Automated steering centering assembly
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsGreg Camp, Alan Rainwater, Mark Grimes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated vehicle steering centering assembly for a centering process for marking a center of a steering column includes a housing connected to a robotic arm for movement therewith. A drive mechanism is mounted to the housing. A chuck is rotatably connected to the drive mechanism. The chuck includes a moveable gripper jaw having a splined inner surface for mating with a splined portion of the steering column. A pneumatic mechanism is mounted to the housing and operably connected to the chuck. Air pressure supplied from the pneumatic mechanism to the chuck moves the gripper jaw between an open position and a closed position so as to grip the steering column.
Claims20
An automated vehicle steering centering assembly for a centering process for marking a center of a steering column, the automated vehicle steering centering assembly comprising:
- a housing connected to an associated robotic arm for movement therewith;
- a drive mechanism mounted to the housing;
- a chuck rotatably connected to the drive mechanism, the chuck including a moveable gripper jaw having a splined inner surface for mating with a splined portion of the steering column;
- and
- a pneumatic mechanism mounted to the housing and operably connected to the chuck, wherein air pressure supplied from the pneumatic mechanism to the chuck moves the gripper jaw between an open position and a closed position so as to grip the steering column.
An automated vehicle steering centering assembly for a centering process for marking a center of a steering column, the automated vehicle steering centering assembly comprising:
- a robotic arm;
- a housing connected to the robotic arm for movement therewith;
- a drive mechanism mounted to the housing;
- a chuck rotatably connected to the drive mechanism, the chuck including at least two moveable gripper jaws each having a splined inner surface for mating with a splined portion of the steering column;
- and
- a pneumatic mechanism mounted to the housing and operably connected to the chuck, the pneumatic mechanism including a first driver pulley operably coupled to the chuck and a second driven pulley mounted on an air shaft and rotatably coupled to the first pulley, wherein air pressure supplied from the pneumatic mechanism to the chuck moves each gripper jaw between an open position and a closed position which allows the gripper jaws to engage the steering column.
A method of automatically centering a steering column of a vehicle comprising:
- moving an automated centering assembly toward the steering column, the centering assembly including a chuck having at least two moveable gripper jaws each having a splined inner surface for mating with a splined portion of the steering column, a drive mechanism for rotating the chuck, and a pneumatic mechanism for moving each gripper jaw between an open position and a closed position;
- positioning the chuck on the steering column;
- rotating the chuck together with the steering column in both a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction;
- detecting the clockwise and counterclockwise rotations of the chuck;
- and
- calculating a center of a steering span of the steering column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.