JP3175992U - A monitoring device to detect if the screw is tightened by an electric screwdriver - Google Patents

Abstract

A monitoring instrument is provided for detecting whether a screw is securely tightened by an electric screwdriver.
A screwdriver connection interface, a control unit, and an alarm module are provided. The screwdriver connection interface 10 is used to connect an electric screwdriver that can receive a start signal and a stop signal. The control unit 30 is electrically connected to the screwdriver connection interface and alarm module 70. The operating time from the start signal received by the screwdriver connection interface to the stop signal received by the screwdriver connection interface is calculated. When the operating time exceeds the upper limit lock time, the control unit commands the alarm module to issue a lock failure alarm to quickly inform the user that the screw is not tightened securely.
[Selection] Figure 4

Description

      The present invention relates to a monitoring instrument, and in particular to a monitoring instrument for detecting whether a screw is securely tightened by an electric screwdriver.

      The electric screwdriver is a tool that allows a user to easily lock a screw by an electric motor of a screwdriver driving module that drives a tool head. In order to prevent the electric motor from continuing to rotate and burn out after the screws are tightened, the conventional screwdriver module of the electric screwdriver additionally requires a clutch unit. As soon as the screw is locked, the clutch unit detects the result and stops the tool head to prevent the tool head and motor from burning out.

However, conventional electric screwdrivers still have the following disadvantages:
1. Since the size of the screw is smaller than the screw hole, when the screw cannot be engaged with the screw hole, or when the thread is worn and crushed, the screw cannot be tightened firmly and the electric screwdriver continues. Rotation is meaningless.
2. When the size of the screw is larger than the screw hole, or when an object is in the screw hole, the screw cannot be locked in the screw hole. Conventional electric screwdrivers cannot detect errors / defectives and cannot immediately notify the user when errors / defectives occur when locking screws.

      In order to inform the user as soon as possible of an error or failure during the screw locking operation, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide a monitoring device for detecting whether the screw is securely tightened by an electric screwdriver. . This instrument can detect whether the screw is tightened by a connected electric screwdriver and actively inform the user whenever an error occurs.

To achieve this goal, the device has:
Screwdriver connection interface used to electrically connect to the electric screwdriver, where the electric screwdriver receives the start signal and stop signal,
When the operating time exceeds the upper limit lock time, the control unit sends a lock fault signal, where the operating time means the time from the start signal received by the screwdriver interface to the stop signal received by the screwdriver interface A control unit electrically connected to the screwdriver connection interface, which activates the checking process
An alarm module electrically connected to the control unit, wherein the alarm module emits a lock fault alarm when the alarm module receives a lock fault signal.

      By using this device, even if the user misuses a screw whose size is smaller than a screw hole or a screw with a reduced thread, the operation time calculated from the received start signal to the received stop signal When the upper limit lock time is exceeded, the control unit can command the alarm module to issue a lock failure alarm to quickly inform the user that the electric screwdriver has not yet tightened the screw.

It is a top view of one preferable embodiment of the monitoring instrument of this invention. It is a front view of the monitoring instrument of FIG. It is a rear view of the monitoring instrument of FIG. It is a functional block diagram of the monitoring instrument of FIG. It is a circuit diagram of the monitoring instrument of FIG. It is a check operation | movement flowchart of the monitoring instrument of FIG. It is a check operation | movement flowchart of the monitoring instrument of FIG. It is a flowchart of reset operation | movement of the monitoring instrument of FIG. and, 2 is a flowchart of a self-learning process of the monitoring instrument of FIG.

      With reference to FIGS. 1-4, one embodiment of a monitoring instrument for detecting whether a screw is tightened by an electric screwdriver according to the present invention is a screwdriver connection interface (10), optional I / O interface (20), a control unit (30), a display unit (40), a function switching unit (50), an operation unit (60), and an alarm module (70).

      As shown in FIG. 2, the screwdriver connection interface (10) is used to connect to an electric screwdriver. After the screwdriver connection interface (10) is connected to the electric screwdriver, the screwdriver connection interface (10) can receive a start signal and a stop signal from the electric screwdriver. In this embodiment, the screwdriver connection interface (10) can further receive a reverse signal from the electric screwdriver.

      When the electric screwdriver is an automatic screwdriver used in industrial processes, the optional I / O interface (20), object invalid sensor (21) and object valid sensor (22) are used in the industrial process. be able to. For example, the robot arm of an operating machine in an industrial production line can be integrated with an electric screwdriver according to this utility model. The object invalid sensor (21) is then used to detect whether the object to be processed is not valid. The object validity sensor (22) is used to detect whether the object to be processed is valid. In general, the handheld electric screwdriver does not require the object invalid sensor (21) and the object valid sensor (22). As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the optional I / O interface (20) can be used to connect the object invalid sensor (21) alone or connect the object valid sensor (22). In addition, an object invalid sensor (21) is located on the working machine. When the object to be screwed is removed from the working machine, the object invalid sensor (21) emits an object invalid signal. The object valid sensor (22) and the object invalid sensor (21) are located on the same operating machine. When an object to be screwed is detected on the operating machine, the object validity sensor (22) transmits an object validity signal.

      As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit (30) is electrically connected to the screwdriver connection interface (10) to initiate the check process. When the operating time from the start signal to the stop signal received by the screwdriver connection interface (10) exceeds the upper limit lock time, the control unit emits a lock failure signal. In this embodiment, as further shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the control unit (30) is further electrically connected to the optional I / O interface (20) and the target number of screws to be tightened, reset. Store time, lower limit lock time, buffer lock time, self-learning process and reset process.

      As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the display unit (40) is electrically connected to the control unit (30) and used to display display data stored and calculated by the control unit (30). . In this embodiment, as further shown in FIG. 5, the display unit (40) is a seven segment display capable of displaying two digits.

      As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the function switching unit (50) is electrically connected to the control unit (30) and is used by the user to activate the functions provided by this monitoring instrument. In this embodiment, the function switching unit (50) is used to switch the first switch used to switch the screw counting mode (forward counting or backward counting), the reset trigger mode (full automatic trigger or semi-automatic trigger). Second switch used, third switch used to switch reset mode (automatic or manual), trigger mode (triggered only by object invalid signal or object invalid signal and object valid signal And a fifth switch used to activate the self-learning process.

As further shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a check process is performed by the control unit (30). The counting mode determined by the first switch is set to the backward counting mode to illustrate the checking process as an example. The check process includes the following steps:
Using the target number as display data to be displayed on the display unit (600);
Determining whether the display data is zero (601);
When the display data is zero, sending a work completion signal (602) and starting the reset process (603);
When the display data is not zero, after receiving the start signal (604), determining whether the stop signal is received (605);
Determining whether a stop signal is received when a stop signal is not received (605);
Calculating a time between receiving the start signal and the stop signal as an operating time when the stop signal is received (606);
Determining whether the operation time is shorter than the lower limit lock time (607);
When the activation time is shorter than the lower limit lock time, sending a lock failure signal (608), where this situation means that the screw is not tightened but the locking action is stopped,
When the operation time is longer than the lower limit lock time, a step of determining whether the operation time is longer than the sum of the upper limit lock time and the buffer lock time (609), and when it is detected that the screw should be tightened, the electric screwdriver Part of the device operates for an additional short time before it stops completely, allowing the user to confirm that the screw has been tightened, and therefore the present invention is in harmony with the additional short time described above. To further include a buffer lock time,
When the activation time is longer than the sum of the upper limit lock time and the buffer lock time, a step of generating a lock failure signal (610), where this situation means that the screw has been left loose for a long time. To
A step of sending a normal lock signal (611) and a step of proceeding to the following steps when the operation time is shorter than the sum of the upper limit lock time and the buffer lock time;
Reducing the target number by 1 and displaying the reduced target number on the display unit (612);
When the electric screwdriver loosens the screw from the screw hole by rotating in the reverse direction, the electric screwdriver can output a reverse signal, so detecting whether the reverse signal is received (613),
When a reverse signal is received, increasing the target number by 1 to display the increased target number on the display unit (614) and determining whether the display data is zero (601) Step back,
When no reverse signal is received, returning directly to determine (601) whether the display data is zero.

When the counting mode of the first switch is set to forward counting mode, the check process flow chart is similar to FIG. 6A or 6B, and the difference between the check process flow chart and FIG. 6A (or FIG. 6B) is Is:
Use `` zero '' as the first display data,
When the display data is equal to the target number, the reset process is activated.

      The operating unit (60) is electrically connected to the control unit (30) and is used by the user to operate the monitoring instrument.

As further shown in FIG. 7, the reset process initiated by the control unit (30) includes the following steps:
Detecting whether the third switch is enabled (701);
Detecting whether the operating unit is reset when the third switch is not enabled (702), where if the third switch is not enabled, the manual reset mode is selected;
If the operating unit has not been reset, detect if the operating unit has been reset (702) and continue;
Detecting whether the second switch is enabled (703) if the third switch is enabled or the operating unit is reset;
Calculating the elapsed time from when the third switch is started to when the second switch is started;
When the second switch is not enabled, obtaining a reset time (704) and determining whether the elapsed time exceeds the reset time (705), where the second switch is not enabled Then, fully automatic reset mode is selected,
Activating a check process when the elapsed time exceeds the reset time (706);
When the elapsed time does not exceed the reset time, obtaining a reset time (704),
When the second switch is enabled, the step of detecting whether the fourth switch is enabled (707), where the situation is that the reset process is the object invalid sensor (21) and the object valid Means executed by the trigger of the sensor (22),
Determining whether an object invalid signal and an object valid signal are received (708);
Performing a check process (706) when an object invalid signal and an object valid signal are received;
Continuing to determine whether the object invalid signal and the object valid signal are received when the object invalid signal and the object valid signal are not received (708);
Determining whether only an object invalid signal is received when the fourth switch is not enabled (709), where an automatic reset is set when an object invalid signal is received;
Activating a check process when only an object invalid signal is received (706);
If no object invalid signal is received, determine whether only the object invalid signal is received (709) and continue.

As further shown in FIG. 8, a self-learning process is used to automatically record the upper limit lock time. Operated by the user operating the fifth switch of the function switching unit (50), the control unit (30) performs the following steps of the self-learning process:
Receiving a start signal from the electric screwdriver when the electric screwdriver is operated to tighten the screw (801);
Determining whether a stop signal is received (802);
When a stop signal is not received, continue to determine whether a stop signal is received (802), where the screw is not tightened,
When a stop signal is received, calculating the time between reception of the start signal and the stop signal as a new upper limit lock time (803) and proceeding to the following steps, where the screw is tightened,
Storing the new upper limit lock time (804) and completing the self-learning process.

      An alarm module (70) is electrically connected to the control unit (30). The alarm module (70) issues a lock failure alarm after receiving the lock failure signal. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the alarm module (70) includes a normal warning light (71), an abnormal warning light (72), and a buzzer (73), and the normal warning light (71), abnormal warning light ( 72) and the buzzer (73) are electrically connected to the control unit (30).

      The control unit (30) transmits a lock failure signal, transmits a lock failure alarm to the alarm module (70), and drives the abnormal warning light (72) to shine brilliantly to emit five beeps. Command to drive the buzzer (73). The control unit (30) transmits a work completion signal, drives the buzzer (73) to make two beeps, and keeps the normal warning light (71) shining until the electric screwdriver is reset. To drive. The control unit (30) transmits a lock failure signal, and drives the buzzer (73) to emit two beeps by driving the abnormality warning light (72) to flash. The control unit (30) transmits a normal lock signal and drives the buzzer (73) to emit a single beep and to shine the normal warning lamp (71) twice.

      Moreover, the monitoring instrument can be designed to further store multiple different sets of upper limit lock time, target number of screws to be tightened, reset time, lower limit lock time, buffer lock time. The user can set the previous parameters to accommodate different electric screwdrivers by executing the motion unit (60).

From the above description, this monitoring instrument has the following advantages:
1. The monitoring instrument can detect an anomaly and notify the user immediately if any of the following three situations occur:
• When the screw cannot be engaged with the screw hole because the screw size is smaller than the screw hole.
・ When the screw thread is worn down and crushed, the electric screwdriver cannot tighten the screw.
-When the screw size is larger than the screw hole or when the screw hole has an object inside, the screw cannot be locked in the screw hole.
2. This monitoring instrument provides a self-learning process for the user to activate the monitoring instrument according to different types of screws.
3. This monitoring instrument can record the number of screws to be tightened. The alert module communicates alerts to the user to inform them to prevent mis-locking.

10 Screwdriver connection interface 20 I / O interface 21 Object invalid sensor 22 Object valid sensor 30 Control unit 40 Display unit 50 Function switching unit 60 Operation unit 70 Alarm module 71 Normal warning light 72 Abnormal warning light 73 Buzzer

Claims (11)

A monitoring device for detecting whether the screw is securely tightened by an electric screwdriver,
A screwdriver connection interface used to connect the electric screwdriver to receive a start signal and a stop signal from the electric screwdriver;
A control unit electrically connected to the screwdriver connection interface for performing a check process, the operating time being received by the screwdriver connection interface from the start signal received by the screwdriver connection interface Means the time to signal, and when the operating time exceeds the upper limit lock time, the control unit for transmitting a lock failure signal;
A monitoring instrument comprising: an alarm module electrically connected to the control unit that issues a lock failure alarm upon receipt of the lock failure signal. The monitoring instrument of claim 1, wherein the checking process comprises the following steps:
Receiving the start signal;
Determining whether the stop signal is received;
Continuing to determine whether the stop signal is received if the stop signal is not received;
If a time from the start signal received by the screwdriver connection interface to the stop signal received by the screwdriver connection interface is calculated as the operation time and then the stop signal is received, The steps, i.e.
Determining whether the operating time is longer than the upper limit lock time;
Sending the lock failure signal if the operating time is longer than the upper limit lock time;
Continuing the step of re-executing the check process if the operating time is shorter than the upper limit lock time. The monitoring instrument according to claim 2, wherein the control unit further stores a lower limit lock time, and the checking process is received by the screwdriver connection interface from the start signal received by the screwdriver connection interface. After the time until the stop signal is calculated as the operating time, the following steps are performed:
Determining whether the operating time is shorter than the lower limit lock time;
If the operating time is shorter than the lower limit lock time, transmitting the lock failure signal, and the alarm module transmitting the lock failure alarm;
And a step of determining whether the operation time is longer than the upper limit lock time if the operation time is longer than the lower limit lock time. The monitoring instrument according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further stores a buffer lock time and the checking process comprises the following steps:
Receiving the start signal;
Determining whether the stop signal is received;
Continuing to determine whether the stop signal is received if the stop signal is not received;
Calculate the time from the start signal received by the screwdriver connection interface to the stop signal received by the screwdriver connection interface as the operating time, and then if the stop signal is received, Steps, i.e.
Determining whether the operating time is longer than the sum of the upper limit lock time and the buffer lock time;
Transmitting the lock failure signal if the operating time is longer than the sum of the upper limit lock time and the buffer lock time;
Resuming the checking process if the operating time is shorter than the sum of the upper limit lock time and the buffer lock time. 5. The monitoring instrument according to claim 4, wherein the control unit further stores a lower limit lock time and the checking process is received by the screwdriver connection interface from the start signal received by the screwdriver connection interface. After the time until the stop signal is calculated as the operating time, the following steps are performed:
Determining whether the operating time is shorter than the lower limit lock time;
If the operating time is shorter than the lower limit lock time, transmitting the lock failure signal, and the alarm module transmitting the lock failure alarm;
And a step of determining whether the operation time is longer than the sum of the upper limit lock time and the buffer lock time if the operation time is longer than the lower limit lock time.       The display unit according to claim 2, further comprising a display unit, wherein the display unit is electrically connected to the control unit and displays the display data stored and calculated by the control unit. 3. The monitoring instrument according to 3. 7. The monitoring instrument according to claim 6, wherein the control unit further stores a target number of screws to be tightened, and then the checking process comprises the following steps:
Receiving the start signal after the display unit uses the target number as display data to be displayed;
When the operating time is shorter than the upper limit lock time, executing the steps of reducing the target number by 1 and displaying the reduced target number on the display unit, and reviving the check process A monitoring instrument characterized by       The display unit further comprises a display unit, wherein the display unit is electrically connected to the control unit and displays the display data stored and calculated by the control unit. 5. The monitoring instrument according to 5. 9. A monitoring instrument according to claim 8, wherein the control unit further stores a target number of screws to be tightened, and then the checking process comprises the following steps:
Receiving the start signal after the display unit uses the target number as the display data to be displayed on the display unit;
Reducing the target number by 1 and displaying the reduced target number on the display unit when the operating time is shorter than the sum of the upper limit lock time and the buffer lock time;
Resuming the checking process. 8. The monitoring instrument of claim 7, wherein the screwdriver connection interface further receives a reverse signal from the electric screwdriver and the check process reduces the display data by one and the display. After displaying the reduced display data on the unit, the following steps:
Detecting whether the reverse signal is received;
If the reverse signal is received, increasing the display data by 1 and displaying the increased display data on the display unit and restoring the checking process;
And resuming the checking process immediately if the reverse signal is not received. 10. The monitoring instrument according to claim 9, wherein the screwdriver connection interface further receives the reverse signal, and the checking process reduces the display data by one and places the display unit on the display unit. After displaying the reduced display data, the following steps:
Detecting whether the reverse signal is received;
If the reverse signal is received, increasing the display data by 1 and displaying the increased display data on the display unit and restoring the checking process;
And resuming the checking process immediately if the reverse signal is not received.