Bolt Aligner With Bumper Constraint for Precise Socket Pickup

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aligning a socket with a bolt head during a robot pick operation is difficult due to geometrical challenges, leading to inadvertent rotation and potential thread damage.

Innovation Solution

A bolt aligner with a body featuring a through hole, a bolt alignment feature, a bumper chamber, and a threaded portion, along with a bumper to constrain the bolt vertically and rotationally, preventing unwanted rotation during the assembly process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a socket contacts a bolt head during pick operation to align them, then alignment is achieved, but inadvertent rotation occurs causing thread damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidthread damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a bolt aligner as an intermediary device between the socket and bolt head. The aligner includes a bumper that contacts the bolt head and a threaded portion that engages with the bolt, mediating the alignment process to prevent direct harmful contact between the socket and bolt threads during rotation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The bolt aligner utilizes the bolt's own threaded portion as part of the alignment mechanism. The threaded portion of the aligner engages with the bolt's threads, allowing the bolt to self-constrain its own rotation during the alignment process through the interaction with the aligner's threaded portion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Device complexity

If the socket directly contacts the bolt head for alignment, then the alignment process is simple, but rotation and movement of the bolt occur leading to wasted time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment device complexityVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The bolt aligner is designed to be self-constraining through its geometric features. The tapered surface and threaded portion automatically engage with the bolt to prevent rotation and movement without requiring additional active control mechanisms, maintaining simplicity while improving productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250242454A1Bolt aligner and method of using the same

Publication Date: 2025.07.31 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

A bolt aligner includes a body having a first surface, an opposite second surface, and a thickness between the first and second surfaces. The body may further include a first through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface, a bolt alignment feature arranged concentric with the first through hole and extending from the first surface through a portion of the thickness, a bumper chamber arranged concentric with the first through hole and extending from the second surface through a portion of the thickness, and a threaded portion arranged axially between the bolt alignment feature and the bumper chamber. The body may further include a second through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface and a third through hole extending from the first surface through the second surface. The bolt aligner further includes a bumper arranged in the bumper chamber.