Title:
FLEXIBLE TRACK POSITIONING MACHINE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2003049899
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A flexible track drilling machine employs a pair of rails that are flexible in one direction to conform to a non-flat workpiece surface and are substantially stiff in a direction parallel to the workpiece surface. The rails are attached to the workpiece by vacuum cups spaced along each rail. An X-axis carriage is slidably mounted on the rails by rollers mounted on flexible spring plates affixed to the carriage. A drill or other device to be positioned is mounted on a Y-axis carriage that is slidably connected to the X-axis carriage. The three-dimensional surface of the workpiece is mathematically transformed into a two-dimensional flat pattern, and the positioning of the carriages is controlled based on the flat pattern.
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Inventors:
BOYL-DAVIS THEODORE M
BUTTRICK JAMES N JR
GAGE ROGER A
JONES DARRELL D
PAPANIKOLAOU KOSTANDINOS D
STEPAN MICHAEL M
BUTTRICK JAMES N JR
GAGE ROGER A
JONES DARRELL D
PAPANIKOLAOU KOSTANDINOS D
STEPAN MICHAEL M
Application Number:
PCT/US2002/035321
Publication Date:
October 23, 2003
Filing Date:
November 04, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
BOEING CO (US)
International Classes:
B23Q1/26; B23Q1/62; B23Q9/00; G05B19/408; (IPC1-7): B23Q9/00
Foreign References:
| US3575364A | 1971-04-20 | |||
| US4599018A | 1986-07-08 | |||
| US4850763A | 1989-07-25 | |||
| DE19834702A1 | 2000-02-10 |
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