DISASSEMBLY STATION

An apparatus comprising a holding unit configured to hold a fuel injector for disassembly, a removal unit and an actuating unit. The removal unit comprises a first removal tool for removing a circlip and ferrule ring from the fuel injector, a second removal tool for removing a cone nut from the fuel injector, and a third removal tool for removing a screw from the fuel injector. The actuating unit comprises a first actuator configured to operate the holding unit, a second actuator configured to move the removal unit, and a third actuator configured to operate the third removal tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

A “computer”, as used in this disclosure, means any machine, device, circuit, component, or module, or any system of machines, devices, circuits, components, modules, or the like, which are capable of manipulating data according to one or more instructions, such as, for example, without limitation, a processor, a microprocessor, a central processing unit, a general purpose computer, a super computer, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, a workstation computer, a server, or the like, or an array of processors, microprocessors, central processing units, general purpose computers, super computers, personal computers, laptop computers, palmtop computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, workstation computers, servers, or the like. Further, the computer may include an electronic device configured to communicate over a communication link. The electronic device may include, for example, but is not limited to, a mobile telephone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a mobile computer, a stationary computer, a smart phone, mobile station, user equipment, or the like.

The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof, as used in this disclosure, mean “including, but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

Although process steps, method steps, algorithms, or the like, may be described in a sequential order, such processes, methods and algorithms may be configured to work in alternate orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be described does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of the processes, methods or algorithms described herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously.

A “computer-readable medium”, as used in this disclosure, means any medium that participates in providing data (for example, instructions) which may be read by a computer. Such a medium may take many forms, including non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Transmission media may include coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled to the processor. Transmission media may include or convey acoustic waves, light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying sequences of instructions to a computer. For example, sequences of instruction (i) may be delivered from a RAM to a processor, (ii) may be carried over a wireless transmission medium, and/or (iii) may be formatted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols, including, for example, WiFi, WiMAX, IEEE 802.11, DECT, OG, 1G, 2G, 3G or 4G cellular standards, Bluetooth, or the like.

FIG. 1shows an example of a disassembly station100constructed according to the principles of the disclosure.FIG. 2shows a side view of the disassembly station100shown inFIG. 1.FIG. 3Ashows another side of the disassembly station100; andFIG. 3Bshows a front view of the disassembly station100. The disassembly station100may be used to disassemble and/or remove various components from a fuel injector, including, for example, a circlip, a ferrule ring, a nut, a screw, or the like, from a fuel injector. The fuel injector may include, for example, a diesel engine fuel injector, or the like.

Referring toFIGS. 1,2,3A and3B concurrently, the disassembly station100may include a holding unit110, a removal unit120, a controller (not shown), and a plurality of actuating units. The plurality of actuating units may include, for example, a lower handle130, an upper handle134, a lower handle pivot connection132, and an upper handle pivot connection136. The holding unit110and the removal unit120may be coupled to and supported by a support body140. The support body140may include, for example, an elongated vertical member, such as, for example, a rail, a track, or the like. The support body140may be affixed to a surface20(such as, for example, a table, a counter, a workbench, a floor, a wall, a machine, or the like) to provide an optimal height for operating the disassembly station100. The holding unit110may be affixed to a lower portion of the support body140and the surface20. The holding unit110may be configured to receive and hold a fuel injector10during disassembly.

The holding unit110may include a socket112(shown inFIG. 2) and a dock114. The dock114may be configured to engage and lock the fuel injector10in the holding unit110on the socket12during disassembly. For example, the dock114may be configured to open to expose the socket112as seen inFIG. 2. After the fuel injector10is mounted on the socket112, the dock114may be closed, as seen inFIGS. 3A and 3B, and the dock114may engage and lock the fuel injector10in the holding unit110on the socket112. The controller may include a computer (not shown) that is configured to control the various processes (for example, processes300,400) carried out by the disassembly station100, as described below.

The removal unit120may be configured to disassemble and/or remove various components, such as, for example, a circlip, a ferrule ring, a nut (e.g., a cone nut), a screw (e.g., an M4 screw), and the like, from the fuel injector10. The removal unit120may be movably connected to the body140above the dock114. The removal unit120may be configured to move vertically along, for example, a linear rail or track that may be included in the support body140. The removal unit120may be further configured to engage the fuel injector10when it is locked in the holding unit110on a downward motion and disengage the fuel injector10on an upward motion. The removal unit120may include various removal tools, such as, for example, a stake/spring fork unit (not shown), a screwdriver123(shown inFIG. 3B), a cone nut remover122, and the like.

The screwdriver123may be configured to engage a screw (e.g., an M4 screw) on the fuel injector on the downward motion of the removal unit120. Once the screwdriver123has substantially fully engaged the screw, the screwdriver123may be actuated to turn the screw to release the screw from the fuel injector10. The screwdriver123may be actuated based on, for example, a position of the removal unit120with respect to the dock114, the type of fuel injector being disassembled, and the like. The screwdriver123may include a fastener such as, for example, a magnetized tip, a magnet, a clip, or the like, which is configured to hold and retract the screw from the fuel injector10. The screwdriver123may be configured to retract the screw concurrently with, or at a different time as the removal unit120moves upward. As seen inFIG. 3B, the removal unit120may include a pair of screwdrivers123that are configured to substantially simultaneously (or at different times) engage and remove respective ones of a pair of screws on the fuel injector10. The removal unit120may also include the cone nut remover122, which may be configured to engage and remove a nut from the fuel injector10when the removal unit120engages the fuel injector10.

The removal unit120may be operated by, for example, pneumatic power, hydraulic power, electrical power, manual power, or the like. In the case that the removal unit is powered by pneumatic power, the disassembly station100may include a pneumatic circuit (not shown). The pneumatic circuit may include the controller, a motor30, a compressor (not shown) or pump (not shown), one or more tubes40, a gearbox (not shown), a universal joint drive mechanism (not shown), one or more valves (not shown), one or more relays or switches (not shown), and the like. The pneumatic circuit may be configured to supply pressurized gas (e.g., air) to the removal unit120under the control of the controller. To allow a user to control the pneumatic circuit, the station10may include an actuator (not shown), such as, for example, a handle, a pedal, a switch, a button, or the like, that may be coupled to the controller. The motor30, compressor (or pump), universal joint drive mechanism, valves, relays, and the like, may be placed proximate to the removal unit120, such as, for example, below the surface20, as seen inFIG. 1.

The lower handle130may be configured to operate the holding unit110. For example, the user may pull or push the lower handle130to open or close the dock114and unlock or lock the fuel injector10. The pivot connector132may be coupled to the lower handle130, the holding unit110, and the dock114. The pivot connector132may be configured to convey a force applied by the user to the lower handle130and transfer the force to the holding unit130and the dock114to open (or close) the dock114.

For example, as seen inFIG. 2, when the user pulls the lower handle130(e.g., away from the disassembly station100), the pivot connector132pivots in a first direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support body140, causing the dock114to pivot on a support137and retract away from support body140, providing unobstructed access to the socket112and enabling mounting of a fuel injector on the socket112. When the user pushes the lower handle130(e.g., toward the disassembly station100), the pivot connector132pivots in a second direction (e.g., opposite to the first direction) with regard to the longitudinal axis of the support body140, causing the dock114to pivot toward the support body140and engage and lock a fuel injector10that may have been mounted to the socket112in the holding unit110.

The upper handle134may be configured to operate the removal unit120. For example, the user may pull down or push up the upper handle134to move the removal unit120downwardly or upwardly along the longitudinal axis of the support body140. The pivot connector136may be coupled between a portion of the upper handle134and a portion of the removal unit120. Another portion of the upper handle134may be coupled to a portion of the holding unit110. The pivot connector136may be configured to convey a force applied by the user to the upper handle134and transfer the force to the removal unit120to move the removal unit downwardly or upwardly with respect to, for example, the surface20.

For example, when the user pulls down (or lowers) the upper handle134, the applied force is transferred by the pivot connector136to the removal unit120, causing the removal unit120to move downwardly and engage the fuel injector10, if present in the holding unit110. When the upper handle134is pushed up (or raised), the pivot connector136transfers the applied force to the removal unit120, causing the removal unit120to move upwardly and disengage from the fuel injector10.

FIG. 4is a flow chart of a process300for controlling the pneumatic circuit, according to the principles of the disclosure.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 4, initially, a compressor or pump (not shown) may be turned ON to supply pressurized gas (e.g., air) to the supply tubes40of the disassembly station100(Step310). A determination may be made whether the dock114is closed (Step320). If a determination is made that the dock114is closed (YES at Step320), then a determination may be made whether the removal unit120has been moved downwardly by a predetermined distance (Step330), otherwise the process300waits until the dock114is closed (NO at Step320). The predetermined distance may include a distance where the removal unit120is close to engaging the fuel injector10.

If a determination is made that the removal unit120has moved downwardly by the predetermined distance (YES at Step330), then a valve (not shown) may be opened to allow the pressurized gas to drive the nut remover122to engage and remove a cone nut from the fuel injector10(Step340), otherwise the process300waits for the removal unit120to be downward by the predetermined distance (NO at Step330). Further, a determination may be made whether to actuate one or more screwdrivers123in the removal unit120(Step350). The determination may be made by the controller in response to a control signal received from the user via, for example, a switch, or the like.

If a determination is made to actuate one or more of the screwdrivers123(YES at Step350), then one or more valves (not shown) may be opened to allow the pressurized gas to drive the screwdrivers123to engage and unscrew the screws on the fuel injector10(Step360), otherwise the process300proceeds to determine whether the removal unit120has begun to move upward (NO at Step360, then Step370).

If a determination is made that the removal unit120has not moved upward (NO at Step370), then the process300may return to determine whether the screwdrivers123are to be actuated (Step350).

A computer readable medium may provided that includes a computer program tangibly embodied therein, which, when executed on the computer, may cause each of the Steps310to370to be carried out. The computer readable medium may include a segment or section of code for each of the Steps310to370.

FIG. 5shows a flow chart of a process400for disassembling the fuel injector10using the disassembly station100shown inFIG. 1. Upon starting the process400(Step410), the user may mount the fuel injector10on the socket112of the holding unit110(Step420). If the dock114is in the closed position (shown inFIGS. 1 and 3A), the user may need to first pull on the lower handle130to retract the dock114and render the socket112accessible. Then, the user may push the lower handle130(Step430) to close the dock114and lock the fuel injector10in the holding unit110for disassembly. Once the fuel injector10is locked to the holding unit110, the user may lower or pull down the upper handle134(Step440) to drive the removal unit120downwardly to engage the fuel injector10and unscrew the cone nut from the fuel injector10. When the removal unit120is pushed downwardly (Step440), the stake/spring fork unit (not shown) may be inserted into a bore (not shown) of the fuel injector10to dislodge (or dislocate) the circlip (not shown) and the ferrule ring (not shown) for removal. Further, with the downward movement of the removal unit120, one or more of the screwdrivers123of the removal unit120may engage a respective screw (e.g., an M4 screw) on the fuel injector10and, when substantially fully engaged to the respective screw, the one or more screwdrivers may be actuated to turn and loosen the respective screws (Step440).

When the user pushes up or raise the upper handle134(Step450), the stake/spring fork unit may remove the circlip and ferrule ring from the fuel injector10(Step460). The user may remove the circlip, ferrule ring, and cone nut from the disassembly station100. Subsequently, the user may pull down or lower the upper handle134and depress a foot pedal (not shown) to connect the pneumatic circuit to the screwdrivers123(Step470), and the pair of screwdrivers123may unscrew a pair of screws (not shown) from the fuel injector10. The user may remove the disassembled components (e.g., the circlip, ferrule ring, cone nut and M4 screws) from the station100(Step480) and the process400may terminate (Step490).

Accordingly, the disassembly station10may quickly remove components, such as, e.g., the circlip, the ferrule ring, the cone nut and the screws, or the like, from the fuel injector10with minimal effort. Thus, the process for removing various components for remanufacturing/recycling may be simplified and shortened using a single station.

It is noted that the process400may be automated. In this regard, a computer readable medium may provided that includes a computer program tangibly embodied therein, which, when executed on the computer, may cause each of the Steps410to490to be carried out. The computer readable medium may include a segment or section of code for each of the Steps410to490.

While the disclosure has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure can be practiced with modifications in the spirit and scope of the appended claims. These examples given above are merely illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible designs, embodiments, applications or modifications of the disclosure.