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A fastener delivery apparatus includes a nose assembly to releasably hold a fastener. The nose assembly includes a plurality of balls or rollers and associated biasing members to provide a biasing force which biases the balls or rollers such that they engage with the fastener. Each biasing member ex

A fastener delivery apparatus includes a nose assembly to releasably hold a fastener. The nose assembly includes a plurality of balls or rollers and associated biasing members to provide a biasing force which biases the balls or rollers such that they engage with the fastener. Each biasing member exerts force in a first direction and an associated ball or roller moves in a second direction which is different from the first direction. A force transfer surface is provided between the ball or roller and the biasing member, the force transfer surface acting to convert at least a component of the force exerted by the biasing member in the first direction into force exerted on the balls or rollers in the second direction.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fastener delivery apparatus comprising: a nose assembly configured to releasably hold a fastener;wherein the nose assembly comprises an actuator, a central bore through which the fastener travels when urged to do so by the actuator, a plurality of balls or rollers and associated biasing members

1. A fastener delivery apparatus comprising: a nose assembly configured to releasably hold a fastener;wherein the nose assembly comprises an actuator, a central bore through which the fastener travels when urged to do so by the actuator, a plurality of balls or rollers and associated biasing members configured to provide a biasing force which biases the balls or rollers such that they engage with the fastener,wherein each biasing member is configured to exert force in a first direction and the associated ball or roller is configured to move in a second direction which is inwards towards the central bore and which is different from the first direction,wherein a force transfer surface is provided between each ball or roller and the biasing member, the force transfer surface acting to convert at least a component of the force exerted by the biasing member in the first direction into force exerted on the ball or roller in the second direction such that the balls or rollers are moved in the second direction exclusively by the force exerted by the force transfer surface,wherein each ball or roller is constrained such that movement in any direction other than the second direction is substantially prevented, andwherein the apparatus is configured such that a force exerted by the actuator on the fastener overcomes the force exerted on the balls or rollers in the second direction, to move the balls or rollers in a direction opposite to the second direction and thereby enable the fastener to move past the balls or rollers in order for the fastener to pass through the central bore. 2. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second direction is a substantially orthogonal direction relative to a central axis of an actuator of the fastener delivery apparatus. 3. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second direction is substantially radial relative to a central axis of an actuator of the fastener delivery apparatus. 4. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to a direction of movement of the actuator of the fastener delivery apparatus. 5. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the biasing members is a passive biasing member. 6. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the passive biasing members comprises a mechanical spring, a resilient material or a pneumatic spring. 7. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the biasing members is an active biasing member. 8. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 7, wherein the active biasing member comprises a pneumatic actuator. 9. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the force transfer surface comprises a sloping surface of a piston which engages with the ball or roller. 10. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sloping surface of the piston is frustoconical. 11. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sloping surface of the piston is planar. 12. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the force transfer surface comprises an intermediate ball located between the biasing member and the ball or roller. 13. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the force transfer surface is in contact with the plurality of balls. 14. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein two balls are provided, one on each side of the central bore of the nose assembly. 15. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein three or more balls are distributed around the central bore of the nose assembly. 16. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein two balls are provided adjacent to one another on one side of the central bore of the nose assembly and two balls are provided adjacent to one another on an opposite side of a central bore of the nose assembly. 17. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein each ball or roller is one of a set of a plurality of balls or rollers which is provided along the central bore of the nose assembly, a force transfer surface being associated with each ball or roller. 18. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 17, wherein each force transfer surface comprises a piston, a first piston being located between the biasing member and a first ball or roller of the set of balls or rollers, and a second piston being located between the first ball or roller and the second ball or roller of the set of balls or rollers. 19. The fastener delivery apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ball or roller is provided in the bore which extends in the second direction, walls of the bore acting to constrain movement of the ball or roller such that the ball or roller moves in the second direction. 20. The fastener delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first ball or roller of the plurality of balls or rollers is provided on one side of the central bore of the nose assembly and a second ball or roller of the plurality of balls or rollers is provided on an opposite side of the central bore of the nose assembly. 21. A method of delivering a fastener to a workpiece comprising: moving a fastener through a central bore of a nose assembly of a fastener insertion apparatus and into the workpiece using an actuator,wherein the orientation of the fastener is controlled at least in part by a plurality of balls or rollers and associated biasing members which provide a biasing force which biases the balls or rollers such that they engage with the fastener,wherein each biasing member exerts force in a first direction and the ball or roller moves in a second direction inwards toward the central bore which is different from the first direction,wherein a force transfer surface is provided between each ball or roller and the biasing member, the force transfer surface acting to convert at least a component of the force exerted by the biasing member in the first direction into force exerted on the ball or roller in the second direction such that the balls or rollers are moved in the second direction exclusively by the force exerted by the force transfer surface,wherein each ball or roller is constrained such that movement in any direction other than the second direction is substantially prevented, andwherein the apparatus is configured such that a force exerted by the actuator on the fastener overcomes the force exerted on the balls or rollers in the second direction, to move the balls or rollers in a direction opposite to the second direction and thereby enable the fastener to move past the balls or rollers in order for the fastener to pass through the central bore. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises joining the workpiece by inserting the fastener into the workpiece. 23. A nose assembly configured to releasably hold a fastener, the nose assembly comprising: an actuator;a central bore which the fastener is configured to travel through when urged to do so by the actuator;a plurality of balls or rollers and associated biasing members configured to provide a biasing force which biases the balls or rollers such that they engage with the fastener,wherein each biasing member is configured to exert force in a first direction and the associated ball or roller is configured to move in a second direction which is inward toward the central bore and which is different from the first direction,wherein a force transfer surface is provided between each ball or roller and the biasing member, the force transfer surface acting to convert at least a component of the force exerted by the biasing member in the first direction into force exerted on the ball or roller in the second direction such that the balls or rollers are moved in the second direction exclusively by the force exerted by the force transfer surface,wherein each ball or roller is constrained such that movement in any direction other than the second direction is substantially prevented, andwherein the apparatus is configured such that a force exerted by the actuator on the fastener overcomes the force exerted on the balls or rollers in the second direction, to move the balls or rollers in a direction opposite to the second direction and thereby enable the fastener to move past the balls or rollers in order for the fastener to pass through the central bore.