Patent Application
20070280792
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a tool for cutting is made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) that combines rougher, chipbreaker finisher, and compression geometries into one tool. The tool, for example, is a three flute cutter having three upshear flutes and three downshear flutes. The upshear and downshear flutes each possess one rougher wing, which reduces cutting forces, allowing the tool to achieve a higher feed rate, and the two chipbreaker finisher wings create a smooth edge finish. By combining these cutting geometries, the tool of this embodiment is formed that can feed faster than any PCD tool currently on the market while producing a clean edge finish.
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In an embodiment, the flutes 90, 100, and 110 are cut directly into the body 20 of the tool 10. In this way, the flutes 90, 100, and 110 are made of the same material as the body. In another embodiment, the flutes 90, 100, and 110 are made of solid carbide. In another embodiment, the flutes 90, 100, and 110 are made of high speed steel.
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In an embodiment, the upshear flutes of each of the flutes 90, 100, and 110 of the tip 80 also have two chipbreaker finisher wings 40a and 40b, with the same geometry and structure as those described for the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a and 40′b.
In an embodiment, the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b are made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD). PCD is a hard, synthetic diamond product that is abrasive resistant when used in all directions for tooling. PCD tipped tools are exceptionally resistant to wear. For example, PCD tool life can exceed carbide cutting tool life by two to three times. Further, PCD is versatile and cheap compared to its contemporaries in the tooling industry, because tools made of PCD last longer, thereby reducing replacement costs.
In an alternative embodiment, the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b are made of monocrystalline diamond (“diamond”). Diamond is best suited to produce very fine and precise finishes as required in the manufacture of jewelry, plastic contact lenses, computer memory discs, or aluminum camera parts. However, this list does not limit the applications that the tool tip 80 can be used for when made of diamond.
In another embodiment, the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b are made of cubic boron nitride (CBN). CBN is an artificially synthesized material exceeded in hardness only by diamond. CBN permits cutting at high feeds and speeds, and maintains a sharp cutting edge which produces high quality finishes.
Both PCD and CBN are available in a large variety of shapes and sizes. As a result, the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b of the tip 80 can be made of any shape and size, depending on the manufacturer's needs and/or user's preferences. Further, CBN is available in several different grades, all of which can be used in the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b of the tip 80 of the invention.
In another embodiment, the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b are made of ceramic. Further, the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b can be made of any materials not created yet that permit cutting at high feeds and high speeds, and maintains a sharp cutting edge which produces high quality finishes.
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In an embodiment, a pattern of the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b are comprised of four chipbreaker finisher wings, arranged in an offset pattern so that the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a and 40′b produce downshear forces that force chips down in a cut, and the chipbreaker finisher wings 40a and 40b produce upshear forces that force chips up in the cut. In this way, opposite forces work to break up and clear chips out of the cutting edge surface, producing a finished cut.
In an embodiment, the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b on the tip 80 are mounted to the body 20 of the tool 10 at 90° angles.
In an alternative embodiment, the pattern of chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b can be changed depending on the application that the tool 10 is being used for by the user. For example, the tool 10 can include additional chipbreaker finisher wings besides the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a, 40a, 40′b, and 40b so that tougher or larger chips can be cleared from the cut easier.
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In an embodiment, the rougher wings 50 and 60 on the tip 80 are mounted to the body 20 of the tool 10 at 90° angles.
In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the edges 55 and 65 is scalloped. However, alternative embodiments of the present invention include other shapes which allow for increased feed rates, chip breakage, and increased life of upshear and downshear cutting edges.
In an embodiment, the rougher wings 50 and 60 are located 180° degrees apart from one another around the tip 80. The rougher wing 60 produces upshear forces, while the rougher wing 50 produces downshear forces. By locating the rougher wings 50 and 60 on opposite sides of the tip 80, the upshear forces and the downshear forces are allowed to produce two different forces without resistance.
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In an embodiment, the downshear forces produced by the chipbreaker finisher wings 40′a and 40′b and the downshear forces produced by the rougher wing 50 provide for a chip free top edge. The upshear forces produced by the chipbreaker finisher wings 40a and 40b and the upshear forces produced by the rougher wing 60 provide for a chip free bottom edge. These chip free edges are especially advantageous for laminated wood products. However, these chip free edges are useful for any cutting application, and thus the cutting tool 10 can be used in various applications to produce a high quality finish.
The present cutting tool and system for cutting is intended for use primarily in wood cutting applications, but it is envisioned that the tool 10 and system may be used in a variety of other applications, including aluminum and aluminum alloy cutting, copper, brass and bronze alloy cutting, zinc and magnesium alloy cutting, gold and silver cutting, carbon and graphite cutting, ceramics cutting, plastics and rubber cutting, fiberglass composites cutting, chipboard and fiberboard cutting, graphite composites cutting, composite plastics, composites in general, or any new material created in the future.
In an alternative embodiment, the tool 10 and system for cutting may be used in a variety of other applications, including cutting of any of the following: alloy steels, carbon steel alloys, die steel, high speed steel, chilled cast iron, Ni Hard, forged steel, meehanite iron, and moly chrome steel rolls. Many other cutting applications are also possible, including those currently available and those available in the future.
The present invention has been described in specific detail and with particular reference to its preferred embodiments; however, it will be apparent to those having skill in the art that modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
