Gear cutting – milling – or planing – Milling – Process
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-12
2001-01-30
Howell, Daniel W. (Department: 3722)
Gear cutting, milling, or planing
Milling
Process
C081S064000, C408S127000, C408S238000, C409S138000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179532
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of hand held tools and more particularly to hand held deburring devices having a deburring bit mounted to a flexible shaft.
BACKGROUND
Manufacturing processes that produce metal components commonly leave burrs on various surfaces and edges of the metal component. Burrs are a protruding, ragged metal edge raised on the surface of the metal component. Drilling, boring, and cutting are common manufacturing processes that create burrs. It is highly desirable to remove the burrs from the metal components to enable them to fit and function correctly. Additionally, the visual appearance of the manufactured components is improved by removing any burrs.
Devices and processes to finish metal components by removing the burrs are well known and exist in many varieties. Barrel finishing or tumbling is one method of deburring components. Components to be finished are placed in a vibrating or rotating drum along with an abrasive medium. Typically, this abrasive medium consists of water or oil mixed with a chemical detergent. As the barrel oscillates, the abrasive medium grinds the unwanted burrs away.
Abrasive media flow deburring machines are used to deburr internal surfaces of manufactured components. The component is held in a fixed position within the machine. An abrasive medium is forced though the component, thereby deburring the component's internal surfaces.
These two processes outlined above are effective for deburring large numbers of parts in an industrial manufacturing process prior to assembly. Small tools and devices for deburring individual components by hand are also well known and exist in many varieties. A motorized tool having an aluminum oxide or hardened steel grinding bit is frequently used as a handheld deburring tool. Alternatively, conventional files are commonly used to deburr components. These deburring tools are rigid implements. The construction and assembly of complicated mechanisms presents serious problems in the use of the currently available deburring tools owing to the narrow and convoluted passages often available for these rigid deburring tools to reach the burrs.
In the present state of the art, it is not possible to deform the configuration of the existing rigid deburring tools in order to allow the device to position and operate the deburring bit in difficult to reach locations on a complex component. It is therefore desirable to have a handheld deburring tool that is can reach and function in the difficult to reach places and deburr the component.
Handheld tools that are provided with flexible shafts are well known and exist in many varieties. Nasiell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,913 discloses a flexible handheld tool that is designed to grasp nuts and place and attach them in inconvenient positions. The nuts are grasped by the end of a flexible shaft that is secured to a handle. A handheld surgical implement is disclosed in Wortrich, U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,421. This patent teaches a surgical implement that is provided with a flexible shaft attached to a handle portion. The flexible shaft holds and positions “thumb tacks” during surgery. Donaldson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,507,990, discloses a screwdriver that is provided with a flexible shaft. The flexible shaft is constructed from an outer shaft, or sleeve, of a helically wound strip of metal. The inner shaft, or drive shaft, is constructed from a tightly wound helical coil. Thus the drive shaft is able to rotate independently within the outer protective sleeve. A flexible screwdriver that uses a series of links to provide flexibility along a single plane is disclosed in Rentchler, U.S. Pat. No. 1,454,789.
The present state of the art does not address the problem of how to place a deburring bit in a difficult to reach position and deburr the component. While the use of flexible shafts for various handheld tools is well known and exists in many varieties, the present state of the art does not teach the use of a flexible shaft to position and operate the deburring bit in difficult to reach positions on complex components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention claimed, a novel handheld tool provided with a deburring bit is disclosed that is useful for deburring metal parts.
The handheld tool according to the present invention is of substantially unitary construction and made predominantly from plastic. The handheld tool is formed to have a handle and a tool head. Extending between the handle and the tool head is a flexible shaft that allows the tool head to be used in hard to reach or tight fitting situations. The tool head is provided with an opening to receive a metal tool bit. The preferred tool bit is a deburring bit. The shaft is narrower than the handle and allows a range of flexation greater than 90 degrees.
There are two disclosed embodiments for securing the deburring bit to the tool head. In one embodiment, the deburring bit is permanently secured to the flexible shaft by conventional means such as press fit or adhesive cement. In the other embodiment, the deburring bit is not permanently attached to permit the removal and interhchanging of the deburring bit with other tool bits. It is desirable to interchange deburring bits when the bit in use becomes dull and worn from numerous deburring processes. In addition, the ability to interchange bits enables a single handle, flexible shaft, and tool head assembly to support deburring bits of various sizes and configurations as well as other mechanical bits such as screwdriver bits. One conventional method of non-permanently attaching the deburring bit to the tool head is through the use of magnets. A magnet placed in an interior of the tool head attaches to a base of the deburring bit that is also magnetized. Alternatively, a conventional friction fit between the tool head and the deburring bit can be used as a method of non-permanently securing the deburring bit to the tool head. A latch within the interior of the tool head is one method of creating the pressure fit.
A person can deburr a machined component or part by angling the flexible shaft in such a manner that the deburring bit is positioned to interact with the burr of the part. The person then applies a rotational force to the handle that is transmitted to the deburring bit through the flexible shaft. The force applied to the burr by the deburring bit shears the burr off of the surface of the part.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a handheld tool to deburr components in hard to reach or tight fitting positions.
A further object of the invention is to provide a handheld tool that allows for the removal and replacement of the deburring bits.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a handheld tool that can support conventional screwdriver or hexagonal bits in addition to deburring bits.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a handheld tool that can position a deburring bit and deburr a part through the use of a flexible shaft.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.
REFERENCES:
patent: 519354 (1894-05-01), Sheppard
patent: 1454789 (1923-05-01), Rentchler
patent: 1507990 (1924-09-01), Donaldson
patent: 2679778 (1954-06-01), Krafft
patent: 2796101 (1957-06-01), Hasemann et al.
patent: 2814322 (1957-11-01), Kupfrian
patent: 2951425 (1960-09-01), Eger
patent: 3585885 (1971-06-01), Carr
patent: 3788168 (1974-01-01), Steinmann
patent: 4483562 (1984-11-01), Schoolman
patent: 4634322 (1987-01-01), Walker
patent: 5066174 (1991-11-01), Smith
patent: 5271135 (1993-12-01), Shifferly
patent: 5455997 (1995-10-01), Nasiell
patent: 5464407 (1995-11-01), McGuire
patent: 5464421 (1995-11-01), Wortrich
patent: 5505571 (1996-04-01), Jakob
patent: 5572913 (1996-11-01), Nasiell
patent: 5597273 (1997-01-01), Hirsch
Ellis Venable & Busam LLP
Howell Daniel W.
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