Tapered drill bit and automated process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10562109-B2
Application number	US-201715821587-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2017
Priority date	Nov 22, 2017
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

A tapered drill bit having a proximal end and a distal end includes a shank extending from the distal end at least partially towards the proximal end of the tapered drill bit and a body coupled to the shank. The body includes a tapered portion and the body extends from the shank to the proximal end of the tapered drill bit. The tapered drill bit further includes at least one flute extending from the proximal end along a portion of the body. The tapered drill bit also includes a conduit extending from an inlet aperture at the distal end to an outlet aperture, wherein the outlet aperture is formed through the at least one flute.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tapered drill bit for forming a tapered hole, the tapered drill bit having a proximal end and a distal end, said tapered drill bit comprising:
a shank extending from the distal end at least partially towards the proximal end of the tapered drill bit;
a body coupled to the shank, the body comprising a tapered portion and the body extending from the shank to the proximal end of the tapered drill bit;
a plurality of flutes extending from the proximal end along a tapered portion of the body, wherein each one of the plurality of flutes spirals along the tapered portion and terminates at a non-tapered portion of the body, wherein the tapered portion has a first reamer diameter adjoining the non-tapered portion of the body, the first reamer diameter matching a diameter of the non-tapered portion of the body; and
a conduit extending from an inlet aperture at the distal end to an outlet aperture, wherein the outlet aperture is formed through a respective one of the plurality of flutes.

2. The tapered drill bit according to claim 1 , further comprising
a plurality of outlet apertures.

3. The tapered drill bit according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of outlet apertures is located on a respective one of the plurality of flutes.

4. The tapered drill bit according to claim 2 , wherein the conduit comprises a primary conduit that splits into more than one secondary conduit, each secondary conduit extending to a corresponding flute of the plurality of flutes.

5. The tapered drill bit according to claim 2 , wherein the conduit extends along a central axis of the tapered drill bit, and wherein the conduit splits, at a single junction, into a plurality of secondary conduits each extending at an angle less than ninety degrees from the central axis to each respective flute.

6. The tapered drill bit according to claim 2 , wherein each of the outlet apertures is located at a different axial position along a length of the tapered drill bit.

7. The tapered drill bit according to claim 2 , wherein the respective one of the plurality of flutes comprises more than one of the plurality of outlet apertures.

8. The tapered drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet aperture is located at a point on a groove profile of the respective one of the plurality of flutes to be nearest a central axis of the tapered drill bit.

9. The tapered drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet aperture is located at a point on a trailing slope of a groove profile of the respective one of the plurality of flutes.

10. The tapered drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet aperture is located at an approximate midpoint along a flute length of the at least one flute measured from the proximal end.

11. The tapered drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet aperture is located at a point on a leading slope of a groove profile of the respective one of the plurality of flutes.

12. An automated system for reaming tapered holes, comprising:
a drilling machine;
a tapered drill bit, the tapered drill bit having a proximal end and a distal end, said tapered drill bit comprising:
a shank extending from the distal end at least partially towards the proximal end of the tapered drill bit;
a body coupled to shank, the body comprising a tapered portion, the body extending from the shank to the proximal end of the tapered drill bit;
a plurality of flutes extending from the proximal end along a tapered portion of the body, wherein each of the plurality of flutes spirals along the tapered portion and terminates at a non-tapered portion of the body, wherein the tapered portion has a first reamer diameter adjoining the non-tapered portion of the body, the first reamer diameter matching a diameter of the non-tapered portion of the body; and
a conduit extending from an inlet aperture at the distal end to an outlet aperture, wherein the outlet aperture is formed through a respective one of the plurality of flutes; and

a cutting fluid dispensing system configured to dispense cutting fluid into the conduit.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the cutting fluid dispensing system is coupled to the tapered drill bit at the inlet aperture.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the outlet aperture is located at a point on a leading slope of a groove profile of a respective one of the plurality of flutes.

15. A method of reaming a plurality of tapered holes, the method comprising:
drilling a first tapered hole through an entirety of a stack-up to a first drilling depth with a tapered drill bit;
while drilling, dispensing cutting fluid through a conduit formed between an inlet aperture and out an outlet aperture, wherein the outlet aperture is located on at least one flute of a plurality of flutes of the tapered drill bit, wherein the at least one flute spirals along a tapered portion of the tapered drill bit and terminates at a non-tapered portion of the tapered drill bit, wherein the tapered portion has a first reamer diameter adjoining the non-tapered portion, the first reamer diameter matching a diameter of the non-tapered portion of the tapered drill bit;
drilling a second tapered hole through an entirety of the stack-up to a second drilling depth with the tapered drill bit, wherein the stack-up at the first tapered hole is a first thickness and the stack-up at the second tapered hole is a second thickness, and wherein the first thickness is the same as the second thickness; and
while drilling, dispensing cutting fluid out the outlet aperture formed in the conduit.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the stack-up comprises titanium.

17. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising dispensing cutting fluid to a plurality of outlet apertures, wherein each outlet aperture is located on a different flute of the plurality of flutes.

18. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising dispensing cutting fluid to a plurality of outlet apertures, wherein more than one outlet aperture is located on a same flute of the plurality of flutes.

19. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising programming a drilling machine to automatically drill holes to a different drilling depth with a same tapered drill bit.

20. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising drilling without use of a countersink.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Hammond Jr James A
• Arana Steven L

Classifications

• B23B2222/88

  Titanium · CPC title

• B23B2215/04

  Aircraft components · CPC title

• B23D77/12

  Reamers with cutting edges arranged in tapered form · CPC title

• B23B35/00

  Methods for boring or drilling, or for working essentially requiring the use of boring or drilling machines; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such methods · CPC title

• B23B51/08

  Drills combined with tool parts or tools for performing additional working {(B23G5/20 takes precedence)} · CPC title