The present invention relates to an indexable cutting insert having two clamping bores and a cutting tool therefor, for use in metal cutting processes in general, and for high speed milling operations in particular.
Within the field of cutting tools used in high speed milling, there are many examples of indexable cutting inserts having two clamping bores, removably retained in an insert receiving pocket of a cutting body.
FR 2837732 discloses a milling tool having a cylindrical shaped cutting body with two flutes extending rearwardly from a front surface thereof, each flute having an insert receiving pocket with an indexable cutting insert retained therein. Each cutting insert has opposing upper and lower surfaces, with two clamping bores extending therethrough, and a longitudinally extending channel formed in the lower surface. Two clamping screws extend through the two clamping bores, and each clamping screw engages a threaded bore in a seat surface of the insert receiving pocket. A radially inner side wall of the channel is clamped against a corresponding side surface of a shoulder formed on the seat surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,597,507 discloses a milling tool having a cylindrical shaped cutting body with two flutes extending rearwardly from a front surface thereof, each flute having an insert receiving pocket with an indexable cutting insert retained therein. Each cutting insert has opposing upper and lower surfaces, with two clamping bores extending therethrough, and circular recessed portions formed at the openings of the clamping bores on the lower surface. Two clamping screws extend through the two clamping bores, and each clamping screw engages a threaded bore in a seat surface of the insert receiving pocket. Circular engagement protrusions are formed at the openings of the threaded bores on the seat surface, and the circular recessed portions engage the circular engagement protrusions.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an indexable, single-sided cutting insert having opposing upper and lower surfaces with a peripheral side surface extending therebetween and a central axis passing therethrough, the upper and lower surfaces having shapes that differ from one another;
first and second clamping bores extending between and intersecting the upper and lower surfaces, the first and second clamping bores having first and second bore axes, respectively; and
first and second primary cutting edges formed at the intersection of the upper surface and the peripheral side surface;
wherein the lower surface includes:
a planar base surface,
first and second annular recesses communicating with the first and second clamping bores, respectively, and
first and second recess channels extending from the first and second clamping bores, respectively, to the peripheral side surface, the first and second recess channels extending parallel to a longitudinal first plane containing the central axis.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cutting tool rotatable about a tool axis, having:
a cutting body; and
at least one indexable cutting insert of the sort described above removably secured in an insert receiving pocket of the cutting body.
For a better understanding, the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which chain-dash lines represent cut-off boundaries for partial views of a member and in which:
The present invention relates to an indexable cutting insert 20, as shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the cutting insert 20 may be indexed about the central axis A
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the cutting insert 20 may preferably be manufactured by form pressing and sintering a cemented carbide, such as tungsten carbide, and may be coated or uncoated.
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the lower surface 24 may exhibit rotational symmetry about the central axis A
According to the present invention, as shown in
Also according to the present invention, first and second primary cutting edges 30a, 30b are formed at the intersection of the upper surface 22 and the peripheral side surface 26.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second primary cutting edges 30a, 30b may be spaced apart.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the peripheral side surface 26 may have first and second opposing primary side surfaces 32a, 32b and first and second opposing secondary side surfaces 34a, 34b. The primary side surfaces 32a, 32b may be longer than the second side surfaces 34a, 34b.
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second opposing primary side surfaces 32a, 32b may intersect the upper surface 22 to form the first and second primary cutting edges 30a, 30b, respectively.
The upper and lower surfaces 22, 24 have shapes which differ from one another, with the lower surface 24 comprising the only seating surface. By virtue of no cutting edges being formed at the intersection of the lower surface 24 and the peripheral side surface 26, the cutting insert 20 may be termed as ‘single-sided’ or ‘non-reversible’.
According to the present invention, as shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the base surface 35 may be ground.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the base surface 35 may be perpendicular to the central axis A
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the base surface 35 may include no more than two laterally spaced apart coplanar base sub-surfaces 35′, 35″.
As shown in
It should be appreciated that use of the term “annular”, throughout the description and claims, with respect to the first and second annular recesses 36a, 36b, accounts for the first and second clamping bores 28a, 28b respectively communicating therewith, being circular in cross-section, and does not necessarily limit the outer peripheral shape of the first and second annular recesses 36a, 36b.
It should also be appreciated that the provision of the first and second annular recesses 36a, 36b contributes in reducing the overall weight of the cutting insert 20, which is very important in high speed milling operations, in which the cutting insert 20 is subjected to high centrifugal forces.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second annular recesses 36a, 36b may be coaxial with the first and second clamping bores 28a, 28b, respectively.
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second annular recesses 36a, 36b may include first and second annular shoulder surfaces 38a, 38b, respectively, and the first and second annular shoulder surfaces 38a, 38b may intersect the first and second bore neck-portions 40a, 40b, respectively.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second annular shoulder surfaces 38a, 38b may be coplanar and perpendicular to the central axis A
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in
Yet further in some embodiments of the present invention, the first maximum recess diameter DR
According to the present invention, as shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second recess channels 44a, 44b may include first and second abutment walls 46a, 46b, respectively, transverse to the base surface 35.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second abutment walls 46a, 46b may be ground and planar.
It should be appreciated that the provision of the first and second annular recesses 36a, 36b communicating with the first and second clamping bores 28a, 28b advantageously enables the cutting insert 20 to be mounted in a single grinding jig (not shown) for unobstructed grinding of the base surface 35 and the first and second abutment walls 46a, 46b, thus improving manufacturing efficiency.
It should be appreciated that for embodiments of the present invention in which the first and second maximum recess diameters DR
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second abutment walls 46a, 46b may be perpendicular to the base surface 35.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second recess channels 44a, 44b may include first and second non-abutment abutment walls 48a, 48b facing towards the first and second abutment walls 46a, 46b, respectively.
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the first abutment and first non-abutment walls 46a, 48a may be spaced apart by a first planar channel floor surface 50a, the second abutment and second non-abutment walls 46b, 48b may be spaced apart by a second planar channel floor surface 50b, and the first and second channel floor surfaces 50a, 50b may be coplanar and parallel to the base surface 35.
As shown in
According to the present invention, as shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second abutment walls 46a, 46b may be located on opposite sides of the longitudinal first plane P1.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in
Yet further in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second opposing secondary side surfaces 34a, 34b may intersect the longitudinal first plane P1.
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second abutment walls 46a, 46b may be parallel to the longitudinal first plane P1.
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first channel width W
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second channel widths W
As shown in
It should be appreciated that for embodiments of the present invention in which the second non-abutment wall 48b contains a portion of the first abutment axis A
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second bore axes A
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second primary cutting edges 30a, 30b may have first and second primary lengths L
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the longitudinal first plane P1 may not intersect the first and second primary cutting edges 30a, 30b.
As shown in
It should be appreciated that the provision of the first and second cavities 52a, 52b contributes in reducing the overall weight of the cutting insert 20, which, as already mentioned, is very important in high speed milling operations, in which the cutting insert 20 is subjected to high centrifugal forces.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first cavity 52a may have a first cavity wall 54a facing towards the first abutment wall 46a, and the second cavity 52b may have a second cavity wall 54b facing towards the second abutment wall 46b.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the first cavity 52a may adjoin the first annular recess 36a, and the second cavity 52b may adjoin the second annular recess 36b. As shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first cavity width W
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the first cavity width W
As shown in
It should be appreciated that the provision of the third recess channel 44c contributes in reducing the overall weight of the cutting insert 20, which, as already mentioned, is very important in high speed milling operations, in which the cutting insert 20 is subjected to high centrifugal forces.
It should also be appreciated that for embodiments of the present invention which include the third recess channel 44c, the base surface 35 has two laterally spaced apart coplanar base sub-surfaces 35′, 35″.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the third recess channel 44c may include facing third and fourth non-abutment walls 56a, 56b.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, a portion of the first abutment axis A
It should be appreciated that for embodiments of the present invention in which the third non-abutment wall 56a contains a portion of the first abutment axis A
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the cutting body 60 may be cylindrical shaped, having a circumferential wall 64 extending between forward and rear end surfaces 66, 68 facing in opposing forward and rearward directions F
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the insert receiving pocket 62 may have a planar seat surface 70, a first support surface 72 transverse to the seat surface 70, first and second threaded bores 74a, 74b in the seat surface 70, and a knob 76 protruding from the seat surface 70.
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the first support surface 72 may face radially outwardly.
Yet further in some embodiments of the present invention, the first support surface 72 may intersect the forward end surface 66.
Still further in some embodiments of the present invention, the first support surface 72 may be elongated and extend along a support axis A
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, first and second threaded bores 74a, 74b may have first and second thread axes A
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the base surface 35 may be in contact with the seat surface 70, and first and second clamping screws 78a, 78b may extend through the first and second clamping bores 28a, 28b and threadingly engage the first and second threaded bores 74a, 74b.
In a first index position of the cutting insert 20 in the insert receiving pocket 62, as shown in
It should be appreciated that the eccentric relationship of the first and second threaded bores 74a, 74b in relation to the first and second clamping bores 28a, 28b, promotes translational movement of the cutting insert 20 towards the first support surface 72 on tightening of the first and second clamping screws 78a, 78b.
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the knob 76 may be situated in one of the first and second recess channels 44a, 44b, having a stopper surface 80 facing radially inwardly.
Yet further in some embodiments of the present invention, the stopper surface 80 may be planar and perpendicular to the seat surface 70.
In the absence of a radially outward force F
In some embodiments of the present invention, the third plane P3 may intersect the circumferential wall 64.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the third plane P3 may intersect the seat surface 70.
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the third plane P3 may intersect the first threaded bore 74a.
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second opposing primary side surfaces 32a, 32b may include planar first and second primary side walls 82a, 82b.
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second primary side walls 82a, 82b may be ground.
It should be appreciated that the first and second primary side walls 82a, 82b may be ground whilst the cutting insert 20 is mounted in the single grinding jig (not shown), thus improving manufacturing efficiency.
Also in the absence of a radially outward force F
It should be appreciated that in the absence of a radially outward force F
It should also be appreciated that the gap G may be very accurate, by virtue of the first and second abutment walls 46a, 46b and the first and second primary side walls 82a, 82b being ground, the gap G having a range of between 0.05 to 0.20 mm.
It should be further appreciated that
Further, in the absence of a radially outward force F
In the presence of a sufficiently large radially outward force F
It should thus be appreciated that in the presence of a sufficiently large radially outward force F
It should also be appreciated that for embodiments of the present invention in which the first and second channel depths D
Also in the presence of a sufficiently large radially outward force F
Further in the presence of a sufficiently large radially outward force F
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the second support surface 84 may be spaced apart from the first support surface 72, and as shown in
It should be appreciated that the second support surface 84 may provide radial support to the cutting insert 20 in the presence of a sufficiently large radially outward force F
In some embodiments of the present invention, the pocket angle α1 may have a value of less than or equal to 60 degrees.
Also in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second opposing secondary side surfaces 34a, 34b may include planar first and second secondary side walls 86a, 86b, and one of the first and second secondary side walls 86a, 86b may be in contact with the second support surface 84.
Further in some embodiments of the present invention, the first and second secondary side walls 86a, 86b may be ground.
It should be appreciated that the first and second secondary side walls 86a, 86b may be ground whilst the cutting insert 20 is mounted in the single grinding jig (not shown), thus improving manufacturing efficiency.
As shown in in
In some embodiments of the present invention, the second lateral distance D
It should be appreciated that for embodiments of the present invention in which the second lateral distance D
As shown in
In some embodiments of the present invention, an imaginary straight line L perpendicular to the fourth plane P4 may extend between any point on the first and second annular recesses 36a, 36b and the fourth plane P4 without intersecting another portion of the insert receiving pocket 62.
Although the present invention has been described to a certain degree of particularity, it should be understood that various alterations and modifications could be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.