Methods and systems for forming aligned holes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10213855-B2
Application number	US-201715432282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2017
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A method for forming a plurality of aligned holes includes aligning a first surface defining a first hole with a second surface defining a second hole, wherein the first hole at least partially aligns with the second hole to form a gap. A virtual hole diameter is measured, wherein the virtual hole diameter is a diameter of a virtual hole through the gap and the virtual hole diameter is a smallest bisector of the gap. Responsive to the virtual hole diameter having a first virtual hole diameter, a first cleanup hole having a first cleanup hole diameter is formed through the gap, wherein the first cleanup hole is concentrically aligned with the virtual hole. A first fastener having a first size is inserted into the first cleanup hole, and the first surface is attached to the second surface using the first fastener. Additional implementations are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a plurality of aligned holes, the method comprising:
aligning a first surface defining a first hole with a second surface defining a second hole, wherein the first hole at least partially aligns with the second hole to form a gap;
measuring a virtual hole diameter, wherein the virtual hole diameter is a diameter of a virtual hole through the gap and the virtual hole diameter is a smallest bisector of the gap;
responsive to the virtual hole diameter having a first virtual hole diameter:
forming a first cleanup hole having a first cleanup hole diameter through the gap, wherein the first cleanup hole is concentrically aligned with the virtual hole;
inserting a first fastener having a first size into the first cleanup hole; and
attaching the first surface to the second surface using the first fastener.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to the virtual hole diameter having a second virtual hole diameter that is larger than the first virtual hole diameter:
forming a second cleanup hole having a second cleanup hole diameter that is larger than the first cleanup hole diameter through the gap, wherein the second cleanup hole is concentrically aligned with the virtual hole;
inserting a second fastener having a second size into the second cleanup hole, wherein the second size is larger than the first size; and

attaching the first surface to the second surface using the second fastener.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
responsive to the virtual hole diameter being equal to at least one of a first hole diameter of the first hole and a second hole diameter of the second hole:
inserting a third fastener having a third size into the virtual hole without forming a cleanup hole through the gap, wherein the third size is smaller than the first size; and
attaching the first surface to the second surface using the third fastener.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
inserting a tapered reamer into the gap, the tapered reamer having a longitudinal axis and configured such that the longitudinal axis aligns with a center of one of the first cleanup hole or the second cleanup hole when the tapered reamer is inserted into the gap; and
reaming the first surface and the second surface to form the one of the first cleanup hole or the second cleanup hole.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
inserting a step gage into the gap to perform the measuring of the virtual hole diameter, the step gage comprising at least a first section and a second section, wherein:
the first section comprises a first section diameter which indicates that the first cleanup hole having the first cleanup hole diameter is to be formed through the gap; and
a second section comprises a second section diameter that is smaller than the first section diameter, the second section diameter indicating that the second cleanup hole having the second cleanup hole diameter is to be formed through the gap.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the inserting of the step gage into the gap comprises inserting the step gate that further comprises a third section having a third section diameter that is larger than the first section diameter, the third section diameter indicating that no cleanup hole is to be formed through the gap.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the inserting of the first fastener into the first cleanup hole inserts the first fastener having a first fastener diameter;
the inserting of the second fastener into the second cleanup hole inserts the second fastener having a second fastener diameter that is larger than the first fastener diameter; and
the inserting of the third fastener into the virtual hole inserts the third fastener having a third fastener diameter that is smaller than the first fastener diameter.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the aligning of the first surface with the second surface aligns the first hole having a first hole diameter with the second hole having a second hole diameter that is equal to the first hole diameter; and
the inserting of the third fastener inserts the third fastener having a third fastener diameter that is equal to the first hole diameter and to the second hole diameter.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring of the virtual hole diameter measures the virtual hole that is circular.

10. A method for forming a plurality of aligned holes, the method comprising:
aligning a first surface defining a first hole with a second surface defining a second hole, wherein the first hole at least partially aligns with the second hole to form a gap;
measuring a virtual hole diameter, wherein:
the virtual hole diameter is a diameter of a virtual hole through the gap;
the virtual hole is circular; and
the virtual hole diameter is a smallest bisector of the gap;

responsive to the virtual hole diameter having a first virtual hole diameter:
forming a first cleanup hole having a first cleanup hole diameter through the gap, wherein the first cleanup hole is concentrically aligned with the virtual hole;
inserting a first fastener having a first size into the first cleanup hole; and
attaching the first surface to the second surface using the first fastener;

responsive to the virtual hole diameter having a second virtual hole diameter that is larger than the first virtual hole diameter:
forming a second cleanup hole having a second cleanup hole diameter that is larger than the first cleanup hole diameter through the gap, wherein the second cleanup hole is concentrically aligned with the virtual hole;
inserting a second fastener having a second size into the second cleanup hole, wherein the second size is larger than the first size; and
attaching the first surface to the second surface using the second fastener.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
responsive to the virtual hole diameter being equal to at least one of a first hole diameter of the first hole and a second hole diameter of the second hole:
inserting a third fastener having a third size into the virtual hole without forming a cleanup hole through the gap, wherein the third size is smaller than the first size; and
attaching the first surface to the second surface using the third fastener.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
inserting a tapered reamer into the gap, the tapered reamer having a longitudinal axis and configured such that the longitudinal axis aligns with a center of one of the first cleanup hole or the second cleanup hole when the tapered reamer is inserted into the gap; and
reaming the first surface and the second surface to form the one of the first cleanup hole or the second cleanup hole.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
inserting a step gage into the gap to perform the measuring of the virtual hole diameter, the step gage comprising at least a first section and a second section, wherein:
the first section comprises a first section diameter which indicates that the first cleanup hole having the first cleanup hole diameter is to be formed through the gap;
a second section comprises a second section diameter that is smaller than the first section diameter, the second section diameter indicating that the second cleanup hole having the second cleanup hole diameter is to be formed through the gap;

the step gage further comprises a third section comprising a third section diameter that is larger than the first section diameter, the third section diameter indicating that no cleanup hole is to be formed through the gap;
the first fastener has a first fastener diameter;
the second fastener has a secon

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Scheibel John P
• Scherer James L

Classifications

• B23D77/12 Primary

  Reamers with cutting edges arranged in tapered form · CPC title

• G01B5/24

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• B23P19/10

  Aligning parts to be fitted together · CPC title

• G01B5/08

  for measuring diameters {(G01B5/0035 takes precedence; measuring radius of curvature G01B5/213)} · CPC title

• F16B5/04

  by means of riveting (rivets F16B19/04) · CPC title