Receiver-fastener apparatuses and systems for joining panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10987767-B2
Application number	US-201816222882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2018
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A receiver-fastener apparatus comprises a receiver-fastener housing, a receiver-fastener turret, an indexing-collet assembly, an anvil, a receiver-fastener delivery assembly, and a swager assembly. The receiver-fastener turret is selectively rotatable relative to the receiver-fastener housing about a receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z). The indexing-collet assembly is selectively movable relative to the receiver-fastener housing between an indexing-collet-assembly extended position and an indexing-collet-assembly retracted position along an indexing-collet-assembly axis (Y) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z). The anvil is selectively movable relative to the receiver-fastener turret along an anvil axis (X) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z). The receiver-fastener delivery assembly is configured to operatively position receiver fasteners for operative placement on shank fasteners, corresponding to the receiver fasteners. The swager assembly is movable relative to the receiver-fastener turret along a swaging axis (W) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A receiver-fastener apparatus for joining, in concert with a shank-fastener apparatus, a first panel and a second panel, at least partially overlapping each other, the receiver-fastener apparatus comprising:
a receiver-fastener housing;
a receiver-fastener turret, supported by the receiver-fastener housing and selectively rotatable relative to the receiver-fastener housing about a receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z);
an indexing-collet assembly, supported by the receiver-fastener housing and selectively movable relative to the receiver-fastener housing between an indexing-collet-assembly extended position and an indexing-collet-assembly retracted position along an indexing-collet-assembly axis (Y) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z);
an anvil, supported by the receiver-fastener turret and selectively movable relative to the receiver-fastener turret along an anvil axis (X) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z);
a receiver-fastener delivery assembly, supported by the receiver-fastener turret and configured to operatively position receiver fasteners for operative placement on shank fasteners, corresponding to the receiver fasteners; and
a swager assembly, supported by the receiver-fastener turret and movable relative to the receiver-fastener turret along a swaging axis (W) that is parallel to the receiver-fastener-turret rotation axis (Z).

2. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver-fastener housing comprises an indexing-collet-assembly receptacle that houses the indexing-collet assembly.

3. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:
the indexing-collet-assembly receptacle comprises an indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle first end and an indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle second end, located axially opposite the first indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle first end;
the indexing-collet-assembly receptacle comprises an indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle inlet, located at the indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle first end and configured to supply pressurized fluid to the indexing-collet-assembly receptacle to move the indexing-collet assembly between the indexing-collet-assembly extended position and the indexing-collet-assembly retracted position; and
the indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle second end is configured to enable the indexing-collet assembly to move to the indexing-collet-assembly extended position.

4. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein:
the indexing-collet assembly comprises:
a collet sleeve; and
an indexing collet, positioned within the collet sleeve; and

the collet sleeve and the indexing collet are movable relative to each other along the indexing-collet-assembly axis (Y).

5. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein:
the collet sleeve comprises a collet-sleeve first end and a collet-sleeve second end, axially opposite the collet-sleeve first end;
the indexing collet comprises an indexing-collet first end and an indexing-collet second end, axially opposite the indexing-collet first end; and
the indexing collet extends through the collet-sleeve second end.

6. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:
the collet sleeve comprises a tapered inner surface, proximate to the indexing-collet second end and extending inward from the collet-sleeve second end toward the indexing-collet-assembly axis (Y);
the indexing collet comprises:
a tapered outer surface that is configured to contact the tapered inner surface of the collet sleeve; and
legs, proximate to the indexing-collet second end and configured to bend relative to the indexing-collet-assembly axis (Y).

7. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein:
each of the legs comprises an inward clamping surface at the indexing-collet second end; and
the inward clamping surface of each of the legs faces the indexing-collet-assembly axis (Y).

8. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:
the indexing-collet assembly further comprises a first indexing-collet spring, positioned between the collet-sleeve first end and the indexing-collet first end; and
the first indexing-collet spring applies a first spring force to bias the indexing-collet first end toward the collet-sleeve first end and thus to retract the indexing collet into the collet sleeve.

9. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein:
the indexing-collet assembly further comprises a second indexing-collet spring, positioned between the indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle first end and the collet-sleeve first end; and
the second indexing-collet spring applies a second spring force to bias the collet-sleeve first end toward the indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle first end and thus to retract the collet sleeve toward the indexing-collet-assembly-receptacle first end.

10. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second spring force is greater than the first spring force.

11. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the receiver-fastener turret comprises a receiver-fastener-turret trailing side and a receiver-fastener-turret leading side that opposes the receiver-fastener-turret trailing side; and
each of the anvil, the receiver-fastener delivery assembly, and the swager assembly is positioned in the receiver-fastener turret to cooperate with the shank-fastener apparatus at the receiver-fastener-turret leading side.

12. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein:
the receiver-fastener turret further comprises an anvil receptacle that extends into the receiver-fastener turret from the receiver-fastener-turret leading side;
the anvil is positioned in the anvil receptacle; and
the anvil receptacle is sized for the anvil to move along the anvil axis (X) within the anvil receptacle.

13. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the anvil is configured to move along the anvil axis (X) within the anvil receptacle responsive to pneumatic pressure against the anvil.

14. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein:
the receiver-fastener turret further comprises a receiver-fastener receptacle that extends into the receiver-fastener turret from the receiver-fastener-turret leading side along a receiver-fastener-receptacle axis (V); and
the receiver-fastener receptacle is configured to contain the receiver fasteners for operative placement of one of the receiver fasteners for insertion of a corresponding one of the shank fasteners at the receiver-fastener-turret leading side.

15. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein:
the receiver-fastener receptacle extends through the receiver-fastener turret from the receiver-fastener-turret leading side to the receiver-fastener-turret trailing side; and
the receiver-fastener apparatus further comprises a cap that blocks the receiver-fastener receptacle at the receiver-fastener-turret trailing side to retain the receiver fasteners in the receiver-fastener receptacle.

16. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising a receiver-fastener-receptacle spring, positioned in the receiver-fastener receptacle to bias the receiver fasteners toward the receiver-fastener-turret leading side.

17. The receiver-fastener apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein:
the receiver-fastener delivery assembly comprises a holder, supported by the receiver-fastener turret at the rec

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pringle Iv John Walter
• Erickson Chris J

Classifications

• B21J15/022

  Setting rivets by means of swaged-on locking collars, e.g. lockbolts · CPC title

• B64F5/10

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

• B23P19/10

  Aligning parts to be fitted together · CPC title

• Y10T29/49956

  Riveting · CPC title

• Y10T29/5118

  Riveting · CPC title