IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0252074
(2005-10-17)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Matthews,Shane Peter
- Blacket,Stuart
- Gostylla,Wojciech
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
11 인용 특허 :
30 |
초록
▼
Fastener insertion apparatus comprises a nose having a fastener delivery passage and side entry port. Fasteners such as rivets are supplied to the nose via a fastener supply passage and a fastener feeder assembly. A punch reciprocally disposed for movement in the delivery passage drives a fastener d
Fastener insertion apparatus comprises a nose having a fastener delivery passage and side entry port. Fasteners such as rivets are supplied to the nose via a fastener supply passage and a fastener feeder assembly. A punch reciprocally disposed for movement in the delivery passage drives a fastener disposed in the delivery passage out of the passage and into a workpiece. The feeder assembly comprises a gate that is movable between retracted and advanced positions. In the retracted position it is clear of the supply passage and the delivery passage so as to permit movement of a fastener from the supply passage to the delivery passage. In the advanced position it at least partially closes the supply passage so as to prevent movement of a fastener and it projects into the delivery passage through the entry port so as to retain a fastener, if present, in the delivery passage. Sensors are provided to detect the position of the gate. The invention permits different size rivets to be supplied to the same tool and reduces the rivet cycle time. The apparatus can also be used in a clinching operation with or without a fastener.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A fastener feed and insertion system comprising a bulk feeder for fasteners and fastener insertion apparatus, a first elongate supply passage extending from said bulk feeder and releasably connectable to the insertion apparatus via a docking station in order to supply fastene
What is claimed is: 1. A fastener feed and insertion system comprising a bulk feeder for fasteners and fastener insertion apparatus, a first elongate supply passage extending from said bulk feeder and releasably connectable to the insertion apparatus via a docking station in order to supply fasteners thereto, the insertion apparatus comprising a fastener setting tool having a nose portion with a fastener delivery passage therein and a fastener entry port, a first actuator reciprocally disposed for movement in said delivery passage for driving a fastener disposed in said delivery passage out of the passage and into a workpiece, a buffer magazine for the temporary storage of fasteners disposed between said docking station and the setting tool, the buffer magazine having an inlet and an outlet, a first part of the docking station being connected to an end of the first supply passage and a second part of the docking station being connected to the inlet of the buffer magazine, the first and second parts of the docking station being releasably connectable, a second fastener supply passage disposed between said buffer magazine outlet and the tool, a fastener feeder assembly, at or adjacent to said tool, for advancing fasteners from the second fastener supply passage to the delivery passage via the entry port, wherein the feeder assembly comprises a sensor device for detecting that the fastener has been loaded into the nose. 2. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises a probe. 3. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 2, wherein the probe is movable into the delivery passage to detect the presence of a fastener therein. 4. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 3, wherein the position of the probe is detectable by at least one proximity transducer. 5. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 2, wherein the probe is pivotally mounted for pivotal movement between said retracted and advanced positions. 6. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 1, wherein the sensor device also serves as a gate that is movable between a retracted position in which it is clear of the supply passage and the delivery passage so as to permit movement of a fastener from the second supply passage to the delivery passage and an advanced position in which it projects into the delivery passage to prevent the loading of another fastener. 7. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 6, wherein the gate supports the fastener as it is moved by the first actuator through the delivery passage so as to prevent tumbling of the fastener. 8. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 7, wherein in said advanced position the gate is movable from a first advanced position where the fastener is present in the delivery passage to a second advanced position where the fastener is not present in the delivery passage. 9. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 8, wherein when in the advanced position the gate is biased towards the second advanced position. 10. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 6, further comprising a surface defined on said gate for co-operation with a surface of the first actuator such that when the first actuator advances the gate is deflected out of the advanced position. 11. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 1, wherein the buffer magazine is disposed remotely from said tool. 12. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 1, further comprising a C-frame supporting the fastener insertion tool, the C-frame having first and second jaws, one of said jaws supporting the tool. 13. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 12, wherein the second fastener supply passage extends from the tool in a direction away from the first and second jaws to a position spaced from the C-frame. 14. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 13, further comprising a support member that supports said C-frame and which is connectable to a robot handler, the buffer magazine being mounted on the support member. 15. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 14, wherein there is provided an escapement mechanism at the buffer magazine outlet and which is disposed at the support on which the buffer is mounted and the second fastener supply passage is connected to an outlet of the escapement mechanism. 16. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 12, further comprising a support member that supports said C-frame and which is connectable to a robot handler, the buffer magazine being mounted on the support member. 17. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 12, wherein the C-frame comprises a first jaw that supports the tool and a second jaw spaced from the first jaw and which supports a fastener-upsetting die, and wherein the second fastener supply passage extends from the tool in a direction away from the first and second jaws to a position spaced from the C-frame. 18. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 17, further comprising a support member that supports said C-frame and which is connectable to a robot handler, the buffer magazine being mounted on the support member. 19. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 18, further comprising an escapement mechanism at the outlet of the buffer magazine for selectively feeding fasteners to the tool, the mechanism being disposed at the support on which the buffer is mounted and the second fastener supply passage is connected to an outlet of the escapement mechanism. 20. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 1, further comprising an escapement mechanism at the outlet of the buffer magazine for selectively feeding fasteners to said tool, the second fastener supply passage being disposed between an outlet of the mechanism and the tool. 21. A fastener feed and insertion system comprising a bulk feeder for fasteners and fastener insertion apparatus, a first elongate supply passage extending from said bulk feeder and releasably connectable to the insertion apparatus via a docking station in order to supply fasteners thereto, the insertion apparatus comprising a fastener setting tool having a nose portion with a fastener delivery passage therein and a fastener entry port, a first actuator reciprocally disposed for movement in said delivery passage for driving a fastener disposed in said delivery passage out of the passage and into a workpiece, a buffer magazine for the temporary storage of fasteners disposed between said docking station and the setting tool, the buffer magazine having an inlet and an outlet, a first part of the docking station being connected to an end of the first supply passage and a second part of the docking station being connected to the inlet of the buffer magazine, a second fastener supply passage disposed between said buffer magazine outlet and the tool, a fastener feeder assembly, at or adjacent to said tool, for advancing fasteners from the second fastener supply passage to the delivery passage via the entry port, wherein there is provided a sensor associated with the second supply passage for detecting a fastener in said passage. 22. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 21, wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor. 23. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 22, wherein the proximity sensor is a ring sensor that circumscribes the second supply passage. 24. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 21, wherein the buffer magazine is disposed remotely from said tool. 25. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 21, further comprising a C-frame supporting the fastener insertion tool and defining first and second jaws, the tool being supported by one of said first and second jaws. 26. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 25, wherein the second passage extends from the tool away from the jaws to a position spaced from the C-frame. 27. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 26, further comprising a support member that supports said C-frame and which is connectable to a robot handler, the buffer magazine being mounted on the support member. 28. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 27, wherein there is provided an escapement mechanism at the outlet of the buffer magazine for selectively feeding fasteners to said tool, the mechanism being disposed at the support on which the buffer is mounted and the second fastener supply passage is connected to an outlet of the escapement mechanism. 29. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 25, further comprising a support member that supports said C-frame and which is connectable to a robot handler, the buffer magazine being mounted on the support member. 30. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 25, wherein the first jaw supports the tool and the second jaw is spaced from the first jaw and supports a fastener-upsetting die, and wherein the second fastener supply passage extends from the tool in a direction away from the first and second jaws to a position spaced from the C-frame. 31. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 30, wherein there is provided an escapement mechanism at the outlet of the buffer magazine for selectively feeding fasteners to said tool, the mechanism being disposed at the support on which the buffer is mounted and the second fastener supply passage is connected to an outlet of the escapement mechanism. 32. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 21, further comprising an escapement mechanism at the outlet of the buffer magazine for selectively feeding fasteners to said tool, the second fastener supply passage being disposed between an outlet of the escapement mechanism and the tool. 33. A fastener feed and insertion system comprising a bulk feeder for fasteners and fastener insertion apparatus, a first elongate supply passage extending from said bulk feeder and releasably connectable to the insertion apparatus via a docking station in order to supply fasteners thereto, the insertion apparatus comprising a fastener setting tool having a nose portion with a fastener delivery passage therein and a fastener entry port, a first actuator reciprocally disposed for movement in said delivery passage for driving a fastener disposed in said delivery passage out of the passage and into a workpiece, a buffer magazine for the temporary storage of fasteners disposed between said docking station and the setting tool, the buffer magazine having an inlet and an outlet, a first part of the docking station being connected to an end of the first supply passage and a second part of the docking station being connected to the inlet of the buffer magazine, a second fastener supply passage disposed between said buffer magazine outlet and the tool, a fastener feeder assembly, at or adjacent to said tool, for advancing fasteners from the second fastener supply passage to the delivery passage via the entry port, wherein the buffer magazine is disposed remotely from the tool. 34. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 33, wherein the buffer magazine is disposed on a robot mounting plate of the apparatus. 35. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 33, further comprising a C-frame supporting the fastener insertion tool and defining first and second jaws, the tool being supported by one of said first and second jaws. 36. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 35, wherein the second passage extends from the tool away from the jaws to a position spaced from the C-frame. 37. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 36, further comprising a support member that supports said C-frame and which is connectable to a robot handler, the buffer magazine being mounted on the support member. 38. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 37, wherein there is provided an escapement mechanism at the buffer magazine outlet for selectively feeding fasteners to the tool, the mechanism being disposed at the support to which the buffer is mounted and the second fastener supply passage is connected to an outlet of the escapement mechanism. 39. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 35, further comprising a support member that supports said C-frame and which is connectable to a robot handler, the buffer magazine being mounted on the support member. 40. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 39, wherein there is provided an escapement mechanism at the buffer magazine outlet for selectively feeding fasteners to the tool, the mechanism being disposed at the support to which the buffer is mounted and the second fastener supply passage is connected to an outlet of the escapement mechanism. 41. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 35, wherein the first jaw supports the tool and a second jaw, spaced from the first jaw, supports a fastener-upsetting die, and wherein the second fastener supply passage extends from the tool in a direction away from the first and second jaws to a position spaced from the C-frame. 42. The fastener feed and insertion system of claim 33, further comprising an escapement mechanism at the outlet of the buffer magazine for selectively feeding fasteners to said tool.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.