Methods and apparatus to align applique cutters
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsKenneth A. Kruger, George Michael Granger, Melissa H. Lewis, Nathan Owen Packard, Alan G. Burg, Brian D. Osborne
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus to align applique cutters are disclosed. A disclosed example alignment rail is for use with cutting an applique relative to a surface of a vehicle. The example alignment rail includes a base to contact the surface. The example alignment rail also includes a body including a cross-sectional profile extending along a longitudinal axis of the alignment rail. The example alignment rail also includes a groove of the cross-sectional profile extending along the longitudinal axis, where the groove is to align movement of a cutting tool to cut the applique.
Claims20
An alignment tool for use with cutting an applique relative to a surface of a vehicle, the alignment tool comprising:
- a cutting tool having a cutting edge;
- an alignment rail, the rail comprising:
- a base to contact the surface, the base defining a bottom edge of the alignment rail;
- a body including a cross-sectional profile extending along a longitudinal axis of the alignment rail, the cross-sectional profile having a first width at the bottom edge, the cross-sectional profile defining a top edge opposite of the bottom edge, the top edge having a second width smaller than the first width, the cross-sectional profile including first and second ramped surfaces extending between a first end and a second end of the alignment rail, each of the first and second ramped surfaces extending from the bottom edge to the top edge, the first and second ramped surfaces to converge at a flat surface of the top edge;
- a first groove positioned on the flat surface of the top edge, the first groove extending along the longitudinal axis, the first groove to align the cutting tool to cut the applique;
- and
- a second groove on the first ramped surface, the cutting edge of the cutting tool to extend into the second groove when the applique is positioned over at least one of the first or second ramped surfaces, the first ramped surface having a concave surface that extends from the second groove to the bottom edge.
An alignment tool for use with cutting an applique, the alignment tool comprising:
- a cutting tool having a cutting edge;
- an alignment rail, the rail comprising:
- a body including a cross-sectional profile extending along a longitudinal axis of the alignment rail, the cross-sectional profile having a first width at a bottom edge of the alignment rail, the cross-sectional profile defining a top edge opposite of the bottom edge, the top edge having a second width smaller than the first width;
- each of first and second ramped surfaces of the cross-sectional profile extending from the bottom edge to the top edge, the first and second ramped surfaces to converge at a flat surface of the top edge;
- a first groove positioned on the flat surface, the first groove extending along the longitudinal axis, the first groove to align the cutting tool to cut the applique;
- and
- a second groove positioned on the first ramped surface, the cutting edge of the cutting tool to extend into the second groove when the applique is positioned over at least one of the first or second ramped surfaces, the first ramped surface having a concave surface that extends from the second groove to the bottom edge.
An apparatus comprising:
- a cutting tool;
- a means for guiding the cutting tool along a longitudinal length thereof, the means for guiding the cutting tool including first and second ramped surfaces that extend from a bottom edge of a cross-sectional profile of the means for guiding the cutting tool and a top edge of the cross-sectional profile, the bottom edge having a first width, the top edge having a second width smaller than the first width, each of the first and second ramped surfaces extending from the bottom edge to the top edge, the first and second ramped surfaces converging at a flat surface of the top edge;
- and
- means for receiving at least a portion of the cutting tool, the means for receiving including a first groove and a second groove, the first groove positioned on the flat surface of the top edge, the second groove positioned on the first ramp surface, the second groove and the first groove extending along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, the first groove to align the cutting tool to cut an applique, a cutter of the cutting tool to extend into the second groove when the applique is positioned over at least one of the first or the second ramped surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.