Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DRILLING HOLES
AND INSTALLING FASTENERS IN VEHICLE STRUCTURES
FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to systems and
methods for drilling holes and
installing fasteners in vehicle structures, and more particularly, embodiments
concern a system
and method for drilling holes in aircraft fuselages or other aerospace or
vehicle bodies or
structures and delivering, sealing, inserting, and otherwise installing
fasteners in the holes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is often desirable to install fasteners of
various kinds in aerospace or other
vehicle structures (e.g., fuselages or other bodies). Several technologies
exist for accomplishing
this task, but all suffer from different disadvantages. At one extreme, holes
may be drilled by
hand using simple tools, and fasteners may be installed in the holes by hand
using simple tools.
This provides a simple solution but increases the risks of creating defects or
other errors with
regard to drilling the hole incorrectly or installing the fastener
incorrectly. Further, this solution
can require a great deal of time and expense to train operators. At the other
extreme, the
processes of drilling holes and installing fasteners may be highly automated
and performed by
sophisticated machines. This solution greatly reduces the risks of creating
defects or other
errors, but is also much more complicated and expensive to implement and
maintain. For
example, many manufacturers of aircraft bodies use Flex Track automated
machines which may
cost $16 million or more or "monument" machines which may cost $30 million or
more to drill
and fasten fuselage assemblies.
[0003] This background discussion is intended to
provide information related to the
present invention which is not necessarily prior art.
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SUMMARY
100041 Embodiments address the above-described and
other limitations and
disadvantages in the prior art by providing a system and method for drilling
holes in aircraft
fuselages or other aerospace or vehicle structures or bodies and delivering,
sealing, inserting, and
otherwise installing fasteners in the holes. In particular, embodiments
provide solutions that
advantageously combine higher quality and lower cost relative to prior art
technologies.
100051 In an embodiment, a system is provided for
drilling a hole in a vehicle structure
and installing a fastener in the hole. The system may comprise a first drill
plate, and the first
drill plate may include a plate body, an opening, and a machine-readable
element. The plate
body may be temporarily attached to a first surface of the vehicle structure.
The opening may
extend through the plate body to the first surface of the vehicle structure.
The machine-readable
element may be associated with the opening and provide information regarding
drilling the hole
and installing the fastener in the hole. In operation, the opening may receive
a drill gun which
drills the hole in the first surface, and then the opening may receive a
fastener insertion gun
which installs the fastener in the hole.
100061 In various implementations of the foregoing
embodiment, the system may further
include any one or more the following features The plate body may be
constructed of carbon
fiber reinforced resin. The machine-readable element may be a radio-frequency
identification
element electronically communicating the information, or alternatively,
communicating a code
which may be used to obtain the information. The information may include hole
information
regarding how the hole is to be drilled, and the hole information may include
a size of the drill
bit for drilling the hole. The information may include fastener information
regarding the fastener
to be installed in the hole and how the fastener is to be installed in the
hole, and the fastener
information may include a type and a size of the fastener to be installed in
the hole. There may
be a plurality of openings and a single machine-readable element associated
with the plurality of
openings, or alternatively, there may be a plurality of openings and a
plurality of machine-
readable elements. The system may further comprise an electronic memory
element recording
whether the hole has been drilled and whether the fastener has been installed
in the hole. The
system may further comprise a second drill plate temporarily attached to a
second surface of the
vehicle structure and physically aligned with the first drill plate.
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100071 In another embodiment, a system is provided for
drilling a hole in an aircraft body
and installing a fastener in the hole. The system may comprise a drill plate,
a drill gun, and a
fastener insertion gun. The drill plate may include a plate body temporarily
attached to a first
surface of the aircraft body, an opening Through the plate body extending to
the first surface of
the aircraft body, and a machine-readable element associated with the opening
and providing
fastener information regarding a required fastener to be installed in the
hole. The drill gun may
be inserted into the opening, drill with a drill bit the hole in the first
surface, and then be
removed from the opening. The fastener insertion gun may be inserted into the
opening and
install the fastener in the hole. The fastener insertion gun may include a
fastener insertion gun
reader element reading the fastener information.
100081 In various implementations of the foregoing
embodiment, the system may further
include any one or more the following features. The fastener information may
include a required
fastener type and a required fastener size of the required fastener to be
installed in the hole. The
system may further include a computer which may compare the required fastener
type and the
required fastener size with an actual fastener type and an actual fastener
size of the fastener in
the fastener insertion gun, and may block the fastener insertion gun if the
required fastener type
and the required fastener size do not match the actual fastener type and the
actual fastener size.
The machine-readable element may further provide hole information regarding
how the hole is to
be drilled, wherein the hole information may include a required drill bit size
for drilling the hole,
and the drill gun may include a drill gun reader element reading the hole
information. The
computer may compare the required drill bit size with an actual drill bit size
of the drill bit
installed in the drill gun, and may block the drill gun if the required drill
bit size does not match
the actual drill bit size. The system may further include an electronic memory
element recording
whether the hole has been drilled and whether the fastener has been installed
in the hole.
100091 In another embodiment, a fastener insertion gun
is provided for installing a
fastener in a hole in a vehicle structure. The fastener insertion gun may
comprise a gun body, a
concentric collet, a reader mechanism, a plurality of internal air valves, and
a gun computer. The
gun body may have a forward portion and rearward portion. The concentric
collet may be
mounted on the forward portion of the gun body and may selectively expand
within an opening
adjacent to the hole in the vehicle structure to mechanically secure the
fastener insertion gun
during installation of the fastener. The reader mechanism may be associated
with the forward
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portion of the gun body and may receive information from a machine-readable
element
associated with the hole in the vehicle structure. The plurality of internal
air valves may be
located within the gun body and may selectively provide pressurized air used
to install the
fastener. The gun computer may be housed within the gun body and may receive
the
information via the reader mechanism, load the fastener based on the
information from the reader
mechanism, and actuate one or more of the internal air valves to provide the
pressurized air used
to install the fastener.
100101 In various implementations of the foregoing
embodiment, the fastener insertion
gun may further include any one or more the following features. The machine-
readable element
may be a radio-frequency identification element electronically communicating
the information,
or alternatively, communicating a code which may be used to obtain the
information from a
database. The information may include fastener information regarding the
fastener to be
installed in the hole, such as a type and a size of the fastener, and how the
fastener is to be
installed in the hole. The fastener insertion gun may further comprise a
fastener supply tube
connected to the gun body and delivering the fastener to the gun body from a
fastener supply
reservoir. The fastener insertion gun may further comprise a fastener feed
window mounted
through the gun body and allowing an operator of the fastener insertion gun to
see the fastener
within the gun body.
100111 The fastener insertion gun may further comprise
an impact mechanism applying
an impact force to an end of the fastener, the impact mechanism including an
impact tube
including a forward port connected to a first internal air valve of the
plurality of internal air
valves and a rearward port connected to a second internal air valve of the
plurality of internal air
valves; an impact rod moving forwardly within the impact tube to apply the
impact force to the
end of the fastener, and moving rearwardly to reset; an impact mass moving
forwardly within the
impact tube to strike the impact rod, and moving rearwardly to reset; and the
gun computer
controlling the first and second internal air valves so as to move the impact
rod and the impact
mass forwardly and rearwardly by selectively introducing the pressurized air
into the impact tube
via the forward and rearward ports.
100121 The impact mechanism may further include forward
and a rearward first inductive
sensors detecting a location of the impact mass within the impact tube, and
the gun computer
receiving the location of the impact mass from the forward and rearward first
inductive sensors
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and controlling the first and second internal air valves based on the location
of the impact mass
within the impact tube. The impact mechanism may further include a plurality
of forward
second inductive sensors detecting a location of the impact mass at the
forward end of the impact
tube, and the gun computer determining when the fastener is fully seated in
the hole based on the
location of the impact mass at the forward end of the impact tube. The impact
mechanism may
further include one or more variable pressure regulators controlling the
pressure of the
pressurized air entering the impact tube through the forward and rearward
ports, and the gun
computer controlling the one or more variable pressure regulators to change
the impact force
applied to the end of the fastener by the impact rod. The impact mechanism may
further include
a rod and mass retractor moving rearwardly to reset the impact rod and the
impact mass; a
bumper at a forward end of the impact tube and absorbing a remaining portion
of the impact
force of the impact rod; and a bushing at the forward end of the impact tube
and through which
the impact rod moves to reduce wear.
100131 The fastener insertion gun may further comprise
a sealant dispensing module
comprising a cartridge containing a sealant, the sealant dispensing module
selectively applying
the sealant to the fastener prior to installation, and the gun computer
controlling the selective
application of the sealant. The fastener insertion gun may further comprise a
display mechanism
mounted on the gun body and visually communicating operation information from
the gun
computer to an operator of the fastener insertion gun; and an operator
interface mounted on the
gun body and facilitating an input of operation information from the operator
of the fastener
insertion gun to the gun computer.
100141 This summary is not intended to identify
essential features of the present
invention, and is not intended to be used to limit the scope of the claims.
These and other
aspects of the present invention are described below in greater detail.
DRAWINGS
100151 Embodiments of the present invention are
described in detail below with
reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
100161 FIG. 1 is a high-level depiction of an
embodiment of a system for drilling a hole
in a vehicle structure and installing a fastener in the hole, wherein the
system includes a drill
plate, a drill gun, a fastener delivery subsystem, and a fastener insertion
gun;
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[0017] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an implementation of
the drill plate component of the
system of FIG. 1 positioned on the vehicle structure;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the drill plate
of FIG. 2 shown positioned on the
vehicle structure;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an implementation
of the system of FIG. 1
involving multiple drill plate components;
[0020] FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional elevation view of a
first version of the
implementation of FIG. 4;
[0021] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional elevation view of a
second version of the
implementation of FIG. 4;
[0022] FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional elevation view of a
third version of the
implementation of FIG. 4;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the drill gun
component of the system of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a first fragmentary broken isometric
view of the fastener insertion gun
component of the system of FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 8 is a second fragmentary broken isometric
view of a fastener insertion gun
of FIG. 7;
[0026] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional isometric view of
the fastener insertion gun of FIG. 7;
[0027] FIG 10 is a cross-sectional elevation view of an
impactor subcomponent of the
fastener insertion gun of FIG. 7, wherein the impactor is shown in a retracted
position;
[0028] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional elevation view of
the impactor of FIG. 10, wherein
the impactor is shown in an intermediate position;
[0029] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional elevation view of
the impactor of FIG. 10, wherein
the impactor is shown in a forward position;
[0030] FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional elevation view of
an implementation of the impactor
of FIG. 11 showing first inductive sensors for controlling impact cycles;
[0031] FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional elevation view of
an implementation of the impactor
of FIG. 11 showing second inductive sensors for determining fastener height;
100321 FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional perspective view of
the fastener insertion gun of FIG.
7 showing a sealant dispensing module component;
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100331 FIG. 15 is perspective view of first
subcomponents of the sealant dispensing
module of FIG. 14;
[0034] FIG. 16 is an isometric view of second
subcomponents of the sealant dispensing
module of FIG. 14;
[0035]
[0036] FIG. 17 is a fragmentary cross-sectional side
elevation view of the fastener
insertion gun component and a fastener supply tube component of the fastener
delivery
subsystem of FIG. 1;
[0037] FIG. 18 is a flowchart of steps involved in use
and operation of the drill plate; and
[0038] FIG. 19 is a flowchart of steps involved in use
and operation of the fastener
dispensing subsystem.
[0039] The figures are not intended to limit the
present invention to the specific
embodiments they depict The drawings are not necessarily to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] The following detailed description of
embodiments of the invention references the
accompanying figures. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the
invention in
sufficient detail to enable those with ordinary skill in the art to practice
the invention. Other
embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the
scope of the
claims. The following description is, therefore, not limiting. The scope of
the present invention
is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of
equivalents to which such
claims are entitled.
[0041] In this description, references to "one
embodiment," "an embodiment," or
"embodiments" mean that the feature or features referred to are included in at
least one
embodiment of the invention. Separate references to "one embodiment," "an
embodiment," or
"embodiments" in this description do not necessarily refer to the same
embodiment and are not
mutually exclusive unless so stated. Specifically, a feature, component,
action, step, etc.
described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is
not necessarily
included. Thus, particular implementations of the present invention can
include a variety of
combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.
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100421 Broadly, embodiments provide a system and method
for drilling holes in aircraft
fuselages or other aerospace or vehicle bodies or structures and delivering,
sealing, inserting, and
otherwise installing fasteners in the holes. Embodiments provide solutions
that advantageously
combine higher quality and lower cost relative to the prior art, and that may
advantageously
reduce defects associated with improper hole drilling or fastener installation
by ninety percent.
This is achieved by a combination of smart drill plates protecting the
surfaces of the bodies or
other structures and identifying proper drilling and fastener parameters,
smart drilling guns,
smart fastener insertion guns, and an overarching quality control mechanism.
Operators no
longer need to memorize such information as hole diameters, fastener types,
and grip lengths for
hundreds or thousands of locations on the bodies, so training time may be
reduced from several
months to one week.
100431 Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a system
30 is shown configured to drill
holes and deliver, seal, insert, and otherwise install fasteners in the holes
in aircraft fuselages or
other aerospace or vehicle bodies or structures 32. The system 30 may include
some or all of
one or more drill plates 34, a drill gun 36, a fastener delivery subsystem 38,
a fastener insertion
gun 40, and a system computer 42.
100441 Referring also to FIGs. 2 and 3, the one or more
drill plates 34 may be configured
to temporarily attach to or otherwise physically position on the structure 32
and inform and
physically guide the operation of the drill gun 36 in drilling the holes in
the structure 32 and
inform and physically guide the operation of the fastener insertion gun 40 in
installing the
fasteners in the holes. In one implementation, each drill plate 34 may include
a plate body 46,
one or more openings 48 through which the holes may be drilled and the
fasteners installed, and
one or more machine-readable elements 50 associated with the openings 48.
100451 The plate body 46 may have substantially any
suitable shape desired or needed to
fulfill its function, may be constructed from substantially any suitable
material, such as carbon
fiber reinforced resin or aluminum, and may be constructed using substantially
any suitable
technology, such as three-dimensional printing or computer-controlled milling
technologies. For
at least some applications, three-dimensional printing may allow for reduced
cost, assembly,
maintenance, size, and weight. The plate body 46 may be physically
positionable on a location
on the structure 32 to avoid damage to the surface of the structure that might
otherwise occur
during the drilling and fastener installation process. The plate body 46 may
be temporarily
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attachable to the structure 32 using substantially any suitable technology,
such as a hole
locating/mapping convention with bushings and mechanical mechanisms (e.g.,
WedgeLocksTm)
to resist loosening. The plate body 46 may present the one or more openings 48
extending
through the plate body 46 and through which the holes may be drilled and the
fasteners installed
in the structure 32. As desired or needed for particular applications, the
openings 48 may have
relatively close tolerances.
100461 The one or more machine-readable elements 50 may
be configured to store and
communicate information relevant to drilling the holes and installing the
fasteners. Such
information may include a size of a drill bit; a speed of the drill; a type,
size, or grip length of a
fastener; a drill feed by stack material; whether coolant should be used; a
hammer time; and
whether sealant should be applied. The machine-readable elements 50 may employ
substantially
any suitable machine-readable technology. Although generally described herein
as being radio-
frequency identification (RFID) elements, the machine-readable elements may
alternatively be,
for example, readable barcodes or quick response (QR) codes.
100471 The RFID elements 50 may be embedded into or
applied to a surface of the plate
body 46 proximate to the openings 48. The actual distance between an RFID
element 50 and its
corresponding opening 48 may depend on such factors such as the strength of
the RF signal. In
one implementation, each opening may be associated with its own RFID element,
while in
another implementation, several or all of the openings may be associated with
a single RFID
element. As discussed in more detail below, other elements of the system 30,
such as the drill
gun 36 and the fastener insertion gun 40 may include reader mechanisms
configured to read the
information stored on the RFID elements 50, and may use that information to
ensure that the
drilling and installation processes are performed without error. In one
implementation, the
information may be stored on the RFID element 50, while in another
implementation, the
information may be stored in an electronic memory element 54 and the RFID
element 50 may
provide an identification code (e.g., a twenty-four bit alphanumeric
identifier) which can be used
to electronically access the information from the electronic memory element
54. In one
implementation, the RFID element 50 may be further configured to determine,
through electronic
interaction with the drill gun 36 and the fastener insertion gun 40, whether a
hole has been drilled
and whether a fastener has been installed through each opening 48, and that
information may be
stored in the electronic memory element 54.
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100481 In one implementation, each RFID element 50 may
include a transmitter and an
integrated antenna and each reader mechanism 56,110 may include a receiver and
an integrated
antenna, while in another implementation, both the RFID elements 50 and the
reader
mechanisms 56,110 may include transceivers and integrated antennas for
bidirectional
communication. The transmission power, antenna design, and other aspects of
the RFD
elements 50 and reader mechanisms 54,110 may be optimized for particular
applications. In one
example application, the transmission power and antenna design of the reader
mechanisms
56,110 may be optimized to read RFID elements 50 within approximately twelve
millimeters of
an opening 48 in any direction. If the openings 48 are in close proximity to
each other, a
particular RFID element 50 may be readable from several different opening
locations. In one
implementation, if a reader mechanism reads more than one RFID element 50 from
a particular
opening, then the system 30 may determine which opening 48 correlates most
strongly with the
group of RFD) elements 50 and proceeds based on the information from the
electronic memory
element 54.
100491 Referring also to FIGs. 4-5C, in another
embodiment, the system 30 may employ
two drill plates 34A,34B for each hole and fastener. More specifically, the
structure 32 may
have multiple layers, and a first drill plate 34A may be positioned on a first
surface (e.g., an
interior) of the multi-layered structure 32, and a second drill plate 34B may
be positioned on a
second surface (e.g., an exterior) of the multi-layered structure 32, such
that the first and second
plates 34A,34B are aligned with each other. The first and second plates
34A,34B may then be
fastened together through the structure 32, or otherwise temporarily secured
in place on the
structure 32, in such a manner as to compress and clamp the multiple layers of
the structure 32
together so as to facilitate more accurately drilling the hole and inserting
the fastener through the
multiple layers.
100501 In a related embodiment, the system 30 may
employ the two drill plates 34A,34B
for each hole and fastener, wherein the fastener is a rivet. More
specifically, the first drill plate
34A may be positioned on the first surface of the structure 32 (which may have
one or multiple
layers), and a second drill plate 34B may be positioned on the second surface
of the structure 32,
such that the first and second plates 34A,34B are aligned with each other. The
first and second
plates 34A,34B may then be fastened together through the structure 32, or
otherwise temporarily
secured in place on the structure 32.
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100511 Riveting aerospace structures presents
particular challenges. The prior art process
is entirely manual and requires two technicians, one on each side of the
structure One
technician selects and inserts the appropriate rivet, and then uses a rivet
hammer with an
appropriate set to form the rivet. The other technician uses a bucking bar to
provide a surface to
form the rivet as the hammer is working. This requires the two technicians to
be aware of and
synchronized with each other's actions to avoid skin quality defects.
100521 In one embodiment, an improved manual process is
provided which may use the
above-described drill plates 34A,34B and wherein drilling and countersinking
may be performed
by drills that automatically drill holes and set countersinks in the structure
32. The drill plates
34A,348 advantageously protect the skin and precisely locate the holes.
100531 A placement device may be used to facilitate
placing a rivet R in the hole while
the drill plate 34B is attached. In one implementation, the placement device
may be a bushing
which is a slip fit into the opening 48 in the drill plate 3411. The placement
device may have an
inner diameter which is approximately the same size as the rivet R, thereby
allowing the rivet R
to travel through the drill plate 34B to the countersunk hole without flipping
or turning. In
another implementation, the placement device may have one or more fingers that
grip and
constrain the rivet R, thereby allowing for manual placement of the rivet R
into the hole.
100541 A rivet set may be used which is turned to a
diameter that is a slip fit to the
openings 48 in the drill plate 34B, and which is compatible with the rivet
hammer. The openings
in the drill plate 34B may align the rivet set directly on top of the rivet R
as it sits in the structure
32. This advantageously constrains the rivet hammer during its impact cycle,
thereby improving
skin quality by reducing defects of off-center, mis-aligned, or out of control
rivet hammers that
can cause skin indentations, scratching, or improperly set rivets.
100551 In one implementation, which may involve only
the outer drill plate 3411, a
second technician on the opposite side of the structure 32 may use a
substantially conventional
bucking bar in synchronicity with the first technician setting the rivets. In
another
implementation, seen in FIG. 5A, the inner drill plate 34A may be used for
bucking each rivet R,
which may advantageously reduce or eliminate the need for the second
technician, The inner
drill plate 34A may be positioned on the opposite side of the structure 32
from the outer drill
plate 3411, and may be configured to provide the reaction force required to
form the rivet R. The
inner drill plate 34A may perform the function of the bucking bar, thereby
advantageously
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allowing a single technician to install rivets while reducing the number of
skin quality defects.
Further, use of the drill inner plate 34A reduces or eliminates the impacts
routinely absorbed by
the second technician.
[0056] The inner drill plate 34A may take substantially
any suitable form, including a
thin metal (e.g., aluminum or steel) plate with pocketed forming areas 202 at
locations where
rivets are to be placed. At each such location, the inertia of the inner drill
plate 34A provides the
reaction forces against the impact of the rivet hammer to form the rivet R.
[0057] Referring to FIG. 5B, in another implementation,
the inner drill plate 34A may
take the form of a three-dimensionally printed or machined plate which has a
spring-loaded mass
over each location where a rivet R is to be place. The spring 204 and the mass
206 may be tuned
to the impact rate to ensure contact with the rivet R at each impact of the
hammer. This may be
accomplished by assuming a vibrating system with a single degree of freedom
wherein the
natural frequency of the system is adjusted by modifying the spring 204 or the
mass 206. The
springs 204 may be sheet metal cut and folded to provide an initial
pretension, and the masses
206 may be attached to the flanges of the sheet metal and act as a forming
surface for the rivet R.
100581 Referring to FIG. 5C, in a related
implementation, rather than being associated
with a spring, each mass 206 may be associated with an actuator 208. The mass
206 may act as
the forming surface of the rivet R, and the actuator 208 may provide the
desired or required
contact force. In one version, the actuator 208 may be a pneumatic actuator
configured to apply
a nominal force as well as pneumatic spring effects. The air pressure and the
mass 206 may be
varied to maintain contact between the mass 206 and the rivet R during
impacting. In another
version, the actuator 208 may be a hydraulic actuator, and the mass 206 and
its associated
actuator location may be hydraulically coupled. This allows the forming
surface to be semi-
rigidly force-coupled with the surrounding masses wherein the movement of one
mass transfers
the force/motion to its surrounding masses. This may advantageously reduce
weight and
complexity in comparison with the pneumatic version.
100591 In another embodiment, a semi- or fully-
automated process is provided which
may use the above-described drill plates 34A,34B. Broadly, the process
involves a hand-held
rivet insertion gun (such as the fastener insertion gun 40, described below)
which a technician
can lock into the drill plate 34B and with the push of a single button (I)
identify the hole and the
type of desired or required rivet, (2) call for that rivet from a fastener
supply system (such as the
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fastener delivery subsystem 38, described below), (3) receive and load the
rivet and place it into
the hole, and (4) form the rivet through multiple impacts.
100601 In one implementation, the rivet insertion gun
40 may be configured to mimic the
impact cycles of a rivet set for use with aluminum and titanium rivets. Some
or all of the
operations of the rivet insertion gun 40 may be electronically controlled to
accommodate one or
more of the following bucking technologies. In one implementation, the rivet
insertion gun 40
may be secured in the drill plate 3413 using a concentric collet 112. This
allows for greater
control of the forces being applied directly on the rivet R, which facilitates
repeatable forming of
the rivet R through a number of impacts or a duration of constant impacting
based on the rivet
diameter and grip length.
100611 A modified bucking bar may be integrated into a
control system (such as the
system computer 42 or the fastener insertion gun computer 98, both of which
are described
below) to provide a signal when in contact with the rivet R. This signal can
be used in
conjunction with the rivet insertion gun 40 to provide synchronized feedback
indicating when to
begin the impacting process. Alternatively, the inner drill plate 34A may
function as an inner
bucking plate allowing the rivet R to be formed at any hole. In another
implementation,
electronically activated impact modules 118 (described below),206/208
(described above) on
both sides of the rivet R may be coordinated to simultaneously impact the
rivet R. The drill
plates 34A,34B and the rivet insertion gun 40 may identify the hole and call
for the desired or
required rivet R. The inner drill plate 34A may be configured similar to the
above-described
outer drill plate 34B with lockable bushings. Because the impact module 118 of
the rivet
insertion gun 40 is fully programmable through electronic valving, the impact
modules
118,206/208 on each side of the rivet R may be synchronized and impact
simultaneously or at
programmed offsets. This advantageously provides increased control in forming
the rivet R and
increased quality as forces act on the rivet from opposing sides rather than
into the structure
itself
100621 In operation, the inner and outer drill plates
34A,34B and respective first and
second technicians may be positioned on opposite sides of the structure 32.
The rivet insertion
gun 40 may be positioned on the outer drill plate 34B and may read an RFD
element 50
associated with each hole, call for the desired or required rivet It, and
place the rivet R in the
hole. The second standalone impact module 206/208 may be positioned on the
inner drill plate
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34A and may be electronically synchronized with the rivet insertion gun 40.
Impact parameters
may be loaded for the particular rivet to both the gun computer 98 of the
rivet insertion gun 40
and a module computer 210 of the second impact module 210. The computers
98.210 may be
synchronized and begin impacting cycles in synehronicity with each other so as
to impact the
rivet R simultaneously or at programmed offsets to form the rivet R.
[0063]
Referring also to FIG. 6,
the drill gun 36 may be configured to cooperate with the
drill plate 34 to drill the holes in the structure 32 to receive the
fasteners. In one embodiment,
the drill gun 36 may be substantially conventional in design and operation
except as otherwise
described herein.
[0064]
In one embodiment, the
drill gun 36 may include a drill gun reader mechanism 56,
a drill gun display 58, and a drill gun computer 60. The drill gun reader
mechanism 56 may be
configured to read the hole information stored on the RFID element 50
associated with the
openings 48 holes in the drill plate 34, and based on the hole information,
determine the size,
depth, and other relevant characteristics of the hole to be drilled. The drill
gun display device 58
may be configured to display the hole information or other relevant
information for consideration
by an operator of the drill gun 36. In one implementation, the drill gun
computer 60 may be
configured to compare the hole information with the set-up of the drill gun 36
(e.g., the installed
drill bit 60, the set depth of drilling) and to automatically shut-off or
otherwise block the drill
gun 36 if the hole information is not correctly reflected in the set-up of the
drill gun 36, thereby
avoiding errors in drilling the hole. In another implementation, this function
may be performed
by the system computer 42 in communication with the drill gun 36.
[0065]
Referring again to FIG. 1,
the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be configured
to store, track, and deliver the fasteners to the fastener insertion gun 40.
In one implementation,
the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be configured to manage and supply
fasteners of
multiple diameters and grip lengths to the fastener insertion gun 40 as
desired or needed. In one
implementation, the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be configured to
deliver fasteners to
multiple installation locations (i.e., to multiple fastener insertion guns
40). In one
implementation, the fastener delivery subsystem 38 linked to the fastener
insertion guns 40 may
be configured to deliver and wet install approximately 5,000 hi-lok fasteners
per hour. To meet
this throughput rate, there may be eighteen fastener insertion guns 40
connected to the fastener
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delivery subsystem 38. Each fastener insertion gun 40 attached to the fastener
delivery
subsystem 38 may be capable of calling, receiving, and installing a fastener
within six seconds.
100661 An embodiment of the fastener delivery subsystem
38 may include a cabinet 64, a
rack 66, one or more fastener cassettes 68, a pneumatic cassette union 70 and
locking mechanism
72, a rail 74, an integrator 76, a diverter 78, a booster 80, a display device
82, and a fastener
delivery subsystem computer 84. In one implementation, the fastener subsystem
may further
include one or more sensors 86 located in or throughout the fastener delivery
subsystem 38 to
monitor the positions of the fasteners as they travel from the fastener
cassettes 68 to the fastener
insertion gun 40.
100671 The cabinet 64 may be configured to house one or
more (e.g., approximately
between two and four, or three) racks 66, and each rack 66 may be capable of
holding the one or
more (e.g., approximately between fifteen and twenty, or eighteen) cassettes
or other fastener
supply reservoirs 68. The cassettes 68 may be existing commercially available
cassettes or
modified or custom-designed technology. In one implementation, each cassette
may include an
RFID or other machine-readable element configured to store and communicate
cassette
information regarding the fastener cassette and its contents. In one
implementation, the cabinet
64 may house or connect to all of the other components and controls for the
fastener delivery
subsystem 38.
100681 When a cassette 68 is loaded into a rack 66 it
may engage the pneumatic cassette
union 70. The pneumatic cassette union 70 may be configured to supply
pressurized air to the
cassettes 68. The lock mechanism 72, which may include a latch component, may
be integrated
into the pneumatic cassette union 70 to engage the cassette 68 and prevent it
from being removed
without the operator requesting its release from the fastener delivery
subsystem computer 84.
This function facilitates the fastener delivery subsystem computer 84
accurately tracking the
quantities and types of fastener cassettes loaded into the cabinet 64. A
proximity sensor 90 may
be integrated into each cassette location in order to confirm that a cassette
68 is loaded or not
loaded at that location.
100691 The rail 74 may include a reader mechanism 92
configured to read the cassette
information from the RFID or other machine-readable elements on the cassettes
68, and report
the cassette information to the fastener delivery subsystem computer 84 which
may store, track,
and report the cassette information. The rail 74 may be further configured to
cooperate with the
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lock mechanism 72 in locking and unlocking the cassettes 68. In one
implementation, a
pneumatic cylinder may be incorporated into the rail 74, wherein the pneumatic
cylinder extends
or otherwise actuates to open the lock mechanism 72. When the lock mechanism
72 is released,
an ejector mechanism (e.g., one or more additional pneumatic cylinders) may
extend or
otherwise actuate to release the cassette 68 from the pneumatic cassette union
70. This function
allows an operator to visually identify which cassette has been released, and
also makes it easier
to remove the released fastener cassette from the rack 66.
100701 The integrator 76 may be configured to receive
fasteners from the output of each
cassette 68, and to integrate the outputs of all of the cassettes 68 into a
common stream and
deliver it to the diverter 78. The diverter 78 may be configured to receive
the stream of fasteners
from the integrator 76 and direct individual fasteners to one or more outputs,
with each output
leading to one of the fastener insertion guns 40. The diverter 78 may be
directly driven by a
servo motor. A ring sensor may be used to validate that a fastener has passed
the through the
output. A signal from the ring sensor may activate the booster 80 which may be
configured to
pneumatically accelerate the fastener to a minimum speed (e.g., approximately
between forty and
eighty feet per second, or approximately fifty-eight feet per second). The
signal from the ring
sensor may also indicate to the diverter 78 to process the next fastener in
the stream When the
fastener is detected in the fastener insertion gun 40, the booster 80 may turn
off.
100711 The outputs of the diverter 78 may be directly
attached to the fastener insertion
guns 40 through fastener supply tubes 94. The tube lengths may be
substantially any desired or
needed length (e.g., one hundred feet or more in some cases), so the velocity
of the fastener may
be a factor in achieving a desired fastener installation time (of, e.g.,
approximately between three
and nine seconds, or six seconds).
100721 Any surfaces of the diverter 78 that experience
a relatively higher degree of wear
may be designed to be quickly and easily replaceable.
100731 The display device 82 may be configured to
display cassette and fastener
information for consideration by an operator of the system 30. In one
implementation, the
fastener delivery subsystem computer 84 may be configured to monitor the
availability of
fasteners and the movement of the fasteners through the fastener delivery
subsystem 38, and to
automatically shut-off or otherwise block the delivery of fasteners if a
needed fastener is not
available of if there is an issue with the movement of fastener. In another
implementation, this
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function may be performed by the system computer 42. If a shut-off or other
block occurs, the
reason for the shut-off or other block may be communicated via the display
device 82 to
facilitate rectifying the problem.
[0074] Referring also to FIG& 7-16, the fastener
insertion gun 40 may be configured to
receive fasteners from the diverter 78 via the fastener supply tube 94, and
install each fastener
through one of the openings 48 in the drill plate 34 and into the
corresponding hole previously
drilled in the structure 32. An embodiment of the fastener insertion gun 40
may include a gun
body 96; a fastener insertion gun computer 98, display device 100, an operator
interface 102; a
fastener feed window 104; one or more electronic air valves 106; an internal
air delivery
subsystem 108; a reader mechanism 110; a concentric collet 112; concentric
collet and cycle start
buttons 114, an impact mechanism 118; and a sealant dispensing module 120.
[0075] The gun body 96 may be configured to house or
otherwise physically support
other components of the fastener insertion gun 40. The gun body 96 may have
substantially any
suitable shape desired or needed to fulfill its function, may be constructed
from substantially any
suitable material, such as carbon fiber reinforced resin or aluminum, and may
be constructed
using substantially any suitable technology, such as three-dimensional
printing or computer-
controlled milling technologies For at least some applications, three-
dimensional printing may
allow for reduced cost, assembly, maintenance, size, and weight. The gun body
96 may include
internal porting for the pneumatic lines of the internal air delivery
subsystem 108.
[0076] The reader mechanism 110 may be configured to
read or otherwise receive
information from or exchange information with the RF1D or other machine-
readable elements 50
of the drill plate 34. In one implement in which the machine-readable element
50 is an RFID
element, the reader mechanism 110 may be an RFID reader mechanism. The
information may
be provided to the faster gun computer 98.
[0077] The fastener insertion gun computer 98 may be
configured to control some or all
aspects of the operation of the fastener insertion gun 40, such as sensing and
reading information
from the machine-readable elements 50 on the drill plate 34, actuating
internal air valves, feeding
fasteners, hammering, applying sealant, and other operations. The fastener
insertion gun
computer 98 may be configured to engage in wireless communication with other
systems,
machinery, or databases to receive or transmit relevant information. The
display device 100 may
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be configured to visually communicate relevant operation information to the
operator of the
fastener insertion gun 40.
100781 In one implementation, the fastener insertion
gun computer 98 may be configured
to compare the fastener information with the set-up of the fastener insertion
gun 40 and to
automatically shut-off or otherwise block the fastener insertion gun 40 if the
fastener information
is not correctly reflected in the set-up of the fastener insertion gun 40,
thereby avoiding errors in
selecting and inserting the fastener in the hole. In another implementation,
this function may be
performed by the system computer 42.
100791 The display device 100 may employ substantially
any suitable display technology,
and may be, for example, an otherwise conventional two-point-two inch display.
The operator
interface 102 may be configured to allow the operator to provide input to the
fastener insertion
gun computer 98. The operator interface 102 may employ substantially any
suitable interface
technology (e.g., a keypad). In one implementation, the display device 100 may
include touch-
sensitive interface technology which fulfills the function of the operator
interface 102.
100801 The fastener feed window 104 may be configured
to facilitate visually observing
movement of a fastener through the fastener insertion gun 40. In one
implementation, the
fastener feed window 104 may include a transparent material through which the
operator can
directly visually observe the movement of each fastener.
100811 The electronic air valves 106 may be configured
to selectively open to deliver
pressurized air to the fastener insertion gun 40 as desired or needed to
perform operations, and to
selectively close to block the air. The internal air delivery subsystem 108
may be configured to
distribute the pressurized air from the air valves 106 within the fastener
insertion gun 40 for use
by other components (e.g., the impact mechanism 118).
100821 The concentric collet 112 may be configured to
be inserted into the opening 48 in
the drill plate 34 and then actuated so as to expand the concentric collet 112
within the opening
48 to mechanically secure the fastener insertion gun 40 in place during actual
insertion of the
fastener. Once the fastener is inserted, the concentric collet 112 may be
actuated to contract and
allow the fastener insertion gun 40 to be withdrawn from the opening 48. In
one
implementation, the concentric collet 112 may be generally conventional in
design and
operation. The concentric collet and cycle start buttons 114 may be configured
to be actuated by
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the operator of the fastener insertion gun 40 to, respectively, actuate the
concentric collet 112
and initiate the process of inserting the fastener into the hole.
100831 Referring particularly to FIGs. 9-13B, the
impact mechanism 118 may be
configured to apply an impact force to an end of the fastener in order to
drive the fastener into
the hole in the structure 32. In one implementation, the impact mechanism 118
may include an
impact tube 124; an impact rod 126; a mass 128 associated with a rearward end
of the impact rod
126; a rod tip 130 and a bushing 132 associated with a forward end of the
impact rod 126; and a
rod and mass retractor 134 configured to reset the impact rod 126 after
actuation. In one
implementation, the impact mechanism 118 may be configured to be able to seat
a fastener
having a relatively long grip length and to fully retract to allow a
subsequent fastener to move
into position. The impact rod 126 and impact mass 128 may move forwardly and
rearwardly
along a longitudinal axis within the impact tube 124. A rubber bumper 136 may
be provided at a
forward end of the impact tube 124 to absorb any remaining impact force of the
impact rod 126.
The bushing 132 through which the impact rod 126 moves may be provided at the
forward end
of the impact tube 124 to reduce wear due to repeated movement of the impact
rod 126. One or
more ports 138 may be provided in a wall of the impact tube 124 to allow
pressurized air to be
introduced to drive the impact rod 126 and impact mass 128 forwardly and
rearwardly and
thereby actuate and reset them.
100841 The impact rod 126 and impact mass 128 may be
separate components which
actuate sequentially but reset together. In one implementation, once a
fastener is positioned for
insertion, pressurized air may be introduced into a port in the wall of the
impact tube 124 to
move the impact rod 126 forwardly while the impact mass 128 remains rearwardly
(seen in FIG.
11) The force applied by the impact rod 126 alone may loosely seat the
fastener in the hole
When the fastener insertion gun 40 is actuated, the air may be exhausted from
a forward port
138A and introduced into a rearward port 138B to drive the impact mass 128
into the rear end of
the impact rod 126 (seen in FIG. 12), and this force may be transmitted via
the impact rod 126 to
the fastener to firmly seat the fastener in the hole. Pressurized air may then
be introduced into
the impact tube 124 via the forward port 138A to drive the retractor 134 back
to its rearward
position, and the retractor 134 may act to return the impact rod 126 and the
impact mass 128 to
their rearward positions as well.
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100851 In one embodiment, the hammering action of the
impact mechanism 118 may be
fully electrically controlled. The computer 98 may cycle the air valves 106 in
the correct
sequence to accelerate the impact mass 128 to the front or the rear of the
impact tube 124. These
cycles can be controlled to impact the fastener a specific number of times
desired or required to
set a fastener for a particular grip length. An open loop implementation of
the impact
mechanism 118 may hold corresponding air valves 106 open for a pre-determined
period of time
(measured in, e.g., milliseconds) which is sufficient for the entire travel of
the impact mass 128.
After the predetermined period of time has expired, the computer 98 may cycle
the air valves
106 to reverse the direction of the impact mass 128 and hold those
corresponding air valves 106
open for the pre-determined period of time. The computer 98 may repeat this
procedure for a
particular number of hits based on the particular grip length of the fastener
being set.
100861 Referring also to FIG. 13A, a closed loop
implementation of the impact
mechanism 118 may use inductive sensing to detect the location of the impact
mass 128 within
the impact tube 124. The electronic actuation of the impact mass 128 may
function substantially
similar or identical to the open loop implementation but without the need for
fixed timings for
the air valves 106. One or more first inductive sensors 140 may be provided in
or on the impact
tube 124 to sense whether the impact mass 128 has reached the front or the
rear of the tube 124.
Based on data from the first sensors 140, the computer 98 may sequence the air
valves 106 for
the impact cycles based on the sensed position of the impact mass 124.
Operation of the first
sensors 140 may be optimized by placing them in locations slightly before the
front or rear of the
impact tube 124 to compensate for mechanical lag in the opening of the air
valves 106. The
closed loop implementation may provide several advantages, including
transmitting less impact
force to the drill plates 34 and the structure 32, providing an increased
number of impact cycles
per second, and providing increased life by compensating for wear in the
impact mechanism 118.
100871 Referring also to FIG. 13B, in one embodiment, a
plurality of second inductive
sensors 142 may be embedded in the front section of the impact tube 124 to
locate the impact
mass 128. Each second sensor 142 may establish an electromagnetic field which
provides a set
inductance that can be measured (by, e.g., a Texas Instruments LDC1614
integrated circuit) and
communicated to the computer 98. The inductance changes as the impact mass 128
enters the
electromagnetic field of each second sensor 142. This provides a variable
inductance which is
closely related to the position of the impact mass 128 relative to the second
sensor 142. The
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plurality of second sensors 142 may be positioned sequentially in a bank of
between two and
four sensors to cover the full range of movement of the impact mass 128 while
it is hammering a
fastener. Being able to detect where the impact mass 128 is at the front of
the impact tube 124
allows for determining when a fastener is fully seated due to the stackup of
the impact mass 128
and the impact rod 126. This can be calibrated by extending the mass 128 and
the rod 126 to a
flat surface simulating a seated fastener, and then measuring the inductance
values from the
second sensors 142 that is unique to the location of the impact mass 128.
100881 The impact force for each cycle may be
controlled by any of several methods.
The kinetic energy stored in the impact mass 128 at the moment of impact is
transferred through
the impact rod 126 acting directly on the fastener. With an assumed velocity
of 0 at the point of
impact, the impact energy is equivalent to the kinetic energy described by the
kinetic energy
equation 0.5 x mass x velocityA2. The kinetic energy stored in the impact mass
128 is
equivalent to the work done on the mass 128 described by the equation force x
distance = work.
Therefore, the force applied to or distance traveled by the impact mass 128
may be modified to
reduce the impact energy imparted to the fastener.
100891 In a first implementation, variable pressure
regulation may be used to reduce
forces acted upon the mass 128. This may be accomplished by either a manually
or an
electronically adjusted regulator supplying the air valves 106. In a second
implementation, a
variable restrictor may be positioned before the air valves 106 to reduce the
fill rate of the impact
tube 126. This may function similar to the first implementation but provides
an initial high-
pressure pulse before the air volume is depleted between the restrictor and
the air valves 106. In
a third implementation, the air valves 106 at the forward end of the impact
tube 126 may be
restricted. During actuation, high pressure at the rearward end of the impact
tube 126 drives the
impact mass 128 forward, and the forward end may be vented in order to avoid
increasing
pressure which could reduce the net force acting upon the impact mass 128.
This venting may be
purposely varied either manually or electrically by restricting the exhaust
flow so as to reduce
impact energy. In a fourth embodiment, one or more of the air valves may be
controlled to shut
off the supply air early in the impacting action to reduce the overall force
applied to the impact
mass 128. The effect of applying full force for only a portion of the length
of the impact tube
124 is similar to shortening the tube 124.
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100901 Referring particularly to FIGs. 14-16, the
sealant dispensing module 120 may be
configured to dispense a sealant as needed to seal a fastener in a hole. In
one implementation,
the sealant dispensing module 120 may receive removable cartridges containing
the sealant to be
dispensed. The sealant cartridges may be disposable, refillable, or
recyclable_ A plunger 146
may be actuated to move sealant from the cartridge to an applicator outlet
mechanism 148 which
applies the sealant to the fastener before insertion. The plunger 146 may be
driven along one or
more guide rods 150 by an electric stepper motor 152.
100911 In one implementation, the sealant dispensing
module 120 may use standard (e.g.,
cc) cartridges. The electronically controlled stepper motor 152 with a high
pitch screw 154
attached to the plunger 146 may be utilized to pump the sealant at specific
doses. This positive
displacement design allows precise dispensing of the sealant material. A
standard 6mm tube
may extend between the 5cc cartridge and the applicator outlet mechanism 148.
The outlet
mechanism 148 may be actuatable by an electric motor 156 approximately 15 mm
to an "up"
position in which it may "catch" the fastener, and may be actuatable to a
"down" position in
which the fastener and the impact rod 126 passes through. The sealant is
ported through the
outlet mechanism 148 such that sealant is applied to the caught fastener
during actuation. A
plurality (e.g., three) of ports may be exposed to apply sealant at a
plurality (e.g., three) of
locations across the fastener. One or more (e.g., two) of the locations may
apply sealant along
the sides of the fastener, and one or more (e.g., one) may apply sealant to
the bottom of the
fastener, thereby creating the required seal. The outlet mechanism 148 may be
a consumable
item which is replaced as the sealant expires. Actuation of the outlet
mechanism 148 may be
accomplished electrically or pneumatically, and may be controlled by the gun
computer 98. The
impact rod 126 in a low-pressure state may provide the capture required to
fully seat the fastener
in the outlet mechanism 148.
100921 The system computer 42 may include a quality
management system (QMS) 150
configured to gather information from one or more components of the system
(e.g., the drill plate
34, the drill gun 36, the fastener delivery subsystem 38, the fastener
insertion gun 40) and, as
desired or needed, information from external sources, and display or otherwise
communicate
quality control information, including errors. In one implementation, the QMS
150 may be
configured to perform a variety of relevant and useful functions, such as
automatically
preventing placing fasteners in holes that have not been drilled, preventing
failing to place
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fasteners in holes that have been drilled, avoiding incorrect drilling or
insertion sequences,
avoiding using expired or incorrect sealant, avoiding using incorrect drill
plates for particular
applications, and identifying and assist in addressing problems with the
movement of fasteners
through the system. Relatedly, the QMS 150 may be configured to track the
progress of each
job, such as which holes have been drilled and which fasteners have been
installed. The QMS
150 may be further configured to generate a report detailing the holes that
were drilled or not
drilled and the fasteners that were installed or not installed.
100931 As discussed, in one implementation, the system
computer 42 may be configured
to compare the required hole and fastener information with the set-up of other
components of the
system and to automatically shut-off or otherwise block the drill gun 36 or
the fastener insertion
gun 40 if the required hole or fastener information is not reflected in the
set-up (e.g., the installed
drill bit or the available fasteners), thereby preventing drilling an
incorrect hole or inserting an
incorrect fastener.
100941 Referring to FIG. 17, a fastener catch mechanism
214 may be along each fastener
supply path, and may include a catch device 216, a first catch port 218, and a
second catch port
220. The catch device 216 may be spliced into the fastener supply tube 94, and
may include one
or more inductive sensing coils 222 configured to sense the presence of a
fastener in the supply
tube 94, and one or more vents 224 configured to release air pressure to slow
the fastener prior to
entering the fastener insertion gun 40. The first catch port 218 may provide
pressurized air to
further slow and catch the fastener within the fastener insertion gun 40, and
the second catch port
220 may provide pressurized air to create a venturi effect to bring the
fastener into a final
position 226 within the fastener insertion gun 40 for installation.
100951 Referring also to FIG. 18, the drill plate 34
may be used and may operate
substantially as follow& The one or more drill plates 34 presenting the
openings 48 may be
positioned at particular locations on the aircraft fuselage or other aerospace
or vehicle body or
structure 32, as shown in step 300.
100961 The drill bit 60 may be loaded into the drill
gun 36, the drill gun 36 may transmit
relevant drill gun set-up information about the drill bit (e.g., type,
diameter, length, material) and
other relevant operational parameters to the drill gun computer 60 or the
system computer 42, as
shown in step 302. The drill gun 36 may be brought into physical proximity
with a particular
one of the openings 48 through which a hole may be drilled in the structure
32, and the reader
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mechanism 56 on the drill gun 36 may read relevant hole information from the
RFID or other
machine-readable element 50 associated with the particular opening 48, as
shown in 304. The
drill gun computer 60 or the system computer 42 may compare the drill gun set-
up information
with the hole information and determine whether the set-up is incorrect or
correct for the hole, as
shown in 306. If the set-up is incorrect for the hole, then the drill gun
computer 60 or the system
computer 42 may notify the operator via the display device 58 on the drill gun
36, and may
prevent the drill gun 36 from operating until the set-up is corrected, as
shown in 308. If the set-
up is correct for the hole, then the drill gun computer 60 or the system
computer 42 may allow
the operator to drill the hole, and may record in the electronic memory
element 54 that the hole
was drilled, as shown in 310.
100971 The fastener insertion gun 40 may be brought
into physical proximity with a
particular one of the openings 48 through which a fastener may be installed in
the previously
drilled hole, and the reader mechanism 110 on the fastener insertion gun 40
may read relevant
hole information from the RFD) or other machine-readable element 50 associated
with the
particular opening 48, as shown in 312. The fastener insertion gun computer 98
or the system
computer 42 may compare the fastener insertion gun set-up information with the
hole
information and determine whether a hole has, in fact, been drilled through
the particular
opening, and if so, whether the fastener insertion gun set-up is incorrect or
correct for the hole, as
shown in 314. If the hole has not, in fact, been drilled or if the fastener
insertion gun set-up is
incorrect for the hole, then the fastener insertion gun computer 98 or the
system computer 42
may notify the operator via the display device 100 on the fastener insertion
gun 42, and may
prevent the fastener insertion gun 42 from operating until the fastener
insertion gun set-up is
corrected, as shown in 316 If the hole has, in fact, been drilled and the set-
up is correct for the
hole, then the fastener insertion gun computer 98 or the system computer 42
may allow the
operator to insert a fastener into hole, and may record in the electronic
memory element 54 that
the fastener was inserted, as shown in 318.
100981 Referring also to FIG. 19, the fastener delivery
subsystem 38 may be used and
may operate substantially as follows. One or more cassettes 68 of fasteners
may be loaded into
the racks 66 in the cabinet 64, as shown in 400. As each cassette 68 is loaded
into the rack 66,
the cassette 68 may engage with the pneumatic union and locking mechanism
70,72, as shown in
402. The proximity sensor 90 integrated into the cassette location may confirm
that the cassette
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PCT/US2020/064769
68 is loaded, as shown in 404. When the cassette 68 is detected by the
proximity sensor 90, the
reader mechanism 92 on the rail 74 may read and store relevant information
from the machine-
readable element associated with the cassette 68, as shown in 406. Once all
the cassettes 68 are
loaded, the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be initialized, and may then
wait for requests for
fasteners from the fastener insertion gun 40, as shown in 408.
[0099] When a fastener request is received from the
fastener insertion gun 40, the
fastener delivery subsystem 38 may select the appropriate fastener from one of
the cassettes 68
in the rack 66 and route it through the subsystem 38 to the fastener insertion
gun 40, as shown in
410. When multiple cassettes are loaded with the same type of fastener, the
fastener subsystem
computer 98 may strategically pull the fastener from the same cassette 68 in
order to fully
deplete one before switching to another cassette 68. If two or more fasteners
of the same type
and grip length are called for at the same time, the fastener delivery
subsystem computer 98 may
pull from a primary cassette first and then from a secondary cassette. The
fastener delivery
subsystem 38 may include parallel fastener delivery paths to multiple fastener
insertion guns 40
in order to increase throughput and redundancy of the primary components
required to complete
the process.
101001 When a cassette 68 is depleted of fasteners (or
if there is an error), an operator can
select the cassette 68 using the operator interface 102 with the fastener
delivery subsystem
computer 98 and have the cassette 68 released from the rack 66, as shown in
412. The sensors
86 located in the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may monitor the position of
the fastener as it
travels from the cassette 68 to the fastener insertion gun 40, as shown in
414. If any issues arise
during the transit of the fastener, the operator may be visually notified via
the display device 100
on the fastener insertion gun 40 as well as on the display device 82 of the
cabinet 64, as shown in
416.
[0101] Having thus described one or more embodiments of
the invention, what is
claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the
following:
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