Patent Application
20100054880
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to an auger bit and more particularly to an auger bit with a removable and replaceable tip.
2. State of the Art
Auger bits are bits utilized by drills to remove material from a particular substrate, commonly referred to as chip removal. Auger bits are helical in design with flutes extending along the length in order to properly move the material being cut out of the hole that the auger bit is creating. Auger bits commonly have a cutting edge at an end along with a self-feeding screw tip.
Auger bits have two common areas of wear. The first is the self-feeding screw tip and the second is the cutting edge. The reason for the greater wear on these components is that the screw tip and the cutting edge are the components of the auger bit that contact the substrate in order to create chips for removal. The rest of the auger bit is simply to remove the chips created by the cutting edge.
Conventionally, in order to overcome the wear on the auger bit cutting edge and screw tip, a user must replace the entire auger bit. Regardless of the fact that the rest of the auger bit is in proper functional condition, the main cutting components are worn and the bit becomes ineffective.
Accordingly, there is a need in the filed of auger bits for an auger bit that has a removable replaceable tip in order to replace the cutting edge and screw tip.
The present invention relates to an auger bit with a removable tip coupled to a first end of an auger bit and a second end of the auger bit adapted to repeatably removably couple to a drill. The removable tip may be removed when worn and replaced with a new removable tip. The tip may be replaced until the rest of the auger bit reaches a wear condition that requires a new auger bit.
An aspect of the present invention includes a removable tip coupled to a first end of an auger bit; and a second end of the auger bit adapted to repeatably removably couple to a drill. The auger bit may further comprise a set screw adapted to couple the removable tip to the auger bit wherein the removable tip is configured to be replaced when it is worn.
Another aspect of the present invention includes a method of using an auger bit with a replaceable tip. The method comprises securing a removable tip to an auger bit; coupling the auger bit to a drill; and operating the auger bit in response to operation of the drill. The method may further comprise wearing down the removable tip, removing the worn removable tip and securing another removable tip to the auger bit.
Yet another aspect of the invention includes an auger comprising a drill, an auger bit having a first end and an opposing second end, the second end removably coupled to the drill and a removable tip coupled to the first end of the auger bit.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings where like designations denote like elements, and:
As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to an auger bit with a removable tip coupled to a first end of an auger bit and a second end of the auger bit adapted to repeatably removably couple to a drill. The removable tip may be removed when worn and replaced with a new removable tip. The tip may be replaced until the rest of the auger bit reaches a wear condition that requires a new auger bit.
Referring to the drawings,
The removable tip 12 may be coupled to the first end 16 of the auger bit 10 in many ways. One such way depicted in the figures is by use of a set screw 24. While a set screw is shown, other means of removably coupling the removable tip 12 to the auger bit 10 may be utilized without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.
The removable tip 12 may be configured to be replaced when it is worn. In particular, the removable tip 12 is replaceable when one of the screw tip 20 and the cutting edge 22 are worn. A new removable tip 12 may replace the worn removable tip 12 and the auger bit 10 may be used again.
Particular embodiments of the present invention include the auger bit 10 comprising a channel 26 formed in the first end 14 of the auger bit 10. The removable tip 12 may further comprise a protrusion 28 corresponding to the channel, wherein the protrusion 28 is coupled within the channel 26 when the removable tip 12 is coupled to the auger bit 10.
Referring again to the drawings,
Referring again to the drawings and in accordance with embodiments of the invention,
Accordingly, the components defining any auger bit with a removable tip may be formed of any of many different types of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formed into shaped objects provided that the components selected are consistent with the intended operation of an auger bit. For example, the components may be formed of: rubbers (synthetic and/or natural) and/or other like materials; polymers such as thermoplastics (such as ABS, Fluoropolymers, Polyacetal, Polyamide; Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, Polysulfone, and/or the like), thermosets (such as Epoxy, Phenolic Resin, Polyimide, Polyurethane, Silicone, and/or the like), any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; composites and/or other like materials; metals, such as zinc, magnesium, titanium, copper, iron, steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, tool steel, stainless steel, aluminum, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; alloys, such as aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, copper alloy, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; any other suitable material; and/or any combination thereof.
Furthermore, the components defining any auger bit with a removable tip may be purchased pre-manufactured or manufactured separately and then assembled together. However, any or all of the components may be manufactured simultaneously and integrally joined with one another. Manufacture of these components separately or simultaneously may involve extrusion, pultrusion, vacuum forming, injection molding, blow molding, resin transfer molding, casting, forging, cold rolling, milling, drilling, reaming, turning, grinding, stamping, cutting, bending, welding, soldering, hardening, riveting, punching, plating, and/or the like. If any of the components are manufactured separately, they may then be coupled with one another in any manner, such as with adhesive, a weld, a fastener (e.g. a bolt, a nut, a screw, a nail, a rivet, a pin, and/or the like), wiring, any combination thereof, and/or the like for example, depending on, among other considerations, the particular material forming the components. Other possible steps might include sand blasting, polishing, powder coating, zinc plating, anodizing, hard anodizing, and/or painting the components for example.
The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.
