Tool Having a Cutting Edge Formed by a Plurality of Blade Elements

Abstract

A tool for cutting a workpiece includes a first tool part, which has a first cutting edge formed by a plurality of first blade elements, and a second tool part, which is opposite the first tool part and has a second cutting edge. In order to cut the workpiece which can be arranged between the tool parts, the tool parts can be moved towards one another from an open position into a cutting position. A particular, separate receiving contour of the first tool part is associated with the relevant first blade element, which receiving contour corresponds to a particular external contour of the relevant first blade element, wherein the relevant first blade element is form-fittingly arranged at least predominantly in the associated receiving contour of the first tool part.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A tool for cutting a workpiece, comprising: a first tool part that has a first cutting edge and is formed from a plurality of first blade elements; and a second tool part opposite the first tool part and having a second cutting edge, wherein, for cutting the workpiece that is arrangeable between the tool parts, the tool parts are movable towards each other from an open position into a through-cutting position, a respective first blade element is assigned its own respective receiving contour of the first tool part corresponding to a respective outer contour of the respective first blade element, and the respective first blade element is arranged in a form-fitting manner, at least predominantly, in the respectively assigned receiving contour of the first tool part.

12. The tool according to claim 11, wherein the second cutting edge is formed from a plurality of second blade elements, each of which is assigned its own respective receiving contour of the second tool part corresponding to a respective outer contour of the second blade element, and a respective second blade element is arranged in a form-fitting manner, at least predominantly, in the respectively assigned receiving contour of the second tool part.

13. The tool according to claim 11, wherein each respective blade element is a straight prism having a polygon as its base.

14. The tool according to claim 11, wherein each respective blade element is configured so as to be symmetrical at least in relation to a plane perpendicular to the cutting edge.

15. The tool according to claim 13, wherein the polygon is an isosceles triangle.

16. The tool according to claim 13, wherein the polygon is a regular polygon.

17. The tool according to claim 13, wherein the polygon is an equilateral triangle.

18. The tool according to claim 12, wherein the first blade elements of the first tool part and the second blade elements of the second tool part are arranged in a mutually offset manner along the first and second cutting edges.

19. The tool according to claim 11, further comprising: a fastener, by which the respective blade element is fastenable to the respective tool part, wherein the respective receiving contour has a first fastening element of the fastener, and the respective blade element has a second fastening element of the fastener corresponding to the first fastening element.

20. The tool according to claim 19, wherein the first fastening element is configured as a screw-element receiver, and the second fastening element as a through-opening that extends fully through the respective blade element, wherein furthermore the fastener comprises a screw corresponding to the through-opening and to the screw-element receiver.

21. The tool according to claim 11, wherein the respective receiving contour is connected to a recess that is widened relative to at least a part of the respective receiving contour and into which an edge of the respective blade element projects.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic and perspective representation of a tool for cutting a workpiece; and

[0032] FIG. 2 is a more detailed view of a sub-region of the tool shown in FIG. 1.

[0033] In the figures, elements that are identical or functionally identical are denoted by the same references.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] A tool 1, shown in a schematic, perspective representation in FIG. 1 and partially in greater detail in FIG. 2, is designed for cutting a workpiece, in particular a metallic workpiece, and has a first tool part 2 and a second tool part 3. The first tool part 2 has a first cutting edge 4, and the second tool part 3 has a second cutting edge 5. For the purpose of cutting the workpiece, for example initial cutting and/or cutting through, the tool 1, or the tool parts 2, 3, can be moved into an open position, in which it is possible to arrange, for example insert, the workpiece between the two tool parts 2, 3. The workpiece to be cut may be, for example, a plate-type shaped metal body, for example a metal sheet, coil ware, etc. When the workpiece is arranged between the tool parts 2, 3, or between the cutting edges 4, 5, the tool parts 2, 3 can be moved towards each other from the open position into a through-cutting position, as a result of which the cutting edges 4, 5 first plastically deform the workpiece and finally penetrate into the material of the workpiece, and subsequently finally cut through the workpiece. For this purpose, the tool parts 2, 3 can be moved towards each other along a tool closing direction. The tool closing direction may be, in particular, at least substantially parallel to a vertical direction z of the tool 1.

[0035] Since the tool 1 may be, in particular, a press-type cutting tool, it is provided in particular that the first tool part 2 and the second tool part 3 are opposite each other. Alternatively, it is contemplated for the two tool parts 2, 3 to be swivelable relative to each other about a common rotation axis, such that, when the material of the workpiece is being cut through, or severed, the cutting edges 4, 5 are at an angle in relation to each other.

[0036] The first cutting edge 4 is formed from a plurality of first blade elements 6, of which only a few are illustrated in the figure, for reasons of clarity. The second cutting edge 5 is formed from a plurality of second blade elements 7, of which only a few are shown in the illustration of the figure, for reasons of clarity. The respective blade elements 6, 7 each have at least one edge region 8, which at least partially forms the corresponding cutting edge 4, 5.

[0037] The respective blade element 6, 7 is assigned its own respective receiving contour 9, which corresponds to an outer contour of the respective blade element 6, 7. In other words, the first tool part 2 has a multiplicity of receiving contours 9, the respective receiving contour 9 of the first tool part 2 corresponding to the outer contour, i.e. to a shape of the respective first blade element 6. In addition, the second tool part 3 has a multiplicity of receiving contours 9, the respective receiving contour 9 of the second tool part 3 corresponding to the outer contour, or shape, of the respective second blade element 7. It is provided, in particular, that the first blade elements 6 and the second blade elements 7 are interchangeable, i.e. they are at least substantially identical. This means that the respective receiving contours 9 of the first tool part 2 correspond at least substantially to the respective receiving contours of the second tool part 3 in respect of their shape and/or their dimensions. In this way, advantageously, a set of spare parts for the tool 1 need be stocked only with a particularly small number of different spare parts.

[0038] Since the respective receiving contour 9 corresponds to the respective blade element 6, 7, the respective blade element 6, 7 is at least predominantly arranged in a form-fitting manner in the respectively assigned receiving contour 9. Accordingly, the respective blade element 6, 7 can be held, or is held, in a particularly stable position in the corresponding receiving contour 9.

[0039] In the present example, the respective receiving contour 9 is formed as a material recess from the respective tool part 2, 3. For example, the respective receiving contour 9, or the material recess, may be milled out of a material of the respective tool parts 2, 3, or otherwise separated out from the respective material of the respective tool parts 2, 3. Moreover, it is contemplated for the respective receiving contours 9 to be already produced, at least substantially, during a primary forming of the corresponding tool part 2, 3.

[0040] The respective blade element 6, 7 is realized as a straight prism having a polygon as its base, and the respective edge region 8 of the respective blade element 6, 7 is directly adjacent to the edge region 8 of the blade element 6, 7 adjacent to the respective blade element 6, 7. Consequently, two directly adjacent edge regions 8 of two blade elements 6, 7 at least partially form the respective cutting edge 4, 5. For this purpose, the straight edge region 8 forming the respective cutting edge 4, 5 and the edge regions of the same blade element directly adjacent thereto each enclose an angle of at most 90 degrees with each other, forming a corner. If a polygon is used as a base for the straight prism, this is particularly advantageous, as the polygon only has straight edges, which can be constructed, or produced, by particularly simple and/or particularly precise and commonly known processes (milling, beveling, sawing, cutting, etc.) and with a particularly small design and/or programming resource requirement (CNC: computerized numerical control). Furthermore, the edge regions 8, which are then also straight, are particularly easy to sharpen, resulting in a particularly sharp respective cutting edge 4, 5.

[0041] In order to reduce the servicing and/or repair time for the respective cutting edge 4, 5, the respective blade element 6, 7 and the corresponding receiving contour 9 may be realized so as to be symmetrical, at least with respect to a plane perpendicular to the respective cutting edge 4, 5. In this way, the respective blade element 6, 7 is realized as a reversible blade element, which has a particularly long service life, since it has at least one further edge region 8, which at least partially forms the respective cutting edge 4, 5 as soon as the corresponding blade element 6, 7 is inserted in the assigned receiving contour 9. Further planes, in relation to which the respective blade element 6, 7 is symmetrical or laterally reversed, are also conceivable. One of the further planes then runs perpendicular to the previously described plane, the tool closing direction z and the respective cutting edge 4, 5 coincide with this plane. With reference to the coordinate systems shown in figures, this is then an x-z plane. Moreover, the respective blade element 6, 7 may be laterally reversed, or symmetrical, with respect to a further plane, which in each case is perpendicular to the two previously described planes. Accordingly, the third plane is an x-y plane. There are thus obtained for the correspondingly realized blade element 6, 7 a plurality of possible installation positions, in which the respective blade element 6, 7 can in each case be arranged in the respective receiving contour 9. The more possible installation positions the respective blade element 6, 7 offers, the more edge regions of the respective blade element 6, 7 can be used as an edge region 8 partially forming a respective cutting edge 4, 5. Accordingly, the more possible installation positions the respective blade element 6, 7 offers, the longer the service life of the respective blade element 6, 7.

[0042] In the present example, the respective blade element 6, 7 is realized in the shape of a straight prism, the base of which is an isosceles triangle. Owing to the symmetry inherent in the isosceles triangle, the respective blade element 6, 7 realized in such a manner has two edge regions 8, and is particularly easy to insert into the correspondingly assigned and correspondingly realized receiving contour 9. Upon insertion of the blade element 6, 7, having the isosceles triangle as its base, the corresponding blade element 6, 7 is self-centered in relation to the receiving contour 9, and consequently in relation to the respective tool parts 2, 3.

[0043] Alternatively, the respective blade element 6, 7 may have the shape of a straight prism, the base of which is a regular polygon, particularly preferably an equilateral triangle. In contrast to the isosceles triangle, the equilateral triangle has three axes of symmetry, which intersect each other at a common geometric center of the equilateral triangle, such that the corresponding blade element 6, 7, having the equilateral triangle as its base, can be inserted in six possible positions into the correspondingly realized and assigned receiving contour 9. Furthermore, the respective blade element 6, 7 following the equilateral triangle has six edge regions 8.

[0044] As can be seen particularly easily from FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the first blade elements 6 of the first tool part 2 and the second blade elements 7 of the second tool part 3 are arranged in a mutually offset manner along the cutting edges 4, 5. Transition regions in which the edge regions 8 of two directly adjacent blade elements 6, 7 directly adjoin each other are thereby prevented from being directly opposite each other along a transverse tool direction y.

[0045] Furthermore, a fastening device 10 may be provided, by means of which the respective blade element 6, 7 is fastened or can be fastened to the respective tool part 2, 3. The fastening device 10 has a first fastening element 11 and a second fastening element 12, which correspond to each other, and which—when acting in combination with each other—hold the correspondingly assigned blade element 6, 7 in the corresponding receiving contour 9. A clamping mechanism, for example, may be provided, which holds the corresponding blade element 6,7 securely in the respective receiving contour 9. This means that the first fastening element 11 may be realized as a clamping leg, while the second fastening element 12 may be realized as a bearing surface for the clamping leg that is specific to and corresponds to the clamping leg. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable for the corresponding blade element 6, 7 to be held in a force-fitting, form-fitting and/or materially bonded manner in the respective receiving contour 9 in a different way by the fastening means 10.

[0046] In the present example, the first fastening element 11 of the fastening device 10 is realized as a screw-element receiver 11 realized in the respective receiving contour 9, the second fastening element 12 of the fastening device 10 being realized as a through-opening 12 that extends fully through the respective blade element 6, 7. The screw-element receiver 11 may be realized, for example, as a blind hole which, starting from a bottom of the corresponding receiving contour 9, extends into the material of the corresponding tool part 2, 3. An inner circumferential surface of the blind hole, or of the screw-element receiver 11, advantageously has an internal thread. Furthermore, the fastening device 10 comprises a screw element, not represented, which corresponds to the through-opening 12 and the screw-element receiver 11, and has an external thread that corresponds to the internal thread of the screw-element receiver 11, or of the blind hole, such that the screw element can be screwed into the screw-element receiver 11. Since the screw element is supported by its head portion on the respective blade element 6, 7, extends fully through the respective blade element 6, 7 and extends further into the screw-element receiver 11, the respective blade element 6, 7 is clamped between the head portion and a base or a bottom surface of the respective receiving contour 9, and is thereby held firmly in position. It is provided, in particular, that the through-opening 12 is realized as a receiver for a tapered or frustoconical countersunk head of the screw element, such that the countersunk head can be at least substantially completely countersunk into the through-opening 12. This means that the head portion has a tapered or frustoconical outer contour that corresponds at least substantially with the receiver of the through-opening 12. Consequently, the screw element may be a screw, in particular a countersunk-head screw. This ensures that the screw element or the screw does not extend beyond a surface 13 of the respective tool part 2, 3.

[0047] In order to create a tolerance compensation between the corresponding receiving contour 9 and the respective blade element 6, 7 assigned to it, it is provided that the respective receiving contour 9 is connected to a recess 14 that is widened with respect to at least a part of the respective receiving contour 9. During manufacture of the respective tool parts 2, 3, or during manufacture of the respective receiving contour 9, the recess may be realized, for example, as a blind hole, the inner circumferential surface of which is open or interrupted and leads into the respective receiving contour 9. When the respective blade element 6, 7 is inserted as intended in the respective receiving contour 9, at least one edge of the respective blade element 6, 7 projects into the recess 14 connected to the corresponding receiving contour 9. In other words, the recess 14 at least partially encompasses the blade element 6, 7 inserted into the corresponding receiving contour 9.

[0048] Overall, the invention shows that the tool 1 for cutting the workpiece is equipped with a particularly stable cutting edge 4, 5, which is particularly easy to service or repair. In particular, in contrast to conventional cutting edges that need to be repaired, there is no thermal influence on the affected cutting edge, which occurs when material is welded onto the damaged cutting edge or onto a part of it. Furthermore, there is no need for reworking of the material welded onto the cutting edge to be repaired, in particular milling and/or sharpening, or grinding, of the corresponding cutting edge. It is to be noted in particular in this case that, for the repair or servicing of conventional cutting edges, the tool 1 is disadvantageously subjected to a down-time. On the other hand, during productive operation of the tool 1, a multiplicity of blade elements 6, 7 can already be kept in stock, which can then be easily turned or replaced in a particularly short down-time of the tool 1. In this way, the respective cutting edges 4, 5 of the tool 1 can be repaired, or serviced, particularly rapidly and easily, or with little effort.

[0049] In order to further facilitate the particularly simple repair or servicing, it may be provided, in particular, that the tool parts 2, 3 are realized so as to be congruent with each other, at least in the region of the respective cutting edges 4, 5. This means that blade elements 6, 7 that differ from each other do not have to be provided specifically for the respective tool parts 2, 3, but that the blade elements 6, 7 may be at least substantially identical, i.e. identical in geometry, identical in dimensions, identical in material, etc. In this way, the stock of spare parts for a tool 1 is significantly reduced. As a result, very little storage space is required to stock spare parts for the tool 1.

[0050] Another advantage is that the respective blade elements 6, 7 can be produced particularly easily and with little effort. In particular, it is provided that the respective blade elements 6, 7 are each formed at least substantially from a hard metal. Alternatively or additionally, the blade elements 6, 7 may have portions that comprise a material that is different from a metallic material, for example a plastic, a ceramic, etc.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0051] 1 tool (die) [0052] 2 tool part [0053] 3 tool part [0054] 4 cutting edge [0055] 5 cutting edge [0056] 6 blade element [0057] 7 blade element [0058] 8 edge region [0059] 9 receiving contour [0060] 10 fastening device [0061] 11 screw-element receiver, or first fastening element [0062] 12 through-opening, or second fastening element [0063] 13 surface [0064] 14 recess