US 11,491,533 B2 · Fastener insertion gun for installing fasteners in vehicle structures

Abstract

A system and method for drilling a hole in a vehicle structure and installing a fastener in the hole. A drill plate having openings and associated machine-readable elements is positioned on the structure. A drill gun is positioned in a particular opening and reads hole information from the associated element, and a computer determines whether the drill gun is properly set-up to drill the hole. A fastener insertion gun is positioned in the particular opening and reads fastener information from the element, and the computer determines whether the hole has been drilled and, if so, whether the fastener insertion gun is properly set-up to insert the fastener. A fastener delivery subsystem stores, tracks, and delivers fasteners to the fastener insertion gun. A system computer monitors the drilling of every hole, the insertion of every fastener, and the overall operation of the fastener delivery subsystem.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A fastener insertion gun for installing a fastener in a hole in a vehicle structure, the fastener insertion gun comprising:

a gun body comprising a forward portion and rearward portion;
a concentric collet mounted on the forward portion of the gun body and selectively expanding within an opening adjacent to the hole in the vehicle structure to mechanically secure the fastener insertion gun during installation of the fastener;
a reader mechanism associated with the forward portion of the gun body and receiving information via a machine-readable element associated with the hole in the vehicle structure;
a plurality of internal air valves located within the gun body and selectively providing pressurized air used to install the fastener;
and
a gun computer housed within the gun body and receiving the information from the reader mechanism, loading the fastener based on the information from the reader mechanism, and actuating one or more of the plurality of internal air valves to provide the pressurized air used to install the fastener.

3 more elements

A fastener insertion gun for installing a fastener in a hole in a vehicle structure, the fastener insertion gun comprising:

a gun body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion;
a concentric collet mounted on the forward portion of the gun body and selectively expanding within an opening adjacent to the hole in the vehicle structure to mechanically secure the fastener insertion gun during installation of the fastener;
a reader mechanism associated with the forward portion of the gun body and receiving information via a radio-frequency identification element associated with the hole in the vehicle structure, the information comprising fastener information regarding the fastener to be installed in the hole;
a plurality of internal air valves located within the gun body and selectively providing pressurized air used to install the fastener;
an impact mechanism applying an impact force to an end of the fastener, the impact mechanism comprising:
an impact tube comprising a forward port connected to a first internal air valve of the plurality of internal air valves and comprising a rearward port connected to a second internal air valve of the plurality of internal air valves,
an impact rod moving forwardly within the impact tube to apply the impact force to the end of the fastener, and moving rearwardly to reset, and
an impact mass moving forwardly within the impact tube to strike the impact rod, and moving rearwardly to reset;
and
a gun computer housed within the gun body and receiving the information from the reader mechanism, loading the fastener based on the fastener information from the reader mechanism, and controlling the first and second internal air valves so as to move the impact rod and the impact mass forwardly and rearwardly by selectively introducing the pressurized air into the impact tube via the forward and rearward ports.

7 more elements

A fastener insertion gun for installing a fastener in a hole in a vehicle structure, the fastener insertion gun comprising:

a gun body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion;
a concentric collet mounted on the forward portion of the gun body and selectively expanding within an opening adjacent to the hole in the vehicle structure to mechanically secure the fastener insertion gun during installation of the fastener;
a reader mechanism associated with the forward portion of the gun body and receiving information via a radio-frequency identification element associated with the hole in the vehicle structure, the information comprising fastener information comprising a type and a size of the fastener to be installed in the hole;
a sealant dispensing module comprising a cartridge containing a sealant, the sealant dispensing module selectively applying the sealant to the fastener prior to installation;
a plurality of internal air valves located within the gun body and selectively providing pressurized air used to install the fastener;
an impact mechanism applying an impact force to an end of the fastener, the impact mechanism comprising:
an impact tube comprising a forward port connected to a first internal air valve of the plurality of internal air valves and comprising a rearward port connected to a second internal air valve of the plurality of internal air valves,
an impact rod moving forwardly within the impact tube to apply the impact force to the end of the fastener, and moving rearwardly to reset, and
an impact mass moving forwardly within the impact tube to strike the impact rod, and moving rearwardly to reset;
and
a gun computer housed within the gun body and receiving the information from the reader mechanism, loading the fastener based on the fastener information from the reader mechanism, controlling selective application of the sealant by the sealant dispensing module, and controlling the first and second internal air valves so as to move the impact rod and the impact mass forwardly and rearwardly by selectively introducing the pressurized air into the impact tube via the forward and rearward ports.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fastener insertion gun for installing fasteners in vehicle structures

Life of this patent

Fastener insertion gun for installing fasteners in vehicle structures

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20