Modular cutting tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10500654-B2
Application number	US-201815868576-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2018
Priority date	Jan 11, 2018
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A modular cutting tool includes a cutting head, a shank and a mechanism which assists in assembling and locks the cutting head to the shank. The cutting head includes a cutting portion rotatable about a central longitudinal axis and a cylindrical skirt extending axially from the cutting portion and terminating at a contact face disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The skirt has a number of curved inner surfaces which generally define a bore disposed about the longitudinal axis. The shank includes a cylindrical portion of a first diameter disposed about the central longitudinal axis and a central protrusion disposed in the bore of the cutting portion. The central protrusion has a second diameter less than the first diameter and extends longitudinally from a contact face disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a leading end of the cylindrical portion.

First claim

We claim:

1. A modular cutting tool comprising:
a cutting head comprising:
a cutting portion rotatable about a central longitudinal axis; and
a cylindrical skirt extending axially from the cutting portion and terminating at a contact face disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the skirt having a number of curved inner surfaces which generally define a bore disposed about the longitudinal axis; and

a shank comprising:
a cylindrical portion of a first diameter disposed about the longitudinal axis; and
a central protrusion disposed in the bore of the cutting portion, the central protrusion having a second diameter less than the first diameter and extending longitudinally from a contact face disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a leading end of the cylindrical portion; and

a mechanism which assists in assembling and locks the cutting head to the shank, wherein the mechanism comprises:
a first locking drive key;
a second locking drive key; and
a differential screw member disposed within the transverse bore and having a first threaded portion disposed at or about a first end and a second threaded portion disposed at or about a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first threaded portion includes a first plurality of threads disposed in a first direction and second threaded portion includes a second plurality of threads disposed in a second direction, opposite the first direction,
wherein the first locking drive key and the second locking drive key each comprise:
a main body portion fit generally within a respective one of the first alcove or the second alcove, the main body portion having:
an inner face facing toward the longitudinal axis;
an outer face disposed opposite the inner face;
a leading side face which extends between the inner face and the outer face on a leading side of the main body portion when the shank is rotated about the longitudinal axis in a cutting direction; and
a trailing side face which extends between the inner face and the outer face on a trailing side of the main body portion when the shank is rotated about the longitudinal axis in the cutting direction;

a central projection extending from the inner face of the main body portion radially inward toward the longitudinal axis; and
a lateral projection extending generally tangentially with respect to a reference circle centered about the longitudinal axis from the trailing side face of the main body portion at or about an upper portion of the main body portion,
wherein the upper portion of each main body portion of each drive key is disposed in a respective one of the cut-out regions of the skirt of the cutting tool,
wherein the lateral projection of each drive key is disposed in an axially overlapping, with respect to the longitudinal axis, position with respect to the portion of the skirt,
wherein the first locking drive key further includes a threaded aperture defined through the main body portion and the central projection thereof which is threadingly engaged with the first threaded portion of the differential screw member,
wherein the second locking drive key further includes a threaded aperture defined through the main body portion and the central projection thereof which is threadingly engaged with the second threaded portion of the differential screw member, and
wherein the differential screw member further includes a feature formed in either or both of the first end or the second end thereof which is structured to be engaged by a correspondingly formed tool for rotating the differential screw member about a central longitudinal axis thereof.

2. The modular cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the skirt further includes a number of cut-out regions which extend from the contact face toward the cutting portion between the number of inner surfaces and an outer surface, each cut-out region being bound, in-part, by a leading face, a trailing face, and by a clamping face which is formed on a portion of the skirt which extends generally circumferentially into each cutout region from the trailing face.

3. The modular cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the shank further comprises:
a first alcove formed in the cylindrical portion abutting the contact surface;
a second alcove formed in the cylindrical portion abutting the contact surface opposite the first alcove; and
a transverse bore extending between the first alcove and the second alcove and disposed about a transverse axis which is disposed perpendicularly to, and intersects the longitudinal axis.

4. The modular cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the clamping face of each cut-out region is oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in a tangential direction and tapered at an angle in the radial direction relative to a reference plane disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

5. The modular cutting tool of claim 4 , wherein the angle is in the range of about of about 1° to about 5°.

6. The modular cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the cutting portion is generally disc-shaped and defines a peripheral portion having a plurality of blades formed therein with a flute disposed between adjacent blades.

7. The modular cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the number of inner surfaces are disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis.

8. The modular cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the number of inner surfaces are disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

9. A cutting head for use in a modular cutting tool, the cutting head comprising:
a cutting portion structured to perform cutting operations on a workpiece when rotated about a central longitudinal axis; and
a cylindrical skirt extending axially from the cutting portion and terminating at a contact face disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the skirt having:
a number of curved inner surfaces which generally define a bore disposed about the longitudinal axis which is positioned and sized to receive a portion of a shank therein, and
a number of cut-out regions which extend from the contact face toward the cutting portion between the number of inner surfaces and an outer surface, each cut-out region being bound, in-part, by a leading face, a trailing face, and by a clamping face which is formed on a portion of the skirt which extends generally circumferentially into each cutout region from the trailing face,

wherein the clamping face of each cut-out region is oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in a tangential direction and tapered in the radial direction at an angle relative to a reference plane disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

10. The cutting head of claim 9 , wherein the angle is in the range of about of about 1° to about 5°.

11. The cutting head of claim 9 , wherein the cutting portion is generally disc-shaped and defines a peripheral portion having a plurality of blades formed therein with a flute disposed between adjacent blades.

12. The cutting head of claim 9 , wherein the number of inner surfaces are disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis.

13. The cutting head of claim 9 , wherein the number of inner surfaces are disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

14. The cutting head of claim 13 , wherein the angle is in the range of about 2° to about 5°.

15. A shank for use in a modular cutting tool, the shank comprising:
a cylindrical portion of a first diameter disposed about a central longitudinal axis;
a central protrusion of a second diameter less than the first diameter extending longitudinally from a contact face disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a leading end of the cyl

Assignees

• Kennametal Inc

Inventors

• Ning Li
• Henry Nicholas

Classifications

• B23D79/00

  Methods, machines, or devices not covered elsewhere, for working metal by removal of material (by combined operations B23D81/00; cutting by electron-beam B23K15/00, by laser beam B23K26/00; by electro-erosion B23H; tool holders for machine tools B23Q3/00; handles for hand implements B25G) · CPC title

• B23C2260/28

  Differential screw threads · CPC title

• B23C2210/03

  Cutting heads comprised of different material than the shank irrespective of whether the head is detachable from the shank · CPC title

• B23C5/02

  characterised by the shape of the cutter · CPC title

• B23B2260/056

  Differential screw threads · CPC title