Patent Application
20230173592
Not Applicable
The present disclosure relates generally to construction tools. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a drill bit stabilizer for facilitating the drilling of a hole with a drill motor.
A drill bit is commonly used to create a hole through various surfaces. Drill bits are generally available in different sizes and types for specific applications of drilling into wood, metal, masonry, tile and other materials. A drill bit typically has a shaft that fits into a drill motor and plural cutting edges formed at its distal end. The drill bit is placed on a surface, often times perpendicular but also at an angular orientation to the surface, at the location where a drilled hole is desired. Upon activation of the drill motor to which the drill bit is attached, the turning drill bit bores into the surface and, as it progresses into the surface, allows the drill bit to extend through the surface forming a desired hole.
An existing drill bit presents significant shortcomings in common situations. In this regard, drill bits often times tend to slide or slip across hard or round surfaces until they “grab” and bore into the surface material. Such sliding may result in a damage to the surface and/or bending or breakage of the drill bit and/or a misplaced, i.e., improperly located, hole in the surface. Further, an entire surface may be destroyed, and the operator of the drill motor may be injured by the drill bit or drill kickback.
In the past, some have attempted to solve some of the placement problems of drill bits through the use of templates and mechanical guides that allows the drilling of holes in a surface. However, such templates and guides are not generally suitable to accommodate the multitude of differing drilling applications. One such exemplary prior art a template is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,776, the contents of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. While such prior art devices may provide a limited solution for a particular drilling application, such tools are typically insufficient for general use and fail to accommodate differing types of drill bits and/or differing surface drilling applications.
The present disclosure specifically addresses and eliminates the deficiencies in the prior art and comprises a drill bit stabilizer which can be quickly positioned and removably attached to a work surface into which a hole is desired to be formed. In the preferred embodiment, a relatively thin substrate or strip is provided with a drill guide hole portion extending outwardly therefrom. The strip preferably includes an adhesive backing, which allows the strip to be easily removably attached to a work surface. The strip preferably is formed from a flexible polymer material; however, rigid or semi-rigid materials are also contemplated herein. The drill guide hole portion is preferably reinforced to provide a suitable drill guide function. Preferably, such reinforcement is accomplished by an increased thickness radial side wall or a reinforcement bushing formed of a metal or differing polymer material formed within the drill guide. In the preferred embodiment, a pressure sensitive adhesive is provided on the lower surface of the strip or substrate and is preferably provided with a removable release liner or layer attached thereto.
In operation, the drill bit stabilizer is used by removing the adhesive liner from its lower surface to expose the adhesive formed on the bottom side of the drill bit stabilizer, and the stabilizer is positioned upon differing support surfaces in a desired location where a hole is to be drilled. The adhesive releasably mounts the drill bit stabilizer in a desired position upon the work surface. Subsequently, a conventional drill bit can be positioned within the chuck of a drill motor and the end of the drill bit is positioned within the drill guide hole portion of the drill bit stabilizer. Initiation of the drill motor will cause the drill bit to rotate, wherein the drill bit can be pushed through the drill guide hole portion and through the lower surface of the drill bit stabilizer to contact and accurately drill a hole in the work surface positioned below the drill bit stabilizer. Upon completion of the drilling operation, the drill bit can be removed from the drill bit stabilizer, and the drill bit stabilizer can be peeled off, i.e., removed from the work surface, and preferably discarded. The use of the drill bit stabilizer provides a quick and efficient mechanism for properly locating and accurately drilling a hole in differing work surfaces and utilizing differing types and sizes of drill bits.
These and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings, wherein:
Referring to the figures, there is shown the drill bit stabilizer 10 of the present disclosure. As shown, the stabilizer 10 is preferably formed as an elongate strip or membrane 12 having a drill guide portion 14 extending outwardly therefrom. The strip 12 is preferably formed from a thin flexible, semi-flexible or rigid material preferably formed of a flexible polymer material, such as polypropylene. Additionally in the preferred embodiment, the strip 12 is formed of a transparent material or semi-transparent material to allow a user to view through the strip 12 when mounting the same upon a work surface.
As best shown in
Referring to
Due to the tapering configuration of the aperture 16, the drill bit stabilizer 10 can accommodate variations in the size of the drill bit to be inserted therein. However, it is additionally contemplated that the strip 12 can be formed and provided to a user having differing size apertures 16 formed therein to accommodate differing size drill bits. Further, although in the preferred embodiment the aperture 16 is formed having a V-shaped configuration, those skilled in the art will recognize that cylindrical, octagonal or other configurations are contemplated herein without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Additionally, it will be recognized that it is contemplated that the drill bit stabilizer 10 of the present disclosure can be provided as a kit having multiple strips 12, each having the same or differing size apertures 16 formed therein to provide optimal differing drilling applications.
Referring to
In all applications, i.e.,
Upon completion of the drilling operation, the drill bit can be easily removed from the drill guide stabilizer 10 by manipulation of the drill motor 52, and due to the releasable nature of the adhesive layer 22, the stabilizer 10 can be removed from, i.e., peeled off, the support surface 40, 42 and 44 and preferably discarded by the user. In the preferred embodiment, it is contemplated that the drill guide stabilizer 10 will be manufactured for single disposable use, however, those skilled in the art will recognize that the same can be manufactured and utilized for multiple drilling applications if desired. Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that although in the preferred embodiment, an adhesive layer 22 is provided on the lower surface of the stabilizer 10, the same can be provided with alternative releasable affixation systems, such as conventional hardware clamps, vices, or clips and/or hook and loop fasteners or manually applied adhesive at the time of use. Further, although depicted for drilling perpendicular holes in a work surface, it is contemplated that other non-perpendicular angles are contemplated at least with common drilling angles, such as 30°, 45°, etc. wherein the drill guide portion will be formed at a corresponding angular orientation to the top surface of the strip 12.
The above description is given by way of example and not by limitation. Given the above description, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiment disclosed herein can be used alone or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to a specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.
This application relates to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/287,343, filed Dec. 8, 2021 and entitled “DRILL BIT STABILIZER AND METHOD OF USE,” the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63287343 | Dec 2021 | US |
