CN114929430A

CN114929430A - System and method for drilling and installing fasteners in vehicle structures

Info

Publication number: CN114929430A
Application number: CN202080070340.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马修·R·施罗德; 托德·B·哈拉米略; 约翰·亚当·普里塞; 约翰·罗伯特·戴伊三世; 卡莱布·阿伦·金博尔
Original assignee: Sinorama Aviation Systems Co ltd
Current assignee: Sinorama Aviation Systems Co ltd
Priority date: 2019-12-18
Filing date: 2020-12-14
Publication date: 2022-08-19
Also published as: JP2023508807A; EP4076838A1; BR112022011882A2; EP4076838A4; KR20220110722A; CA3144905A1; WO2021126733A1

Abstract

A system and method for drilling holes in a vehicle structure and installing fasteners in the holes. A drill plate having an opening and an associated machine readable element is positioned on the structure. The drill gun is positioned in a particular opening and the hole information is read from the associated element, and the computer determines whether the drill gun is properly set to drill the hole. The fastener insertion gun is positioned in a particular opening and the fastener information is read from the component, and the computer determines whether a hole has been drilled and, if so, whether the fastener insertion gun is properly positioned to insert a fastener. The fastener delivery subsystem stores, tracks, and delivers fasteners to the fastener insertion gun. The system computer monitors the drilling of each hole, the insertion of each fastener, and the overall operation of the fastener delivery subsystem.

Description

System and method for drilling and installing fasteners in vehicle structures

Technical Field

The present invention relates to systems and methods for drilling and installing fasteners in vehicle structures, and more particularly, embodiments relate to systems and methods for drilling holes in aircraft fuselages or other aerospace or vehicle bodies or structures and delivering, sealing, inserting, and otherwise installing fasteners in the holes.

Background

It is often desirable to install various fasteners in aerospace or other vehicle structures (e.g., in a fuselage or other body). Several techniques exist for accomplishing this task, but these all have different drawbacks. In one extreme, the hole may be drilled manually using a simple tool, and the fastener may be installed in the hole manually using a simple tool. This provides a simple solution, but increases the risk of defects or other errors associated with incorrectly drilled or incorrectly installed fasteners. Furthermore, this solution may require a significant amount of time and expense to train the operator. In the other extreme, the process of drilling and installing fasteners can be highly automated and performed by complex machines. This solution greatly reduces the risk of defects or other errors, but is also more complex and expensive to implement and maintain. For example, many manufacturers of aircraft bodies use Flex Track automated machines that may cost 1600 million dollars or more or use "monument" machines that may cost 3000 million dollars or more to drill and secure fuselage assemblies.

This background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention and is not necessarily prior art.

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments address the above and other limitations and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system and method for drilling holes in an aircraft fuselage or other aerospace or vehicle structure or body and delivering, sealing, inserting, and otherwise installing fasteners in the holes. In particular, embodiments provide solutions that advantageously combine higher quality and lower cost relative to the prior art.

In an embodiment, a system for drilling a hole in a vehicle structure and installing a fastener in the hole is provided. The system may include a first drill plate, and the first drill plate may include a plate body, an opening, and a machine readable element. The panel body may be temporarily attached to a first surface of the vehicle structure. The opening may extend through the panel body to the first surface of the vehicle structure. A machine readable element may be associated with the opening and provide information about the bore and installation of the fastener in the bore. In operation, the opening may receive a drill gun that drills a hole in the first surface, and then the opening may receive a fastener insertion gun that installs a fastener in the hole.

In various implementations of the foregoing embodiments, the system may also include any one or more of the following features. The plate body may be composed of a carbon fiber reinforced resin. The machine-readable element may be a radio frequency identification element that electronically transmits information, or alternatively, the machine-readable element may be a radio frequency identification element that electronically transmits a code for acquiring information. The information may include hole information on how to drill the hole, and the hole information may include the size of a drill bit used to drill the hole. The information may include fastener information about the fastener to be installed in the hole and how to install the fastener in the hole, and the fastener information may include the type and size of the fastener to be installed in the hole. There may be multiple openings and a single machine-readable element associated with the multiple openings, or alternatively there may be multiple openings and multiple machine-readable elements. The system may also include an electronic memory element that records whether a hole has been drilled and whether a fastener has been installed in the hole. The system may also include a second drill plate temporarily attached to a second surface of the vehicle structure and physically aligned with the first drill plate.

In another embodiment, a system for drilling a hole in an aircraft body and installing a fastener in the hole is provided. The system may include a drill plate, a drill gun, and a fastener insertion gun. The drill plate may include: a panel body temporarily attached to a first surface of an aircraft body; an opening extending through the plate body to the first surface of the aircraft body; and a machine readable element associated with the opening and providing fastener information about a desired fastener to be installed in the hole. The drill gun may be inserted into the opening, drilled in the first surface with the drill bit, and then removed from the opening. A fastener insertion gun may be inserted into the opening and install the fastener in the hole. The fastener insertion gun may include a fastener insertion gun reader element that reads fastener information.

In various implementations of the foregoing embodiment, the system may also include any one or more of the following features. The fastener information may include a desired fastener type and a desired fastener size for a desired fastener to be installed in the hole. The system can also include a computer that can compare the desired fastener type and the desired fastener size to an actual fastener type and an actual fastener size of a fastener inserted into the gun, and can block fastener insertion into the gun if the desired fastener type and the desired fastener size do not match the actual fastener type and the actual fastener size. The machine readable element may also provide hole information on how to drill the hole, wherein the hole information may include a desired bit size for drilling the hole, and the drill gun may include a drill gun reader element that reads the hole information. The computer may compare the desired bit size to an actual bit size of a bit installed in the drill gun, and may block the drill gun if the desired bit size does not match the actual bit size. The system may also include an electronic memory element that records whether a hole has been drilled and whether a fastener has been installed in the hole.

In another embodiment, a fastener insertion gun for installing a fastener in a hole in a vehicle structure is provided. The fastener insertion gun may include a gun body, a concentric collet, a reader mechanism, a plurality of internal air valves, and a gun computer. The gun body may have a forward portion and a rearward portion. A concentric collet may be mounted on a forward portion of the gun body and may be selectively expandable within an opening adjacent a hole in a vehicle structure to mechanically secure the fastener insertion gun during installation of the fastener. The reader mechanism may be associated with a forward portion of the gun body and may receive information from a machine readable element associated with an aperture in the vehicle structure. The plurality of internal air valves may be located within the gun body and may selectively provide pressurized air for installing fasteners. The gun computer may be housed within the gun body and may receive information via the reader mechanism, load the fasteners based on the information from the reader mechanism, and actuate one or more of the internal air valves to provide pressurized air for installing the fasteners.

In various implementations of the foregoing embodiment, the fastener insertion gun may further include any one or more of the following features. The machine-readable element may be a radio frequency identification element that electronically transmits information, or alternatively, the machine-readable element may be a radio frequency identification element that electronically transmits a code that may be used to retrieve information from a database. The information may include fastener information about the fastener, such as the type and size of the fastener, to be installed in the hole and how the fastener is to be installed in the hole. The fastener insertion gun may also include a fastener supply tube connected to the gun body and delivering fasteners from the fastener supply reservoir to the gun body. The fastener insertion gun may also include a fastener advancement window that fits through the gun body and allows an operator of the fastener insertion gun to see the fasteners within the gun body.

The fastener insertion gun may further include an impact mechanism that applies an impact force to an end of the fastener, the impact mechanism including: a shock tube including a front port connected to a first one of the plurality of internal air valves and a rear port connected to a second one of the plurality of internal air valves; an impact rod that moves forward within the impact tube to apply an impact force to an end of the fastener and moves backward to reset; an impact mass moving forward within the impact tube to impact the impact rod and moving backward to reset; and a gun computer controlling the first and second internal air valves to move the impact rod and the impact mass forward and backward by selectively introducing pressurized air into the impact tube via the front and rear ports.

The impact mechanism may further include a front first inductive sensor and a rear first inductive sensor that detect a position of the impact mass within the impact tube, and the gun computer receives the position of the impact mass from the front first inductive sensor and the rear first inductive sensor and controls the first internal air valve and the second internal air valve based on the position of the impact mass within the impact tube. The impact mechanism may further include a plurality of forward second inductive sensors that detect a position of the impact mass at the forward end of the impact tube, and the gun computer determines when the fastener is fully seated in the bore based on the position of the impact mass at the forward end of the impact tube. The impact mechanism may also include one or more variable pressure regulators that control the pressure of pressurized air entering the impact tube through the front and rear ports, and the gun computer controls the one or more variable pressure regulators to vary the impact force applied by the impact rod to the end of the fastener. The impact mechanism may further include: a rod and mass retractor that moves backward to reset the impact rod and the impact mass; a bumper located at a front end of the impact tube and absorbing an impact force of a remaining portion of the impact rod; and a bushing located at the front end of the impingement tube and through which the impingement rod moves to reduce wear.

The fastener insertion gun may also include a sealant dispensing module including a cartridge containing sealant, the sealant dispensing module selectively applying sealant to the fastener prior to installation, and the gun computer controlling the selective application of sealant. The fastener insertion gun may further include: a display mechanism mounted on the gun body and visually communicating operational information from the gun computer to an operator of the fastener insertion gun; and an operator interface mounted on the gun body and facilitating input of operational information to the gun computer from an operator inserting the fastener into the gun.

This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the invention, and is not intended to be used to limit the scope of the claims. These and other aspects of the invention are described in more detail below.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a high-level depiction of an embodiment of a system for drilling a hole in a vehicle structure and installing a fastener in the hole, wherein the system includes a drill plate, a drill gun, a fastener delivery subsystem, and a fastener insertion gun;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an embodiment of a drill plate component of the system of FIG. 1 positioned on a vehicle structure;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the drill plate of FIG. 2 shown positioned on a vehicle structure;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the system of FIG. 1 involving multiple drill plate components;

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a first version of the embodiment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of a second version of the embodiment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of a third version of the embodiment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a drill gun component of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a first partially cut-away isometric view of a fastener insertion gun component of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a second partially cut-away isometric view of the fastener insertion gun of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional isometric view of the fastener insertion gun of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the impactor subassembly of the fastener insertion gun of FIG. 7, with the impactor shown in a retracted position;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the impactor of FIG. 10, with the impactor shown in an intermediate position;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the impactor of FIG. 10, wherein the impactor is shown in a forward position;

FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the impactor of FIG. 11 showing a first inductive sensor for controlling the impact cycle;

FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the impactor of FIG. 11 showing a second inductive sensor for determining fastener height;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the fastener insertion gun of FIG. 7, showing the sealant dispensing module components;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a first sub-assembly of the sealant dispensing module of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of a second subcomponent of the sealant dispensing module of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a fastener insertion gun component and a fastener supply tube component of the fastener delivery subsystem of FIG. 1;

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of the steps involved in the use and operation of the drill plate; and

FIG. 19 is a flow chart of the steps involved in the use and operation of the fastener dispensing subsystem.

The drawings are not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments depicted in the drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale.

Detailed Description

The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims appended hereto, and by the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Reference in the specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "embodiments" means that a feature or features referred to is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Separate references to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "embodiments" in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, and are not mutually exclusive, unless otherwise specified. In particular, features, components, acts, steps, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but are not necessarily included in other embodiments. Thus, particular embodiments of the invention may include various combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

Broadly, embodiments provide systems and methods for drilling holes in an aircraft fuselage or other aerospace or vehicle body or structure and delivering, sealing, inserting, and otherwise installing fasteners in the holes. Embodiments provide a solution that advantageously combines higher mass and lower cost relative to the prior art and may advantageously reduce the defects associated with improper drilling or fastener installation by ninety percent. This is accomplished by a combination of intelligent drill plates, intelligent drill guns, intelligent fastener insertion guns, and overall quality control mechanisms that protect the surface of the body or other structure and identify the appropriate drilling and fastener parameters. The operator no longer needs to remember information about hole diameter, fastener type and grip length for hundreds or thousands of positions on the body, so training time can be reduced from several months to a week.

Referring to fig. 1, an embodiment of a system 30 is shown configured to drill a hole in an aircraft fuselage or other aerospace or vehicle body or structure 32 and deliver, seal, insert, and otherwise install a fastener in the hole. The system 30 may include some or all of one or more drill plates 34, a drill gun 36, a fastener delivery subsystem 38, a fastener insertion gun 40, and a system computer 42.

Further, referring to fig. 2 and 3, the one or more drill plates 34 may be configured to be temporarily attached to the structure 32 or otherwise physically positioned on the structure 32 and to inform and physically guide the operation of the drill gun 36 in drilling a hole in the structure 32 and to inform and physically guide the operation of the fastener insertion gun 40 in installing a fastener in the hole. In one embodiment, each drill plate 34 may include a plate body 46, one or more openings 48 through which holes may be drilled and fasteners installed 48, and one or more machine readable elements 50 associated with the openings 48.

The plate body 46 may have substantially any suitable shape desired or needed to achieve its function, the plate body 46 may be constructed of substantially any suitable material, such as carbon fiber reinforced resin or aluminum, and the plate body 46 may be constructed using substantially any suitable technique, such as three-dimensional printing or computer controlled milling techniques. For at least some applications, three-dimensional printing may allow for reduced cost, assembly, maintenance, size, and weight. The plate body 46 may be physically positioned in a location on the structure 32 to avoid pairing that may otherwise occur during the drilling and installing fastener processDamage to the surface of the structure. The plate body 46 can use substantially any suitable technique, such as having bushings and mechanical mechanisms (e.g., WedgeLocks) ^TM ) Is temporarily attached to the structure 32 to resist loosening. The plate body 46 may have the one or more openings 48, and the one or more openings 48 extend through the plate body 46 and may be drilled and fasteners installed in the structure 32 through the one or more openings 48. The openings 48 may have relatively tight tolerances, as desired or required for a particular application.

The one or more machine-readable elements 50 may be configured to store and communicate information related to drilling and installing fasteners. Such information may include: the size of the drill bit; the speed of the drill; the type, size, or gripping length of the fastener; feeding by drilling of stacked materials; whether a coolant should be used; hammering time; and whether or not a sealant should be applied. The machine-readable element 50 may employ substantially any suitable machine-readable technology. Although the machine-readable element is generally described herein as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) element, the machine-readable element may alternatively be, for example, a readable bar code or Quick Response (QR) code.

The RFID element 50 may be embedded into the surface of the board body 46 adjacent to the opening 48 or applied to the surface of the board body 46. The actual distance between an RFID element 50 and its corresponding opening 48 may depend on factors such as the strength of the RF signal. In one implementation, each opening may be associated with its own RFID element, while in another implementation, several or all of the openings may be associated with a single RFID element. As discussed in more detail below, other elements of system 30, such as drill gun 36 and fastener insertion gun 40, may include a reader mechanism configured to read information stored on RFID element 50, and may use this information to ensure that the drill-out and installation process is performed without error. In one implementation, the information may be stored on the RFID element 50, while in another implementation, the information may be stored in the electronic storage element 54 and the RFID element 50 may provide an identification code (e.g., a twenty-four digit alphanumeric identifier) that may be used to electronically access the information from the electronic storage element 54. In one implementation, the RFID element 50 may also be configured to determine whether a hole has been drilled and a fastener installed through each opening 48 by electronic interaction with the drill gun 36 and fastener insertion gun 40, and this information may be stored in the electronic storage element 54.

In one implementation, each RFID element 50 may include a transmitter and an integrated antenna and each

reader mechanism

56, 110 may include a receiver and an integrated antenna, while in another implementation, both the RFID element 50 and the

reader mechanisms

56, 110 may include a transceiver and an integrated antenna for bi-directional communication. The transmission power, antenna design, and other aspects of the RFID element 50 and

reader mechanisms

56, 110 may be optimized for a particular application. In one example application, the transmission power and antenna design of the

reader mechanisms

56, 110 may be optimized to read RFID elements 50 within about twelve millimeters of the opening 48 in any direction. If the openings 48 are in close proximity to one another, a particular RFID element 50 may be read from several different opening locations. In one implementation, if the reader mechanism reads more than one RFID element 50 from a particular opening, the system 30 may determine which opening 48 correlates most strongly with the set of RFID elements 50 and proceed based on the information from the electronic memory element 54.

Further, referring to fig. 4-5C, in another embodiment, the system 30 may employ two

drill plates

34A, 34B for each hole and fastener. More specifically, the structure 32 may have multiple layers, and a first drill plate 34A may be positioned on a first surface (e.g., an interior surface) of the multi-layered structure 32, and a second drill plate 34B may be positioned on a second surface (e.g., an exterior surface) of the multi-layered structure 32, such that the first plate 34A and the second plate 34B are aligned with one another. First and

second plates

34A, 34B may then be fastened together through structure 32 or otherwise temporarily secured in place on structure 32 such that the multiple layers of structure 32 are compressed and clamped together to facilitate more accurate drilling and insertion of fasteners through the multiple layers.

In a related embodiment, the system 30 may employ two

drill plates

34A, 34B for each hole and fastener, where the fastener is a rivet. More specifically, a first drill plate 34A may be positioned on a first surface of the structure 32 (the structure 32 may have one or more layers), and a second drill plate 34B may be positioned on a second surface of the structure 32 such that the first plate 34A and the second plate 34B are aligned with each other. The first and

second panels

34A, 34B may then be fastened together through the structure 32 or otherwise temporarily secured in place on the structure 32.

Riveting aerospace structures presents particular challenges. The prior art process is completely manual and requires two technicians, one on each side of the structure. One technician selects and inserts the appropriate rivet, and then forms the rivet using a rivet hammer with the appropriate settings. Another technician uses a rivet knock bar to provide a surface to form the rivet joint while the hammer is in operation. This requires two technicians to know and synchronize with the motion of the other to avoid skin quality defects.

In one embodiment, a method is providedImproved manual processThe modified manual process may use the

drill plates

34A, 34B described above, and wherein drilling and countersinking may be performed by automatically drilling holes in the structure 32 and setting a countersinked drill. The

drill plates

34A, 34B advantageously protect the skin and precisely locate the holes.

When the drill plate 34B is attached, a placement device may be used to help place the rivet R in the hole. In one implementation, the placement device may be a bushing that is slip fit into the opening 48 in the drill plate 34B. The placement device may have an inner diameter of approximately the same size as the rivet R, allowing the rivet R to travel through the drill plate 34B to the countersink without needing to be turned or turned. In another implementation, the placement device may have one or more fingers that grip and restrain the rivet R, allowing manual placement of the rivet R into the hole.

A set of rivets having a diameter that is a sliding fit with the opening 48 in the drill plate 34B and which is compatible with the rivet hammer may be used. The openings in the drill plate 34B may align the rivet set directly on top of the rivet R when the rivet set is seated in the structure 32. This advantageously constrains the rivet hammers during their impact cycle, thereby improving skin quality by reducing defects in the rivet hammers that may lead to skin indentation, scratching, or improper rivet placement, eccentricity, misalignment, or run-away rivet hammers.

In one implementation, which may involve only the outer drill plate 34B, a second technician on the opposite side of the structure 32 may use a substantially conventional rivet knock bar in synchrony with the first technician setting the rivet. In another implementation, as seen in fig. 5A, an inner drill plate 34A may be used to form each rivet R, which may advantageously reduce or eliminate the need for a second technician. The inner drill plate 34A may be positioned on the opposite side of the structure 32 from the outer drill plate 34B, and the inner drill plate 34A may be configured to provide the reaction force required to form the rivet R. The inner drill plate 34A may perform the function of a rivet mandrel, advantageously allowing a single technician to install rivets while reducing the number of skin quality defects. In addition, the use of the drill inner plate 34A reduces or eliminates the shock that is typically absorbed by a second technician.

The inner drill plate 34A may take on substantially any suitable form, including a thin metal (e.g., aluminum or steel) plate having a pocket-forming area 202 at the location where the rivet is to be placed. At each such location, the inertia of the inner drill plate 34A provides a reaction force against the impact of the rivet hammer to form the rivet R.

Referring to fig. 5B, in another implementation, the inner drill plate 34A may take the form of a three-dimensional printing plate or machining plate with a spring-loaded mass above each location where a rivet R is to be placed. The spring 204 and mass 206 may be adjusted to the impact rate to ensure contact with the rivet R at each impact of the hammer. This can be achieved by assuming a vibrating system with a single degree of freedom, where the natural frequency of the system is tuned by changing the spring 204 or mass 206. The spring 204 may be a sheet metal cut and folded to provide an initial preload, and the mass 206 may be attached to the flange of the sheet metal and act as a forming surface for the rivet R.

Referring to fig. 5C, in a related embodiment, each mass 206 may be associated with an actuator 208, rather than a spring. The mass 206 may serve as a forming surface for the rivet R and the actuator 208 may provide a desired or required contact force. In one version, the actuator 208 may be a pneumatic actuator configured to apply a nominal force as well as a pneumatic spring effect. The air pressure and mass 206 may be varied to maintain contact between the mass 206 and the rivet R during an impact. In another version, the actuator 208 may be a hydraulic actuator, and the mass 206 and its associated actuator position may be hydraulically coupled. This allows the shaped surface to be semi-rigidly force-coupled with the surrounding masses, wherein the motion of one mass transfers the force/motion to its surrounding mass. This may advantageously reduce weight and complexity compared to the pneumatic version.

In another embodiment, a semi-automated process or a fully automated process is provided that may use the

drill plates

34A, 34B described above. Broadly, the process involves a hand-held rivet insertion gun (such as the fastener insertion gun 40 described below) that a technician can lock into the drill plate 34B and by pressing a single button (1) identify the hole and the type of rivet desired or needed, (2) retrieve the rivet from a fastener supply system (such as the fastener delivery subsystem 38 described below), (3) receive and load the rivet and place the rivet into the hole, and (4) form the rivet with multiple impacts.

In one implementation, the rivet insertion gun 40 may be configured to simulate an impact cycle for a set of rivets for use with aluminum and titanium rivets. Some or all of the operations of the rivet insertion gun 40 may be electronically controlled to accommodate one or more of the following buckling techniques. In one implementation, the rivet insertion gun 40 may be secured in the drill plate 34B using a concentric collet 112. This allows for better control of the force exerted directly on the rivet R, which facilitates repeatable formation of the rivet R by multiple impacts or consistently constant impacts based on rivet diameter and grip length.

The improved rivet knock bar may be integrated into a control system (such as the system computer 42 or the fastener insertion gun computer 98, both of which are described below) to provide a signal when in contact with the rivet R. This signal may be used in conjunction with the rivet insertion gun 40 to provide synchronized feedback indicating when to begin the impact process. Alternatively, the inner drill plate 34A may be used as an inner flex plate that allows a rivet R to be formed at any hole. In another implementation, electronically activated impact modules 118 (described below), 206/208 (described above) on either side of the rivet R may cooperate to impact the rivet R simultaneously. The

drill plates

34A, 34B and the rivet insertion gun 40 may identify the hole and recall the desired or required rivet R. The inner drill plate 34A may be configured similar to the outer drill plate 34B with lockable bushings described above. Since the impact modules 118 of the rivet insertion gun 40 can be fully programmed through the electronic valves, the

impact modules

118, 206/208 on each side of the rivet R can be impacted simultaneously and simultaneously or at a programmed offset. This advantageously provides increased control in forming the rivet R and increased mass, since forces act on the rivet from opposite sides rather than in the structure itself.

In operation, the inner and

outer drill plates

34A, 34B and the respective first and second technicians may be positioned on opposite sides of the structure 32. The rivet insertion gun 40 may be positioned on the outer drill plate 34B and may read the RFID element 50 associated with each hole, recall the desired or required rivet R, and place the rivet R in the hole. A second independent impact module 206/208 may be positioned on the inner drill plate 34A and may be electronically synchronized with the rivet insertion gun 40. The impact parameters for a particular rivet may be loaded into both the gun computer 98 of the rivet insertion gun 40 and the module computer 210 of the second impact module 210. The

computers

98, 210 may synchronize and begin an impact cycle in synchronization with each other to impact the rivet R simultaneously or at a programmed offset to form the rivet R.

Further, referring to fig. 6, a drill gun 36 may be configured to cooperate with the drill plate 34 to drill a hole in the structure 32 to receive a fastener. In one embodiment, drill gun 36 may be substantially conventional in design and operation, unless otherwise described herein.

In one embodiment, the drill gun 36 may include a drill gun reader mechanism 56, a drill gun display 58, and a drill gun computer 60. The drill gun reader mechanism 56 may be configured to read hole information stored on the RFID element 50 associated with the openings 48 in the drill plate 34 and determine the size, depth, and other relevant characteristics of the hole to be drilled based on the hole information. The drill gun display device 58 may be configured to display hole information or other relevant information for consideration by an operator of the drill gun 36. In one implementation, the drill gun computer 60 may be configured to compare the hole information to the settings of the drill gun 36 (e.g., installed drill bit 60, set drill depth), and automatically shut down the drill gun 36 or otherwise block the drill gun 36 if the hole information does not properly reflect in the settings of the drill gun 36, thereby avoiding errors in drilling. In another implementation, this function may be performed by a system computer 42 in communication with the drill gun 36.

Referring again to fig. 1, the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be configured to store, track, and deliver fasteners to the fastener insertion gun 40. In one implementation, the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be configured to manage and supply multiple diameters and grip lengths of fasteners to the fastener insertion gun 40 as desired or needed. In one implementation, the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be configured to deliver fasteners to multiple installation locations (i.e., to multiple fastener insertion guns 40). In one implementation, the fastener delivery subsystem 38 connected to the fastener insertion gun 40 may be configured to deliver and wet install approximately 5,000 hi-lok fasteners per hour. To meet this throughput rate, there may be eighteen fastener insertion guns 40 connected to the fastener delivery subsystem 38. Each fastener insertion gun 40 attached to the fastener delivery subsystem 38 is capable of retrieving, receiving, and installing fasteners in six seconds.

Embodiments of fastener delivery subsystem 38 may include a cabinet 64, a rack 66, one or more fastener cartridges 68, a pneumatic cartridge adaptor 70 and locking mechanism 72, a track 74, an integrator 76, a diverter 78, a booster 80, a display device 82, and a fastener delivery subsystem computer 84. In one implementation, the fastener subsystem may further include one or more sensors 86 located in the fastener delivery subsystem 38 or in the entire fastener delivery subsystem 38 to monitor the position of the fasteners as they travel from the fastener magazine 68 to the fastener insertion gun 40.

The cabinet 64 may be configured to house one or more (e.g., between about two or four or three) racks 66, and each rack 66 is capable of holding one or more (e.g., between about fifteen and twenty or eighteen) cassettes or other fastener supply reservoirs 68. The cartridge 68 may be an existing commercially available cartridge or a modified or custom designed technology. In one implementation, each cartridge may include an RFID or other machine-readable element configured to store and communicate cartridge information regarding the fastener cartridge and its contents. In one implementation, the cabinet 64 may house or be connected to all other components and controllers for the fastener delivery subsystem 38.

When the cartridge 68 is loaded into the rack 66, the cartridge 68 may engage the pneumatic cartridge adaptor 70. The pneumatic cartridge adaptor 70 may be configured to supply pressurized air to the cartridge 68. A locking mechanism 72, which may include a latching component, may be integrated into pneumatic cartridge adaptor 70 to engage cartridge 68 and prevent cartridge 68 from being removed without an operator requesting it to be released from fastener delivery subsystem computer 84. This functionality helps the fastener delivery subsystem computer 84 accurately track the number and types of fastener cassettes loaded into the cabinet 64. A proximity sensor 90 may be integrated into each cartridge location to confirm that a cartridge 68 is loaded or unloaded at that location.

Track 74 may include a reader mechanism 92, reader mechanism 92 configured to read cassette information from an RFID or other machine-readable element on cassette 68 and report the cassette information to fastener delivery subsystem computer 84, which may store, track, and report the cassette information. The track 74 may also be configured to cooperate with the locking mechanism 72 to lock and unlock the cartridge 68. In one implementation, a pneumatic cylinder may be incorporated into the track 74, wherein the pneumatic cylinder extends or is otherwise actuated to cause the locking mechanism 72 to open. When the locking mechanism 72 is released, the ejector mechanism (e.g., one or more additional pneumatic cylinders) may be extended or otherwise actuated to release the cartridge 68 from the pneumatic cartridge interface 70. This function allows the operator to visually identify which magazine has been released, and also makes it easier to remove the released fastener magazine from the chassis 66.

Integrator 76 may be configured to receive fasteners according to the output of each cartridge 68 and integrate the outputs of all cartridges 68 into a common flow and deliver it to diverter 78. The flow splitter 78 may be configured to receive a flow of fasteners from the integrator 76 and direct individual fasteners to one or more outputs, wherein each output leads to one of the fastener insertion guns 40. The diverter 78 may be directly driven by a servo motor. A loop sensor may be used to verify that a fastener has passed the output. The signal from the loop sensor may activate the booster 80, and the booster 80 may be configured to pneumatically accelerate the fastener to a minimum speed (e.g., between about forty feet per second and eighty feet per second, or about fifty-eight feet per second). The signal from the annular sensor may also instruct the diverter 78 to process the next fastener in the flow. Booster 80 may be turned off when a fastener is detected in fastener insertion gun 40.

The output of the flow diverter 78 may be attached directly to the fastener insertion gun 40 through a fastener supply tube 94. The tube length can be substantially any desired or required length (e.g., one hundred feet or more in some cases), and thus the speed of the fastener can be a factor in achieving a desired fastener installation time (e.g., between about three and nine seconds or six seconds).

Any surface of the diverter 78 that is subject to a relatively high degree of wear may be designed to be quickly and easily replaceable.

The display device 82 may be configured to display the cassette and fastener information for consideration by an operator of the system 30. In one implementation, the fastener delivery subsystem computer 84 may be configured to monitor the availability of fasteners and the movement of fasteners through the fastener delivery subsystem 38, and to automatically shut down or otherwise block the delivery of fasteners in the event that needed fasteners are unavailable or if fastener movement is problematic. In another implementation, the functions may be performed by the system computer 42. If a shut down or other blockage occurs, the cause of the shut down or other blockage may be communicated via the display device 82 to facilitate correcting the problem.

Further, referring to fig. 7-16, the fastener insertion gun 40 may be configured to receive fasteners from the flow splitter 78 via the fastener supply tubes 94 and pass each fastener through one of the openings 48 in the drill plate 34 and into a corresponding hole previously drilled in the structure 32. Embodiments of fastener insertion gun 40 may include: a gun body 96; fastener insertion gun computer 98; a display device 100; an operator interface 102; a fastener feed window 104; one or more electronic air valves 106; an interior air delivery subsystem 108; a reader mechanism 110; a concentric collet 112; concentric collet and cycle start button 114; an impact mechanism 118; and a sealant dispensing module 120.

The gun body 96 may be configured to house or otherwise physically support other components of the fastener insertion gun 40. The gun body 96 may have substantially any suitable shape desired or required to achieve its function, the gun body 96 may be constructed of substantially any suitable material, such as carbon fiber reinforced resin or aluminum, and the gun body 96 may be constructed using substantially any suitable technique, such as three-dimensional printing or computer controlled milling techniques. For at least some applications, three-dimensional printing may allow for reduced cost, assembly, maintenance, size, and weight. The gun body 96 may include an internal port for a pneumatic line of the internal air delivery subsystem 108.

The reader mechanism 110 may be configured to read or otherwise receive information from the RFID or other machine-readable element 50 of the drill plate 34 or to exchange information with the RFID or other machine-readable element 50 of the drill plate 34. In one implementation in which the machine-readable element 50 is an RFID element, the reader mechanism 110 may be an RFID reader mechanism. Information may be provided to the faster gun computer 98.

The fastener insertion gun computer 98 may be configured to control some or all aspects of the operation of the fastener insertion gun 40, such as sensing and reading information from the machine readable element 50 on the drill plate 34, actuating an internal air valve, feeding fasteners, peening, applying sealant, and other operations. Fastener insertion gun computer 98 may be configured to interface with other systems, machinery, or databases in wireless communication to receive or transmit relevant information. The display device 100 may be configured to visually convey relevant operational information to an operator of the fastener insertion gun 40.

In one implementation, the fastener insertion gun computer 98 may be configured to compare the fastener information to the settings of the fastener insertion gun 40 and automatically shut down or otherwise block the fastener insertion gun 40 if the fastener information does not properly react in the settings of the fastener insertion gun 40, thereby avoiding errors in selecting and inserting fasteners into the holes. In another implementation, the functions may be performed by the system computer 42.

Display device 100 may employ substantially any suitable display technology and may be, for example, other conventional two-point two-inch displays. The operator interface 102 may be configured to allow an operator to provide input to the fastener insertion gun computer 98. Operator interface 102 can employ substantially any suitable interface technology (e.g., a keypad). In one implementation, the display device 100 may include touch-sensitive interface technology that enables the functionality of the operator interface 102.

The fastener advancement window 104 may be configured to facilitate visual observation of the movement of fasteners through the fastener insertion gun 40. In one implementation, fastener feed window 104 can comprise a transparent material through which an operator can directly visually observe the movement of each fastener.

The electronic air valve 106 may be configured to selectively open to deliver pressurized air to the fastener insertion gun 40 to perform an operation, and to selectively close to block air, as desired or needed. The internal air delivery subsystem 108 may be configured to distribute pressurized air from the air valve 106 within the fastener insertion gun 40 for use by other components (e.g., the impact mechanism 118).

The concentric collet 112 may be configured to be inserted into the opening 48 in the drill plate 34 and then actuated to expand the concentric collet 112 within the opening 48 to mechanically secure the fastener insertion gun 40 in place during actual insertion of the fastener. Once the fastener is inserted, the concentric collets 112 may be actuated to contract and allow the fastener insertion gun 40 to be withdrawn from the opening 48. In one implementation, the concentric collets 112 may be generally conventional in design and operation. The concentric collets and the cycle initiation button 114 may be configured to be actuated by an operator of the fastener insertion gun 40 to separately actuate the concentric collets 112 and begin the process of inserting a fastener into a hole.

In particular, referring to fig. 9-13B, the impact mechanism 118 may be configured to apply an impact force to an end of a fastener to drive the fastener into a hole in the structure 32. In one implementation, the impact mechanism 118 may include: an impingement tube 124; an impact bar 126; a mass 128 associated with a rear end of the impact rod 126; a rod tip 130 and a bushing 132 associated with the front end of the impact rod 126; and a rod and mass retractor 134 configured to reset the impact rod 126 after actuation. In one implementation, the impact mechanism 118 may be configured to enable a fastener having a relatively long grip length to be in place and to be fully retracted to allow subsequent fasteners to be moved into place. The impact rod 126 and impact mass 128 may move forward and rearward along a longitudinal axis within the impact tube 124. A rubber bumper 136 may be provided at the front end of the impingement tube 124 to absorb any remaining impact force of the impingement rod 126. A bushing 132 through which the impact rod 126 moves may be provided at the front end of the impact tube 124 to reduce wear due to repeated movement of the impact rod 126. One or more ports 138 may be provided in the wall of the impact tube 124 to allow the introduction of pressurized air to drive the impact rod 126 and impact mass 128 forward and backward and to actuate and reset the impact rod 126 and impact mass 128.

The impact rod 126 and impact mass 128 may be separate components that actuate in sequence but reset together. In one implementation, once the fastener is positioned for insertion, pressurized air may be introduced into a port in the wall of the impact tube 124 to move the impact rod 126 forward while the impact mass 128 remains rearward (see fig. 11). The force applied solely by the impact bar 126 may cause the fastener to sit loosely in the hole. When the fastener insertion gun 40 is actuated, air may be exhausted from the front port 138A and introduced into the rear port 138B to drive the impact mass 128 into the rear end of the impact rod 126 (see fig. 12), and this force may be transmitted to the fastener via the impact rod 126 to seat the fastener securely in the hole. Pressurized air may then be introduced into the shock tube 124 via the front port 138A to drive the retractor 134 back to its rearward position, and the retractor 134 may also be used to return the impact rod 126 and impact mass 128 to its rearward position.

In one embodiment, the hammering action of the impact mechanism 118 may be controlled entirely electrically. The computer 98 may cycle the air valve 106 in the correct sequence to accelerate the impact mass 128 to the front or back of the impact tube 124. These cycles can be controlled to impact the fastener a particular number of times as desired or needed to set the fastener to a particular grip length. An open-loop implementation of impact mechanism 118 may hold the corresponding air valve 106 open for a predetermined period of time (e.g., measured in milliseconds) that is sufficient for the entire stroke of impact mass 128. After the expiration of the predetermined period of time, computer 98 may cycle air valves 106 to reverse the direction of impact mass 128 and hold those corresponding air valves 106 open for the predetermined period of time. The computer 98 may repeat the process for a particular number of impacts based on a particular grip length of the fastener being set.

Further, referring to fig. 13A, a closed loop implementation of the impact mechanism 118 may use an inductive sensing device to detect the position of the impact mass 128 within the impact tube 124. Electronic actuation of the impact mass 128 may serve substantially similar or identical functions as an open-loop implementation, but does not require fixed timing of the air valve 106. One or more first inductive sensors 140 may be provided in or on the shock tube 124 to sense whether the shock mass 128 has reached the front or rear of the tube 124. Based on the data from the first sensor 140, the computer 98 may sequence the air valve 106 for the impact cycle based on the sensed position of the impact mass 124. The operation of the first sensor 140 may be optimized by placing the first sensor 140 in a position slightly forward of the front or rear of the impingement tube 124 to compensate for mechanical lag in the opening of the air valve 106. The closed loop implementation may provide several advantages, including transmitting a smaller impact force to the drill plate 34 and structure 32, providing an increased number of impact cycles per second, and providing increased life by compensating for wear in the impact mechanism 118.

Further, referring to fig. 13B, in one embodiment, a plurality of second inductive sensors 142 may be embedded in a front section of the impact tube 124 to position the impact mass 128. Each second sensor 142 may establish an electromagnetic field that provides a set inductance that may be measured (e.g., by the texas instruments LDC1614 integrated circuit) and transmitted to the computer 98. The inductance changes with the electromagnetic field that strikes mass 128 into each second sensor 142. This provides a variable inductance that is closely related to the position of the impact mass 128 relative to the second sensor 142. The plurality of second sensors 142 may be positioned sequentially in groups of two sensors and four sensors to cover the full range of motion of the impact mass 128 as it hammers the fastener. Being able to detect the position of the impact mass 128 at the front of the impact tube 124 allows for a determination of when the fastener is fully seated due to the stack of the impact mass 128 and the impact stem 126. This can be calibrated by extending the mass 128 and rod 126 to a flat surface simulating a seated fastener and then measuring the value of the inductance from the second sensor 142 that is unique to the position of the strike mass 128.

Impact force for each cycleControl may be by any of several methods. The kinetic energy stored in the impact mass 128 at the moment of impact is transmitted by the impact rod 126 acting directly on the fastener. Assuming that the velocity at the impact point is 0, the impact energy is equal to the kinetic energy equation 0.5 x mass x velocity ^ ² The kinetic energy described. The kinetic energy stored in impact mass 128 is equal to the work done to mass 128 described by the equation force x distance work. Thus, the force applied to impact mass 128 or the distance traveled by impact mass 128 may be varied to reduce the impact energy applied to the fastener.

In a first implementation, variable pressure adjustment may be used to reduce the force acting on mass 128. This may be accomplished by a manual or electronically adjusted regulator of the supply air valve 106. In a second implementation, a variable restrictor may be positioned before the air valve 106 to reduce the fill rate of the shock tube 126. This may function similar to the first implementation, but provides an initial high pressure pulse before the volume of air between the flow restrictor and the air valve 106 is exhausted. In a third implementation, the air valve 106 at the front end of the impingement tube 126 may be restricted. During actuation, the high pressure at the rear end of the impact tube 126 drives the impact mass 128 forward, and the front end may be vented to avoid increasing pressure, which may reduce the net force acting on the impact mass 128. This venting can be intentionally varied manually or electrically to reduce the impact energy by restricting the exhaust flow. In a fourth implementation, one or more of the air valves may be controlled to close the supply air early in the impact event to reduce the total force applied to the impact mass 128. The effect of applying full force to only a portion of the length of the impingement tube 124 is similar to shortening the tube 124.

In particular, referring to fig. 14-16, the sealant dispensing module 120 may be configured to dispense sealant as needed to seal the fastener in the hole. In one implementation, the sealant dispensing module 120 can receive a removable cartridge containing the sealant to be dispensed. The sealant cartridge may be disposable, refillable or recyclable. The plunger 146 can be actuated to move the sealant from the cartridge to an applicator outlet mechanism 148, which applicator outlet mechanism 148 applies the sealant to the fastener prior to insertion. The plunger 146 may be driven along one or more guide rods 150 by an electric stepper motor 152.

In one implementation, the sealant dispensing module 120 may use a standard (e.g., 5cc) cartridge. An electronically controlled stepper motor 152 with a high pitch screw 154 attached to the plunger 146 can be used to pump the sealant at a specific dose. This positive displacement design allows for precise dispensing of the sealant material. A standard 6mm tube may extend between the 5cc cartridge and the applicator outlet mechanism 148. The exit mechanism 148 can be actuated by the electric motor 156 approximately 15mm to an "up" position where it can "catch" a fastener, and the exit mechanism 148 can be actuated to a "down" position where the fastener and the impact bar 126 pass through. The sealant is delivered through the exit mechanism 148 such that the sealant is applied to the captured fastener during actuation. Multiple (e.g., three) ports may be exposed to apply sealant at multiple (e.g., three) locations on the fastener. One or more (e.g., two) locations may apply sealant along the sides of the fastener and one or more (e.g., one) locations may apply sealant to the bottom of the fastener to create the desired seal. The exit mechanism 148 may be a consumable that is replaced when the sealant expires. Actuation of the outlet mechanism 148 may be achieved electrically or pneumatically and may be controlled by the gun computer 98. The impact bar 126 in the low pressure state may provide the capture needed to fully seat the fastener in the outlet mechanism 148.

System computer 42 may include a Quality Management System (QMS)150 configured to collect information from one or more components of the system (e.g., drill plate 34, drill gun 36, fastener delivery subsystem 38, fastener insertion gun 40) and collect information from external sources as desired or needed, and display or otherwise communicate quality control information including errors. In one implementation, QMS 150 may be configured to perform various related and useful functions, such as automatically preventing the placement of fasteners in holes that have not yet been drilled, preventing the failure to place fasteners in holes that have already been drilled, avoiding incorrect drilling or insertion sequences, avoiding the use of expired or incorrect sealants, avoiding the use of incorrect drill plates in certain applications, and identifying and assisting in addressing issues related to the movement of fasteners through the system. Relatedly, QMS 150 may be configured to track the progress of each job, such as which holes have been drilled and which fasteners have been installed. QMS 150 may also be configured to generate reports detailing holes that have been drilled or not yet drilled and fasteners that have been installed or not yet installed.

As discussed, in one implementation, the system computer 42 may be configured to compare the required hole and fastener information to settings of other components of the system, and if the required hole or fastener information is not reflected in the settings (e.g., installed drill bit or available fasteners), automatically shut down or otherwise block the drill gun 36 or fastener insertion gun 40, thereby preventing drilling of an incorrect hole or insertion of an incorrect fastener.

Referring to FIG. 17, a fastener catch mechanism 214 can be along each fastener supply path and can include a catch arrangement 216, a first catch port 218, and a second catch port 220. The catch device 216 may be spliced into the fastener supply tube 94 and may include one or more inductive sense coils 222 and one or more vents 224, the one or more inductive sense coils 222 configured to sense the presence of fasteners in the supply tube 94 and the one or more vents 224 configured to release air pressure to slow fasteners before entering the fastener insertion gun 40. The first capture port 218 can provide pressurized air to further slow and capture the fasteners within the fastener insertion gun 40, and the second capture port 220 can provide pressurized air to create a venturi effect to move the fasteners into a final position 226 within the fastener insertion gun 40 for installation.

Further, referring to fig. 18, a drill plate 34 may be used and the drill plate 34 may operate substantially as follows. As shown in step 300, one or more drill plates 34 having openings 48 may be positioned at a particular location on an aircraft fuselage or other aerospace body or structure or vehicle body or structure 32.

As shown in step 302, the drill bit 60 may be loaded into the drill gun 36, and the drill gun 36 may transmit the relevant drill gun setting information regarding the drill bit (e.g., type, diameter, length, material) and other relevant operating parameters to the drill gun computer 60 or the system computer 42. As shown at step 304, the drill gun 36 may be brought into physical proximity with a particular one of the openings 48 through which holes may be drilled in the structure 32, and the reader mechanism 56 on the drill gun 36 may read the relevant hole information from the RFID or other machine-readable element 50 associated with the particular opening 48. As shown in step 306, the drill gun computer 60 or the system computer 42 may compare the drill gun setting information to the hole information and determine whether the setting is incorrect or correct for the hole. If the setting is incorrect for the hole, the drill gun computer 60 or the system computer 42 may notify the operator via the display device 58 on the drill gun 36, and may prevent the drill gun 36 from operating until the setting is corrected, as shown in step 308. If the settings are correct for the hole, the gun computer 60 or the system computer 42 may allow the operator to drill the hole and may log that the hole was drilled in the electronic storage element 54, as shown in step 310.

As shown at step 312, the fastener insertion gun 40 may be physically proximate to a particular one of the openings 48 through which a fastener may be installed in a previously drilled hole, and the reader mechanism 110 on the fastener insertion gun 40 may read the relevant hole information from the RFID or other machine readable element 50 associated with the particular opening 48. As shown at step 314, the fastener insertion gun computer 98 or the system computer 42 may compare the fastener insertion gun settings information to the hole information and determine whether a hole has actually been drilled through the particular opening and, if so, whether the fastener insertion gun settings are incorrect or correct for the hole. If a hole is not actually drilled or if the fastener insertion gun settings are incorrect for the hole, fastener insertion gun computer 98 or system computer 42 may notify the operator via display device 100 on fastener insertion gun 42 and may prevent fastener insertion gun 42 operation until the fastener insertion gun settings are corrected, as shown at step 316. If the hole has actually been drilled and the setting is correct for the hole, the fastener insertion gun computer 98 or the system computer 42 may allow the operator to insert the fastener into the hole and may record the fastener insertion in the electronic storage element 54, as shown at step 318.

Further, referring to fig. 19, a fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be used and the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may operate substantially as follows. One or more cassettes 68 of fasteners may be loaded into the racks 66 in the cabinet 64, as shown in step 400. As shown in step 402, as each cassette 68 is loaded into the rack 66, the cassette 68 may be engaged with the pneumatic fitting and locking mechanism 70, 72. The proximity sensor 90 integrated into the cartridge location may confirm that the cartridge 68 is loaded, as shown in step 404. As indicated at step 406, when the cartridge 68 is detected by the proximity sensor 90, the reader mechanism 92 on the track 74 may read and store relevant information from the machine readable element associated with the cartridge 68. As shown at step 408, once all of the cassettes 68 are loaded, the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may be initialized and may then wait for a request for fasteners from the fastener insertion gun 40.

Upon receiving a fastener request from fastener insertion gun 40, fastener delivery subsystem 38 can select an appropriate fastener from one of the magazines 68 in rack 66 and deliver the fastener to fastener insertion gun 40 through subsystem 38, as shown at step 410. When multiple cassettes are loaded with the same type of fasteners, the fastener subsystem computer 98 can strategically pull fasteners from the same cassette 68 to completely deplete the one cassette before switching to another cassette 68. If two or more fasteners of the same type and grip length are required at the same time, the fastener delivery subsystem computer 98 may first be pulled from the primary magazine and then from the secondary magazine. The fastener delivery subsystem 38 may include parallel fastener delivery paths to multiple fastener insertion guns 40 in order to increase the throughput and redundancy of the primary components required to complete the process.

When the fasteners of cassette 68 are exhausted (or if there is an error), the operator may select cassette 68 and release cassette 68 from rack 66 using operator interface 102 with fastener delivery subsystem computer 98, as shown at step 412. As shown at step 414, the sensor 86 located in the fastener delivery subsystem 38 may monitor the position of the fasteners as they travel from the magazine 68 to the fastener insertion gun 40. If any problems occur during the transport of the fasteners, the operator may be visually notified via the display device 100 on the fastener insertion gun 40 and the display device 82 on the cabinet 64, as shown in step 416.

Having thus described one or more embodiments of the invention, the claims, which are novel and are intended to be protected by letters patent, include the following.

Claims

1. A system for drilling a hole in a vehicle structure and installing a fastener in the hole, the system comprising:

a first drill plate, the first drill plate comprising:

a panel body temporarily attached to a first surface of the vehicle structure,

an opening extending through the panel body to the first surface of the vehicle structure, an

A machine readable element associated with the opening and providing information regarding drilling the hole and installing the fastener in the hole,

wherein, in operation, the opening receives a drill gun that drills the hole in the first surface, and then the opening receives a fastener insertion gun that installs the fastener in the hole.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plate body is constructed of carbon fiber reinforced resin.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable element is a radio frequency identification element that electronically transmits the information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable element is a radio frequency identification element that electronically transmits a code for obtaining the information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises hole information about how to drill the hole.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the hole information comprises a size of a drill bit used to drill the hole.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information includes fastener information about the fastener to be installed in the hole and how to install the fastener in the hole.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the fastener information includes a type and size of the fastener to be installed in the hole.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of openings and a single machine-readable element associated with the plurality of openings.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of openings and a plurality of machine-readable elements, wherein a different machine-readable element of the plurality of machine-readable elements is associated with each opening of the plurality of openings.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic storage element that records whether the hole has been drilled and whether the fastener has been installed in the hole.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second drill plate temporarily attached to a second surface of the vehicle structure and physically aligned with the first drill plate.

13. A system for drilling a hole in an aircraft body and installing a fastener in the hole, the system comprising:

a drill plate, the drill plate comprising:

a plate body temporarily attached to a first surface of the aircraft body, an opening extending through the plate body to the first surface of the aircraft body, and

a machine readable element associated with the opening and providing fastener information about a desired fastener to be installed in the hole;

a drill gun inserted into the opening, drilling the hole in the first surface with a drill bit, and then removed from the opening; and

a fastener insertion gun that is inserted into the opening and that installs the fastener in the hole, the fastener insertion gun including a fastener insertion gun reader element that reads the fastener information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the fastener information includes a desired fastener type and a desired fastener size for a desired fastener to be installed in the hole.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a computer that compares a desired fastener type and a desired fastener size to actual fastener types and actual fastener sizes of the fasteners in the fastener insertion gun and blocks insertion of the fasteners into the gun if the desired fastener type and the desired fastener size do not match the actual fastener type and the actual fastener size.

16. The system of claim 13, the machine readable element further providing hole information on how to drill the hole, wherein the hole information includes a desired bit size for drilling the hole, and the drill gun further includes a drill gun reader element that reads the hole information.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a computer that compares a desired bit size to actual bit sizes of the drill bits installed in the drill guns and blocks the drill guns if the desired bit size does not match the actual bit size.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising an electronic memory element that records whether the hole has been drilled and whether the fastener has been installed in the hole.

19. A system for drilling a plurality of holes in an aircraft fuselage and installing a fastener in each of the plurality of holes, the system comprising:

a plurality of first drill plates, wherein each first drill plate comprises:

a plate body temporarily attached to a first surface of the aircraft fuselage, a plurality of openings through which the plate body extends to the first surface of the aircraft fuselage, an

One or more machine readable elements associated with the plurality of openings and providing fastener information about a desired fastener to be installed in each of the plurality of holes;

a drill gun inserted into each opening, drilling the hole in the first surface with a drill bit, and then removed from the opening;

a fastener insertion gun that inserts into each opening and installs a particular fastener in each hole, the fastener insertion gun including a fastener insertion gun reader element that reads the fastener information, wherein the fastener information includes a desired fastener type and a desired fastener size for a desired fastener to be installed in the hole;

a computer that compares a desired fastener type and a desired fastener size to an actual fastener type and an actual fastener size of the fastener in the fastener insertion gun and blocks the fastener insertion gun if the desired fastener type and the desired fastener size do not match the actual fastener type and the actual fastener size; and

an electronic memory element that records whether each hole has been drilled and whether the particular fastener has been installed in each hole.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of second drill plates, wherein each second drill plate is temporarily attached to a second surface of the aircraft fuselage and aligned with a particular first drill plate of the plurality of first drill plates.

21. A fastener insertion gun for installing a fastener in a hole in a vehicle structure, the fastener insertion gun comprising:

a gun body comprising a front portion and a rear portion;

a concentric collet mounted on the forward portion of the gun body and selectively expanded within an opening adjacent the bore in the vehicle structure to mechanically secure the fastener insertion gun during installation of the fastener;

a reader mechanism associated with the front portion of the gun body and receiving information via a machine readable element associated with the aperture in the vehicle structure;

a plurality of internal air valves located within the gun body and selectively providing pressurized air for installing the fasteners; and

a gun computer housed within the gun body and receiving the information from the reader mechanism, loading the fastener based on the information from the reader mechanism, and actuating one or more of the plurality of internal air valves to provide pressurized air for installing the fastener.

22. The fastener insertion gun of claim 21, wherein the machine readable element is a radio frequency identification element that electronically transmits the information.

23. The fastener insertion gun of claim 21, wherein the machine readable element is a radio frequency identification element that electronically transmits a code for retrieving the information from a database.

24. The fastener insertion gun of claim 21, wherein the information includes fastener information about the fastener to be installed in the hole and how to install the fastener in the hole.

25. The fastener insertion gun according to claim 24, wherein the fastener information includes a type and size of the fastener to be installed in the hole.

26. The fastener insertion gun of claim 21, further comprising a fastener supply tube connected to the gun body and delivering the fasteners from a fastener supply reservoir to the gun body.

27. The fastener insertion gun of claim 21, further comprising a fastener advancement window mounted through the gun body and allowing an operator of the fastener insertion gun to view the fasteners within the gun body.

28. The fastener insertion gun of claim 21, further comprising an impact mechanism that applies an impact force to an end of the fastener, the impact mechanism comprising:

a shock tube comprising a front port connected to a first one of the plurality of internal air valves and a rear port connected to a second one of the plurality of internal air valves;

an impact rod that moves forward within the impact tube to apply the impact force to the end of the fastener and moves backward to reset;

an impact mass moving forward within the impact tube to impact the impact rod and moving backward to reset; and

a gun computer that controls the first and second internal air valves to move the impact rod and the impact mass forward and backward by selectively introducing the pressurized air into the impact tube via the front and rear ports.

29. The fastener insertion gun of claim 28, the impact mechanism further comprising a front first inductive sensor and a rear first inductive sensor that detect a position of the impact mass within the impact tube, and the gun computer receives the position of the impact mass from the front first inductive sensor and the rear first inductive sensor and controls the first and second internal air valves based on the position of the impact mass within the impact tube.

30. The fastener insertion gun of claim 28, the impact mechanism further comprising a plurality of front second inductive sensors that detect a position of the impact mass at a forward end of the impact tube, and the gun computer determines when the fastener is fully seated in the bore based on the position of the impact mass at the forward end of the impact tube.

31. The fastener insertion gun of claim 28, the impact mechanism further comprising one or more variable pressure regulators that control the pressure of the pressurized air entering the impingement tube through the forward and aft ports, and the gun computer controlling the one or more variable pressure regulators to vary the impact force applied by the impingement rod to the end of the fastener.

32. The fastener insertion gun according to claim 28, the impact mechanism further comprising:

a rod and mass retractor to move backward to reset the impact rod and the impact mass;

a bumper located at a front end of the impingement tube and absorbing an impingement force of a remaining portion of the impingement rod; and

a bushing located at the forward end of the impingement tube and through which the impingement rod moves to reduce wear.

33. The fastener insertion gun of claim 21, further comprising a sealant dispensing module including a cartridge containing a sealant, the sealant dispensing module selectively applying the sealant to the fastener prior to installation, and the gun computer controlling the selective application of the sealant.

34. The fastener insertion gun of claim 21, further comprising:

a display mechanism mounted on the gun body and visually communicating operational information from the gun computer to an operator of the fastener insertion gun; and

an operator interface mounted on the gun body and facilitating input of operational information to the gun computer from an operator of the fastener insertion gun.

35. A fastener insertion gun for installing a fastener in a hole in a vehicle structure, the fastener insertion gun comprising:

a gun body including a front portion and a rear portion;

a concentric collet mounted on the forward portion of the gun body and selectively expandable within an opening adjacent the bore in the vehicle structure to mechanically secure the fastener insertion gun during installation of the fastener;

a reader mechanism associated with the front portion of the gun body and receiving information via a radio frequency identification element associated with the hole in the vehicle structure, the information including fastener information about the fastener to be installed in the hole;

a plurality of internal air valves located within the gun body and selectively providing pressurized air for installing the fasteners;

an impact mechanism that applies an impact force to an end of the fastener, the impact mechanism comprising:

a shock tube including a front port connected to a first one of the plurality of internal air valves and a rear port connected to a second one of the plurality of internal air valves,

an impact rod moving forward within the impact tube to apply the impact force to the end of the fastener and moving backward to reset, an

a gun computer housed within the gun body and receiving the information from the reader mechanism, loading the fasteners based on the fastener information from the reader mechanism, and controlling the first and second internal air valves to move the impact rod and the impact mass forward and backward by selectively introducing the pressurized air into the impact tube via the front and rear ports.

36. The fastener insertion gun of claim 35, wherein the fastener information includes a type and size of the fastener to be installed in the bore.

37. The fastener insertion gun of claim 35, the impact mechanism further comprising a front first inductive sensor and a rear first inductive sensor that detect a position of the impact mass within the impact tube, and the gun computer receiving the position of the impact mass from the front first inductive sensor and the rear first inductive sensor and controlling the first internal air valve and the second internal air valve based on the position of the impact mass within the impact tube.

38. The fastener insertion gun of claim 35, the impact mechanism further comprising a plurality of front second inductive sensors that detect a position of the impact mass at a front end of the impact tube, and the gun computer determines when the fastener is fully seated in the bore based on the position of the impact mass at the front end of the impact tube.

39. The fastener insertion gun of claim 35, further comprising a sealant dispensing module including a cartridge containing a sealant, the sealant dispensing module selectively applying the sealant to the fastener prior to installation, and the gun computer controlling the selective application of the sealant.

40. A fastener insertion gun for installing a fastener in a hole in a vehicle structure, the fastener insertion gun comprising:

a gun body including a front portion and a rear portion;

a reader mechanism associated with the front portion of the gun body and receiving information via a radio frequency identification element associated with the hole in the vehicle structure, the information including fastener information including a type and size of the fastener to be installed in the hole;

a sealant dispensing module comprising a cartridge containing a sealant that is selectively applied to the fastener prior to installation;

a shock tube comprising a front port connected to a first one of the plurality of internal air valves and a rear port connected to a second one of the plurality of internal air valves,

a gun computer housed within the gun body and receiving the information from the reader mechanism, loading the fasteners based on the fastener information from the reader mechanism, and controlling selective application of the sealant by the sealant dispensing module, and controlling the first and second internal air valves to move the impact rod and the impact mass forward and backward by selectively introducing the pressurized air into the impact tube via the front and rear ports.