Tolerance compensating assembly/positioning system and method of use

A method of handling a toleranced length first process element comprising the steps of:

• a. obtaining an assembly-positioning system for use in assembling tolerance dimensioned process elements into assembled tolerance dimensioned process element systems, and for use in positioning tolerance dimensioned first process elements for processing, which assembly-positioning system can simultaneously safely provide required insertion force and a desired gauging force between assembled tolerance dimensioned elements at a point of abutted contact therebetween;
• which assembly-positioning system does not require that process elements entered thereto for assembly be removed until assembly is complete;
• said assembly-positioning system comprising a toggle means comprising a first and a second plunger and means for causing the upper ends of said first and second plungers to raise or lower by application of forces to lower oriented aspects thereof, which forces are determined by other assembly-positioning system means which contact said first and second plungers at said lower oriented aspects thereof, which raising and lowering of said first and second plungers serve to first apply prestressing forces to compensate tolerances in said tolerance dimensioned process elements and in all assembly-positioning system elements and subsequently to insert a toleranced length first process element into a toleranced depth hole in a second tolerance dimensioned process element during use;
• the upper end of which second plunger serves, during use, to push a toleranced length first process element upward into a toleranced depth hole in a second tolerance dimensioned process element, after said first plunger serves to apply tolerance compensating prestressing force, developed by operation of said other assembly-positioning system means which contact said first and second plungers at said lower oriented aspects thereof, to a lower end of said toleranced length first process element as an upper end thereof contacts a gauging surface in said assembly-positioning system, and as the upper end of said second plunger simultaneously applies tolerance compensation prestressing force to an upper end of said toleranced depth hole in said second tolerance dimensioned process element;
• b. entering a toleranced length first process element thereto and causing said toggle means to operate so that prestressing tolerance compensating force is first applied to said toleranced length first process element and said assembly-positioning system elements after which said toleranced length first process element is caused to be forced upward, both actions being caused by application of forces to lower oriented aspects of said first and second plungers by said other assembly-positioning system means.

An assembly-positioning system for use in assembling tolerance dimensioned process elements into assembled tolerance dimensioned process element systems, and for use in positioning first process elements for processing, which assembly-positioning system can simultaneously safely provide required insertion force and a desired gauging force between assembled tolerance dimensioned elements at a point of abutted contact therebetween;

• which assembly-positioning system does not require that tolerance dimensioned process elements entered thereto for assembly be removed until assembly is complete;
• said assembly-positioning system comprising a transfer means, a toggle means, an insertion means and a tolerance compensation means;
• which toggle means and tolerance compensation means operate in combination to provide complete compensation of all tolerances in a first toleranced length process element entered to said transfer means and tolerances in a toleranced depth hole in a second tolerance dimensioned process element into which said tolerance length first process element is caused to be inserted, and in all assembly-positioning system elements by application of toggle means applied prestressing forces to said tolerance dimensioned process elements, prior to toggle means effected insertion of said toleranced length first process element into said toleranced depth hole in said second tolerance dimensioned-process element;
• which prestressing forces are applied to said toggle means by said insertion and tolerance compensation means acting in combination and which transfer means serves to position said first toleranced length process element with respect to said toggle means for application of prestressing forces and for insertion into said toleranced depth hole in said second tolerance dimensioned process element during use.

An assembly-positioning system for use in assembling tolerance dimensioned process elements into assembled tolerance dimensioned process element systems, and for use in positioning first process elements for processing, which assembly-positioning system can simultaneously safely provide required insertion force and a desired gauging force between assembled tolerance dimensioned elements at a point of abutted contact therebetween;

• which assembly-positioning system does not require that process elements entered thereto for assembly be removed until assembly is complete;
• said assembly-positioning system comprising a transfer means, a toggle means, an insertion means and a tolerance compensation means;
• which toggle means and tolerance compensation means operate in combination to provide complete compensation of all tolerances in said tolerance dimensioned process elements and in all assembly-positioning system elements during use;
• which toggle means comprise first and second plungers, the lower ends of which first and second plungers viewed when oriented so as to project vertically, rest on opposite ends of an essentially horizontally oriented arm, said essentially horizontally oriented arm being pivotally connected at its midpoint to the upper end of insertion means first link such that the upper ends of said first and second plungers can be raised or lowered by the raising or lowering of the upper end of said first link, and by rotation of the essentially horizontally oriented arm about its pivotal connection with the upper end of said first link and which raising or lowering of the upper end of said first link is effected by rotation of an insertion means second link about a pivotal connection with the upper end of said tolerance compensation means, the upper end of said second link being pivotally connected to the lower end of said first link;
• said raising or lowering of the upper end of said first link thus being effected by tolerance compensation means effected raising or lowering of the lower end of said second link;
• said pivotal connection of the lower end of said second link to the upper end of said tolerance compensation means providing a secured reference with respect to a rigid frame;
• said pivotal connection between the midpoint of the essentially horizontally oriented arm and the upper end of said first link and said pivotal connection between the lower end of said second link and the upper end of the tolerance compensation means being fixed so that any motion therebetween follows a vertically oriented locus;
• said transfer means being oriented with respect to said rigid frame such that said insertion means can thereby, during use, utilize the raising of the upper ends of said first and second plunger toggle means to safely, precisely, repeatably and consistently effect insertion of toleranced length first process elements into toleranced depth holes in second tolerance dimensioned process elements so that an intended gauging force exists at their abutted point of contact.

An assembly-positioning system for assembling tolerance dimensioned process elements into assembled tolerance dimensioned process element systems, and for use in positioning first process elements for processing, which assembly-positioning system can simultaneously safely provide required insertion force and a desired gauging force between assembled tolerance dimensioned elements at a point of abutted contact therebetween;

• which assembly-positioning system does not require that process elements entered thereto for assembly be removed until assembly is complete;
• said assembly-positioning system comprising a transfer means, a toggle means, an insertion means and a tolerance compensation means;
• which toggle means and tolerance compensation means operate in combination to provide complete compensation of all tolerances in said tolerance dimensioned process elements and in all assembly-positioning system elements during use;
• which toggle means comprise first and second plungers and which toggle means further comprise a hydraulic system which is filled with hydraulic fluid, which hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic system contacts the lower ends of said first and second plungers and which hydraulic fluid is accessed by insertion means and tolerance compensation means such that causing said insertion means and/or tolerance compensation means to apply force to said hydraulic fluid causes the raising of the upper ends of said first and second plungers;
• and in which said transfer means are structurally secured with respect to said first and second plungers, such that during use, the upward motion of the upper ends of said first and second plungers can be used to safely precisely, repeatably and consistently insert toleranced length first process elements into toleranced depth holes in second tolerance dimensioned process elements so that an intended gauge pressure exists at their abutted point of contact.

A method of handling a toleranced length first process element comprising the steps of:

• a. obtaining an assembly-positioning system for use in assembling tolerance dimensioned process elements into assembled tolerance dimensioned process element systems, and for use in positioning first process elements for processing, which assembly-positioning system can simultaneously safely provide required insertion force and a desired gauging force between assembled tolerance dimensioned elements at a point of abutted contact therebetween;
• which assembly-positioning system does not require that process elements entered thereto for assembly be removed until assembly is complete;
• said assembly-positioning system comprising a transfer means, a toggle means, an insertion means and a tolerance compensation means;
• which toggle means and tolerance compensation means operate in combination to provide complete compensation of all tolerances in said tolerance dimensioned process elements and in all assembly-positioning system elements during use;
• which toggle means comprise first and second plungers, the lower ends of which first and second plungers viewed when oriented so as to project vertically, rest on opposite ends of an essentially horizontally oriented arm, said essentially horizontally oriented arm being pivotally connected at its midpoint to the upper end of an insertion means first link such that the upper ends of said first and second plungers can be raised or lowered by the raising or lowering of the upper end of said first link, and by rotation of the essentially horizontally oriented arm about its pivotal connection with the upper end of said first link and which raising or lowering of the upper end of said first link is effected by rotation of an insertion means second link about a pivotal connection with the upper end of said tolerance compensation means, the upper end of said second link being pivotally connected to the lower end of said first link;
• said raising or lowering of the upper end of said first link thus being effected by tolerance compensation means effected raising or lowering of the lower end of said second link;
• said pivotal connection of the lower end of said second link to the upper end of said tolerance compensation means providing a secured reference with respect to a rigid frame;
• said pivotal connection between the midpoint of the essentially horizontally oriented arm and the upper end of said first link and said pivotal connection between the lower end of said second link and the upper end of the tolerance compensation means being fixed so that any motion therebetween follows a vertically oriented locus;
• said transfer means being oriented with respect to said rigid frame such that said transfer means can thereby, during use, utilize the raising of the upper ends of said first and second plungers to safely, precisely, repeatably and consistently effect insertion of toleranced length first process elements into toleranced depth holes in second process elements so that an intended gauging force exists at their abutted point of contact;
• said transfer means comprising a horizontally oriented channel means presenting with an upper gauging surface, which horizontally oriented channel means has a toleranced length first process element transfer means slidably mounted therein presenting with at least first and second vertically oriented holes therethrough;
• which insertion means further comprises first and second lower vertically oriented holes which enter said horizontally oriented channel means from below and first and second upper vertically oriented holes which enter said horizontally oriented channel means from above;
• said first and second plungers being within said first and second lower vertically oriented holes respectively;
• said first upper vertically oriented hole having toleranced length first process element entering means and said second upper vertically oriented hole having toleranced depth hole containing second process element securing means at the upper aspects thereof;
• such that said toleranced length first process element transfer means can be positioned in said horizontally oriented channel means so that a toleranced length first process element can be entered to said first vertically oriented hole therethrough and by operation of said toggle means, insertion means and tolerance compensating means, be safely, precisely, repeatably and consistently inserted into said toleranced depth hole in said second process element;
• b. operating said insertion means and tolerance compensation means to position the upper ends of said first and second plungers below said horizontally oriented channel means;
• c. sliding said toleranced length first process element transfer means so that the first vertically oriented hole therethrough is positioned beneath said first upper vertically oriented hole which enters said horizontally oriented channel means from above and entering a toleranced length first process element into said toleranced length first process element transfer means first vertically oriented hole;
• d. sliding said toleranced length first process element transfer means so that said toleranced length first process element in said first vertically oriented hole through said toleranced length first process element transfer means is positioned directly above said first lower vertically oriented hole in which is present said first plunger, and so said second vertically oriented hole through said toleranced length first process element transfer means is simultaneously positioned above said second lower vertically oriented hole in which is present said second plunger and also below said second upper vertically oriented hole which enters said horizontally oriented channel means from above;
• e. placing a toleranced depth hole containing second process element in securing means above said second upper vertically oriented hole which enters said horizontally oriented channel means from above;
• f. operating said insertion and tolerance compensating means so that said toleranced length first process element is sandwiched between the upper end of said first plunger and the upper gauging surface of said horizontally oriented channel means and so that the upper end of said second plunger simultaneously flushly contacts the vertically upper end of said toleranced depth hole in said second process element such that a gauging force between the upper end of said toleranced length first process element and said upper gauge surface of said horizontally oriented channel means is set by adjustment of said tolerance compensation means;
• g. operating said insertion means to lower the upper ends of said first and second plungers so that said toleranced length first process element transfer means is free to slide in said horizontally oriented channel means, and sliding said toleranced length first process element transfer means so that said toleranced length first process element in said first vertically oriented hole through said toleranced length first process element transfer means is positioned directly above said second lower vertically oriented hole in which is present said second plunger and directly below said second upper vertically oriented hole which enters said horizontally oriented channel means from above;
• h. optionally removing said second process element;
• and
• i. operating said insertion means to raise the upper ends of said first and second plungers so that the upper end of said first plunger is positioned flushly against the upper gauging surface of said horizontally oriented channel means and so that said toleranced length first process element is inserted into the toleranced depth hole in said second process element by the upper end of said second plunger so that the upper end of said toleranced length first process element and the vertically upper end of said toleranced depth hole in said second process element are abutted together with said intended gauging force therebetween, assuming said second process element is present, and so that said toleranced length first process element is positioned atop the upper end of said second plunger for processing if said second process element was removed in step h.

A method of handling a toleranced length first process element comprising the steps of:

• a. obtaining an assembly-positioning system for use in assembling tolerance dimensioned process elements into assembled tolerance dimensioned process element systems, and for use in positioning first process elements for processing, which assembly-positioning system can simultaneously safely provide required insertion force and a desired gauging force between assembled tolerance dimensioned elements at a point of abutted contact therebetween;
• which assembly-positioning system does not require that process elements entered thereto for assembly be removed until assembly is complete;
• said assembly-positioning system comprising a transfer means, a toggle means, an insertion means and a tolerance compensation means;
• which toggle means and tolerance compensation means operate in combination to provide complete compensation of all tolerances in said tolerance dimensioned process elements and in all assembly-positioning system elements during use;
• which toggle means comprise first and second plungers and which toggle means further comprise a hydraulic system which is filled with hydraulic fluid, which hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic system contacts the lower ends of said first and second plungers and which hydraulic fluid is accessed by insertion means and tolerance compensation means such that causing said insertion means and tolerance compensation means to apply force to said hydraulic fluid causes the raising of the upper ends of said first and second plungers;
• and in which said transfer means are structurally secured with respect to said first and second plungers, such that during use, the upward motion of the upper ends of said first and second plungers can be used to safely precisely, repeatably and consistently insert toleranced length first process elements into toleranced depth holes in second process elements so that an intended gauging force exists at their abutted point of contact;
• said transfer means comprising a horizontally oriented channel means presenting with an upper gauging surface, which horizontally oriented channel means has a toleranced length first process element transfer means slidably mounted therein presenting with at least first and second vertically oriented holes therethrough;
• which transfer means further comprises first and second lower vertically oriented holes which enter said horizontally oriented channel means from below and first and second upper vertically oriented holes which enter said horizontally oriented channel means from above;
• said first and second plungers being within said first and second lower vertically oriented holes respectively;
• said first upper vertically oriented hole having toleranced length first process element entering means and said second upper vertically oriented hole having toleranced depth hole containing second process element securing means at the upper aspects thereof;
• such that said toleranced length first process element transfer means can be positioned in said horizontally oriented channel means so that a toleranced length first process element can be entered to said first vertically oriented hole therethrough and by operation of said insertion means and tolerance compensating means, be safely, precisely, repeatably and consistently inserted into said toleranced depth hole in said second process element;
• b. operating said insertion means and tolerance compensation means to position the upper ends of said first and second plungers below said horizontally oriented channel means;
• c. sliding said toleranced length first process element transfer means so that the first vertically oriented hole therethrough is positioned beneath said first upper vertically oriented hole which enters said horizontally oriented channel means from above and entering a toleranced length first process element into said toleranced length first process element transfer means first vertically oriented hole;
• d. sliding said toleranced length first process element transfer means so that said toleranced length first process element in said first vertically oriented hole through said toleranced length first process element transfer means is positioned directly above said first lower vertically oriented hole in which is present said first plunger, and so said second vertically oriented hole through said toleranced length first process element transfer means is simultaneously positioned above said second lower vertically oriented hole in which is present said second plunger and also below said second upper vertically oriented hole which enters said horizontally oriented channel means from above;
• e. placing a toleranced depth hole containing second process element in securing means above said second upper vertically oriented hole which enters said horizontally oriented channel means from above;
• f. operating said insertion and tolerance compensating means so that said toleranced length first process element is sandwiched between the upper end of said first plunger and the upper gauging surface of said horizontally oriented channel means and so that the upper end of said second plunger simultaneously flushly contacts the vertically upper end of said toleranced depth hole in said second process element such that a gauging force between the upper end of said toleranced length first process element and said upper gauge surface of said horizontally oriented channel means is set by adjustment of said tolerance compensation means;
• g. operating said insertion means to lower the upper ends of said first and second plungers so that said toleranced length first process element transfer means is free to slide in said horizontally oriented channel means, and sliding said toleranced length first process element transfer means so that said toleranced length first process element in said first vertically oriented hole through said toleranced length first process element transfer means is positioned directly above said second lower vertically oriented hole in which is present said second plunger and directly below said second upper vertically oriented hole which enters said horizontally oriented channel means from above;
• h. optionally removing said second process element;
• and
• i. operating said insertion means to raise the upper ends of said first and second plungers so that the upper end of said first plunger is positioned flushly against the upper gauging surface of said horizontally oriented channel means and so that said toleranced length first process element is inserted into the toleranced depth hole in said second process element by the upper end of said second plunger so that the upper end of said toleranced length first process element and the vertically upper end of said toleranced depth hole in said second process element are abutted together with said intended gauging force therebetween, assuming said second process element is present, and so that said toleranced length first process element is positioned atop the upper end of said second plunger for processing if said second process element was removed in step h.

An assembly-positioning system for use in assembling tolerance dimensioned process elements into assembled tolerance dimensioned process element systems, and for use in positioning tolerance dimensioned first process elements for processing, which assembly-positioning system can simultaneously safely provide required insertion force and a desired gauging force between assembled tolerance dimensioned elements at a point of abutted contact therebetween;

• which assembly-positioning system does not require that process elements entered thereto for assembly be removed until assembly is complete;
• said assembly-positioning system comprising a toggle means comprising a first and a second plunger and means for causing the upper ends of said first and second plungers to raise or lower by application of forces to lower oriented aspects thereof, which forces are determined by other assembly-positioning system means which contact said first and second plungers at said lower oriented aspects thereof, which raising and lowering of said first and second plungers serve to first apply prestressing forces to compensate tolerances in said tolerance dimensioned process elements and in all assembly-positioning system elements and subsequently to position a toleranced length first process element for processing, during use;
• the upper end of which second plunger serves, during use, to push a toleranced length first process element upward into position for processing after said first plunger serves to apply tolerance compensating prestressing force, developed by operation of said other assembly-positioning system means which contact said first and second plungers at said lower oriented aspects thereof, to a lower end of said toleranced length first process element as an upper end thereof contacts a gauging surface in said assembly-positioning system, and as the upper end of said second plunger simultaneously applies tolerance compensation prestressing force to a barrier positioned thereabove.