Bolt supply device

Abstract

To solve problems in a conventional bolt supply device wherein a screw is inclined when passing through a stopper to be possibly bitten in a storage tool, and torque control is difficult.SOLUTION: This bolt supply device is provided with a feeder F loaded with a plurality of bolts 1 in series, and the bolt 1 coaxially has a first fitting part 11 of a projecting shape or a recessed shape on an upper end surface of a head part 2, and coaxially has a second fitting part 12 of a shape forming a male-female relation to the first fitting part 11 on a tip surface of a screw part 3. A bolt 1 has a male screw part 4 for feeding on the outer periphery of a head part 2, and a feeder F has a female screw part 5 for feeding on the inner peripheral surface through which the male screw part 4 for feeding is screwed with the rotation of the bolt 1, so that the bolt 1 can be smoothly fed without causing galling, and torque control can be easily performed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bolt supplying device used, for example, as a feeder for a nut runner. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a conventional bolt supply device is described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes a storage device into which multiple screws are loaded in series. The tip of the shaft, which is the threaded portion of each screw, has the same shape as the cutting edge of the screwdriver that operates the screw, and when stored in the storage device, the bottom end of the upper screw of vertically adjacent screws engages with the head of the lower screw. Meanwhile, the storage device is cylindrical and has a stopper near the tip opening, which is the screw feed port, that can be engaged with and disengaged from the head of the screw. The stopper is a pair of spring pieces with inward-facing claws at their tips.

[0003] The storage device stores multiple screws in a line and maintains the stored state by engaging a stopper with the head of the lowest screw. When the storage device is rotated while pressing the top screw with a screwdriver inserted from above, all the screws rotate simultaneously because the screws are engaged with each other at the top and bottom, and the bottom screw is pushed out while elastically deforming a pair of spring pieces that act as stoppers in the outward direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4370228 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional bolt supply device described above, the screw stopper in the storage device is a pair of spring pieces. Therefore, when used in a nut runner feeder, for example, the rotation speed of the screw is clearly greater than when operated by hand, which creates the problem that the screw may tilt as it passes through the stopper and become stuck in the storage device, as well as making it difficult to manage the torque when fastening.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and aims to provide a bolt supply device that can smoothly feed bolts without causing seizing and that can easily handle torque management during fastening. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The bolt supplying device according to the present invention is a bolt supplying device equipped with a feeder that loads a plurality of bolts in series. In this bolt supplying device, the bolt has a convex or concave first fitting portion coaxially on the upper end surface of the head, and a coaxial second fitting portion on the tip surface of the threaded portion that has a shape that forms a male-female relationship with the first fitting portion. In other words, when the first fitting portion is convex (or concave), the second fitting portion is concave (or convex). The bolt supplying device is characterized in that the bolt has a feed male thread portion on the outer periphery of the head, and the feeder has a feed female thread portion on its inner periphery that threads with the feed male thread portion and passes through as the bolt rotates.

[0008] In the above configuration, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion engage with each other between adjacent bolts in the vertical direction to transmit rotational force. Therefore, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion can be freely engaged with and disengaged from each other in the axial direction of the bolt, and when viewed from the axial direction of the bolt, they have a shape that can transmit rotational force, such as a polygonal shape or a ridge and groove. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] In the bolt supply device according to the present invention, the female feed thread of the feeder functions as a stopper for the loaded bolts, and when supplying bolts, the uppermost bolt is rotated, and the rotational force is transmitted to the lowermost bolt via the first and second fitting portions. As a result, the bolt supply device threads the male feed thread of the lowermost bolt into the female feed thread of the feeder, allowing the lowermost bolt to pass through, thereby ensuring that the bolt advances linearly in the axial direction, allowing the bolt to be fed smoothly without seizing, and facilitating torque management during fastening. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1A is a perspective view from the threaded portion side of a bolt in a first embodiment of a bolt supply device, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view from the head side. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the bolt and the feeder shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a main part of the bolt supply device. [Figure 4] 10A is a perspective view from the threaded portion side of a bolt in a second embodiment of the bolt supply device, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view from the head side. [Figure 5] 10A is a perspective view from the threaded portion side of a bolt in a third embodiment of a bolt supply device, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view from the head side. [Figure 6] 10A is a perspective view from the threaded portion side of a bolt in a fourth embodiment of the bolt supply device, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view from the head side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] First Embodiment 1 to 3 are diagrams illustrating a first embodiment of a bolt supply device according to the present invention. The bolt 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a head 2 and a threaded portion 3. A first fitting portion 11 having a convex or concave shape is coaxially formed on the upper end surface of the head 2, and a second fitting portion 12 having a shape that forms a male-female relationship with the first fitting portion 11 is coaxially formed on the tip end surface of the threaded portion 3.

[0012] The bolt 1 in the illustrated example has a concave first fitting portion 11 that forms a hexagon when viewed from the axial direction. Therefore, since the second fitting portion 12 forms a male-female relationship, that is, a male and female relationship, with the concave first fitting portion 11, it has a convex shape that forms a hexagon when viewed from the axial direction.

[0013] And the above-mentioned bolt 1 has a feed thread portion 4 on the outer periphery of the head 2. This feed thread portion 4 has a helix in the same direction as the thread portion 3 of the bolt 1 and is formed over the axial direction of the head 2.

[0014] The feeder F shown in FIG. 2 is used as, for example, a nut runner feeder, has a cylindrical shape, and has a feed screw portion 5 on its inner peripheral surface through which the feed thread portion 4 is screwed and passes as the bolt 1 rotates. Here, in the illustrated example of the feeder F, the feed screw portion 5 is formed near the tip opening H at the lower end. More specifically, the distance a from the tip opening H to the feed screw portion 5 has a positional relationship where it is smaller than the axial length b of the thread portion 3 of the bolt 1 (a < b).

[0015] At least one of the above-mentioned feed thread portion 4 and feed screw portion 5 is formed for one or more turns. The above-mentioned thread portion 4 and screw portion 5 exhibit a certain effect in obtaining the straightness of the bolt 1 if they are one or more turns, but forming them longer than at least one turn or forming multiple turns can obtain more stable straightness when they are screwed together.

[0016] In this embodiment, it shows the feed thread portion 4 formed over the axial direction of the head 2 of the bolt 1 and the feed screw portion 5 having a shorter axial length than this thread portion 4. Also, the feed thread portion 4 has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the feeder F, and the valley diameter and inner diameter of the feed screw portion 5 are set with respect to this feed thread portion 4.

[0017] The bolt supply device having the above configuration loads a plurality of bolts 1 in series into a feeder F, as shown in Fig. 3. At this time, adjacent bolts 1, 1 in the vertical direction are engaged with each other such that the second fitting portion 12 of the upper bolt 1 engages with the first fitting portion 11 of the lower bolt 1. Although two bolts are shown in Fig. 3, it goes without saying that more than two bolts may be used.

[0018] In addition, in the above-mentioned bolt supply device, the feed male thread portion 4 of the bottom bolt 1 abuts against the feed female thread portion 5 in the feeder F, or the feed male thread portion 4 is screwed into the feed female thread portion 5, thereby preventing the bottom bolt 1 from moving and maintaining the loaded state of all bolts 1.

[0019] Next, the bolt supply device inserts a rotating shaft S from above the feeder F to rotate the topmost bolt 1. At this time, the rotating shaft S has a protrusion P at its lower end, and this protrusion P is fitted into the first fitting portion 11 of the topmost bolt 1, thereby rotating the bolt 1.

[0020] As a result, the bolt supply device simultaneously rotates all of the bolts 1 that are engaged with each other by the first and second fitting portions 11, 12. Then, as the bolts 1 rotate, the bolt supply device screws the feed male thread portion 4 of the bottommost bolt 1 into the feed female thread portion 5 of the feeder F, and further passes the feed male thread portion 4 through the feed female thread portion 5, and feeds the bottommost bolt 1 from the tip opening H of the feeder F.

[0021] 3, the bolt supply device screws and fixes the bolt 1 into the female threaded hole 51 of the structure 50 to which the bolt 1 is to be screwed. Here, the bolt 1 in the bolt supply device may have the same pitch for both the threaded portion 3 and the feeding male threaded portion, or may have different pitches.

[0022] 3, in order to thread the bolt 1 into the female threaded hole 51 of the structure 50, it is desirable that the timing of the bolt supply device be such that the threaded portion 3 of the bolt 1 starts to thread into the female threaded hole 51 immediately after the completion of the threading of the feed male thread 4 and the feed female thread 5 of the bolt 1. In this case, the pitches of the threaded portion 3 and the feed male thread may be the same or different.

[0023] However, in the case where the bolt supply device is in a state where the feed male threaded portion 4 and the feed female threaded portion 5 are threaded together and a state where the threaded portion 3 is threaded together with the female threaded hole 51 at the same time, the operations of feeding out the bolt 1 and screwing it into the structure 50 can be performed more smoothly by making both the threaded portion 3 and the feed male threaded portion have similar or the same pitch.

[0024] In this way, in the above-mentioned bolt supply device, the feed thread portion 5 of the feeder F functions as a stopper for the loaded bolt 1, and when supplying bolts, by rotating the topmost bolt 1, the rotational force is transmitted to the bottommost bolt 1 via each bolt 1 through the first and second fitting portions 11, 12.

[0025] As a result, the bolt supply device passes the lowest bolt 1 by threading the feed male thread 4 of the lowermost bolt 1 into the feed female thread 5 of the feeder F, thereby ensuring that the bolt 1 moves straight in the axial direction, preventing the bolt 1 from tilting and allowing the bolt 1 to be fed out smoothly without jamming.In addition, since the rotational force of the rotating shaft S can be reliably transmitted to the lowermost bolt 1, torque management of the rotating shaft S during fastening can be easily handled.

[0026] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned bolt supply device, by forming at least one of the feed male thread portion 4 and the feed female thread portion 5 to have one or more revolutions, the bolt 1 can be made to move straight when both are screwed together, and tilting of the bolt 1 can be more reliably prevented.

[0027] Furthermore, the bolt feeding device makes the distance a from the tip opening H of the feeder F to the feed female screw portion 5 smaller than the axial length of the screw portion 3 of the bolt 1 (a < b). As a result, when the screwing together of the feed male screw portion 4 and the female screw portion 5 is completed, the tip of the bolt 1 surely protrudes from the feeder F, so that the bolt 1 can be surely positioned and inserted into the female screw hole 5 of the structure 50, and the biting of the bolt 1 into the female screw hole 51 can also be avoided.

[0028] Figs. 4 to 6 are views for explaining second to fourth embodiments of the bolt in the bolt feeding device according to the present invention. In the following embodiments, the same reference numerals are given to the same constituent parts as in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0029] <Second Embodiment> The bolt 1 shown in Fig. 4 has a stepped shape in which the head 2 coaxially has a flange portion 2A formed with a feed male screw portion 4 on the outer periphery and a small-diameter portion 2B having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the flange portion 2A.

[0030] The head 2 of the bolt 1 has the flange portion 2A on the screw portion 3 side and has the small-diameter portion 2B on the surface of the flange portion 2A on the side opposite to the screw portion 3 in the axial direction. And the above bolt 1 has a hexagonal concave first fitting portion 11 on the upper end surface of the small-diameter portion 2B and a hexagonal convex second fitting portion 12 on the tip end surface of the screw portion 3 when viewed in the axial direction.

[0031] As with the first embodiment, the bolt feeder including the above-described bolt 1 can prevent the bolt 1 from tilting, feed the bolt 1 smoothly without causing seizing, and easily manage the torque of the rotating shaft S. Furthermore, by using the above-described bolt 1, when fastening the bolt to the structure (50) shown in Fig. 3, the flange portion 2A ensures a large bearing surface of the head portion 2 against the structure, contributing to an improvement in the fastening axial force, and further, the small diameter portion 2B increases the area that does not interfere with the inner peripheral surface of the feeder F, thereby reducing factors that cause variations in the management of the fastening axial force.

[0032] Furthermore, the above-mentioned bolt 1 has a flange portion 2A on the threaded portion 3 side of the head 2, i.e., near the center of the overall axis of the bolt 1, so that it is balanced and can maintain good perpendicularity of the bolt 1 relative to the structure (50).

[0033] <Third embodiment> 5, similar to the second embodiment, the head 2 has a flange portion 2A and a small diameter portion 2B, and the small diameter portion 2B also serves as the first fitting portion 11. In the bolt 1 of this embodiment, the small diameter portion 2B (first fitting portion 11) has a hexagonal convex shape when viewed from the axial direction. Therefore, the second fitting portion 12 has a hexagonal concave shape when viewed from the axial direction.

[0034] As with the first embodiment, the bolt supply device using the above-described bolt can prevent the bolt 1 from tilting, can smoothly feed out the bolt 1 without causing seizure, and can also easily handle torque management of the rotating shaft S.

[0035] Furthermore, when using the above-mentioned bolt 1, the small diameter portion 2B is hexagonal and doubles as the first fitting portion 11, so a wrench tool can be used to rotate the bolt 1, improving usability during maintenance in the market, and since the small diameter portion 2B can ensure a gripping margin during cutting, it can also be easily handled when cutting the threads.

[0036] <Third embodiment> 6, as in the third embodiment, the head 2 has a flange portion 2A and a small diameter portion 2B, the small diameter portion 2B is hexagonal when viewed from the axial direction, and the upper end surface of the small diameter portion 2B is formed with a first fitting portion 11 that has a hexagonal convex shape when viewed from the axial direction. Therefore, the second fitting portion 12 has a hexagonal convex shape when viewed from the axial direction.

[0037] As with the first embodiment, the bolt supply device using the above-described bolt can prevent the bolt 1 from tilting, can smoothly feed out the bolt 1 without causing seizure, and can also easily handle torque management of the rotating shaft S.

[0038] Furthermore, when using the above-described bolt 1, the small diameter portion 2B has a hexagonal convex shape and the first fitting portion 11 has a hexagonal concave shape, so a spanner or wrench tool can be used to rotate the bolt 1, improving usability during maintenance in the market, and since the small diameter portion 2B can ensure a gripping margin during cutting, it can be easily handled during cutting.

[0039] The configuration of the bolt supply device according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the configurations of the embodiments can also be combined. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] F Feeder 1 volt 2 heads 2A flange 2B Small diameter section 3 Threaded section 4. Feed thread 5 Feed thread 11 First fitting part 12 Second fitting part

Claims

1. A bolt supply device having a feeder in which a plurality of bolts are loaded in series, The bolt has a first fitting portion having a convex or concave shape coaxially on an upper end surface of a head, and a second fitting portion having a shape that forms a male-female relationship with the first fitting portion coaxially on a tip end surface of a threaded portion, The bolt has a feed male thread portion on the outer periphery of the head, a feeder having an internal thread portion on its inner circumferential surface, through which the external thread portion threadably engages as the bolt rotates;

2. 2. The bolt supply device according to claim 1, wherein the head of the bolt has a stepped shape that includes a flange portion on the outer periphery of which the feed male thread portion is formed, and a small-diameter portion whose diameter is smaller than that of the flange portion, and are arranged coaxially.

3. 3. The bolt supply device according to claim 2, wherein the head of the bolt has the flange portion on the threaded portion side, and the small diameter portion on a surface of the flange portion opposite the threaded portion in the axial direction.

4. 4. The bolt supply device according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the external thread portion and the internal thread portion is formed with one or more revolutions.

5. 4. The bolt supply device according to claim 3, wherein the small diameter portion is the first fitting portion having a convex shape and is hexagonal when viewed from the axial direction.

6. 2. The bolt supply device according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the tip opening of the feeder to the female threaded portion is shorter than the axial length of the threaded portion of the bolt.

Images