Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Machine
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-17
2001-10-23
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Machine
C081S057370
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305253
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to automatic fastener feeding devices and, more particularly, to devices for automatically delivering a nut, bolt or other fastener to a movable, positionable tool or fastening device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, there are devices available that automatically feed a nut or other fastener to a fixed position tool, which is rigidly mounted inside a fixture and to which a particular work piece must be brought and aligned therewith. However, such a device is highly impractical in industries where assemblies or sub-assemblies are proceeding down an assembly line, thereby making it practically impossible to align the assembly with the rigidly mounted tool. For example, in the automotive industry, entire car or truck sub-assemblies proceed down an assembly line and may require an operator to secure several fasteners in multiple locations on the assembly. In cases such as these, manufacturers have typically implemented hand-held fastening tools for driving a bolt or nut or other fastener onto the particular assembly. However, the present automatic feeders cannot work with these fastening tools, so the fastener must be manually started on its respective mating fastener or it must be manually loaded into a magnetic socket on the fastening tool, and then in both cases be driven to the proper location or torque on the assembly or sub-assembly.
In order to assist an operator using a hand held drive tool, automatic parts feeding systems have been developed which supply nuts and/or bolts or other fasteners in a desired orientation to a particular location along the assembly line. This eases the process of installing the fastener at its location on the assembly or sub-assembly, as the operator may pick up the fastener while it is in its proper orientation, thereby easing the starting of the fastener onto its mating fastener. However, the fastener still must be picked up by hand and either manually started on the mating fastener or manually located into the magnetic socket of the fastening tool, before the fastener may be driven onto its mating fastener by the drive tool. The process of manually starting the fastener onto a mating fastener or manually loading the fastener into a magnetic socket on the drive tool is not only difficult for an assembly line operator to consistently accomplish, but also takes a substantial amount of time, during which the assembly or sub-assembly is continuously moving along the assembly line. Therefore, the line speeds must be adjusted to allow for the additional time for the line worker to manually start or load the fasteners, thereby increasing the assembly time for the particular product being assembled.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an automatic device that effectively provides the connection between automatic feed systems and hand held or movable fastening and torque monitoring equipment. The device should be able to be used with pneumatic and hand held fastening tools to eliminate the manual starting or loading of the fastener by the operator. The device should further be able to supply the fastener to the tool in an efficient manner so that the device may be used in a production setting where production volumes are high and the fasteners must be quickly secured to the assembly or sub-assembly as it moves along an assembly line. Furthermore, the device should supply and hold the fastener in a proper alignment to ease engagement with the mating fastener on the work piece and substantially preclude cross threading between the two corresponding fasteners.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an automatic fastener feed system which supplies a tool, preferably a movable tool such as a fastening or torque monitoring device, with an appropriate fastener, thereby avoiding the process of manually loading the fastener onto the fastener drive tool, or manually starting the fastener on a respective mating fastener.
According to a first aspect of the invention, an automatic fastener system is provided for fastening a fastener to a mating fastener. The fastener is provided to the system via a fastener feeder, which orients the fastener and provides the fastener feed system with a fastener in an appropriate orientation for engagement by the fastener system. The automatic fastener system comprises a movable drive tool member for fastening the fastener to a mating fastener and a fastener acceptor. The movable drive tool member is movable to align with a mating fastener. The fastener acceptor comprises a passageway which has a fastening end. The fastener acceptor is adapted to receive and at least initially slidably support a fastener along the passageway. The movable drive tool member is slidable along the passageway to engage the fastener and drive the fastener along the passageway onto a mating fastener at the fastening end of the passageway.
Preferably, the fastener is initially secured to the driver by at least one retaining arm within the fastener acceptor. The retaining arm moves longitudinally along the passageway of the fastener acceptor while simultaneously moving radially outwardly from the driver and fastener, thereby releasing the fastener after the driver has traveled a pre-determined distance toward the mating fastener on the work piece. Preferably, a second retaining arm is provided substantially opposite the first retaining arm. Preferably, a biasing member is provided to bias the retaining arms in an initial position whereby the fastener is supported for engagement with the drive member.
In one form, the fastener acceptor is longitudinally guided and movable relative to the drive tool and drive member via a guide sleeve. Preferably, the guide sleeve further comprises a biasing member to bias the fastener acceptor in an initial position whereby the drive member is positioned remotely from a fastener received within the fastener acceptor.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an automatic fastener feed system is provided for supplying a fastener to a drive tool for connecting the fastener to a mating fastener. The drive tool has a fastener drive member for rotatably driving a fastener. The fastener feed system is adapted for interconnection to a parts feeder which orients the fastener and provides the system with a fastener in an appropriate orientation relative to a mating fastener. The fastener feed system comprises a fastener acceptor which receives the fastener and at least initially secures the fastener in a position aligned and engageable with the fastener drive member when the fastener acceptor is connected to such a drive member. The fastener drive member is adapted to be positioned relative to the fastener in an initial position such that the fastener is not engaged with the fastener drive member. The fastener acceptor has a passageway which allows movement of the fastener drive member through the fastener acceptor to move the fastener drive member toward a mating fastener for engagement therewith. The fastener acceptor correspondingly releases the fastener as the fastener is aligned and engaged with the mating fastener.
In one form, an energy absorbing member, preferably in the form of a fastener snubber, is provided within the fastener acceptor to absorb energy when the fastener enters the fastener acceptor from the parts feeder. This prevents the fastener from impacting an opposite wall of the fastener acceptor and rebounding therefrom, and substantially ensures that the fastener will be properly positioned adjacent the fastener driver.
These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3283791 (1966-11-01), Weber
patent: 4501176 (1985-02-01), Sanders
patent: 5031489 (1991-07-01), Young et al.
patent: 5365810 (1994-11-01), Inaniwa et al.
Smith James G.
VanDyke, Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
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