Intelligent Fastener System

• US 20110113613A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Gamboa, James D., Hoeckelman, Leslie A., Zanteson, William P., Slesinski, Raymond J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,978,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/525.01
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/00 Spanners; Wrenches hand-driven gear-operated B25B17/00; impact wrenches B25B19/00; portable power-driven B25B21/00 ; spanners or wrenches pecially adapted for osteosynthesis A61B17/8875; machines for fitting together or separating metal parts B23P19/00 ; for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/003
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/00 Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00; for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/006; Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose machines B23P19/06
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31304 Identification of workpiece and data for control, inspection, safety, calibration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49769 Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

A method and apparatus are used to visually recognize and install fasteners on a structure. An electronic image of the fastener is recorded, and is processed by a computer operated image recognition program to identify the fastener. The computer provides installation instructions an installation tool based on the identity of the fastener.

Claims

1. A method of installing a fastener on a structure, comprising:

recording an image that includes the fastener;

identifying the fastener based on the recorded image;

retrieving electronic fastener installation parameters based on the identity of the fastener; and

,

using the electronic fastener installation parameters to install the fastener on the structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the fastener is performed by a computer operating an image recognition program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the image is performed electronically.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein retrieving the electronic fastener installation parameters is performed by the computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the recorded image to a computer, and

wherein identifying the image is performed by the computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

recording the image includes recording an image of at least one feature on the structure, and

identifying the fastener includes identifying the feature.

7. A method of installing a fastener on a structure using an installation tool, comprising:

recording an electronic image of the fastener;

transmitting the recorded image to a computer;

using the computer to identify the fastener based on the recorded image;

determining installation instructions for the identified fastener;

transmitting the installation instructions from the computer to the installation tool; and

,

using the installation tool to install the fastener according to the transmitted installation instructions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein using the computer to identify the fastener includes processing the recorded image using an image recognition program.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein recording the electronic image is performed by a vision system.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the installation instructions is performed by the computer.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the recorded image to a computer and transmitting the installation instructions from the computer to the installation tool are each performed wirelessly.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

recording an image of at least one feature on the structure, and

wherein identifying the fastener includes identifying the feature using the recorded image of the feature.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

placing the fastener on the structure at a location where the fastener is to be installed, and

wherein the image of the fastener is recorded after the fastener has been placed on the structure.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using the installation tool to record at least one parameter related to the fastener installation;

transmitting the recorded parameter to the computer; and

,

using the computer to store the recorded parameter.

15. Apparatus for installing fasteners in a structure, comprising:

means for recording an image of a fastener to be installed;

a programmed computer for identifying the fastener based on the recorded image of the fastener and for generating installation instructions for the identified fastener; and

,

an installation tool for installing the fasteners on the structure according to the installation instructions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for transmitting the image from the recording means to the computer, and for transmitting the installation parameters from the computer to the installation tool.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transmitting means is a wireless communications system.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an image recognition program used by the computer to identify the fastener.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the recording means includes a camera.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the recording means is mounted on the installation tool.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a database including installation parameters for each of a plurality of fasteners.

22. Apparatus for installing fasteners on an aircraft structure, comprising:

a vision system including a camera for recording an electronic image of a fastener to be installed on the structure;

an image recognition program for recognizing the fastener;

a programmed computer including an image recognition program for identifying the fastener based on the recorded image of the fastener, the computer further including data files for storing fastener installation instructions and fastener installation parameters;

an installation tool for installing the fasteners on the structure according to the installation instructions; and

a communication system for wirelessly transmitting the recorded image from the vision system to the computer, for wirelessly transmitting the installation instructions from the computer to the installation tool, and for wirelessly transmitting installation parameters from the installation tool to the computer.

23. A method of installing a fastener on an aircraft structure using an installation tool, comprising:

placing a fastener in the structure;

recording an electronic image of the fastener and of features on the structure adjacent the fastener;

wirelessly transmitting the recorded image from the installation tool to a computer;

using the computer and an image recognition program to identify the fastener based on the recorded image;

using the computer to access an electronic file containing instructions for installing the identified fastener;

transmitting the installation instructions from the computer to the installation tool;

using the installation tool to install the fastener according to the transmitted installation instructions;

recording actual parameters used to install the fastener;

wirelessly transmitting the recorded parameters to the computer; and

,

using the computer to store the recorded parameters.