Rotating Singulation Duct for High-Rate Fastener Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated fastener machines are limited in their ability to efficiently singulate and orient fasteners at a high rate, resulting in low manufacturing throughput, significant noise, and large, costly equipment.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a rotating singulation duct to align fasteners through centrifugal forces, combined with orientation adjustment mechanisms and sensors to ensure consistent orientation, allowing for higher throughput and reduced noise and equipment size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional bowl feeders or vibrating plate methods are used to singulate and orient fasteners, then the orientation function is achieved, but the manufacturing throughput is limited to only a few parts per second
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies controlled vibration to the rotating disc at specific frequencies (60-400 Hz) to resonate with the fasteners, causing them to reorient and slide along the spiral ramp. This vibration mechanism enables high-speed singulation by rapidly cycling fasteners through orientation cycles, achieving throughput of hundreds of parts per second compared to traditional methods that process only a few parts per second.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic vibration cycles synchronized with the rotation of the disc to repeatedly orient and propel fasteners along the spiral ramp. Each rotation cycle provides multiple opportunities for fasteners to achieve favorable orientation and be discharged, creating a continuous high-rate feeding process that dramatically increases productivity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional vibrating ramp methods are used for fastener singulation, then the orientation function is achieved, but significant acoustic noise is generated that must be muffled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the vibration source from a traditional stationary vibrating ramp configuration and integrates it into a rotating disc system. This reconfiguration changes the noise generation pattern and allows for more compact noise containment. The spiral ramp geometry also directs fasteners through a controlled path that reduces chaotic impacts and associated noise compared to traditional methods.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional vibrating ramp methods are used for fastener singulation, then the orientation function is achieved, but the equipment size is large and the cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the spiral ramp structure within the rotating disc, with the fastener feed hopper positioned centrally above the disc. The spiral ramp itself forms the containing structure for the fasteners during the singulation process, eliminating the need for separate large external containment structures. This nested configuration significantly reduces the overall footprint of the singulation apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of a curved spiral ramp on the rotating disc creates a compact, space-efficient geometry for fastener flow. The spiral configuration allows fasteners to follow a curved path that maximizes the use of rotational motion while minimizing the linear space required, compared to straight-line or angular transport mechanisms used in traditional systems.
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 system significantly increases the rate of fastener singulation and orientation, reduces equipment size and noise, and enhances manufacturing efficiency by aligning fasteners in a consistent manner for automated assembly.
Implementation Method 1
rotating the singulation duct about a rotation axis such that centrifugal forces generated by the rotation act to drive the objects along the singulation duct and to cause pressure on the objects against a wall of the singulation duct
Data Source
AI summary
Objects in a stream in a duct are singulated and oriented by rotating at least some so that the orientations of all aligned. In one arrangement a slot is provided in the singulation duct into which the shank falls while the head remains in the singulation duct. In another arrangement there is provided a buffering device and a transfer member for transferring the singulated oriented objects from the buffering device to an operating location. In another arrangement a first path changes the orientation of relative to the second path. The objects can be fed from a singulation duct to a supply duct having an exit mouth lying on a rotation axis of the singulation duct.