Winged Drill Guide for Accurate Holes on Curved Airframe Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manual hand drilling systems lack the necessary structure to reliably, efficiently, and economically drill holes perpendicular to complex and curved surfaces in airframe assemblies, often requiring custom and costly drill blocks and failing to meet tight tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A drill guide with a drill block body, legs, and hingedly connected wings that can be securely positioned on a curved surface, allowing a drill bit to be aligned and advanced perpendicular to the surface, using a bushing and sleeve system to maintain accuracy and adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional manual hand drilling systems are used on curved surfaces, then drilling can be performed, but the holes cannot be drilled perpendicular to the surface within tight tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide serves as an intermediary tool between the drill bit and the curved surface. It includes a body with a bore for receiving the drill bit, legs with arcuate surfaces that contact the curved workpiece surface, and wings that can be secured to the workpiece. This intermediary structure ensures the drill bit maintains perpendicular alignment with the curved surface while being operated manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The drill guide incorporates arcuate surfaces on the legs that are specifically designed to conform to curved surfaces. These curved contact surfaces allow the drill guide to properly position and align with various curved geometries of airframe components, enabling accurate perpendicular drilling across different surface curvatures.
2Manufacturing precision
If custom drill blocks are designed for specific surface contours, then drilling accuracy can be achieved, but the cost and complexity of design and manufacture increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide is designed as a universal tool that can accommodate multiple different curved surface contours through its adjustable legs and wings. Rather than requiring a unique custom drill block for each specific contour, this single device can be adapted to various airframe component geometries, reducing the number of custom tools needed while maintaining drilling accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If eggcup tools are used as hand-held drill guides, then portability is maintained, but the tools cannot achieve perpendicular drilling on non-flat surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide incorporates arcuate surfaces on the legs that are specifically designed to conform to curved surfaces. These curved contact surfaces allow the drill guide to properly position and align with various curved geometries of airframe components, enabling accurate perpendicular drilling across different surface curvatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The drill guide serves as an intermediary tool between the drill bit and the curved surface. It includes a body with a bore for receiving the drill bit, legs with arcuate surfaces that contact the curved workpiece surface, and wings that can be secured to the workpiece. This intermediary structure ensures the drill bit maintains perpendicular alignment with the curved surface while being operated manually.
4Productivity
If conventional drilling methods are used without secure attachment, then operation speed is maintained, but tight tolerances cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide serves as an intermediary tool between the drill bit and the curved surface. It includes a body with a bore for receiving the drill bit, legs with arcuate surfaces that contact the curved workpiece surface, and wings that can be secured to the workpiece. This intermediary structure ensures the drill bit maintains perpendicular alignment with the curved surface while being operated manually.
Data Source
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AI summary
A drill guide (20) for drilling a bore into a workpiece (22) having a curved surface. The drill guide comprises a drill block body (60) having a first side portion and a second side portion opposed to the first side portion. The drill block body defines a throughbore between the first side portion and the second side portion. The throughbore extends along a throughbore axis. A first leg protrudes from the first side portion of the drill block body. A second leg protrudes from the second side portion of the drill block body. A first wing is hingedly connected to the first leg.