Abstract:
Devices and methods for centering a hand tool relative to a fastener, including a sighting guide for providing a reference for the location of a centering tool relative to the fastener. The centering tool may include a reception to enhance sighting and facilitate interoperability with additional viewing devices and hand tools for operating on the fastener.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the full Paris Convention benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/318,178, filed Mar. 26, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, as if fully set forth herein. 
         [0002]    This application incorporates by reference U.S. application Ser. No. 12/603,507, filed Oct. 21, 2009, as if fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    1. Field 
         [0004]    This disclosure relates to devices and methods for centering hole or cut producing hand tools relative to a workpiece. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    According to some exemplary implementations, disclosed is a hand tool centering device, comprising: an interface configured to be placed against a surface. In some instance the surface is of a workpiece, which may be a frame, and said frame contains a fastener; a sighting guide comprising a circular opening having an inner diameter at least substantially equal to the outer diameter of a fastener, wherein the circular opening is configured to visually facilitate a concentric alignment with the outer diameter of the fastener; and a reception exposing the sighting guide to a top portion of the hand tool centering device and configured to accept at least a tip of a hand tool. In some instance the fastener may be a flat-head fastener having a surface substantially flush with the surface. 
         [0006]    According to some exemplary implementations, disclosed is a hand tool centering device, with a reception that may have a geometry corresponding to a geometry of the tip of a hand tool. The reception may be configured to align the central axis of the tip of a hand tool with a central axis of the fastener. The hand tool may be a plasma erosion device. The central axis of the tip of a hand tool may correspond to the principal axis of an erosion electrode. At least a portion of the reception between the top portion and circular opening may taper inwardly. 
         [0007]    According to some exemplary implementations, disclosed is a hand tool centering device, comprising: an interface configured to be placed against a surface=a fastener; a reception configured to accept each of a viewer and a tip of a hand tool; and a viewer comprising a sighting guide disposed at a bottom end of the view and configured to visually facilitate a concentric alignment with the outer diameter of the fastener. In some instance the sighting guide may be a plurality of concentric circles. In some instances the fastener may be a flat-head fastener being substantially flush with said surface of the workpiece (which may be a frame). The reception may have a geometry corresponding to each of a geometry of the viewer and a geometry of the tip. The reception may be configured to align the central axis of the tip of a hand tool with a central axis of the fastener. The geometry of the reception and the geometry of the viewer may cause the sighting guide of the viewer to be substantially coplanar with the surface when the viewer is mated within the reception. The viewer may further comprise a lens configured to refract an image of the sighting guide away from a central axis of the viewer. The hand tool may produce a plasma to disintegrate boluses of material. The central axis of the tip of a hand tool may correspond to the principal axis of an erosion electrode. 
         [0008]    According to some exemplary implementations, disclosed is a method of centering a hand held EDM device, comprising: providing a centering device having a reception to a surface of a frame containing a fastener; aligning a central axis of the centering device with a central axis of the fastener; and mating the tip of a hand tool within the reception of the centering device, whereby a central axis of the tip is aligned with the central axis of the fastener. In some instance the mating between the tip and reception forms a seal. 
         [0009]    Aligning a central axis of the centering device with a central axis of the fastener may comprise: concentrically aligning a circular opening disposed at the bottom end of the reception with an outer diameter of the fastener. Aligning a central axis of the centering device with a central axis of the fastener may comprise: providing a viewer to the reception, the viewer having a sighting guide; aligning the sighting guide with an outer diameter of the fastener; and removing the viewer from the reception. The method may further comprise: eroding at least a portion of the fastener with the hand tool. The fastener may be a flat-head fastener having a surface flush with the surface of a workpiece which may include a frame, skin or coating over a frame and the like. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The above-mentioned features and objects of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1A  shows a plan view of a base; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1B  shows a sectional view of a base; 
           [0013]      FIG. 1C  shows a perspective view of a base; 
           [0014]      FIG. 1D  shows a perspective view of a base; 
           [0015]      FIG. 1E  shows a top view of a base; 
           [0016]      FIG. 1F  shows a bottom view of a base; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  shows a sectional view of a base approaching a fastener; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  shows a sectional view of a base on a fastener; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3A  shows a view of a viewer; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3B  shows a perspective view of a viewer; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3C  shows a perspective view of a viewer; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4A  shows a plan view of a viewer approaching a base; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4B  shows a sectional view of a viewer approaching a base; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4C  shows a perspective view of a viewer approaching a base; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4D  shows a perspective view of a viewer approaching a base; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4E  shows a top view of a viewer approaching a base; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4F  shows a bottom view of a viewer approaching a base; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5A  shows a plan view of a viewer within a base; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5B  shows a sectional view of a viewer within a base; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5C  shows a perspective view of a viewer within a base; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5D  shows a perspective view of a viewer within a base; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5E  shows a top view of a viewer within a base; 
           [0033]      FIG. 5F  shows a bottom view of a viewer within a base; 
           [0034]      FIG. 6A  shows a sectional view of a viewer within a base approaching a fastener; 
           [0035]      FIG. 6B  shows a perspective view of a viewer within a base on a fastener; 
           [0036]      FIG. 7A  shows a plan view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0037]      FIG. 7B  shows a sectional view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0038]      FIG. 7C  shows a perspective view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0039]      FIG. 7D  shows a perspective view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0040]      FIG. 7E  shows a top view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0041]      FIG. 7F  shows a bottom view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0042]      FIG. 8A  shows a plan view of a tip within a base; 
           [0043]      FIG. 8B  shows a sectional view of a tip within a base; 
           [0044]      FIG. 8C  shows a perspective view of a tip within a base; 
           [0045]      FIG. 8D  shows a perspective view of a tip within a base; 
           [0046]      FIG. 8E  shows a top view of a tip within a base; 
           [0047]      FIG. 8F  shows a bottom view of a tip within a base; 
           [0048]      FIG. 9A  shows a sectional view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0049]      FIG. 9B  shows a sectional view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0050]      FIG. 9C  shows a sectional view of a tip within a base; 
           [0051]      FIG. 10A  shows a sectional view of a tip approaching a base; 
           [0052]      FIG. 10B  shows a sectional view of a tip approaching a base; and 
           [0053]      FIG. 10C  shows a sectional view of a tip within a base. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0054]    According to some exemplary implementations, hand tool centering devices and methods are disclosed herein. According to some exemplary implementations, base  10  may be provided, as shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D,  1 E, and  1 F. Base  10  may include sighting guide  100 . For example, sighting guide  100  may be a circle, crosshair, reticle, dot, bar, chevron, steps, etc. Sighting guide  100  may be configured to visually facilitate a concentric alignment of base  10  with the outer diameter of fastener  400 . For example, as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , central axis  50  of base  10  may be caused to be aligned with central axis  450  of fastener  400 . 
         [0055]    As shown in  FIGS. 1B ,  1 D, and  1 F, sighting guide  100  may be a circular opening at the bottom end of base  10  and reception  20 . The circular opening may have an inner diameter at least substantially equal to an outer diameter of fastener  400 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
         [0056]    According to some exemplary implementations, reception  20  may expose sighting guide  100  to a top portion of reception  20  or of base  10 . Accordingly, a user may view from beyond the top portion into reception  20 , for example to view at least sighting guide  100  and fastener  400 . At least a portion of reception  20  between the top portion and circular opening may taper or step inwardly, such that the entirety of the circular opening may be viewable from angles other than along the central axis of base  10 . Likewise, such a feature may improve visualization of fastener  400 . 
         [0057]    According to some exemplary implementations, base  10  may include interface  30  configured to be placed against surface  412  which may be the surface of a frame  410  containing a fastener  400 . 
         [0058]    According to some exemplary implementations, fastener  400  may be any variety of fastener, object, or material to be acted upon. According to some exemplary implementations, fastener  400  may be a flat-head (non-protruding) fastener, such that little or no structure is available as a reference for centering of a hand tool, as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . In contrast, a protruding-head fastener may provide structure extending beyond a surface that may provide a reference for relative location or orientation of a tool to operate thereon. For example, mechanical operations may be performed based on the protrusion to position or orient a tool. Implementations of the present disclosure may be particularly (but not exclusively) useful for flat-head (non-protruding) fasteners. 
         [0059]    According to some exemplary implementations, viewer  200  may be provided to enhance centering of base  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  4 C,  4 D,  4 E,  4 F,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C,  5 D,  5 E, and  5 F. 
         [0060]    According to some exemplary implementations, and as shown in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C, a removable viewer  200  may include sighting guide  100 . Sighting guide  100  may be disposed at a bottom end of viewer  200  and configured to visually facilitate a concentric alignment with the outer diameter of fastener  400 . The shape and geometry of reception  20  and the shape and geometry of viewer  200  may cause sighting guide  100  to be substantially coplanar with surface  412  when viewer  200  is mated within reception  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . 
         [0061]    According to some exemplary implementations, viewer  200  may be transparent or translucent, such that sighting guide  100  disposed at a bottom end thereof may be viewable from beyond a top end thereof. As shown in  FIG. 3A , viewer may include lens  210 . Lens  210  may be separate from or integral with any other portion of viewer  200 . As further shown in  FIG. 3A , Lens  210  may be configured to refract image  102  of sighting guide  100  away from a central axis  250  of viewer  200 . For example, lens  210  may be a convex surface where sighting guide  100  has an index of refraction greater than 1. As shown in  FIG. 3C , this may allow image  102  of sighting guide  100  to be viewed without having a direct view to the actual location of sighting guide  100 . Further, such a feature reduces errors that may arise from viewing sighting guide  100  from angles other than aligned with central axis  250  of viewer  200 . For example, errors may arise where sighting guide  100  is not viewed along central axis  250 , in that the relative locations of sighting guide  100  and fastener  400  may not appear as the really are. The refraction provided by lens  210  reduces the error introduced by sighting at an angle other than along central axis  250 . At least a portion of base  10  may be configured to interface with a surface to facilitate placement and maintenance of location of base  10  relative to the surface when base  10  is pressed against or near the surface. 
         [0062]    According to some exemplary implementations, base  10  and viewer  200  may be provided to fastener  400  to align central axis  50  of base  10  with central axis  450  of fastener  400 . 
         [0063]    According to some exemplary implementations, reception  20  may be configured to accept both a viewer  200  and at least tip  300  of a hand tool, as shown in  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B,  7 C,  7 D,  7 E,  7 F,  8 A,  8 B,  8 C,  8 D,  8 E, and  8 F. Accordingly, a geometry of reception  20  may correspond to tip  300 , such that when tip  300  is engaged within reception  20 , the respective central axes are aligned. 
         [0064]    According to some exemplary implementations, the hand tool may be any device configured to operate on fastener  400 . Examples include those devices that would benefit from alignment along central axis  450  of fastener  400 . According to some exemplary implementations, the hand tool may be an EDM device. The EDM device may be used to erode at least a portion of fastener  400 . Such erosion may be forceless and precision-based relative to the alignment provided by centering devices and methods disclosed herein. An erosion electrode may have a principal axis and be advanceable along the same. The principal axis may be aligned with central axis  350  of tip  300 . 
         [0065]    According to some exemplary implementations, disclosed is a method of aligning a hand tool with fastener  400 . As shown in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  6 A, and  6 B, at least base  10  may be provided to surface  412  of a workpiece or frame  410  containing fastener  400 . Central axis  50  of base  10  may be aligned with central axis  450  of fastener  400 . This may include aligning sighting guide  100  relative to fastener  400 . 
         [0066]    According to some exemplary implementations, where a circular opening is provided, aligning central axis  50  of base  10  with central axis  450  of fastener  400  may comprise concentrically aligning the circular opening with fastener  400 . 
         [0067]    According to some exemplary implementations, a method of alignment wherein viewer  200  is provided to reception  20 . Sighting guide  100  of viewer  200  may be aligned with fastener  400 , whereby central axis  50  of base  10  is aligned with central axis  450  of fastener  400 . Viewer  200  may then be removed from reception  20  while maintaining the placement of the base  10  tip  300  may be inserted. According to some exemplary implementations, tip  300  of a hand tool may be engaged within reception  20  of base  10 , whereby central axis  350  of tip  300  is aligned with central axis  450  of fastener  400 . The tip  300  of the hand tool is illustrated fitted or mated into the reception  20  (as shown in  FIGS. 8A through 10C ). The more exact the fit the better the seal formed between the tip  300  and the reception  20 . 
         [0068]    According to some exemplary implementations, the hand tool may be used while tip  300  is engaged within reception  20 . For example, at least a portion of fastener  400  may be eroded with the hand tool. Electro-discharge devices, systems, and methods as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/603,507, filed Oct. 21, 2009, may be applied, wherein a plasma is generated in conjunction with a dielectric to erode and/or disintegrate boluses of material in a controlled fashion. 
         [0069]    According to some exemplary implementations, use of pin  500  may benefit from the disclosure herein. As shown in  FIGS. 9A ,  9 B,  9 C,  10 A,  10 B, and  10 C, pin  500  may be within tip  300  and be configured for alignment with fastener  400 . Pin  500  may be an electrode of an EDM device or other component of a device to act on fastener  400 . Pin  500  may be spring-loaded or otherwise configured to come into contact with fastener  400  when tip  300  is engaged within base  10 . Operation of pin  500  may be at least somewhat dependent on alignment with fastener  400 . 
         [0070]    According to some exemplary implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 9A , pin  500  may naturally be in an aligned state, in which it is parallel to the alignment ultimately desired. As shown in  FIG. 9B , advancement of tip  300  to an engaged position within base  10  may be other than orthogonal to surface  412  or fastener  400 , inter alia. For example, where reception  20  is tapered, a user may have a tendency to advance tip  30  along one side of the taper, as shown in  FIG. 9B . In such a scenario, pin  500  may be brought into contact with fastener  400  or surface  412  while such non-orthogonal motion is occurring. The result is shown in  FIG. 9C , wherein pin  500  is shifted away from its original axis of alignment. 
         [0071]    According to some exemplary implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 10A ,  10 B, and  10 C, tip  300  may have vertical siding  305 , and base  10  may have vertical wall  25 . The designation of “vertical” indicates that the surfaces of vertical siding  305  and vertical wall  25  are parallel to the intended alignment of at least one of tip  300  and pin  500 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 10A , tip  300  may be advanced in a non-orthogonal manner. However, as shown in  FIG. 10B , as vertical siding  305  of tip  300  falls within vertical wall  25  of base  10 , only orthogonal advancement may be permitted. Such limitation to orthogonal advancement prior to contacting pint  500  with fastener  400  or surface  412  may allow pin  500  to maintain orthogonality as tip  300  becomes fully engaged within reception  20  of base  10 , as shown in  FIG. 10C . 
         [0072]    According to some exemplary implementations, vertical siding  305  of tip  300  and vertical wall  25  of base  10  may align as tip  300  advances within reception  20 . Accordingly, vertical siding  305  and vertical wall  25  may be at a top portion (as shown in  FIGS. 10A ,  10 B, and  10 C), bottom portion, or middle portion (or combinations thereof) of tip  300  and base  10 , respectively. 
         [0073]    While the method and apparatus have been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. The present disclosure includes any and all embodiments of the following claims. 
         [0074]    It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. They still fall within the scope of this invention. It should be understood that this disclosure is intended to yield a patent covering numerous aspects of the invention both independently and as an overall system and in both method and apparatus modes. 
         [0075]    Further, each of the various elements of the disclosure and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an embodiment of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. 
         [0076]    Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the disclosure, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms—even if only the function or result is the same. 
         [0077]    Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this disclosure is entitled. 
         [0078]    It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. 
         [0079]    Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. 
         [0080]    Any patents, publications, or other references mentioned in this application for patent are hereby incorporated by reference. In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be understood as incorporated for each term and all definitions, alternative terms, and synonyms such as contained in at least one of a standard technical dictionary recognized by artisans and the Random House Webster&#39;s Unabridged Dictionary, latest edition are hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0081]    Finally, all referenced listed in the Information Disclosure Statement or other information statement filed with the application are hereby appended and hereby incorporated by reference; however, as to each of the above, to the extent that such information or statements incorporated by reference might be considered inconsistent with the patenting of this/these invention(s), such statements are expressly not to be considered as made by the applicant(s). 
         [0082]    In this regard it should be understood that for practical reasons and so as to avoid adding potentially hundreds of claims, the applicant has presented claims with initial dependencies only. 
         [0083]    Support should be understood to exist to the degree required under new matter laws—including but not limited to United States Patent Law 35 USC 132 or other such laws—to permit the addition of any of the various dependencies or other elements presented under one independent claim or concept as dependencies or elements under any other independent claim or concept. 
         [0084]    To the extent that insubstantial substitutes are made, to the extent that the applicant did not in fact draft any claim so as to literally encompass any particular embodiment, and to the extent otherwise applicable, the applicant should not be understood to have in any way intended to or actually relinquished such coverage as the applicant simply may not have been able to anticipate all eventualities; one skilled in the art, should not be reasonably expected to have drafted a claim that would have literally encompassed such alternative embodiments. 
         [0085]    Further, the use of the transitional phrase “comprising” is used to maintain the “open-end” claims herein, according to traditional claim interpretation. Thus, unless the context requires otherwise, it should be understood that the term “compromise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, are intended to imply the inclusion of a stated element or step or group of elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps. 
         [0086]    Such terms should be interpreted in their most expansive forms so as to afford the applicant the broadest coverage legally permissible.