US 4,787,136 AGranted

Control and monitoring arrangement for tools

AssigneeStabil Elektronik GmbH

InventorMilivoj Majic

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A control and monitoring arrangement for "intelligent" tools is disclosed each of which is preset with a reference value for at least one assembly parameter for each assembly operation by a control unit, and each of which signals the actual value measured by means of incorporated sensors in respect of said assembly parameter to the control unit which compares that measured value to the reference value. In the control unit a plurality of reference values and/or tolerance limits in respect of difference assembly tasks is stored. Each of the tools can be used without particular operating steps, in a freely selectible sequence, for different assembly tasks at different assembly locations. The arrangement has a recognition means which, for each assembly location at which an assembly task is to be carried out, generates a recognition signal for identifying the assembly location and/or the tool, when the tool moves into the area of the assembly location, the recognition signal being transmitted to the control unit and there serving to select the at least one reference value which is desired for the respective assembly task in question and/or the associated tolerance limits.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A control and monitoring arrangement for tools which are adapted to be randomly used at different assembly locations, at each of which at least one specific assembly operation is to be performed with the aid of at least one of said tools, at different assembly locations the assembly operations which are to be performed by means of one and the same tool being different from each other with respect to a predeterminable reference value for at least one assembly parameter and/or with respect to predeterminable tolerance limits within which an actually obtained value of said at least one assembly parameter must coincide with said predeterminable reference value, said tools being adapted to measure for each carried out assembly operation the actually obtained value of said at least one assembly parameter and to transmit this measured value to a respective control unit which receives said measured value and checks whether said measured value coincides with a reference value predetermined with respect to said assembly operation within tolerance limits also predetermined with respect to said assembly operation, wherein said control and monitoring arrangement comprises a recognition means comprising

for each of said assembly locations at least one transmitter which is fixedly mounted at the respective assembly location so that it emits into a limited spatial area at said assembly location a specific recognition signal which is different from the recognition signals emitted by other transmitters of the arrangement, thereby identifying the pertinent spatial area and
for each of said tools a receiver which is attached to the pertinent tool and which is adapted to receive the respective recognition signal when the pertinent tool is moved into one of said spatial areas, said receiver transmitting the received recognition signal to said control unit where it is used for identifying the spatial area in which the respective tool is to be used, so that the control unit can select the pertinent reference value for the at least one assembly parameter and the pertinent tolerance limits of the assembly operation to be done in said spatial area.

for each of said tools a transmitter which is attached to said tool and which emits a specific recognition signal which is different from the recognition signals emitted by other transmitters attached to tools of the arrangement, thereby identifying the pertinent tool, and
for each of said assembly locations at least one receiver which is fixedly mounted at the respective assembly location so that it is adapted to receive a recognition signal from a limited spatial area when any of said tools is moved into said spatial area, said receiver transmitting the received recognition signal to said control unit where it is used for identifying the spatial area in which the respective tool is to be used, so that the control unit can select the pertinent reference value for the at least one assembly parameter and the pertinent tolerance limits of the assembly operation to be done in said spatial area.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/032,218Filed 31 Mar 1987
Priority: DE 36372363 Nov 1986
Granted: 29 Nov 1988
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G05D 17/02
Control of torque; Control of mechanical power: characterised by the use of electric means
B23P 19/066
Arrangements for torque limiters or torque indicators in screw or nut setting machines: by electrical means
B25B 23/14
Details of, or accessories for, spanners, wrenches, screwdrivers: arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers
B25B 23/147
Arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers: specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers