Super high speed bolt delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9299209-B2
Application number	US-201313804650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

A method of dispensing bolts includes a step of forming a column of bolts on top of one another. The column includes an upper end and a lower end. A shank portion of each of the bolts is oriented toward the lower end. The method further includes steps of moving the column of bolts and dispensing a bolt at a time from the lower end. A bolt dispensing system is provided and includes a dispensing tube and a dispensing section. The dispensing section is located near an end of the dispensing tube and is configured to dispense bolts one at a time from the end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bolt dispensing system, comprising:
a dispensing tube including a first end, a second end, and a passage between the first end and the second end, the passage configured to store a plurality of bolts to be supplied through the first end, the bolts inside the passage arranged on top of one another in a column, a shank portion of each of the bolts oriented toward the second end, wherein the dispensing tube further includes a pivoting member configured to pivot between a first position and a second position, and a reciprocating mechanism disposed parallel to the dispensing tube so that an arm of the reciprocating mechanism is configured to extend and retract substantially parallel to the dispending tube, the pivoting member further comprises a slot by which an end of the arm is coupled to the pivoting member, and the pivoting member is configured to pivot between the first position and the second position as the end of the arm moves along the slot; and
a dispensing section located near the second end of the dispensing tube and configured to dispense bolts one at a time from the second end.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pivoting member is configured to extend into the passage and engage a bolt that is nearest in the first end in the first position, and the pivoting member is configured to extend into the passage and engage a bolt that is second to nearest in the second end in the second position.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the pivoting member comprises a first catch and a second catch, and the pivoting member is configured to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the dispensing tube such that the first catch extends into the passage in the first position and the second catch extends into the passage in the second position.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the dispensing tube further comprises a slit formed near the second end, and the second catch is configured to extend into the slit in the second position.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first catch is shaped to accommodate a bolt and including a magnet configured to align a bolt.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing tube is defined by a longitudinal axis and mounted to a robotic arm including a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion is configured to be moved with respect to the proximal portion and configured to connect with the system, and the robotic arm is configured to rotate the dispensing tube around the longitudinal axis of the dispensing tube.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the dispensing tube along the longitudinal axis.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one bolt feeder configured to supply bolts to the first end of the dispensing tube.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of bolt feeders and a flexible hose including an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the upstream end is configured to be moved between the plurality of bolt feeders and the downstream end is connected to the first end of the dispensing tube.

10. A method of dispensing bolts, the method comprising:
providing a dispensing tube having a pivoting member, a reciprocating mechanism, a first end, and a second end, a passage between the first and second ends;
using the passage to store a plurality of bolts to be supplied through the first end, the bolts inside the passage arranged on top of one another in a column, a shank portion of each of the bolts oriented toward the second end;
disposing the reciprocating mechanism parallel to the dispensing tube so that an arm of the reciprocating mechanism is configured to extend and retract substantially parallel to the dispending tube;
providing, in the pivoting member, a slot by which an end of the arm is coupled to the pivoting member;
pivoting the pivoting member between a first position and a second position as the end of the arm moves along the slot; and
positioning a dispensing section to be located near the second end of the dispensing tube for dispensing bolts one at a time from the second end.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising adding a bolt to the column on an upper end of the column for each of the bolts dispensed from a lower end of the column.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising aligning the column of bolts with respect to an aperture of a work piece such that a bolt is configured to be inserted into the aperture during dispensing.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
supplying the bolts through the dispensing tube, the column of bolts disposed inside the passage such that an upper end of the column is near the first end and an lower end of the column is near the second end.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
dispensing the bolts through the dispensing section; and
avoiding contact between the dispensing section and the work piece.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
supplying a first type of bolt through the first end; and
supplying a second type of bolt with a different dimension than the first type of bolt through the first end.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein dispensing bolts one at a time includes disengaging a first bolt engaged at a lower end of the column such that the first bolt is dispensed by way of gravity and engaging a second bolt moving toward the lower end.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the column is defined by a longitudinal axis, and the method further comprises moving the column by rotating the column around the longitudinal axis.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein moving the column includes moving the column by way of translation.

19. A bolt dispensing system, comprising:
a dispensing tube including a first end, a second end and a passage between the first end and the second end, the passage configured to store a plurality of bolts to be supplied through the first end, the bolts inside the passage arranged on top of one another in a column, a shank portion of each of the bolts oriented toward the second end, wherein the dispensing tube further includes a pivoting member configured to pivot between a first position and a second position, and a reciprocating mechanism disposed parallel to the dispensing tube so that an arm of the reciprocating mechanism is configured to extend and retract substantially parallel to the dispending tube, the pivoting member further comprises a slot by which an end of the arm is coupled to the pivoting member, and the pivoting member is configured to pivot between the first position and the second position as the end of the arm moves along the slot; and
a member disposed near the second end of the dispensing tube and including a first catch and a second catch, wherein the first catch is configured to engage a bolt near the second end of the dispensing tube in the first position, the second catch is configured to engage a bolt closer to the first end of the dispensing tube in the second position, and the member is configured to move between a first position and a second position such that a bolt is dispensed from the second end as the member is moved from the first position to the second position.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Neumeier Samuel J
• Dukehart Joseph E
• Ehemann Kurt

Classifications

• B25B23/10

  using mechanical gripping means · CPC title

• G07F11/02 Primary

  from non-movable magazines · 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