Tool and method for cleaning a drilled hole

Abstract

A tool (10) for cleaning a drilled hole (12), including a tool shank (14) that, relative to the shank axis (A), has an axial attachment end (16) and an opposite axial cleaning end (18), as well as at least one conveying element (20) for removing drilling dust (22) from the drilled hole (12). The conveying element (20) is attached to the tool shank (14) and arranged in the axial direction like a helix around the tool shank (14). The conveying element (20) is configured as a channel (24) that is open in the direction of the attachment end (16). A method for cleaning a drilled hole by such a tool (10) is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A tool for cleaning a drilled hole comprising: a tool shank having, relative to a shank axis, an axial attachment end and an opposite axial cleaning end; and at least one conveyor for removing drilling dust from the drilled hole, the conveyor being attached to the tool shank and arranged helically in the axial direction around the tool shank, the conveyor configured as a channel open in a direction of the attachment end; and a brush extending radially outwards and attached to the tool shank to clean a wall of the drilled hole, wherein starting from the brush, an axial distance to the conveyor in a direction of the attachment end is smaller than in another direction of the cleaning end.

2. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the conveyor is configured as a conveyor belt with a continuous transport surface.

3. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the conveyor has a concave transport surface facing the attachment end.

4. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the conveyor includes elastic material permitting movement in a radial direction.

5. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the conveyor is made of metal or of plastic.

6. The tool as recited in claim 5 wherein the conveyor is made of spring steel.

7. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the conveyor has a lengthwise edge adjacent to the tool shank and joined to the tool shank.

8. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the brush is a strip brush arranged helically around the tool shank.

9. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the brush has several tufts of bristles.

10. The tool as recited in claim 9 wherein the several tufts of bristle are arranged helically around the tool shank.

11. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the brush has metal, plastic or natural bristles.

12. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the conveyor extends axially closer to the cleaning end of the tool shank than the brush.

13. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the conveyor has a lip on a radially outer edge.

14. The tool as recited in claim 13 wherein the conveyor and the lip are made of one piece.

15. A method for drilling a hole and cleaning the drilled hole by the tool as recited in claim 1, the method comprising the following steps: a) drilling a hole with a predefined diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the conveyor; b) introducing the tool into the drilled hole, the conveyor being elastically deformed in such a way that the outer diameter changes to correspond to the diameter of the drilled hole.

16. A method for cleaning a drilled hole by the tool as recited in claim 1, the method comprising: introducing the tool into the drilled hole; and elastically deforming the conveyor in such a way that the outer diameter changes to correspond to the diameter of the drilled hole; the conveyor having an outer diameter, the drilled hole having a predefined diameter smaller than the outer diameter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional features and advantages can be gleaned from the description below of preferred embodiments, making reference to drawings. The figures show the following:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic longitudinal section through a tool according to the invention according to a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic longitudinal section through a tool according to the invention according to a second embodiment;

(4) FIG. 3 a schematic section (longitudinal section) of a tool according to the invention according to a third embodiment; and

(5) FIG. 4 a schematic section (longitudinal section) of a tool according to the invention according to a fourth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a tool 10 for cleaning a drilled hole 12 (see FIG. 2), with a tool shank 14 that, relative to a shank axis A, has an axial attachment end 16 and an opposite axial cleaning end 18, as well as at least one conveying element 20 for removing drilling dust 22 (and drillings) from the drilled hole 12, said conveying element 20 being attached to the tool shank 14 and arranged in the axial direction like a helix around the tool shank 14 and being configured as a channel 24 that is open in the direction of the attachment end 16.

(7) The conveying element 20 can be a conveyor belt with a continuous dust-impermeable transport surface 26, whereby a lengthwise edge of the helical conveying element 20 is adjacent to the tool shank 14, and it is preferably in contact with the tool shank 14 or engages with the tool shank 14. Furthermore, the lengthwise edge of the conveying element 20 is joined to the tool shank 14, at least in sections, for example, welded, glued, screwed or held in a helical groove of the tool shank 14 and pressed together with the tool shank 14.

(8) In the embodiment shown, the channel 24 of the conveying element 20 is formed by the concave transport surface 26 that faces the attachment end 16. Due to this concave shaping, the conveying element 20 can pick up more drillings and drilling dust 22 than a flat transport surface 26 can, which is only slanted in a radial direction of the tool shank 14. Of course, the concave conveying element 20 shown can also be slanted in the radial direction. This means that a radially outer end of the conveying element 20 is closer to the attachment end 16 of the tool shank 14 than a radially inner end of the conveying element 20 that is adjacent to the tool shank 14.

(9) Aside from the conveying element 20, on the tool shank 14, there is additionally at least one brush 28 extending radially towards the outside for cleaning the wall 30 of a drilled hole (see FIG. 2). The brush 28 extends radially further outwards than the conveying element 20, and consequently, during a revolution of the tool 10 around the shank axis A, it describes an outer diameter d.sub.28 that is larger than an outer diameter d.sub.20 of the conveying element 20.

(10) Starting from the brush 28, an axial distance to the conveying element 20 in the direction of the attachment end 16 is smaller than in the direction of the cleaning end 18. In the present case, the brush 28 is directly adjacent to a convex surface 32 of the conveying element 20 facing the cleaning end 18.

(11) According to FIG. 1, the brush 28 is a strip brush and, exactly like the conveying element 20, it is arranged like a helix around the tool shank 14. In order to form a strip brush, the brush 28 can be formed by a continuous strip of bristles or, as an alternative, by several tufts of bristles that are attached along a helix on the tool shank 14.

(12) Depending on the material of the wall 30 of the drilled hole as well as on the desired cleaning performance, the brush 28 has metal, plastic or natural bristles. Moreover, the frictional force of the brush 28 against the wall 30 of the drilled hole can also be influenced by the diameter d.sub.28 of the brush 28.

(13) According to FIG. 1, the conveying element 20 extends axially closer to the cleaning end 18 of the tool shank 14 than the brush 28 does. The reason for this is that, in the area of the bottom 34 of the drilled hole, the pick-up and removal of the accumulated drillings and drilling dust 22 are in the foreground. Brushing off the wall 30 of the drilled hole close to the bottom 34 would not help very much if the drilled hole 12 in this area were still filled with loose material.

(14) FIG. 2 shows the tool 10 according to a second embodiment, whereby the cleaning end 18 of the tool shank 14 have already been inserted axially into the drilled hole 12 (arrow 36), and, in the snapshot shown in FIG. 2, it is being pulled back out of the drilled hole 12 in the opposite axial direction (arrow 38).

(15) The second embodiment of the tool 10 as shown in FIG. 2 is identical to the first embodiment of the tool 10 as shown in FIG. 1, except for an actuation device 40 on the attachment end 16 of the tool shank 14.

(16) Whereas a handle for manually actuating the tool 10 is provided in FIG. 1, the actuation device 40 as shown in FIG. 2 is formed by a defined positive fit contour that, for example, can fit positively into the socket of a power drill or that can fit non-positively into the socket of an electric-powered screwdriver, in order to mechanically actuate the tool 10.

(17) First of all, the drilled hole 12 is made with a prescribed hole diameter d.sub.12, whereby this hole diameter d.sub.12 is smaller than the outer diameter d.sub.20 of the conveying element 20.

(18) Then the tool 10 is inserted axially into the drilled hole 12 in order to clean it, whereby the conveying element 20 is elastically deformed in such a way that its outer diameter d.sub.20 corresponds essentially to the hole diameter d.sub.12.

(19) In the concave configuration of the conveying element 20 shown, the deformation during the insertion into the drilled hole 12 essentially only intensifies the concavity of the conveying element 20. The mechanical stress as well as the wear and tear are relatively low, as a result of which the conveying element 20 achieves a satisfactory service life.

(20) The elasticity in the radial direction can be best achieved in that the conveying element 20 is made of metal, especially spring steel or of plastic. Both materials are inexpensively available, easy to shape and, if selected appropriately, they have a high abrasion-resistance.

(21) The tool 10 is first inserted axially into the drilled hole 12 via the actuation device 40 in the direction of the arrow 36 and then pulled back out of the drilled hole 12 in the opposite direction (see arrow 38). At least when the tool 10 is being inserted, but preferably also while it is being pulled out, the tool 10 is rotated around its shank axis A (see arrow 42). The axial pushing or pulling on the tool 10 as well as the torque for the rotation around the shank axis A are either applied manually or mechanically via the actuation device 40.

(22) When the tool 10 is inserted into the drilled hole 12, the conveying element 20 digs into the loose material in the area of the bottom 34 of the drilled hole, in the manner of a corkscrew. When the tool 10 is subsequently pulled out of the drilled hole 12, the drillings and drilling dust 22 are reliably removed from the drilled hole 12, since the radially inner edge of the conveying element 20 is attached continuously to the tool shank 14, and the radially outer edge slides virtually dust-proof along the wall 30 of the drilled hole.

(23) By means of the brush 28, the drilling dust 22 that was pressed against the wall 30 of the drilled hole is loosened while the brush is being inserted as well as while it is being pulled out, then the drilling dust 22 is picked up by the section of the conveying element 20 that is adjacent to the cleaning end 18, and transported out of the drilled hole 12.

(24) Consequently, the drillings and drilling dust 22 can be reliably and thoroughly cleaned out of the drilled hole 12 without requiring extensive equipment and without generating too much dust that would bother users. The tool can be deployed manually or with mechanical assistance. In contrast to the approach of vacuuming or blowing dust out of the drilled hole 12, the proposed cleaning method by means of the tool 10 can be used for dry as well as wet substrates. The cleaning of the drilled hole 12 by means of the tool 10 is thorough and fast, whereby it can even be possible at times to clean drilled holes with slightly differing diameters using one and the same tool 10. The differences in diameter can be compensated for to a certain extent by a lesser or greater deformation of the conveying element 20 as well as of the brush 28, if there is one.

(25) FIGS. 3 and 4 show sections of embodiments of the tool according to the invention in which the conveying element 20 has a lip 44, whereby FIG. 3 shows a vertical lip, that is to say, the lip 44 is oriented parallel to the tool shank 14, and FIG. 4 shows a concave lip, that is to say, the lip likewise has a concave configuration, but with a smaller radius in comparison to the conveying element 20.