US 10,092,961 B2Granted

Drilling apparatus and method

AssigneeBAE SYSTEMS plc

InventorsJonathan Michael Carberry, Austin James Cook

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Drilling apparatus and method, the apparatus comprising: a first robot (10); a first member (30) (e.g. a pressure foot) and a drilling tool (38) both coupled to the first robot (10); a second robot (12); and a second member (52) coupled to the second robot (12); wherein the apparatus is arranged to press the members (30, 52) against opposite sides of a part to be drilled (2, 100) (e.g. an aircraft panel) so as to hold the part (2, 100) and prevent deflection of at least a portion of the part (2, 100); and the first member (30) and the drilling tool (38) are arranged such that the drilling tool (38) may drill into the portion of the part (2, 100) of which deflection is opposed from the side of the part (2, 100) pressed against by the first member (30). The robots (10, 12) may be robotic arms.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A drilling apparatus for countersinking a predrilled hole (4) formed in a part (2, 100), the predrilled hole (4) being from a first side of the part (2, 100) to a second side of the part (2, 100), the first side being opposite to the second side, the apparatus comprising:

a first robot (10);
a first member (30) coupled to the first robot (10);
a drilling tool (38) coupled to the first robot (10);
a second robot (12);
and
a second member (52) coupled to the second robot (12);
wherein
the apparatus is arranged to press the members (30, 52) against the opposite first and second sides of the part (2, 100) so as to hold the part (2, 100) and prevent deflection of at least a portion of the part (2, 100) in which the predrilled hole (4) is formed;
and
the first member (30) and the drilling tool (38) are arranged such that the drilling tool (38) may countersink the predrilled hole (4) to a predetermined depth, the countersinking being from the side of the part (2, 100) pressed against by the first member (30), the apparatus further comprising:
a surface measurement system (31) configured to measure a surface of the part (2, 100) at a plurality of points proximate to and surrounding the predrilled hole (4);
said surface measurement system (31) comprises a first end effector (11) comprising:
a first frame (26);
a plurality of contact measurement devices (70);
a rotatable leg (34);
a passage (44);
and
a plurality of air cylinders (28);
and
a normalisation processor operatively coupled to the surface measurement system (31);
wherein
the normalisation processor is configured to, using the measurements of the surface, determine an action for performance by at least part of the apparatus;
the action is such that, if it were to be performed by the at least part of the apparatus, the drilling tool (38) would be positioned at a predetermined angle relative to the measured surface of the part (2, 100);
and
the at least part of the apparatus is arranged to perform the action.

22 more elements

A drilling method for countersinking a predrilled hole (4) formed in a part (2, 100), the predrilled hole (4) being from a first side of the part (2, 100) to a second side of the part (2, 100), the first side being opposite to the second side, the method comprising:

providing a first robot (10);
providing a first member (30) coupled to the first robot (10);
providing a drilling tool (38) coupled to the first robot (10);
providing a second robot (12);
providing a second member (52) coupled to the second robot (12);
pressing the members (30, 52) against the opposite first and second sides of the part (2, 100) so as to hold the part (2, 100) and prevent deflection of at least a portion of the part (2, 100) in which the predrilled hole (4) is formed;
measuring, by a surface measurement system (31), a surface of the part (2, 100) at a plurality of points proximate to and surrounding the predrilled hole (4);
wherein said surface measurement system (31) comprises a first end effector (11) comprising:
a first frame (26);
a plurality of contact measurement devices (70);
a rotatable leg (34);
a passage (44);
and
a plurality of air cylinders (28);
using the measurements of the surface, determining, by a normalisation processor operatively coupled to the surface measurement system (31), an action for performance by at least part of the apparatus;
performing, by the at least part of the apparatus, the action to position the drilling tool (38) at a predetermined angle relative to the measured surface of the part (2, 100);
and
thereafter, countersinking, with the drilling tool (38), the predrilled hole (4) to a predetermined depth, the countersinking being from the side of the part (2, 100) pressed against by the first member (30).

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/335,729Filed 27 Oct 2016 · continuation
Priority: GB 1201745.51 Feb 2012
Published: US 2017/0043414 A116 Feb 2017
Granted: 9 Oct 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

B23B 39/14
General-purpose boring or drilling machines or devices; Sets of boring and/or drilling machines: with special provision to enable the machine or…
B23B 35/00
Methods for boring or drilling, or for working essentially requiring the use
B23B 49/00
Measuring or gauging equipment on boring machines for positioning or guiding the
B25J 9/16
Program-controlled manipulators: program controls

Family

PCT/GB2013/050185Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Jan 2013
US 2017/0043414 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 Feb 2017
Application14/375,979Parent of this continuation
US 9,533,359 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2015/0023748 A1Published application
US 10,092,961 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.