Patent Publication Number: US-2023132606-A1

Title: Particle suction nozzle fitted with a fastening system comprising at least one tubular insert made of elastically deformable material, and suction device comprising said nozzle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure herein relates to a particle suction nozzle fitted with a fastening system comprising at least one tubular insert made of elastically deformable material, as well as a suction device comprising the nozzle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     According to one embodiment described in document FR3022813, a particle suction device includes a suction generator and a particle suction nozzle connected to the suction generator by a pipe. This suction device is notably used to aspirate particles produced during machining or fitting operations during assembly of an aircraft. 
     According to this embodiment, the suction nozzle has a suction mouth through which the particles are aspirated, as well as a depression fastening system comprising a suction cup. Furthermore, the suction generated by the suction generator enables both the aspiration of particles via the suction mouth and the depression of the suction cup to fasten the nozzle to the part to be machined. 
     According to this embodiment, the surface on which the suction cup is positioned has to be flat to install the suction cup. In parallel, to ensure maximum efficiency, the suction mouth has to be positioned close to the zone where the particles are generated. In some cases, such as the machining of holes in an angle iron, the geometry of the part makes the optimal positioning of the suction nozzle difficult. 
     The disclosure herein is intended to overcome some or all of the drawbacks in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY 
     For this purpose, the disclosure herein relates to a particle suction nozzle comprising a body having a first face, a cavity opening out in the first face to form a suction mouth as well as a connection tube communicating with the cavity, the suction nozzle having at least one portion of a fastening system designed to link the nozzle to a support. 
     According to the disclosure herein, the fastening system has at least one tubular insert made of elastically deformable material, rigidly connected to the body, the insert forming a seat designed to receive a linking element rigidly connected to the support, the insert and the linking element forming a tight fit to enable the insert to be fitted on the linking element, the insert, once fitted, being immobilized in relation to the linking element and at a distance from the support. 
     The use of at least one elastomer tubular insert fitted onto a linking element enables the suction mouth to be positioned near to the zone to be machined, even if the surface about the zone is not flat. 
     According to one feature, each insert has an outer wall. Additionally, the body has, for each insert, a through-hole that has a first section opening out in the first face and having an inner wall cooperating with the outer wall of the insert and a second section having a diameter less than the diameter of the first section, the first and second sections being linked by a shoulder. 
     According to another feature, the length of the first section is substantially equal to the length of the insert so that the insert is flush with the first face when in contact with the shoulder. 
     According to another feature, the suction mouth has an oblong shape as well as first and second ends. Furthermore, the fastening system has two inserts positioned at the ends of the suction mouth as well as two linking elements each designed to be rigidly connected to the support and to cooperate with one of the two inserts. 
     According to another feature, the body comprises first and second heads positioned on each side of the suction mouth and extending the first and second ends thereof, in which the inserts are positioned. 
     According to another feature, the connection tube is positioned to extend the cavity in a direction perpendicular to the first face. 
     The disclosure herein also relates to a suction device comprising a particle suction nozzle according to one of the preceding features. 
     According to another feature, the suction device includes, for each insert, a linking element designed to be rigidly connected to the support and to be seated in the seat formed by the insert. 
     According to another feature, each linking element is an assembly pin. 
     According to another feature, each linking element comprises a cylindrical body that extends between the first and second ends, the cylindrical body having a first shoulder positioned at the first end thereof and designed to bear against a surface of the support. 
     According to another feature, the cylindrical body has a second shoulder parallel to the first shoulder and separated by a given distance from the first shoulder, the cylindrical body having a first diameter from the second shoulder in the direction of the second end as well as a second diameter, that is greater than the first diameter, from the second shoulder in the direction of the first end. 
     According to another feature, each linking element has at least one slightly tapered section between the first and second ends with a diameter that lessens towards the second end. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages are set out in the description of the disclosure herein below, given purely by way of example and with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view from a first viewing angle of a suction nozzle according to one embodiment of the disclosure herein; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view from a second viewing angle of the suction nozzle shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a cross section taken along the plane P1 of the suction nozzle shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a suction nozzle being fastened to a support showing one embodiment of the disclosure herein; 
         FIG.  5    is a side view of a suction nozzle fastened to a support showing one embodiment of the disclosure herein; and 
         FIG.  6    is a cross section taken along the plane P2 of the suction nozzle shown in  FIG.  5   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     According to one embodiment shown in  FIG.  5   , a particle suction device  10  includes a suction generator  12 , a suction nozzle  14 , and a pipe  16  inking the suction nozzle  14  and the suction generator  12 . According to one arrangement, the suction nozzle  14  is linked to the pipe  16  by a removable connection system  18 . The suction generator  12 , the pipe  16  and the connection system  18  are not further described as they are known to the person skilled in the art. 
     According to one application, this particle suction device  10  is notably used to aspirate particles produced during a stock removal operation, such as machining or fitting operations on a panel during assembly of an aircraft. 
     According to this application, the suction nozzle  14  is fastened to a support  20  on which a tool  22  has to perform at least one stock removal operation. The tool  22  has an active part  22 . 1 , such as a drill, to perform the stock removal operation, such as drilling at least one hole  20 . 1 . The support  20  has an L-shaped angle iron  24  with a first flange  24 . 1  and a second flange  24 . 2 , the hole or holes  20 . 1  being positioned on the first flange  24 . 1 . According to one arrangement, the support  20  includes, in addition to the L-shaped angle iron  24 , a wall  26  against which the second flange  24 . 2  is pressed. The L-shaped angle iron  24  is held on the wall  26  by at least one linking element  28  such as a rivet or an assembly pin. 
     The suction nozzle  14  includes a body  30  that has a first face  32  and a cavity  34  opening out in the first face  32  as well as a connection tube  36  that has a first cylindrical end  36 . 1  and a second end  36 . 2  communicating with the cavity  34 . 
     In the remainder of the description, a longitudinal direction is a direction perpendicular to the first face  32 . A transverse direction is a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A transverse plane is a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. 
     The first cylindrical end  36 . 1  is designed to connect the pipe  16  by fitting, screwing or other means. This first cylindrical end  36 . 1  has an axis A 36 . 1 . 
     According to one arrangement, the connection tube  36  is arranged to extend the cavity  34  in the longitudinal direction. 
     According to one embodiment, the body  30  has a second face  32 ′ parallel to the first face  32 , and a peripheral face  38  linking the first and second faces  32 ,  32 ′. 
     According to an arrangement shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the body  30  has an oblong section in the transverse planes positioned between the first and second faces  32 ,  32 ′. According to this arrangement, the peripheral face  38  has two flat portions  38 . 1 ,  38 . 2  that are parallel with one another, and two semi-cylindrical end portions  38 . 3 ,  38 . 4  linking the flat portions  38 . 1 ,  38 . 2 . 
     The cavity  34  forms a suction mouth  39  in the first face  32 . This suction mouth  39  is the intersection of the first face  32  and the cavity  34 . In a transverse plane, the cavity  34  and the suction mouth  39  have an oblong or elongate section. According to one arrangement, the cavity  34  is delimited by two flat surfaces  40 . 1 ,  40 . 2  that are parallel to one another, substantially parallel to the flat portions  38 . 1 ,  38 . 2 , and barely spaced apart from these latter, as well as by two end surfaces  40 . 3 ,  40 . 4  spaced apart from two semi-cylindrical portions  38 . 3 ,  38 . 4  of the peripheral face  38 . 
     Naturally, the disclosure herein is not limited to these sections for the peripheral face  38  and the cavity  34 . 
     Furthermore, the body  30  has first and second heads  44 . 1 ,  44 . 2  arranged on each side of the oblong suction mouth  39  and extending the first and second ends thereof. 
     According to the arrangement shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the first head  44 . 1  is positioned between the first end portion  38 . 3  of the peripheral face  38  and the first end surface  40 . 3  of the cavity  34 . In parallel, the second head  44 . 2  is positioned between the second end portion  38 . 4  of the peripheral face  38  and the second end surface  40 . 4  of the cavity  34 . The first and second heads  44 . 1 ,  44 . 2  are therefore positioned on each side of the axis A 36 . 1  of the first cylindrical end  36 . 1  of the connection tube  36  in a transverse direction. Combined with the fact that the connection tube  36  is arranged to extend the cavity  34  in the longitudinal direction, this arrangement provides a compact suction nozzle  14 . 
     The cavity  34  has a bottom  42  that has an orifice communicating with the second end  36 . 2  of the connection tube  36 . The second end  36 . 2  and the bottom  42  of the cavity  34  have sections that evolve from a circular section to an oblong section in this case, and are designed to limit the head loss between the cavity  34  and the first cylindrical end  36 . 1  of the connection tube  36 . The body  30  is integral with the connection tube  36  of the suction nozzle  14  and made of a rigid material such as metal or a composite material. 
     The particle suction device  10  has at least one fastening system  46  that includes at least one linking element  48  rigidly connected to the support  20 , as well as at least one seat  50  that is rigidly connected to the body  30  of the suction nozzle  14  and designed to receive the linking element  48 . 
     According to one embodiment, each linking element  48  has a cylindrical body  52  that has an axis A52, a first end  52 . 1  designed to be linked to the support  20  and a second end  52 . 2  designed to be seated in the corresponding seat  50  of the body  30 . 
     The cylindrical body  52  has a first shoulder  54  at the first end  52 . 1  thereof, positioned in a plane perpendicular to the axis A52 and designed to bear against a surface S20 of the support  20 . 
     According to a first arrangement, the cylindrical body  52  has a second shoulder  56  positioned in a plane perpendicular to the axis A52 parallel to the first shoulder  54  and separated by a given distance from the first shoulder  54 . The cylindrical body  52  has a first diameter D1 from the second shoulder  56  in the direction of the second end  52 . 2  as well as a second diameter D2, that is greater than the first diameter D1, from the second shoulder  56  in the direction of the first end  52 . 1 . 
     By way of example, the first and second shoulders  54 ,  56  are separated by a distance of between 30 mm and 100 mm. This distance must enable the passage of at least a portion of the tool  22 , notably the active portion  22 . 1  thereof. 
     When in operation, when the linking element  48  is rigidly connected to the support  20 , the first shoulder  54  thereof is pressed against the surface S20 of the support  20 , the axis A52 thereof is perpendicular to the surface S20 and the second shoulder  56  is parallel to the surface S20 and separated from this latter. 
     According to a second arrangement, the cylindrical body  52  has at least one slightly tapered section between the first and second ends  52 . 1 ,  52 . 2  with a diameter that lessens towards the second end  52 . 2 . According to a first arrangement, the tapered section extends from the first end  52 . 1  to the second end  52 . 2 . According to a second arrangement, the tapered section is spaced apart from the first shoulder  54 . 
     According to one embodiment, each linking element  48  is an assembly pin used in the domain of aircraft construction. 
     Regardless of the arrangement, the geometry of the cylindrical body  52  is a shoulder, a tapered section or otherwise, enabling the suction nozzle  14  to be held at a given distance from the support  20  to enable the passage of at least one active portion  22 . 1  of the tool  22 . 
     Each seat  50  has a cylindrical shape, traverses one of the heads  44 . 1 ,  44 . 2  of the body  30 , opens out in the first and second faces  32 ,  32 ′ of the body  30 , and has an axis A50 approximately perpendicular to the first face  32 . 
     According to one embodiment, for each seat  50 , the suction nozzle  14  has at least one cylindrical tubular insert  58  made of an elastomer that has an inner wall forming the seat  50  and an outer wall rigidly connected to the body  30  of the suction nozzle  14 . The disclosure herein is not limited to this material for the insert  58 , which can be made of any other elastically deformable material, such as rubber, silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane, or thermoplastic elastomer. 
     For each insert, the body  30  has, in one head  44 . 1 ,  44 . 2 , a through-hole  60  that has a first section  60 . 1  opening out in the first face  32  and having an inner wall cooperating with the outer wall of the insert  58  and a second section  60 . 2  opening out in the second face  32 ′ and having a diameter less than the diameter of the first section and greater than the first diameter D1 of a linking element  48 , the first and second sections  60 . 1 ,  60 . 2  being linked by a shoulder  60 . 3 . The length of the first section  60 . 1  is substantially equal to the length of the insert  58  so that the insert is flush with the first face  32  when in contact with the shoulder  60 . 3 . 
     According to one arrangement, each insert  58  has a constant cross section along the entire length thereof (dimension measured in the longitudinal direction). In parallel, the first section  60 . 1  has a cross section that is constant along the entire length thereof and identical to the cross section of the insert  58 . 
     Each insert  58  is linked to the body  30  by gluing or any other assembly technique. Each insert  58  is therefore linked to the body  30  by a full link. 
     According to another embodiment, the body  30 , the connection tube  36  and the inserts  58 ,  58 ′ of the suction nozzle  14  are made integral with one another using a three-dimensional printing technique incorporating two different materials. By way of example, the body  30  and the connection tube  36  are made of polylactic acid (PLA) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and each insert  58 ,  58 ′ is made of thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     The insert  58  and the linking element  48  are not necessarily cylindrical. The insert  58  and the linking element  48  are arranged to form a tight fit. ‘Tight fit’ means that there is no play between the insert  58  and the linking element  48 , but the insert  58  can be fitted by hand on the linking element  48 , and that, once fitted, the insert  58  is immobilized in relation to the linking element  48  at a distance from the surface S20 of the support  20 . 
     The use of an elastomer tubular insert  58  and a linking element  48  enables the suction mouth  39  to be positioned near to the zone to be machined, even if the surface about the zone is not flat. The use of an assembly pin as linking element  48  obviates the need to develop and manufacture a specific part to hold the suction nozzle  14 . 
     According to one embodiment, each of the first and second heads  44 . 1 ,  44 . 2  has a through-hole  60 ,  60 ′ in which a tubular insert  58 ,  58 ′ designed to receive a portion of a corresponding linking element  48  is positioned. The suction nozzle  14  is then linked to the support  20  by two linking elements  48 ,  48 ′ positioned at the ends of the suction mouth  39 . This solution provides high stability for the suction nozzle  14  and enables the suction mouth  39  to be positioned as close as possible to the zone to be machined, even if the surface about the zone is not flat. 
     The fact of using elastomer inserts  58 ,  58 ′ enables the inserts to be fitted on two linking elements  48 ,  48 ′, even if these linking elements are not perfectly parallel with one another, or if the center-to-center distance between the two linking elements  48 ,  48 ′ is not exactly equal to the center-to-center distance between the inserts  58 ,  58 ′. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  4  to  6   , installation is relatively simple. Firstly, the linking elements  48 ,  48 ′ are rigidly connected to the support  20 , notably to the second flange  24 . 2  of the L-shaped angle iron  24 . Secondly, the suction nozzle  14  connected to the pipe  16  is positioned so that the inserts  58 ,  58 ′ are arranged to extend the linking elements  48 ,  48 ′, as shown in  FIG.  4   . The inserts  58 ,  58 ′ are then fitted onto the linking elements  48 ,  48 ′ until the inserts are blocked. The suction nozzle  14  is then positioned at a distance from the support  20  and connected thereto, as shown in  FIGS.  5  and  6   . The stock removal operation can then be performed using the tool  22 , as shown in  FIG.  5   . 
     While at least one example embodiment of the invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the example embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a”, “an” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.