GB2482510A - Debris control device - Google Patents

Abstract

The debris control device is for use with e.g. powered and manual hand-held drills 4 and similar devices which either drill or abrade materials to cause particulate dust to be generated. The device is a debris collector 30 defined from a sheet material with at least three V-shaped sheet elements 31, 32, 33. Each V-shaped element defines a V-angle, the sum of which being less than 360 degrees. The V-shaped elements are attached along only one edge 34 to define a pocket 38. An adhesive on one sheet surface enables the device to be releasably retained on an operating surface. The device may be formed from a readily foldable sheet material such as paper. A number of overlaid sheets on top of one another may form a pad of debris collector sheets.

Description

A DEBRIS CONTROL DEVICE

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a debris or dust control device, in particular, to a debris or dust control device suitable for use with hand tools such as hand drills both powered and manual, and similar devices which either drill or generally abrade materials to cause particulate dust to be generated.

Background to the Invention

When penetrating or abrading materials using a rotary drill or any other tool that creates debris, the material discharged from the surface is normally carried back along the length of the tool and scattered as granular dust or grit in the area directly below the location where the hole is created or a surface is abraded. In some cases the quantity of debris generated by creating a hole is particularly noticeable. For instance, a 10 mm hole at a 5 cm depth will create nearly 4 cm3 of debris that will be scattered about the immediate area, the majority forming a pile immediately below the hole.

Whilst in many industrial environments such debris would be unnoticeable, this is not the case in the home. Particularly in the do it yourself (DIY) environment, an individual is likely to put down sheeting in the vicinity around the workspace and to vacuum the same immediately after completion to avoid any mess resulting from discharged dust and debris. An individual may also wish to cover or reposition any other furniture and/or decorations that may catch some of the discharged dust and debris. Another concern regarding discharged dust and debris may be, for example, where an individual is installing fixtures or drilling holes near sensitive electronic equipment that cannot easily be moved and the debris may be potentially damaging to the equipment. Thus, it is highly desirable for the dust and debris discharged from a penetrating operation to be completely collected without large amounts of preparation.

Equally, the do-it-yourself person (the diyer) may be in a hurry and will not have the time to put necessary protective sheets upon the ground nor have a vacuum cleaner readily available. A job may require the fixing of screws within a wall upon a stair well; it may not be convenient or even possible to have a suitable protective sheet laid upon the stairs. The diyer may not be bothered but may be subsequently criticised by their partners or house-mates.

Other than using sheeting to catch the majority of the debris, few mechanisms for controlling the spread of such debris are known to be available to small-scale installation operators or to the home DIY market. Complex systems involving vacuums to suck away the dust have been developed over the years, but this usually requires additional vacuum pumps and ducting, and the vacuum is rarely powerful enough to carry all the dust and debris away. For example, several hand tools have been designed to prevent dust from scattering from a drilling surface.

However, these tools often require one to use both hands. For example, if a heavy drill is used, it may be difficult for one person to use the tool while drilling.

Another safety concern is that the hand tool may require the user's hand to be close to a drill bit when drilling. Thus, it is also highly desirable for dust and debris to be collected in a safe and efficient manner. Drilling and cutting can be a dirty business. This is particularly true when plaster and brick are concerned.

During installations the engineer or diyer will often be working in a clean environment such as an office or in a home. Dust and dirt will fall to the floor.

Inconvenience is caused with the necessary spreading out of dust sheets and time consumed in the tidying and clean-up afterwards. When there is no depth stop fitted to an electric drill there are problems with certain jobs. If the materials to be cut are sandwiched into hard and soft materials cutting to a prescribed depth is difficult. If trunking or panelling is to be drilled then cutting can be difficult without breaking through and damaging equipment or cables in the duct or casing.

CN 2905358 teaches of a generally circularly cylindrical barrel-shaped bag which on the one hand abuts a surface which is to be machined/drilled into and on the other hand fits over a drill bit of a power tool. The bag collects swarf that falls under gravity from the aperture that the drill makes. US2010089497 provides a dust collector for use with a router that is mounted to the underside of a router table. The device serves as a means for collecting dust from both upper and lower surfaces of a cutting tool. The debris collector includes a flexible cup attachable to the underside of the router table, a vacuum hose opening on the cup connectable to a workshop vacuum hose and reducer fitting in combination are attachable to a router table fence and to one of two small openings of a "T" connector fitting on the other end, a vacuum hose attachable to the vacuum hose opening of the cup on one end and attachable to the other of two small openings of the "T" connector on the other end, a larger opening on the "T" connector connectable to a vacuum hose of a workshop vacuum, which in combination can make the matter of a simple diy operation turn into a relatively complicated operation.

GB 2426221 (Bosch) provides a debris catching device with an attachment element which is provided to catch abraded material which is produced by a power hand machine tool, such as an electrical hand drill, when drilling into a work piece. The attachment element comprises a handle element to enable the attachment to be held about the work piece, the tool having a vacuum pipe provided to enable dust to be vacuumed away from the work piece. This needs a separate vacuum source, together with filtration. Additionally, the area around the work piece is obscured by the vacuum attachment for holding the attachment element at the work piece. GB 2096030 (G Roem et al) comprises a sleeve that envelopes a drill bit of a boring machine. A vacuum attachment is provided. This does not appear to have had much commercial success: the sleeve terminates in a handle element which surrounds the area to be drilled. The envelope makes it rather difficult to see the work piece and it shares many of the disadvantages of the Bosch device above.

GB2278190 ( P NOBLE) Swarf or debris generated at the boring location of a drill is collected in a sleeve including a rigid portion having a mouth in contact with the work, a hose and a ring member on which a mounting ring, detachably fixed to a drill chuck, is rotatably mounted. The hose and compression springs, incorporated therein, are compressed as the drilling proceeds. Initially the sleeve extends at least as far as the drill tip with a sealing ring closing off the boring location. In a modification the hose is replaced by telescoping sleeve portions with a spring interposed between the ring member and sleeve. In another modification the hose and springs are replaced by a helically wound spring strip with adjacent turns overlapping and in sliding contact. A handle can also be used to connect a suction source to the sleeve. EP0813464 (British Aerospace) teaches of an attachment for use with a vacuum powered debris removal system, said attachment comprising a debris collection bowl, said bowl having a first aperture through which a material cutting tool may be removably inserted, a second aperture through which a vacuum source may be connected, and a third aperture the open circumferential face of which is designed to lie substantially in contact with a material undergoing a cutting operation, such that in use, as debris is generated by the action of the cutting tool on said material, substantially all debris is collected in said bowl and thereby extracted through the second aperture by the action of the vacuum source.

US 2009035077 provides a device and method for collecting debris discharged from a penetrating surface. The tool dust collector generally employs a substantially flat part with a substantially curved part to form a substantially non-rigid container to be positioned on or near the penetrating surface. The tool dust collector may include adhesive bands to position the device at the penetrating location. The device allows an individual to collect dust and debris safely, efficiently, and without a great deal of preparation.

EP 1842612 provides a cup section is adapted to be attached to an electric tool in which a bit is allowed to be attached to or detached from a chucking mechanism while a chuck cover is moved in a first direction. A dust collector is coupled to a front part of the cup section and adapted to surround the bit. An operating member is provided in the cup section and is movable in the first direction. The operating member is adapted to come in contact with the chuck cover when the operating member is moved in the first direction, thereby causing the chuck cover to move in the first direction together with the operating member.

Object of the Invention The present invention seeks to provide a solution to the problems addressed above. The present invention seeks to provide a debris or dust collector for hand tools that is convenient and simple to use.

Statement of Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a debris collector defined from sheet material, the device comprising at least three V- shaped sheet elements, each V-section defining a V-angle, the sum of the V-angles of the V-sheets being less than 360°, the V-shaped sheet elements being attached via corresponding edges of the V-shaped sheets and arranged in a common direction to define first and second V-shaped sheet elements which are attached along only one edge, and wherein said first and second V-shaped sheets are operably connectable, whereby to be operably arranged to define a pocket and being provided with adhesive on one sheet surface to enable the apparatus to be releasably retained to an operating surface.

Conveniently, said first V-shaped sheets is provided with a tab along the unconnected V-section edge, which tab is operably joined to the unconnected edge of said second V-section. The tab of said first V-shaped sheet can be provided with adhesive whereby to enable said first V-shaped sheet to be adhesively secured to said second V-shaped sheet. In the alternative, said second V-shaped sheet has a slot defined therein whereby to allow said tab of said first V-shaped sheet to be inserted therein, whereby to allow said first V-shaped sheet to be secured to said second V-shaped sheet.

Conveniently, one of the V-shaped sheets is provided with a tab along a top edge of the V-section, which tab can be secured with adhesive to an opposite face of the folded pocket, whereby the tab and adhesive cooperate to seal the dust collecting pocket after removal from the operating surface. In the alternative a tab and slot combination, or similar could be employed.

The dust collection device is formed from a sheet material such as paper. It is preferred that fold or crease lines are made in the sheet material to enable simple and reliable forming of the device and to enable modifications to be made, whereby the collector can be modified to fit in particular orientations.

A plastics film or other form of protection may be applied to the pressure sensitive adhesive prior to use. The adhesive may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive; once a protective film is removed, the device or collector can be adhesively secured to an operating surface such as a wall. Other types of, preferably releasable, adhesive may be employed.

The debris collector sheets in accordance with the invention may conveniently be provided in a pad, comprising a number of overlaid sheets placed one atop another. It is preferable that such a pad of debris collector sheets is provided with a protective film if applied to exposed adhesive.

Brief Description of the Figures

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the Figures as shown in the accompanying drawing sheets, wherein:-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical situation where a hole is drilled in a wall or similar surface.

Figure 2 shows a prior art vacuum device;

Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of the present invention; Figures 4a shows a plan view of the present invention from a first side; Figure 4b shows a plan view of the present invention from a second side; Figures 4c -4d show how the invention can be attached to flat and corner surfaces; Figures 5a -5c show how the present invention may be folded up after use and prior to disposal; Figure 6 shows the present invention placed in an acute angle corner environment; Figure 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8a shows the second embodiment of the invention within a non-vertical corner wall surface; Figure 8b shows the second embodiment of the invention within a vertical corner wall surface; Figure 9 shows the second embodiment of the invention placed about an external >2700 angle corner environment; and, Figures 10 and 11 show a further embodiment in plan view and in use, respectively.

Detailed description of the Preferred Embodiments

There will now be described, by way of example only, the best mode contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the present invention. In the following description, numerous specific details are set out in order to provide a complete understanding to the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that the present invention may be put into practice with variations of the specific.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown, a typical situation where a person 7 operates a power tool 3 with a drill bit fitted 4 to create a hole 5 in a wall 2. As indicated by reference numeral 6, dust will fall from the hole as the drilling proceeds. Figure 2 shows an example of a prior art vacuum ring 20 which are known and are also known to obstruct the work to be performed and require a source of vacuum 22.

A first embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figure 3, where a drill bit 4 is shown drilling into a wall, defining a hole 5 and allowing dust 6 to fall therefrom. In this case, a debris collector 30 in accordance with the invention is provided in a first open position, such that sheet 31 of the catcher lies closely adjacent the wall, being adhered to the wall by a releasable adhesive, as is known and as shall be discussed in detail below. Sheet 31, defines a V-shape in its operational orientation, with the sheet being joined along the edges that define the V-shape to sheets 32 and 33, which also define a V-shape, along first sides of sheets 32 and 33, with the second edges of sheets 32 and 33 being joined to each other, conveniently by an adhesive flap, 34, whereby to define a pocket 38. Conveniently, V-sheets 32 & 33 are identical, which is of benefit as shall be realised in relation to Figures 5a -5c. A further flap 35 is conveniently provided to enable, once debris has been caught in the pocket, to close the pocket, one of the flap or the edge of the opposing outside face conveniently being provided with an adhesive, whereby to seal the pocket closed, after completion of the debris-catching operation. Sheet 31 has on a side opposite to that of the pocket, a releasable adhesive applied, whereby to enable the debris catcher to be securely attached to a wall, or other similar vertical or inclined surface.

Conveniently, the device comprises at least three V-section sheet elements 31, 32, 33, each V-section defining a V-angle, the sum of the V-angles of the V-sheets being less than 360°. The V-section sheet elements being attached via corresponding edges of the V-shaped sheets and arranged in a common direction to define first and second V-shaped sheet elements, 32, 33 which are attached along only one edge, there being at least one further V-shaped element lying between the first and second V-shaped elements. It has been found that for such an arrangement, the angles 4' and 4" of the first and second V-shapes are conveniently equal and that they are in the range of 60° and 900, with the angle of the third V-shaped sheet lying in the range 80° and 110°.

Upon manufacture of the sheet debris catcher, after application of the adhesive or glue, it is preferable to apply a seal paper whereby to prevent dirt from attaching to the surface where adhesive has been applied, prior to use, when the seal paper is removed and the adhesive is ready to be utilised. In the alternative, a number of sheets may be placed one atop another, with a seal paper being applied to the exposed surface.

Figure 4a shows how the debris collector 30 of Figure 3 can be conveniently formed out of a single sheet of paper. It has been proven to be sufficient to make the debris collector from 8ogsm paper, although 100 -l2Ogsm weight paper can be more readily formed and be retained in a folded-open state when in use -although this will also be dependent upon the stiffness of the sheet material rather than the weight per square metre per se. However, other thicknesses of paper and other types of readily foldable sheet material, such as sheet plastics may also be used. In this particular embodiment, sheet portion 32 and 33 are shown as being mirror images of each other; line 36 represents a central fold line, whereby, once a drilling operation or similar has finished and debris has been caught, the sheet element 31 can be folded about line 36 whereby the pocket can be neatly collapsed flat, retaining the dust within the folded pocket, with flap 35 being folded over sheet 32. When the collector is formed from sheet material, for example in a die board operation, then fold lines can be created simultaneously.

Figure 4b shows shaded areas depicting preferred areas of application of adhesive as applied to the reverse of the sheet material shown in Figure 4a. In an alternative embodiment, flap 35 is provided with an adhesive, so as to retain the debris/dust/dirt within the closed pocket instead of using an adhesive on panel 32, but this would require applying adhesive on both sides of the sheet material, which would complicate manufacturing and sealing of exposed adhesive surfaces Referring now to Figure 4c, there is shown a debris catcher in accordance with the invention: initially tab 34 is adhesively attached to the inside of sheet 33 and wherein the adhesive on the outside of sheet 31 secures the debris catcher to the wall. Figure 4d is attached to two wall surfaces associated with an internal corner 47; in this instance panel 31 is on the outside and the adhesive edges of panels 32 and 33 secure the debris catcher to the two wall surfaces 48 & 49 associated the corner.

Referring now to Figure 5a, the debris catcher is shown in a partially open position, with the sheet 31 being folded along line 36, which is urged into a position closer toward the common fold between sheets 32 and 33; Figure Sb shows flap 35 in a common orientation with Figure 5a: as the sheets 32 are brought together to close the debris catcher, the flap 35 can be folded over onto sheet 32, whereby once any protective cover for the seal of adhesive on 35 is removed, the flap 35 can be firmly attached to sheet 32, per Figure Sc. The debris catcher can then be placed in a bin, conveniently, with minimum difficulty and no mess.

Referring to Figure 6, an alternative method of using the debris catcher within a corner is shown. The corner, defined about two adjacent wall surfaces 2 and 2', is an acute angle corner and sheet 31 is folded about fold line 36 to define a generally diamond-like aperture to catch debris. Figure 7 shows a second embodiment, with various additional fold lines 36, 36' -36". These further fold lines enable the sheet 31 to be fitted in certain areas where there is a corner section defined between walls 2 and 2', with the angle between the separate corner walls being too obtuse or too acute to reliably provide a debris collecting aperture of sufficient area. In Figure 8a, lines 39 -similar to lines 36 on sheet 31, but this time with respect to sheet 32 enables the aperture and depending pocket to fit within a sloping corner, i.e. where the fold line is angled from the vertical, as may be found about a stairwell, for example. These further crease lines 39 are of further advantage in internal corners, that are either curved in a concave fashion or are straight-edged with an corner angle >900 as shown in Figure 8b, where lines 39 enable the pocket to expand to a wider angle and increase the effective width / size of pocket. In Figure 9a, an alternative method of using the debris catcher about an external corner is shown: in this case, the fold crease on sheet 31 is pushed inwardly (relative to Figure 6, where it is pulled outwardly from an opposite side of the pocket). To enable the pocket to provide a sufficiently accommodating catchment area for dust to fall into, crease lines 36' -36" on sheet 31 may be employed as shown in Figure 9b. For particular situations, it is envisaged that a combination of the use of the optional fold line 39 and of the lines 36' -36" can enable the present invention to be securely positioned and contain debris and dust falling from, for example, a drill hole in the wall against which the invention is attached.

The releasable adhesive -sometimes referred to as super peel adhesive is conveniently prepared as an aqueous acrylic adhesive which requires low -medium tack and clean removability; it is also a pressure sensitive adhesive. The release material, such as satin gloss paper, is conveniently provided as a multi-purpose machine coated paper and is typically used in flexographic, letter press and offset litho printing processes. For convenience in manufacturing, the adhesive layers may be produced separately from the debris collector. The adhesive layers would then be manufactured, conveniently applied on separate sides of a satin gloss paper, with release liners applied after the aqueous adhesives have been applied and dried, conveniently by heating. Such adhesives are known for label, paper and film applications, where a bond is required and is generally suitable for application where a bond is required; it is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

In the context of the present invention, the term adhesive is intended to cover pressure sensitive adhesive. Pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA5) form a bond by the application of light pressure to marry the adhesive with the adherend. The bond forms because the adhesive is soft enough to flow (i.e. "wet") the adherend.

The bond has strength because the adhesive is hard enough to resist flow when stress is applied to the bond. Once the adhesive and the adherend are in close proximity, molecular interactions, such as Van der Waals' forces, become involved in the bond, contributing significantly to its ultimate strength. Whilst, pressure sensitive adhesives can be designed for either permanent or removable applications, it is intended that the primary type for the present invention will be for removable applications. Removable adhesives are designed to form a temporary bond, and ideally can be removed after months or years without leaving residue on the adherend. The adhesives are typically applied so that the adhesive thickness is in the region of 0.2 -0.5mm. The skilled man will know to vary the thickness, dependent upon likely usage and type of backing to which the adhesive will be applied, amongst other factors. It will be appreciated that glues may also be provided which require moistening with water or other liquids.

The invention has primarily been described with reference to generally V-shaped triangular elements. This is for convenience and simplicity in manufacturing.

Adhesives can simply be applied. However, it will be appreciated that variations can simply be formed. For example, to increase a capacity the upper edges of the faces of the V-shaped sheets are extended with rectangular portions, as can be seen with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Specifically, V-shaped sheets 31, 32 and 33 have rectangular sections 42, 40 & 41, respectively. Adhesive tabs 43 enable fixture of the rectangular elements one to another; flap 35 extends from rectangular section 41 and can be used as in the first embodiment.

Claims (11)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A debris collector defined from sheet material, the device comprising at least three V-shaped sheet elements 31, 32, 33, each V-section defining a V-angle, the sum of the V-angles of the V-shaped sheets being less than 360°, the V-section sheets being attached via corresponding edges of the V-shaped sheets and arranged in a common direction to define first and second V-shaped sheet elements which are attached along only one edge, and wherein said first and second V-shaped sheets are operably connectable, whereby to be operably arranged to define a pocket and being provided with adhesive on one sheet surface to enable the apparatus to be releasably retained to an operating surface.
2. 2. A debris collector according to claim 1, wherein said first V-shaped sheet is provided with a tab along the unconnected edge of the V-section, which tab is operably joined to the unconnected edge of said second V-section.
3. 3. A debris collector according to claim 2, wherein said tab of said first V-shaped sheet is provided with adhesive whereby to enable said first V-shaped sheet to be adhesively secured to said second V-shaped sheet.
4. 4. A debris collector according to claim 2, wherein said second V-shaped sheet has a slot defined therein whereby to allow said tab of said first V-shaped sheet to be inserted therein, whereby to allow said first V-shaped sheet to be secured to said second V-shaped sheet.
5. 5. A debris collector according to any one of claims 1 -5, wherein one of the V-shaped sheets is provided with a tab along a top edge of the V-shaped sheet, whereby the tab is operable to close the debris collecting pocket after removal from the operating surface.
6. 6. A debris collector according to claim 5, where said tab along a top edge of a V-shaped sheet is provided with adhesive.
7. 7. A debris collector according to any one of claims 1 -4, wherein the dust collection device is formed from a single piece of sheet material.
8. 8. A debris collector according to any one of claims 1 -7, wherein adhesive is applied along peripheral edges on the side opposite the V of the V-shaped sheets.
9. 9. A debris collector according to any one of claims 1 -8, wherein the dust collection device is formed from a readily foldable sheet material such as paper.
10. 10. A pad of debris collector sheets according to any one of claims 1 -9 comprising a number of overlaid sheets placed one atop another.
11. 11. A pad of debris collector sheets according to any one of claim 9, wherein a protective film is applied to exposed adhesive.