Systems for producing assemblies

Abstract

This invention relates to methods and systems for attaching components to strips of material to form assemblies, e.g., a system for fastening pre-sharpened razor blades to individual support strips on a continuous band of material, such as a metal, to form discrete blade assemblies.

1 . A system for attaching supports to razor blades to form razor blade assemblies ( 71 ), the system comprising
 (a) a supply station that dispenses a long band of metal; and   (b) a press station that comprises
 (i) a die module that cuts individual razor blade supports from the band of metal, wherein the individual supports remain connected to the band of metal by one or more uncut portions; 
 (ii) a receiving module that feeds a series of razor blade components into the press station and associates a single razor blade component with each individual support in the band of metal; and 
 (iii) a welding module that welds one razor blade component to each individual support in the band of metal. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the press station further comprises a scrap removal module that removes scrap from the individual razor blade components without breaking the weld to leave a razor blade welded to the support to form individual razor blade assemblies. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the press station further comprises a cleaning module that removes contaminants from the individual razor blade supports cut from the band of metal. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the press station further comprises an in-line inspection module that measures one or more features of the razor blade assemblies and indicates a variance from a given tolerance for one or more features for each assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more features include at least one of weld quality, parallelism between the blade component and the associated support, and blade component failure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a separation module that removes the razor blade assemblies from the band of metal by severing the uncut portions. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a component supply system that feeds the series of razor blade components into the receiving module. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the die module is a progressive die that cuts the individual supports and bends the supports at a specific angle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the angle is about 21.5 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the welding module comprises a laser that spot welds the razor blade components to the individual supports. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the band of metal passes continuously from the supply station to the welding module of the press station. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving module associates razor blade components with individual supports by mechanically interlocking the razor blade components with the individual supports in the band of metal. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each individual support has top and bottom surfaces, and the receiving module associates a single razor blade component with each individual support in the band of metal by attaching the razor blade components to the bottom surfaces of the individual supports.