Apparatuses and methods for processing a confined area of a workpiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9616503-B2
Application number	US-201414482944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Sep 10, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

One example of the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for processing a workpiece along a drilling axis, the apparatus comprising an end effector. The end effector comprises a pressure foot, a clamp linearly movable relative to the pressure foot along the drilling axis, and a flat angle drill linearly movable relative to the pressure foot along the drilling axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus ( 100 ) for processing a workpiece ( 102 ) along a drilling axis (A), the apparatus ( 100 ) comprising an end effector ( 104 ), the end effector ( 104 ) comprising:
a pressure foot ( 106 );
a clamp ( 108 ) linearly movable relative to the pressure foot ( 106 ) along the drilling axis (A);
a flat angle drill ( 110 ) linearly movable relative to the pressure foot ( 106 ) along the drilling axis (A);
a spindle ( 118 );
a drill bracket ( 120 );
a translation platform ( 182 );
a counterbalance ( 176 ) capable of biasing the pressure foot ( 106 ) with a force (F 5 ) along the drilling axis (A), wherein the force (F 5 ) is directionally opposite to a gravitational force corresponding to a weight sum of the spindle ( 118 ), the translation platform ( 182 ), the pressure foot ( 106 ), the drill bracket ( 120 ), the flat angle drill ( 110 ), and the clamp ( 108 ),
wherein the end effector ( 104 ) is capable of biasing the clamp ( 108 ) toward the workpiece ( 102 ) with a force (F 6 ) and wherein the force (F 6 ) has a magnitude (M 6 ) greater than an absolute value of a difference between a magnitude (M 5 ) of the force (F 5 ) and a magnitude (M g ) of the gravitational force corresponding to the weight sum of the spindle ( 118 ), the translation platform ( 182 ), the pressure foot ( 106 ), the drill bracket ( 120 ), the flat angle drill ( 110 ), and the clamp ( 108 ).

2. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the end effector ( 104 ) further comprises
a base ( 116 ), and wherein
the spindle ( 118 ) is linearly movable relative to the base ( 116 ) along the drilling axis (A).

3. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein:
the translation platform ( 182 ) is linearly movable relative to the base ( 116 ) along the drilling axis (A), and
the spindle ( 118 ) is linearly movable relative to the translation platform ( 182 ) along the drilling axis (A).

4. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 3 , wherein the end effector ( 104 ) further comprises:
a spindle drive mechanism ( 124 ) to linearly translate the spindle ( 118 ) relative to the translation platform ( 182 ) along the drilling axis (A); and
a clamp drive mechanism ( 184 ) to linearly translate the clamp ( 108 ) relative to the pressure foot ( 106 ) along the drilling axis (A).

5. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein:
the flat angle drill ( 110 ) comprises a housing ( 126 ),
the drilling axis (A) passes through the housing ( 126 ),
the drill bracket ( 120 ) comprises a drill brace ( 128 ) in contact with the housing ( 126 ) of the flat angle drill ( 110 ), and
the drill brace ( 128 ) produces a reaction force (F 2 ) equal and opposite to an action force (F 1 ) transmitted to the housing ( 126 ) of the flat angle drill ( 110 ) along the drilling axis (A) during a drilling operation.

6. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 5 , wherein the drill bracket ( 120 ) further comprises a split clamp ( 130 ) capable of preventing rotation of the housing ( 126 ) of the flat angle drill ( 110 ) relative to the drill brace ( 128 ).

7. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein:
the flat angle drill ( 110 ) comprises a housing ( 126 ),
the pressure foot ( 106 ) comprises a recess ( 152 ) capable of at least partially receiving the housing ( 126 ) of the flat angle drill ( 110 ), and
the drilling axis (A) passes through the housing ( 126 ) and the recess ( 152 ).

8. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising a lubricant source ( 186 ) and a vacuum source ( 188 ),
wherein the pressure foot ( 106 ) is fluidly coupled to the lubricant source ( 186 ) and the vacuum source ( 188 ).

9. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 8 , wherein the pressure foot ( 106 ) further comprises:
a vacuum port ( 190 ) in fluid communication with the vacuum source ( 188 ); and
a lubricant port ( 192 ) in fluid communication with the lubricant source ( 186 ).

10. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the clamp ( 108 ) comprises a frame ( 122 ), the frame ( 122 ) comprising:
a base member ( 168 ) comprising a first end ( 162 ) and a second end ( 164 );
a first arm member ( 170 ) extending substantially perpendicularly from the first end ( 162 ) of the base member ( 168 );
a second arm member ( 172 ) extending substantially perpendicularly from the second end of the base member ( 168 );
an extension member ( 174 ) extending substantially perpendicularly from the second arm member ( 172 ) and substantially parallel to the base member ( 168 ); and
a jaw ( 166 ) at an end of the extension member ( 174 ),
wherein the jaw ( 166 ) is aligned with the pressure foot ( 106 ) and faces the flat angle drill ( 110 ).

11. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the magnitude (M 5 ) is greater than the magnitude (M g ).

12. The apparatus ( 500 ) of claim 1 , wherein the magnitude (M 5 ) is less than the magnitude (M g ).

13. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the clamp ( 108 ) comprises a frame ( 122 ).

14. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the frame ( 122 ) is G-shaped.

15. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising a robot ( 112 ).

16. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 15 , further comprising a tool changer ( 114 ) coupled to the robot ( 112 ).

17. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 16 , wherein the end effector ( 104 ) is coupled to the tool changer ( 114 ).

18. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein the drill bracket ( 120 ) is fixed relative to the spindle ( 118 ) and is configured to retain the flat angle drill ( 110 ) in a clocked orientation relative to the drill bracket ( 120 ) and to brace the flat angle drill ( 110 ) along the drilling axis (A).

19. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein the flat angle drill ( 110 ) is configured to be operatively coupled to the spindle ( 118 ).

20. The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 3 , wherein the pressure foot ( 106 ) is fixed relative to the translation platform ( 182 ).

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Cardon Lisa
• Long Daniel
• French Franklin B

Classifications

• B23B41/00 Primary

  Boring or drilling machines or devices specially adapted for particular work {(surgical drilling machines A61B17/16)}; Accessories specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B23B2250/12

  Cooling and lubrication · CPC title

• B21J15/142

  Aerospace structures · CPC title

• B23Q5/046

  Offset spindle drives · CPC title

• B23B2215/04

  Aircraft components · CPC title