Patent Application
20180345351
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates to compression punches, and more particularly to a compression punch assembly with a replaceable head that has a quick release mechanism.
This invention relates generally to compaction tooling components, and more particularly to a compaction tool, such as a punch. Compaction systems that utilize pistons or plungers as punches to compress solids, fluids, or the like, are employed in various industries, such as industrial, oil and gas, core drilling and mining, compaction tooling and tableting equipment for the pharmaceutical industry, and power jet markets. During the compaction process, however, the application of significant compressive forces results in wear to the tips and heads of the punches. This force, associated friction and the nature of the materials being compacted, causes a high level of wear on the compaction tooling, resulting in the frequent need to change out and rework such tooling. US patent publication 2016/0185064 discloses a punch assembly with a replaceable ceramic head. It has been found that ceramic parts in punches do not function well. U.S. Pat. No. 8,657,594 discloses a punch assembly with a replaceable tip that, while not requiring a tool to replace the tip, does require the manipulation of several parts to replace the tip.
It has been found that different compositions for compaction respond differently to punch head size and shape. Some provide improved tables with larger heads that give longer compression times. However, with other compositions, the opposite is true. There is a need for a compression tool with a quick release device to change the punch head quickly and easily. None of the prior art suggests the claimed invention.
The present invention provides a punch assembly with a replaceable head that is quick release, and snaps on and is easily removed, allowing the replacement to take place quickly and efficiently. There is no need to remove screws or pins to release the head.
Examples of additional known prior art devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,312,612 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,983, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a punch assembly with a snap on head that is easily and quickly removed. The punch assembly comprises a head having an approximately flat top, an engagement projection and a groove; and a cylindrical punch body having a tip end and a head engaging end. The head engaging end has mounted thereon opposing pivoting arms having pivot points, wherein above the pivot points are opposing projections and below the pivot points are release ends. The arms are held in a closed position by pivot pins and a compression spring mounted between the release ends. The engagement projection of the head is pressed between the projections and snaps into place with the projections releasably held in the groove. To release the head, the release ends are compressed toward each other, pivoting the projections apart to an open position, thereby releasing the head.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
The punch body 4 is preferably cylindrical. At one end of the punch body 4 is the tip engaging end 15, having a tip 3, which impacts the material to be compacted. At the other end of the punch is the head engaging end 13 having a pivot latch opening 34. The opening transects the punch body 4, creating arm engagement surfaces 32. Pin engagement openings 28 are placed off-center of the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical punch body, opposite each other on the engagement surfaces and transect the punch body 4.
A pivot latch assembly 11 comprises opposing arms 6, pins 7 and a compression spring 8. Opposing arms 6 of the pivot latch have two approximately parallel side surfaces 30, a pivot point opening 16 and, on the exterior surface 70, a release end 22. The pivot point opening 16 is approximately perpendicular to the side surfaces 30. On the interior surface 72 of the arms of the pivot latch 6 is a spring engagement surface 20, a sloping engagement surface 26 and a projection 18. The projections 18 are above the pivot points and the release ends 22 are below the pivot points. As shown in
When the head 5 is replaced with another head, the head extension 36 is pressed downward into the pivot latch opening 34. The sloping insertion surface 24 pushes against the projection 18, which is held in a closed position by compression spring 8 pushing against the spring engagement surface 20. As the head proceeds downward, the projection 18 snaps into the projection engagement groove 12, and the head 5 is mounted on the punch body 4, creating the punch assembly 1. The sloping insertion surface 24 approximately rests against the sloping engagement surface 26.
In a second embodiment, as shown in
In a third embodiment shown in
The pivot latch assembly 84 is inserted into the enclosed pivot latch opening 96 and is held in place by the pivot pins 94 which are inserted through openings in the punch body and the opposing arms, as described above. The enclosed pivot latch opening 96 has a closure piece 115 that creates the enclosed opening 96 which serves to securely hold the pivot latch assembly by providing an enclosure for the opposing arms. The latch assembly 84, when mounted in the punch body is biased closed. The spring retention holder base 104 is sized to fit and engage with the enclosed pivot latch opening 96 to stabilize and secure the compression spring 92. When the removable head is mounted on the punch body and is held in place by the pivot latch assembly, it can be aligned using an alignment pin 98. Optionally, a key 100 can be mounted on the side of the punch body using a key mounting screw 102. The key can be used to facilitate the removal of the head 80 by pressing it against the opposing arms 90.
The removable tip 86 can be inserted into the removable tip insertion opening 120 and held in place with the lock 108 which has two parts held in place with the insert lock set screw 110. The two lock parts have an insert lock grip surface 109 which grips the removable tip 86 when the lock set screw is tightened and releases when the lock set screw is loosened.
The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to persons who are skilled in the art. As various modifications could be made to the exemplary embodiments, as described above with reference to the corresponding illustrations, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application 62/512,354 filed on May 30, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62512354 | May 2017 | US |
