Patent Grant
11969775
The present invention relates to metal forming dies and the like, and in particular to a stock lifter assembly and associated method incorporating a unique stock lifter assembly.
Metal forming dies, such as stamping dies and the like, are well known in the art. Progressive metal forming dies are unique, very sophisticated mechanisms which have multiple stations or progressions that are aligned longitudinally, and are designed to perform a specified operation at each station in a predetermined sequence to create a finished metal part. Progressive stamping dies are capable of forming complex metal parts at very high speeds, so as to minimize manufacturing costs.
Heretofore, the dies used in metal forming presses have typically been individually designed, one-of-a-kind assemblies for a particular part, with each of the various components being handcrafted and custom mounted or fitted in an associated die set, which is in turn positioned in a stamping press. Not only are the punches and the other forming tools in the die set individually designed and constructed, but the other parts of the die set, such as stock lifters, guides, end caps, keepers, cam returns, etc., are also custom designed, and installed in the die set. Current die making processes require carefully machined, precision holes and recesses in the die set for mounting the individual components, such that the same are quite labor intensive, and require substantial lead time to make, test, and set up in a stamping press. Consequently, such metal forming dies are very expensive to design, manufacture, and repair or modify.
The primary application for a lifter in a progressive stamping die is to lift the metal stock off of the tooling surfaces to move (progress) the stock to the next working station within the die. A stock lifter generally consists of a hardened round pin guided in a drilled hole through a steel block and a driving force behind the pin. The pin is usually retained by an oversized head on the pin on the backside of the block. The problem with such lifting assemblies are the number of components and the space that such components take within the die assembly. In addition, due to the driving force, shearing of the guiding component and/or the retaining pin can occur.
Thus, a product that solves these problems would be advantageous and is described herein.
One aspect of the present invention is a multi-station progressive metal forming die having at least two mutually converging and diverging die members between which a stock piece is shifted longitudinally to form at least one part from the stock incorporating a stock lifter assembly. The stock lifter assembly includes a generally cylindrical guide pin body. The guide pin body has an outer end portion that is oriented toward the stock piece. The guide pin body also has an inner end portion oriented away from the stock piece. The generally cylindrical guide pin body also has a medial portion between the outer end portion of the inner end portion. The outer end portion of the guide pin body has an outer end surface with a cap aperture. The outer end portion also has a securing member aperture on the generally cylindrical guide pin body. The inner end portion of the guide pin body includes a retainer groove on the generally cylindrical guide pin body. The stock lifter assembly includes a cap that has an outer end portion oriented toward the stock piece and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock piece. The outer end portion has a diameter that is wider than the diameter of the generally cylindrical guide pin body. The outer end portion also includes an outer end surface that contacts the stock piece. The inner end portion of the cap has a diameter that is sized to be received within the cap aperture in the outer end portion of the guide pin body. The inner end portion includes a securing member aperture that aligns with the securing member aperture in the outer end portion of the guide pin body when the cap is situated on the guide pin body. A securing member is received within the securing member apertures in the cap and guide pin body. The stock lifter assembly includes a base that has an outer end portion oriented toward the stock piece and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock piece. The base also has a guide pin aperture extending through the base. The outer end portion of the base has a first diameter, and the inner end portion has a larger second diameter, forming a shoulder on the exterior surface of the base. The inner end portion of the base also has an inner end surface. The stock lifter assembly includes a spring member that has a generally hollow interior with an outer end portion oriented toward the stock piece and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock piece. The outer end portion of the spring member contacts a surface of the outer end portion of the cap. The inner end portion of the spring member contacts the exterior shoulder formed on the base. The stock lifter assembly includes a retainer that is received on the retainer groove on the guide pin body. The retainer will contact the inner end surface of the base when the stock lifter assembly is fully raised.
Another aspect of the present invention is a stock lifter assembly for a metal forming die, in which stock is formed into at least one part. The stock lifter assembly includes a generally cylindrical guide pin body with an outer end portion oriented toward the stock and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock. The outer end portion includes an outer end surface with a cap aperture, and a securing member aperture on the generally cylindrical guide pin body. The inner end portion of the guide pin body includes a retainer groove. The stock lifter assembly includes a cap that has an outer end portion oriented toward the stock and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock. The outer end portion has a diameter that is wider than the diameter of the generally cylindrical guide pin body. The cap also has an outer end surface that contacts the stock. The inner end portion of the cap has a diameter that is sized to be received within the cap aperture in the guide pin body. The cap also has a securing member aperture that aligns with the securing member aperture in the guide pin body when the cap is installed on the guide pin body. The stock lifter assembly includes a securing member that is received within the securing member aperture in the inner end portion of the cap and the securing member aperture in the guide pin body. The stock lifter assembly includes a base that has an outer end portion oriented toward the stock and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock. The base also has a guide pin aperture that extends through the base. The outer end portion of the base has a first diameter, and the inner end portion has a larger second diameter, thereby forming a shoulder on the exterior surface of the base. The stock lifter assembly also has a spring member that has a generally hollow interior with an outer end portion that contacts the surface of the cap, and an inner end portion that contacts the surface of a mounting flange when a mounting flange is installed in the base. The stock lifter assembly includes a retainer that is received on the retainer groove located on the guide pin body. The retainer will contact the inner end surface of the base when the stock lifter assembly is fully raised.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a stock lifter assembly for metal forming die in which stock is formed into at least one part. The stock lifter assembly includes a generally cylindrical guide pin body with an outer end portion oriented toward the stock and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock. The outer end of the guide pin body includes an outer end surface with a cap aperture, and a securing member aperture on the cylindrical portion of the guide pin body. The inner end portion of the guide pin body has a retainer groove formed on the cylindrical surface of the guide pin body. The stock lifter assembly includes a cap that has an outer end portion oriented toward the stock and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock. The outer end portion has a diameter that is wider than the diameter of the guide pin body. The outer end portion also has an outer end surface that contacts the stock. The inner end portion of the cap has a diameter that is received within the cap aperture in the guide pin body. The inner end portion also includes a securing member aperture that aligns with the securing member aperture in the guide pin body when the cap is installed on the guide pin body. The stock lifter assembly includes a securing member that is received in the securing member apertures in the cap and the guide pin body. The stock lifter assembly includes a base that has an outer end portion oriented toward the stock and an inner end portion that is oriented away from the stock, with a guide pin aperture extending through the base. The outer end portion of the base has a first diameter, and the inner end portion has a larger second diameter, such that a shoulder is formed on the exterior surface of the base. The base also includes an inner end surface. The stock lifter assembly includes a spring member that has a generally hollow interior with an outer end portion oriented toward the stock and an inner end portion oriented away from the stock. The outer end portion contacts a surface of the cap, and the inner end portion contacts a surface of the shoulder on the exterior surface of the base. A retainer is received on a retainer groove on the guide pin body. The retainer will contact the inner end surface of the base when the stock lifter assembly is fully raised.
These and other advantages of the invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written description, claims, and dependent drawings.
For purposes of description herein, the terms “outer,” “inner,” “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in the attached drawings. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
The stock lifter assembly 2 includes a guide pin body 4, a cap 16, a securing member 28, a base 30, a spring member 42, and a retainer 50. In addition, the stock lifter assembly 2 can optionally include a mounting flange 70 or a mounting block 92 to assist with installation of the stock lifter assembly 2 to the die member 3.
The guide pin body 4 has an outer end portion 6 oriented toward the stock 5, an inner end portion 8 oriented away from the stock 5, and a medial portion 10 therebetween. In the illustrated embodiment, the guide pin body 4 has a generally cylindrical shape, however, alternative shapes can be used. The outer end portion 6 of the guide pin body 4 has a cap aperture 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the cap aperture 12 is centrally located within the outer end portion 6 of the guide pin body 4. The cap aperture 12 has a depth that extends beyond the securing member aperture 14 that is formed in the cylindrical wall of the outer end portion 6 of the guide pin body 4. The inner end portion 8 of the guide pin body 4 includes a retainer groove 15 that is spaced away from the inner end surface 17 of the guide pin body 4. The width and length of the guide pin body 4 can be altered depending upon the desired size and desired lift of the stock lifter assembly 2. Examples of different widths and lengths of the guide pin body 4 are illustrated in
The cap 16 includes an outer end portion 18 that is oriented toward the stock 5, and an inner end portion 20 that is oriented away from the stock 5. The outer end portion 18 includes an outer end surface 22 that contacts the lower surface of the stock 5 when the stock lifter assembly 2 engages the stock 5. As illustrated in
The inner end portion 20 of the cap 16 has a diameter that is smaller than the outer end portion 18. In addition, there can be an intermediate portion 27 of the cap 16 that has a diameter that is in between the diameters of the inner end portion 20 and outer end portion 18 of the cap 16. In that arrangement, a first shoulder 29 is formed on the innermost side of the intermediate portion 27, and the second shoulder 26 is formed on the innermost side of the outer end portion 18 of the cap 16. The first shoulder 29 will contact the top surface 13 of the guide pin body 4 when the cap 16 is installed on the guide pin body 4. The inner end portion 20 of the cap 16 includes a securing member aperture 24 located on the cylindrical wall of the inner end portion 20 of cap 16. When the cap 16 is installed on the guide pin body 4, the securing member aperture 24 of the cap 16 aligns with the securing member aperture 14 of the guide pin body 4. In the illustrated embodiments, the securing member apertures 14 and 24 generally have the same diameter. However, one of the securing member apertures (14, 24) can be slightly enlarged to facilitate ease in alignment. The depth of the cap aperture 12 in the guide pin body 4 must be sufficient to accommodate the length of the innermost portion 20 of the cap 16. Specifically, the cap aperture 12 must be long enough to accommodate the length of the inner end portion 20 that extends beyond the securing member aperture 24 to the innermost surface 31.
The spring member 42 includes a hollow interior 44 and an outer end portion 46 oriented toward the stock 5 and an inner end portion 48 oriented away from the stock 5. When the spring member 42 is installed on the assembly, the inner end portion 48 will contact the outermost surface 73 of a mounting flange 70 if the mounting flange is optionally used. If no mounting flange 70 is used, the inner end portion 48 of the spring member 42 will contact the shoulder 38 on base 30. However, other structures could be inserted on top of shoulder 38 of base 30 to contact the inner end portion 48 of the spring member 42. The outer end portion 46 of spring member 42 contacts the second shoulder 26 of cap 16, as shown in
The securing member 28 in the illustrated embodiment is a roll pin. However, the securing member 28 can be threaded and one or more of the securing member apertures 14, 24 can include a threaded surface. As illustrated in
The base 30 includes an outer end portion 32 oriented toward the stock 5 and an inner end portion 34 oriented away from the stock 5. The base has a guide pin aperture 36 that extends through the base. In the illustrated embodiment, the guide pin aperture is centrally located within the outer end portion 32 and inner end portion 34. The inner end portion 34 has a diameter of the outer end portion 32 thereby forming shoulder 38 on an exterior surface of the base 30. The base has an inner end surface 40 which will contact the retainer 50 when the stock lifter assembly 2 is fully raised. The base can also include an inner shoulder 41, as shown in
An alternative embodiment of a base 230 is shown in
As illustrated in
Retainer 50 is inserted on retainer groove 15 in guide pin body 4 once guide pin body 4 has been installed into guide pin aperture 36 in base 30. When guide pin body 4 is installed in guide pin aperture 36 of base 30, a section of the inner end portion 8 of guide pin body 4 extends beyond the inner end surface 40 of the base 30, as illustrated in
The stock lifter assembly 2, 102, 200, 310 can be installed to die member 3 utilizing a mounting flange 70. The mounting flange 70 includes a stock lifter assembly aperture 72 and at least one mounting fastener aperture 74, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Another option for installing the stock lifter assembly 2 to the die member 3 includes the use of a mounting block 92, as illustrated in
The guide pin body 4, base 30, and cap 16 can be made of the same material or different materials. For example, the cap 16 can be a hardened material to give it a long wearing surface for lifting and supporting the stock 5. If bushings 52 are not used, the guide pin aperture 36 of base 30 can be formed or machined to have a bearing surface.
An alternative embodiment of a guide pin assembly 500 is shown in
While several of the embodiments shown above show the guide pin body 4, 502 and cap 16/cap insert 506 as separate components, the components could be a single unitary piece. Such a single guide pin body and cap piece could be formed from machining, such as turning with lathes, casting, etc.
In the foregoing description, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the concepts disclosed herein. Such modifications are to be considered as included in the following claims, unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the present disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” or “operably coupled” (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “connected” or “operably connected” (in all of its forms, connect, connecting, connected, etc.) generally means that one component functions with respect to another component, even if there are other components located between the first and second component, and the term “operable” defines a functional relationship between components.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the present disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that, unless otherwise described, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating positions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.
It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.
It is also to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structures and methods without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
The present application is a continuation of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 11,707,775, issued Jul. 25, 2023, entitled STOCK LIFTER ASSEMBLY, which is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 11,267,036, issued Mar. 8, 2022, entitled STOCK LIFTER ASSEMBLY, which claims the priority benefits under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 119, basing said claim of priority on related U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/785,393 filed Dec. 27, 2018, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20230311190 A1 | Oct 2023 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62785393 | Dec 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17685852 | Mar 2022 | US |
| Child | 18206142 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16726307 | Dec 2019 | US |
| Child | 17685852 | US |
