Title of Invention

THERMOSTAT ASSEMBLY METHOD

Abstract

A slide thermostat assembly method is provided in which the insertion process of a C-shaped retaining ring into a slide thermostat is improved in working efficiency, and in which this operation can be performed with safety. The efficiency of the testing process is also enhanced such that testing precision is improved. The assembly method is constituted by a wax case process S1 in which wax 112 is imbedded into a wax case 111, a case guide assembly process S2 in which a piston is installed into a guide portion 108, an element assembly process S3 in which the wax case 111 and the guide portion 108 are fixed together to form an element 110, a C-shaped retaining ring 115 are attached by inserting the element 110 into a valve main body 101, thereby completing the thermostat 100, and a testing process S5 in which the completed thermostats are automatically tested process S5 in which the completed thermostats are automatically tested and separated into defective items and non-defective items.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a thermostat used in the cooling of an Internal combustion engine in an automobile or the like, and mora psrtfcutanV relates to an assembly method for a tharmostal which controls tha flow of coaling liquid by means of a sliding action of a valve inside the PTerrnostat main body. Currently, die msforfty of commercially available cooling systems for vehicle engines are thosa which cool an engine by means of a cooling system using cooling liquid as a medium and which prevent overheating due to hast generation in the engine and overcooffng during cold weather by means of a thermostat which controls the flow of the cooling liquid. In motorcycles, swoteis and the like, a transition Is being made to water ceding systems In order to reduce fuel consumption and purify exhaust gas. Particularly In recent scooters, there Is a trend toward reducing the sias of the attachment space for the thermostat in ordar to enhance the external appearance, end thermostats which can be dlrectty attached to the engine have come to be used as reduoes-size thermostats for such vehicles, This type of thermostat ts illustrated In Rg. 9. This thermostat 100 is constituted by a hollow cylindrical valve main valve main body 101, a thermovalve 102 which is saaabty housed in the hoeow region of the valve main body 101, a protruding portion 103 which is formed integrally with the valve main body 101 and protrudes from one end side thereof so as bo engage with an attachment member such as an engine block, a joint cover 104 which engages with the other end pOTtton of the vatve main body 101, and a coll spring 105 which serves as a biasing member for applying an urging force to the thermovalve 102 The thermovarve 102 Is constituted by an element 110 comprising a piston 106 and a rubber piston 107 which extend and retract In accordance wtth the expansion of wax, a guide portion 10B far guiding the extending and retracting motion of the piston 106, and so on, a wax case 111 which Is provided In the bottom portion of the element 110 and which houses wax 112 which serves as a tsniperature-senslrtg portion 112, and so on. When the temperature of cooling liquid In this thermostat 100 is low, tha wax 112, which is packed into the wax case 111 Is In a state of contraction- * such times, the thermovalve 102 remains biased upward by the coll spring 105. Thus the element 110 serves as a valve body portion 120, maintaining an inlet opening portion 116 and an ouDet opening portion 11? In a closed state and blocking tha passage of cooling liquid, fit this time, a bypass outlet portion 119 Is open, and hence the cooling liquid flows through a bypass inlet portion 118 and tha bypass outlet portion 119 which are drilled into a C-washer. When the temperature of tha cooling liquid rises, this rise In temperature Is transmitted via the wax 111 to the wax 112 which is packed therein. The wax 112 then increases in volume through expansion. As a result of this volume increase in tha wax 112, a diaphragm 114 Is deformed In an upward direction such that tha piston 106 attempts to protruda from tha guida 108 through tha rubber piston 107. However, the piston 106 constantly abuts against the protruding portion 103 of tha valve main body 101, end therefore in actuality, the guides 10$ and accordingly tha element 110, Ml so as to slide within tha valve main body 10L When the element 110 performs such a downward sliding movement, the inlet opening portion 116 and outlet opening portion 117 of the verve main body, which were closed by the valve body portion 120 of the element 110, opea At that time, the bypass outlet portion 119 Is open, but the falling element 110 doses the bypass outlet portion 119 and opens tha outiet opening portion 117. Thus control Is performed to block the flow of the cooling liquid through the bypass inlet portion 118 and switch the flow of the cooling liquid such that the cooling liquid flows through tha Inlet opening portion 116 and the outlet opening portion 117. This thermostat 100 is assembled in tha following manner. First, in the processing of the case, the wax case 111 Is filled with the wax 112 which serves as the ten*>aratur**er Next; as Is Illustrated In Rg. 10a, tha alamant 110 Is Inserted Into tha valva main body 101 from above, and than tha coll spring 105 Is Inaartad. Than, white oompiesswtg tha coH spring 105 so as not to spring out of tha valva main body 101, tha C-washar 115 Is fitted Into a washar groove 101a formed fn tha Inner wall of the vafva main body 101 end tha joint cover 104 is fitted over the verve main body 101. Next; as is IHustnted in Rg. 10b, an O-rtng 116 is fitted into an O-ring groove formed m the Joint cover 104 and the protruding portion 103, thereby completing the thermostat 100, Further, as Is Illustrated in fig. 11, tests are pat funned on the completed tharmostBt 100 to determine whether predetermined capabilities ana provided The method of testing merely involves a technician Inserting the thermostat 100 Into an electric furnace or tha Was, heating the thermostat 100 to a predetermined temperature (9TPC), and ensuring visuaffy that tha wax which serves as an expanding body expands, causing the piston to perform a predetermined stroke motion. However, the following types of problems exist in this conventional assembly process for the dwmostat 100, Rrsfc, in the insertion process of tiie C^haped nsteinlrig ring, the ring must be fitted into tha washar groove in the narrow valve main body while compressing the coll spring by human power. Since It Is extremely difficult to perform this operation against the strong compression force of the coil spring end whHe contracting the C-shaped retaining ring, efficiency deteriorates and the production rate of the thermostat assembfy process is hindered, ftjrther, the technician must perform the operabona in this C-snaped retaining ring inaarUon prooaaa manually, and thus not only Is a great burden placed on the technictarv but also umuieuii arise concerning operational safety such as the danger that the coil spring may fly up due to an error by the technician and strike tha technician or collide with another component Moreover, in the testing process, the element Is lift-tested in hot water, then the thermostat is assembled and tha completed thermostat 100 heated In an electric furnace or the MOB to a predetermined temperature, whereupon die door of the furnace Is opened and lift is visually observed In the completed thermostat Thus, the testing procei i must be performed twice before cornpteoon, leading to problems in the accuracy of the test and In that an open valve state cannot be ensured with pradstoa Furthermore, when the door of the electric furnace or tha Ilka is opened to insert the thermostat 100, the interior temperature drops, es a result of which time is wasted wotting for the temperature to return to the predetermined level, leading to a deterioration in efficiency. DISCLOSURE Or* THE INVENTION The present invention hes been designed in consideratton of the aforementioned problems In the background art; and provides a thermostat assembly method In which the working efficiency of the thermostat assembly process is improved and such work can be pertained In safety, and in which tasting precision can also be Improved by enhancing the efficiency of the tasting process. In order to achiavsi the aforementioned objects,, the meant invention it characterized in comprising a wax case process In which wax is imbedded in a wax case, a guide assembly process In which a piston Is Installed Into a guide portion, an element assembly process in which the wax case and the guide portion are fixed together to form an element; a C-shaped retaining ring attachment process In which a spring and a C-shaped retaining ring are attached by Inserting the element Into a valve main body, thereby completing the thermostat^ and a tasting process in which the completed thermostats an automatically tested and separated Into defective items and non-defective Items. The C-shaped retaining ring attachment process Is characterized in comprising C-shapad retaining ring arraying means constituted by a parts feeder for arraying the C-shapad retaining rings, C-shaped retaining ring insertion means comprising a C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism for gripping or releasing the C-shapad retaining ring by opening or dosing a pair of holders by means of cylinders and a vertical motion mechanism for inserting the C-shaped retaining ring gripped by the holders Into a workptece matn body by means of vertical motion cylinders, and transporting means constituted by a pick and press unit for moving the valve main body in which the C-shaped retaining ring is inserted. The tasting precast is characterized fn oomprisfnQ introdudno maans for automatically Introducing the thi mortal into a hot water tank, a hot water tank for heating tha thermostat to a predetermined tarnperature, an Index tabla for grfppfno the thermostat inside the not water tank and rotating tha tharmostat at a predetermined speed, a maasunemsnt unit for measuring tha stats of vans* opening in tha tharmostat having reached tha predetermined tarnperature, and discharge means for discharging tha maa lured thermostats, these thsrmostati being discharged following automatic separation into detective foams and non-datecGva Items in accordance with tha measurement results of the measurement unit ■aw pgacianow OP THK PKAWUHM Rg, 1 Is a flowchart showing a thermostat assembly method of the present Invention; Rg. 2 Is an explanatory view showing each process In tha thermostat assembly method of Rg. 1; Rg. 3 Is an explanatory view showing an element assembly process In the thermostat assembly method of Hg. 1; Rg. 4 is a top view showing an attachment device for a C-shaped retaining ring of the thermostat; Rg. 5 is a front view showing the attachment device for the C-shaped retaining ring of the tiieimuslaf. rig. 6 Is an explanatory view showing Che insertion procedure of the C-shaped retaining ring of a thermostat; Rg. 7 is a top view showing a thermostat tasting device; Hg. 8 is a sectional view showing thermostat maasuremant in the twang device ofRp, 10; Hg. 9 Is a sectional view showing a conventional thermostat; Hg. 10 Is a process chart showing the assembly of a conventional thermostat; and Bg. 11 Is an explanatory view showing a tasting method of a conventional thermostat. At embodiment of the Uiormostat a—mbiy method according to the present invention wilt be explained in detail on the basis of the drawings. Rg. 1 is a flowchart showing the thermostat assembly method of the present Invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory view showing each process In the thermostat assembly method of Rg. 3, Hg. 3 is an explanatory view showing an element assembly process in the thermostat assembly method of Hg. 1, Rg. 4 is a top view showing an attachment device for a C-shaped retaining ring, Rg. 5 is a front view showing the attachment device for the C-shaped retaining ring, Rg. 6 Is an •xptanatory view showing the insertion procedure of the C-shepad retaining ring. fig. 7 Is a top view showing a thermostat tasting device, and fig. 8 Is a sectional vlaw showing thermostat msasuramant In ths testing device of fig. 7. Idantfcal oomponants ID ths conventional axampia haw baan allocated identical symbols and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. fig. 1 snows ths processes or ma thermostat assembly method according to the present invention, and comprises a wax case process SI in which wax is Imbedded Into a wax case, a case guide assembly process S2 In which a piston is Installed In a case guide, an element assembly process S3 In which the wax casa and the case guide are (teed toueUes to form an element; a C-shaped retaining ring attachment process S4 in which a spring and a C-shaped retaining spring arc attached by inserting the element Into the valve main body, and the thermostat is thereby completed, and a testing process S5 In which the completed thermostat Is automatically tested to separate defective Items from non "defective Items. The case process SI, case guide process S2, and element assembly process S3 are shown In fig. 2. In the case process SI, as & Illustrated In figs. 2a through 2c, a wax casa 111 Is fitted with wax 112 which serves at a tampsjvture-sensing member and then reversed. Next, in the case guide process S2, es is illustrated in fig. 2d through 2g, a guide portion 108 is Inserted with a rubber piston 107 and a back-up plate, filled with a semifluid 113, and sealed with a diaphragm 114. In the element assembly process S3, es Is illustrated in Rg. 2h, the reversed wax case 111 and the guide portion 108are fitted together to form a case guide assembly. Afao In the element assembly prooett S3, at ft (Huetrated In Rg. 3a, the wax case 111 and the guide portion 100 are Oghtoned using a press or the Wes and thereby fixed together. blowing the Insertion of the piston, a regulating rod Is used to push the bottom face of tha w«x case lit « Is shown In Fig. 3b, thereby adjusting the stroke such that the amount by which tha piston 107 protrudae matches e predetermined value. The element 110 Is thereby oomptebH. In the C-shaped retaining ring attachment process S4, the piston 106 Is Inserted Into me element lift whereupon the element 110 Is reversed and Installed in the valve main body 10L Next, as is shown In Fig. 10a, the above state Is fixed, and a coll spring 105 is inserted into the valve main body 101 from above. While cornpraeeinQ this coll spring 105 so that the coil spring 105 does not shoot out from the verve main body 101, the C-shaped retaining ring 115 Is fitted into a ring groove 101a formed In the inner wall of tha verve main body 101, and than a Joint cover 104 It fitted over the valve main body 101. Next, as Is shown In Rg. 10b, an Oring 116 Is fitted Into en O-ring groove 103e formed In the Joint cover 104 and the protruding portion 103, whereby tha thermostat 100 is completed. Rg. 4 Illustrates the dsposWon of an iieembly device used In the C-shaped retaining ring attachment process S3 for the trwrmostat 100 according to the present Invention This thermostat assembly davtaa is disposed on a planar table T and comprises C-sheped retaining ring arraying means 1 far placing C-shapad retaining rings 115 In array and discharging the rings In succession, C-shaped retaining ring insertion means 10 for retrieving the arrayed C-shapad retaining rings 115 and inserting tham into a workplace main body/ and transporting means 30 for moving the workplace main body into which the C-shaped retaining rings 115 have bean Inserted. The C-shapad containing ring arraying means array the C shaped retaining rings 115 in a single direction by causing the C-shapad retaining rings 115 to vibrate. Such means are generally known as a "parti feeder* " which is commercially available. These C-shapad retaining ring arraying means 1 are constituted by a bucket 2 with a substantially circular surface configuration and a spiral track formed in the inner peripheral waH thereof, a chute 3 which serve* as a port for arraying and ejecting the rings from the bucket 2, and a vibration generating device 4 which Is provided undermath the bucket 2. An electromagnet not shown, is provided in the vibration generating device 4, and when en alternating current is applied to this electromagnet, on alternating magnetic suction force is generated between the aleUiumegnat and a movable core, not shown, which is attached to the bottom of the bucket 2, as a result of which the bucket 2 peifurms torsional vibration. As is Illustrated in Ha, 5 the C-sheped retaining ring Insertion means 10 are a "pick and press urW (PP) comprising a C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism 11 which grips or releases the C-shaped retaining rings 115 by opening and closing a pair of holders by means of cylinders, e vertical motion mechanism 20 which inserts the C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism 11 gripping a C-shapad retaining ring 115 Into the aforementioned workplace main body using a vertical motion cylinder, and a moving arm 25 for moving the C-sheped retaining ring insertion means 10 ID the position of the C-shaped retaining ring arraying means 1 Ae is shown in Fig. 5, the C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism 11 of the C-shaped retaining ring insertion means 10 comprises an upper holder 13 which is driven by an upper cylinder 12 and a lower holder 15 driven by a tower cylinder 14. This pair of holders, the upper holder 13 and tower holder 15, are rotatabfy supported by a support pin IE Pins 16,17 ara attached to the respective distal ends of the upper holder 13 end lower holder 15 in order to pick up the C-shaped retaining rings 115. These pins 16, 17 are Inserted Into pin holes U5a, 115b in the C-shaped retaining rings 115, as shown in Rg, 6^ thereby opening and dosing the C-shaped retaining rings 115 More specifically, in mis C-shaped retaining ring open/close mechanism 11, when an arm portion 13a and an arm porbon 15a are drawn near by me upper cylinder 12 and lower portion 114, the distal end holders 13b and 15b separata, thereby opening the C-shaped retaining ring US On the other hand, when the arm portion 13a and the arm portion 15a ere separated by the upper cylinder 12 and lower cylinder 14, the distal end holders 13b and 15b draw near, and thus the C-shaped retaining ring 115 is closed. Accordingly, In order to grip a C-shaped retaining ring 115, the pins 17, 18 are inserted into the pinholes 115a, 115b of the C-shaped retaining ring 115 and the holder portion 13b and holder portion 15b are drawn together such that die C-shaped retaining ring 115 Is closed beyond Its natural dimensions, thereby producing e raststanoa force which can be used to grip die C-shaped retaining ring US The vertical motion mechanism 20 comprises a vertical motion cylinder 21 which causes the C-shaped retaining ring open/close mechanism 11 to move up and down, a bracket 22 which is attached to the C-shaped retaining ring open/close mechanism 11, and a pressing block 23 for depressing a spring 105 (see Rg. 6) at the distal end. As welt as causing the C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism 11 to move up and down, the vertical motion mechanism 20 is also designed to be able to depress the spring 105 which is inserted into the valve mein body 101 of the thermostat 100. Next; the procedure for Inserting the C-shaped retaining ring 115 into the workpiece main body using the C-shaped retaining ring insertion means 10 will be explained with reference to Rgs. 4 through 6. First, in Rg.4, tha thermostat 100 with tha spring 105 Inserted Into the valve main body 101 is sat into a setting jig 31 (see Rg. 5) and than transported from the previous process to Its worfdng position on the table T. Next, as fs illustrated in Rg.6a, tha C-ehaped rateining ring insertion meant 10 are moved to the C-shaped retaining ting etocom port of the C-eta^ retaining ring arraying means 1 by the moving arm 25 Then, as Is shown In fig. 6b, tha C-shapad retaining ring insertion means 10 am dropped over e C-shaped retaining ring 115 by the vertical motion mechanism 20, whereupon the pins 17, 18 of the C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism 11 are inserted Into tha pin holes 115a, 115b in the C-shaped retaining ring to thereby dose the C-shaped rateining ring US The C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism 11 Is then able to grip tha C-shaped retaining ring 115, end thus tha C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism 11 is raised by die vertical motion mechanism 20 and moved to die position of the thermostat 100 by the moving arm 25 Next, as is illustrated in Rg. 6c, as the vertical motion mechanism 20 falls, the vertical motion mechanism 20 depresses the spring 105 by means of the pressing block 23 end at the seme time causes the C-shaped retaining ring open/dose machanism 11 to faH to tha position of a C-shaped retaining ring groove 101a in the verve main body 101. In this position, the C-shaped retaining ring open/close mechanism 11 opens the pins 17, 1$ whereby, as is illustrated in Rg. 6d, die C-shaped retaining ring US widens by means of its own elasticity to fit into the C-shaped retaining ring groove 101a. Then, if the attachment state of the C- shaped retaining ring 115 Is continued as being satisfactory, the C-shaped retaining ring open/dose mechanism 11 is raised. Following the attachment of the C-shaped retaining ring 115 Into the valve main body 101, the joint cover 104 is fitted as shown in Rg. 10b and the aseambty of the thermostat 100 Is thereby completed. The thermostat 100 Is then transported by the transporting means 30 to the next process, which is the testing process S4, wherein the necessary capabilities thereof are tested, fim m shown in Rg. 4, the transporting means 30 utilize a pick and press unit (PP) similar to that used for the C-shaped retaining ring insertion means 10 to grasp the thermostat 100 with a nydreulic gripping portion, move the tfiennostefc 100 to a pradetevmined position with an arm portion, and release the thermostat 100 from the gripping portion at the predetermined position. As described above, in the C-shaped retaining ring attachment process In the thermostat assembly method of the present invention, the C-shaped retaining ring arraying means 1* C-sheped retaining ring insertion means 10, end the transporting means 30 are comprised in place of the conventional human manual labor. Since the C-shaped retaining rings are Inserted automatically, technicians are freed from the burden of the C-shaped retaining ring insertion operation, the operation can be performed safely, and the efficiency of the C-shaped retaining ring attachment operation is Improved. Next; tha testing process S4 will be described on the baste of Figs. 7 and a Hg. 7 ts a schematic top view of a tasting device 40. This testing device 40 is constituted by a supply PP 41 serving as introduction means for automatically Introducing tha thermostat: 100 into a hot water tank 43, the hot water tank 43 for heating tha thermostat 100 to a predetermined temperature, en index table 42 for gripping the theimostot 100 Inside the hot water tank 43 and rotating the thermostat 100 at a predetermined spaed, a rrieasurement unit 50 for measuring the state of valve opening in the thermostat 100 which has reached the predetermined temperature, a discharge PP 44 serving as discharging means for discharging the measured thermostat 100, an OK chute 45, and a rejection box 46. The supply PP 41, which serves as the Introduction means, utiHass a pick and press unit similar to those of tha C-sheped retaining ring insertion means 10 and the transporting means 30 to grasp the thermostat 100 which has been transported from the C-shaped retaining ring attachment process S3 using a gripping portion, move the thermostat 100 to the Index table 42 using a moving arm, and Insert the thermostat 100 into an insertion hole 42a In the Index table 4Z The index table 42 Is a rotating table IrrYnersed" in the hot water tank 43. Sixteen insertion holes 42a, 42a, 42a... for formed thermostats 100 are formed at equal intervals around the periphery of the Index table 4Z Thermostats 100 are Inserted Into the Index table 42 by tha supply PP 41, whereupon the index table 42 operators at a rotation speed such that the thermostats 100 are heated by the hot water tank 43 to a predetermined temperature (for example 90PC) while being rotated to tha position of tha maasuramant unit 50. Ilia hot water tank 43 Is used to heat the thermostats 100 inserted into the index table 42 to ■ predetermined temperature of 90°C, end also heats the index table 42 so as to achieve temperature stability. A heater with a temperature adjusting function, not shown, Is provided In the hot water tank 43 for this purpose, and thus the water temperature is maintained at e uuiaenl predetermined temperature. The messisemant. unit 90 Illustrated in fig. 8 is used for measuring whether the piston 107 protrudes by the pieueUwmiiieJ amount following the opening of the valve in the thermostat 100 upon reaching tha predetermined temperature. In order to do so, a measurement terminal 51 of a dial gauge is Impinged upon by the bottom of the wax case ill, which has been pushed upward due to the predetermined temperature being reached, and If the piston 107 protrudes by the predetermined amount, the measurement terminal 51 outputs an OK judgment which Is displayed on a display portion of the measurement unit 5a This measurement unit 50 Is connected to a controller of the discharge PP 44 such that thermostats 100 which have been judged OK are discharged through the OK chute 45 Thermostats 100 which have not achieved the predetermined protrusion amount or have exceeded the predetermined protrusion amount am judged to be defective and are collected in a special rejection box 46 from the discharge PP 44. According to this tasting process, thermostats 100 which have completed C-shepad retaining ring attachment are Introduced Into the tetdng device 40 automatically by the supply PP 41 and heated to a predetermined temperature In a stable fashion by the hot water tank 43. Having reached the predetermined temperature, the thermostats 100 are measured automatically by the meawemeni unit 50 and automatically separated into defective and non-detective Items using the measurement results, whereupon defective items are collected In tha special rejection box 46. Thus, efficiency in the testing process can be enhanced end testing precision improved. TMMIftTBlAL ADMiriM.ITY In the thermostat assembly method of the present invention as described above, the C~shepad retaining ring attachment process is constituted by C-snaped retaining ring arraying means tor arraying C-shaped retaining rings using a parts feeder, and C-shaped retaining ring insertion means which comprise the C-shaped retaining ring open/close mechenism for gripping or releasing C-shaped retaining rings by opening and closing a pair of holders by means of cylinders, and the vertical motion mechanism fbr Inserting the C-shaped retaining rings gripped by the holders into the workpiece main body by means of a vertical motion cylinder. Thus the arrayed C-shaped retaining rings can be automatically retrieved and inserted Into the workpiece main body, as a result of which the difficulty and Inefficiency of the problematic manual operations pw formed conventionally can be solved, and the favorable effect of enabling efficient and safe operations can be achieved. Arthar, tha tasting process comprises introducing means tor automatically Introducing the thermostats into a hot water tank, the hot water tank for heating the thermostats to a predetermined temperature, an Index table for gripping the thermostats inside the hot water tank end rotating the thermostats at a predetermined speed, a measurement unit for measuring the state of valve opening in tha thermostats which have reached the predetermined temperature, and discharge means for discharging the meeiured thermostats, and thus the thermostats are introduced into the testing device and measured automatically. As a result; tests can be performed in hot water, which is simitar to tha actual usage conditions, and in a one-time process, and thus the effaces of an enhancement in efficiency and an improvement in test precision can be achieved. WE CLAIM 1. A thermostat assembly method, wherein comprising: a wax case process in which wax is imbedded into a wax case; a guide assembly process in which a piston is installed into a guide portfon; an element assembly process in which said wax case and said guide portion are fixed together to form an element; a C-shaped retaining ring attachment process in which a spring and a C-shaped retaining ring are attached by inserting said element into a valve main body, thereby completing the thermostat; and a testing process in which said completed thermostats are automatically tested and separated into defective items and non-defective items, 2 The thermostat assembly method according to claim 1, wherein that said C-shaped retaining ring attachment process comprises : C-shaped retaining ring arraying means provided with a parts feeder for arraying said C-shaped retaining rings; C-shaped retaining ring insertion means comprising a C-shaped retaining ring open/close mechanism for gripping or releasing said C-shaped retaining ring by opening or closing a pair of holders by means of cylinders and a vertical motion mechanism for inserting said C-shaped retaining ring gripped by said holders into a workpiece main body by means of a vertical motion cylinder; and transporting means provided with a pick and press unit for moving the thermostat main body in which said C-shaped retaining ring is inserted. 3. The thermostat assembly method according to claim 1, wherein that said testing process comprises: introducing means for automatically introducing said thermostat into a hot water tank; the hot water tank for heating said thermostat to a predetermined temperature; an index table for gripping said thermostat inside said hot water tank and rotating said thermostat at a predetermined speed; a measurement unit for measuring the state of valve opening In said thermostat having reached said predetermined temperature; and discharge means for discharging said measured thermostat said thermostats being discharged following automatic separation Into defective items and non-defective items in accordance with the measurement results of said measurement unit.

Documents:

in-pct-2002-1613-che abstract duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che abstract.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che claims duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che claims.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che correspondence-others.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che correspondence-po.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che description (complete) duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che description (complete).pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che drawings.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che form-1.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che form-19.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che form-26.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che form-3.pdf

in-pct-2002-1613-che form-5.pdf