US 12,275,540 B2
Positioning tool for apparatus manufacturing
Holger Tietje, Uplengen (DE); Mats Wachtendorf, Varel (DE); Hans-Joachim Neustadt, Hude (DE); and Orest Silchuk, Covington, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/658,172.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/175,517, filed on Apr. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0332435 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B64F 5/10 (2017.01)
CPC B64F 5/10 (2017.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A positioning tool comprising:
a lift mechanism having a plurality of stages configured to move linearly along a first axis between a retracted position and an engaged position;
a plurality of curved rails mounted on the plurality of stages, wherein the plurality of curved rails form a plurality of arc-segments around a second axis;
a carriage coupled to the plurality of curved rails and configured to be adjusted into a refined alignment with a panel, wherein the carriage is proximate to the panel while the plurality of stages are in the engaged position;
a plurality of clamps coupled to the carriage and configured to releasably couple a part to the carriage while the plurality of stages are in the engaged position, hold the part in the carriage while the plurality of stages are between the engaged position and the retracted position, and releasably couple the part to the carriage while the plurality of stages are in the retracted position;
a plurality of alignment actuators disposed between the plurality of curved rails and the carriage; and
a controller configured to provide manual control of the plurality of alignment actuators to adjust the refined alignment of the carriage to the panel.