Patent Grant
9737944
The present invention relates to a thread-cutting tap, and more particularly to restraint of chipping and stabilization of thread accuracy.
There is known a thread-cutting tap in which a thread is circumferentially divided by a spiral or straight flute into divided portions, and a cutting edge is defined by cooperation of ends of the respective divided portions, namely, defined by end faces of the respective divided portions and extends along the spiral or straight flute, wherein the thread has a thread profile that becomes from an incomplete profile with its crest portion being cut, to a complete profile, in a direction away from a distal end of a chamfered portion of the thread-cutting tap toward a complete thread portion of the thread-cutting tap. There are proposed a plurality of taps in which each of the cutting edges is chamfered to restrain chipping (small breakage caused on the cutting edge) which could be caused in the known thread-cutting tap during the cutting operation. For example, in Patent Document 1, there is disclosed a technique of chamfer a part of a rake face which is contiguous to the cutting edge, wherein the chamfered part extends circumferentially rearwardly as it extends toward a crest of the thread. Further, in Patent Document 2, there is disclosed a technique of chamfering a part of a rake face which is contagious to the cutting edge, such that the chamfered part provides a negative rake. Moreover, there is proposed a technique of rounding a part of a rake face which is contagious to the cutting edge.
[Patent Document 1] JP-2008-272856A
[Patent Document 2] JP-H07-164247A
In the thread-cutting taps disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the tool life is improved by restraint of chipping owing to the arrangement in which a part of the rake face contiguous to the cutting edge is chamfered. However, there is a problem that accuracy of internal thread machined by the tap is not stabilized. The internal thread accuracy corresponds to a dimensional accuracy of the internal thread that has been machined by the tap. As a factor impeding the stabilization of the internal thread accuracy, it is considered that a thrust force, which is generated onto the thread-cutting tap upon start of the thread machining by the tap, acts in a negative direction and is increased due to the arrangement in which the cutting edge is chamfered, so that the thread-cutting tap advances too much in a cutting direction.
The present invention was made in view of the background discussed above. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a thread-cutting tap that makes it possible to restrain chipping that could be caused during thread machining performed by the tap and to stabilize accuracy of internal thread machined by the tap.
To achieve the object, the first aspect of the invention provides a thread-cutting tap in which (a) a thread is circumferentially divided by an axially extending flute into divided portions, and a cutting edge is defined by cooperation of ends of the respective divided portions and extends along the axially extending flute, each of the ends of the respective divided portions being one of circumferentially opposite ends of a corresponding one of the divided portions, the thread having a thread profile that becomes from an incomplete profile to a complete profile in a direction away from a distal end of a chamfered portion of the thread-cutting tap toward a complete thread portion of the thread-cutting tap, (b) wherein the cutting edge is provided with a protrusion portion at least in a radially outer end portion of the chamfered portion, such that the protrusion portion protrudes from a rake face of the cutting edge forwardly in a rotation direction of the thread-cutting tap, and extends along the cutting edge.
According to the above-described first aspect of the invention, owing to the provision of the protrusion portion protruding from the rake face of the cutting edge forwardly in the rotation direction, the chipping is restrained. Further, owing to the provision of the protrusion portion, the thrust load acting in the negative direction upon biting of the spiral tap into the work material is reduced, whereby the excessive advance of the spiral tap is avoided and the internal thread accuracy is stabilized.
Preferably, the protrusion portion has a width that is within a range between 1/80 of a standard height of the internal thread and 1/20 of the standard height, wherein the width is defined as a dimension of the protrusion portion which is measured in a radial direction of the thread-cutting tap on a cross section of the protrusion portion that is perpendicular to an axis of the thread-cutting tap. Owing to the arrangement in which the width of the protrusion portion is within the above-described range, the chipping is restrained and the internal thread accuracy is stabilized.
Preferably, the protrusion portion is a portion that is formed by plastically deforming at least one burr in a blasting operation using glass beads, wherein the at least one burr is formed on the cutting edge upon formation of the thread in a grinding operation using a grinding wheel. Thus, the protrusion portion can be easily formed.
Preferably, the thread-cutting tap may be constituted by using various tool materials such as high speed tool steel and cemented carbide, and may be coated with hard coating made of, for example, Ti Al N, Ti N and Ti CN, as needed.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the embodiment, the figures are simplified or deformed as needed and portions are not necessarily precisely depicted in terms of dimension ratio, shape, etc.
In the chamfered portion 22, the cutting edge 28 is provided with a circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 which protrudes from a rake face 30 forwardly in a rotation direction of the tap 10 and which extends along the cutting edge 28. As shown in
In the cross section of the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 which is perpendicular to the axis O, as shown in
There will be next described a method of producing the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 that is shown in
[Test Condition]
Size: M6×1
Cutting speed: 15 m/min
Work material: S45C
Prepared hole: φ5 mm×15 mm
Machine: Vertical machining center with use of water-soluble cutting fluid (10-times dilution)
Depth of cut: 12 mm (blind hole)
In each of graphs of
In
Also in the tap with the cutting edges being round-chamfered, the thrust force Fs acting in the negative direction becomes large immediately after the tap is caused to bite into the work material, as shown in
In
The prior art A shown in
The comparative product C is a spiral tap provided with circle-shaped protrusion portions whose width Hw is adapted to be 1/110 of the basic thread height (basic profile height H) H. The test for this comparative product C was continued because the threaded hole machined by the comparative product C was acceptable in terms of the internal thread accuracy at an initial stage, with the no-go gauge being screwed by 1.5 rotations (WP 1.5 rotations). Then, the test was suspended when the durability number (number of machined holes) reached 1300, because the cutting edge breakage (chipping) of the spiral tap became large at the time. This reveals that, where the width Hw of the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 is too small, the internal thread accuracy is likely to become unstable and the effect of restraining the chipping is lowered.
The invention product D corresponding to the spiral tap constructed according to the present embodiment is provided with the circle-shaped protrusion portions 32 whose width Hw is adapted to be 1/80 of the basic thread height H (H/80). In this spiral tap, a satisfactory result was obtained in terms of the internal thread accuracy at an initial stage, with the no-go gauge being screwed by 0.5 rotations (WP 0.5 rotations). In the subsequent durability test, a satisfactory result was obtained also in terms of the durability, with the durability number (number of machined holes) having reached 2487 until the spiral tap was broken. Moreover, the satisfactory internal thread accuracy was maintained.
The spiral tap of the invention product E is provided with the circle-shaped protrusion portions 32 whose width Hw is adapted to be H/50. In this spiral tap, too, a satisfactory result was obtained in terms of the internal thread accuracy at an initial stage, with the no-go gauge being screwed by 0.5 rotations. In the subsequent durability test, the test was terminated when the durability number reached 2830 because the wear of the tap became large at the time. It was judged that the wear was large when the go gauge no longer passed. The internal thread accuracy became unacceptable when the durability number reached 2830. It is noted that the go gauge does not pass when the wear becomes large, because an amount of cut by the tap is reduced with increase of the wear of the tap. Thus, the spiral tap of the invention product E was excellent also in durability (durability number 2830), and chipping was not hardly seen.
The spiral tap of the invention product F is provided with the circle-shaped protrusion portions 32 whose width Hw is adapted to be H/30. In this spiral tap, too, a satisfactory result was obtained in terms of the internal thread accuracy at an initial stage, with the no-go gauge being screwed by 0.5 rotations. In the subsequent durability test, the test was terminated when the durability number reached 2854 because the wear of the tap became large (the internal thread accuracy became unacceptable) at the time. This invention product F also was excellent in durability (durability number 2854), and chipping was not hardly seen. The spiral tap of the invention product G is provided with the circle-shaped protrusion portions 32 whose width Hw is adapted to be H/20. In this spiral tap, too, a satisfactory result was obtained in the internal thread accuracy at an initial stage, with the no-go gauge being screwed by 0.5 rotations. In the subsequent durability test, the test was terminated when the durability number reached 2349 because unusual noises were generated at the time. However, it was excellent also in durability with the durability number of 2349.
The spiral tap of the comparative product H is provided with the circle-shaped protrusion portions 32 whose width Hw is adapted to be H/10. In this spiral tap, too, a satisfactory result was obtained in terms of the internal thread accuracy at an initial stage, with the no-go gauge being screwed by 0.5 rotations. In the subsequent durability test, when the durability number reached 560, the shape of cutting chips was changed and became unstable and the spiral tap was broken. The spiral tap of the comparative product I is provided with the circle-shaped protrusion portions 32 whose width Hw is adapted to be H/5. In this spiral tap, too, a satisfactory result was obtained in terms of the internal thread accuracy at an initial stage, with the no-go gauge being screwed by 0.5 rotations. In the subsequent durability test, when the durability number reached 7, the shape of cutting chips was changed and became unstable and the tap was broken. Thus, where the width Hw of the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 exceeds H/10, the tap can be easily broken, and the shape of the cutting chips is changed and becomes unstable.
As described above, it was confirmed that, where the width Hw of the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 is within the range between H/80 and H/20, the internal thread accuracy was stabilized and the chipping was restrained. Particularly, where the width Hw of the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 is within a range between H/50 and H/30, the durability was remarkably improved.
As described above, in the present embodiment, owing to the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 provided in the rake face 30 of the cutting edge 28, the chipping is restrained. Further, the thrust load Fs acting in the negative direction upon biting of the spiral tap 10 into the work material is reduced, whereby the excessive advance of the spiral tap 10 is avoided and the internal thread accuracy is stabilized.
Further, in the present embodiment, owing to the arrangement in which the width Hw of the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 is within the range between 1/80 and 1/20 of the basic thread height H of the internal thread, the chipping is restrained and the internal thread accuracy is stabilized.
Further, in the present embodiment, the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 can be easily formed in the blasting operation using glass beads, which is performed on the burrs 36 that are formed on the cutting edge 28 upon formation of the thread 18 in the grinding operation.
While the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention may be otherwise embodied.
For example, while the spiral tap 10 is provided with the spiral flutes 20 in the above-described embodiment, each of the flutes may be a straight flute or a spiral point flute.
While the spiral tap 10 is constructed with the three cutting edges in the above-described embodiment, the number of the cutting edges is not particularly limited.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the burrs 36 are subjected to the blasting operating that is carried out by using the glass beads whereby the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 is formed. However, the blasting operating does not have be carried out by using necessarily the glass beads but may be carried out by using other materials such as steel balls.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 is formed to extend continuously along the cutting edge 28. However, the protrusion portion 32 may be provided only in the radially outer end portion of the thread. Further, the protrusion portion 32 may be provided not only in the chamfered portion 22 but also in the complete thread portion 24.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the circle-shaped protrusion portion 32 is formed to have the semi-circular shape in its cross section. However, the protrusion portion 32 does not have to be necessarily the semi-circular shape in its cross section, but may be other shape such as an ellipse shape as long as it is a protruding shape.
The above description is merely an embodiment and the present invention may be implemented in variously modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2013/064535 | 5/24/2013 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2014/188603 | 11/27/2014 | WO | A |
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