Alignment tools and methods of tool alignment
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Ivor McGuire, Juan Manuel Molina
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated driver for tightening a fastener bolt includes a housing body including a handle. A chuck is rotatably connected to the housing body. An actuation system is operatively connected to the chuck for rotating the chuck. A tool element is held by the chuck, the tool element configured to engage the fastener bolt. An alignment tool is connected to the chuck. The alignment tool includes a chuck receiving portion having an opening extending therethrough in which the chuck is located and a bit receiving portion having an opening extending therethrough in which the tool element is located. An end of the tool element extends beyond an end of the bit receiving portion.
Claims14
An automated driver for tightening a fastener bolt, comprising:
- a housing body including a handle;
- a chuck rotatably connected to the housing body;
- an actuation system operatively connected to the chuck for rotating the chuck;
- a tool element held by the chuck, the tool element configured to engage the fastener bolt;
- an alignment tool connected to the chuck, the alignment tool including a chuck receiving portion having an opening extending therethrough in which the chuck is located and a bit receiving portion having an opening extending therethrough in which the tool element is located, an end of the tool element extending beyond an end of the bit receiving portion;
- a fastener opening extending inwardly from a periphery of the chuck receiving portion for receiving a fastener, the fastener opening intersection the chuck receiving opening;
- and
- a fastener extending through the fastener opening and received in a groove extending about an entire circumferential periphery of the chuck for limiting movement of the alignment tool along a length of the chuck while allowing rotation of the chuck relative to the alignment tool during a torque tightening operation.
A method of aligning an automated driver for a torque tightening operation, the method comprising:
- manually grasping the automated driver, the automated driver comprising
- a housing body including a handle;
- a chuck rotatably connected to the housing body;
- an actuation system operatively connected to the chuck for rotating the chuck;
- a tool element held by the chuck, the tool element configured to engage a fastener bolt;
- and
- an alignment tool connected to the chuck, the alignment tool including a chuck receiving portion having an opening extending therethrough in which the chuck is located and a bit receiving portion having an opening extending therethrough in which the tool element is located, an end of the tool element extending beyond an end of the bit receiving portion;
- a fastener opening extending inwardly from a periphery of the chuck receiving portion for receiving a fastener, the fastener opening intersecting the chuck receiving opening;
- a fastener extending through the fastener opening and received in a groove extending about an entire circumferential periphery of the chuck for limiting movement of the alignment tool along a length of the chuck while allowing rotation of the chuck relative to the alignment tool during a torque tightening operation;
- engaging the tool element with a fastener bolt having surrounding housing structure, the housing structure having an opening for allowing access to the fastener bolt;
- engaging a first sidewall of the alignment tool with a first datum provided by the surrounding housing structure after the step of engaging the tool element with the fastener bolt for limiting vertical movement of the automated driver;
- and
- engaging a second sidewall of the alignment tool with a second datum provided by the surrounding housing structure after the step of engaging the tool element with the fastener bolt for limiting horizontal movement of the automated driver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.