US 12,479,102 B2
Apparatus and method for piston insertion
Seung Yeop Lee, Ulsan (KR); Dong Ho Kwak, Ulsan (KR); Yong Tae Kim, Ulsan (KR); and Young Seok Lee, Ulsan (KR)
Assigned to HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, Seoul (KR); and KIA CORPORATION, Seoul (KR)
Filed by HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, Seoul (KR); and KIA CORPORATION, Seoul (KR)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/523,132.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0081149 (KR), filed on Jun. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0402138 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/14 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1687 (2013.01) [B25J 9/144 (2013.01); B25J 13/085 (2013.01); G05B 19/41805 (2013.01); G05B 2219/31031 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for piston insertion, the apparatus comprising:
an insertion robot having a plurality of robot arms connected by a plurality of articulated joints;
a piston insertion module directly mounted on the insertion robot, gripping a piston assembly, and configured to insert the piston assembly into a cylinder bore of a cylinder block; and
a controller controlling an operation of the insertion robot and an operation of the piston insertion module; and
a compression jig located above the cylinder block,
wherein the piston insertion module includes:
a gripper for gripping and ungripping the piston assembly;
a push mechanism including a push rod configured to move in a vertical direction, and a push actuator causing the push rod to move; and
a centering mechanism causing a center of the piston assembly to be aligned with a center of the cylinder bore,
wherein the centering mechanism is located above the gripper, the push actuator is located above the centering mechanism, and the push rod extends through the gripper and the centering mechanism,
wherein the piston assembly includes a piston, a plurality of piston rings mounted on an outer surface of the piston, and a connecting rod swingably connected to the piston,
wherein the compression jig compresses the plurality of piston rings inward in a radial direction of the piston,
wherein the compression jig includes a compression sleeve aligned with the cylinder bore of the cylinder block,
wherein the compression sleeve guides the piston assembly into the cylinder bore, and
compresses the piston rings inward in the radial direction of the piston,
wherein the compression sleeve is a single component comprising therein:
a first guide portion having an inner diameter corresponding to that of the cylinder bore; and
a second guide portion extending upwardly from the first guide portion,
wherein the first guide portion has a first guide surface aligned with an inner surface of the cylinder bore,
wherein the second guide portion has a second guide surface tapered with respect to the first guide surface at a predetermined angle,
wherein the piston is configured to move in a downward direction along first the second guide surface and then the first guide surface, and
wherein a diameter of the second guide surface gradually increases in a direction upward from the first guide surface.