ASSEMBLY DEVICE AND ASSEMBLY METHOD

• US 20130199809A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alfing Montagetechnik GmbH (Alfing Sondermaschinen-Beteiligungsverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Original Assignee: Alfing Montagetechnik GmbH (Alfing Sondermaschinen-Beteiligungsverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Inventors: Zeller, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/638,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20130199809A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 173/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/14 Arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers couplings for transmitting rotation or clutches F16D; devices for measuring torque per se G01L
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/147 specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly device (100) and method having a screw device (101) for tightening and loosening screws, having a screw head (102) and a housing (103), wherein measurement errors of an angle measuring device (104) are corrected by means of a detecting unit (105) for detecting erroneous sensor data in the rest state, and more precise and secure tightening of screws of nuts is thereby enabled.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. An assembly device with a motor-driven screw device for the tightening or loosening of screws, with a screw head and a housing, wherein the screw device comprises:

a first angle-measuring device for the detection of the rotation angle of the housing about the axis of the screw head relative to the surroundings;

wherein the assembly device comprises a detection unit for the detection of erroneous sensor data in a rest state, comprising;

means for detecting the rest state, and

means for comparing sensor data measured in the rest state with one or more predefined threshold values.

35. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the detection unit further comprises:

signalling means for sending a message to the user; and

blocking means for suppressing the use of the screw device.

36. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the means for detecting the rest state comprises at least one sensor in the screw device for the detection of movement.

37. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the means for detecting the rest state comprises at least one sensor in the screw device, for the detection of the contact of the screw device with a surface, or the screw device coming close to a surface.

38. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the means for detecting the rest state comprises a tool mount with at least one sensor for the detection of the laying of the screw device in the tool mount, for the detection of the rest state.

39. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the means for detecting the rest state comprises means, in the screw device, for the detection of the position of the screw device in space.

40. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the means for detecting the rest state comprises at least one transponder and means for reading the transponder, wherein either the transponder or the means for reading the transponder are arranged in the screw device.

41. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the comparison means is configured to compare the sensor data with a minimum limit value and a maximum limit value.

42. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the comparison means is configured to compare the sensor data with a tolerance range around a defined initial value.

43. The assembly device of claim 34, further comprising:

means for time measurement that measure the time since the last laying down of the screw device detected by the means for detecting the rest state;

signalling means for outputting a message to the user if the measured time exceeds a first threshold value; and

blocking means for suppressing the use of the screw device if the measured time exceeds a second threshold value.

44. The assembly device of claim 34, further comprising:

a second angle-measuring device for detecting the rotation angle of the screw head relative to the housing, located in the screw device; and

an angle correction unit configured to determine the actual rotation angle of the screw head relative to the surroundings from the measured rotation angle of the screw head and the detected rotation angle of the housing, located in the assembly device.

45. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the first angle measuring device comprises either a plurality of sensors for the redundant measurement of the rotation angle of the screw device, or at least one intrinsically safe sensor.

46. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the first angle measuring device comprises a plurality of sensors with different measurement methods.

47. The assembly device of claim 45, wherein the sensors of the first angle measuring device are either rotation-rate sensors or acceleration sensors.

48. The assembly device of claim 45, further comprising:

error detection means for the detection of measurement errors from the sensors, comprising;

calculation means for the calculation of at least one difference value from the several measured values from the several sensors;

signalling means for sending a message to the user, if at least one difference value exceeds a threshold value; and

blocking means for suppressing the use of the screw device.

49. The assembly device of claim 34, further comprising:

a measurement range comparison means for the comparison of measured sensor values from the first angle-measuring device with a predetermined measurement range from the sensors of the first angle-measuring device.

50. The assembly device of claim 34, further comprising:

a supply voltage monitoring means for the monitoring of the supply voltage of the sensors.

51. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the screw device further comprises at least one temperature measuring unit located substantially adjacent to a sensor, configured to measure the temperature of the sensor.

52. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the screw device is powered by electricity, hydraulics, or compressed air.

53. The assembly device of claim 34, wherein the screw device further comprises a battery configured to supply power to the screw device.

54. A method for the tightening or loosening of screws by means of a motor-driven screw device with a screw head and a housing, the method comprising:

detecting a rotation angle of the housing about an axis of the screw head relative to the surroundings of the housing by means of a first angle-measuring device;

wherein detecting a rotation angle comprises;

detecting erroneous sensor data in a rest state by means of a detection unit, comprising;

detecting the rest state; and

comparing, by comparison means, the sensor values measured in the rest state with predefined threshold values.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising the steps:

sending a message to the user by signalling means; and

suppressing the use of the screw device by blocking means.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein detecting of the rest state comprises the detection of movement by means of a sensor in the screw device.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein detecting the rest state comprises detecting a constant output value from either a sensor or the angle measuring device, over a predetermined period of time.

58. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of the detection of the rest state comprises the detection of a contact of the screw device with a surface or the screw device coming close to a surface.

59. The method of claim 54, wherein detecting the rest state comprises detecting the laying of the screw device on a tool mount.

60. The method of claim 54, wherein detecting the rest state comprises determining the position of the screw device.

61. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

measuring the time since the last occasion when the screw device was laid down;

signalling a message to the user if the measured time exceeds a first threshold value; and

suppressing the use of the screw device if the measured time exceeds a second threshold value.

62. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

detecting the rotation angle of the screw head relative to the housing; and

determining the actual rotation angle of the screw head relative to the surroundings, from the measured rotation angle of the screw head and the detected rotation angle of the housing.

63. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

calculating at least one difference value of several measured values from several sensors of the first angle measuring device;

sending a message to the user, if at least one difference value exceeds a threshold value;

suppressing the use of the screw device if at least one difference value exceeds the threshold value or another predetermined threshold value.

64. The method of claim 54, further comprising the following steps:

determining a rotation angle speed of the housing about the axis of the screw head;

comparing the rotation angle speed with a threshold value;

assessing an ongoing screwing operation as being not in order (NOK) if the rotation angle speed exceeds the threshold value.

65. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

assessing an ongoing screwing operation as not in order (NOK) if the rotation angle of the housing about the axis of the screw head exceeds a threshold value.

66. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

assessing an ongoing screwing operation as not in order (NOK) if an error occurs during the screwing operation.