High speed bolt dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9278798-B2
Application number	US-201213618254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Sep 14, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A method and a system for dispensing bolts are provided. The system includes a dispensing cartridge including a dispensing tube and a dispensing section. The dispensing tube includes a first end, a second end, and a passage provided between the first end and the second end. The passage is configured to store a plurality of bolts to be supplied to the dispensing tube through the first end such that the bolts are moved through the passage. The dispensing section is located near the second end of the dispensing tube and is configured to dispense the bolts one at a time from the second end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for dispensing bolts, the system comprising:
a dispensing cartridge including a dispensing tube and a dispensing section, the dispensing tube including a first end, a second end, and a passage provided between the first end and the second end, the passage configured to store a plurality of bolts to be supplied to the dispensing tube through the first end such that the bolts are moved through the passage, the dispensing section located near the second end of the dispensing tube and being configured to dispense bolts one at a time from the second end; and
a bolt loading station with a plurality of bolt feeders each of which configured to supply bolts to the first end of the dispensing cartridge, each bolt feeder configured to supply a bolt with a given set of dimensions, wherein
the bolt loading station includes a dock on which the dispensing cartridge can be secured, and the dock includes a gripper configured to engage a gripping section of the dispensing cartridge, the dock being configured to be moved along a rail such that the first end of the dispensing cartridge can be positioned about any of the bolt feeders in order to fill the dispensing cartridge with bolts.

2. The system of claim 1 , the bolts stacked on top of one another in the passage, and the bolts moved through the passage by way of gravity.

3. The system of claim 1 , the bolts not being of equal length.

4. A system for dispensing bolts, the system comprising:
a dispensing cartridge including a dispensing tube and a dispensing section, the dispensing tube including a first end, a second end, and a passage provided between the first end and the second end, the passage configured to store a plurality of bolts to be supplied to the dispensing tube through the first end such that the bolts are moved through the passage, the dispensing section located near the second end of the dispensing tube and being configured to dispense bolts one at a time from the second end; wherein
the dispensing section further includes a first member and a second member, each of the first member and the second member being configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position, the first member and the second member including a first distal end and a second distal end respectively, the first member oriented such that the first distal end extends into the passage in the extended position of the first member, the second member oriented such that the second distal end extends into the passage in the extended position of the second member, the second distal end configured to extend into the passage at a location nearer the second end than the first distal end such that the second distal end is configured to engage a bolt nearest the second end in the extended position and the first distal end is configured to engage a bolt that is second to nearest the second end in the extended position.

5. The system of claim 4 , further including a bolt loading station with a plurality of bolt feeders each of which configured to supply bolts to the first end of the dispensing cartridge, each bolt feeder configured to supply a bolt with a given set of dimensions.

6. The system of claim 5 , the bolt loading station including a dock on which the dispensing cartridge can be secured, the dock including a gripper configured to engage a gripping section of the dispensing cartridge, the dock configured to be moved along a rail such that the first end of the dispensing cartridge can be positioned about any of the bolt feeders in order to fill the dispensing cartridge with bolts.

7. The system of claim 4 , the first member being in the extended position when the second member is in the retracted position, the second member being in the extended position when the first member is in the retracted position.

8. The system of claim 4 , each of the first distal end and the second distal end including a concavely semi-cylindrical indent and dimensioned to catch a bolt head in the extended position.

9. The system of claim 8 , the indent of the second distal end including an upper tapered portion configured to funnel a bolt into the indent, and the second distal end including a magnet adjacent the indent.

10. The system of claim 1 , further including a robotic arm configured to transport the dispensing cartridge about a work piece secured by a holding device.

11. The system of claim 10 , the robotic arm including a gripper, the dispensing cartridge further including a gripping section configured to be engaged by the gripper.

12. The system of claim 11 , the robot arm further including first gas lines configured to allow gas communication to the gripper, and thereby allow the gripper to be pneumatically controlled; and the dispensing cartridge further including second gas lines configured to allow gas communication to the dispensing section, and thereby allow the dispensing section to be pneumatically controlled.

13. The system of claim 12 , the gripper including digits configured to contact the gripping section, the digits including a first gas channel, and the gripping section including a second gas channel, wherein the second gas channel is configured to establish gas communication with the first gas channel when the gripping section is gripped by the digits, and wherein the second gas lines run from the gripping section to the dispensing section to allow gas communication between the gripping section and the dispensing section.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing section protrudes from the dispensing tube in a direction that is radial with respect to the dispensing tube.

15. A system for dispensing bolts, the system comprising:
a dispensing cartridge including a dispensing tube and a dispensing section, the dispensing tube including a first end, a second end, and a passage provided between the first end and the second end, the passage configured to store a plurality of bolts to be supplied to the dispensing tube through the first end such that the bolts are moved through the passage, the dispensing section located near the second end of the dispensing tube and being configured to dispense bolts one at a time from the second end; and
a robotic arm configured to transport the dispensing cartridge about a work piece secured by a holding device, said robotic arm including a gripper, the dispensing cartridge further including a gripping section configured to be engaged by the gripper, said robotic arm further including first gas lines configured to allow gas communication to the gripper, and thereby allow the gripper to be pneumatically controlled; and the dispensing cartridge further including second gas lines configured to allow gas communication to the dispensing section, and thereby allow the dispensing section to be pneumatically controlled.

16. The system of claim 15 , the gripper including digits configured to contact the gripping section, the digits including a first gas channel, and the gripping section including a second gas channel, wherein the second gas channel is configured to establish gas communication with the first gas channel when the gripping section is gripped by the digits, and wherein the second gas lines run from the gripping section to the dispensing section to allow gas communication between the gripping section and the dispensing section.

Assignees

• Neumeier Samuel J
• Johnson Ryan M
• Dukehart Joseph E
• Ehemann Kurt
• Evers Chris
• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Neumeier Samuel J
• Johnson Ryan M
• Dukehart Joseph E
• Ehemann Kurt
• Evers Chris

Classifications

• B65D83/02 Primary

  for dispensing rod-shaped articles, e.g. needles · CPC title

• B23P19/001 Primary

  Article feeders for assembling machines (screws or nuts being carried by a disposable strip or disc B25B23/045) · CPC title

• B23P19/003

  Escapement mechanisms used therewith · CPC title