WO2006131927A1

WO2006131927A1 - Drilling accessory

Info

Publication number: WO2006131927A1
Application number: PCT/IL2006/000674
Authority: WO
Inventors: Abraham Taub
Original assignee: Creative Tools Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-06-08
Filing date: 2006-06-08
Publication date: 2006-12-14

Abstract

The invention provides an accessory for a drilling tool to collect particulate matter generated during drilling. A grasper affixed to the first end of a helical spring is adapted to receive the body of a rotary drill. A container is attached to the other end of the helical spring for collecting the particulate matter formed during drilling. The container has an opening for receiving the particulate matter and an adaptor having an aperture reversibly attachable to the base of the container.

Description

DRILLING ACCESSORY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to accessories for a rotary drill.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rotary drills are commonly used for drilling holes into various materials. During drilling, particulate matter is formed that is cut or ground out of the material in which the hole is being formed. The particulate matter may be conducted out of the hole via helical flutes in the drill bit. If the surface is vertical, for example, a vertical wall, the particulate matter may simply fall out of the hole and drop onto the floor. In this case, the particulate matter creates a mess that has to be removed when the drilling is completed. In addition, some of the particulate matter may be scattered in the air, in which case the airborne particulate matter may present a health hazard if inhaled.

U.S. Patent No. 6,053,674 to Thompson discloses a dust collector assembly for drilling tools. A shell is applied to a surface to be drilled. The drill bit is inserted through a hole in the shell for drilling. A suction hose is used to achieve vacuum attachment of the shell to the wall and to carry away dust and debris formed during the drilling. An adaptor through which the drill bit passes is affixed to the hole in the shell, where the adaptor has an aperture having a diameter selected to maintain a desired spacing between the drill bit and the edge of the aperture. This patent discloses that the spacing between the drill and the edge of the aperture should be small enough to achieve vacuum attachment of the shell to the surface to be drilled, and large enough to allow a flow of air in the shell and vacuum hose capable of carrying away the dust formed during drilling. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its first aspect, the present invention provides a drilling accessory for collecting particulate matter formed during drilling. The drilling accessory may be used with any drilling device such as a electric drill, a cordless electric drill of a hand drill. The drilling accessory comprises a grasping ring, adapted to receive a rotary drill or other drilling device, a container for collecting particulate matter generated during the drilling, and a helical spring joining the grasper to the container. In accordance with this aspect to the invention, the drilling accessory further comprises one or more adaptors having an aperture, where each adaptor has an aperture of a different diameter. Each adaptor is configured to be reversibly affixed to the base of the container. In a preferred embodiment, the adaptor is formed from a magnetizable material such as steel and the bottom of the container has one or more magnets therein to hold the adaptor in place.

In its second aspect, the invention provides a method for collecting particulate matter formed during drilling into a surface in order to prevent scattering of the particulate matter, for example on the floor or in the air. An adaptor is selected from among a plurality of adaptors having an aperture of minimal diameter capable of receiving the shaft of the drill bit to be used. Drill bits for drilling into a cement or gypsum wall often have an expanded cutting head. In this case, the adaptor of the selected need only be large enough to receive the shaft and not the cutting head of the drill bit.

The shaft of the drill bit is inserted through the aperture of the selected adaptor and the drill bit is then secured in the chuck. The drill is inserted into the grasping ring. As the drill bit is inserted into the grasping ring, the drill bit passes through a hole in the base of the container and the adaptor is affixed onto the base of the container.

During drilling, particulate matter ground or cut from the surface accumulates in the interior of the container By selecting an adaptor having an aperture only slightly larger than the shaft of the drill bit, escape of the particulate matter from the container from the container is minimized. Thus, scattering of the particulate matter in the air or dropping onto the floor, is substantially eliminated. After the drilling has been completed, the particulate matter that accumulated inside the container during the drilling is discarded.

Furthermore, using an adaptor having an aperture of minimal diameter, prevents angular movement of the drill and drill bit during drilling so as to ensure that the drilled hole is essentially perpendicular to the surface.

In its first aspect, there is provided an accessory for a drilling tool comprising:

(a) a helical spring having a first end and a second end; (b) a grasper affixed to the first end of the helical spring, the grasper adapted to receive the body of the rotary drill;

(c) a container attached to the second end of the helical spring for collecting particulate matter formed during drilling, the container having an opening and a base; and (d) an adaptor having an aperture reversibly attachable to the base of the container

In a second aspect, there is provided a system for use with a drilling tool, comprising:

(c) a container attached to the second end of the helical spring for collecting the particulate matter formed during drilling, the container having an opening and a base; and (d) a plurality of adaptors, each adaptor being reversibly attachable to the base of the container, each adaptor having an aperture of a different diameter.

In a third aspect, there is provided a method for collecting particulate matter formed during drilling into a surface with a predetermined drill bit having a shaft by a rotary drill having a body and a chuck, comprising: (a) in a system according to the invention, selecting an adaptor from among the adaptors of the system having a hole of minimal diameter receiving the shaft of the drill bit;

(b) inserting the shaft of the drill bit into the hole of the selected adaptor and securing the shaft in the chuck of the drill;

(c) inserting the body of the drill into the grasper; (d) affixing the selected adaptor to the base of the container;

(e) applying the container to the surface and drilling the hole; and

(f) collecting the particulate matter formed during the drilling in the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non- limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a drilling accessory in a side perspective view (Fig. Ia) and an end perspective view (Fig. Ib), in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 shows use of the drilling accessory of Fig. 1 for collecting particulate matter generated during drilling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows a drilling accessory in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The drilling accessory 1 is shown in a perspective view from the side in Fig. Ia and in a perspective view from an end in Fig. Ib. The drilling accessory comprises a grasping ring 2 adapted to receive a rotary drill or other drilling device, as explained below. The drilling accessory 1 further comprises a container 4 for collecting particulate matter generated during drilling. The container 4 and the grasping ring 2 are joined together by a helical spring 8 having a longitudinal axis 18. An end of the helical spring 8 is lodged between an exterior circular rim 10 and two or more projections 12 on the exterior surface of the grasping ring 2. The other end of the helical spring 8 is lodged between an exterior circular rim 14 and two or more fasteners 16 on the exterior surface of the container 4. A lip 34 around the edge of the open end of the container 4 allows a cap 35 to snap onto the cap opening 3. The cap 35 has a groove 36 around its edge configured to snap onto the lip 34. The cap 35 forms a seal between the container 4 and a surface to which the container is applied, as explained below. A base hole 22 is present in the base 24 of the container 4 and a cap hole 23 is present in the cap 36. The base hole 22 and the cap hole 23 (when the cap 35 is attached to the container 4) are coaxial with the longitudinal axis 18 in order to receive a drill bit, as explained below.

The cap hole 23 and the base hole 22 have beveled edges so that the outward-facing opening of each hole is narrower than the inward facing opening. As explained below, the beveled edges of the holes direct dust in the hole into the interior of the container 4 and reduces escape of the dust from the holes to the exterior.

In accordance with the invention, the drilling accessory 1 further comprises one or more adaptor plates 41. Three plates 41a, 41b and 41c are shown in Fig. Ia, each plate having a central aperture 43 of a different diameter. Each plate 41 is configured to be firmly affixed to the base of the container 4. In a preferred embodiment, the adaptor 41 is formed from a magnetizable material such as steel and the base 24 of the container 4 is provided with one or more magnets 21 therein to hold the adaptor 41 in place.

Fig. 2 shows assembly of the drilling accessory 1 onto a rotary drill 32 which may be for example a corded or cordless electric drill, or a hand drill. An adaptor plate is selected from among the adaptors 41 having an aperture 43 of minimal diameter capable of receiving the shaft of the drill bit to be used. For example, as shown in Fig. 2a for the drill bit 54, the adaptor 41a may be selected. Drill bits for drilling into a cement or gypsum wall, such as the drill bit 54, often have an expanded cutting head 50. In this case, the opposite end 51 of the drill bit 54 is inserted through the aperture 43a so that the aperture 43a need only be large enough to receive the shaft 52 and not the cutting head 50. The shaft 52 of the drill bit 54 is inserted through the aperture 43a, as shown in Fig. 2a. The drill bit 54 is then secured in the chuck 33 with the adaptor 41a of a drill 32 mounted on it, as shown in Fig. 2b. A body 30 of the drill 32 is inserted into the grasping ring 2 as shown in Figs. 2c and 2d. The drill 32 and the drilling accessory 1 form an assembly 37, as shown in Fig. 2c, with the chuck 33 of the drill 32 positioned inside the helical spring 8. As the drill 32 is inserted into the grasping ring 2, the cutting head 50 passes through the base hole 22 and the cap hole 23, and the adaptor 41a firmly affixes onto the base 24 of the container 4 by means of the magnets 21.

In order to position the cutting head 50 at a desired location on a surface 38 to be drilled, such as a wall or a ceiling, the helical spring 8 is manually compressed so as to cause the drill bit 54 to protrude through the cap hole 23, as shown in Fig. 2e. The cutting head 50 is then easily positioned on the surface 38 at a desired location. The spring 8 is then released causing the cap 35 to be pressed upon the wall around the drill bit 1 (Fig. 2f). Pressure applied to the drill 32 by the user further compresses the spring 8 so as to increase the pressure of the cap 35 on the surface 38.

As shown in Fig. 2g, during drilling, pressure is applied to the drill 32 by the user so as to cause the drill bit 54 to drill a hole 40 in the surface 38. As the drilling progresses, compression of the spring 8 increases, thus increasing the pressure of the cap 35 on the surface 38. Particulate matter 41, ground or cut from the surface 38 during drilling, accumulates in the interior of the container 4. The container 4 and the cap 35 are preferably transparent to allow viewing and monitoring the position and angle of the drill bit 54 during the drilling. The cap 35 is formed from a material having a high coefficient of static friction in order to prevent movement of the cap 35 and the cutting head 50 of the drill bit 54 over the surface 38 during drilling, and to prevent passage of the particulate material 41 between the cap 35 and the wall 38. This allows accurate drilling at the selected location on the surface 38. For example, the cap 35 may be made from high friction transparent silicone rubber. Since the hole 23 in the cap 35 is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the helical spring 8, pressure applied to the container 4 by the helical spring 8 is uniformly distributed radially around the hole 22. Thus, the pressure applied to the surface 38 by the cap 35 is uniformly distributed radially around the drill bit 54. By selecting an adaptor 41 having an aperture only slightly larger than the shaft 52 of the drill bit 54, escape of the particulate matter 41 from the container 4 through the hole 43 during drilling is minimized. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2g, due to the beveled surface of the cap hole 23 and the base hole 22, any particulate matter falling on the slanted edge of the hole 22 or 23 is directed by gravity into the interior of the container 4. This prevents the particulate matter 41 from escaping in any direction from the container 4 during the drilling. In particular, this prevents the particulate matter 41 from being scattered in the air or dropping onto the floor. Furthermore, an adaptor 41 having an aperture 43 of minimal diameter minimizes angular motion of the drill 32 and the drill bit 54 during drilling, so as to ensure that the drilled hole 40 is perpendicular to the surface. When the drilling is complete, the drill bit 54 is removed from the hole 40.

The cutting head 50 of the drill bit 54 is retracted through the hole 23 of the cap 35 into the container 4 under the influence of the helical spring 8. Further retraction of the cutting head 50 through the plate 41a is prevented due to the small diameter of the hole 43a and the firm attachment of the plate 41a of the base of the container. The cap 35 is then removed from the container 4 and the particulate matter 41 that accumulated inside the container 4 during the drilling is transferred to a refuse container 42, as shown in Fig. 2h.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An accessory for a drilling tool comprising:

(a) a helical spring having a first end and a second end;

(b) a grasper affixed to the first end of the helical spring, the grasper adapted to receive the body of the rotary drill;

(c) a container attached to the second end of the helical spring for collecting particulate matter formed during drilling, the container having an opening and a base; and

(e) an adaptor having an aperture reversibly attachable to the base of the container.

2. The device according to Claim 1 wherein the adaptor is formed from a magnetizable material and the container is provided with one or more magnets, to affix the adaptor to the base of the container.

3. The device according to Claim 1 or 2 further comprising a cap reversibly attachable to the opening of the container, the cap having a hole.

4. The device according to Claim 3 wherein the cap snaps onto the opening of the container.

5. The device according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein the cap is formed from rubber.

6. The device according to any one of the previous claims wherein one or both of the container and cap is transparent.

7. A system for use with a drilling tool, comprising:

(a) a helical spring having a first end and a second end;

(c) a container attached to the second end of the helical spring for collecting the particulate matter formed during drilling, the container having an opening and a base; and (f) a plurality of adaptors, each adaptor being reversibly attachable to the base of the container, each adaptor having an aperture of a different diameter.

8. The system according to Claim 7 wherein the adaptors are formed from a magnetizable material and the container is provided with one or more magnets, to affix any one of the plates to the base of the container.

9. The system according to Claim 7 or 8 further comprising a cap reversibly attachable to the opening of the container, the cap having a hole.

10. The system according to Claim 9 wherein the cap snaps onto the opening of the container.

11. The system according to Claim 9 or 10 wherein the cap is formed from rubber.

12. The system according to any one of Claims 7 to 11 wherein one or both of the container and cap is transparent.

13. A method for collecting particulate matter formed during drilling into a surface with a predetermined drill bit having a shaft by a rotary drill having a body and a chuck, comprising:

(a) in a system according to any one of Claims 7 to 12, selecting an adaptor from among the adaptors of the system having a hole of minimal diameter receiving the shaft of the drill bit; (b) inserting the shaft of the drill bit into the hole of the selected adaptor and securing the shaft in the chuck of the drill;

(c) inserting the body of the drill into the grasper;

(d) affixing the selected adaptor to the base of the container;

(e) applying the container to the surface and drilling the hole; and (f) collecting the particulate matter formed during the drilling in the container.

14. The method according to Claim 13 further comprising removing the particulate matter from the container.

15. The method according to Claim 13 or 14 wherein the system comprises a cap having a hole and the drill bit passes through the hole in the cap during drilling.