Methods, devices and systems for screw feeding by vacuum and gravity
AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.
InventorJit Han Tan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electric screwdriver assembly includes a body portion, a screwdriver and a vacuum coupling assembly. The body portion defines a screw conduit therethrough which has a distal end and at least one opening spaced apart from the distal end. The screwdriver is disposed within the body portion and includes a free end facing the distal end of the screw conduit that defines a screwdriver bit. The screwdriver bit is moveable through the screw conduit between a position proximal from the opening and a position distal from the opening. The vacuum coupling assembly is configured to couple to a vacuum generator to the body portion in order to generate a partial vacuum within the screw conduit through the opening to substantially align the screw with the at least one opening.
Claims13
An electric screwdriver assembly, comprising:
- a body portion, the body portion defining a screw conduit therethrough, the screw conduit having a distal end and at least one opening spaced apart from the distal end;
- a screwdriver disposed within the body portion including a free end facing the distal end of the screw conduit that defines a screwdriver bit, the screwdriver bit moveable through the screw conduit between a position proximal from the at least one opening and a position distal from the at least one opening, and
- a vacuum coupling assembly configured to couple a vacuum generator to the body portion in order to generate a partial vacuum within the screw conduit through the at least one opening to substantially align the screw with the at least one opening.
An electric screwdriver assembly, comprising:
- a body portion, the body portion defining a screw conduit therethrough, the screw conduit having a proximal end, a distal end and a screw feeder opening spaced apart from the distal end;
- a screw feeder tube coupled to the screw feeder opening, configured to allow screws to pass through the screw feeder tube and screw feeder opening, and
- a first vacuum coupling assembly configured to couple to a first vacuum generator in order to generate a first partial vacuum within the screw feeding tube sufficient to draw a screw from a proximal region of the screw feeding tube to a middle region thereof;
- a screwdriver disposed within the body portion including a free end facing the distal end of the screw conduit that defines a screwdriver bit, the screwdriver bit moveable between a position proximal from the screw feeder opening and a position distal from the screw feeder opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.