Offset Drilling Head for Close-Tolerance Holes in Restricted Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling methods, such as drill jigs, are labor-intensive and unreliable for forming close tolerance holes in workpieces with large offset distances or restricted access, often resulting in deflection and inconsistency.
Innovation Solution
A drilling apparatus with a bearing housing, shaft, and offset foot, coupled to a machine tool, which allows for precise hole formation with a drill bit, touch probe, and pen tool, enabling consistent and reliable close tolerance holes by counteracting torque and thrust, and utilizing a vacuum system for cutting removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If drill jigs are used to form close tolerance holes in workpieces with large offset distances or restricted access, then hole formation can be achieved, but the process becomes labor intensive and time consuming with unreliable consistency due to deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical drill jig system with a robotic drilling system that uses a robot arm to position and execute drilling operations. This substitution eliminates the labor-intensive nature of drill jig usage while maintaining close tolerance hole formation through automated positioning and control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using a robotic system with programmable positioning accuracy instead of fixed mechanical jigs. The robot can dynamically adjust its positioning and drilling parameters to accommodate large offset distances and restricted access locations, achieving both high precision and improved productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If drill jigs are used for close tolerance drilling in restricted access locations, then holes can be formed, but the process is labor intensive and deflection causes inconsistency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical drill jigs with a robotic system that uses sensors, controllers, and programmable logic to achieve positioning and drilling. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while improving consistency through automated control that eliminates human error and deflection issues associated with manual jig usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic drilling system incorporates self-positioning capabilities through sensors and feedback mechanisms that automatically compensate for variations in workpiece positioning. The system performs its own alignment and adjustment functions, eliminating the need for complex external fixtures and reducing overall system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If traditional drilling methods are used with large offset distances, then access to the workpiece is possible, but the offset distance creates restricted access and increases difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a robotic arm with multiple degrees of freedom to access the workpiece from different spatial dimensions. Instead of requiring direct linear access to the hole location, the robot can approach from various angles and positions, overcoming restricted access caused by large offset distances while maintaining positioning precision through its multi-axis motion control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the workpiece, enabling access to difficult-to-reach locations. The robot arm serves as a flexible intermediary that can navigate around obstacles and reach restricted areas while the controller maintains precise positioning accuracy throughout the range of motion.
Data Source
AI summary
A drilling apparatus includes an attachment box configured to couple to a machine tool. The drilling apparatus facilitates formation of a hole in a workpiece with workpiece structure that results in a large offset distance from a start location of the hole to the machine tool, restricted access to the start location, or both. The drilling apparatus includes a bearing housing coupled to the attachment box. The bearing housing includes a pair of bearings. The drilling apparatus includes a shaft position through the bearing housing to couple to the bearings. The shaft includes an end effector interface configured to couple to one or more end effectors of the machine tool at a first end of the shaft. The shaft includes a tool interface configured to couple to a tool at a second end of the shaft. The drilling apparatus also includes an offset foot coupled to the bearing housing.