Bolt retrieval apparatus and bolt retrieval system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035247-B2
Application number	US-201615139824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2016
Priority date	Apr 27, 2015
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A retrieval apparatus for retrieving a bolt includes a guide including an opening that passes through the guide vertically, a first plate that includes a first end, a second plate that includes a second end, the first end and the second end being arranged facing each other so as to define an adjacent region, on an upper side of the opening. When the bolt is inserted from inside the opening toward the adjacent region, the first plate and the second plate abut against the bolt and pivot upwards, and the first end and the second end abut against a side surface of the bolt and grip the bolt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A retrieval apparatus for retrieving a bolt, the retrieval apparatus comprising:
a guide including an opening that passes through the guide vertically;
a first plate that includes a first end and a third end that is located on an opposite side to the first end; and
a second plate that includes a second end and a fourth end that is located on an opposite side to the second end, the first end and the second end being arranged facing each other so as to define an adjacent region on an upper side of the opening, and the third end and the fourth end are horizontally spaced apart from the adjacent region, wherein
when the bolt is inserted from inside the opening toward the adjacent region,
the first plate and the second plate abut against the bolt and pivot upwards, and
the first end and the second end abut against a side surface of the bolt and grip the bolt, and

in a state where the first plate and the second plate are gripping the bolt, the third end of the first plate and the fourth end of the second plate are displaced downward, by bringing lower surfaces of the first plate and the second plate into contact with the guide, so that the first end and the second end are separated from each other by at least a distance larger than a diameter of the bolt to drop the bolt.

2. The retrieval apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a bolt storing structure that stores the bolt, wherein
the first end and the second end, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, drop the bolt into the bolt storing structure by moving away from each other at least until the distance between the first end and the second end is greater than the diameter of the bolt.

3. The retrieval apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the bolt is inserted into the adjacent region with a head of the bolt facing downward.

4. A bolt retrieval system comprising:
the retrieval apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
a removal device, including
a removing mechanism to remove the bolt from a predetermined member, and hold the bolt on a tip end of the removing mechanism, and
a raising-and-lowering mechanism to raise and lower the removing mechanism, and the raising-and-lowering mechanism inserts the bolt from inside the opening toward the adjacent region by raising the removing mechanism.

5. The bolt retrieval system according to claim 4 , wherein the removing mechanism holds the bolt with a head of the bolt facing downward.

6. The bolt retrieval system according to claim 4 , wherein
the removing mechanism includes a socket that fits together with a head of the bolt on the tip end of the removing mechanism, and the socket removes the bolt from the predetermined member by rotating while being fitted together with the head of the bolt.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaishi

Inventors

• Miura Kazuya
• Sagawa Takashi

Classifications

• B23P19/006

  Holding or positioning the article in front of the applying tool · CPC title

• B25B23/10 Primary

  using mechanical gripping means · CPC title

• B23P19/06

  Screw or nut setting or loosening machines · CPC title

• B25B23/101

  for hand-driven screw-drivers (B25B23/105 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23P19/066

  by electrical means · CPC title