Automatic fastening system

Abstract

An automatic fastener feed system provides a nut, bolt or other fastener to a movable drive tool such that the fastener is automatically engaged with a drive member on the drive tool and subsequently driven onto a corresponding fastener on a work piece. The feed system includes a fastener acceptor which is adapted for connection to a parts feeder via a supply line. The parts feeder provides the fasteners to the fastener acceptor, which at least temporarily retains the fastener in a position for engagement with the drive member. As the drive member rotates and moves through the fastener acceptor toward a mating fastener on a work piece, the fastener within the fastener acceptor is automatically aligned and engaged with the mating fastener as the drive member is rotatably driven by the drive tool. Continued operation of the drive member causes the fastener acceptor to release the fastener, thereby allowing the fastener to be driven completely onto the mating fastener on the work piece.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property right or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . An automatic fastener system for engaging a fastener to a mating fastener at a work piece, the fastener being provided to the system via a fastener feeder which orients the fastener and provides said fastener system with a fastener in an appropriate orientation for engagement by said fastener system, said automatic fastener system comprising: 
 a movable drive tool member for driving the fastener to a mating fastener, said movable drive tool member being movable to align with a mating fastener; and    a fastener acceptor which comprises a passageway having a fastening end and a fastener entry opening to said passageway, said fastener acceptor being adapted to receive a fastener from the fastener feeder via said fastener entry opening in said fastener acceptor and at least initially slidably support the fastener along said passageway, said movable drive tool member being slidable along said passageway to engage the fastener and drive the fastener along said passageway onto a mating fastener at said fastening end of said passageway.    
     
     
         2 . The fastener system of    claim 1   , wherein said movable drive tool member is operable to rotatably drive a fastener onto a mating fastener, said fastener acceptor at least initially rotatably supporting the fastener along said passageway.  
     
     
         3 . The fastener system of    claim 1   , wherein said fastener acceptor further comprises at least one retaining arm, said at least one retaining arm being positionable along said passageway to retain the fastener in the appropriate orientation until the fastener is at least partially engaged with the mating fastener by said movable drive tool member.  
     
     
         4 . The fastener system of    claim 3   , wherein said fastener acceptor comprises a pair of retaining arms, said retaining arms being positioned substantially opposite one another and movable along said passageway of said fastener acceptor.  
     
     
         5 . The fastener system of    claim 3   , wherein said at least one retaining arm slidably engages said fastener acceptor such that said at least one retaining arm slides toward said fastening end of said passageway and simultaneously slides radially outwardly from said passageway and outwardly from the fastener to release the fastener after the fastener engages the mating fastener.  
     
     
         6 . The fastener system of    claim 5   , wherein said fastener acceptor further comprises at least one retaining arm biasing member to bias said at least one retaining arm into an initial position where said at least one retaining arm is positioned to receive a fastener from the fastener feeder.  
     
     
         7 . The fastener system of    claim 6    further comprising an acceptor biasing member which biases said fastener acceptor at a second initial position relative to said drive tool member such that said drive tool member is positioned remotely from the fastener as the fastener is received from the fastener feeder and supported by said at least one retaining arm.  
     
     
         8 . The fastener system of    claim 6    further comprising a guide sleeve, a first end of said guide sleeve being mounted at said fastener acceptor and a second end of said guide sleeve being slidably mounted at a second sleeve of said drive tool member remote from said fastener acceptor, said drive tool member partially extending longitudinally within said guide sleeve, said drive tool member being slidable within said guide sleeve and said passageway while said guide sleeve is slidably received by said second sleeve of said drive tool member.  
     
     
         9 . The fastener system of    claim 8   , wherein said guide sleeve further comprises an acceptor biasing member which biases said fastener acceptor relative to said drive tool member at a second initial position such that said drive tool member is positioned remotely from the fastener as the fastener is received from the fastener feeder and supported by said at least one retaining arm.  
     
     
         10 . The fastener system of    claim 1   , wherein said fastener acceptor comprises an energy absorbing member to facilitate positioning of a fastener in said fastener acceptor, said energy absorbing member being positioned substantially opposite said fastener entry opening in said fastener acceptor, such that the fastener impacts said energy absorbing member as the fastener is received from the fastener feeder, whereby the fastener remains in a proper orientation for engagement with the drive tool member.  
     
     
         11 . The fastener system of    claim 10   , wherein said energy absorbing member is pivotally mounted at said fastener acceptor to reduce rebounding motion of the fastener upon impact.  
     
     
         12 . The fastener system of    claim 1   , wherein said fastener acceptor includes a guide flange at said fastening end and aligned with said passageway, said guide flange being operable to guide and align said fastener system and a fastener with a mating fastener.  
     
     
         13 . The fastener system of    claim 12   , wherein said guide flange provides a contact surface between said fastener acceptor and the work piece as the fastener is secured to the mating fastener.  
     
     
         14 . An automatic fastener system for supplying and supporting a fastener at a drive tool for connecting the fastener to a mating fastener, the drive tool having a fastener drive member for rotatably driving a fastener, said fastener system being adapted for interconnection to the drive tool and to a parts feeder which orients the fastener and provides said fastener system with a fastener in an appropriate orientation, said fastener system comprising: 
 a fastener acceptor comprising a passageway and receiving the fastener drive member within said passageway, said fastener acceptor receiving a fastener from the parts feeder and at least initially supporting the fastener in a position aligned and engageable with the fastener drive member, the fastener drive member being adapted to be positioned relative to the fastener in an initial position such that the fastener is not initially engaged with the fastener drive member, the fastener drive member being slidable through said passageway of said fastener acceptor toward a mating fastener for engagement of the fastener therewith, said fastener acceptor being operable to rotatably support the fastener in response to the fastener drive member and to correspondingly release the fastener as the fastener is aligned and engaged with the mating fastener by the fastener drive member.    
     
     
         15 . The fastener system of    claim 14   , wherein said fastener acceptor comprises at least one retaining arm therein, said at least one retaining arm being positionable to retain a fastener in the appropriate orientation until the fastener is at least partially engaged with the mating fastener by the fastener drive member.  
     
     
         16 . The fastener system of    claim 15   , wherein said fastener acceptor comprises a pair of retaining arms therein, said pair of retaining arms being positioned within said fastener acceptor substantially opposite one another at least partially along said passageway.  
     
     
         17 . The fastener system of    claim 15   , wherein said at least one retaining arm slideably engages said fastener acceptor such that said at least one retaining arm slides toward a mating fastener and simultaneously slides radially outwardly from said passageway and outwardly from a fastener receiver from the parts feeder to release the fastener after the fastener engages the mating fastener.  
     
     
         18 . The fastener system of    claim 17   , wherein said at least one retaining arm comprises a biasing member which biases said at least one retaining arm at an initial position where said at least one retaining arm receives the fastener from the parts feeder.  
     
     
         19 . The fastener system of    claim 18    further comprising a guide sleeve, said fastener drive member extending through and being rotatable within said guide sleeve and said passageway, said guide sleeve being connected at one end to said fastener acceptor and slidably engaging the drive tool at an opposite end, the fastener drive member thereby being guided and slidable longitudinally along said passageway as the drive member engages and drives a fastener onto a mating fastener.  
     
     
         20 . The fastener system of    claim 19   , wherein said guide sleeve is slidably received by an outer sleeve secured to the drive tool, whereby said guide sleeve is slidable relative to the drive tool via slidable engagement with said outer tube.  
     
     
         21 . The fastener system of    claim 19   , wherein said guide sleeve further comprises an acceptor biasing member which biases said fastener acceptor in an initial position relative to said fastener drive member, whereby said fastener drive member is initially positioned remotely from a fastener as the fastener is received from the fastener feeder and rotatably supported by said at least one retaining arm.  
     
     
         22 . The fastener system of    claim 1   , wherein said fastener acceptor includes an energy absorbing member to facilitate positioning of a fastener in said fastener acceptor, said energy absorbing member being positioned substantially opposite a fastener entry opening in said fastener acceptor, said energy absorbing member being operable to absorb an impact of a fastener being provided to said fastener acceptor by the parts feeder, such that the fastener remains in a proper orientation for engagement with the fastener drive member.  
     
     
         23 . The fastener system of    claim 22   , wherein said energy absorbing member is pivotally mounted on said fastener acceptor to reduce rebounding motion of the fastener upon impact.  
     
     
         24 . The fastener system of    claim 14    further comprising an acceptor biasing member which is operable to bias said fastener acceptor at an initial position relative to the fastener drive member such that the fastener drive member is positioned remotely from a fastener as the fastener is provided by the parts feeder.  
     
     
         25 . The fastener system of    claim 14   , wherein said fastener acceptor comprises a guide flange at one end which is aligned with said passageway, said guide flange being operable to guide and align said fastener acceptor such that the mating fastener is aligned with a fastener positioned within said fastener acceptor.