Orbital Drilling Cutter with Adjustable Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional orbital drilling machines have large, complex, expensive, and unreliable offset adjustment mechanisms, which limit their reliability and efficiency in cutting holes of various diameters.
Innovation Solution
An orbital drilling system with a non-adjustable fixed offset between the orbital and cutter axes, featuring a cutter with adjustable inserts and an automated adjustment mechanism, including an electronically-controlled actuator and wedge, allows for precise radial movement of inserts to change the cutting diameter, enabling the formation of holes of different sizes without the need for complex offset adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional orbital drilling machines use adjustable offset mechanisms to cut holes of various diameters, then the adaptability to different hole sizes is improved, but the device complexity and reliability deteriorate due to large, complex, and unreliable offset adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the complex offset adjustment mechanism from the orbital drilling machine. Instead of adjusting the offset between the cutter axis and orbital axis, the patent keeps the offset fixed and extracts the diameter adjustment function to a simple mechanism that adjusts the cutter diameter directly, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining adaptability to different hole sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the cutter diameter dynamic and adjustable through a simple mechanism that can change the effective cutting diameter of the cutter. This dynamic adjustment of cutter diameter replaces the complex dynamic adjustment of offset, achieving adaptability to different hole sizes with a simpler system
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional orbital drilling machines use complex offset adjustment mechanisms to achieve various hole diameters, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and reliability worsen due to expensive and unreliable mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the unreliable offset adjustment mechanism from the system and extracts the hole diameter variation function to a different approach - adjusting the cutter diameter directly. This extraction eliminates the reliability problems associated with complex offset adjustment mechanisms while preserving the ability to create holes of various diameters
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive and unreliable offset adjustment mechanisms with a simpler, more reliable cutter diameter adjustment mechanism. The new mechanism uses simpler components that are more reliable and cost-effective, even if they need to be adjusted or replaced more frequently
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional orbital drilling machines use large offset adjustment mechanisms to cut various hole sizes, then the adaptability is improved, but the ease of operation and device simplicity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the diameter adjustment function from the complex offset adjustment mechanism and implements it through a simpler dedicated mechanism. This separation of functions makes the operation easier - the operator simply adjusts the cutter diameter through the simple mechanism rather than manipulating complex offset adjustment components
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 is more reliable, cost-effective, and efficient, as it eliminates the need for large offset adjustment mechanisms, allowing for precise control of hole diameters and improved drilling performance.
Implementation Method 1
a wedge, including a tapered surface configured to engage the plurality of inserts, upon translational movement of the wedge relative to body in a first translational direction, parallel to the cutter axis, urge the plurality of inserts radially outwardly relative to the body of the cutter and, upon translational movement of the wedge relative to the body in a second translational direction, opposite the first translational direction, urge the plurality of inserts to be moved radially inwardly relative to the body of the cutter
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
An orbital drilling system includes an orbital drilling machine (fig. 1, 110) and a cutter (120). The orbital drilling machine (110) includes a spindle (113) and an eccentric rotation mechanism (111). The spindle (113) is rotatable about a cutter axis (122). The eccentric rotation mechanism (111) is coupled to the spindle (113) and configured to orbit the spindle (113) about an orbital axis (112), offset from the cutter axis (122). The cutter (120) is co-rotatably coupled to the spindle (113) and comprises a plurality of cutting edges (130), collectively defining a cutting diameter (Dc) of the cutter (120). The cutting diameter (Dc) of the cutter (120) is adjustable.