GB2348159A - Drilling debris collector - Google Patents

Abstract

A dust collector for a hand-held drill, made of paper or thin card forms an openable pocket (2) to collect dust and debris created when drilling into e.g. a wall. The dust retention container includes a linear strip of easily releasable adhesive material (3a) allowing the dust collector to be affixed to the surface to be drilled and easily removed after drilling for disposal. The container has side slits (4) on either side of the pocket immediately below the adhesive strip to ensure secure adhesion of the maximum surface area of the strip when applied.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO DRILLS, DRILL BITS AND DRILLING This invention is concerned with an accessory for use with drills, and particularly for use with hand held drills whether mechanically driven or power operated by mains or battery. In one embodiment the invention provides a Dust Pocket for Drilling.

In particular the invention is concerned with a device useful to collect dust and/or debris that forms when drilling into a surface e. g. a wall surface or into a workpiece.

When drilling such surfaces and especially when drilling a hole into an upright wall with the drill held horizontally in relation to the wall, the action of drilling invariably creates dust and/or other debris. If this is not collected immediately at the time of drilling there is further work to be done after drilling by clearing up accumulated dust and/or other such debris which usually collects on the floor. This is particularly inconvenient.

Therefore cleaning up almost always follows drilling if that dust or debris is not effectively collected at the time of drilling.

There are some known devices for'capturing'dust and/or other debris at the time of drilling. For example, US-A-4 251 171 BRETT discloses a containment device for trapping drilled out dust, which device is however hand-held and which also obscures the view of the drill bit in use.

Another hand-held such device proposed for use in drilling is disclosed in GB-A-2 278 190B NOBLE. In addition to being hand-held the device illustrated appears overly complex and could be relatively costly to manufacture.

Another device available commercially for collecting dust and other debris is known as the'Drill Boy Dustcatcherl [Trade Mark] but this is also hand held, obscures the view of the bit and appears to have a restriction to drill bit sizes no bigger than 10mm diameter.

An object of this invention is to provide a device or means for collecting dust and/or other debris produced at the time of drilling a surface e. g. a wall or a workpiece, which device or means can be secured to that surface and removed therefrom for disposal without requiring to be hand held.

Another objective of this invention is to provide an embodiment of such a device or means as foreshadowed above which can be mass produced on an economical scale from suitable material (s) which render (s) the device or means disposable immediately after a single use if required.

According to this invention there is provided a container having an opening suitable to receive dust and/or other debris when produced by drilling, and wherein at least part of an external surface of the container or of a member connected to that container has adhesive means whereby the container can both be affixed to a surface suitable for drilling and removed therefrom.

In a container which is of one-piece construction, such as of paper or thin card, as in the illustrated embodiment herein, it is most preferred to include a pair of slits in the material in the region of the rim of the dust pocket adjacent a strip having adhesive on its reverse side.

Preferably the container is one or more of: disposable, foldable, made of paper or thin card, initially in'flat pack form, stackable or nestable. The container may include a part in the form of a pocket or bowl. It is most preferred for the container to be supplied initially flat, in stacked array as a group but easily openable into a pocket or bowl in which dust and/or other debris is to be collected.

The adhesive means is preferably a linear strip of easily releasable such adhesive material of similar type to that deployed in the well known'POST IT' [TRADEMARK] paper notes. Such temporary adhesives are known per se.

Preferably the strip of adhesive has a length which exceeds the width of the opened container i. e. the'pocket'or sbowll thereof at its widest part, to ensure the maximum quantity of dust and/or other debris falls into the container in ~ The container can be disposable or re-usable. Once applied to the surface before drilling, it can act as a hands-free dust-debris catching means for use when drilling into e. g. walls although use in ceilings is also contemplated, where reducing the mess to a minimum is desired.

Known products for the same purpose are of entirely different construction and need to be held in one hand in use. Alternatively such known products are sold as attachments for use with particular drills.

Other products may have a restriction on the size of drill-bit that is suitable for use and the size of the product makes use in some restricted space situations impossible.

Embodiments of containers according to the invention, allow both hands to be free when drilling and can be used with any drill, any drill-bit size and in most situations.

One embodiment of the present invention is a paper pocket or bowl which is affixed to e. g. a wall immediately below the site of the hole to be drilled using a peelable glue. The pocket catches the dust and when drilling is finished the pocket is removed and thrown away.

Embodiments of the pockets might be made already constructed or could perhaps be produced as a flat pad which the consumer could construct for use. These pockets might be made in a range of sizes to suit the situation, e. g. small pockets for use in tight corners, larger pockets where holes are to be drilled adjacent to one another within a given length of wall space.

The size ratio would preferably be width = depth x 1.5 and slits should be cut into the back of the pocket to avoid the adhesive strip pulling away from the wall or other surface in use. To allow the glued strip to adhere properly might require an adhesive strip of length-width x 0.25.

So, a small pocket might measure 120mm x 80mm with 30mm slits cut on either side of the back edge.

In order that the invention may be illustrated, more easily appreciated and readily carried into effect by those skilled in the art, an embodiment of the present container will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing by way of non limiting example and wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a container according to this invention.

As shown, the container 1 includes an openable pocket 2 which is initially flat and generally level with the integrally formed adhesive carrier member 3. That member is a linear strip of e. g. paper or card material whose external surface 3a has an easily releasable adhesive applied. The adhesive strip could be protected by a release strip if needed. The container has side slits 4 on either side of the pocket such as to enable the length of the adhesive carrier member 3 to be wider than the width of the opened out pocket 2 at its widest part i. e. its uppermost part when applied horizontally to a vertical wall surface.

The slits serve to ensure secure adhesion to the working surface, by presenting a maximum surface area of the strip in contact with the surface.

An optional joining segment 5 enables the container to be folded from a one piece'blank'of material (excluding the adhesive) which can be of rectangular shape initially before slitting, folding, and connecting the folded pocket parts 2a, 2b at the joining segment 5, which can be an adhesively bonded such segment. If preferred, the one piece blank can be provided with slits already cut, to facilitate formation of the pocket.

The advantages which result from this invention include the following: (a) The present container may be used to contain the dust/debris produced by any drill and/or any size drill-bit; (b) It can be applied in many situations including those where space is restricted (c) Both hands are left free for drilling, therefore work can be carried out more accurately and safely; (d) No specialist knowledge is needed for proper use; (e) It can be used in tight spaces, its use not being restricted by the size of rigid structures; (f) The containers can catch virtually 100% of the dust that is inevitably created while drilling.

(g) Disposability-no cleaning or maintenance required, because having caught the dust or debris the container can simply be disposed of by releasing it from the surface-simply peeling away to release the low strength adhesive band. Embodiments made of paper or card can be folded up prior to disposal. However, for the economically minded user, the present containers can be used repeatedly until adhesive failure occurs.

(h) Economy of manufacture-the present containers can be folded from a one-piece blank of material e. g. paper or card, can be kept flat until required and can be supplied as a pack containing a plurality of flat packed containers in a stacked array, where the stack occupies a small volume in relation to the number of containers in the stack, and (i) The visibility of the drilling site is not impaired or obstructed by the use of containers according to embodiments of the invention. This is because when the adhesive strip is applied to e. g. the wall surface, the dust and debris-collecting pocket is located underneath the drill bit in use and no part of the formed container obstructs the user's view of the drilling site.

Claims (4)

1. CLAIMS 1. A disposable or re-useable dust retention container for use with a drill including an openable pocket which affixes to a working surface, e. g. a wall, by means of an easily releasable adhesive strip.
2. 2. A container as claimed in Claim I where the secure adhesion of the maximum surface area of the adhesive strip is optimise by the inclusion of two slits cut on either side of the pocket immediately below the adhesive strip.
3. 3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 which is made from paper or thin card.
4. 4. A container as claimed in Claim 3 which may be made in a range of sizes.