Orbital drilling system and associated methods and apparatuses
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsWesley E. Holleman, Nicholas R. Farrell
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Abstract
Described herein is an orbital drilling system that includes an orbital drilling machine and a cutter. The orbital drilling machine includes a spindle and an eccentric rotation mechanism. The spindle is rotatable about a cutter axis. The eccentric rotation mechanism is coupled to the spindle and configured to orbit the spindle about an orbital axis, offset from the cutter axis. The cutter is co-rotatably coupled to the spindle and comprises a plurality of cutting edges, collectively defining a cutting diameter of the cutter. The cutting diameter of the cutter is adjustable.
Claims21
An orbital drilling system, comprising:
- an orbital drilling machine, comprising:
- a spindle, rotatable about a cutter axis;
- and
- an eccentric rotation mechanism, coupled to the spindle and configured to orbit the spindle about an orbital axis, offset from the cutter axis;
- and
- a cutter, co-rotatably coupled to the spindle and comprising a plurality of cutting edges, collectively defining a cutting diameter of the cutter, wherein the cutting diameter of the cutter is adjustable.
A method of forming a hole in a workpiece, comprising:
- providing an offset between an orbital axis, about which a cutter orbits, and a cutter axis, about which the cutter rotates;
- adjusting a cutting diameter of the cutter;
- rotating the cutter about the cutter axis to cut material in the workpiece;
- and
- while rotating the cutter about the cutter axis to cut material in the workpiece, orbiting the cutter about the orbital axis to form a hole in the workpiece having a first hole diameter greater than the cutting diameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.