Method for tightening a screw for fastening a construction panel to a support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11865654-B2
Application number	US-201917275569-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2019
Priority date	Sep 13, 2018
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A method for tightening a screw for fastening a construction panel to a support of the construction panel, in which the fastening screw is screwed through the construction panel and then through at least part of the support, includes a monitoring of a change over time of a tightening torque of the fastening screw, with determination of a first maximum torque value and then of a second minimum torque value, and after determination of the second minimum torque value, a stoppage of the tightening of the fastening screw for a torque value, termed stoppage value, corresponding to a third maximum torque value or being determined after an occurrence of a third maximum torque value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for tightening a screw for fastening a construction panel to a support of the construction panel, in which the fastening screw is screwed through the construction panel and then through at least part of the support, the method comprising:
monitoring a change over time of a tightening torque of the fastening screw, with determination of a first maximum torque value and then of a second minimum torque value, and
after determining the second minimum torque value, stopping the tightening of the fastening screw for a torque stoppage value, greater than the first maximum torque value, the torque stoppage value corresponding to a third maximum torque value or being determined after an occurrence of a third maximum torque value.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the torque stoppage value is representative of a position where an upper surface of a head of the fastening screw is coplanar with a main face delimiting the construction panel or included in the construction panel.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the torque stoppage value is calculated and/or determined beforehand by testing.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the torque stoppage value is part of a decreasing phase of the tightening torque, such a decreasing phase of the tightening torque being after the third maximum torque value.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the torque stoppage value is part of an increasing phase of the tightening torque, such an increasing phase of the tightening torque being after the third maximum torque value, the torque stoppage value being less than or equal to the third maximum torque value.

6. The method according to claim 1 , where the determination of the first maximum torque value and/or of the second minimum torque value is done by subtracting two successive torque values.

7. A tightening device for a fastening screw intended to fasten a construction panel on a support of the construction panel, the tightening device comprising a tightening tool configured to implement a method of tightening the fastening screw according to claim 1 , the tightening device being equipped with a system for measuring the tightening torque applied to the fastening screw and a device for stopping the tightening tool according to the measured tightening torque.

8. The tightening device according to claim 7 , wherein the system for measuring the torque of the tightening tool comprises at least one means for detecting the first maximum torque value and/or the second minimum torque value and/or a third maximum torque value.

9. The tightening device according to claim 7 , comprising a damping system configured to compensate for variations in a speed of movement of a thrust plate constituting the tightening device.

10. The tightening device according to claim 9 , wherein the damping system comprises at least one threaded rod driven in rotation by a translation motor of the tightening tool, the threaded rod being configured to drive the thrust plate in translation in a direction substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the tightening tool, the damping system comprising at least one spring disposed between the thrust plate and the tightening tool.

11. A portable tool with manual control comprising a tightening device according to claim 7 .

12. A screwing robot comprising a tightening device according to claim 7 , the screwing robot comprising a base configured to be secured to a floor and equipped with an arm at one end of which the tightening tool is placed, the movements of the tightening tool and of the arm which carries it being governed by an electronic control unit.

13. An automated device configured to move resting on a construction panel, the automated device comprising a frame carrying a tightening device according to claim 7 , configured to perform at least one operation of fastening the construction panel on a support thereof, the automated device comprising at least one member for retaining the automated device against the construction panel and at least one means for setting the automated device in motion along the construction panel.

Assignees

• Saint Gobain Placo

Inventors

• Lombard Pierre
• Faou Jean-Yvon

Classifications

• B23P19/066 Primary

  by electrical means · CPC title

• B25B23/147

  specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers · CPC title

• B25B23/1475

  for impact wrenches or screwdrivers · CPC title

• B25J11/005

  Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks · CPC title

• B25J15/0019

  End effectors other than grippers · CPC title