Setting device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a setting device for fastening an element to a workpiece having a guide device that can be brought into mechanical contact with the element and that has an axial hollow space for guiding the element, and having an axially movable ram for moving the element in a setting direction through the hollow space of the guide device, wherein the guide device has at least one first and one second guide element; wherein the guide elements bound the axial hollow space and are preloaded by means of a preloading device by a preloading force acting radially inwardly on the guide element, and wherein a detection device is associated with the guide device and a presence, position and/or location of an element in the region of the guide device can be detected by it.

1 . A setting device for fastening an element to a workpiece, the setting device comprising:
 a guide device that can be brought into mechanical contact with the element and that has an axial hollow space for guiding the element, and   an axially movable ram for moving the element in a setting direction through the hollow space of the guide device,   wherein the guide device has at least one first and one second guide element; wherein the first and second guide elements bound the axial hollow space and are preloaded by means of a preloading device by a preloading force acting radially inwardly on at least one guide element, and wherein a detection device is associated with the guide device and at least one of a presence, a position and a location of an element in the region of the guide device can be detected by the detection device.   
     
     
         2 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device has at least one of an electrical principle of operation, an optical acoustic principle of operation, a magnetic acoustic principle of operation and an acoustic principle of operation and/or comprises at least one of a force sensor and a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device is at least partly integrated in at least one of the guide elements; and wherein at least one measurement tap or sensor of the detection device is arranged in a region of action of the guide device, viewed in the setting direction. 
     
     
         4 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises a first contact element that is provided at an inner side of the first guide element and a second contact element that is provided at an inner side of the second guide element, with the contact elements being able to be brought at least sectionally into contact with the element on the movement of the element through the hollow space, and with an electrical voltage and/or an electrical contact being able to be applied between the contact elements by means of the detection device. 
     
     
         5 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises at least one magnetic field sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises at least one measurement coil. 
     
     
         7 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises at least one piezo receiver and/or a strain gauge by means of which a force can be detected that acts on at least one of the guide elements and/or that acts between the guide elements. 
     
     
         8 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises at least one movement sensor or distance sensor by which a movement of at least one of the guide device and at least one of the guide elements can be detected. 
     
     
         9 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises at least one sound source and at least one sound sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises at least one compressed air source and at least one pressure sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the guide elements are at least partly produced from an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         12 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein guide elements adjacent in the peripheral direction are separated from one another by at least one interval. 
     
     
         13 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the guide elements are connected to one another by at least one connection element bridging the interval. 
     
     
         14 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the guide elements are electrically insulated from one another. 
     
     
         15 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein a respective at least one insulation element is arranged in the interval. 
     
     
         16 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the detection device is at least partly arranged in the interval and/or is integrated in the insulation element. 
     
     
         17 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the preloading device comprises at least one elastic preloading element. 
     
     
         18 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the preloading element is connected to at least one of the insulation elements. 
     
     
         19 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the preloading element and the insulation element comprises an elastomer molded to at least one of the guide elements. 
     
     
         20 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the preloading device has a contact section that is arranged at the guide device and that projects in at least one section of the guide device beyond an outer contour of the guide elements in the radial direction and/or that is arranged at a component of the setting device at least partly receiving the guide device, with the contact section projecting radially inwardly; and/or wherein the preloading device has a separate contact section that is arranged in the radial direction between the guide device and a component of the setting device at least partly receiving the guide device with the contact section forming at least one support point for the radial support of the guide device. 
     
     
         21 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the contact section comprises or is completely produced from an electrically insulating and/or elastic material. 
     
     
         22 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detection device has at least two detection sections that are arranged offset from one another in the setting direction and/or in the peripheral direction. 
     
     
         23 . The setting device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a control device is associated with the detection device; or wherein the detection device is connected to a control device by which signals of the detection device can be detected and/or evaluated to determine at least one of the presence, position and location of the element in the region of the guide device.