Method for tightening a screw connection and screw driving tool

• US 8,025,106 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmidt, Heiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US12/296,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20100059240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,648 Days
• Field of Search: 173/1, 173/2, 173/5, 173/176, 173/178, 173/181, 173/183, 173/217, 814/67, 814/69, 318/432, 318/689, 737/61, 738/622.3, 738/622.1, 364/148, 364/474.16
• US Class Current: 173/1
• 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: 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for screwing in and tightening a screw connection (1) to a predetermined tightened level (2), especially a predetermined torque level (2) or a predetermined pretension level, with the aid of a hand-held screwing tool (3) comprising a regulated drive unit (4) and/or control functionality, particularly an electric nut runner (3). A tightening phase (B-C-D), during which the screw head rests against the supporting surface (6) of the screw connection (1), starts following a screwing phase (A). In order to improve said method, the speed (N) of the screwing tool (3) is increased to an output speed (7) for the tightening phase (B-C-D) within an acceleration time (8) in the tightening phase (B-C-D) and is lowered within a delay time (9) prior to or until reaching the predetermined tightened level (2). The combined acceleration time (8) and delay time (9) represents the predominant part of the entire tightening phase (B-C-D), especially in relation to the traveled angle of twist (W) of the screw connection (1), the acceleration time (8) being shorter than the delay time (9).

Claims

1. A method for screwing in and tightening a screw connection (1) to a predetermined tightening level (2), comprising the following steps:

providing a hand-held screw driving tool (3) with a regulated drive unit (4) or control functionality or both;

performing a screwing-in phase (A);

after said screwing-in phase (A), performing a tightening phase (B-C-D), wherein during said tightening phase (B-C-D), a screw head rests against a bearing surface (6) of the screw connection (1);

increasing a speed (N) of the screw driving tool (3) during the tightening phase (B-C-D) within an acceleration interval (8) to a starting speed (7) for the tightening phase (B-C-D), wherein a quantity corresponding to said acceleration interval is selected from the group consisting of a starting speed, a maximum speed, an instantaneous acceleration, or a limit acceleration, wherein said quantity corresponding to said acceleration interval further is actively changeable, predeterminable, controllable, regulatable, or any combination thereof, and wherein said quantity corresponding to said acceleration interval is independent of individually determined screw joint properties;

decreasing the speed (N) of the screw driving tool (3) within a deceleration interval (9) before achievement or until achievement of the predetermined tightening level (2),

wherein the acceleration interval (8) and the deceleration interval (9), taken together, make up a predominant portion of the tightening phase (B-C-D) with regard to a traveled rotation angle (W) of the screw connection (1),

and wherein the acceleration interval (8) is shorter than the deceleration interval (9).

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a time portion of the acceleration interval (8) extends from the beginning (10) of the acceleration to achievement of between 20% and under 100% of the starting speed (7) or corresponds to the entire acceleration interval (8), wherein said time portion is shorter than a usual human reaction time required to compensate for, absorb, or both compensate and absorb the reaction force (F_R) acting on the operator so that during the time portion, a reaction moment is essentially braced against by means of a reaction acceleration of a mass of the screw driving tool (3) that is inertially encumbered by additionally taking into account an average inertially encumbered holding hand, an average inertially encumbered holding arm, or both.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a time portion of the acceleration interval (8) extends from a beginning (10) of the acceleration to achievement of between 20% and under 100% of the starting speed or corresponds to the entire acceleration interval (8), wherein said time portion amounts to 20 to 200 ms.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said time portion amounts to 50 to 150 ms.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said time portion amounts to 70 to 100 ms.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said time portion amounts to 80 to 85 ms.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the deceleration interval (9) alone makes up the predominant portion of the total tightening phase (B-C-D) with regard to the traveled rotation angle (W) of the screw connection (1).

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein during the tightening phase (B-C-D), a torque curve (11, 12, 13) that is practically characteristic for the screw connection (1) and that is essentially described by a screw joint hardness is present in the tightening phase (B-C-D), wherein the screw joint hardness is determined in a starting phase (B) of the tightening phase (B-C-D) by measuring at least one measurement quantity that is relevant to the screw joint hardness, wherein a speed (15) is set during the starting phase (B) for said measuring at least one measurement quantity, wherein said speed (15) that is set is reduced in comparison to an average speed (14) during the screwing-in phase (A).

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the screw joint hardness is used in a determination of the acceleration interval (8), deceleration interval (9), starting speed (7), or any combination thereof.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the screw joint hardness is used in an determination of a curve of the deceleration to avoid or minimize a torque lag time after achievement of the predetermined tightening level (2).

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the screw joint hardness is used in an automatic parameterization of a PI regulating system, which is provided for setting the predetermined tightening level (2).

12. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising the steps of detecting during the starting phase (B), instantaneous values including an instantaneous torque (M₁, M₂) and instantaneous angle (W₁, W₂) at the two different times (t₁, t₂, e.g. t₂>

t₁), determining an evaluation quantity (h) that represents the screw joint hardness based on said instantaneous values, and using said evaluation quantity (h),

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein during the starting phase (B) of the tightening phase (B-C-D), a speed (15) occurs that is reduced in relation to the speed (14) during the screwing-in process (14) and is a practically constant speed (15), wherein a resulting torque (M) during the starting phase (B) increases monotonously in a very monotonous fashion, and wherein the torque/speed ratio is representative for the screw joint hardness.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein within the deceleration interval (9), a deceleration to a predetermined minimum speed (16) takes place, wherein said minimum speed is retrievably stored in a control unit (5) or in a drive unit (4) of the screw driving tool (3).

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing the method separately for each individual screw connection (1).

16. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing the method in an automated fashion with the aid of an electric screwdriver control unit (5), an electric screwdriver drive unit regulating device (4), or both.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a duration of the tightening phase (B-C-D) or a quantity that corresponds to the duration is qualitatively adjustable in steps, quantitatively adjustable, or both.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of detecting a beginning (17) of the tightening phase (B-C-D) after the screwing-in phase (A) by measuring torque (M) when it exceeds a predetermined threshold moment (18), and performing said method after the detection of the beginning (17) of the tightening phase (B-C-D).

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the starting speed (7) is determined by taking into account a maximum speed (19), which is either device-dependent or is retrievably stored in a control unit (5) of the screw driving tool (3), in a drive unit regulator (4) of the screw driving tool (3), or in both.

20. An electric screw driving tool (3), comprising:

a screw driving control unit (5) having a microcontroller, said microcontroller having program code for causing performance of a screwing-in phase (A);

code for causing performance of a tightening phase (B-C-D), wherein during said tightening phase (B-C-D), a screw head rests against a bearing surface (6) of the screw connection (1);

code for causing an increase in a speed (N) of the screw driving tool (3) during the tightening phase (B-C-D) within an acceleration interval (8) to a starting speed (7) for the tightening phase (B-C-D), wherein a quantity corresponding to said acceleration interval is selected from the group consisting of a starting speed, a maximum speed, an instantaneous acceleration, or a limit acceleration, wherein said quantity corresponding to said acceleration interval further is actively changeable, predeterminable, controllable, regulatable, or any combination thereof, and wherein said quantity corresponding to said acceleration interval is independent of individually determined screw joint properties; and

code for causing a decrease in the speed (N) of the screw driving tool (3) within a deceleration interval (9) before achievement or until achievement of the predetermined tightening level (2),

wherein the acceleration interval (8) and the deceleration interval (9), taken together, make up a predominant portion of the tightening phase (B-C-D) with regard to a traveled rotation angle (W) of the screw connection (1),

and wherein the acceleration interval (8) is shorter than the deceleration interval (9).