Bolt aligner and method of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12370639-B1
Application number	US-202418428146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2024
Priority date	Jan 31, 2024
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A bolt aligner includes a body having a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a thickness between the first and second surfaces. The body may further include a first through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface, a bolt alignment feature arranged concentric with the first through hole and extending from the first surface through a portion of the thickness, a bumper chamber arranged concentric with the first through hole and extending from the second surface through a portion of the thickness, and a threaded portion arranged axially between the bolt alignment feature and the bumper chamber. The body may further include a second through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface and a third through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface. The bolt aligner further includes a bumper arranged in the bumper chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly, comprising:
a frame; and
a bolt aligner, comprising:
a body, comprising:
a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a thickness between the first and second surfaces,
a first through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface,
a bolt alignment feature arranged concentric with the first through hole and extending from the first surface through a portion of the thickness,
a bumper chamber arranged concentric with the first through hole and extending from the second surface through a portion of the thickness, the bumper chamber including an upper surface spaced from the first surface of the body and side walls extending between the upper surface and the second surface of the body,
a threaded portion arranged axially between the bolt alignment feature and the bumper chamber,
a second through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface, and
a third through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface;

fasteners arranged in the second through hole and the third through hole and coupled to the frame; and
a bumper trapped axially between the upper surface and the frame and laterally between the side walls.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded portion is configured to constrain a bolt vertically.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bumper is configured to constrain a bolt rotationally.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bumper is made of an elastic material.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bumper is compressible by a bolt between the upper surface, the frame, and the side walls.

6. A nested assembly system, comprising:
a nest coupled to a frame, the nest comprising:
a top side, a bottom side, and a thickness between the top side and the bottom side,
a through hole extending from the top side through the bottom side, and
a counter bore arranged concentric with the through hole;

a bolt aligner coupled to the frame, the bolt aligner comprising:
a body comprising:
a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a thickness between the first and second surfaces,
a first through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface and aligned with the through hole of the nest,
a bolt alignment feature arranged concentric with the first through hole and extending from the first surface through a portion of the thickness of the bolt aligner,
a bumper chamber arranged concentric with the first through hole and extending from the second surface through a portion of the thickness of the bolt aligner, the bumper chamber including an upper surface spaced from the first surface and side walls extending between the upper surface and the second surface of the body,
a threaded portion arranged axially between the bolt alignment feature and the bumper chamber;
a second through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface, and
a third through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface;

fasteners arranged in the second through hole and the third through hole and coupled to the frame; and
a bumper arranged in the bumper chamber and trapped axially between the upper surface and the frame and laterally between the side walls;

a washer comprising an opening and arranged in the counter bore;
a bolt comprising a bolt shaft and a bolt head coupled to the bolt shaft, the bolt shaft extending through the opening of the washer and through the through hole of the nest; and
a tool configured to be actuated clockwise, counterclockwise, and axially with respect to the bolt.

7. The nested assembly system of claim 6 , wherein the bumper is made of an elastic material.

8. The nested assembly system of claim 6 , wherein the bumper chamber laterally aligns the bumper with the threaded portion of the bolt aligner.

9. The nested assembly system of claim 6 , wherein the bolt head is a hexagon shape.

10. The nested assembly system of claim 9 , wherein the tool is a hex bit socket.

11. The nested assembly system of claim 6 , wherein clockwise rotation of the tool threads the bolt shaft into the threaded portion of the bolt aligner.

12. The nested assembly system of claim 11 , wherein rotation of the bolt is stopped by the bumper.

13. The nested assembly system of claim 6 , wherein the through hole of the nest, the first through hole of the bolt aligner, and the bumper chamber are concentric.

14. A method of using the nested assembly system of claim 6 , comprising:
providing the washer into the counter bore so that the opening is concentric with the through hole of the nest;
inserting the bolt shaft of the bolt through the opening of the washer and the through hole so that a distal end of the bolt is in contact with the threaded portion of the bolt aligner;
rotating the tool, that is arranged axially above the bolt, clockwise;
contacting the bolt head coupled to the bolt shaft with the tool so that the bolt rotates clockwise;
rotating the bolt into the threaded portion of the bolt aligner until clockwise rotation is stopped by the bumper;
capturing the bolt head with the tool;
rotating the bolt head and the washer counterclockwise with respect to the bolt aligner; and
extracting the bolt and the washer from the nest with the tool.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein capturing the bolt head with the tool further comprises the tool receiving the bolt head axially when rotation of the bolt is stopped.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the extracting the bolt and the washer further comprises holding the bolt and the washer with a magnet that is arranged in the tool.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Moore Ii Navery C
• Love Jeffrey A
• Mendenhall Raymond Carl

Classifications

• B23P19/007

  Picking-up and placing mechanisms · CPC title

• B25B29/00 Primary

  Accessories (specially for spanners, wrenches, screwdrivers B25B23/00; tool boxes, tool positioning stands B25H) · CPC title

• B23P19/06

  Screw or nut setting or loosening machines · CPC title

• B23P19/006

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

• B25J11/005

  Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks · CPC title