Rapid visual and physical multiple tolerances and alignments verification structure assembly and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10302427-B2
Application number	US-201715671319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 8, 2017
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

Various embodiments of this disclosure relates to a methods and related apparatuses for rapidly and visually determining and verifying multiple interface alignments of parts within a system. In particular, embodiments of the invention are directed to methods and related apparatuses enabling rapid visual determining and verifying multiple interface alignments of parts within at least one first system interface part that cooperatively engage with at least one second system's interface part each having at least one system-sub-system assembly alignment datum that requires the at least one first and second system's interface parts cooperatively and engagingly align within multiple respective tolerances of alignment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A Visual and Physical based Multiple Tolerances and Alignments Verification Structure Assembly (VSA) system comprising
a first, second, and third section, where a first end of the second section and a first end of the third section are coupled to a first side of the first section; and
a first and second alignment key;
wherein the first section is formed with a first and second aperture each passing through the first section from the first side to an opposing second side, wherein the first section is further formed with a first pair and a second pair of aperture edge sections each respectively at least partially surrounding opposing openings of the first and second apertures formed in the first section, wherein a first and second plane formed by surfaces of the first and second pair of aperture edge sections, respectively, are parallel with a first reference plane;
wherein the first section is further formed with first and second aperture wall sections respectively defining side perimeters of the first and second apertures and each respectively abutting and on opposite sides of at least a portion of the first and second aperture edge pair sections, where the first and second wall sections are each formed with at least two opposing side wall sections each having a face, wherein any plane tangential to the face of any side wall section is perpendicular to the first reference plane, wherein the first wall section is formed having a first thickness from opposing sides of the first and second aperture edge pair sections;
wherein the first side of the first section faces the second and third sections and is formed with a first recessed section that surrounds the first aperture opening to the first side of the first section which is recessed from the first side at a first distance;
wherein the second side of the first section is further formed with a second recessed surface formed surrounding the second aperture extending no more than a second distance from the first recessed section's surface, wherein the second side of the first section is further formed with a third recessed surface surrounding at least a portion of the second recessed surface and extending no more than a third distance away from the second recessed surface and is recessed a fourth distance below the second side of the first section;
wherein the second section is further formed with a third aperture with an outer perimeter defined by a third aperture wall section passing between opposing sides of the second section surrounding the third aperture;
wherein the third section is further formed with a fourth aperture defined by a fourth aperture wall section passing between opposing sides of the third section surrounding the fourth aperture,

wherein the third and fourth aperture are formed respectively having a third and fourth aperture edge pair sections each respectively surrounding the third and fourth apertures that are each formed perpendicular to the first reference plane and spaced apart by a fifth distance, wherein the third and fourth apertures are formed with a slideably ISO clearance guide fit and shape to respectively enable said first and second alignment keys to slideably fit through the third and fourth aperture with an ISO clearance fit along a first insertion axis which passes through both third and fourth apertures and is parallel with said first reference plane;
wherein the VSA is adapted to connect to a position sensitive article (PSA) that includes a body formed with a first PSA body side, a second PSA body side opposing the first side, a first PSA body end, and a second PSA body end that is formed opposing the first PSA body end, the PSA body further is formed with a first, second, third, and fourth PSA structures (PSAS), wherein said PSA body is formed having a first, second, and third axis where said first axis passes longitudinally through a center section of the body of the PSA between the first and second PSA body ends, said second axis passes laterally through the body of the PSA and is perpendicular to the first axis, said' first and second axis fall within a third plane, said third axis passes vertically through the body of the PSA between the first and second PSA body sides, wherein the first and second PSAS are formed extending away from the PSA body parallel with the third axis, said third axis is perpendicular to both the first and second axis, wherein the first and second apertures are formed having a shape corresponding to an outer shape of the first and second PSAS such that the first and second PSAS have a slideably ISO clearance guide fit when inserted into the first and second apertures along a second and third insertion axis that is parallel with the third axis of the PSA body and perpendicular to the first reference plane when said VSA is moved into an alignment position with respect to the PSA, the third and fourth PSAS are disposed on opposing lateral sides of the PSA body between two ends of the PSA body and equidistant between the first and second PSA body sides and extending away from the PSA body along the second axis, the third and fourth PSAS are further each formed with a cavity extending into an outer face of each of the third and fourth PSAS along the second axis where each of the third and fourth PSAS are formed with an opening into respective sides of each cavity facing away from each other where each of the third and fourth PSAS' cavities are further formed with an opening on respective sides that are oriented towards a direction parallel with the third axis, wherein the third and fourth PSAS cavities are further formed with a width and shape corresponding to at least a portion of the first and second alignment keys such that the first and second alignment keys respectively can slideably insert into the cavities with an ISO clearance fit through third and fourth apertures and into the respective third and fourth PSAS' cavities parallel with the first insertion axis;
wherein the VSA is adapted to be disposed in proximity to the PSA such that the first aperture is aligned over the first PSAS, the second aperture is aligned over the second PSAS and the second and third sections are oriented towards the PSA with the first PSAS parallel with the third plane;
wherein the VSA is adapted to move towards the PSA body along the second and third insertion axis such that the second and third VSA sections' third and fourth apertures are moved respectively towards alignment with the third and fourth PSAS' cavities so that the third insertion axis can pass through the third and fourth apertures and the third and fourth PSAS' cavities and sides of the third and fourth apertures can align with at least one end and adjacent side sections of the third and fourth PSAS' cavities respectively;
wherein a first and second alignment of the first and second PSAS with the first, second, and third axis of the PSA body can be determined based on insertion of the first and second PSAS into the first and second apertures, parallel fit and orientation of the second and third section interior facing sides with outward facing surfaces of the third and fourth PSAS, and insertion of the first and second alignment keys through the third and fourth apertures into the third and fourth PSAS' cavities along the first insertion axis;
wherein if the first PSAS is above the first aperture or below the first aperture, then the first PSAS is not within a maximum height tolerance range.

2. A VSA system as in claim 1 , said first and second alignment keys each further comprising:
a protrusion which is disposed into said third and fourth apertures;
a body, which fits inside said third and fourth apertures when said first and second alignment keys are inserted through said third and fourth apertures;
a knob, which facilitates gripping of said first and s

Assignees

• Nswc Crane
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Broe Kevin Michael
• Mullis Tyler
• Halter Mark
• Mowery Steven

Classifications

• F42B33/002

  Orienting or guiding means for cartridges or cartridge parts during the manufacturing or packaging process; Feeding cartridge elements to automatic machines · CPC title

• G01B11/0608

  Height gauges · CPC title

• F41F3/04

  for rockets · CPC title

• G01B11/27 Primary

  for testing the alignment of axes {(means for centering or aligning a light guide within a ferrule G02B6/3834)} · CPC title

• G01B21/02

  for measuring length, width, or thickness (G01B21/10 takes precedence) · CPC title