Method and apparatus for positioning control

Claim 1

A method of positioning a first work piece in a prescribed alignment with a second work piece, said second work piece containing a plurality of positioning identification characteristic points, comprising the steps of: a. aligning a first detector defined relative to a first predetermined location on said first work piece with one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece; and b. rotating said first work piece relative to said second work piece about an axis passing through said first predetermined location on said first work piece and said one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece until another of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece is aligned with a second detector defined relative to a second predetermined location on said first work piece.

Claim 2

A method of positioning a first work piece in a prescribed alignment with a second work piece, said second work piece containing a plurality of positioning identification characteristic points, comprising the steps of: a. aligning a first detector defined relative to a first predetermined location on said first work piece with one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece; and b. rotating said first work piece relative to said second work piece about an axis passing through said first predetermined location on said first work piece and said one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece until another of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece is aligned with a second detector defined relative to a second predetermined location on said first work piece.

Claim 3

A method of positioning a first work piece in a prescribed alignment with a second work piece, said second work piece containing a plurality of positioning identification characteristic points, comprising the steps of: a. aligning a first detecting position defined relative to a first predetermined location on said first work piece with one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece; and b. rotating said first work piece relative to said second work piece about an axis passing through said first predetermined location on said first work piece and said one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece until another of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece is aligned with a second detecting position defined relative to a second predetermined location on said first work piece, wherein step (a) includes the steps of a1. coupling a first detector to said first work piece so that said first detector is aligned with said first predetermined location on said first work piece, and a2. displacing said first work piece over the surface of said second work piece an amount necessary to align said first detector with said one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece.

Claim 4

A method of positioning a first work piece in a prescribed alignment with a second work piece, said second work piece containing a plurality of positioning identification characteristic points, comprising the steps of: a. aligning a first detecting position defined relative to a first predetermined location on said first work piece with one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece; and b. rotating said first work piece relative to said second work piece about an axis passing through said first predetermined location on said first work piece and said one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece until another of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece is aligned with a second detecting position defined relative to a second predetermined location on said first work piece, wherein step (a) includes the steps of a1. coupling a first detector to said first work piece so that said first detector is aligned with said first predetermined location on said first work piece, and a2. displacing said first work piece over the surface of said second work piece an amount necessary to align said first detector with said one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece.

Claim 8

An apparatus for positioning control to position multi-spindle tools in registration with at least first and second detecting points on a work piece comprising: a detecting mechanism provided with first and second detectors corresponding to said first and second detecting points; a first drive mechanism for varying the relative position between said first detector and said first detecting point; and a second drive mechanism for rotating said detecting mechanism relative to said object about said first detecting position serving as a rotational center to thereby bring said second detector into registration with said detecting point after said first drive mechanism has brought said first detector into registration with said first detecting point.

Claim 9

An apparatus for positioning control to position multi-spindle tools in registration with at least first and second detecting points on a work piece comprising: a detecting mechanism provided with first and second detectors corresponding to said first and second detecting points; a first drive mechanism for varying the relative position between said first detector and said first detecting point; and a second drive mechanism for rotating said detecting mechanism relative to said object about said first detecting position serving as a rotational center to thereby bring said second detector into registration with said detecting point after said first drive mechanism has brought said first detector into registration with said first detecting point.

Claim 14

An apparatus for positioning control for multi-spindle tools, comprising: a detecting mechanism provided with a first detector and a second detector the distance therebetween being equal to the distance between a plurality of holes in a work piece; a positioning mechanism for driving said detecting mechanism in respective X, Y, Z and rotational directions relative to said work piece; a multi-spindle tool mechanism, holding thereon a plurality of screws which are to be inserted in holes in said work piece and having a plurality of axes spaced apart from each other according to spacings between said holes, said tools being driven in the X, Y, Z directions and in said rotational direction, coupled with said detecting mechanism, to which said tools are coupled; and a mechanism for holding said detecting mechanism midway between said multi-spindle tool and a work piece, and for rotating said detecting mechanism in a plane perpendicular to the axes of said tools but about an axis different from those of said tools.

Claim 15

An apparatus for positioning control for multi-spindle tools, comprising: a detecting mechanism provided with a first detector and a second detector the distance therebetween being equal to the distance between a plurality of holes in a work piece; a positioning mechanism for driving said detecting mechanism in respective X, Y, Z and rotational directions relative to said work piece; a multi-spindle tool mechanism, holding thereon a plurality of screws which are to be inserted in holes in said work piece and having a plurality of axes spaced apart from each other according to spacings between said holes, said tools being driven in the X, Y, Z directions and in said rotational direction, coupled with said detecting mechanism, to which said tools are coupled; and a mechanism for holding said detecting mechanism midway between said multi-spindle tool and a work piece, and for rotating said detecting mechanism in a plane perpendicular to the axes of said tools but about an axis different from those of said tools.

Claim 16

A method for controlling an apparatus for positioning control for multi-spindle tools, which apparatus includes: a detecting mechanism provided with a first detector and a second detector the distance therebetween being equal to the distance between a plurality of holes in a work piece; a positioning mechanism for driving said detecting mechanism in respective X, Y, Z and rotational directions relative to said work piece; a multi-spindle tool mechanism, holding thereon a plurality of screws which are to be inserted in holes in said work piece and having a plurality of axes spaced apart from each other according to spacings between said holes, said tools being driven in the X, Y, Z directions and in said rotational direction, coupled with said detecting mechanism, to which said tools are coupled; and a mechanism for holding said detecting mechanism midway between said multi-spindle tool and a work piece, and for rotating said detecting mechanism in a plane perpendicular to the axes of said tools but about an axis different from those of said tools: said method comprising the steps of: a. driving said detecting mechanism in the Z-direction so as to bring said first detector to a given position on the surface of said work piece; b. detecting the position of a hole in said work piece with said first detector maintained in contact with the surface of said work piece, thereby bringing the position of said first detector into registration with the position of one hole; c. rotating said detecting mechanism in its entirety about said first detector to bring said second detector into registration with another hole in said work piece; d. rotating said detecting mechanism about an axis different from those of the tools, for removing said detecting mechanism from the space in which said multi-spindle tools are located in opposing relation to said work piece; and e. driving said multi-spindle tools in the Z-direction so as to insert screws held on said tools into holes in said work piece.

Claim 17

A method for controlling an apparatus for positioning control for multi-spindle tools, which apparatus includes: a detecting mechanism provided with a first detector and a second detector the distance therebetween being equal to the distance between a plurality of holes in a work piece; a positioning mechanism for driving said detecting mechanism in respective X, Y, Z and rotational directions relative to said work piece; a multi-spindle tool mechanism, holding thereon a plurality of screws which are to be inserted in holes in said work piece and having a plurality of axes spaced apart from each other according to spacings between said holes, said tools being driven in the X, Y, Z directions and in said rotational direction, coupled with said detecting mechanism, to which said tools are coupled; and a mechanism for holding said detecting mechanism midway between said multi-spindle tool and a work piece, and for rotating said detecting mechanism in a plane perpendicular to the axes of said tools but about an axis different from those of said tools: said method comprising the steps of: a. driving said detecting mechanism in the Z-direction so as to bring said first detector to a given position on the surface of said work piece; b. detecting the position of a hole in said work piece with said first detector maintained in contact with the surface of said work piece, thereby bringing the position of said first detector into registration with the position of one hole; c. rotating said detecting mechanism in its entirety about said first detector to bring said second detector into registration with another hole in said work piece; d. rotating said detecting mechanism about an axis different from those of the tools, for removing said detecting mechanism from the space in which said multi-spindle tools are located in opposing relation to said work piece; and e. driving said multi-spindle tools in the Z-direction so as to insert screws held on said tools into holes in said work piece.

Claim 18

A method for controlling an apparatus for positioning control for multi-spindle tools, which apparatus includes: a detecting mechanism provided with first and second detectors corresponding to said first and second detecting points; a first drive mechanism for varying the relative position between said first detector and said first detecting point; and a second drive mechanism for rotating said detecting mechanism relative to said object about said first detecting position serving as a rotational center to thereby bring said second detector in register with said detecting point after said first drive mechanism has brought said first detector into registration with said first detecting point; wherein each of said detectors includes detecting elements consisting of luminous elements and light detecting elements for detecting the light emitted from said luminous elements and reflected by said work piece; and wherein said first detector has a plurality of detecting elements arranged so as to surround a non-sensitive area having a size approximating that of a hole in said work piece corresponding to a detecting point thereon, said plurality of detecting elements being electrically insulated from each other; said method comprising the steps of: a. rotating said detecting mechanism until an output is obtained from at least one detecting element of said first detector; b. bringing a first hole to be positioned into registration with the position of said non-sensitive area surrounded with a plurality of detecting elements of said first detector; and c. rotating said detecting mechanism, with said nonsensitive area in said first detector being maintained in registration with the position of said first hole, thereby bringing said second detector into registration with a second hole.

Claim 19

A method for controlling an apparatus for positioning control for multi-spindle tools, which apparatus includes: a detecting mechanism provided with first and second detectors corresponding to said first and second detecting points; a first drive mechanism for varying the relative position between said first detector and said first detecting point; and a second drive mechanism for rotating said detecting mechanism relative to said object about said first detecting position serving as a rotational center to thereby bring said second detector in register with said detecting point after said first drive mechanism has brought said first detector into registration with said first detecting point; wherein each of said detectors includes detecting elements consisting of luminous elements and light detecting elements for detecting the light emitted from said luminous elements and reflected by said work piece; and wherein said first detector has a plurality of detecting elements arranged so as to surround a non-sensitive area having a size approximating that of a hole in said work piece corresponding to a detecting point thereon, said plurality of detecting elements being electrically insulated from each other; said method comprising the steps of: a. rotating said detecting mechanism until an output is obtained from at least one detecting element of said first detector; b. bringing a first hole to be positioned into registration with the position of said non-sensitive area surrounded with a plurality of detecting elements of said first detector; and c. rotating said detecting mechanism, with said nonsensitive area in said first detector being maintained in registration with the position of said first hole, thereby bringing said second detector into registration with a second hole.

Claim 21

A method of positioning a first work piece in a prescribed alignment with a second work piece, said second work piece containing a plurality of positioning identification characteristic points, comprising the steps of: a. aligning a first detector defined relative to a first predetermined location on said first work piece with one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece; b. aligning a second detector defined relative to a second predetermined location on said first work piece with another of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece; and c. positioning said first work piece relative to said second work piece in response to the alignment of said first and second detectors such that said first and second predetermined locations on said first work piece correspond to said one of said positioning identification characteristic points and said another of said positioning identification characteristic points respectively.

Claim 22

A method of positioning a first work piece in a prescribed alignment with a second work piece, said second work piece containing a plurality of positioning identification characteristic points, comprising the steps of: a. aligning a first detector defined relative to a first predetermined location on said first work piece with one of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece; b. aligning a second detector defined relative to a second predetermined location on said first work piece with another of said positioning identification characteristic points on said second work piece; and c. positioning said first work piece relative to said second work piece in response to the alignment of said first and second detectors such that said first and second predetermined locations on said first work piece correspond to said one of said positioning identification characteristic points and said another of said positioning identification characteristic points respectively.