Drill motor vacuum attachment

A vacuum attachment device for a nutplate drill motor having a footpiece and at least one cutting tool. The vacuum attachment device comprises a body portion and a nozzle portion. The body portion has a central aperture which engages the footpiece and an air chamber which extends through the body portion and intersects the central aperture to form a vacuum path. The nozzle portion is coupled to the body portion and is in fluid connection with the air chamber. The nozzle portion is coupled to a source of vacuum pressure. During the operation of the nutplate drill motor, dust and chips that are generated by the cutting tool are drawn by the source of vacuum pressure into the air chamber and through the nozzle portion.

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What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum attachment device for a nutplate drill motor having a footpiece and at least one cutting tool, the vacuum attachment device comprising:

a body portion having a central aperture and an air chamber, the central aperture adapted to engage the footpiece, the air chamber extending through the body portion and intersecting the central aperture to form a vacuum path; and

a nozzle portion coupled to the body portion, the nozzle portion being in fluid connection with the air chamber, the nozzle portion adapted to be coupled to a source of vacuum pressure;

wherein dust generated from the at least one cutting tool while the nutplate drill motor is being operated is drawn by the source of vacuum pressure into the air chamber and through the nozzle portion.

2. The vacuum attachment device of claim 1, wherein the vacuum attachment device is unitarily formed.

3. The vacuum attachment device of claim 2, wherein the vacuum attachment device is formed in a molding operation from a plastic resin.

4. The vacuum attachment device of claim 3, wherein the plastic resin is urethane.

5. The vacuum attachment device of claim 1, wherein the central aperture is sized to permit the body portion to be snap-fit to the footpiece of the nutplate drill motor.

6. The vacuum attachment device of claim 5, wherein the body portion is formed from a plastic resin having a hardness of about 65D to about 80D on the elastomer hardness Shore scale.

7. The vacuum attachment device of claim 6, wherein the plastic resin has a hardness of about 70D to about 75D on the elastomer hardness Shore scale.

8. The vacuum attachment device of claim 5, wherein the central aperture is generally oval shaped.

9. The vacuum attachment device of claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises a configuration and material composition that slightly expands to create a seal between the body portion and the footpiece.

10. The vacuum attachment device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle portion comprises a configuration and material composition that slightly expands to create a seal between the nozzle portion and the vacuum source.

11. The vacuum attachment device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle portion and the body portion are formed as separate pieces and secured together.

12. The vacuum attachment device of claim 1, wherein the body portion is generally rectangular in shape.

13. A drill motor comprising:

a rotatable spindle;

a footpiece spaced axially apart from the spindle, the footpiece having a tool bore and chip aperture, the chip aperture intersecting the tool bore;

a cutting tool rotatably coupled to the spindle, the cutting tool extending through the tool bore in the footpiece; and

a vacuum attachment device coupled to the footpiece, the vacuum attachment device including a body portion and a nozzle portion, the body portion having a central aperture and an air chamber, the central aperture engaging the footpiece, the airchamber extending through the body portion and intersecting the central aperture to form a vacuum path, the air chamber generally aligned to the chip aperture; and

a nozzle portion coupled to the body portion, the nozzle portion being in fluid connection with the air chamber, the nozzle portion adapted to be coupled to a source of vacuum pressure;

wherein dust generated from the cutting tool when the drill motor is being operated is drawn by the source of vacuum pressure into the air chamber and through the nozzle portion.

14. The drill motor of claim 13, wherein the body portion of the vacuum attachment device is formed in a molding operation from a plastic resin.

15. The drill motor of claim 14, wherein the plastic resin is urethane.

16. The drill motor of claim 13, wherein the central aperture is sized to permit the body portion to be snap-fit to the footpiece of the drill motor.

17. The drill motor of claim 16, wherein the body portion is formed from a plastic resin having a hardness of about 65D to about 80D on the elastomer hardness Shore scale.

18. The drill motor of claim 17, wherein the plastic resin has a hardness of about 70D to about 75D on the elastomer hardness Shore scale.

19. The drill motor of claim 13, wherein the central aperture is generally oval shaped.

20. The drill motor of claim 13, wherein the body portion comprises a configuration and material composition that slightly expands to create a seal between the body portion and the footpiece.