IP Library Granted Patent US 12,521,827
Granted Patent B2
US 12,521,827 · App. 18/050,463 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

Vacuum shroud for hand-held drill

Inventor: Justin William Balvanz (Bothell, WA)
Assignee: The Boeing Company
B23Q11/0046B23B45/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,521,827
App. No.
18/050,463
Granted
Jan 13, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An assembly for a hand-held drill is disclosed. The assembly includes a drill guide and a vacuum shroud. The drill guide includes a mount, a telescoping guard, and a guide foot. The mount is configured to couple to a non-rotating portion of the hand-held drill. The telescoping guard extends from the mount. The guide foot is coupled to the telescoping guard opposite the mount such that the drill guide enshrouds a drill bit of the hand-held drill when the telescoping guard is in an extended position. The vacuum shroud is removably fastenable to the drill guide. The vacuum shroud includes an outer wall and a vacuum hose connector. The outer wall forms an elongate vacuum cavity between an inlet proximate to the guide foot and an outlet distal from the guide foot. A vacuum hose connector is positioned at the outlet distal from the guide foot.

Claims (45)

1 . An assembly for a hand-held drill, the assembly comprising:

a drill guide including:

a mount configured to couple to a non-rotating portion of the hand-held drill;

a telescoping guard extending from the mount and configured to telescope into a retracted position from an extended position; and

a guide foot coupled to the telescoping guard opposite the mount such that the drill guide enshrouds a drill bit of the hand-held drill when the telescoping guard is in the extended position, wherein the drill bit passes through an opening in the guide foot as the telescoping guard telescopes into the retracted position from the extended position; and

a vacuum shroud removably fastenable to the drill guide, the vacuum shroud including:

an outer wall forming an elongate vacuum cavity between an inlet proximate to the guide foot and an outlet distal from the guide foot; and

a vacuum hose connector at the outlet distal from the guide foot.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum shroud includes a forward collar extending from the outer wall and clampable to the guide foot.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum shroud includes a rearward collar extending from the outer wall and clampable to the telescoping guard.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum shroud, the guide foot, and the telescoping guard are collectively axially rotatable relative to the mount when the vacuum shroud is fastened to the drill guide.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a debris clearing recess is formed in a forward edge of the guide foot, and wherein the inlet of the elongate vacuum cavity is aligned with the debris clearing recess.

6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein one or more airflow recesses are formed in the forward edge of the guide foot, wherein the one or more airflow recesses are smaller than the debris clearing recess.

7 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a forward edge of the vacuum shroud is recessed relative to a forward edge of the guide foot.

8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum shroud includes an index pin, wherein the guide foot includes a corresponding index hole, and wherein the index pin is insertable into the index hole when the vacuum shroud is fastened to the drill guide to align the inlet of the elongate vacuum cavity with the debris clearing recess.

9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum shroud includes an outlet shaft at the outlet of the elongate vacuum cavity, wherein the vacuum hose connector is captively retained on the outlet shaft, and wherein the vacuum hose connector is rotatable relative to the outlet shaft.

10 . The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the outlet shaft includes a retention ring disposed on an exterior surface of the outlet shaft, wherein the vacuum hose connector includes a channel disposed on an interior surface of the vacuum hose connector, and wherein the channel envelopes the retention ring to captively retain the vacuum hose connector on the outlet shaft.

11 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or more retention ridges are disposed on an exterior surface of the vacuum hose connector, and wherein a vacuum hose is retained on the vacuum hose connector via friction between the one or more retention ridges and an interior surface of the vacuum hose.

12 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer wall is an additively manufactured outer wall,

wherein the outlet shaft is an additively manufactured outlet shaft extending from the additively manufactured outer wall at the outlet of the elongate vacuum cavity,

wherein the vacuum hose connector is an additively manufactured vacuum hose connector encircling the additively manufactured outlet shaft,

wherein the vacuum shroud further includes a manufacturing spacer intermediate the additively manufactured outlet shaft and the additively manufactured vacuum hose connector,

wherein the additively manufactured outer wall, the additively manufactured outlet shaft, and the additively manufactured vacuum hose connector are solid components, and

wherein the manufacturing spacer is a powder-based component that is removable to allow the additively manufactured vacuum hose connector to be rotatably retained on the additively manufactured outlet shaft.

13 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elongate vacuum cavity is cooperatively formed by at least the outer wall of the vacuum shroud, an exterior surface of the guide foot, and an exterior surface of the telescoping guard.

14 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum shroud includes an inner wall connected to the outer wall, and wherein at least the inner wall and the outer wall cooperatively form the elongate vacuum cavity.

15 . An assembly for a drill, the assembly comprising:

a drill guide including:

a mount configured to couple to the drill;

a telescoping guard extending from the mount and configured to telescope into a retracted position from an extended position, wherein the drill guide enshrouds a drill bit of the drill when the telescoping guard is in the extended position, and wherein the drill bit extends beyond the drill guide when the telescoping guard is in the retracted position; and

a vacuum shroud removably fastenable to the drill guide, the vacuum shroud including:

an outer wall forming an elongate vacuum cavity between an inlet proximate to the drill bit and an outlet distal from a guide foot; and

a vacuum hose connector at the outlet distal from the guide foot.

16 . The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the vacuum shroud includes a forward collar extending from the outer wall and clampable to the drill guide.

17 . The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the vacuum shroud includes a rearward collar extending from the outer wall and clampable to the drill guide.

18 . The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the vacuum shroud and the telescoping guard are collectively axially rotatable relative to the mount when the vacuum shroud is fastened to the drill guide.

19 . The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the vacuum shroud includes an outlet shaft at the outlet of the elongate vacuum cavity, wherein the vacuum hose connector is captively retained on the outlet shaft, and wherein the vacuum hose connector is rotatable relative to the outlet shaft.

20 . An assembly for a drill, the assembly comprising:

a drill guide including:

a mount configured to couple to the drill;

a telescoping guard extending from the mount and configured to telescope into a retracted position from an extended position; and

a guide foot coupled to the telescoping guard opposite the mount such that the drill guide enshrouds a drill bit of the drill when the telescoping guard is in the extended position, wherein the drill bit passes through an opening in the guide foot as the telescoping guard telescopes into the retracted position from the extended position; and

an additively manufactured vacuum shroud removably fastenable to the drill guide, the additively manufactured vacuum shroud including:

an additively manufactured outer wall forming an elongate vacuum cavity between an inlet proximate to the guide foot and an outlet distal from the guide foot; and

an additively manufactured vacuum hose connector at the outlet distal from the guide foot.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2022
From: BALVANZ, JUSTIN WILLIAM
To: THE BOEING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 061572/0610 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 17070856 · Oct 14, 2020
Continuation In Part 16819868 · Mar 16, 2020
Related Publication 20230070889A1 · Mar 9, 2023
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