Coil Spring Counterbalance for Aircraft Drilling Ergonomics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators face ergonomic issues and increased cycle time when manually moving large motor drills on horizontal aircraft surfaces due to the weight of the drills, and existing counterbalance systems like arms and reels require significant setup, occupy more space, and are costly.
Innovation Solution
A counterbalance system with a base plate and coil springs that allows a cutting tool to be supported and moved across a work surface, using the spring force to lift the tool out of drill bushings after use, reducing the need for additional infrastructure and setup time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If counterbalance arms are used to assist lifting the drill, then operator lifting effort is reduced, but setup time and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coil spring counterbalance system is self-contained and requires no external mounting structure or infrastructure. The system serves itself by using the spring's inherent elastic properties to provide counterbalance force, eliminating the need for complex installation procedures and external support structures that characterize traditional counterbalance arms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the counterbalance function from complex, infrastructure-dependent systems (counterbalance arms requiring building mounts) and isolates it into a simple, portable coil spring mechanism that can be independently deployed without external support structures.
2Ease of operation
If counterbalance arms are mounted to building structures, then drill lifting is assisted, but adaptability to different drilling locations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coil spring system is dynamic and adaptable - it can be easily moved, repositioned, and adjusted to different drilling locations without permanent installation. The portable nature of the spring mechanism allows it to adapt to varying operational requirements and locations, unlike fixed counterbalance arms that are mounted to specific building structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil spring counterbalance system serves multiple locations and drilling operations universally. It can be deployed at any drilling position without requiring infrastructure-specific mounting, making it a universal solution that adapts to different work areas and drilling configurations.
3Ease of operation
If counterbalance reels are used to support drills, then lifting effort is reduced, but the system requires overhead infrastructure that is not always available
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the counterbalance function from overhead-dependent systems (counterbalance reels requiring building ceilings or overhead structures) and creates a self-contained coil spring mechanism that operates independently of any overhead infrastructure, enabling use in locations without such structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil spring system is completely self-sufficient and requires no external overhead infrastructure for support or operation. The spring's own elastic properties provide all necessary counterbalance forces, making the system adaptable to any location regardless of overhead structure availability.
4Device complexity
If large motor drills are manually moved between holes, then no additional equipment is needed, but operator ergonomic issues increase due to drill weight
Solution Approach 1:
The coil spring acts as a counterweight mechanism that opposes the gravitational force on the drill. By positioning the spring to provide upward counterbalance force, the system reduces the net weight the operator must support during drilling operations, thereby reducing ergonomic strain while maintaining equipment simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system reduces operator lifting force, minimizes setup and teardown time, and maintains a small footprint, enabling efficient and ergonomic drilling operations on aircraft components without the need for additional infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
The spring has a spring force that supports the drill at a position above the work surface
Implementation Method 2
The force of the spring allows a user of a drill supported on the counterbalance system to push downwardly on the drill and compress the spring
Implementation Method 3
On removal of the downward directed force exerted by the user of the drill, the spring pushes the drill upwardly to disengage the drill from the work surface
Data Source
AI summary
A counterbalance system employs one or more springs to support a large motor drill on an upper horizontal work surface, for example on the tops of drill jigs or bushings. The counterbalance system supports the drill above the work surface where the counterbalance system can slide across the work surface to selectively position the drill over a drill bushing through which a drilling operation is to be performed. A user of the drill supported on the counterbalance system can then push downwardly on the drill to compress the spring and perform a drilling operation. On removal of the downward directed force exerted by the user of the drill, the spring pushes the drill upwardly to disengage the drill from the work surface. The user of the counterbalance system can then slide the counterbalance system and the drill across the top of the work surface.