Abstract:
A clamp orientation machine and a method of operation therefor wherein the machine includes a magazine for containing at least one clamp, a movable clamp support member for supporting a clamp received from the magazine, a pair of movable gripper fingers for gripping and positioning a clamp received from the clamp support member and a cavity for supporting and positioning a hose for receiving a clamp from said gripper fingers.

Description:
This appln claims benefit of Prov. appln No. 60/116,037 filed Jan. 11, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a clamp orientation machine. More specifically, the invention is directed to a machine and a method of operation therefor that positions a clamp in proper orientation to an object, such as a hose. 
     In the past, clamps have been manually positioned on hoses. For example, an operator has used hand held tools to pinch open a clamp and manually slide the clamp over the hose. The manual installation of clamps has resulted in problems such as poor quality, slow cycle time and danger to the operator. 
     It has been found that there is a need for a clamp orientation machine and a method of operation therefor that eliminate the problems associated with the manual installation of clamps. The present invention satisfies this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a clamp orientation machine and a method of operation therefor. The clamp orientation machine includes, among other things, a magazine for containing at least one clamp. The magazine is in communication with a moveable clamp support member for supporting a clamp received from the magazine. The machine includes a pair of movable gripper fingers for gripping and positioning a clamp received from the clamp support member. The machine includes a fixture having a cavity for supporting and positioning, for example, a hose for receiving a clamp from the gripper fingers. 
     The method of the present invention includes the steps of: 
     (a) positioning a clamp on a movable clamp support; 
     (b) actuating the clamp support to move the clamp adjacent to gripping means for gripping and positioning the clamp; 
     (c) positioning an object adjacent to the gripping means on an object support; and 
     (d) actuating the gripping means to release the clamp onto the object. 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a clamp orientation machine and a method of operation therefor that efficiently positions a clamp on an object. 
    
    
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a first embodiment clamp orientation machine according to the present invention in which a clamp is positioned on a movable clamp support; 
     FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in which the clamp support member has positioned the clamp in the gripper device; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in which a hose has been positioned in a cavity of a fixture so that an end of the hose is inserted through the clamp; 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in which the gripper device has released the clamp onto the hose; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective schematic view of a second embodiment clamp orientation machine according to the present invention in which a clamp has been positioned on a movable clamp support member; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 in which a rotatable gripper device has received the clamp from the movable clamp support member; 
     FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 in which the gripper device has been rotated about a longitudinal axis; 
     FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 5 in which a hose has been positioned in a cavity of a fixture so that an end of the hose is inserted through the clamp; and 
     FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 in which the gripper device has released the clamp onto the hose. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments and best mode of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference being made to the drawings. The clamp orientation machine of the present invention is indicated generally in the drawings by the references number “ 10 ”. 
     A first embodiment machine  10  is shown in FIGS. 1-4. Referring to FIG. 1, the machine  10  includes a clamp magazine  12  having a cavity  14  that is adapted and sized to receive a clamp  16 . The cavity  14  is vertically extending for receiving a plurality of vertically stacked clamps  16 . By way of example, only one clamp  16  is shown in the drawings. The clamp  16  is a conventional spring-loaded clamp having a circular member  18  and a pair of projections  20  and  22 . When the projections  20  and  22  are squeezed together, the circular member  18  increases in diameter. 
     The magazine  12  is positioned on a pair of spaced L-shaped support members  24  and  26 . The support members  24  and  26  are mounted on a base (not shown). 
     Still referring to FIG. 1, the machine  10  includes a clamp support member  30  that is movably positioned between the L-shaped support members  24  and  26 . The clamp support member  30  includes a recess  32  that is adapted and sized to receive a clamp  16  dispensed from the cavity  14  of the magazine  12 . As shown in FIG. 1, the clamp  16  is positioned so that the projections  20  and  22  are outwardly extending with respect to the recess  32 . The clamp support member  30  is connected to a cylinder  34  by a rod  36 . Actuation of the cylinder  34  causes reciprocating movement of the rod  36  and thus the clamp support member  30 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the machine  10  includes a gripper  40  having a pair of pneumaticly actuated gripper fingers  42  and  44 . The gripper fingers  42  and  44  are laterally movable with respect to one another. The gripper fingers  42  and  44  include clamp engaging portions  46  and  48 , respectively, that are adapted and sized to engage projections  20  and  22  of the clamp  16 . 
     Still referring to FIG. 1, the machine  10  includes fixtures  50  and  52  that include cavities  54  and  56 , respectively. The cavities  54  and  56  are adapted and sized to receive an object such as an automotive hose. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the machine  10  includes a first sensing device  60  positioned adjacent to the gripper  40 , a second sensing device  62  positioned adjacent to the cavity  54  of the fixture  50  and a third sensing device  64  positioned adjacent to the cavity  56  of the fixture  52 . The first, second and third sensing devices  60 ,  62  and  64  are in electrical communication with a signaling device (not shown). 
     The method of operation of the machine  10  will now be described with reference being made to FIGS. 1-4. As shown in FIG. 1, a clamp  16 , is dispensed from the cavity  14  of the magazine  12  into the recess  32  of the clamp support member  30 . The clamp  16  is positioned in the recess  32  so that the projections  20  and  22  extend outwardly from the recess  32 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder  34  is actuated to cause the rod  36  to move the clamp support member  30  toward the gripper  40 . The clamp support member  30  is moved until the projections  20  and  22  of the clamp  16  are positioned adjacent to the gripper fingers  42  and  44 , respectively. The gripper fingers  42  and  44  are then moved together. The clamp engaging portions  46  and  48  of the gripper fingers  42  and  44 , respectively, engage and squeeze the projections  20  and  22  of the clamp  16 , respectively. The squeezing action on the projections  20  and  22  causes the diameter of the circular member  18  of the clamp  16  to increase. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the cylinder  34  is actuated to cause the rod  36  to move the clamp support member  30  away from the gripper  40 . An operator (not shown) positions an automotive hose  70  in the cavity  54  of the fixture  50 . An end  72  of the hose  70  is positioned in the circular member  18  of the clamp  16 . The first sensing device  60  senses the position of the hose end  72 . The second sensing device  62  senses the position of the hose  70  in the cavity  54 . If the hose end  72  and the hose  70  are properly positioned, the first and second sensing devices  60  and  62  actuate the signaling device to provide the operator with a signal. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the operator actuates the gripper  40  to cause the gripper fingers  42  and  44  to move away from one another to release the projections  20  and  22  of the clamp  16 . This results in a decrease in the diameter of the circular member  18  of the clamp  16  so that the circular member snugly engages the hose  70 . The clamp  16  is thus oriented at a predetermined position on the hose  70 . The hose  70  is then removed from the fixture  50  by the operator. The method can be repeated to place a clamp  16  on the other hose end (not shown) by placing the hose  70  in the cavity  56  of the fixture  52 . The third sensing device  64  senses the position of the hose  70  in the cavity  56 . 
     A second embodiment machine  10  and a method of operation therefor are shown in FIGS. 5-9. The machine  10  includes all of the elements described above with respect to the first embodiment machine  10  as shown in FIGS. 1-4. Accordingly, the same reference numbers for the elements have been used in FIGS. 5-9. 
     The first embodiment machine  10  as shown in FIGS. 1-4 is used in applications where the hose  70  is in a “vertical” position. The second embodiment machine  10  as shown in FIGS. 5-9 is used when the hose  70  is in a “horizontal” position. In this regard, the gripper  40  includes a pneumatic rotary actuator  80  for rotating the gripper fingers  42  and  44  about a longitudinal axis A as shown in FIG.  5 . The rotary actuator  80  includes a pair of conventional Hall switches  82  and  84 . 
     The method of operation of the second embodiment machine  10  is the same as for the method described above except there is an additional step of rotating the gripper fingers  42  and  44  about the longitudinal axis after the gripper fingers  42  and  44  have engaged the projections  20  and  22  of the clamp  16 . As shown in FIG. 8, the hose end  72  of the hose  70  can then be inserted through the circular member  18  of the clamp  16 . 
     The above detailed description of the present invention is given for explanatory purposes. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the whole of the foregoing description is to be construed in an illustrative and not a limitative sense, the scope of the invention being defined solely by the appended claims.