Method of operating fastening apparatus and fastening apparatus

Abstract

A method of operating a fastening apparatus includes: a fastening apparatus preparing step of preparing a fastening apparatus including n fastening tools; a first workpiece disposing step of disposing a first workpiece having m fastening holes at one side of the fastening apparatus; a first fastening tool disposing step of disposing each of the n fastening tools above any one of the m fastening holes; and a first storage step of storing, in a control unit, positions of the n fastening tools in the first fastening tool disposing step, in which m is larger than n, and a plurality of first fastening tool disposing steps and a plurality of first storage steps are alternately performed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a fastening apparatus, the method comprising:
 a fastening apparatus preparing step of preparing a fastening apparatus comprising n fastening tools;   a first workpiece disposing step of disposing a first workpiece having m fastening holes at one side of the fastening apparatus;   a first fastening tool disposing step of disposing each fastening tool of the n fastening tools above any one of the m fastening holes; and   a first storage step of storing, by a control unit, positions of the n fastening tools in the first fastening tool disposing step,   wherein m is larger than n, and   wherein a plurality of the first fastening tool disposing steps and a plurality of the first storage steps are alternately performed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the first fastening tool disposing steps and the plurality of the first storage steps are performed [m/n]+1 times, where, [m/n] is a maximum integer that does not exceed m/n. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the first fastening tool disposing step, the fastening apparatus is primarily moved in a vertical direction, and then the n fastening tools of the fastening apparatus are moved in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein in the first fastening tool disposing step, the n fastening tools are simultaneously moved primarily in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein in the first fastening tool disposing step, the n fastening tools are sequentially moved in the horizontal direction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a movement of then fastening tools of the fastening apparatus in a circumferential direction and a movement of the n fastening tools of the fastening apparatus in a radial direction are performed independently, and
 wherein in the first fastening tool disposing step, the n fastening tools are moved in the circumferential direction and then moved in the radial direction.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the movement of the n fastening tools in the circumferential direction and the movement of the n fastening tools in the radial direction are performed independently, and
 wherein in the first fastening tool disposing step, the n fastening tools are moved in the radial direction and then moved in the circumferential direction.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after the first storage step, a second workpiece disposing step of disposing a second workpiece comprising p fastening holes at one side of the fastening apparatus;   a second fastening tool disposing step of disposing each fastening tool of then fastening tools above any one of the p fastening holes; and   a second storage step of storing, by the control unit, positions of the n fastening tools in the second fastening tool disposing step.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein when the first workpiece and the second workpiece are workpieces identical in type to each other, information stored in the control unit in the first storage step is removed from the control unit after the second storage step. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein when the first workpiece and the second workpiece are workpieces different in type from each other, information stored in the control unit in the first storage step and information stored in the control unit in the second storage step coexist in the control unit after the second storage step. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein in the first fastening tool disposing step, the n fastening tools are moved in the horizontal direction, and then the fastening apparatus is moved secondarily in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein in the first fastening tool disposing step, the n fastening tools are moved in the horizontal direction, and then the fastening apparatus is moved secondarily in a vertically downward direction. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 after the first storage step, a fastening performing step of performing a fastening operation on the m fastening holes of the first workpiece by loading the positions of the n fastening tools stored in the control unit in the first storage step, using the n fastening tools, and using a fastener.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein in the fastening performing step, when each fastening tool of the n fastening tools performs the fastening operation on any one of the m fastening holes of the first workpiece and then moves to another fastening hole of the m fastening holes, a time period for which one fastening tool of the n fastening tools moves is equal to a time period for which another fastening tool of the n fastening tools moves. 
     
     
         15 . A fastening apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of fastening tools;   a first movement mechanism configured to rotate the plurality of fastening tools in a circumferential direction;   a second movement mechanism configured to rectilinearly move the plurality of fastening tools in a radial direction; and   a third movement mechanism configured to rectilinearly move the plurality of fastening tools in a vertical direction,   wherein the first movement mechanism comprises a closed-curve guide unit having a closed-curve shape and configured to define a route along which the plurality of fastening tools rotate in the circumferential direction.   
     
     
         16 . The fastening apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second movement mechanism comprises:
 at least one screw unit extending in the radial direction, having a screw structure, and configured to rotate such that the plurality of fastening tools rectilinearly moves in the radial direction;   at least one horizontal movement unit provided to engage with the at least one screw unit and coupled to a first side of fastening tools of the plurality of fastening tools; and   at least one horizontal guide unit coupled to the at least one horizontal movement unit and configured to define a route along which the fastening tools rectilinearly move in the radial direction.   
     
     
         17 . The fastening apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the at least one horizontal movement unit includes a plurality of horizontal movement units, and the at least one horizontal guide unit includes a plurality of horizontal guide units,   one end portion of a first horizontal guide unit of the plurality of horizontal guide units and one end portion of a second horizontal guide unit of the plurality of horizontal guide units meet together, and   a stepped portion is formed in a region in which the one end portion of the first horizontal guide unit meets the one end portion of the second horizontal guide unit.