Drilling device with immobilising means that can be actuated by a drive motor of the drill spindle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drilling device intended to be rigidly attached to a drilling jig of a structure to be drilled, the device comprising at least: • a body; • a drill spindle (13) having a longitudinal axis, wherein the drill spindle is capable of moving a cutting tool, and wherein the spindle is rotatably and translatably movable along the axis between a retracted position and a deployed position; • motor means comprising: - a feed motor (12) capable of translating the spindle; and - a rotation motor (11) capable of rotating the spindle; • immobilising means (18, 19) for immobilising the body with respect to the jig, wherein the immobilising means comprise at least one first immobilising element that is movable between: - an unlocked position, in which the body can be moved relative to the jig; and - a locked position, in which the body is immobilised with respect to the jig; • actuating means (20, 21, 24, 22, 14) for actuating the first immobilising element, wherein the actuating means are able to act on the first immobilising element in order to place it in either of its locked or unlocked positions; and wherein the actuating means comprise the feed motor or the rotation motor.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Title: Drilling device with immobilization means actuated by a drilling spindle drive motor

[0003] 1. Field of the invention

[0004] The field of the invention is that of drilling devices, also called drills, used to work on making holes in structures to be worked on.

[0005] More specifically, the invention relates to the reversible connection of such drills to drilling grids.

[0006] 2. Prior art

[0007] Drills are commonly used in various sectors of activity to work on drilling in structures to be worked, such as for example in aircraft structures in the aeronautics field.

[0008] In this sector in particular, drilling grids are usually used to make holes in specific locations of a structure. The drilling grids, called "jigs" in English, are secured near a structure to be worked and are crossed by a plurality of bores which are made at specific locations where holes must be made. The drills include reversible fastening means to the drilling grids which allow the drills to be secured successively to different bores of the drilling grids to make holes there. The drilling grids thus constitute drilling templates.

[0009] These reversible securing means can therefore take a locked state in which they immobilize the drill relative to the grid to allow drilling to be carried out, and an unlocked state in which they allow the drill to be moved from one bore to another in the grid. These means can be of different types, two common examples of which are presented below; i.e. the expanding collar and the quarter-turn system.

[0010] A first commonly implemented example is that of expanding collars, also called "concentric collet" in English. These expanding collars comprise an expanding cylindrical ring located at the front of the drill. An expansion cone fixed to the body of the drill is housed inside the ring, the ring and the cone being movable in translation relative to each other along the axis of the cone to allow the diameter of the ring to be increased (locked state), so that it comes to bear on the inner surface of the bore with sufficient radial pressure to ensure that the drill is held on the grid due to the coefficient of friction between the material of the ring and that of the grid, and to reduce (unlocked state) the diameter of the ring so that a radial clearance is present between the ring and the inner surface of the bore so that the drill can be removed from the bore.

[0011] A second commonly implemented example is a system called a quarter turn. This system is used with a grid comprising bores, each bore having a locking screw in its vicinity. This means of securing comprises an element which fits into the bore of the grid, this element is linked to the body of the drill in such a way as to ensure the coaxiality of the drill with respect to the bore.

[0012] In addition, this element, called the head in the remainder of the description, has a protrusion which, by a rotation of the order of a quarter turn, is housed under the head of the locking screw to immobilize the element against the grid. This element is linked to the body of the drill by a ball bearing which allows adjustment of the orientation of the body of the drill relative to the grid. The rotational immobilization of the body of the drill with respect to the element is obtained thanks to the engagement of two half-dogs, one carried by the head and the other carried by the body of the drill. The engagement of the two dogs takes place when the position of the drill has been adjusted by the operator. The position is chosen by the operator so as to give him good drilling ergonomics, and so as to position the center of gravity of the drill in such a way that gravity maintains the protrusion under the head of the locking screw.

[0013] Motorized actuation means are implemented to switch the securing means, i.e. the expanding collar or the half dogs, from one to the other of their locked and unlocked states.

[0014] According to a first approach, in particular when the drill comprises at least one pneumatic motor for driving the drilling spindle carrying the cutting tool in movement, these actuating means comprise a pneumatic actuator.

[0015] According to a second approach, in particular when the drill comprises at least one electric motor for driving the drilling spindle carrying the cutting tool in movement, these actuating means comprise an electric actuator.

[0016] Whether the actuator is pneumatic or electric, it is exclusively dedicated to actuating the securing means. Thus, the pneumatic or electric motor(s) used to drive the spindle are not used to actuate the securing means. In other words, this actuator is in addition to the pneumatic or electric motor(s) used to move the drill spindle.

[0017] This tends to affect the drill's lightness and compactness, and therefore its maneuverability and comfort of use.

[0018] There is therefore a need to improve the ergonomics of drills equipped with means of attachment to a drilling grid.

[0019] 3. Objectives of the invention

[0020] The invention aims in particular to provide an effective solution to at least some of these different problems.

[0021] In particular, according to at least one embodiment, an objective of the invention is to provide a drill with means of attachment to a drilling grid providing good comfort of use.

[0022] In particular, the invention aims, according to at least one embodiment, to provide such a drill which is easy to handle.

[0023] Another objective of the invention is, according to at least one embodiment, to provide such a drill which is lightweight.

[0024] Another objective of the invention is, according to at least one embodiment, to provide such a drill which is space-saving.

[0025] Another objective of the invention is, according to at least one embodiment, to provide such a drill which is reliable and / or robust and / or inexpensive.

[0026] 4. Presentation of the invention

[0027] For this, the invention proposes a drilling device intended to be secured to a drilling grid of a structure to be drilled, said device comprising at least:

[0028] - a body;

[0029] - a drilling spindle, with a longitudinal axis X, capable of driving a cutting tool in movement, said spindle being movable, along said axis X, in rotation and in translation between a retracted position and a deployed position;

[0030] - motor means comprising: a feed motor capable of driving said spindle in translation, and a rotation motor capable of driving said spindle in rotation;

[0031] - means for immobilizing said body relative to said grid comprising at least one first immobilizing element movable between: an unlocked position in which said body can be moved relative to said grid, and a locked position in which said body is immobilized relative to said grid; means for actuating said first immobilizing element capable of acting on said first immobilizing element to place it in one or other of its locked and unlocked positions.

[0032] According to the invention, said actuating means comprise said advance motor and / or said rotation motor, said device comprising means for transforming a rotation of the rotor of said advance motor or said rotation motor into a movement of said first immobilizing element from one or other of its locked and unlocked positions.

[0033] Thus, according to this aspect, the invention consists of using at least part of the motor means used to drive the drilling spindle in movement to actuate the means for immobilizing the body of the drill rather than using, as in the prior art, actuating means exclusively dedicated to this function.

[0034] In doing so, the invention makes it possible to provide a compact, lightweight and therefore easy-to-handle and ergonomic drill.

[0035] According to a possible characteristic, said actuating means are capable of acting on said first immobilizing element to place it in its locked position, under the effect of said advance motor or said rotation motor, between said retracted position and an intermediate position of said spindle, said intermediate position being located between said retracted position and said deployed position.

[0036] The first immobilizing element can thus be in its locked position when the pin is in the deployed position or in the intermediate position or in a position between these two positions.

[0037] This ensures that the immobilizing element is in its locked position at the latest when the pin is in an intermediate position between the retracted and extended position.

[0038] According to a possible characteristic, said actuating means comprise deactivatable connecting means of the rotor of said advance motor or of the rotor of said rotation motor to said first immobilizing element, said deactivatable connecting means being able to take:

[0039] - an actuating state, capable of being taken between said retracted position and said intermediate position, in which said first immobilizing element is linked to said rotor of said advance or rotation motor;

[0040] - a neutral state, taken between said intermediate position and said deployed position, in which said first immobilizing element is not linked to said rotor of said advance or rotation motor.

[0041] In this way, the feed or rotation motors are decoupled from the immobilizing element so that between the intermediate and deployed positions, the motors no longer act on the immobilizing element. Thus, the motors are used to actuate the immobilizing element over a portion of the spindle stroke, separate from the portion of stroke dedicated to drilling. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the motors which are not simultaneously used to lock the immobilizing means and move the spindle to perform drilling.

[0042] According to a possible feature, said actuating means are configured to maintain said first locking element in said locked position when said pin is located between said intermediate position and said deployed position.

[0043] Thus, the immobilizing element remains in the locked position when the pin moves between its intermediate and extended positions.

[0044] According to a possible characteristic, said pin can take a cutting tool contact position, located between said intermediate position and said deployed position, in which:

[0045] - said first immobilizing element is in said locked position in which said body is immobilized relative to said grid, and

[0046] - said cutting tool secured to said spindle comes into contact with said structure to be drilled.

[0047] Thus, the locking of the immobilization means is obtained before the cutting tool secured to the spindle comes into contact with the attack surface of the structure to be drilled.

[0048] The motors are thus used to lock the immobilization means at the latest until the cutting tool comes into contact with the part to be drilled. Thus, the motors are not required to carry out locking and drilling simultaneously, which allows their dimensions to be reduced.

[0049] According to a possible characteristic, said spindle can take a drilling phase start position located between said retracted position and said deployed position, said drilling phase start position delimiting two portions of travel of said spindle:

[0050] - a first portion of travel going from said retracted position to said drilling phase start position, said intermediate position being in said first portion;

[0051] - a second portion of travel going from said drilling phase start position to said deployed position and defining a useful drilling travel comprising: an approach travel in the air of said cutting tool with respect to said structure to be drilled; a drilling travel of said tool in said structure; an exit travel in the air of said cutting tool with respect to said structure.

[0052] Thus the motors are used to lock the immobilization means before the spindle begins to drive the cutting tool to move it into the approach air located before the attack surface of the structure to be drilled. This preserves a safety stroke to ensure that the motors are not required to simultaneously perform locking and drilling, which allows their size to be reduced.

[0053] According to a possible characteristic, a device according to the invention comprises a carriage for driving said spindle in translation, said carriage being movable along said X axis between:

[0054] - a retracted position in which said pin is in its retracted position,

[0055] - an intermediate position in which said pin is in its intermediate position,

[0056] - a drilling phase start position corresponding to said drilling phase start position of said spindle,

[0057] - a cutting tool contact position position corresponding to said cutting tool contact position of said spindle,

[0058] - a deployed position in which said spindle is in its deployed position. In this case, the invention covers a drill of the type provided with a carriage for driving the spindle in translation.

[0059] According to a possible characteristic, said actuating means comprise means for applying a locking force to said first immobilizing element, said application means comprising elastic return means configured to apply said locking force to said first immobilizing element at least between said intermediate position and said deployed position of said pin.

[0060] In some cases, it is necessary to apply an additional force to the immobilizing element in the locked position so that it is put into a locked state. This is particularly the case of the expanding collar which requires applying a force to the cone or the expanding ring to induce sufficient radial pressure between the ring and the bore of the grid to ensure that the drill is held on the grid due to the coefficient of friction between the material of the ring and that of the grid. The elastic return means mentioned above may in particular have this function.

[0061] The feed motor can be used to ensure the locking of the immobilizing means.

[0062] In this case, the device may comprise means for transforming a rotation of the rotor of the feed motor into a movement of the immobilizing element from one to the other of its locked and unlocked positions, the first immobilizing element being:

[0063] - connected to the rotor of the feed motor by said connecting means which can be deactivated in said actuation state,

[0064] - not connected to the rotor of the feed motor by said connecting means which can be deactivated in said neutral state.

[0065] In this case, according to a possible characteristic, said actuating means comprise said carriage linked to the rotor of said feed motor, said carriage being:

[0066] - linked to said first immobilizing element by said connecting means which can be deactivated in said actuation state,

[0067] - not linked to said first immobilization element by said connecting means which can be deactivated in said neutral state

[0068] The trolley is then used to move the immobilizing element.

[0069] According to a possible variant, said actuating means comprise means for transforming a translational movement of said carriage between the retracted position and the intermediate position into a movement of said first immobilizing element between said unlocked position and said locked position, and vice versa.

[0070] According to a possible variant, said deactivatable connecting means comprise a unidirectional connection which, under the action of the relaxation of said elastic return means, is in said actuated state between said retracted position and said intermediate position, said carriage driving said first immobilizing element in translation.

[0071] According to a possible variant, said elastic return means have, when said carriage is located between said intermediate position and said deployed position, a compression level inducing the application to said first immobilizing element of said locking force.

[0072] According to a possible variant, said actuating means comprise a cam movable in rotation relative to said body of said drilling device, said deactivatable connecting means comprising:

[0073] - means for transforming a movement of said carriage between said retracted position and said intermediate position, and vice versa, into a rotation of said cam, and

[0074] - means for interrupting said transformation beyond said intermediate position, said cam having a surface configured in such a way that a rotation of said cam, induced by a movement of said carriage from said retracted position to said intermediate position, induces a movement of said first immobilizing element from said unlocked position to said locked position, and vice versa.

[0075] According to a possible variant, said elastic return means are interposed between said first immobilizing element and a plate bearing against said surface of said cam, said surface of said cam being configured in such a way that a rotation of said cam, induced by a movement of said carriage from said retracted position to said intermediate position, induces a compression of said elastic return means, and conversely, said elastic return means having, when said carriage occupies said intermediate position, a state of compression inducing the application to said first immobilizing element of said locking force,the shape of said cam at the point of contact with said plate combined with said compression state of the elastic return means make the rotation of said cam irreversible when said carriage is in said intermediate position and said deactivatable connecting means is in said neutral state.,

[0076] The rotation motor can be used to ensure the locking of the immobilization means.

[0077] In this case, according to a possible characteristic, said actuating means comprise said means for transforming a rotational movement of the rotor of said rotation motor into a movement of said first immobilizing element from one to the other of its locked and unlocked positions.

[0078] According to a possible characteristic, said deactivatable connecting means comprise a clutch, said clutch being able to take:

[0079] - an engaged state, taken when said deactivatable connecting means are in said actuated state, in which the rotor of said rotation motor and said first immobilizing element are linked in movement, and

[0080] - a disengaged state, taken when said deactivatable connection means are in said neutral state, in which the rotor of said rotation motor and said first immobilizing element are not linked in movement.

[0081] According to a possible characteristic, a device according to the invention comprises means for controlling said clutch capable of placing said clutch in its engaged and disengaged states, said control means comprising said advance motor.

[0082] According to a possible characteristic, a device according to the invention comprises elastic return means tending to maintain said clutch in said disengaged state, said advance motor being linked to said elastic return means by a unidirectional connection configured in such a way that:

[0083] - said advance motor is capable of causing a movement of said clutch from its disengaged state to its engaged state against the action of said elastic return means, and

[0084] - said elastic return means being capable of causing a movement of said clutch from said engaged state to said disengaged state

[0085] According to a possible characteristic, said means for controlling said clutch comprise said carriage, said carriage being capable of placing said clutch: - in said engaged state, when said carriage is located between said retracted position and said intermediate position, and

[0086] - in said disengaged state, when the carriage is between said intermediate position and said deployed position.

[0087] According to a possible characteristic, said immobilization means comprise an expandable collar, said expandable collar comprising an expansion cone and an expandable ring, said cone or said ring constituting said first immobilization element, said cone and said ring being movable in translation relative to each other along said axis X between:

[0088] - a minimum expansion position in which the outer diameter of said ring is minimal;

[0089] - a maximum expansion position in which the outside diameter of said ring is maximum, said cone and said ring being in said maximum expansion position when said spindle is in said drilling phase start position and said ring is outside a bore.

[0090] The bore diameters of the grid can vary between a known minimum and maximum diameter, by sizing the maximum expansion diameter of the expanding ring so that it is greater than the maximum bore diameter while the spindle is in the position at the start of the drilling phase, it is thus guaranteed that the expanding collar will be locked on any bore of the grid. Considering the maximum expansion of the ring while it is outside a bore, we consider that the expansion of the ring is only limited by a stop internal to the drill, in the present design: a stop between the expanding ring and the expansion cone limiting the movement of the ring relative to the cone along the X axis.

[0091] According to a possible feature, said cone and said ring are in said minimum expansion position when said pin is in said retracted position.

[0092] According to a possible characteristic, said drilling grid is crossed by at least one positioning bore in which said expanding collar is intended to be housed, said intermediate position being located in a range corresponding to the tolerance interval of the diameter of said bore.

[0093] An expanding collar is designed to allow locking in a bore whose diameter is within a tolerance range. Given this tolerance range, the intermediate position is itself not fixed when locking the expanding collar depending on the diameter of the bore in which it is located. Thus, the intermediate position can vary within a range that depends on the tolerance range of the grid bore.

[0094] According to a possible characteristic, said immobilization means comprise:

[0095] - a first half-dog fixed in translation and movable in rotation along said axis X relative to said body;

[0096] - a second half-dog, constituting said first immobilizing element, fixed in rotation along said X relative to said body and movable in translation along said X relative to said first half-dog between: an unlocked position in which said first half-dog and said second half-dog are free to rotate along said X axis, and a locked position in which said first half-dog and said second half-dog are linked in rotation along said X axis, said actuating means being configured to move said second half-dog from one to the other of its locked and unlocked positions.

[0097] 5. Description of figures

[0098] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of particular embodiments, given as a simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and the appended drawings among which:

[0099] [Fig 1] Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a drill according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0100] [Fig 2] Figure 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the drill of Figure 1;

[0101] [Fig 3] Figure 3 illustrates in perspective view the drill of Figure 1 without its casing; [Fig 4] Figure 4 (a) illustrates in partial longitudinal sectional view the drill of Figure 1 with the immobilization means in unlocked state and Figure 4 (b) illustrates in partial longitudinal sectional view the drill of Figure 1 with the immobilization means in locked state;

[0102] [Fig 5] Figure 5 (a) illustrates a side view of the drill of Figure 1 with the immobilizing means in the unlocked state and Figure 5 (b) illustrates a side view of the drill of Figure 1 with the immobilizing means in the locked state;

[0103] [Fig 6] Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of a drilling grid;

[0104] [Fig 7] Figure 7 illustrates a partial perspective view of a drill according to a variant of the first embodiment comprising a body and a head movable in rotation relative to each other;

[0105] [Fig 8] Figure 8 illustrates a partial perspective view of the assembly of the drill of Figure 7 to the grid of Figure 6;

[0106] [Fig 9] Figure 9 illustrates a partial longitudinal sectional view of the drill of Figure 7;

[0107] [Fig 10] [Fig 1 1] Figures 10 and 11 illustrate a partial perspective view and side view of a drill according to a cam-operated variation of the first embodiment;

[0108] [Fig 12] Figure 12 illustrates a perspective view of a drill according to a second embodiment of the invention, the casing of which has been partially removed;

[0109] [Fig 13] Figure 13 illustrates a partial perspective view of the drill of Figure 12 without a housing;

[0110] [Fig 14] Figure 14 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the drill of Figure 12;

[0111] [Fig 15] Figure 15 illustrates a partial view of Figure 14;

[0112] [Fig 16] Figure 16 illustrates a detail of the cooperation of a clutch slider with an actuating shaft of a drill according to the second embodiment;

[0113] [Fig 17] Figure 17 illustrates in particular the variability of the intermediate position within a tolerance range, the position at the start of the drilling phase, and the variability of the position of the end-of-travel stop in the context of the implementation of an expanding collar.

[0114] [Fig 18] Figure 18 illustrates the locked position in which the half-dogs are engaged, the position at the start of the drilling phase, as well as the variability of the position of the end-of-travel stop in the context of the implementation of a half-dog immobilization system.

[0115] 6. Description of particular embodiments

[0116] In a preferred embodiment, a drill according to the invention has a pistol grip type shape.

[0117] The drill is equipped with a feed motor and a rotation motor which allow to induce a combined movement of the drill spindle in rotation and translation along the same axis. These motors are preferably synchronous electric motors with permanent magnets, their consumed intensity is representative of the torque they provide. They are equipped with an angle sensor providing a signal representative of the angular position of their rotor.

[0118] The drill includes two triggers.

[0119] The first trigger, called the locking trigger, is used to allow the locking of the immobilization means of the drill body relative to a drilling grid. In the rest state of this locking trigger, the immobilization means are in the locked state. Pressing and holding the locking trigger by the operator allows the unlocking of the immobilization means to be activated, which will be described later. Thus, the operator can insert the immobilization means into a bore of the drilling grid in the case of the expanding collar or orient the body of the screwdriver relative to the head in the case of the quarter-turn connection. Releasing the locking trigger causes it to return to the rest position and triggers the locking of the immobilization means of the drill on the drilling grid.

[0120] The second trigger, called the drilling trigger, is used to initiate drilling. A brief press by the operator on the second trigger causes drilling to be carried out by combined advance and rotation of the spindle under the action of a feed motor and a rotation motor. The spindle is equipped with an end-of-extension stop and an end-of-retraction stop.

[0121] The arrival of the spindle at the end of deployment stop signifying the end of drilling, causes the electrical intensity consumed by the feed motor to increase and a threshold level to be reached, detected by the control means of the drill. The latter then cause the direction of rotation of the feed motor to be reversed so as to cause the spindle to retract until it reaches the initial position at the start of the drilling phase of the spindle (this position will be defined in the remainder of the description). At this stage, drilling is finished and the power supply to the motor means is stopped.

[0122] The arrival of the spindle in the position at the start of the drilling phase can be detected using the angle sensor of the feed motor, which provides the control means with an angle value which can be translated into the linear position of the spindle, or of the drive carriage in translation of the spindle.

[0123] Holding down the locking trigger by the operator unlocks the immobilizing means. The operator can then remove the drill from the grid and release the locking trigger, which causes the immobilizing means to lock again, either in a new bore of the drilling grid or in a resting situation of the drill.

[0124] The structure and operation of the immobilization means will be described later.

[0125] The embodiments presented are not limiting.

[0126] 6.1. Drive by feed motor

[0127] 6.1.1. Expandable collar

[0128] I. Architecture

[0129] A present, in relation to figures 1 to 6, a first embodiment of a drill according to the invention, which is intended to be reversibly secured to a drilling grid 23.

[0130] As shown, such a drill 1 comprises a casing 10, also called a body, housing a rotation motor 11 and a feed motor 12.

[0131] The rotation motor 11 comprises a shaft 111 which is connected to a drilling spindle 13 mounted to move in translation and in rotation along the same axis inside the casing 10. A cutting tool, such as a drill 17, can be secured to the end of the spindle 13.

[0132] The spindle 13 comprises an internal bore 130 having a shape complementary to the external contour of the shaft 111 of the rotation motor in such a way that it is:

[0133] - linked in rotation to the shaft 11 1 along the longitudinal axis of the shaft 111 , and

[0134] - movable in translation relative to the shaft 111 along the longitudinal axis of the latter, when the shaft 111 is housed in the internal bore 130. It may for example be a splined assembly, by square or hexagonal fitting or with key or grooves.

[0135] A rotation of the shaft 111 of the rotation motor 11 in one direction or the other induces a rotation of the spindle along its axis in one direction or the other.

[0136] The spindle 13 is linked in translation along its longitudinal axis to a carriage 14. In addition, the spindle 13 is movable in rotation relative to the carriage 14 along its longitudinal axis.

[0137] The carriage 14 is mounted to move in translation inside the casing 10 along the axis of the spindle 13. The carriage 14 cooperates with a threaded rod 15, also called a feed screw, to which it is connected by means of a helical connection.

[0138] The threaded rod 15 is mounted to be able to rotate inside the casing, by means of two ball bearings, along an axis parallel to that of the spindle 13. The threaded rod 15 is furthermore linked in translation to the casing along an axis parallel to that of the spindle 13 by means of these two. It is connected in rotation, by means of a cascade of gears 16, to the shaft 120 of a feed motor 12 housed in the casing 10.

[0139] A rotation of the shaft 120 of the feed motor 12 in one direction or the other induces a translation of the spindle along its axis in one direction or the other.

[0140] The pin 13 is mounted to move in translation in the casing 10 between two extreme positions, i.e.: a retraction position (or retracted position) in the body in which the carriage 14 is in a retraction position (or retracted position), and a deployment position (or deployed position) in which the carriage is in a deployment position (or deployed position).

[0141] In the deployed position, the cutting tool capable of being secured to the end of the spindle is extended as far as possible from the body of the drill.

[0142] These extreme positions can, for example, be defined by stops in a conventional manner known to those skilled in the art.

[0143] The deployed position can be adjusted by the user using an adjustable stop in order to adjust the stroke of the spindle and therefore of the cutting tool according to the thickness of the structure to be drilled.

[0144] The total stroke of the spindle from its retracted position to its extended position includes a drilling phase start position. This drilling phase start position delimits two portions of the spindle stroke: a first stroke portion going from the retracted position to the drilling phase start position; a second stroke portion going from the drilling phase start position to the extended position and defining the useful drilling stroke including: an approach stroke in the air of the cutting tool with respect to the structure to be drilled; a drilling stroke of the tool in the structure to be drilled; an exit stroke in the air of the cutting tool with respect to the structure to be drilled (if the drilling carried out is through and not blind).

[0145] The spindle can also take an intermediate position, located between its retracted position and its position at the start of the drilling phase. In this intermediate position, the drill (cutting tool) placed at the end of the spindle 13 is not deployed outside the immobilization means so as not to come into contact with the structure to be drilled. The function of this intermediate position will be described in more detail later.

[0146] An axial position of the spindle corresponds to an axial position of the carriage, so the retracted, extended, intermediate or start of drilling phase positions of the spindle correspond to equivalent positions of the carriage.

[0147] The drill comprises means for immobilizing the casing 10 relative to a drilling grid 23. These immobilizing means can take: an unlocked state in which the casing can be moved relative to the drilling grid 23, and a locked state in which the casing is immobilized relative to the drilling grid 23.

[0148] In this embodiment, these immobilization means comprise an expandable collar, also called a “concentric collet” in English.

[0149] This expanding collar comprises an expansion cone 18 fixedly secured to the end of the casing 10. This expansion cone 18 is crossed by a hole 180 allowing the passage of the drill 17 and the spindle 13. This hole 180, like the cone 18, has an axis coincident with that of the spindle 13. The expansion cone 18 has a first end, oriented towards the outside of the casing 10, of smaller diameter than that of its second end oriented towards the inside of the casing 10.

[0150] The expanding collar also comprises an expanding ring 19. This expanding ring 19 is intended to be housed in bores 230 of a drilling grid 23 to immobilize the body 10 of the drill relative to the drilling grid 23. The expanding ring 19 is mounted on the expansion cone 18, and has softening slots on its surface. The expanding ring 19 is movable in translation relative to the cone 18, along its axis, between two extreme positions, namely: a minimum expansion position in which the diameter of the ring is minimal; a maximum expansion position in which the diameter of the ring is maximum.

[0151] The cone and ring are in the maximum expansion position when the spindle is in said drilling phase start position and the ring expansion is not limited by a bore.

[0152] The cone and ring are in the minimum expansion position when the spindle is in the retracted position.

[0153] The ring can also take an unlocked position which corresponds in this embodiment to the minimum expansion position.

[0154] The ring can still assume a locked position. The locked position can be assumed when the expanding cone is located in a bore of a drilling grid. The locked position thus depends on the diameter of the bore which is included in a tolerance interval. The locked position can therefore also be located within a range which depends on the tolerance interval of the bore.

[0155] The expanding ring may be referred to as the “first mobile immobilizing element” in the remainder of the description.

[0156] In the unlocked position, it is brought closer to the small diameter end of the cone 18 so that its outside diameter is reduced; thus, when the ring 19 is in its unlocked position, its outside diameter is less than the diameter of the bores 230 of a drilling grid and has sufficient clearance relative to the bore to allow separation of the drill from the grid. The expanding collar is then in the unlocked state.

[0157] The locked position of the ring is obtained when: the ring is inserted into a bore 230 of a drilling grid 23, then the ring is brought closer to the large diameter end of the cone 18, its external diameter being increased until it reaches the diameter of the bore 230, the radial clearance then being absorbed.

[0158] Its locked state is acquired when a force is applied to it along its axis. Due to the conical contact with the expansion cone, this axial locking force causes a radial pressure exerted by the ring on the surface of the bore. When the ring 19 is in its locked state, the ring is therefore blocked in the bore due to this radial pressure and the coefficient of friction between the material of the ring and that of the grid, and the body 10 of the drill is then immobilized relative to the drilling grid 23.

[0159] In the remainder of the description, when it is mentioned that the immobilization means move into a locked position when the spindle or the carriage reach an intermediate position, it should be understood that the movement of the spindle or the carriage has allowed the application of the force mentioned above to said ring. When the expanding ring 19 is: in its unlocked position, the immobilization means are in their unlocked state; in its locked position, the locking force being applied to it, the immobilization means are in their locked state.

[0160] When the spindle is in the start position of the drilling phase and the expanding ring is biased to assume a locked position while it is outside a bore of the drilling grid, the expanding ring is moved on the expansion cone until it assumes a maximum outside diameter greater than the maximum bore diameter tolerance.

[0161] The drill comprises means for actuating the expanding collar to enable the expanding ring 19 to be moved relative to the expansion cone 19 and thus placed in one of its unlocked or locked positions.

[0162] The actuating means comprise means for converting a movement of the pin 13 from its retracted position to its intermediate position, into a movement of the expanding ring 19 from its unlocked position and its locked position.

[0163] These conversion means are reversible and conversely allow a conversion of a movement of the pin 13 from its intermediate position to its retracted position, into a movement of the expanding ring 19 from its locked position to its unlocked position.

[0164] The actuating means comprise means for connecting the spindle 13, or more precisely the carriage 14, to the expanding ring over a stroke located between the retracted position and the intermediate position, the connecting means being configured in such a way that the expanding ring is:

[0165] - in its unlocked position when pin 13 is in the retracted position;

[0166] - in its locked position when pin 13 is between the intermediate position and the deployed position.

[0167] More specifically, the means of connection include at least:

[0168] - a connecting rod 20 connected to the casing 10 by means of a first pivot connection along a first axis A1 orthogonal to the axis of movement of the spindle 13, and - a rod 21 connected to the connecting rod 20 by means of a second pivot connection along a second axis A2 parallel to the first axis A1 and distant from it.

[0169] In the illustrated embodiment, two connecting rods 20 are implemented and placed on either side of the rod 21 to better balance the movements.

[0170] The rod 21 is movable in translation along an axis parallel to the axis of movement of the spindle 13 between:

[0171] - an unlocked position in which it acts on the connecting rod 20 to place the expanding ring in its unlocked position, and

[0172] - a locked position in which it acts on the connecting rod 20 to place the expanding ring in its locked position.

[0173] A compression spring 24 is slid onto the rod 21. It is interposed between a stop surface 210 of the rod 21 located at its end facing the front of the drill (i.e. end of the spindle carrying the drill bit) and a fixed stop 25 connected to the casing 10. As will be described in more detail later, this spring allows, when the expanding ring is in the locked position, to transmit a locking force to it to place it in its locked state.

[0174] The rod 21 is connected to the pin 13, or more precisely to the carriage 14, by a unidirectional connection, for example by means of a tab 22 which will be described in more detail later, in translation along the axis of movement of the pin 13 along the stroke located between the retracted position and the intermediate position.

[0175] Conversely, rod 21 is not connected to pin 13 between the intermediate position and the deployed position.

[0176] In addition, rod 21 is located:

[0177] - in the locked position when pin 13 is in the intermediate position, and

[0178] - in said unlocked position when pin 13 is in the retracted position.

[0179] Between the deployed position and the intermediate position, the rod 21 remains in the locked position.

[0180] The translational connection of the rod 21 with the pin 13 on the stroke located between the retracted position and the intermediate position is achieved by means of a flat support along a plane orthogonal to the axis of movement of the pin 13.

[0181] More precisely, the end of the rod 21 opposite that to which the connecting rods 20 are connected, comprises a tongue 22 which extends in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rod 21. This tongue 22 is capable of coming into plane support against a flat 140 formed in the feed carriage 14 along a plane perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 13. This flat 140 forms a stop which links in translation in a unidirectional manner, meaning that the carriage 14 can drive the rod 21 along an axis parallel to the axis of the spindle 13 in one direction going towards the retraction position of the spindle and not in the other direction.

[0182] The connecting rods 20 are connected to the expanding ring 19. For this, the expanding ring

[0183] 19 is extended by two connecting bars 190 which extend towards the connecting rods

[0184] 20 and which each comprise at its end a housing 191 delimited by two opposite and distant surfaces arranged in planes orthogonal to the axis of the pin 13. Each of these housings 191 houses one end 200 of one of the connecting rods 20 which extends beyond the axis A1 of the first pivot connection. The axis A2 of the second pivot connection is arranged at the other end of the connecting rods. Thus, when the connecting rods 20 pivot around the axis A1, the ends 200 slide and pivot inside the housings 191 to allow translational movement of the expanding ring 19 which is guided in translation in the casing 10. In this way, the expanding ring 19 is: in its unlocked position when the rod 21 is in its unlocked position; in its locked position when the rod 21 is in its locked position.

[0185] When the carriage is in the intermediate position, there is play between the tab 22 and the casing. The tab is therefore not likely to block the translation of the rod 21 towards its locked position, which guarantees that the expanding ring is in contact without radial play with the internal surface of the bore when the carriage 14 takes its intermediate position and that pressure can be established between the ring and the internal surface of the bore of the grid and thus ensure the immobilization of the drill.

[0186] The spring 24 is systematically compressed between the surface 210 and the stop 25. However, its level of compression is different depending on the position of the rod 21, or more generally of the pin 13 or even of the carriage 14.

[0187] In the unlocked position of the rod 21 (retracted position of the pin 13), the compression spring 24 occupies a state of maximum compression between the surface 210 and the stop 25.

[0188] In the locked position of the rod 21 (intermediate position of the pin 13), the compression spring 24 occupies an intermediate compression state between the surface 210 and the stop 25, lower than the maximum compression state.

[0189] During a movement of the spindle 13 between the retracted position and the intermediate position, the compression spring 25 passes from its maximum compression state to its intermediate compression state and relaxes. It relaxes and drives, via the rod 21, the connecting rods 20 and the connecting bars 190, the expanding ring 19 in translation. This relaxation is retained by the support of the tongue 22 on the carriage 14 (and therefore by the advance motor). The expanding ring 19 thus passes from its unlocked position to its locked position under the action of the advance of the carriage. In doing so, the expanding ring 19 expands until it comes into contact with the wall of the bore 230 of the grid 23. The expanding ring is then in its locked position, the rod and therefore the tongue can no longer be translated by the spring 25 during the advance of the carriage 14. The carriage can then continue to advance and loses the flat support contact with the tongue.Then, the compression force remaining in the compression spring at this stage of its relaxation, contributes to exerting the axial force on the expanding ring 19, so as to exert the radial force on the internal surface of the bore 230 of the grid, to place the expanding ring in its locked state and to ensure the immobilization of the casing of the drill relative to the drilling grid.

[0190] In a variant, the expanding ring could be fixed relative to the body of the drill and the expansion cone could be movable in translation relative to the ring to move the immobilization means from one state to the other. In this case, the expansion cone, and no longer the expanding ring, will be connected to the connecting rods 20 (it could be designated under the expression “first movable immobilization element”).

[0191] The drill can be powered by battery(ies) or by wire. ii. Operation

[0192] The operation of the immobilization means will now be described.

[0193] Before performing a drilling operation, the drill trigger and the locking trigger are released. The drill is at rest, the spindle is in the drilling start position and the expanding ring is in its maximum expansion position outside the entire bore of a drilling grid.

[0194] The operator takes the drill and presses the locking trigger so that the following actions take place: the drill control means control the power supply to the feed motor so that the drilling spindle 13 and the carriage 14 return to their retracted position; the rod 21 returns to its unlocked position in which it is held, against the effect of the compression spring 24, by the carriage 14 via the tab 22; the expanding ring 19 is held in its unlocked position in which its external diameter is reduced, under the effect of the connecting rods 20 in connection with the rod 21; the compression spring 24 is in its maximum compression state; the immobilizing means are in their unlocked state.

[0195] In order to immobilize the drill with respect to the drilling grid 23, before drilling, the expanding ring 19 of the drill is introduced into the bore 230 of the drilling grid 23 corresponding to the drilling that is to be carried out.

[0196] The operator then releases the locking trigger so that the control means control the feed motor 12 so as to drive the feed screw 15 in rotation via its shaft 120 and the cascade of pinions 16. The direction of rotation of the feed motor is chosen in such a way that the rotation of the feed screw 15 causes a translational movement of the carriage 14, and therefore of the spindle 13, towards its deployment position.

[0197] Taking into account the force exerted by the compression spring 24 on the tongue 22, the latter remains pressed against the flat 140 of the carriage 14 in such a way that the rod 21 moves towards its locking position, as do the connecting rods 20 and the expanding ring 19.

[0198] During the movement of the carriage 14, and therefore of the spindle 13, between the retracted position and its intermediate position, the compression spring 25 passes from its maximum compression state to its intermediate compression state and relaxes. It relaxes while being retained by the feed motor and drives in translation, via the rod 21 and the connecting rods 20 and the connecting bars 190, the expandable ring 19, against the retention of the rod 21 by the carriage 14 via the tab 22.

[0199] When the carriage 14, and therefore the spindle 13, arrive in the intermediate position, the compression spring 24 is in its intermediate compression state. The expanding ring 19 is in its locked position. It then has a diameter large enough to come into contact against the walls of the bore 230 of the drilling grid 23 in which it is housed. The expanding ring 19 can therefore no longer expand and therefore can no longer translate, nor can the rod 21. The application of the locking force on the expanding ring must then take place.

[0200] The carriage continues its movement from the intermediate position to the position at the start of the drilling phase. From then on, the contact between the tab 22 and the carriage 14 is then lost due to the unidirectional connection between the tab 22 and the carriage 14 since the expanding ring can no longer move being in contact with the bore. The compression force remaining in the compression spring 24 at this stage of its relaxation, immediately contributes to ensuring an axial locking force on the expanding ring 19 and therefore a radial pressure on the wall of the bore so as to cause the immobilization of the body of the drill relative to the drilling grid. The expanding collar is then in the locked state as soon as the carriage leaves the intermediate position.

[0201] To initiate the drilling operation, the operator briefly presses the drilling trigger. The drill control means drive the rotation motor 11 so that the spindle 13 is rotated and the feed motor so that the spindle advances at the correct speed.

[0202] The spindle is then driven by a combined movement, along its axis, of rotation and translation towards its deployment position so as to achieve the desired drilling.

[0203] When the drilling is completed, the direction of rotation of the feed motor 12 is reversed so that the feed screw 15 drives the carriage 14, and therefore the spindle 13, in translation towards the position at which the drilling phase begins. When the spindle is in the position at which the drilling phase begins, the control means cause the feed and rotation motors to automatically stop.

[0204] To extract the drill from the grid, the operator presses and holds the locking trigger, the control means control the feed motor to move the carriage and the spindle to their retracted position.

[0205] Until the carriage 14, and therefore the pin 13, arrive in their intermediate position, the flat 140 of the carriage 14 is moved away from the tongue 22 so that the tongue 22, the rod 21, the connecting rods 20 and the expanding ring 19 remain in their locked position. When the carriage 14, and therefore the pin 13, are in their intermediate position, the flat 140 of the carriage 14 is pressed against the tongue 22.

[0206] Thus, the translational movement of the carriage 14, and therefore of the pin 13, between their intermediate position and their retracted position, is accompanied by the movement of the tongue 22, of the rod 21, of the connecting rods 20 and of the expanding ring 19 into their unlocked position. This movement is also accompanied by the passage of the compression spring 24 from its intermediate compression state to its maximum compression state.

[0207] When the carriage 14, and therefore the spindle 13, are in their retracted position, the tongue 22, the rod 21, the connecting rods 20 and the expanding ring 19 are in their unlocked position. The immobilizing means, i.e. the expanding collar, are then in their unlocked state so that it is possible to dissociate the drill from the drilling grid 23 and extract the expanding ring 19 from the bore 230 in which it is housed.

[0208] The expanding ring 19 can then be introduced into another bore 230 of the grid 23 to produce a hole corresponding to the position of this bore by again implementing the method described above.

[0209] The operator can then release the locking trigger and thus cause the immobilizing means to be actuated and locked in the new bore.

[0210] 6.1.2. Quarter-turn connection involving a rotational lock of the drill body relative to the grid

[0211] I. Architecture

[0212] In a variant illustrated in figures 6 to 9, the drill comprises a body, also called casing 10, and a head 100, linked together by means of a pivot connection whose axis coincides with that of the spindle.

[0213] In this variant, the immobilization means do not include, as in the previous variant, an expanding collar.

[0214] The drill comprises a head to be inserted into a bore in the grid and secured therein by a quarter-turn system in this bore. This head is connected to the body of the drill by a pivot connection allowing an operator to choose an appropriate orientation of the body with respect to the grid.

[0215] This pivot connection can be locked to immobilize the body of the drill relative to the grid in the orientation chosen by the operator. The immobilization means comprising movable pivot connection locking means between:

[0216] - an unlocked position, taken when the immobilization means are in the unlocked state, in which the pivot connection is free so that the head 100 and the body 10 are movable in rotation along the axis of the pivot connection, and

[0217] - a locked position, taken when the immobilization means are in the locked state, in which the pivot connection is blocked so that the head 100 and the body 10 are immobile in rotation along the axis of the pivot connection.

[0218] These immobilization means include a dog clutch system comprising:

[0219] - a first grooved half-dog 30 secured to the head 100, and

[0220] - a second grooved half-dog 31 secured to the connecting bars 190 linked in movement with the connecting rods 20, like the expanding ring 19 of the previous variant and also called the first immobilizing element.

[0221] The second half-dog 31 is movable between:

[0222] - an unlocked position, taken when the pin 13 is located between its retracted position and its intermediate position, in which it does not cooperate with the first half-dog 30 in such a way that the pivot connection between the head 100 and the body 101 is not blocked so that the body 10 and the head 100 are movable in rotation relative to each other along the axis of the pivot connection;

[0223] - a locked position, taken when the pin 13 is located beyond its intermediate position (between the intermediate position and the deployed position), in which it cooperates with the first half-dog 30 in such a way that the pivot connection between the head 100 and the body 101 is blocked so that the body 10 and the head 100 are immobile in rotation relative to each other along the axis of the pivot connection.

[0224] The driving of the second half-dog 31 from one to the other of its locked and unlocked positions is similar to the driving of the expanding ring 19 of the previous variant, and is not described in more detail here.

[0225] In this variant, the drill comprises means for reversible attachment of the head 100 to the grid 23, called a quarter-turn connection.

[0226] These fixing means comprise here: a finger for holding in position 101 secured to the head 10, and having an inclined surface 102 and a front barrel 103 intended to be housed in the bores 230 of the drilling grid 23, and a shouldered screw 231 arranged near each bore 230 of the drilling grid 23, having a head 232 and a body 233 (these screws are not implemented in the context of the previous variant). ii. Operation

[0227] Before securing the drill to the grid, the drilling trigger and the locking trigger are released. The drill is at rest, the spindle is in the start-of-phase position.

[0228] The locking trigger not being activated, the immobilization means are in their locked state; i.e. the second half-dog 31 is in its locked position.

[0229] The head 100 and the body 10 are thus immobile in rotation relative to each other along the axis of the pivot connection.

[0230] The front barrel 103 of the head 100 is inserted into the bore 230 of the grid 23 corresponding to the drilling that it is desired to make.

[0231] The body 10 and the head 100 of the drill are rotated along the axis of the spindle 13 in such a way that the holding finger 101 passes under the head 232 of the screw 231, and that the inclined portion 102 of the holding finger 101 comes to bear against the body 233 of the screw 231 to keep the head 100 secured to the grid by a wedge effect.

[0232] This being done, the operator presses and holds the locking trigger. The control means then control the feed motor 12 so as to move the carriage 14, and therefore the spindle 13, to its retracted position in which the second half-claw 31 is in its unlocked position.

[0233] Thus, when the second half-clutch 31 is in its unlocked position, the body 10 is rotatable relative to the head 100 along the axis of the pivot connection so that it is possible for the operator handling the drill to give the body a desired working orientation relative to the head. This working orientation is taken by the operator in such a way that it allows: good working ergonomics for the operator to position the center of gravity of the drill so that gravity does not cause the head to become detached from the grid when the head and the body are stationary with respect to each other. This being done, the operator releases the locking trigger, the control means control the feed motor 12 to move the carriage 14 and therefore the spindle 13 into their intermediate position in which the immobilization means are in their locked state.The head 100 and the body 10 are thus immobile in rotation relative to each other along the axis of the pivot connection. The movement of the carriage continues automatically until it finds its position at the start of the drilling phase and then it stops.

[0234] The drill is then immobilized relative to the grid.

[0235] To start the drilling operation, the operator briefly presses the drilling trigger, the control means of the drill drive the rotation motor 11 so that the spindle 13 is driven in rotation and the feed motor so that the spindle advances at the correct speed.

[0236] The spindle 13 then undergoes a combined rotational and translational movement towards its deployment position to achieve the desired drilling. The drilling forces cause a force from the finger 101 towards the body of the screw 233. Gravity, due to the positioning of the drill in the working position, also causes a force from the finger 101 towards the body of the screw 233. This ensures that drilling and gravity do not cause the finger 101 to become unstuck under the head of the screw 232, and therefore the head of the drill to become detached from the grid.

[0237] When drilling is completed, the control means reverses the direction of rotation of the feed motor to move spindle 13 to its drilling phase start position.

[0238] When the spindle is in the position at the start of the drilling phase, the control means cause the feed and rotation motors to automatically stop.

[0239] When the carriage 14 and therefore the spindle 13 are in the position at the start of the drilling phase, the immobilization means remain in their locked state so that the head 100 and the body 10 are linked in rotation along the axis of the pivot connection.

[0240] It is thus possible for the operator to rotate the head 100 and the body 10 of the drill so as to release the holding finger from its engagement with the shouldered screw 230 and then to translate it along the axis of the spindle to extract the front barrel 103 from the bore 230 of the grid 23 in which it was located.

[0241] 6.1.3. Rotary Cam System i. Architecture

[0242] In relation to figures 10 and 11, a variant is presented which can be implemented within the framework of the two embodiments described above, that is to say both within the framework of the implementation of a drill equipped with an expandable collar and within that of the implementation of a drill equipped with a head and a body linked by a lockable pivot connection.

[0243] In the present variant, a stop 50 is connected by the pivot connection of axis A2 to the connecting rods 20. The compression spring 24 is held in abutment against this stop 50 at one of its ends. The spring 24 is held at the other of its ends against a plate 54 in contact with the peripheral surface 510 of a rotary cam 51. A rod, not shown, extends inside the spring between the stop 50 and the plate 54 to hold the spring. The peripheral surface 510 forms an eccentric.

[0244] The rotary cam 51 is rotationally connected to the casing along an axis A3 parallel to the axis A2.

[0245] This cam 51 is linked in rotation along the axis A3 to a pinion 52.

[0246] The pinion 52 meshes with a rack 53 linked in translation to the carriage 14 along its axis of translational movement. Thus, a translational movement of the carriage 14 in one direction or the other can cause a rotation of the cam 51 in one direction or the other.

[0247] Cam 51 is movable in rotation around axis A3 between:

[0248] - an unlocked angular position, in which the portion of its peripheral surface 510 with the smallest radius bears against the end of the spring 24, and

[0249] - a locked angular position, in which the portion of its peripheral surface 510 with the largest radius bears against the end of the spring 24.

[0250] The connection between the cam and the plate is designed so that the plate remains in permanent contact with the cam, in particular when the cam reaches the unlocked angular position. This type of connection, not shown in Figure 11, can be compared to a sliding connection applied to the periphery of the cam.

[0251] In addition, the spring is placed around the rod which ensures on the one hand the straightness of the spring and on the other hand limits the extension of the spring when the cam reaches the unlocked angular position and exerts a tensile force on the first immobilizing element. To do this, this rod can be linked to the plate and have a sliding connection with the stop 50, this connection being limited in translation by a stop limiting the extension of the spring. This rod can also make it possible to exert pre-compression on the spring so that it develops a significant force on the first immobilizing element more quickly. The rack 53 and the pinion 52 are dimensioned such that:

[0252] - a movement of the carriage 14, and therefore of the spindle 13, along a stroke located between the retracted position and the intermediate position, in one direction or the other, induces a rotation of the cam 51 in one direction or the other, and

[0253] - a movement of the carriage 14, and therefore of the spindle 13, beyond the intermediate position does not induce any rotation of the cam 51.

[0254] When the carriage 14 is in the retracted position, the cam 51 is in the unlocked position. When the carriage 14 is in the intermediate position, the cam 51 is in the locked position. The cam 51 remains in the locked position when the carriage moves between its intermediate position and its extended position, and vice versa.

[0255] When the cam 51 reaches the unlocked position, it exerts via the rod and / or the spring a tensile force on the first immobilizing element (expandable ring or second half-dog) capable of moving it into the unlocked position.

[0256] When the cam 51 is in the locked position, it compresses the spring 24 so that it is in a state of compression suitable for ensuring the locking of the immobilization means.

[0257] When in the compressed state, the spring 24 induces an axial force on the expanding ring 19 or the second half-dog 31, via the stop 50, the connecting rods 20 and the connecting bars 190, so that the expanding ring 19 or the second half-dog 31 is in its locked position. ii. Operation in the case of a concentric collar

[0258] The operation of the immobilization means will now be described.

[0259] Before performing a drilling operation, the locking trigger and the drilling trigger are released.

[0260] The drill is at rest, the spindle is in the intermediate position, which is approximately the position at the start of the drilling phase. The expanding ring is in its maximum expansion position outside any bore of a drilling grid.

[0261] The operator picks up the drill and presses and holds the locking trigger, and the following actions take place:

[0262] The control means cause a translational movement of the carriage 14, and therefore of the spindle 13, under the effect of the feed motor 12, from its intermediate position to its retracted position. The cam returns to its unlocked angular position and exerts via the plate, the rod and / or the spring, the connecting rods 20 and the connecting bars 190 a force capable of bringing the expanding ring into the unlocked position.

[0263] The operator can then insert the expanding ring into a bore, then releases his continued pressure on the locking trigger, in order to cause the locking means to lock. The control means of the drill drive the feed motor in the locking direction. The carriage moves from its retracted position to its deployed position. This causes the cam to rotate, which drives the expanding ring to its locked position via the rod and / or the spring, the connecting rods 20 and the connecting bars 190. During this movement, the compression of the spring increases until the carriage no longer drives the cam in rotation, that is to say until it reaches the intermediate position, which is substantially the position at the start of the drilling phase. The expanding collar is in the locked state.

[0264] Once the drill has been immobilized in the grid, the operator triggers drilling by briefly pressing the drilling trigger. The drilling cycle and then the spindle retraction phase take place as in the other embodiments and end with a stop of the feed and rotation motors when the drill reaches the position at the start of the drilling phase, i.e. substantially the intermediate position.

[0265] To extract the drill from the grid, the operator presses and holds the locking trigger, the control means control the feed motor to move the carriage and the spindle to their retracted position.

[0266] Moving the carriage from its intermediate position to its retracted position causes the rack 53 to re-engage with the pinion 52, thus the cam moves to its unlocked angular position and itself causes the expanding ring to move to its unlocked position. The control means stops the feed motor when the carriage reaches the retracted position.

[0267] The operator can then remove the drill from its bore and replace it in another bore where releasing the first trigger will cause the drill to stop.

[0268] 6.2. Actuation by rotation motors

[0269] 6.2.1. Expandable collar

[0270] I. Architecture

[0271] We present, in relation to figures 12 to 16, a second embodiment of a drill according to the invention which is intended to be reversibly secured to a drilling grid 23, as in the context of the first embodiment (without using the shoulder screws 231).

[0272] As shown, such a drill 1 comprises a casing 10, also called a body, housing a rotation motor 11 and a feed motor 12.

[0273] The spindle 13 is mounted to move in translation and in rotation along the same axis, i.e. its longitudinal axis, inside the casing 10. A cutting tool, such as a drill bit not shown, can be secured to the end of the spindle 13.

[0274] The spindle 13 is linked in translation with a carriage 14 along its longitudinal axis. The spindle is also movable in rotation relative to the carriage along its longitudinal axis.

[0275] The carriage 14 is mounted to move in translation inside the casing 10 along the axis of the spindle 13. The carriage 14 cooperates with a threaded rod 15, also called a feed screw, to which it is connected by means of a helical connection.

[0276] The threaded rod 15 is mounted to rotate inside the housing along an axis parallel to that of the spindle 13 by means of two ball bearings. The threaded rod 15 is furthermore immobilized in translation along this axis in the housing by means of the two ball bearings. It is connected in rotation, by means of a cascade of gears 16, to the shaft 120 of a feed motor 12 housed in the housing 10.

[0277] A rotation of the shaft 120 of the feed motor 12 in one direction or the other induces a translation of the spindle 13 along its axis in one direction or the other.

[0278] The pin 13 is mounted to move in translation in the casing 10 between two extreme positions, i.e.: a retraction position (or retracted position) in the body in which the carriage 14 is in a retraction position, and a deployment position (or deployed position) in which the carriage is in a deployment position.

[0279] These extreme positions can, for example, be defined by stops in a conventional manner known to those skilled in the art.

[0280] The deployed position can be adjusted by the user using an adjustable stop in order to adjust the stroke of the spindle and therefore of the cutting tool according to the thickness of the structure to be drilled.

[0281] The total stroke of the spindle from its retracted position to its deployed position includes a drilling phase start position, this position thus delimits two portions of the spindle stroke: a first stroke portion going from the retracted position to the drilling phase start position, a second stroke portion going from the drilling phase start position to the deployed position and defining the useful drilling stroke including: an approach stroke in the approach air of the cutting tool with respect to the structure to be drilled; a drilling stroke of the tool in the structure to be drilled; an exit stroke in the air of the cutting tool with respect to the structure to be drilled (if the drilling is through and not blind).

[0282] The spindle 13 can also take an intermediate position, called the disengagement position, located between its maximum retraction position and its drilling phase start position, and in which the carriage 14 is in an intermediate position corresponding to a disengagement position. In this embodiment, the intermediate position corresponds substantially to the drilling phase start position. In this intermediate disengagement position, the drill placed at the end of the spindle 13 is not deployed outside the housing. The function of this disengagement position will be described in more detail later.

[0283] The spindle is movable in rotation along its longitudinal axis inside the housing.

[0284] The rotation motor 11 comprises a shaft 111.

[0285] The shaft 111 of the rotation motor 11 is rotationally connected to an actuating shaft 30.

[0286] The spindle 13 is connected to the actuating shaft 30 via a cascade of pinions 302, 303, 304.

[0287] The pinion 302 is mounted to be able to rotate on the carriage 14 to which it is linked in translation. It is also linked in rotation to the actuating shaft 30 while being able to move in translation along the latter by means of a splined connection.

[0288] The pinion 303 is mounted to rotate on the carriage 14 to which it is linked in translation. It meshes with the pinion 302.

[0289] The pinion 304 is mounted so as to be able to rotate on the carriage 14 to which it is linked in translation. It meshes with the pinion 303. It is also linked in rotation with the spindle 13.

[0290] Thus, a rotation of the shaft 111 of the rotation motor 11 in one direction or the other induces a rotation of the spindle 13 along its axis in one direction or the other.

[0291] The actuating shaft 30 is free in translation relative to the shaft 111. For this, they can be assembled by a grooved, keyed assembly or by square fitting for example.

[0292] The drill comprises means for immobilizing the casing 10 relative to a drilling grid 23. These immobilizing means can take: an unlocked state in which the casing can be moved relative to the drilling grid 23, and a locked state in which the casing is immobilized relative to the drilling grid 23.

[0293] In this embodiment, these immobilization means comprise an expandable collar, also called an expandable hub.

[0294] This expanding collar comprises an expansion cone 18 fixedly secured to the end of the casing 10. This expansion cone 18 is crossed by a hole 180 allowing the passage of the drill and the spindle 13. This hole 180, like the cone 18, has an axis coincident with that of the spindle 13. The expansion cone 18 has a first end, oriented towards the outside of the casing 10, of smaller diameter than that of its second end oriented towards the inside of the casing 10.

[0295] The expandable collar also comprises an expandable ring 19. The expandable ring may be referred to as the “first movable immobilizing element” in the remainder of the description. This expandable ring 19 is intended to be housed in bores 230 of a drilling grid 23 to immobilize the body 10 of the drill relative to the drilling grid 23. The expandable ring 19 is mounted on the expansion cone 18, and has softening slots on its surface. The expandable ring 19 is movable in translation relative to the cone 18, along its axis, between two extreme positions, namely: a minimum expansion position in which the diameter of the ring is minimal; a maximum expansion position in which the diameter of the ring is maximum.

[0296] The cone and ring are in the maximum expansion position when the spindle is in the said drilling phase start position and the expansion of the ring is not limited by a bore. The cone and ring are in the minimum expansion position when the spindle is in the retracted position.

[0297] The ring can also take an unlocked position which corresponds in this embodiment to the minimum expansion position.

[0298] The ring can still assume a locked position. The locked position can be assumed when the expanding cone is located in a bore of a drilling grid. The locked position thus depends on the diameter of the bore which is included in a tolerance interval. The locked position can therefore also be located within a range which depends on the tolerance interval of the bore.

[0299] In the unlocked position, the ring is brought closer to the small diameter end of the cone 18 so that its outside diameter is reduced; thus, when the ring 19 is in its unlocked state, its outside diameter is less than the diameter of the bores 230 of a drilling grid and has sufficient clearance relative to the bore to allow separation of the drill from the grid. The expanding collar is then in the unlocked state.

[0300] The locked position of the ring is obtained when: it is inserted into a bore 230 of a drilling grid 23, then, it is brought closer to the large diameter end of the cone 18, its external diameter being increased until it reaches the diameter of the bore 230, the radial clearance then being absorbed.

[0301] The locked state of the ring is acquired when a locking force is applied to it along its axis. Due to the conical contact with the expansion cone, this axial force causes a radial pressure exerted by the ring on the surface of the bore. When the ring 19 is in its locked position and is under stress from a locking force (locked state), the ring is therefore blocked in the bore due to this radial pressure and the coefficient of friction between the material of the ring and that of the grid, and the body 10 of the drill is then immobilized relative to the drilling grid 23.

[0302] When the expansion ring 19 is: in its unlocked position, the immobilization means are in their unlocked state; in its locked position, and under the constraint of the locking force, the immobilization means are in their locked state.

[0303] The drill comprises means for actuating the expanding collar to enable the expanding ring 19 to be moved relative to the expansion cone 19 and thus placed in one of its locked or unlocked positions.

[0304] These actuating means comprise an actuating nut 33 linked in translation to the expanding ring 19. The actuating nut 33 is movable in translation relative to the casing 10 along the axis of the spindle 13 between: an unlocked position in which it places the expanding ring 19 in its unlocked position, and a locked position in which it places the expanding ring 19 in its locked position.

[0305] The threaded part of this actuating nut 33 cooperates with the threaded part of an actuating screw 34 mounted to rotate in the casing 10 along the axis of the spindle 13. This actuating screw 34 carries a pinion 340.

[0306] The 340 pinion meshes with a 35 pinion which meshes with a 36 pinion.

[0307] The actuating shaft 30, which is connected to the shaft 111 of the rotation motor 11, is also mounted to move in translation relative to the shaft 111 along an axis parallel to the axis of movement of the spindle 13, between: an actuating position in which it is connected in rotation with the pinion 36 for driving the actuating screw 34 in rotation, and a neutral position in which it is not connected in rotation with the pinion 36 for driving the actuating screw 34 in rotation.

[0308] For this purpose, the pinion 36 has a grooved bore along the axis of the actuating shaft 30. The actuating shaft 30 carries a clutch sliding member 37 having an external shape complementary to that of the grooved bore 360, also called the clutch housing, of the pinion 36. The clutch sliding member 37 is linked in rotation with the actuating shaft 30 but is free in translation relative to the latter between: an engaged position in which it cooperates with the bore 360 ​​of the pinion 36 so that the pinion 36, and therefore the actuating screw 34, are linked in rotation with the actuating shaft 30, and a disengaged position in which it does not cooperate with the bore 360 ​​of the pinion 36 so that the pinion 36, and therefore the actuating screw 34, are not linked in rotation with the shaft 30 actuation.

[0309] Elastic return means, in this case a compression spring 38, are arranged between the clutch sliding member 37 and a washer 301 placed at the end of the actuating shaft 30. This spring 38 tends to maintain the clutch sliding member 37 in its engaged position.

[0310] The sliding gear 37 is capable of: occupying its engaged position when the actuating shaft 30 is in its actuating position, and of occupying its disengaged position when the actuating shaft 30 is in its neutral position.

[0311] The actuating shaft 30: is linked in translation to the carriage 14, along the axis of movement of the spindle 13, along a stroke located between the maximum retraction position and the disengagement position; is no longer linked to the carriage 14 beyond this stroke.

[0312] The translational connection of the actuating shaft 30 with the carriage 14 on the stroke located between the retracted position and the disengaged position is achieved by means of an elastic ring 40, linked in translation to the shaft 30, and held in contact with the pinion 302, linked in translation to the carriage 14, under the action of a compression spring 39 also called first elastic return means located between the casing and the elastic ring 40.

[0313] The actuating shaft 30 is in its actuating position when the carriage 14 is in its retracted position and in its neutral position when the carriage 14 is between its disengaged position and its deployed position.

[0314] In a variant, the expanding ring 19 could be fixed and the expansion cone 18 could be movable in translation relative to the ring 19 to move the immobilization means from one state to the other. In this case, the expansion cone 18, and no longer the expanding ring 19, will be connected to the actuating nut 33. It could be referred to as the “first movable immobilization element”.

[0315] The drill can be powered by battery(ies) or by wire. ii. Operation

[0316] The operation of the immobilization means will now be described.

[0317] Before performing a drilling operation, the locking trigger and the drilling trigger are released. The drill is then at rest, the spindle being in the position for starting the drilling phase and the expanding ring taking in the maximum expansion position outside any bore of a drilling grid.

[0318] The operator takes the drill and presses the locking trigger and the following actions take place: the control means of the drill control the power supply to the feed motor so that the drilling spindle 13 and the carriage 14 reach their retracted position, the actuating shaft 30 is then in its actuating position in which it is held, against the effect of the compression spring 39, by the carriage 14 via the elastic ring 40 bearing against the pinion 302; the clutch sliding member 37 is then in its engaged position in which it is held by the compression spring 38, the washer 301 and the actuating shaft 30 or is bearing against the pinion 36 thanks to the spring 38, ready to move into the engaged position during the next rotation of the rotation motor 11.The detection of the presence of the actuating shaft 30 in its actuating position is detected by the control means using the signal supplied by the angle sensor of the feed motor, this signal makes it possible to know the position of the carriage and in the present case its presence in the retracted position the control means then triggers the rotation of the rotation motor in the direction suitable for moving the expanding ring from its locked position to its unlocked position; the drive nut 33 is then in its unlocked position; the expanding ring 19 is then in its unlocked position; the immobilizing means are in their unlocked state.

[0319] In order to immobilize the drill with respect to the drilling grid 23, before drilling, the expanding ring 19 of the drill is introduced into the bore 230 of the drilling grid 23 corresponding to the drilling that is to be carried out.

[0320] When the operator releases his continued pressure on the locking trigger in order to cause the locking of the immobilization means, the control means of the drill actuate the rotation motor. Given that the actuating shaft 30 is held in its actuating position by the carriage 14, and that the clutch sliding member 37 is in its engaged position, the pinion 36 is linked in rotation with the actuating shaft 30. Thus, the rotation of the shaft 111 of the rotation motor induces a rotation of the actuating shaft 30, the pinion 36, the pinion 35, the pinion 340 and the actuating screw 34.

[0321] Rotation of the actuating screw 34 induces a translational movement of the actuating nut 33 in a direction which moves the expanding ring 19 from its unlocked position to its locked position.

[0322] The immobilizing means are in the locked state when a sufficient pressure level is obtained between said expanding ring and said bore, this for a given level of coefficient of friction between the ring and the bore. The pressure level being substantially proportional to the torque applied to the screw 34, this torque being proportional to the electrical intensity consumed by the motor, the control means of the drill can detect when the desired torque level applied to the screw 34 is reached. At this moment, the control means stop the electrical supply to the rotation motor.

[0323] The feed motor 12 is then started so as to drive the feed screw 15 in rotation via its shaft 120 and the cascade of pinions 16. The direction of rotation of the feed motor is chosen such that the rotation of the feed screw 15 causes a translational movement of the carriage 14, and therefore of the spindle 13, towards its deployed position. When the feed motor 12 is started, the control means of the drill begin to count the rotation angle of the feed motor.

[0324] Taking into account the force exerted by the compression spring 39 via the elastic ring 40 on the pinion 302 linked in translation to the carriage 14, the actuating shaft 30 moves towards its neutral position.

[0325] When the carriage 14, and therefore the spindle 13, are in the disengaged position, the actuating shaft 30 is in its neutral position and the clutch sliding member 37 is in its disengaged position.

[0326] The pinion 36 is therefore no longer linked in rotation with the actuating shaft 30 so that the rotation of the rotation motor has no effect on the rotation of the actuating screw 34. Thus, the actuating nut 33 remains in its locked position as does the expanding ring 19.

[0327] When the counting of the rotation angle of the feed motor reaches a threshold angle value corresponding to a movement of the shaft 30 sufficient for it to be in its neutral position, the control means stop the feed motor, thus completing the locking phase of the immobilization means.

[0328] The carriage 14 and the spindle 13 are then substantially in the position at the start of the drilling phase.

[0329] To start drilling, the operator briefly presses the drilling trigger, the drill control means activate the rotation motor 11 and the feed motor 12 so as to drive the spindle with a combined movement, along its axis, of rotation and translation towards its deployment position so as to carry out the desired drilling.

[0330] During the movement of the spindle from its position at the start of the drilling phase to its deployment position, the pinion 302 moves away from the elastic ring 40 so that the drive shaft 30 remains in its neutral position under the effect of the spring 39.

[0331] During this movement, the actuating shaft 30 remains in its neutral position, the sliding lever 37 in its disengaged position and the immobilizing means, i.e. the expandable collar, remains in its locked state in which the ring is in the locked position and under stress from the locking force.

[0332] When the drilling is completed, that is to say when the control means detect that the spindle has come into contact with the deployment stop due to the increase beyond a threshold of the intensity consumed by the feed motor, the direction of rotation of the feed motor 12 is reversed so that the feed screw 15 drives the carriage 14, and therefore the spindle 13, in translation towards the position at the start of the drilling phase.

[0333] Until the carriage 14, and therefore the spindle 13, arrive in their position at the start of the drilling phase, the pinion 302 is moved away from the elastic ring 40 so that the actuating shaft 30 remains in its neutral position, the sliding gear 37 in its disengaged position and the expanding ring 19 in its locked position.

[0334] When the spindle is in the position at the start of the drilling phase, the control means cause the feed and rotation motors to automatically stop.

[0335] To extract the drill from the grid, the operator presses and holds the locking trigger, the control means control the feed motor to move the carriage and the spindle to their retracted position.

[0336] When the carriage 14, and therefore the spindle 13, are in their disengaged position, the pinion 302 bears against the elastic ring.

[0337] The feed motor is stopped when the control means detect the arrival of the spindle 13 in the retracted position, that is to say when they detect that the spindle has reached its retraction stop due to the increase beyond a threshold of the intensity consumed by the feed motor.

[0338] Thus, the translational movement of the carriage 14, and therefore of the spindle 13, between their intermediate position (position at the start of the drilling phase) and their retracted position, is accompanied by the movement of the actuating shaft 30 into its actuating position in which it is driven by the carriage 14 via the pinion 302 and the elastic ring 40.

[0339] The rotation motor 11 is operated to rotate in the direction to move the expanding ring from its locked position to its unlocked position.

[0340] The sliding gear 37 is then rotated and slides inside the bore 360 ​​of the pinion 36, under the effect of the spring 38, as soon as its external contour is synchronized with the contour of the bore 360. The sliding gear is then in its engaged position.

[0341] The rotation motor 11 then drives the pinion 36, the pinion 35, the pinion 340 and the actuating screw 34 into rotation. This has the effect of moving the actuating nut 33, and therefore the expanding ring 19, towards their unlocked position.

[0342] When the expanding collar is in its unlocked state, the rotation motor is stopped, this position is detected by the control means by monitoring the intensity consumed by the rotation motor or the rotation angle from the locked situation of the expanding ring.

[0343] The expanding ring 19 can then be extracted from the bore 230 of the drilling grid 23 in which it is housed so as to separate the drill from the grid 23.

[0344] The expanding ring 19 can then be introduced into another bore 230 of the grid 23 to make a hole corresponding to the position of this bore by again implementing the method described above. The operator can then release the locking trigger and thus cause the actuating of the immobilizing means in the new bore.

[0345] 6.2.2. Quarter-turn connection involving a rotational lock of the drill body relative to the grid

[0346] As in the variant of the first embodiment, the drill according to the second embodiment which has just been described may comprise a head which can be reversibly secured to a drilling grid and a body linked to the head by means of a pivot connection which the immobilization means allow to be reversibly locked. In this case, the actuating nut 33 is linked in translation to the second half-claw 31.

[0347] The locking / unlocking of the head on the grid is identical to the variant of the first embodiment. The operation of the locking dog of the pivot connection between the body and the head is identical to the variant of the first embodiment.

[0348] The actuation of the immobilization means is identical to that of the second embodiment which has just been described.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Drilling device intended to be secured to a drilling grid of a structure to be drilled, said device comprising at least: - a body; - a drilling spindle, with a longitudinal axis X, capable of driving a cutting tool in movement, said spindle being movable, along said axis X, in rotation and in translation between a retracted position and a deployed position; - motor means comprising: a feed motor capable of driving said spindle in translation, and a rotation motor capable of driving said spindle in rotation; - means for immobilizing said body relative to said grid comprising at least one first immobilizing element movable between: an unlocked position in which said body can be moved relative to said grid, and a locked position in which said body is immobilized relative to said grid; - means for actuating said first immobilizing element capable of acting on said first immobilizing element to place it in one or other of its locked and unlocked positions; characterized in that said actuating means comprise said advance motor or said rotation motor, said device comprising means for transforming a rotation of the rotor of said advance motor or said rotation motor into a movement of said first immobilizing element from one or other of its locked and unlocked positions.

2. Drilling device according to claim 1 wherein said actuating means are capable of acting on said first immobilizing element to place it in its locked position, under the effect of said feed motor or said rotation motor, between said retracted position and an intermediate position of said spindle, said intermediate position being located between said retracted position and said deployed position.

3. Drilling device according to claim 2 wherein said actuating means comprise deactivatable connecting means of the rotor of said feed motor or of the rotor of said rotation motor to said first immobilizing element, said deactivatable connecting means being able to take: - an actuating state, capable of being taken between said retracted position and said intermediate position, in which said first immobilizing element is linked to said rotor of said advance or rotation motor; - a neutral state, taken between said intermediate position and said deployed position, in which said first immobilizing element is not linked to said rotor of said advance or rotation motor.

4. A drilling device according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said actuating means are configured to maintain said first locking element in said locked position when said spindle is located between said intermediate position and said deployed position.

5. A drilling device according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein said spindle can take a cutting tool contact position, located between said intermediate position and said deployed position, in which: - said first immobilizing element is in said locked position in which said body is immobilized relative to said grid, and - said cutting tool secured to said spindle comes into contact with said structure to be drilled.

6. Drilling device according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein said spindle can take a drilling phase start position located between said retracted position and said deployed position, said drilling phase start position delimiting two portions of travel of said spindle: - a first portion of travel going from said retracted position to said drilling phase start position, said intermediate position being in said first portion; - a second portion of travel going from said drilling phase start position to said deployed position and defining a useful drilling travel comprising: an approach stroke in the air of said cutting tool with respect to said structure to be drilled; a drilling stroke of said tool in said structure; an exit stroke in the air of said cutting tool with respect to said structure.

7. Drilling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 comprising a carriage for driving said spindle in translation, said carriage being movable along said X axis between: - a retracted position in which said pin is in its retracted position, - an intermediate position in which said pin is in its intermediate position, - a drilling phase start position corresponding to said drilling phase start position of said spindle, - a cutting tool contact position position corresponding to said cutting tool contact position of said spindle, - a deployed position in which said pin is in its deployed position.

8. A drilling device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said actuating means comprise means for applying a locking force to said first immobilizing element, said application means comprising elastic return means configured to apply said locking force to said first immobilizing element at least between said intermediate position and said deployed position of said spindle.

9. A drilling device according to claims 3 and 7 alone or in combination with claim 8 wherein said actuating means comprise said carriage linked to the rotor of said feed motor, said carriage being: - linked to said first immobilizing element by said connecting means which can be deactivated in said actuation state, - not linked to said first immobilization element by said connecting means which can be deactivated in said neutral state.

10. A drilling device according to claim 9 wherein said actuating means comprise means for transforming a displacement into translation of said carriage between the retracted position and the intermediate position into a movement of said first immobilizing element between said unlocked position and said locked position, and vice versa.

11. Drilling device according to claim 10 wherein said deactivatable connection means comprise a unidirectional connection which under the action of the relaxation of said elastic return means is in said actuated state between said retracted position and said intermediate position, said carriage driving said first immobilizing element in translation.

12. Drilling device according to claim 11 wherein said elastic return means have, when said carriage is located between said intermediate position and said deployed position, a compression level inducing the application to said first immobilizing element of said locking force.

13. A drilling device according to claim 9 in which said actuating means comprise a cam movable in rotation relative to said body of said drilling device, said deactivatable connecting means comprising: - means for transforming a movement of said carriage between said retracted position and said intermediate position, and vice versa, into a rotation of said cam, and - means for interrupting said transformation beyond said intermediate position, said cam having a surface configured in such a way that a rotation of said cam, induced by a movement of said carriage from said retracted position to said intermediate position, induces a movement of said first immobilizing element from said unlocked position to said locked position, and vice versa.

14. Drilling device according to claims 8 and 13 wherein said elastic return means are interposed between said first immobilizing element and a plate bearing against said surface of said cam, said surface of said cam being configured in such a way that a rotation of said cam, induced by a movement of said carriage from said retracted position to said intermediate position, induces a compression of said elastic return means, and conversely, said means of elastic return having, when said carriage occupies said intermediate position, a compression state inducing the application to said first immobilizing element of said locking force, the shape of said cam at the point of contact with said plate combined with said compression state of the elastic return means make the rotation of said cam irreversible when said carriage is in said intermediate position and said deactivatable connection means is in said neutral state.

15. A drilling device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said actuating means comprise said means for transforming a rotational movement of the rotor of said rotation motor into a movement of said first immobilizing element from one to the other of its locked and unlocked positions.

16. A drilling device according to claim 15 wherein said deactivatable connecting means comprise a clutch, said clutch being able to take: - an engaged state, taken when said deactivatable connecting means are in said actuated state, in which the rotor of said rotation motor and said first immobilizing element are linked in movement, and - a disengaged state, taken when said deactivatable connection means are in said neutral state, in which the rotor of said rotation motor and said first immobilizing element are not linked in movement.

17. A drilling device according to claim 16 comprising means for controlling said clutch capable of placing said clutch in its engaged and disengaged states, said control means comprising said feed motor.

18. A drilling device according to claim 17 comprising elastic return means tending to maintain said clutch in said disengaged state, said feed motor being connected to said elastic return means by a unidirectional connection configured in such a way that: - said advance motor is capable of causing a movement of said clutch from its disengaged state to its engaged state against the action of said elastic return means, and - said elastic return means are capable of causing a movement of said clutch from said engaged state to said disengaged state.

19. Device according to claims 7 and 18 wherein said means for controlling said clutch comprise said carriage, said carriage being capable of placing said clutch: - in said engaged state, when said carriage is located between said retracted position and said intermediate position, and - in said disengaged state, when the carriage is between said intermediate position and said deployed position.

20. A drilling device according to any one of claims 6 to 19 wherein said immobilizing means comprise an expandable collar, said expandable collar comprising an expansion cone and an expandable ring, said cone or said ring constituting said first immobilizing element, said cone and said ring being movable in translation relative to each other along said axis X between: - a minimum expansion position in which the outer diameter of said ring is minimal; - a maximum expansion position in which the outside diameter of said ring is maximum, said cone and said ring being in said maximum expansion position when said spindle is in said drilling phase start position and said ring is outside a bore.

21. A drilling device according to claim 20 wherein said cone and said ring are in said minimally expanded position when said spindle is in said retracted position.

22. Drilling device according to claim 20 or 21 wherein said drilling grid is crossed by at least one positioning bore in which said expandable collar is intended to be housed, said intermediate position being located in a range corresponding to the tolerance interval of the diameter of said bore.

23. A drilling device according to any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein said immobilizing means comprise: - a first half-dog fixed in translation and movable in rotation along said axis X relative to said body; - a second half-dog, constituting said first immobilizing element, fixed in rotation along said X relative to said body and movable in translation along said X relative to said first half-dog between: an unlocked position in which said first half-dog and said second half-dog are free to rotate along said X axis, and a locked position in which said first half-dog and said second half-dog are linked in rotation along said X axis, - said actuating means being configured to move said second half-claw from one of its locked and unlocked positions to the other.

Images