Replicated hole pattern for remotely located structural components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857600-B2
Application number	US-201816145693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2018
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments herein provide drill hole location transfer between remote components. One embodiment is an apparatus for replicating drill holes of a first workpiece on a second workpiece remotely located from the first workpiece. The apparatus includes an interface to receive coordinate data of first alignment pins installed to first template holes of a first drill plate, and a receptacle to receive a second drill plate having second template holes that match a pattern of the first templates holes of the first drill plate. A pin setting device moves a reference member in a plane over the receptacle, and positions the reference member with respect to the second drill plate based on the coordinate data of the first alignment pins, thus indicating locations within the second template holes to position drill bushings for replicating the first holes of the first workpiece on the second workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for replicating drill holes of a first workpiece at a first worksite on a second workpiece at a second worksite that is remotely located from the first workpiece at the first worksite, the apparatus comprising:
an interface configured to receive coordinate data of first alignment pins installed to first template holes of a first drill plate, the first alignment pins configured to adaptively align the first template holes of the first drill plate with first holes of the first workpiece;
a receptacle configured to receive a second drill plate having second template holes that match a pattern of the first templates holes of the first drill plate; and
a pin setting device configured to move a reference member in a plane over the receptacle and the second drill plate according to the coordinate data of the first alignment pins,
wherein when the reference member positions to coordinates in the coordinate data, the reference member indicates locations within the second template holes of the second drill plate to position drill bushings for replicating the first holes of the first workpiece on the second workpiece.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the reference member is an O-ring with an inner diameter sized to correspond with a width of second alignment pins, the second alignment pins configured to align the drill bushings in the second template holes of the second drill plate.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
one or more support members configured to suspend the O-ring over the receptacle, and to move the O-ring in the plane over the second drill plate according to the coordinate data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
a suspended height of the O-ring in the plane above a surface of the receptacle corresponds with a height of the second alignment pins above the surface of the receptacle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
when the drill bushings are installed in the locations of the second template holes as indicated by the reference member, the drill bushings are configured to guide a drill bit to replicate the pattern of the first holes of the first workpiece as a matching pattern of second holes in the second workpiece.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the pin setting device, the receptacle, and the second drill plate are positioned relative to one another such that the coordinate data of the first alignment pins points the reference member to lateral locations with respect the second template holes that replicate the first holes of the first workpiece.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the second workpiece is remotely located from the first workpiece.

8. A method of replicating drill holes of a first workpiece at a first worksite on a second workpiece at a second worksite that is remotely located from the first workpiece at the first worksite, the method comprising:
positioning a first drill plate, including first drill bushings and first alignment pins installed to first template holes of the first drill plate, with respect to a first pin setting device, wherein the first drill bushings and first alignment pins align in the first template holes to correspond with first holes in the first workpiece;
operating the first pin setting device to position a first reference member in a plane over the first drill plate to first positions that align with centers of the first alignment pins;
capturing coordinate data of the first positions;
providing the coordinate data of the first positions to a second pin setting device;
positioning a second drill plate with respect to the second pin setting device, the second drill plate including second template holes that match the first template holes of the first drill plate;
operating the second pin setting device to position a second reference member in a plane over the second drill plate to second positions according to the coordinate data;
positioning second drill bushings in the second template holes of the second drill plate based on the second positions of the second reference member;
positioning the second drill plate, including the second drill bushings installed to the second template holes, on the second workpiece; and
drilling holes in the second workpiece using the second drill bushings to guide the drilling to replicate the first holes in the first workpiece as second holes in the second workpiece.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
capturing the coordinate data of the first positions in response to centering the first reference member with the centers of the first alignment pins.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
securing the second drill bushings to the second template holes via second alignment pins placed into alignment with the second reference member.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the coordinate data includes coordinate pair values corresponding with the centers of the first alignment pins.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein:
relative positions of the first pin setting device and the first drill plate correspond with relative positions of the second pin setting device and the second drill plate.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the first workpiece, the first drill plate, and the first pin setting device are located at the first worksite, and
the second workpiece, the second drill plate, and the second pin setting device are located at the second worksite.

14. A system for replicating drill holes of a first workpiece at a first worksite on a second workpiece at a second worksite that is remotely located from the first workpiece at the first worksite, the system comprising:
a first drill plate including first drill bushings installed to first template holes of the first drill plate, the first drill bushings configured to receive first alignment pins sized to extend through the first drill bushings and into first holes of a first workpiece to align the first drill bushings within the first template holes,
a first pin setting device including:
a first receptacle configured to receive the first drill plate including the first drill bushings and the first alignment pins; and
a first positioning system configured to translate a first ring in a plane over the first receptacle, to move the first ring to first positions that align with centers of the first alignment pins, and to capture coordinate data of the first alignment pins based on the first positions of the first ring;

a second drill plate including second template holes that match with the first template holes of the first drill plate;
a second pin setting device including:
a second receptacle configured to receive the second drill plate; and
a second positioning system configured to receive the coordinate data of the first alignment pins, to translate a second ring in a plane over the second receptacle, and to move the second ring to second positions according to the coordinate data, the second positions indicating locations of positioning second drill bushings in the second template holes of the second drill plate.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:
when the second drill bushings are installed at the locations in the second template holes, the second drill plate is configured to replicate the first holes of the first workpiece as second holes in the second workpiece.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein:
the second positions indicate pin centering positions for aligning second alignment pins that position the second drill bushings at the locations in the second template holes.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein:

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wilson Jake Aspen
• Aske James A
• Nestleroad Mark Edward
• Ponton Andrew John

Classifications

• B23B2247/12

  Drilling jigs with means to affix the jig to the workpiece · CPC title

• B25H7/02

  Plates having a flat surface · CPC title

• B23B2215/04

  Aircraft components · CPC title

• B23B49/02 Primary

  Boring templates or bushings · CPC title

• G05B19/19

  characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path · CPC title