Multi-Part Modular Tool

Abstract

A multi-part modular tool rotatable about a longitudinal tool axis (A), comprising: a machining head; a first holding element comprising a body elongated along the longitudinal axis (A) of the tool, in which a passage extends along the longitudinal axis (A) of the tool; a second holding element which can extend in the passage of the first holding element; wherein the machining head can be connected to the second holding element in such a way that the machining head is fixed firmly to the first holding element at least in the axial direction (A) and/or in the radial direction (R), and wherein the passage of the first holding element and the second holding element are adapted to one another such that during a connection process in which the machining head is connected to the second holding element, the second holding element is movable relative to the first holding element.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A multi-part modular tool rotatable about a longitudinal tool axis (A), comprising: a machining head; a first holding element comprising a body elongated along the longitudinal tool axis (A), in which a passage extends along the longitudinal tool axis (A); a second holding element which can extend or extends at least in sections in the passage of the first holding element; wherein the machining head can be connected or is connected to the second holding element in such a way that the machining head is firmly fixed to the first holding element at least in the axial direction (A) and/or in the radial direction (R), and wherein the passage of the first holding element and the second holding element are adapted to one another in such a way that during a connection process in which the machining head is connected to the second holding element, the second holding element is movable or is moved relative to the first holding element.

15. The tool of claim 14, wherein: the first holding member has a front end portion and a rear end portion disposed opposite to the front end portion, and wherein the second holding member has a front end portion and a rear end portion disposed opposite to the front end portion, in particular the rear end portion of the second holding element is receivable or received within the rear end portion of the first holding element; and/or the front end portion of the second holding element extends in or through the front end portion of the first holding element, in particular projects beyond it in the axial direction (A).

16. The tool according to claim 14, wherein: the rear end portion of the second holding element is substantially fixed relative to the rear end portion of the first holding element during a connecting operation in which the machining head is connected to the second holding element, in particular in at least one axial direction (A), and/or the front end portion of the second holding element is movable or is moved relative to the front end portion of the first holding element during a connection process in which the machining head is connected to the second holding element, in particular in the radial direction (R).

17. The tool according to claim 14, wherein: the rear end portion of the second holding element is secured or can be secured within the rear end portion of the first holding element, in particular by a fixing element, preferably an elastic fixing element, in particular in such a way that the rear end portion of the second holding element is arranged concentrically to the rear end portion of the first holding element, and/or the front end portion of the second holding element extends in or through the front end portion of the first holding element so as to be able to move, in particular radially, relative to the front end portion of the first holding element during the connecting operation in which the machining head is connected to the second holding element.

18. The tool according to claim 15, wherein: the front end portion of the second holding element is arranged substantially concentrically with the front end portion of the first holding element when the machining head is connected to the second holding element, in particular after the end of the connection process, in such a way that the machining head is firmly fixed to the first holding element.

19. The tool according to claim 15, wherein: the front end portion of the second holding element is spaced from the front end portion of the first holding element, in particular such that a circumferential gap is provided between the front end portion of the second holding element and the front end portion of the first holding element.

20. The tool according to claim 14, wherein: the machining head has a cavity provided to receive a front end portion of the second holding element and wherein the machining head has an internal thread disposed within the cavity which is screwable or threaded onto an external thread provided at the front end portion,

21. The tool according to claim 14, wherein: the machining head has a first interface surface and/or a second interface surface and wherein a front end portion of the first holding element has a first interface surface and/or a second interface surface, in particular the first interface surface of the machining head cooperates with the first interface surface of the front end portion during a connecting operation in which the machining head is connected to the second holding member, such that the machining head is moved in a self-centering manner into a concentric position with the first holding member, and/or the second interface surface of the machining head and the second interface surface of the front end region cooperate in such a way that the machining head is supported radially, in particular completely circumferentially, on the front end region.

22. The tool according to claim 21, wherein: the first interface surface of the machining head and the first interface surface of the front end region are formed as lateral surfaces of a truncated cone, in particular in such a way that the first interface surface of the machining head and/or the first interface surface of the front end region are inclined at an angle in the range from 30° to 60°, in particular in the range from 40° to 50°, preferably 45°, to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tool.

23. The tool according to claim 21, wherein: the second interface surface of the machining head is an outer surface of the machining head and is disposed in the passage of the first holding element, and the second interface surface of the front end portion is an inner wall surface of the passage, and the second interface surface of the machining head is disposed between the inner wall surface and the second holding element.

24. The tool according to claim 15, wherein: the rear end region of the second holding element and/or the rear end region of the first holding element has or have an anti-rotation device which prevents rotation of the first holding element relative to the second holding element, in particular in at least one screw-in direction (E), preferably in both directions of rotation (E, S) of the tool, in particular wherein the rear end region of the first holding element and the rear end region of the second holding element have at least one or more surfaces acting positively against one another, and the anti-rotation device comprises positively acting surfaces on the rear end region and/or the rear end region, which prevents rotation of the first holding element relative to the second holding element.

25. The tool according to claim 14, wherein: the first holding element comprises a hard metal material, in particular consists entirely of hard metal, or comprises a heavy metal, in particular consists entirely of heavy metal, or comprises a steel, in particular consists entirely of a steel, and/or the second holding element comprises a material which is free of hard metal, preferably a tool steel or a high-speed steel, in particular consists entirely of material which is free of hard metal, and/or the machining head comprises a hard metal material, in particular wherein the machining head has a sintered thread, preferably an internal thread arranged within a cavity of the machining head and sintered on or with the machining head.

26. The tool according to claim 14, wherein: the machining head can be a milling head, a reaming tool, a twist drill head, a thread milling head, a tapping head or a thread former.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The invention is further explained below by means of embodiment examples with reference to the drawings. It shows in each case in a schematic representation:

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a perspective exploded cross-sectional view of a multi-part modular tool according to the invention;

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a perspective exploded cross-sectional view with the first and second holding elements assembled together and the machining head of a tool according to the invention not yet assembled;

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a perspective sectional view of a tool according to the invention in assembled condition;

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a side view in sectional view of a tool according to the invention in assembled condition;

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a side view in sectional view of a first holding element for a tool according to the invention;

[0043] FIG. 6 shows a side view in sectional view of a second holding element for a tool according to the invention;

[0044] FIG. 7 shows a side view in sectional view of a machining head for a tool according to the invention;

[0045] Parts and sizes corresponding to each other are marked with the 7 same reference signs in FIG. 1 to.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a multi-part modular tool 10 having a first holding element 14, a second holding element 16, and a machining head 12. The first holding element 14 is formed as an elongated sleeve having a front end portion 14a, a rear end portion 14b, and an intermediate central portion 14c. The first holding element 14 also includes a passageway 14d in the form of a central through bore along the longitudinal axis of the holding element 14. The longitudinal axis of the holding element 14 coincides with the longitudinal tool axis A when the tool 10 is fully assembled.

[0047] The second holding element 16 has a front end portion 16a, a rear end portion 16b, and an intermediate portion 16c therebetween, and is configured as a substantially elongated bolt. The rear end portion 16b has a larger diameter than the front end portion 16a.

[0048] The second holding element 16 can be inserted into the first holding element 14 during assembly of the tool 10, the direction of insertion is marked with an arrow and is along the longitudinal axis A of the tool.

[0049] In this regard, the passageway 14d is sized to allow the second holding element 16 to be inserted or pushed into the passageway 14d so that the rear end portion 16b is fully seated within the rear end portion 14b, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0050] Furthermore, the tool 10 comprises a machining head 16 that can be screwed to the second holding element 16 in a screwing-in direction E. Preferably, the screwing-in direction E is opposite to a working direction of rotation S of the machining head 16, whereby an unintentional loosening of the machining head 16 from the second holding element 16 during a rotation of the tool 10 in the direction of the working direction of rotation S is prevented.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows the second holding element 16 in a received state in the passage 14d. The machining head 12 can be connected to the front end portion 16a of the second holding element 16 by screwing it on.

[0052] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the tool 10 in a fully assembled state. Here, the tool 10 has an interface that allows the first and second holding elements 14, 16 and the machining head 12 to be connected to each other.

[0053] The front end portion 16a of the second holding element 16 has an external thread 32, so that the machining head 12 can be screwed onto the front end portion 16a. For this purpose, the machining head 12 is provided with a cavity 18 whose inner wall has an internal thread 20 corresponding to the external thread 32.

[0054] Externally, the machining head 12 has a working area 22 which may be formed in accordance with the tool type of the tool 10. For example, the machining head 12 can be provided as a milling head, as a reaming tool, as a twist drill, as a thread milling cutter, as a tapping tool or as a thread former and have a corresponding working area 22.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the machining head 12 includes first and second interface surfaces 24, 28. The first holding element 14 has corresponding first and second interface surfaces 26, 30 that are aligned with and cooperate with the first and second interface surfaces 24, 28, respectively, during and after completion of the connection process, i.e., during bolting and in a tightly bolted condition of the machining head 12.

[0056] The respective first interface surfaces 24, 26 are designed as lateral surfaces of a truncated cone and are inclined towards the longitudinal tool axis A. If the machining head 12 is screwed onto the external thread 32, the interface surfaces 24, 26 slide on each other into a mutually concentric position due to their shape. As a result, during screwing on, the machining head 12 is drawn into a position concentric with the first holding element 14 and thus with the longitudinal axis A of the tool. Accordingly, the second holding element 16 is also drawn towards a position concentric to the tool axis A and is ideally arranged concentrically to this in the finished assembled state.

[0057] The respective second interface surfaces 28, 30 are radially opposite each other in the finished screwed state of the machining head 12 and are arranged concentrically to each other. The interface surface 28 of the machining head 12 supports the machining head 12 in the radial direction R on the interface surface 30 of the first holding element 14, in particular with respect to radial forces that arise on and in the machining head 12 during machining of a workpiece. The respective second interface surfaces 28, 30 are oriented parallel to the longitudinal tool axis A and are also aligned parallel thereto.

[0058] The machining head 12 also has an additional width across flats 36, to which the application of a tightening torque with a torque wrench is possible. Furthermore, the cavity 18 can be charged with cooling lubricant through a cooling lubricant channel 34, which can be fed into the working area 22 through corresponding channels.

[0059] It should be noted that the longitudinal axis of the holding element 14 defines the longitudinal tool axis A. The holding element 14 is intended for clamping in a chuck of a machine tool and is to be rotated by the machine tool. If the longitudinal axis of the holding element 14 deviates from an axis of rotation of the chuck, this results in an out-of-round run of the tool 10. Therefore, the first holding element 14 is manufactured with small positional and shape tolerances in order to achieve a high accuracy with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first holding element 14.

[0060] The second holding element 16, which is received within the first holding element 14, can be manufactured to relatively greater tolerances, since a position of the second holding element 16 within the first holding element 14 that is not fully coaxial may result in an imbalance of the tool 10, but this imbalance can be accommodated by a high strength or stiffness of the first holding element 14 without adversely affecting the runout characteristics of the tool 10.

[0061] This is one of the reasons why the first holding element is made of carbide and the second holding element is made of conventional tool steel, for example.

[0062] For connecting the first holding element 14 to the second holding element 16, the rear end region 16b of the second holding element 16 has a recess 40 in which an elastic fixing element 44, for example an O-ring, is accommodated. The rear end region 14b of the first holding element 14 has a corresponding recess, so that the second holding element 16 with the fixing element 44 can be inserted into the first holding element 14 until the fixing element 44 engages in the recess 40 and the recess of the first holding element 14, which are then opposite each other and thus define the assembled position of the first holding element 14 relative to the second holding element 16. In this manner, the second holding element 16 is secured within the first holding element 14 to prevent it from falling out.

[0063] The rear end portion 16b also has a shaped element as a tightening force receiving element 42, which can cooperate with a corresponding shaped element of the inner wall of the passage 14d and fix the second holding element 16 in its axial position against the tightening force during the screwing-in operation of the machining head 12, in the manner of a screw head.

[0064] The rear end regions 14b, 16b of first and second holding elements 14, 16 thereby form a cooling lubricant inlet 46, which is designed for coupling with a cooling lubricant supply and in particular for supply with a minimum quantity lubrication. Corresponding cooling lubricant channels 48a, b of the machining head 12 are provided.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a first holding element 14 for a tool 10 according to the invention. It can be seen that the passage 14d has a constant diameter in the intermediate portion 14c, which widens in the front end region 14a and the rear end region 14b respectively.

[0066] In the front end region 14a, the first interface surface 26 formed as the lateral surface of a truncated cone can be seen, which is inclined at an angle of 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis A of the tool.

[0067] The second interface surface 30 is formed on an inner wall surface of the passage 14d in the front end portion 14a and projects in the radial direction toward the longitudinal tool axis A.

[0068] Torque receiving surfaces 50a, b are formed in the rear end portion 14b to form an anti-rotation means with corresponding elements of the second holding element 16. A circumferential recess 52 is formed in the wall of the passage 14d, in which the fixing element 44, in particular an O-ring, can engage and which is provided for cooperation with the recess 40 of the second holding element 16 and the fixing element 44.

[0069] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of a second holding element 16 for a tool 10 according to the invention. The second holding element 16 is designed as a threaded bolt and has an external thread 32 in the front end region 16a for screwing to the machining head 12.

[0070] In the rear end region 16b, the tightening force receiving element 42 is provided with a tightening force receiving surface 42a, which is formed as a radially projecting shaped element. Axially rearwardly offset from the tightening force receiving member 42 is formed40 the recess in which the fixing member 44, or an O-ring, can engage. The torque receiving section 38 can optionally also be provided with a tightening force receiving surface 38a for action in the axial direction.

[0071] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of a machining head 12 for a tool 10 according to the invention. Internal cooling lubricant channels 48a, b extend in the machining head 12 and can be supplied with cooling lubricant from the cavity 18. As a result, the tool 10 is capable of minimal quantity lubrication.

[0072] In addition, the first and second interface surfaces 24, 28 of the machining head 12 are apparent, the second surface 24 also being inclined at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal tool axis A and thus corresponding to and cooperable with the interface surface 26 shown in FIG. 5 for force absorption in the axial and or radial directions. The internal thread 20 is disposed within the cavity 18 so that the machining head 12 can be threaded to the external thread 32 in a simple manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0073] 10 Tool [0074] 12 Machining head [0075] 14 First holding element [0076] 14a Front end portion [0077] 14b Rear end portion [0078] 14c Intermediate portion [0079] 14d Passage [0080] 16 Second holding element [0081] 16a Front end portion [0082] 16b Rear end portion [0083] 16c Intermediate portion [0084] 18 Cavity [0085] 20 Internal thread [0086] 22 Working area [0087] 24 First interface surface of the machining head [0088] 26 First interface surface of the first holding element 14 [0089] 28 Second interface surface of the machining head [0090] 30 Second interface surface of the first holding element 14 [0091] 32 External thread [0092] 34 Coolant/lubricant channel [0093] 36 Width across flats [0094] 38 Torque receiving section [0095] 38a Tightening force absorption surface [0096] 40 Recess [0097] 42 Tightening force receiving element [0098] 42a Tightening force absorption surface [0099] 44 Fixing element [0100] 46 Coolant/Lubricant Inlet [0101] 48a,b Coolant/lubricant channel [0102] 50a, b Torque receiving surfaces [0103] 52 Recess [0104] 54 Recess [0105] A Tool longitudinal axis [0106] E Screw-in direction [0107] S Working direction of rotation [0108] R Radial direction