IP Library Granted Patent US 12,246,468
Granted Patent B2
US 12,246,468 · App. 17/903,297 · Granted Mar 11, 2025

Tri-paddle boring tool

Inventor: Laverne Royal Durfee (Statesville, NC)
Assignee: APEX BRANDS, INC.
B27G15/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,246,468
App. No.
17/903,297
Granted
Mar 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A boring tool may include a coupling portion which may be at an end of the boring tool, a shank operably coupled to the coupling portion, a cutting portion operably coupled to the shank and a feed screw which may be operably coupled to the cutting portion at an opposite end of the boring tool from the coupling portion. The cutting portion may further include a first paddle, a second paddle, and a third paddle. Each paddle may each comprise a paddle body, defined by a leading edge and a lateral edge. The paddle bodies may be disposed equiangular around a perimeter of the cutting portion. The leading edge may extend away from a longitudinal axis of the boring tool in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The lateral edge may extend away from the leading edge in a direction substantially perpendicular to the leading edge.

Claims (64)

1. A boring tool comprising:

a coupling portion at an end of the boring tool;

a shank operably coupled to the coupling portion;

a cutting portion operably coupled to the shank; and

a feed screw operably coupled to the cutting portion at an opposite end of the boring tool from the coupling portion,

wherein the cutting portion further comprises:

a first paddle,

a second paddle, and

a third paddle,

wherein the first paddle, the second paddle, and the third paddle are disposed equiangular around a perimeter of the cutting portion,

wherein the first paddle, the second paddle, and the third paddle each comprise a paddle body defined by a leading edge and a lateral edge,

wherein the leading edge extends away from a longitudinal axis of the boring tool in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boring tool,

wherein the lateral edge extends away from the leading edge in a direction substantially perpendicular to the leading edge of the paddle body,

wherein the intersection of the leading edge and the lateral edge comprises a chamfer, and

wherein the chamfer is a beveled edge at an angle greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 60 degrees.

2. The boring tool of claim 1 , wherein each of the leading edge and the lateral edge comprise a lip relief cut at an angle of greater than or equal to 10 degrees and less than or equal to 20 degrees.

3. The boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the paddle body of each of the first paddle, the second paddle, and the third paddle extends from the feed screw toward the shank at an angle of greater than or equal to 5 degrees and less than or equal to 15 degrees.

4. The boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the paddle body of each of the first paddle, the second paddle, and the third paddle maintains a constant thickness.

5. The boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the shank comprises:

a first portion operably coupled to the coupling portion,

a second portion operably coupled to the cutting portion, and

a torsion release neck disposed in the first portion.

6. The boring tool of claim 5 , wherein the second portion tapers from a larger diameter proximate to the cutting portion to a smaller diameter proximate to the first portion.

7. The boring tool of claim 5 , wherein the second portion has a constant diameter from proximate to the cutting portion to proximate to the first portion.

8. The boring tool of claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the torsion release neck is greater than 60% of a diameter of the first end of the shank, and less than 95% of the diameter of the first end of the shank.

9. The boring tool of claim 8 , wherein a diameter of the torsion release neck is greater than 80% of a diameter of the first end of the shank, and less than 90% of the diameter of the first end of the shank.

10. The boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the feed screw comprises a tip portion disposed at a tip of the feed screw, an intermediate portion operably coupled to the tip portion, and a base portion operably coupled to the intermediate portion and to the cutting portion of the boring tool, and

wherein the feed screw is shaped like a partial prolate spheroid.

11. The boring tool of claim 10 , wherein the tip portion, the intermediate portion, and the base portion each cover roughly one third of a total length of the feed screw measured from the cutting portion to the tip of the feed screw, and

wherein the diameter of the feed screw in the base portion does not change.

12. The boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the cutting portion further comprises a rib disposed between each of the first paddle, the second paddle and the third paddle,

wherein the rib extends closer to the feed screw than the leading edge, and

wherein the rib recedes into the paddle body between two thirds and three quarters of a length of the paddle body measured from the leading edge.

13. A boring tool comprising:

a coupling portion at an end of the boring tool;

a shank operably coupled to the coupling portion;

a cutting portion operably coupled to the shank; and

a feed screw operably coupled to the cutting portion at an opposite end of the boring tool from the coupling portion,

wherein the cutting portion further comprises multiple paddles and multiple ribs disposed around a perimeter of the cutting portion,

wherein the multiple paddles each comprise a paddle body defined by a leading edge and a lateral edge,

wherein the leading edge extends away from a longitudinal axis of the boring tool in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boring tool,

wherein the lateral edge extends away from the leading edge in a direction substantially perpendicular to the leading edge of the paddle body, and

wherein the multiple ribs each extend closer to the feed screw than the leading edge.

14. The boring tool of claim 13 , wherein the intersection of the leading edge and the lateral edge comprises a chamfer, and

wherein the chamfer is a beveled edge at an angle greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 60 degrees.

15. The boring tool of claim 13 , wherein each of the leading edge and the lateral edge comprise a lip relief cut at an angle of greater than or equal to 10 degrees and less than or equal to 20 degrees.

16. The boring tool of claim 13 , wherein each paddle body is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the boring tool, and

wherein each paddle body maintains a constant thickness.

17. A boring tool comprising:

a coupling portion at an end of the boring tool;

a shank operably coupled to the coupling portion;

a cutting portion operably coupled to the shank; and

a feed screw operably coupled to the cutting portion at an opposite end of the boring tool from the coupling portion,

wherein the feed screw is shaped like a partial prolate spheroid and disposed at a distal end of the cutting portion,

wherein the feed screw comprises a base portion operably coupled to the cutting portion, an intermediate portion operably coupled to the base portion, and a tip portion operably coupled to the intermediate portion,

wherein the diameter of the feed screw in the tip portion and the intermediate portion gets larger moving toward the base portion,

wherein the diameter of the feed screw in the base portion does not get larger moving toward the cutting portion,

wherein the intersection of the leading edge and the lateral edge comprises a chamfer, and

wherein the chamfer is a beveled edge at an angle greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 60 degrees.

18. The boring tool of claim 17 , wherein the cutting portion further comprises multiple paddles and multiple ribs disposed around a perimeter of the cutting portion,

wherein the multiple paddles each comprise a paddle body defined by a leading edge and a lateral edge,

wherein the leading edge extends away from a longitudinal axis of the boring tool in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boring tool,

wherein the lateral edge extends away from the leading edge in a direction substantially perpendicular to the leading edge of the paddle body, and

wherein the multiple ribs each extend closer to the feed screw than the leading edge.

Assignments (7)
NEW SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073377/0567 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NOS. 7444851 AND 11203070 WHICH WERE INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0477 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068791/0141 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT. NO. 11191173 WAS INCORRCTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66631 FRAME: 791. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 067884/0469 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 3, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067310/0054 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 066631/0791 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: DURFEE, LAVERNE ROYAL
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061079/0256 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63241684 · Sep 8, 2021
Related Publication 20230070755A1 · Mar 9, 2023
References Cited (7)
US D504446S · Kobayashi · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 9156094B2 · Durfee · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 10065250B2 · Oguri · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 11638960B2 · Ren · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20050169720A1 · Kobayashi · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20080138165A1 · Durfee · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090208302A1 · Durfee · 2009 [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,661,823