Friction Roller Screwing Device for Blind Nut Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing screwing tools for fluid supply conduits are inefficient due to manual assembly challenges, particularly in introducing the nut into the cavity, which is blind and requires trial and error, and are not adaptable to different nut sizes, leading to wasted time and ergonomic issues in the workplace.
Innovation Solution
A screwing tool with a guide and a roller that uses friction to quickly position and screw the nut onto a support, allowing for easy adaptation to standard screwdrivers and interchangeable components for various conduit sizes, enabling quick and reliable screwing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a cavity-based screwing tool is used to automate nut screwing, then the screwing operation is automated and speed is improved, but the introduction of the nut into the cavity becomes blind and difficult, requiring trial and error that wastes time
Solution Approach 1:
A guide component is introduced as an intermediary between the operator and the cavity. The guide has fingers that can enclose the conduit and visually indicate when the nut is correctly positioned, mediating the blind insertion problem by providing tactile and visual feedback without requiring the operator to directly manipulate the nut into the cavity blindly
Solution Approach 2:
The guide provides feedback to the operator during the nut introduction process. When the nut is correctly positioned in the cavity, the guide's fingers and the nut's geometry create a detectable state (the nut cannot be removed from the conduit), giving the operator feedback that correct positioning has been achieved, eliminating the need for trial and error
2Device complexity
If a single-sized cavity tool is used for screwing, then the tool structure is simple, but the tool can only handle one nut size, requiring multiple tools for different sizes which worsens workstation ergonomics
Solution Approach 1:
The guide is designed with fingers that can enclose conduits of different diameters, making it a universal component that adapts to various nut sizes. The guide's structural flexibility and the availability of interchangeable guides for different conduit diameters enable a single tool platform to handle multiple nut sizes, eliminating the need for multiple specialized tools and improving workstation ergonomics
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 tool facilitates fast and reliable screwing by using friction to drive the nut onto the support, allowing for quick positioning and final manual tightening, while being adaptable to different sizes and compatible with standard screwdrivers, enhancing operational efficiency and ergonomics.
Implementation Method 1
The roller (19) is intended to drive the nut (4) by friction in rotation around the conduit (5)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (3) for screwing a nut (4) for fixing a conduit (5) onto a support (6), this device (3) comprising: - a guide (18) provided with a pair of fingers (21) adapted to grip the conduit (5); - a screwing member (19) mounted in rotation relative to the guide (18), adapted to cooperate with the nut (4) to drive the latter in rotation; in this device (3): - the screwing member (19) is in the form of a roller having a peripheral surface (20) with a coefficient of friction sufficient to drive the nut (4) by friction of the peripheral surface (20) against an upper face (13) of the nut (4), - the guide (18) includes a housing provided between the fingers (21) to receive the roller (19).