AU5063102A

AU5063102A - Device for measuring the depth of a bore hole

Info

Publication number: AU5063102A
Application number: AU50631/02A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Horst Biersack; Joachim Gobel
Original assignee: ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH
Current assignee: ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH
Priority date: 2001-06-29
Filing date: 2002-06-25
Publication date: 2003-01-02
Also published as: DE10131656A1; EP1271094A1

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S): ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

INVENTION TITLE: Device for measuring the depth of a bore hole The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- The invention relates to a device for measuring the depth of a drill hole which is made by a drill, in particular by a handheld drill.

When using box column drilling machines there is the option of measuring the drill depth by the respective spindle feed, a method which in handheld drills is basically not applicable.

For handheld drills it is already known to provide mechanical spacers between the drill bit and the work piece which prevent the drill bit from penetrating deeper into the work piece than had previously been set with the spacer. However such spacers must be adjusted prior to drilling by a dimensional standard to the length of the respective drill bit, so that the intended drill depth may be observed. For each drill bit change much effort is expended in measuring the drill bit length and an adjustment of the spacer is required which is just as laborious. In practical operation it has shown particularly in handheld drills that such a setting is not easy to accomplish. The drill and the dimensional standard must be held, the locking device of the spacer must be released and again locked and finally the spacer itself must be adjusted to the desired depth. All these actions must be performed more or less simultaneously.

It is the object of the invention to provide a device for measuring the depth of a drill hole made by a drill which allows also in handheld drills an easy determination of the drill depth and a simple manner in which to maintain a specified value of such a drill depth.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by a device as described, characterised by a contact-free distance measuring device for determining the distance from the work piece which changes proportionate to the drill depth, which device is arranged at a bearing section near the rotating drill head of the drill.

The distance measuring device which can have a sensor system operating on an optical, acoustic, capacitive or inductive basis, determines the drill depth in each case preferably as the difference between the actual distance and the initial distance upon the application of the drill to the work piece. Work piece in the context of this invention is interpreted to mean each structural component into which a drill hole of a preset depth shall be drilled, so for instance also a wall or ceiling.

The distance measuring device in accordance with the invention can have electronics, preferably accumulator or battery driven, to which there is assigned an indicator for the respective drill depth, where preferably an input device, in particular an input keyboard should be provided to preset a desired drill depth. This input keyboard in conjunction with a memory device of the electronics facilitates the activation of an optical or acoustic signal device to indicate a preset drill depth or optionally also to switch off the drill, so that the preset drill depth is not exceeded, not even inadvertently.

Besides the option of integrating a distance measuring device in accordance with the invention directly into the housing of the drill it has proven particularly useful in practical operation to fasten the distance measuring device to the drill as an independent component, preferably in a detachable manner. This does not only offer the opportunity of retrofitting existing drills but also to move the distance measuring device from one drill to another, where then an accurate positioning at a specific position of the respective drill is not necessary since the drill depth is determined via the difference between the actual distance and the initial distance of the distance measuring device from the work piece.

Further advantages, characteristics and details of the invention can be found in the following description of an embodiment example as well as in the drawing, where Fig. 1 is a side view of a handheld drill with a device for measuring the drill depth fastened at the front handle and Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the distance measuring device used in Fig. 1 to be fastened at the drill as a separate component.

The drill 1 shown in Fig. 1 having a rear handle 2, at which is arranged the function switch 3 for turning on/off and for controlling the rotational speed of the drill bit 5, is provided in the usual manner with a front handle 6 extending outwardly in a transverse direction. At this front handle 6 the distance measuring device 8 according to the invention is fastened (in a manner not shown in detail), in the embodiment example shown as a separate component in its own housing 7, which distance measuring device 8 is provided with a sensor system operating on an optical, acoustic, capacitive or inductive basis. The distance measuring device 8 in the embodiment example shown has an input keyboard 9 as well as an input button 10 by means of which in each case a resetting can be undertaken at each new application of the drill bit to a wall or a work piece so that subsequently the measuring of the drill depth can be measured by determining the difference between the initial distance of the distance measuring device from the wall or the work piece upon resetting to zero and the actual wall distance. This difference can be displayed as the drill depth on the indicator 11 whereby additionally an optical or acoustic indicator 12 may be provided which upon reaching of a preset drill depth flashes or initiates a sound, so that the operator can immediately detect that the preset drill depth has been reached. Optionally at this moment the drive for the drill head 13 of the drill could also be switched off.

The configuration of the sensor system can be varied, depending on whether it operates on an optical, acoustic, capacitive or inductive basis, and it has not been detailed in the drawings. Such contact-free sensor systems for measuring distances are known per se.

The outlet for instance for a laser beam generated by a laser diode for optical distance measuring is located in the front wall 15 of the housing 7 of the distance measuring device 8 which front wall 15 is remote from wall 14. In addition to the sensor system and the electronics, the housing 7 can also have a battery or an accumulator to provide energy to the distance measuring device. In the event the distance measuring device is to be fastened to the drill in a stationary manner, preferably by integrating it into the housing of the latter, it is generally more appropriate to provide the power via the electrical power supply of the drill 1 via its connection cable 16.

The reference numerals in the following claims do not in any way limit the scope of the respective claims.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the depth of a drill hole made by a drill, in particular a handheld drill, characterised by a contact-free distance measuring device for determining the distance from the work piece which changes proportionate to the drill depth, which device is arranged at a bearing section near the rotating drill head (13) of the drill.

2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the distance measuring device has a sensor system operating on an optical, acoustic, capacitive or inductive basis.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the distance measuring device determines the drill depth in each case preferably as the difference between the actual distance and the initial distance upon the application of the drill to the work piece.

4. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the distance measuring device has electronics, preferably accumulator or battery driven, to which there is assigned an indicator (11) for the respective drill depth.

A device according to Claim 4, characterised in that there is assigned to the distance measuring device an input keyboard to preset a desired drill depth.

6. A device according to Claim 5, characterised in that there is assigned to the distance measuring device an optical or acoustic signal device (12) to indicate a preset drill depth.

7. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the distance measuring device is integrated into the housing of the drill. 6

8. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the distance measuring device can be fastened to the drill as an independent component, preferably in a detachable manner. 7

9. A depth measuring device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples. The steps, features, compositions and compounds disclosed herein or referred to or indicated in the specification and/or claims of this application, individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of said steps or features. DATED this TWENTY FIFTH day of JUNE 2002 ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the applicant(s)