US 7,634,853 B2 · Apparatus for precisely aligning and securing plural plates together

Abstract

Two or more plates, each having a matching alignment hole, are precisely aligned and mated together by an aligning and clamping device that includes: (a) a plurality of movable aligning fingers, retraction means for causing the aligning fingers to move into a retracted state where they occupy a first volumetric space sufficiently small to allow the two or more plates to be moved over the retracted fingers so as to have their respective alignment holes surrounding the retracted aligning fingers; (b) expansion means for use after the plates have been moved over the fingers, the expansion means urging the fingers to expand outwardly to occupy a second volumetric space greater than the first volumetric space such that the fingers begin to contact and begin to improve co-alignment between the surrounding alignment holes; and (d) clamping means for use after the alignment holes of the plates have begun to come into improved co-alignment, the clamping means applying a clamping force for clamping the two or more mateable plates together as their respective alignment holes remain in alignment or continue to improve in co-alignment. The aligning and clamping device may further include: (e) fluid removing means for removing at least one of air and other fluids from between the plates as the plates are urged into clamped alignment with one another.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A device for aligning and clamping together two or more mateable objects where said objects have corresponding alignment holes defined in said objects, the device comprising:

(a) a plurality of movable aligning fingers;
(b) retraction means for causing the aligning fingers to move into a retracted state where they occupy a first volumetric space sufficiently small to allow two or more of the mateable objects to be moved over the retracted fingers so as to have the respective alignment holes of the moved objects surrounding the retracted aligning fingers;
(c) expansion means for urging the fingers to expand outwardly to occupy a second volumetric space greater than the first volumetric space such that the fingers begin to contact and begin to improve co-alignment between surfaces of the surrounding alignment holes, where substantial outward expansion of the fingers is to occur after the objects have been moved over the retracted fingers;
and
(d) clamping means for applying a clamping force for clamping the two or more mateable objects together as their respective alignment holes remain in alignment or continue to improve in said co-alignment between the surfaces of the surrounding alignment holes, where the clamping force is to be applied after the alignment holes of said objects have begun to come into said improved co-alignment.

2 more elements

An apparatus for aligning and clamping together two or more mateable objects where said objects have corresponding alignment holes defined in said objects, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of movable aligning fingers;
(b) a fingers retractor structured for causing the aligning fingers to move into a retracted state wherein the retracted state fingers occupy a first volumetric space sufficiently small to allow two or more of the mateable objects to be moved over the retracted fingers so as to have the respective alignment holes of the moved objects surrounding the retracted state fingers;
(c) a fingers expander structured for urging the fingers to expand outwardly to occupy a second volumetric space greater than the first volumetric space such that the fingers begin to contact and begin to improve co-alignment between surfaces of the surrounding alignment holes, the fingers expander being deployable after the objects have been moved over the fingers;
(d) a damper structured for applying a clamping force that clamps the two or more mateable objects together as their respective alignment holes remain in alignment or continue to improve in said co-alignment between the surfaces of the surrounding alignment holes, the clamper being deployable after the fingers expander has been deployed to thereby improve co-alignment between surfaces of the surrounding alignment holes;
and
(e) a fluid remover structured to remove at least one of air and other fluids from between the objects as the objects are urged into clamped alignment with one another, the fluid remover being operatively coupled to the objects.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for precisely aligning and securing plural plates together

Life of this patent

Apparatus for precisely aligning and securing plural plates together

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12