Twist lock tool system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10183340-B2
Application number	US-201414317547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A tool system including a liner having a body and a plurality of coupling members extending from the body, the body includes a first aperture through which at least part of a tool extends and is configured for coupling to a tool fixture, and a housing having an second aperture through which the at least part of the tool extends, a first end of the housing having grooves configured to mate with the plurality of coupling members to couple the tool within the grooves and to the tool fixture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool system comprising:
a liner having a body and a plurality of coupling members extending from the body, the body includes a first aperture through which at least part of a tool extends and is configured for coupling to a tool fixture; and
a housing having an second aperture through which the at least part of the tool extends, a first end of the housing having unthreaded ramped grooves configured to mate with the plurality of coupling members to couple the tool within the unthreaded ramped grooves and to the tool fixture, the plurality of coupling members having an arcuate shape with compound engagement surfaces that corresponds to a mating arcuate shape, having mating compound engagement surfaces, of the unthreaded ramped grooves so that engagement between the compound engagement surfaces of the plurality of coupling members and the mating compound engagement surfaces of the unthreaded ramped grooves aligns the first aperture with the second aperture along a common longitudinal axis, where the compound engagement surfaces and the mating compound engagement surfaces are angled in both a circumferential direction and a radial direction relative to the common longitudinal axis.

2. The tool system of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured for coupling to a fixture bushing.

3. The tool system of claim 1 , wherein the body is a monolithic body including a mounting portion and a bushing portion, where the plurality of coupling members extend from a side of the mounting portion.

4. The tool system of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a second end opposite the first end, the second end being configured for coupling to the tool.

5. The tool system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coupling members and the grooves engage each other so as to form a twist lock coupling for securing the housing, and the tool coupled thereto, to the tool fixture where the grooves are configured to allow axial insertion of the plurality of coupling members into a respective groove and coupling of the housing to the liner with less than a full rotation of the housing relative to the liner.

6. The tool system of claim 1 , wherein the tool fixture is a boring fixture and the tool is a boring tool.

7. The tool system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coupling members are configured to decouple from the body.

8. The tool system of claim 1 , wherein the liner includes fastener apertures extending longitudinally therethrough.

9. The tool system of claim 8 , wherein the fastener apertures are disposed radially inward from the unthreaded ramped grooves relative to a longitudinal axis of the first and second apertures.

10. The tool system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coupling members and the unthreaded ramped grooves are configured such that coupling of the plurality of coupling members with the unthreaded ramped grooves effects alignment of the tool with the tool fixture and allows for boring through a part held by the tool fixture.

11. A coupling system comprising:
a liner configured for coupling to a boring fixture and including a first tool passage aperture;
a housing having a first end configured to couple to a boring tool, a second end configured to couple to the liner, and a second tool passage aperture; and
twist lock elements disposed on the liner and the second end of the housing, the twist lock elements each having mating compound engagement surfaces effecting a coupling between the liner and the housing for coupling the boring tool to the boring fixture;
wherein the twist lock elements disposed on the liner are configured to allow axial insertion of the twist lock elements disposed on the second end of the housing into a respective twist lock element disposed on the liner and configured to couple the housing to the liner with a relative rotation between the housing and the liner so that engagement between the mating compound engagement surfaces of the twist lock elements disposed on the liner and the mating compound engagement surfaces of the twist lock elements disposed on the second end of the housing aligns the first tool passage aperture with the second tool passage aperture along a common longitudinal axis, where the compound engagement surfaces and the mating compound engagement surfaces are angled in both a circumferential direction and a radial direction relative to the common longitudinal axis.

12. The coupling system of claim 11 , wherein the twist lock elements include a plurality of coupling members disposed on the liner and corresponding ramped grooves disposed on the housing.

13. The coupling system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of coupling members are configured to decouple from the liner.

14. The coupling system of claim 12 , wherein the liner is a monolithic liner including a mounting portion and a bushing portion, where the plurality of coupling members extend from a side of the mounting portion.

15. The coupling system of claim 12 , wherein the liner includes fastener apertures extending longitudinally therethrough.

16. The coupling system of claim 15 , wherein
the housing and liner have an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture being configured to allow passage of at least a portion of the boring tool, and
the fastener apertures are disposed radially inward from the ramped grooves relative to a longitudinal axis of the aperture.

17. The coupling system of claim 11 , wherein the liner includes a body configured for coupling to a fixture bushing.

18. A method for coupling a boring tool to a boring fixture, the method comprising:
coupling the boring tool to a second end of a housing;
coupling a liner to the boring fixture, where the liner has a body and a plurality of coupling members extending from the body; and
coupling the boring tool to the boring fixture through an engagement of mating twist lock elements of the liner and housing, where the housing has a first end with unthreaded ramped grooves that mate with the plurality of coupling members to couple the tool within the unthreaded ramped grooves and to the boring fixture where, the plurality of coupling members have an arcuate shape with compound engagement surfaces that corresponds to a mating arcuate shape, having mating compound engagement surfaces, of the unthreaded ramped grooves so that engagement between the compound engagement surfaces of the plurality of coupling members and the mating compound engagement surfaces of the unthreaded ramped grooves aligns a first tool passage aperture of the housing with a second tool passage aperture of the liner along a common longitudinal axis, where the compound engagement surfaces and the mating compound engagement surfaces are angled in both a circumferential direction and a radial direction relative to the common longitudinal axis.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein engagement of the mating twist lock elements includes engaging the plurality of coupling members disposed on the liner with corresponding unthreaded ramped grooves disposed on the first end of the housing, where the second end is opposite the first end.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein engagement of the mating twist lock features effects alignment of the boring tool with the boring fixture and allows for boring through a part held by the boring fixture.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Lentz Trevor C

Classifications

• Y10T279/17863

  Shouldered-tang holding · CPC title

• Y10T29/49899

  by multiple cooperating aligning means · CPC title

• B23B31/113

  Retention by bayonet connection · CPC title

• Y10T403/7007

  Bayonet joint · CPC title

• B23B2240/04

  Bayonet connections · CPC title