Angle screw feeding module
An angle screw feeding device comprises a screw feeding unit, a screw transporting unit, and a screw driving unit. The device is able to be used with small screws. Further, the device is able to perform an automatic screwing action at any selected angles.
1. A screw feeding device comprising:
a) a screw feeder;
b) an electrical screw driver coupled to the screw feeder, wherein the electrical screw driver has a screw driver screwing axis, and an alignment of the electrical screw driver relative to a horizontal plane defines a screw driver screwing angle as an angle between the screw driver screwing axis and the horizontal plane; and
c) a supporting plate that rotates about a central supporting plate axis, wherein the electrical screw driver is coupled to the supporting plate at a predetermined radial distance distal from the central supporting plate axis, and the electrical screw driver moves along a circular path as the supporting plate rotates about the central supporting plate axis, each position along the circular path corresponds to a different screw driver screwing angle.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical screw driver is configured to pick up a screw at any screw driver screwing angle along the circular path.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical screw driver is configured to move in the circular path between 1 and 180 degrees of the screw driver screwing angle.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical screw driver is configured to move in a complete circle.
5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a screw transporter configured to move a screw from the screw feeder to an angle screw feeder.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the screw transporter comprises a pneumatic cylinder and a vacuum pick up nozzle.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the screw feeding device comprises a vacuum indicator configured to indicate a screw picking up event.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the central supporting plate axis is horizontal.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the circular path is within a non-horizontal plane.
10. A method of automating a screwing process comprising:
a) providing a screw from a screw feeder;
b) transporting the screw from the screw feeder to a screw driver, wherein the screw driver has a screw driver screwing axis, and an alignment of the screw driver relative to a horizontal plane defines a screw driver screwing angle as an angle between the screw driver screwing axis and the horizontal plane;
c) moving a body of the screw driver to a predetermined screw driver screwing angle, wherein the screw driver is coupled to a supporting plate at a predetermined radial distance distal from a central supporting plate axis about which the supporting plate rotates, and the body of the screw driver moves along a circular path as the supporting plate rotates about the central supporting plate axis, each position along the circular path corresponds to a different screw driver screwing angle; and
d) performing a screwing action at the predetermined screw driver screwing angle using the screw driver.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the moving comprises rotating.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising picking up the screw from the screw feeder using a first vacuum nozzle.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first vacuum nozzle couples with a first pneumatic cylinder.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first pneumatic cylinder moves in a vertical direction.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising transporting the screw from the screw feeder to a screw blower.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising horizontally transporting the screw using a second pneumatic cylinder.
17. A screw feeding device comprising:
a) a screw feeder;
b) a first vacuum nozzle coupled to a first pneumatic cylinder, wherein the first vacuum nozzle picks up a screw from the screw feeder by generating a negative pressure and the first pneumatic cylinder moves the screw in a picking up action;
c) a second pneumatic cylinder to transport the screw to be picked up by a second vacuum nozzle;
d) an angle screw feeder to transport the screw from the second vacuum nozzle to an electrical screw driver, wherein the electrical screw driver has a screw driver screwing axis, and an alignment of the electrical screw driver relative to a horizontal plane defines a screw driver screwing angle as an angle between the screw driver screwing axis and the horizontal plane; and
e) a supporting plate that rotates about a central supporting plate axis, wherein the electrical screw driver is coupled to the supporting plate at a predetermined radial distance distal from the central supporting plate axis, and the electrical screw driver moves along a circular path as the supporting plate rotates about the central supporting plate axis, each position along the circular path corresponding to a different screw driver screwing angle.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the screw feeder comprises a rotating disk.
19. The device of claim 17 , wherein the electrical screw driver is capable of picking up the screw by using a negative pressure.