The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 04, 2025
Filed:
May. 12, 2022
National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, Llc, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Stephen Buerger, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Michal Rittikaidachar, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Clinton G. Hobart, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Jonathon Slightam, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Jiann-Cherng Su, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Giorgia Bettin, Rio Rancho, NM (US);
National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Abstract
A compact drill assembly, a drilling system and a method for automatically drilling small diameter holes of arbitrary depth. The compact drill assembly includes a housing having a geometry that allows insertion into the confined space and a rotatable drilling spindle that includes an actuated locking collet assembly arranged and disposed to selectively secure and release a composite bit. A bit conveying arrangement is configured to convey the composite bit along the non-confined dimension and along the confined dimension through the actuated locking collet assembly. A drill drive is arranged and disposed to advance the rotatable drilling spindle along the confined dimension. The method includes conveying a composite bit along the non-confined dimension and along the confined dimension through the compact drill assembly and advancing the composite bit along the confined dimension to drill into a surface along an edge of the confined space.