Lower Drill Tool With Centering Nub for Precise Bracket Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of forming rivet openings in brackets for fastener hardware is labor-intensive and often results in dimensional inaccuracies, leading to scrap materials, especially in precision applications like the aviation industry where high precision is required.
Innovation Solution
A drill system comprising an upper drill tool and a lower drill tool with a centering nub and biasing member, which assists in accurately positioning brackets by extending a conical tip to align with the bracket's central opening, ensuring precise drilling of rivet openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual positioning is used for drilling brackets, then the process is simple and quick, but dimensional precision deteriorates leading to scrap materials
Solution Approach 1:
The lower drill tool acts as an intermediary positioning device between the bracket and the drilling operation. It provides a standardized interface with centering nubs that align with precision holes in the bracket, ensuring accurate positioning without requiring complex manual measurement or alignment procedures by the operator.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual positioning operations with a mechanical positioning system. The lower drill tool incorporates centering nubs that mechanically engage with precision holes in the bracket, automatically establishing the correct drilling position through physical constraints rather than human judgment and measurement.
2Productivity
If multiple quantities of fastener hardware are mounted to a single bracket, then the assembly is complete, but the process becomes labor intensive and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The lower drill tool is pre-configured with multiple centering nubs positioned to align with multiple precision holes in the bracket. This preliminary setup allows the operator to quickly reposition the tool between drilling operations without performing alignment procedures each time, enabling efficient production of multiple fastener hardware assemblies on a single bracket.
3Manufacturing precision
If a single incorrect opening is drilled, then the error is detected, but the entire bracket becomes scrap and unusable
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical positioning system with centering nubs physically constrains the drilling operation to precise locations predetermined by the precision holes in the bracket. This eliminates the possibility of operator error in positioning, ensuring that openings are drilled only at the correct locations and preventing bracket scrap due to misplaced holes.
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 drill system significantly reduces the likelihood of errors in opening formation, enhancing precision and reducing waste by maintaining the bracket's proper positioning during the drilling process, thus improving the efficiency and accuracy of rivet placement.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing member is positioned within the central bore, the biasing member biasing the centering nub toward the extended position
Data Source
AI summary
A lower drill tool that is structurally configured to receive a bracket, and, to cooperate with an upper drill tool having a pair of spaced apart drill bits. The lower drill tool has part receiving surface, a pair of spaced apart drill bores, a central bore, a centering nub and a biasing member. The drill bores extend downwardly away from the part receiving surface. The central bore is between the drill bores and extends downwardly away from the part receiving surface. The centering nub is slidable within the central bore, and has an upper tip extendable beyond the part receiving surface, positionable between an extended position and a partially retracted position. The upper tip has a conical configuration. The biasing member is positioned within the central bore and biases the centering nub toward the extended position. A drill system and a method are also disclosed.