Error proofing system for portable tools
First Claim
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1. An error proofing system for portable tools comprising:
- a portable, electrically operated tool for applying torque to set a threaded fastener on a workpiece at a work cell, said tool having a tool monitor-controller operable for controlling the operation of said tool, said tool being pre-set to provide an output torque of a desired magnitude, said tool monitor-controller having a radio frequency tool transceiver for communication with selected devices, one of said devices being a work cell supervisor located at the work cell to monitor and control said tool, said work cell supervisor having a radio frequency supervisor transceiver for communicating with said tool through said tool transceiver when said tool is in the work cell, said tool having a torque sensor for sensing the magnitude of torque applied to each threaded fastener in installation and with the torque magnitude noted in said tool monitor-controller, said tool providing a torque signal to said work cell supervisor by radio frequency communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver when the applied torque of the desired magnitude is reached in setting the threaded fastener whereby the work cell supervisor can count the number of proper installation torque cycles, said tool monitor-controller having preset information regarding the desired magnitude of setting torque on said tool and other information as to certain parameters necessary for said tool to be actuated, said work cell supervisor being preset as to the desired magnitude of setting torque and other information necessary for said tool to be activated and if such information is correct said work cell supervisor will then provide a signal to said monitor-controller by communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver to permit said tool to be activated for installing fasteners in the work cell but if the desired magnitude of setting torque is not correct or one of the other parameters is not correct then said tool will not be activated by said work cell supervisor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for controlling and monitoring portable tools at a particular work cell remotely by R-F communication to provide error proofing of various parameters including that the correct tool is to be used at a work cell, the tool is properly calibrated for the operation to be performed, that it is being used a proper number of times per part being assembled or inspected, and that the tool has been calibrated within a selected service interval. The tools will be made actuable only by R-F communication with specific factory apparatus whereby theft of such portable tools will be inhibited.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. An error proofing system for portable tools comprising:
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a portable, electrically operated tool for applying torque to set a threaded fastener on a workpiece at a work cell, said tool having a tool monitor-controller operable for controlling the operation of said tool, said tool being pre-set to provide an output torque of a desired magnitude, said tool monitor-controller having a radio frequency tool transceiver for communication with selected devices, one of said devices being a work cell supervisor located at the work cell to monitor and control said tool, said work cell supervisor having a radio frequency supervisor transceiver for communicating with said tool through said tool transceiver when said tool is in the work cell, said tool having a torque sensor for sensing the magnitude of torque applied to each threaded fastener in installation and with the torque magnitude noted in said tool monitor-controller, said tool providing a torque signal to said work cell supervisor by radio frequency communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver when the applied torque of the desired magnitude is reached in setting the threaded fastener whereby the work cell supervisor can count the number of proper installation torque cycles, said tool monitor-controller having preset information regarding the desired magnitude of setting torque on said tool and other information as to certain parameters necessary for said tool to be actuated, said work cell supervisor being preset as to the desired magnitude of setting torque and other information necessary for said tool to be activated and if such information is correct said work cell supervisor will then provide a signal to said monitor-controller by communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver to permit said tool to be activated for installing fasteners in the work cell but if the desired magnitude of setting torque is not correct or one of the other parameters is not correct then said tool will not be activated by said work cell supervisor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An error proofing system for portable tools comprising:
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a portable, electrically operated tool for applying torque to set a threaded fastener on a workpiece at a work cell, said tool having a tool monitor-controller operable for controlling the operation of said tool, said tool being pre-set to provide an output torque of a desired magnitude, said tool monitor-controller having a radio frequency tool transceiver for communication, a work cell supervisor located at the work cell to monitor and control said tool and having a radio frequency supervisor transceiver for communicating with said tool through said tool transceiver when said tool is in the work cell, said tool having a torque sensor for sensing the magnitude of torque applied to each threaded fastener in installation and with the torque magnitude noted in said tool monitor-controller, said tool providing a torque signal to said work cell supervisor by radio frequency communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver when the applied torque of the desired magnitude is reached in setting the threaded fastener whereby the work cell supervisor can count the number of proper installation torque cycles, said tool monitor-controller having preset information regarding the desired magnitude of setting torque on said tool, said work cell supervisor being preset as to the desired magnitude of setting torque for said tool to be activated and if such information is correct said work cell supervisor will then provide a signal to said monitor-controller by communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver to permit said tool to be activated for installing fasteners in the work cell but if the desired magnitude of setting torque is not correct then said tool will not be activated by said work cell supervisor. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An error proofing system for portable tools comprising:
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a portable, electrically operated tool for applying torque to set a threaded fastener on a workpiece at a work cell, said tool having a tool monitor-controller operable for controlling the operation of said tool, said tool being pre-set to provide an output torque of a desired magnitude, said tool monitor-controller having a radio frequency tool transceiver for communication, a work cell supervisor located at the work cell to monitor and control said tool and having a radio frequency supervisor transceiver for communicating with said tool through said tool transceiver when said tool is in the work cell, said tool having a torque sensor for sensing the magnitude of torque applied to each threaded fastener in installation and with the torque magnitude noted in said tool monitor-controller, said tool monitor-controller having preset information regarding the desired magnitude of setting torque on said tool, said work cell supervisor being preset as to the desired magnitude of setting torque for said tool to be activated and if the magnitude of setting torque is correct said work cell supervisor will then provide a signal to said monitor-controller by communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver to permit said tool to be activated for installing fasteners in the work cell but if the desired magnitude of setting torque is not correct then said tool will not be activated by said work cell supervisor. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. An error proofing system for portable tools comprising:
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a portable tool for performing a preselected task on a workpiece at a work cell, said tool having a tool monitor-controller operable for controlling the operation of said tool, said tool being pre-set to provide the task at a desired magnitude, said tool monitor-controller having a radio frequency tool transceiver for communication with selected devices, one of said devices being a work cell supervisor located at the work cell to monitor and control said tool, said work cell supervisor having a radio frequency supervisor transceiver for communicating with said tool through said tool transceiver when said tool is in the work cell, said tool having a sensor for sensing the magnitude of the task applied to the workpiece, said tool providing a task magnitude signal to said work cell supervisor by radio frequency communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver when the applied task of the desired magnitude is reached whereby the work cell supervisor can monitor the operation of said tool, said tool monitor-controller having preset information regarding the desired magnitude of the setting of the task on said tool and other information as to certain parameters necessary for said tool to be actuated, said work cell supervisor being preset as to the desired magnitude of the task and other information necessary for said tool to be activated and if such information is correct said work cell supervisor will then provide a signal to said monitor-controller by communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver to permit said tool to be activated to perform task in the work cell but if the desired magnitude of the task is not correct or one of the other parameters is not correct then a signal will be generated whereby said tool should not be activated.
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44. An error proofing system for portable tools comprising:
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a portable, electrically operated tool for applying torque to set a threaded fastener on a workpiece at a work cell, said tool having a tool monitor-controller operable for controlling the operation of said tool, said tool being pre-set to provide an output torque of a desired magnitude, said tool monitor-controller having a radio frequency tool transceiver for communication, a work cell supervisor located at the work cell to monitor and control said tool and having a radio frequency supervisor transceiver for communicating with said tool through said tool transceiver when said tool is in the work cell, said tool having a torque sensor for sensing the magnitude of torque applied to each threaded fastener in installation and with the torque magnitude noted in said tool monitor-controller, said tool providing a torque signal to said work cell supervisor by radio frequency communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver when the applied torque of the desired magnitude is reached in setting the threaded fastener whereby the work cell supervisor can count the number of proper installation torque cycles, said tool monitor-controller having preset information regarding the desired magnitude of setting torque on said tool, said work cell supervisor being preset as to the desired magnitude of setting torque for said tool to be activated and if such information is correct said work cell supervisor will then provide a signal to said monitor-controller by communication between said tool transceiver and said supervisor transceiver to permit said tool to be activated for installing fasteners in the work cell but if the desired magnitude of setting torque is not correct then said tool will not be activated by said work cell supervisor, said work cell supervisor capable of activating said tool by R-F communication with said tool monitor-controller to permit said tool to be activated to install fasteners outside of the R-F range of said supervisor transceiver for a preselected interval. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. A method comprising:
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providing a work cell supervisor with a radio frequency supervisor transceiver, the radio frequency supervisor transceiver defining a communication zone;
providing a portable tool that can be actuated by a user for performing a task, the portable tool having a tool monitor-controller with a radio frequency tool transceiver, the tool monitor-controller being in a first condition that inhibits user actuation of the portable tool;
placing the portable tool within the communication zone to permit the radio frequency supervisor transceiver and the radio frequency tool transceiver to communicate, the work cell supervisor transmitting an activation signal, the radio frequency tool transceiver receiving the activation signal and the tool monitor-controller responsively operating in a second condition that permits user actuation of the portable tool for performing an operation that consists of a predetermined quantity (n) of the tasks;
interrupting communication between the radio frequency tool transceiver and the radio frequency supervisor transceiver before the operation is complete;
operating the tool while communication between the radio frequency tool transceiver and the radio frequency supervisor transceiver is interrupted to complete the predetermined quantity (n) of tasks and thereafter operating the tool monitor-controller in the first condition to prevent initiation of a task in excess of the predetermined quantity (n) of tasks without at least first re-establishing communication between the radio frequency supervisor transceiver and the radio frequency tool transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method comprising:
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providing a portable tool that can be actuated by a user for performing a task, the portable tool having a tool monitor-controller with a radio frequency tool transceiver, the tool monitor-controller being in a first condition that inhibits user actuation of the portable tool;
initiating radio frequency communication between a calibration station and the portable tool and causing the tool monitor-controller to operate in a second condition that permits user actuation of the portable tool;
determining a tool setting value that is indicative of a magnitude of an output of the portable tool when the portable tool performs a predetermined task; and
transmitting the tool setting value from the calibration station to the tool monitor-controller;
wherein the portable power tool is operated to produce the output but is not employed to determine the tool setting value. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67)
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68. A method comprising:
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providing a work cell supervisor with a radio frequency supervisor transceiver, the radio frequency supervisor transceiver defining a communication zone;
providing a portable tool that can be actuated by a user for performing a task, the portable tool having a tool monitor-controller with a radio frequency tool transceiver, the tool monitor-controller being in a first condition that does not provide validation that the task has been performed by the portable tool;
placing the portable tool within the communication zone to permit the radio frequency supervisor transceiver and the radio frequency tool transceiver to communicate, the work cell supervisor transmitting an activation signal, the radio frequency tool transceiver receiving the activation signal; and
operating the tool monitor-controller in a second condition that permits the tool monitor-controller to transmit a message to validate that the task has been performed by the portable tool.
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Specification