Air-Driven Collar Feeder for Lockbolt Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for installing lockbolt fasteners face issues such as collars falling off during swaging due to vertical shanks and the inefficiency of collar supply and pintail collection, leading to reduced installation efficiency and safety hazards from foreign object debris.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a cartridge with a spiral passage for efficient collar supply and a handheld feeder tool with pressurized air to present collars one at a time, combined with a vacuum system for organized pintail collection, ensuring consistent and safe collar placement and efficient disposal of broken pintails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If collars are held in place using sticky substance on vertical shanks, then collars can be positioned for swaging, but collars may still fall off during the swaging process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a collar feeder device as an intermediary mechanism between the collar supply and the lockbolt shank. This device uses a controlled release mechanism (spring-loaded fingers) to transfer collars one at a time directly onto the shank, eliminating the need for sticky substances and preventing collar drop during positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar feeder is designed to automatically present collars to the work position without requiring manual handling or adhesive assistance. The spring-loaded fingers self-actuate to release collars in a controlled manner, making the system self-sufficient for collar retention and transfer.
2Productivity
If collars are supplied in large quantities using a cartridge, then installation efficiency is improved, but refilling and handling becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The collar supply system is segmented into a removable cartridge that can be easily detached and refilled. The cartridge contains a spiral passage that organizes multiple collars in a compact, space-efficient manner, allowing large quantities to be stored while maintaining simple handling and refilling procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral passage within the cartridge utilizes three-dimensional space efficiently, arranging collars in a helical configuration rather than linear stacking. This allows a large number of collars to be accommodated in a compact cartridge volume while maintaining easy access for refilling through the top opening.
3Productivity
If pintails are ejected without collection during swaging, then the swaging process is simple and fast, but safety hazards from foreign object debris increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful ejected pintails into a beneficial collection process. A vacuum system with a collection container is integrated to capture pintails immediately after ejection, transforming the safety hazard into an organized disposal process that maintains swaging speed while eliminating FOD risks.
4Manufacturing precision
If collars are presented one at a time to the work position, then collar placement precision is improved, but supply speed may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The collar feeder pre-positions multiple collars in the spiral passage of the cartridge, ready for sequential delivery. This preliminary arrangement allows collars to be presented one at a time with precise control while maintaining a ready supply, eliminating the need for manual handling and sustaining high supply speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded fingers continuously maintain contact with the collars in the spiral passage, ready to release the next collar immediately after the previous one is transferred. This continuous readiness ensures that the one-at-a-time presentation does not create idle time, maintaining high supply speed throughout the process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the efficiency of lockbolt installation by preventing collar loss and improving safety through organized collar supply and pintail collection, reducing foreign object debris and increasing worker productivity.
Implementation Method 1
The air supply passage and the spiral passage are interconnected so that pressurized air entering at a top of the air supply passage in a top end of the cartridge travels straight down along the air supply passage where it interconnects with a bottom of the spiral passage. The pressurized air entering the air supply passage urges collars upwardly along the spiral passage into the supply passage of the grip portion.
Implementation Method 2
combined with a vacuum system for organized pintail collection, ensuring consistent and safe collar placement and efficient disposal of broken pintails
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
An air-driven feeder device for feeding lockbolt collars to a presentation position, one at a time, is provided the device comprising: a handheld grip device (102, 106) having a presentation portion (106) and a grip portion (102) with a supply passage (124), a cartridge (104) having a spiral passage (112) therein and connectable to the grip portion (102) in such a way as to communicate the spiral supply passage (112) of the cartridge (102) to the supply passage (124) of the grip portion (102), and an air supply inlet for introducing air into the cartridge's spiral passage (112) at a place and in a direction to urge collars (28) in all of the passages (112, 124) toward the presentation position in the presentation portion (106).