Back to results
US 11,224,951 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for single-sided clamp-up
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsHarinder S. Oberoi, Kevin Marion Barrick, Charles Yuanxin Hu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for providing a clamp-up are provided. An apparatus for forming a clamp-up comprises an end effector. The end effector is positioned at a first side of a panel joint and applies a first clamp-up force to a first panel of a panel joint and an equal and opposite second clamp-up force to a second panel of the panel joint to provide the clamp-up.
Claims21
An apparatus for maintaining a clamp-up, the apparatus comprising:
- an end effector comprising:
- a nozzle having a nozzle diameter greater than a hole diameter of a first hole in a first part;
- and
- a suction device for suctioning air, from a first side of the clamp-up formed by the first part, through a fastener hole formed by the first hole in the first part and a second hole in a second part and through the nozzle;
- and
- a control system comprising a processor that is configured to control the nozzle of the end effector to apply a first mechanical force to the first side of the clamp-up when engaged with the first part and configured to control the suction device to suction the air with a volumetric flow rate selected to achieve a force static equilibrium that maintains the clamp-up of the first part and the second part from the first side without requiring an additional force at a second side of the clamp-up, the second side being opposite the first side and formed by the second part.
3 more elements
An apparatus for forming a clamp-up, the apparatus comprising:
- an end effector positioned at a first side of a panel joint;
- and
- a control system comprising a processor that is configured to control the end effector to cause the end effector to apply a first clamp-up force to a first panel of a panel joint with the end effector at the first side of the panel joint and an equal and opposite second clamp-up force to a second panel of the panel joint with the end effector at the first side of the panel joint to achieve a force static equilibrium that provides the clamp-up.
An apparatus for forming a clamp-up, the apparatus comprising:
- a first clamp-up end effector on a first side of a panel joint;
- a second clamp-up end effector on a second side of a panel joint that is opposite the first side of the panel joint, wherein the first clamp-up end effector is in communication with the second clamp-up end effector;
- and
- a through-hole clamping device incorporated into the first clamp-up end effector;
- and
- a control system configured to control:
- the first clamp-up end effector to apply a first force on the first side of the panel joint;
- the second clamp-up end effector to apply a second force on the second side of the panel joint that establishes the clamp-up;
- and
- the first clamp-up end effector to create a suction force that causes an equal and opposite reactive force to be applied to thereby achieve a force static equilibrium that is configured to maintain the clamp-up from the first side of the panel joint after the second force is removed from the second side of the panel joint.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.