the upper face of the tip part of the pusher 22 and a cam contactor 22b is protruded from the lower face of tip part of the pusher. The cam contactor 22b is always contacted with the surface of a pusher passage in the button element feed unit according to this invention. The tip end of a plate finger member 24 is projected slightly from the tip of the pusher 22 and is engaged with the recess 22a. The substantially central position of the finger member 24 is pivoted by a pin 25 to the substantially central position of the pusher 22. The finger member 24 corresponds to an engaging means according to this invention and is provided on the lower face of the tip with an engaging protrusion 24a which is engaged in an orienting recess 70a formed on the back face of the head of the button element 70. A compression coil spring is set between the lower face of the rear end of the finger member 24 and the pusher 22, so that the tip of the finger member 24 is urged resiliently about the pin 25 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 4 and the engaging protrusion 24a is normally contacted with the frontal edge of the pusher 22. FIG. 2 shows that the button element feed unit 30 assembled by the above-mentioned individual members is attached to the button applicator. An outlet of the feed chute 5 is disposed against the button element leading recess 31a of the first front guide base member 31. The pusher 22 is put in the pusher passage defined between the first and second front guide base members 31 and 35. With the button element feeder according to this invention, the button element 70 fed from the chute 5 is transported at a downwardly faced position of the button head surface into the button feed path defined between the first and second front guide base member 31, 35 and the first and second back guide members 32, 36. Then, the pusher 22 is retracted to the inlet of the pusher passage, and the tip of the cam contactor 22b is contacted resiliently onto the horizontal cam face 50a of the pusher passage defining member 50. The lower half part of the frontal edge of the pusher 22 is contacted to the periphery of the button head of the button element 70 fed into the button feed path, and the engaging protrusion 24a of the finger member 24 is disposed above the back face of the button element 70. Thereafter, when the swing lever 21 is swung and the pusher 22 proceeds along the pusher passage, the cam contactor 22b is resiliently guided along the cam surface 50a of the pusher passage defining member 50. When the cam contactor 22b reaches to the final horizontal cam face in the button feed direction, the pusher 22 descends to push the periphery of the button head by the central portion of the frontal edge thereof, and at the same time, the engaging protrusion 24a of the finger member 24 is resiliently contacted with the back face of the button element 70 while the button element 70 rotates about its axis in the counter-clockwise direction against the resilience. Thus, while the button element 70 is fed through the feed path to the pocket 3 of the button applicator, a part of the front and back faces of the periphery of the button element 70 is urged resiliently in the direction orthogonal to the side face of the pusher 22 and pinched within the wedge-shaped space 38d of the attachment 38, so that the frictional resistance of the pinched front and back faces becomes larger than that of the other periphery to produce the rotational force about the vertical axis of the button element 70. Accordingly, when the button element 70 is transported by the pusher 22, it rotates about its vertical axis and proceeds along the feed path. Then, the engaging protrusion 24a of the finger member 24 protrudes from the frontal edge of the pusher 22 and is resiliently contacted with the back face of the button element 70, so that the engaging protrusion 24a is engaged with the engaging recess 70a of the back face of the button head to arrest the rotation of the button element 70. Therefore, the button element 70 is certainly transported at the desired orientation of the surface pattern to the pocket 3. According to this invention, since only a part of the head periphery of the button element 70 is pinched up and down by the wedge portion of the attachment 38 and the head periphery in the opposite side of the pinched portion is linearly contacted with the inside of the first back guide member 32 during rotation of the button element 70, the frictional resistance is almost never produced to rotate the button element 70 very smoothly. In this case, when the button element 70 is exchanged for the other button element of different size, first, locking screw parts are removed to separate the second back guide member 36 from the second front guide base member 35. Thereafter, the attachment 38 is detached from the second back guide member 36, and is exchanged for the other attachment for a new button element. Then, the new attachment is assembled in the second back guide member 36 and the second back guide member is combined with the second front guide base member 35. It is possible to exchange the first back guide member 32 by detaching the locking member 33 if necessary. Moreover it is possible to exchange the second back guide member 36 including the attachment 38 as an unit. In this embodiment, the engaging recess 70a engaged with the engaging protrusion 24a of the finger member 24 is shown as a favourable example of the engaging portion of the button element 70, however, a tongue-shaped engaging portion may be of course adopted as the engaging means. As stated clearly hereinabove, according to this invention, since components for constituting at least a button feed path in the button feeder may be detached from the button feeder, when the button elements of different sizes are used in this feeder, this button feeder can readily and immediately correspond with new button elements by exchanging the components only. Therefore, this button feeder can be broadly used for feeding a variety of button elements. Frictional resistance is caused on one side of the feed path and is imparted to the button element to orient the desired direction of the button element, and frictional resistance is almost never applied to the other side of the feed path which is disposed opposite to the former side of the feed path. Therefore, since the button element undergoes greater frictional resistance at one side than at the other side in the feed path, the button element can be smoothly rotated about its vertical axis and surely oriented and placed by the engaging portion of the pusher. According to this invention, a button feeder is characterized in that a pusher is reciprocated in a pusher passage within the button feed unit by a swing lever, and in spite of opening of the upper part of the pusher passage, the tip of the pusher is always urged downwardly and is resiliently contacted on the cam surface during reciprocation of the pusher. Since the engaging protrusion projected from the frontal edge of the pusher is always urged downwardly, the engaging protrusion is resiliently contacted with the back face of the button head certainly. When the button element is also transported along the button feed path within the feed unit, while it rotates about its vertical axis, the engaging portion of the tip of the pusher is certainly engaged with the engaging recess formed on the back face of the button element. Therefore, it is possible to arrest the rotation of the button element with respect to the surface pattern of the button element at the desired orientation.

Claims: A button feed unit for a button applicator, which is disposed in a button feed path to feed a button element (70) to the button applicator while orienting the button element having a circular head with an orienting recess (70a) on the back face, comprising a guide base member (31, 35) which is provided with a guide face on the upper face for guiding the front face of the button element, the guide face (31b, 35d) being disposed along the feed direction of the button element, a pair of back guide members (32, 36) to guide at least the periphery of the back face of the button element (70), one of the back guide members (32, 36) for the button element being provided with a button rotating attachment (38) having a button element guide path of a wedge-shaped cross-section to pinch a part of the periphery of the button head and to urge the button head resiliently toward the other back guide member, characterised in that, a pair of front guide base members (31, 35) is provided which are oppositely faced at the predetermined interval to guide the periphery of the button element (70), the pair of back guide members (32, 36) is respectively disposed on and secured to guide faces (31b, 35d) provided on the top side of the front guide members (31, 35), a pusher passage defining member (50) is disposed between the pair of front guide base members (31, 35) to define a pusher passage for extruding the circular head of the button element (70), and at least the button rotating attachment (38) is exchangable. The button feed unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the pusher passage includes a cam face (50a) for guiding the pusher therealong.

Inventors: ITO KAZUYOSHI, SODENO TOSHIAKI, ITO, KAZUYOSHI, SODENO, TOSHIAKI
Applicants: YKK CORP, YKK CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A41H37
IPC codes: A41H37, B65G47