Drill reamer

{
  "publication_number": "US9694432B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Drill reamer",
  "abstract": "A drill reamer (20) comprises an elongate body (21) disposed about a longitudinal axis. The elongate body comprises flutes (22 a - 22 d) having separate hard cutting sections (27 a, 28′ a, 28″ a, 28′ b, 28″ b) and a soft cutting section (24 a, 24 b). The soft cutting section is formed of a material such as carbide having a hardness that is less than that of the hard cutting sections, which may be formed of polycrystalline diamond. At least one first hard cutting section (27 a) is axially displaced relative to at least one second hard cutting section (28′ a, 28″ a). The reamer has a tip cutting edge (23 a, 23 c) and tapered cutting edge portions (24 a - 24 d) disposed at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A drill reamer, comprising: an elongate body disposed about a longitudinal axis, the elongate body comprising a plurality of separate hard cutting sections and a soft cutting section, wherein said soft cutting section is formed of a material having a hardness that is less than said hard cutting sections and at least one first hard cutting section is axially displaced relative to at least one second hard cutting section; and a tip at a leading end of the drill reamer, the tip having a tip cutting edge that defines a drilling angle: and a plurality of flutes each having a tapered cutting edge portion disposed at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the tapered cutting edge portions being operative for drilling a tapered hole during a machining process: wherein the drilling angle relative to the longitudinal axis is greater than said acute angle, wherein said first hard cutting section is disposed at the tip and defines all of said tip cutting edge and defines part of said tapered cutting edge portion of at least one of said flutes.",
    "2. A drill reamer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said flutes comprises said second hard cutting section axially spaced apart from said first hard cutting section, defining another part of said tapered cutting edge portion of said at least one of said flutes.",
    "3. A drill reamer according to claim 2, comprising two pairs of flutes each having said second hard cutting section axially spaced apart from said first hard cutting section.",
    "4. A drill reamer according to claim 2, wherein said first hard cutting section of said at least one flute overlaps the second hard cutting section of an opposite flute in an axial direction.",
    "5. A drill reamer according to claim 1, wherein said second hard cutting section is disposed on alternate flutes and defines a part of said tapered cutting edge portion of a different flute from said at least one of said flutes.",
    "6. A drill reamer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of flutes each have a reaming edge disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis.",
    "7. A drill reamer according to claim 6, wherein said second hard cutting section also comprises part of said reaming edge.",
    "8. A drill reamer according to claim 1, wherein the acute angle is between 11° and 23°.",
    "9. A drill reamer according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of hard cutting sections are inserts attached, fused or brazed onto or into said elongate body, and the elongate body of the drill reamer is formed of the material of the soft cutting section.",
    "10. A drill reamer according to claim 1, wherein the material of the soft cutting section is carbide or tungsten carbide.",
    "11. A drill reamer according to claim 1, wherein the material of the hard cutting section is diamond or polycrystalline diamond."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to a drill reamer and in particular but not exclusively to drill reamers for drilling non-ferrous and composite materials for use in the aerospace industry.\n\nFibre Reinforced Composites (FRCs) are increasingly used in large scale production the aerospace industry. Due to continued development, they are beginning to make a large impact within the automotive industry as well. Fibre Reinforced Composites (FRCs) are an attractive proposition due to the many advantages that they offer. They have a superior strength to weight ratio, a high resistance to fatigue and greater flexibility. This is leading to an increased use of these materials, from panels to structural reinforcements. Developments in the past twenty years have improved technologies both in the manufacture of these materials as well as machining techniques. This has resulted in a range of applications that has spread to the automotive and civil engineering industries, as well as to consumer markets. The aerospace industry is a market leader in the use of these modern materials and is currently responsible for the majority of the global consumption. Due to the nature of their use within these industries, there is a great emphasis on machining to a high dimensional precision as well as achieving a super-fine surface finish.\n\nOne such application is in the aircraft industry, which employs composites in a range of different applications, namely, from large panels and structural reinforcements to smaller internal components.",
  "cpc": [
    "B23D 77/02",
    "B23B 2222/92",
    "B23B 2226/275",
    "B23B 2226/31",
    "B23B 2251/04",
    "B23B 2251/14",
    "B23B 2251/18",
    "B23B 2251/505",
    "B23B 27/20",
    "B23B 51/08",
    "B23D 2277/061",
    "B23D 2277/2442",
    "B23D 2277/245",
    "B23D 2277/2464",
    "B23D 2277/60",
    "B23P 15/46"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "E02B 11/00",
    "B23B 51/08",
    "B23D 77/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Exactaform Cutting Tools Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "John Inglis",
    "Peter Raynor"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-09-19",
  "publication_date": "2017-07-04",
  "grant_date": "2017-07-04",
  "priority_date": "2011-09-19",
  "application_number": "US-201214345700-A",
  "family_id": "44937462",
  "cited_by_count": 4,
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}