Magnetic drill system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9669539-B2
Application number	US-201514666269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 21, 2014
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

An auto-feeding permanent magnet drill comprising a first permanent magnet capable of being removeably coupled to a magnetic material. A coupler plate couples to the first permanent magnet. A drill frame couples to the coupler plate, the coupler plate providing an interface to couple the first permanent magnet to the frame. User interfaces are provided to enable control for powering the drill, enabling a drill or cutter bit auto-feed feature, enabling a lubrication system and enabling a mechanical adjustment system. An electric drill is coupled to the frame, the electric drill coupled to the auto-feed feature and electronically coupled to the user interfaces. A lubrication reservoir couples to a second permanent magnet capable of coupling the lubrication reservoir to a magnetic material or work surface. A flexible distribution tube delivers lubricant from the lubrication reservoir to a nozzle, the nozzle oriented towards the cutting surface and capable of distributing lubricating fluid to the cutting surface or rotating drill bit components during a drilling operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drill system comprising:
an electric drill comprising a motor, a drill bit holder rotationally coupled to the motor, and a drill bit held within the drill bit holder;
a first permanent magnet capable of being removeably coupled to a work piece formed of a magnetically attractive material;
a coupler plate coupled to the first permanent magnet;
a frame coupled to the coupler plate, the coupler plate providing an interface to couple the first permanent magnet to the frame, wherein the electric drill is coupled to the frame;
an auto-feed section coupled to the electric drill adapted to apply force to the drill bit so that the drill bit traverses along a first axis so as to apply force on the drill bit and thereby engage a work piece;
a user interface operably in communication with the electric drill and the auto-feed section, the user interface providing control for powering the drill and enabling user control of the auto-feed section;
a mechanical adjustment system (“MAS”) coupled to the electric drill, the MAS configured to mechanically adjust position or orientation of the electric drill relative to a work piece;
an electromagnet coupled with the electric drill that is configured to be in contact with the work piece and selectively augment the first permanent magnet's force coupling with the work piece;
a lubrication input system coupled to the electric drill, the lubrication input system including a lubrication reservoir coupled to a second permanent magnet, the lubrication reservoir adapted to contain a lubricating fluid and provide a lubricant to a lubrication input section of the electric drill, the second permanent magnet capable of coupling the lubrication reservoir to a support formed of a magnetically attractive material; and
a distribution tube fluidly coupling the lubrication reservoir to the lubrication input section of the electric drill, the lubrication input section further comprising a nozzle, the nozzle oriented towards the drill bit and capable of distributing lubricating fluid to the drill bit during a drilling process;
wherein the first permanent magnet is formed with permanent magnet material selected to generate a first attractive force, the first attractive force is greater than a first force and less than a second force, the first force is determined based on a weight of the electric drill and a maximum force applied by the auto-feeder, and the second force is determined by a minimum amount of force required to be applied by a human to remove the first permanent magnet from the work piece, such that the second force is related to at least the weight of the electric drill, the weight of the first permanent magnet, and the first attractive force, wherein the weight of the electric drill and the weight of the first permanent magnet is at least 17 kilograms;
the lubrication system further including a flow control valve and a valve position lever configured to move the flow control valve to at least one of an opened position and a closed position, wherein lubricant flows from the reservoir to the electric drill when the reservoir is in an elevated location relative to the electric drill and when the flow control valve is in an opened position;
a sensor; and
a controller operably coupled to the sensor, a power source operably coupled to the controller, wherein the controller operates the electromagnet to be selectively powered by the power source, the electromagnet is coupled to the frame, wherein the sensor outputs to the controller a plurality of force measurements applied by the drill bit to the work piece, the controller determines if a first force threshold is exceeded based on the sensor output, wherein the controller selectively activates the electromagnet to supplement coupling functions of the first permanent magnet with additional magnetic attractive force to the work surface when the first force threshold is exceeded.

2. The drill system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor adapted to measure force applied by the drill against the work piece and a controller adapted to receive a sensor output signal indicating the measured force, wherein the controller automatically reduces force applied by at least one of the auto-feeder and the drill against a work surface when the sensor output signal indicates the measured force applied by the drill exceeds a first force threshold.

3. The drill system of claim 1 , further comprising a warning system which outputs a warning signal to a user when the first force threshold is exceeded.

4. The drill system of claim 2 , further comprising a warning system which outputs a warning signal to a user when the first force threshold is exceeded.

5. A drill system comprising:
an electric drill comprising a motor, a drill bit holder rotationally coupled to the motor, and a drill bit held within the drill bit holder;
a first permanent magnet capable of being removeably coupled to a work piece formed of a magnetically attractive material;
a coupler plate coupled to the first permanent magnet;
a frame coupled to the coupler plate, the coupler plate providing an interface to couple the first permanent magnet to the frame, wherein the electric drill is coupled to the frame;
an auto-feed section coupled to the electric drill adapted to apply force to the drill bit so that the drill bit traverses along a first axis so as to apply force on the drill bit and thereby engage a work piece;
a mechanical adjustment system (“MAS”) coupled to the electric drill, the MAS configured to mechanically adjust position or orientation of the electric drill relative to a work piece;
a user interface operably in communication with the electric drill and the auto-feed section, the user interface providing control for powering the drill and enabling user control of the auto-feed section;
a lubrication input system coupled to the electric drill, the lubrication input system including a lubrication reservoir coupled to a second permanent magnet, the lubrication reservoir adapted to contain a lubricating fluid and provide a lubricant to a lubrication input section of the electric drill, the second permanent magnet capable of coupling the lubrication reservoir to a support formed of a magnetically attractive material;
a distribution tube fluidly coupling the lubrication reservoir to the lubrication input section of the electric drill, the lubrication input section further comprising a nozzle, the nozzle oriented towards the drill bit and capable of distributing lubricating fluid to the drill bit during a drilling process; and
a sensor, a controller operably coupled to the sensor, a power source operably coupled to the controller, and an electromagnet selectively powered by the power source, the electromagnet is coupled to the frame, wherein the sensor outputs to the controller a plurality of force measurements applied by the drill bit to the work piece, the controller determines if a first force threshold is exceeded based on the sensor output, wherein the controller selectively activates the electromagnet to supplement coupling functions of the first permanent magnet with additional magnetic attractive force to the work surface when the first force threshold is exceeded.

6. The drill system of claim 5 , wherein the controller automatically reduces force applied by the auto-feeder or drill against the work surface when the sensor outputs indicate the force applied by the drill exceeds the first force threshold.

7. The drill system of claim 5 , further comprising a warning system which outputs a warning signal to a user when the first force threshold is exceeded.

8. The drill system of claim 5 , wherein the first permanent magnet is formed with permanent magnet material selected to generate

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Scheid Eric
• Moan Brad
• Bohnert Travis

Classifications

• B23Q11/1092

  specially adapted for portable power-driven tools · CPC title

• B23B2270/32

  Use of electronics · CPC title

• B23B2270/483

  Measurement of force · CPC title

• Y10T408/554

  Magnetic or suction means · CPC title

• Y10T408/46

  including nozzle · CPC title