1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to a bolt retrieval apparatus and a bolt retrieval system.
2. Description of Related Art
In a vehicle assembly line and the like, there are times when a worker must squat down or bend over far to retrieve a bolt in a low position when assembling a vehicle. Such a posture places a strain on the worker. Therefore, in order to reduce the strain on the worker, a bolt retrieval apparatus that retrieves a bolt in a low position when assembling a vehicle is needed.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-326180 (JP 2002-20 326180 A) describes a chuck apparatus that holds a workpiece by gripping the workpiece between a pair of elastically deformable chuck members that are arranged facing one another. With the chuck apparatus described in JP 2002-326180 A, each of the two chuck members is made to elastically curve and deform, and the work is held between the pair of chuck members using the elastic restoring force from the chuck members, which is generated by the deformation.
As described in the related art, in a vehicle assembly line and the like, a bolt retrieval apparatus that retrieves a bolt in a low position when assembling a vehicle is needed. When using the chuck apparatus described in JP 2002-326180 A as a bolt retrieval apparatus, for example, a bolt is gripped between the pair of elastically deformable chuck members that are arranged facing one another, and the bolt is held using friction force generated between the pair of chuck members and the bolt.
However, when a heavy member such as a bolt is gripped using the pair of chuck members, sufficient friction force may not be able to be produced between the pair of chuck members and the bolt, and as a result, the bolt that is held between the pair of chuck members may gradually slip out of position and fall.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds