Assembly and method for microdrilling a tube
AssigneeHoneywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC
InventorsSteven Todd LaPlant, Dillon James McCullough, Suzanne Christina Varughese, Mark Alexander Stich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An assembly and method for drilling micro holes in a tube including an outer wall having opposing open ends and forming an inner channel. The method includes the steps of submerging the tube in water so the water fills the inner channel, retaining the water in the inner channel, freezing the water in the inner channel so as to form an ice backing in the inner channel, and drilling through the outer wall such that the ice backing supports the outer wall and prevents the outer wall from deforming or distorting near the hole location.
Claims16
A method of drilling a hole in a tube including an outer wall having opposing open ends and forming an inner channel, the method comprising the steps of:
- filling the inner channel with water;
- wrapping the tube around a drilling mandrel in a helix shape;
- orienting the opposing open ends upward;
- freezing the water in the inner channel so as to form ice therein;
- plunging a drill bit into the outer wall while the tube is wrapped around the drilling mandrel so as to remove material from the outer wall;
- and
- retracting the drill bit from the outer wall.
A method of drilling a hole in a tube including an outer wall having opposing open ends and forming an inner channel, the method comprising the steps of:
- filling the inner channel with water;
- wrapping the tube around a drilling mandrel in a helix shape
- orienting the opposing open ends upward;
- freezing the water in the inner channel so as to form ice therein;
- plunging a drill bit through the outer wall into the ice in the inner channel while the tube is wrapped around the drilling mandrel so as to remove material from the outer wall;
- retracting the drill bit from the ice and the outer wall;
- melting the ice so that only residual water remains in the inner channel;
- and
- removing the residual water from the inner channel.
A method of drilling a hole in a tube including an outer wall having opposing open ends and forming an inner channel, the method comprising the steps of:
- submerging the tube in water so as to fill the inner channel with water;
- inserting plugs into the open ends;
- orienting the opposing open ends upward;
- positioning the tube on a drilling mandrel in a helix shape such that the open ends are near a top of the drilling mandrel;
- clamping the tube onto the drilling mandrel via retention clips;
- positioning the drilling mandrel on a spindle of a holding fixture so as to form an assembly;
- removing the plugs from the open ends;
- placing the assembly in a freezer;
- freezing the water in the inner channel so as to form ice therein;
- plunging a drill bit through the outer wall into the ice in the inner channel so as to remove material from the outer wall;
- retracting the drill bit from the ice and the outer wall;
- melting the ice so that only residual water remains in the inner channel;
- and
- removing the residual water from the inner channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.