Blind rivet setting device

Abstract

A blind rivet setting device and method of operating the blind rivet setting device. The blind rivet setting device includes a housing, a pulling device that is at least partially arranged in the housing and a drive that acts on the pulling device in a pulling direction and in a reset direction oriented opposite to the pulling direction. A length of at least one of the housing and the pulling device is changeable from a first length to a second length when a predetermined force is exceeded.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A blind rivet setting device comprising:
 a housing;   a pulling device that is at least partially arranged in the housing; and   a drive that acts on the pulling device in a pulling direction and in a reset direction oriented opposite to the pulling direction,   wherein a length of at least one of the housing and the pulling device is changeable from a first length to a second length when a predetermined force is exceeded.   
     
     
         2 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pulling device comprises a chuck housing and clamping jaws loaded into the chuck housing by a compression spring. 
     
     
         3 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a nose piece and
 wherein in a resting state, the clamping jaws are displaceable into an opened position by the nose piece when the length is the first length and are not displaceable into the opened position when the length is the second length.   
     
     
         4 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 1 , wherein a difference between the first length and the second length lies within the range of 1 to 5 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pulling device comprises a first pulling element, a second pulling element and an elastic element that are structured and arranged so that, when the pulling device is acted on in a pulling direction, the first pulling element and the second pulling element are positively engaged and, when the pulling device is acted on in the reset direction, the elastic element acts between the first pulling element and the second pulling element. 
     
     
         6 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 5 , wherein the elastic element comprises one of a wave spring washer or other elastomeric body. 
     
     
         7 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 5 , wherein the first pulling element comprises a first step with a first surface directed crosswise to the pulling direction and the second pulling element comprises a second step with a second surface directed crosswise to the pulling direction, and
 wherein the elastic element is arranged to load the first surface and the second surface against one another.   
     
     
         8 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first housing part and a second housing part that are structured and arranged so that, in the reset direction, the first housing part can be displaced relative to the second housing part. 
     
     
         9 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 8 , wherein one of the first and second housing parts includes a marking that is visible when the second length is present and not visible when the first length is present. 
     
     
         10 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 9 , wherein the first housing part and the second housing part are engageable via a locking connection. 
     
     
         11 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 10 , wherein the locking connection comprises at least one spring element that is connected to one of the first and second housing parts and engaged with the other of the first and second housing parts in a non-positive fit. 
     
     
         12 . The blind rivet setting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the spring element comprises a spring clip. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating the blind rivet setting device according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 pulling the pulling device in the driving direction to move the chuck from an initial position to a position away from a front face of the housing;   moving the pulling device in the reset direction to move the chuck toward the initial position; and   when debris in the housing prevents the chuck from returning to the initial position, changing a length of at least one of the pulling device and housing.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the pulling device comprises a first pulling element and a second pulling element that are structured and arranged so that, in the driving direction, the first pulling element is engaged with the second pulling device so that the pulling device has the first length, and in the reset direction, the debris causes the first pulling element to be displaced from the second pulling element so that the pulling device has the second length. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the second length is shorter than the first length. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , the pulling device further comprising an elastic element arranged to return the pulling device to the first length when the debris is removed. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the housing comprises a first housing part and a second housing part that are structured and arranged so that, in the driving direction, the housing has the first length, and in the reset direction, the debris causes the first housing part to be displaceable relative to the second housing part so that the housing has the second length. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the second length is longer than the first length. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the housing further comprises an adjustable connection between the first housing part and the second housing part. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising viewing a marking on the housing to confirm that the housing has the second length.