US 2003/0150093 A1Published application

Hand held spin-pull tool for installing threaded inserts and method for using same

AssigneeMeikle NY, Inc.

InventorsFrederick A. Campbell, James M. Thomas, Jeffrey S. Clough, Jesse J. Diehl

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Abstract

A hand held spin-pull tool for securing a hollow threaded insert into a substrate. The hand held tool of the invention has at least the following components: a) a switch activated (closed) by manual movement; b) a rotatable drive activatable in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached threaded mandrel so that upon activation the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert; c) a nose retainer position detector for detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert; d) a controller for stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert; e) a cylinder and piston where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore; f) a slide coupling connecting the drive shaft with the drive; g) a hydraulic system for applying pressure to the piston to move the piston, drive shaft and attached mandrel to collapse the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate; h) a controller for activating and controlling the hydraulic system for applying pressure to the piston in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert; i) an insert collapse detector for detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate; and j) a controller for disengaging the hydraulic system and for turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert. The invention includes a method using the tool of the invention for installing an insert.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for installing a hollow threaded insert into a hole in a substrate having first and second surfaces where the insert has a hollow shaft having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, the insert having a front flange surrounding the first end portion of the shaft for engaging the front surface of the substrate around the hole, the second end portion of the shaft having a thread, and said intermediate portion comprising a gripping means that engages the second surface when a force is applied that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion;

said method comprising:
a) placing the shaft of the insert into the hole in the substrate so that the flange of the insert contacts the first surface of the substrate;
b) closing a manually operated switch
c) activating a rotatable drive in response to the closed switch where the rotatable d rive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached mandrel so that the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
d) detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
e) stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
f) applying pressure to a piston within a cylinder where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore so that the applied pressure moves the drive shaft in a slide coupling toward the drive so that the motion of the drive shaft and attached mandrel pulls the second end portion of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and collapses the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate;
g) detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate;
h) turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert in response to sensing when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate;
and,
i) controlling steps c), e), f) and h) by means of a controller comprising a programmed logic chip in response to data received by closing of the switch in step b) and in response to data obtained in detecting steps d) and g);
provided that, steps a) through h) are sequential except that step a) may be before step b) or step a) may be between steps e) and f).

9 more elements

A hand held spin-pull tool for securing a hollow threaded insert in a hole in a substrate having first and second surfaces where the insert has a hollow shaft having a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, the insert being placed in the hole and having a front flange surrounding the first end portion of the shaft for engaging the first surface of the substrate around the hole, the second end portion of the shaft having a thread, and said intermediate portion comprising a gripping means that engages the second surface when a force is applied that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion;

said tool comprising:
a) a switch activated by manual movement
b) a rotatable drive activatable in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached threaded mandrel so that upon activation of the drive, the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
c) means for detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
d) means for stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
e) a cylinder and piston where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore;
f) a slide coupling connecting the drive shaft with the drive;
g) means for applying pressure to the piston so that the applied pressure moves the drive shaft in the slide coupling toward the drive so that the motion of the drive shaft and attached mandrel pulls the second end portion of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and collapses the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate;
h) means for detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate;
i) means for turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert in response to sensing when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate;
and,
j) a controller for controlling the rotatable drive and the means for applying pressure, said controller comprising a programmed logic chip operating in response to data received by closing of the switch in step a) and in response to data obtained by the detecting means of paragraphs c) and h).

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/314,585Filed 9 Dec 2002
Priority: 6 Nov 2000
Published: 14 Aug 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B25B 27/0014
Tools for fixing internally screw-threaded tubular fasteners: motor-driven
Y10T 29/49771
With testing or indicating: quantitative measuring or gauging
Y10T 29/49776
Quantitative measuring or gauging: pressure, force, or weight determining
Y10T 29/49881
Assembling or joining: of separate helix [e.g., screw thread]

Family

Application09/707,113Continuation in part · filed 6 Nov 2000
Application10/256,530Continuation in part · filed 27 Sep 2002
Application10/314,585Continuation in part · filed 9 Dec 2002
US 2003/0024100 A1Published application
US 6,490,905 B1Related patent
US 6,735,843 B2Related patent
US 6,892,431 B2Related patent
US 2003/0150093 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.