Hand-Portable Directional Drill Modular Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current directional drilling machines are large, heavy, and cumbersome, making them difficult to transport and maneuver into buildings, especially when accessing building basements, as they require external access pits which can be unattractive and challenging due to topography or structures.
Innovation Solution
A hand-portable directional drill system weighing less than 200 pounds, comprising a two-component design with a chassis and rotary drive component, powered by hydraulics, allowing for directional drilling from within a building and capable of delivering drill strings up to 250 feet underground with thrust and pullback strengths of at least 4,000 pounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional directional drilling machines are used, then drilling capability is achieved, but the machines are large, heavy, and cumbersome making them difficult to transport and maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The directional drilling machine is divided into separate modular components including a drill head assembly, a carriage assembly, and a chassis assembly that can be transported and assembled independently at the drilling location
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional directional drilling machines are used, then drilling capability is achieved, but they require external access pits which are unattractive and difficult to carry out due to topography or structures
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of approaching the drilling location from the exterior through an access pit, the drill is mounted on the interior ceiling and drills downward through the floor, inverting the traditional approach direction
Solution Approach 2:
The drill head assembly is designed with a universal mounting interface that can be attached to various interior locations such as ceilings, walls, or floors, making the system adaptable to different drilling scenarios without requiring specialized access structures
3Ease of operation
If the drill is made hand-portable weighing less than 200 pounds, then ease of transport is improved, but drilling strength and capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy hydraulic power pack and motor assemblies are extracted from the portable drill components and provided as separate external power sources that can be positioned nearby, allowing the drill itself to remain lightweight while maintaining full drilling capability through external power delivery
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
Enables efficient and maneuverable directional drilling within building interiors, reducing the need for external access pits and accommodating tight spaces, while maintaining high drilling performance and strength.
Implementation Method 1
powered by hydraulics
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are single and multi-stage hand-portable directional drilling devices designed to drill through space underground, particularly for drilling channels underground from within an interior building space. Also provided are improvements in a drill head providing means for removing or preventing clogging of a drill tip lubricant channel or fluid hole.