Fastener-installation systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10751859-B2
Application number	US-201715418967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2017
Priority date	Jan 30, 2017
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A fastener-installation system is described that includes a driver to drive a fastener into a structure and a fastener feeder to load the fastener into a loaded position of the driver. The fastener feeder includes a fastener magazine to hold a plurality of fasteners. The fastener-installation system further includes a driver head having a plurality of jaws moveable between a closed position and an expanded position. In the closed position, the plurality of jaws form a piercing tip to pierce material of the structure. Further, the jaws spread apart the material of the structure when the jaws move from the closed position to the expanded position to create a path through the material through which the fastener is driven.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fastener-installation system comprising:
a driver to drive a fastener into a structure, wherein the driver includes a body and a telescoping portion that moves in a proximal direction into the body upon application of pressure to a distal end of the driver to thereby transition the driver from a decompressed position to a compressed position, and wherein the driver includes a spring that biases the distal end of the driver in a distal direction to the decompressed position;
a fastener feeder to load the fastener into a loaded position of the driver, wherein the fastener feeder comprises a fastener magazine to hold a plurality of fasteners; and
a driver head coupled to the fastener feeder and comprising a plurality of jaws moveable between a closed position and an expanded position in response to the driver transitioning from the decompressed position to the compressed position, wherein in the closed position the plurality of jaws meet at a point to thereby form a piercing tip configured to pierce material of the structure, wherein a distal end of the piercing tip forms a non-zero angle with respect to the structure as the piercing tip is inserted into the material of the structure, and wherein the plurality of jaws are configured to spread apart the material of the structure when the plurality of jaws move from the closed position to the expanded position to create a path through the material through which the fastener is driven.

2. The fastener-installation system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener feeder automatically loads a second fastener into the loaded position of the driver after the fastener is driven into the structure and the pressure is removed from the distal end of the driver.

3. The fastener-installation system of claim 2 , wherein the fastener feeder comprises a second spring to bias the second fastener into the loaded position of the driver after the fastener is driven into the structure and the pressure is removed from the driver.

4. The fastener-installation system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of jaws move from the closed position to the expanded position as the fastener is driven through the plurality of jaws.

5. The fastener-installation system of claim 4 , wherein each jaw of the plurality of jaws is spring loaded.

6. The fastener-installation system of claim 4 , wherein each jaw of the plurality of jaws includes threads located on an inner surface of the jaw to engage with a head of the fastener, wherein the threads act to self-center the fastener as the fastener is driven through the plurality of jaws.

7. The fastener-installation system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener magazine comprises an inner body having a spiral track configured to hold at least two rows of fasteners.

8. The fastener-installation system of claim 7 , further comprising a disc rotatable with respect to the spiral track and having a plurality of cutouts, wherein each cutout spans each row of the at least two rows of fasteners, and wherein rotation of the disc with respect to the spiral track moves the plurality of fasteners through the spiral track.

9. The fastener-installation system of claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a screw gun, and wherein the driver head and fastener feeder are part of a removable attachment to be removably attached to the screw gun.

10. The fastener-installation system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener magazine is arranged at an angle between 25-60 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fastener-installation system.

11. An attachment for a driver, the attachment comprising:
a main body having a connector to attach to a corresponding connector of the driver, wherein the main body includes a body and a telescoping portion that moves in a proximal direction into the body upon application of pressure to a distal end of the driver to thereby transition the main body from a decompressed position to a compressed position, and wherein the main body includes a spring that biases the distal end of the driver in a distal direction to the decompressed position;
a fastener feeder to load a fastener into a loaded position for being driven by the driver, wherein the fastener feeder comprises a fastener magazine to hold a plurality of fasteners; and
a driver head located at a distal end of the main body and coupled to the fastener feeder, wherein the driver head comprises a plurality of jaws moveable between a closed position and an expanded position in response to the main body transitioning from the decompressed position to the compressed position, wherein in the closed position the plurality of jaws meet at a point to thereby form a piercing tip configured to pierce material of a structure, wherein a distal end of the piercing tip has a non-zero angle with respect to the structure as the piercing tip is inserted into the material of the structure, and wherein the plurality of jaws are configured to spread apart the material of the structure when the plurality of jaws move from the closed position to the expanded position to create a path through the material through which the fastener is driven.

12. The attachment of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of jaws move from the closed position to the expanded position as the fastener is driven through the plurality of jaws.

13. The attachment of claim 12 , wherein each jaw of the plurality of jaws is spring loaded.

14. The attachment of claim 11 , wherein the fastener magazine comprises an inner body having a spiral track configured to hold at least two rows of fasteners.

15. The attachment of claim 14 , further comprising a disc rotatable with respect to the spiral track and having a plurality of cutouts, wherein each cutout spans each row of the at least two rows of fasteners, and wherein rotation of the disc with respect to the spiral track moves the plurality of fasteners through the spiral track.

16. A method of driving a fastener into a structure, wherein the structure comprises at least one layer having a preformed hole and at least one layer without a preformed hole, the method comprising:
the fastener-installation system of claim 1 simultaneously (i) spreading apart material of the at least one layer without the preformed hole to create a path through the material and (ii) driving a fastener into the structure, wherein spreading apart the material comprises the plurality of jaws of the fastener-installation system expanding to spread apart the material; and
the fastener-installation system of claim 1 loading a second fastener into a loaded position of the fastener-installation system after the fastener-installation system drives the fastener into the structure.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of jaws of the fastener-installation system expanding to spread apart the material comprises the plurality of jaws of the fastener-installation system expanding from a closed position to an expanded position as the fastener is moved through the plurality of jaws.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein spreading apart the material comprises:
prior to the plurality of jaws of the fastener-installation system expanding to spread apart the material, piercing the material with the piercing tip.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the fastener-installation system simultaneously (i) spreading apart material of the at least one layer without the preformed hole to create a path through the material and (ii) driving the fastener into the structure comprises spreading apart the material and driving the fastener into the structure as pressure

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Helmick Eerik J
• White Edward L
• Anderson Jennifer Elizabeth
• Diehl Claire Noel
• Kochevar Joseph Nicholas
• Cosman Maura Elizabeth
• Utset-Ward Sophia Victoria

Classifications

• B25B23/04 Primary

  for feeding screws or nuts · CPC title

• B25B23/10

  using mechanical gripping means · CPC title

• B25B21/00 Primary

  Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; (details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00; {for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/006}); Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose (machines B23P19/06) · CPC title

• B25B23/106

  the driving bit being a blade · CPC title

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title