DOUBLE-SIDED TANGENTIAL MILLING CUTTING INSERT

Abstract

A double-sided tangential milling cutting insert for corner milling, contains: a first end surface, an opposed second end surface, two main side surfaces, two secondary side surfaces, and a through-hole penetrating the two main side surfaces. The first and second end surfaces each have two diagonally opposed raised corners and two diagonally opposed lowered corners. The cutting insert has a first symmetry plane and a reference plane dividing the cutting insert into two halves. First to fourth cutting edge sections each having a main cutting edge, a raised corner and a wiper edge are formed at intersections of the first and second end surfaces with the main side surfaces and secondary side surfaces. A transitional edge portion, connecting the wiper edge to an adjacent lowered corner, is formed along the secondary side surface.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A double-sided tangential milling cutting insert for corner milling, comprising: a first end surface; an opposed second end surface; two main side surfaces; two secondary side surfaces; a first symmetry axis extending perpendicular to a reference plane dividing the cutting insert into two halves; said first and second end surfaces each having two diagonally opposed raised corners and two diagonally opposed lowered corners; said two main side surfaces having a through-hole formed therein, said through-hole penetrating said two main side surfaces and extending along a second symmetry axis, wherein the first symmetry axis and the second symmetry axis span a first symmetry plane; first to fourth cutting edge sections being formed at an intersection of said first end surface with said main side surfaces and said secondary side surfaces and at an intersection of said second end surface with said main side surfaces and said secondary side surfaces, said first to fourth cutting edge sections each having a main cutting edge, a raised corner and a wiper edge, said wiper edge extending from said raised corner along a portion of said secondary side surface; a transitional edge portion formed along said secondary side surface and connecting said wiper edge to an adjacent lowered corner of said diagonally opposed lowered corners; and adjacent to said transitional edge portion said secondary side surface having a support surface coming closer to the first symmetry plane with increasing distance from the reference plane.

15. The double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 14, wherein said support surface is planar.

16. The double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 14, further comprising a third symmetry axis extending perpendicular to the first symmetry axis and to the second symmetry axis, the first symmetry axis and the third symmetry axis spanning a second symmetry plane; and wherein said support surface comes closer to the first symmetry plane with increasing distance from the second symmetry plane.

17. The double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 16, further comprising a third symmetry axis extending perpendicular to the first symmetry axis and to the second symmetry axis, and the first symmetry axis and the third symmetry axis span a second symmetry plane; and adjacent said main cutting edges, said main side surfaces are formed as main relief surfaces, which come closer to the second symmetry plane with increasing distance from the reference plane.

18. The double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 17, wherein a width of said main relief surfaces decreases with increasing distance from an adjacent one of said two diagonally opposed raised corners.

19. The double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 17, wherein said main relief surfaces extend along said main cutting edges from said raised corners towards said lowered corners over more than 60 percent and less than 95 percent of a length of said main cutting edges.

20. The double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 14, wherein said secondary side surfaces each have a groove formed therein extending from said first end surface up to said second end surface.

21. The double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 14, further comprising a main seat surface extending parallel to the reference plane being formed in each of said first and second end surfaces.

22. The double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 21, wherein said main seat surface is situated closer to the reference plane than said raised corners and wherein said lowered corners are situated closer to the reference plane than said main seat surfaces.

23. A tangential milling tool for corner milling, comprising: a holder having at least one insert seat; and a double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to claim 14 mounted in said at least one insert seat.

24. The tangential milling tool according to claim 23, wherein: said double-sided tangential milling cutting insert having a main seat surface extending parallel to the reference plane being formed in each of said first and second end surfaces; and said at least one insert seat contains a radial abutment surface against which at least one of said main side surfaces of said double-sided tangential milling cutting insert rests, a tangential abutment surface against which said main seat surface of said double-sided tangential milling cutting insert rests, and an axial abutment surface against which said support surface rests.

25. The tangential milling tool according to claim 24, wherein said tangential abutment surface and said axial abutment surface of said at least one insert seat are disposed under an acute internal angle relative to each other.

26. The tangential milling tool according to claim 24, wherein said radial abutment surface and said axial abutment surface of said at least one insert seat are disposed under an acute internal angle relative to each other.

Description

[0025] In the figures:

[0026] FIG. 1: is a schematic perspective illustration of a double-sided tangential milling cutting insert according to an embodiment;

[0027] FIG. 2: is a schematic side view along a second symmetry axis and perpendicular to a second symmetry plane of the tangential milling cutting insert;

[0028] FIG. 3: is a schematic top view along a first symmetry axis and perpendicular to a reference plane of the tangential milling cutting insert;

[0029] FIG. 4: is a schematic side view along a third symmetry axis and perpendicular to a first symmetry plane of the tangential milling cutting insert;

[0030] FIG. 5: is a schematic view on a main side surface perpendicular to a surface normal of one support surface;

[0031] FIG. 6: is a schematic view on the first end surface perpendicular to the surface normal of one support surface;

[0032] FIG. 7: is a perspective illustration of a tangential milling tool according to the embodiment having a plurality of insert seats and the double-sided tangential milling cutting insert mounted to one of the insert seats;

[0033] FIG. 8: is an enlarged detail of an insert seat for receiving the double-sided tangential milling cutting insert; and

[0034] FIG. 9: is an enlarged detail of the double-sided tangential milling cutting insert mounted to an insert seat of the tangential milling tool.

EMBODIMENT

[0035] An embodiment will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0036] A double-sided tangential milling cutting insert 1 according to the embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and will firstly be described. The tangential milling cutting insert 1 can in particular be made from cemented carbide or cermet and can be produced in a powder metallurgy production route by mixing of powder, pressing and subsequent sintering, as is per se well known in the art. Further, the milling cutting insert 1 may be coated with a hard coating in e.g. a PVD or CVD process. The tangential milling cutting insert 1 and the tangential milling tool 100 which will be described below are adapted for corner milling of at least substantially 90° shoulders.

[0037] The tangential milling cutting insert 1 has a first end surface 2 and a second end surface 3 which have a substantially rectangular basic shape, as can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. Further, the milling cutting insert 1 has two main side surfaces 4 extending between the long sides of the first and second end surfaces 2, 3, and two secondary side surfaces 6 extending between the short sides of the first and second end surfaces 2, 3. It should be noted that each of the first and second end surfaces 2, 3, the main side surfaces 4 and the secondary side surfaces 6 is segmented into a plurality of sub-surfaces, as will described more in detail below. The main side surfaces 4 and the secondary side surfaces 6 merge into one another via corner side surfaces 5. A through-hole 10 passes through the milling cutting insert 1 from one main side surface 4 to the other main side surface 4 and extends along a second symmetry axis S2 about which the milling cutting insert 1 has 2-fold rotational symmetry. A first symmetry axis S1 extends perpendicular to the second symmetry axis S2 and passes through the first and second end surfaces 2, 3. The milling cutting insert 1 has 2-fold rotational symmetry about the first symmetry axis S1. A third symmetry axis S3 extends perpendicular to both the first symmetry axis S1 and the second symmetry axis S2. The milling cutting insert 1 has 2-fold rotational symmetry about the third symmetry axis S3.

[0038] A reference plane RP is spanned by the second symmetry axis S2 and the third symmetry axis S3. Consequently, the reference plane RP extends perpendicular to the first symmetry axis S1. A first symmetry plane SP12 is spanned by the first symmetry axis S1 and the second symmetry axis S2 and thus extends perpendicular to the third symmetry axis S3. A second symmetry plane SP13 is spanned by the first symmetry axis S1 and the third symmetry axis S3 and thus extends perpendicular to the second symmetry axis S2.

[0039] Each of the first end surface 2 and the second end surface 3 has two diagonally opposed raised corners 8 and two diagonally opposed lowered corners 9. A first cutting edge section 11a and a second cutting edge section 11b are formed at the intersection of the first end surface 2 with main side surfaces 4, corner side surfaces 5 and secondary side surfaces 6. Similarly, a third cutting edge section 11c and a fourth cutting edge section 11d are formed at the intersection of the second end surface 3 with main side surfaces 4, corner side surfaces 5 and secondary side surfaces 6. Each of the first to fourth cutting edge sections 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d is formed by a main cutting edge 12, a raised corner 8 and a wiper edge 13. The respective main cutting edge 12 comes closer to the reference plane RP with increasing distance from the adjacent raised corner 8, as can be seen in FIG. 2. The respective wiper edge 13 does also come closer to the reference plane RP with increasing distance from the adjacent raised corner 8, as can be seen in FIG. 4. The main cutting edge 12 and the wiper edge 13 of each of the first to fourth cutting edge sections 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d merge into one another through the respective raised corner 8 having an outwardly curved shape in top view onto the first end surface 2 and onto the second end surface 3, respectively. In particular, the raised corner 8 can have a specific corner radius. The main cutting edges 12 extend from the respective raised corner 8 all the way to a lowered corner 9. The wiper edges 13 extend only along a portion of the secondary side surfaces 6 and are connected to the adjacent lowered corner 9 via a transitional edge portion 14. The raised corners 8 are situated at a larger distance from the reference plane RP that the lowered corners 9.

[0040] Adjacent to the respective cutting edge sections 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, the first and second end surfaces 2, 3 are provided with inwardly inclined rake surfaces coming closer to the reference plane RP with increasing distance from the respective cutting edge section 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d. Further, the first and second end surfaces 2, 3 each comprise a main seat surface 17. The main seat surface 17 is formed as a planar surface extending parallel to the reference plane RP.

[0041] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the main seat surface 17 is situated closer to the reference plane RP than the raised corners 8. Further, the lowered corners 9 are situated closer to the reference plane RP than the respective main seat surface 17. In the specific embodiment, the main seat surface 17 extends substantially from one secondary side surface 6 to the other secondary side surface 6.

[0042] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the main side surfaces 4 comprise main relief surfaces 16 in the region directly adjacent to the main cutting edges 12. The main relief surfaces 16 are inwardly inclined towards the first and second end surfaces 2, 3. In other words, the main relief surfaces 16 come closer to the second symmetry plane SP13 with increasing distance from the reference plane RP. In the embodiment shown, the main relief surfaces 16 extend under an internal angle γ<90° to the reference plane RP, as can be seen in FIG. 4. The internal angle γ can be in the range 70°<γ<88°, for example. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the width w of the main relief surfaces 16 decreases with increasing distance from the adjacent raised corner 8, such that the main relief surfaces 16 have a substantially triangular basic shape. Furthermore, the inwardly inclined main relief surfaces 16 do not extent along the entire main cutting edges 12, but instead end at a distance from the lowered corners 9. In the embodiment, the main relief surfaces 16 extend along the main cutting edges 12 from the raised corners 8 towards the lowered corners 9 over more than 60 percent and less than 95 percent of the length of the main cutting edges 12. In the region towards the reference plane RP, the main relief surfaces 16 merge into planar abutment surfaces 19 extending perpendicular to the second symmetry axis S2.

[0043] As can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the secondary side surfaces 6 are formed as wiper relief surfaces 7 in the region directly adjacent the respective wiper edges 13. In the embodiment, the wiper relief surfaces 7 are realized as planar surfaces extending parallel to the first symmetry axis S1. With increasing distance from the adjacent raised corner 8 each wiper relief surface 7 backs away from the first symmetry plane SP12 such that the wiper relief surface 7 and the first symmetry plane SP12 enclose a positive internal angle with each other, as can be seen in the top view of FIG. 3.

[0044] In the specific embodiment shown, the secondary side surfaces 6 each comprise a groove 18 extending substantially parallel to the first symmetry axis S1 all the way from the first end surface 2 to the second end surface 3. The groove 18 can e.g. have the shape of a surface section of cylinder, as shown in the drawings. However, other shapes of the groove 18 are also possible. Further, according to an alternative the groove 18 can also be completely omitted if the option of ramping during milling operation is not desired. The transitional edge portions 14 connecting a respective wiper edge 13 to an adjacent lowered corner 9 have a curved and angled shape in top view, due to the groove 18. In the region adjacent the lowered corner 9, the transitional edge portion 14 is formed substantially straight in top view onto the respective first and second end surfaces 2, 3, as can be seen in FIG. 3. Directly adjacent to the straight section of the transitional edge portion 14, the respective secondary side surface 6 is provided with a support surface 15 serving inter alia for axially positioning the milling cutting insert 1 in the insert seat of a tangential milling tool.

[0045] In the specific embodiment, the support surface 15 is formed as a planar surface. In the direction towards the second end surface 3, the support surfaces 15 associated with the first end surface 2 merge into the wiper relief surface 7 and the corner side surface 5 associated with the second end surface 3. Similarly, in the direction towards the first end surface 2, the support surfaces 15 associated with the second end surface 3 merge into the wiper relief surface 7 and the corner side surface 5 associated with the first end surface 2.

[0046] Now, the orientation of the support surfaces 7 will be described with reference to one of the support surfaces 7.

[0047] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the support surface 15 comes closer to the first symmetry plane SP12 with increasing distance from the reference plane RP. In other words, the support surface 15 associated with the transitional edge portion 14 along the first end surface 2 is inwardly inclined towards the first end surface 2. As can be seen in the view perpendicular to the surface normal of the support surface 15 according to FIG. 5, the support surface 15 encloses an acute internal angle α<90° with the reference plane RP. It is advantageous if the internal angle α is in the range 60°<α<88°. Furthermore, as can be seen in FIG. 3, the support surface 15 is also inclined such that the support surface 15 comes closer to the first symmetry plane SP12 with increasing distance from the second symmetry plane SP13. In other words, the support surface 15 is also inwardly inclined in the direction from the groove towards the lowered corner 9. As can be seen in the view perpendicular to the surface normal of the support surface 15 according to FIG. 6, the support surface 15 encloses an acute internal angle β<90° with the second symmetry plane SP13. It is advantageous if the internal angle β is in the range 65°<β<88°.

[0048] Now, a tangential milling tool 100 and positioning of the above described double-sided tangential milling cutting insert 1 in the tangential milling tool 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9.

[0049] The tangential milling tool 1 comprises a holder 20 which can e.g. be made from steel. The holder 20 comprises a first end 20a adapted to be connected to a spindle of a milling machine (not shown) and a second end 20b provided with a plurality of insert seats 21 adapted for receiving the above described double-sided tangential milling cutting inserts 1. Although in the specific embodiment shown the tangential milling tool 100 comprises five insert seats for mounting the tangential milling cutting inserts 1, the tangential milling tool 100 may also have more (i.e. >5) or less (i.e. <5) such insert seats 21. However, the tangential milling tool 100 comprises at least one such insert seat 21. Preferably, the tangential milling tool 100 can comprise a plurality of such insert seats distributed about the circumference of the holder 20. The tangential milling tool 100 may also have several rows of insert seats 21 staggered along an axial direction of the rotational axis R about which the tangential milling tool 100 rotates during machining, i.e. the tangential milling tool 100 may also be realized as a thus-called porcupine cutter.

[0050] The positioning of the double-sided tangential milling cutting insert 1 will be described with regard to one of the insert seats 21 in the following. It should be noted that the positioning in the other insert seats 21 is in the same manner.

[0051] The insert seat 21 is formed such that the milling cutting insert 1 is oriented in a tangential orientation in which the second symmetry axis S2 of the milling cutting insert 1 is substantially radially oriented. It should be noted, however, that the second symmetry axis S2 is not oriented strictly in the radial direction with regard to the rotational axis R but is slightly tilted thereto. However, with regard to the axial direction, the radial direction and the tangential direction in relation to the rotational axis R of the tangential milling tool 100, the main directional component of the second symmetry axis S2 of the milling cutting insert 1 is in the radial direction. The insert seat 21 comprises a radial abutment surface 22 against which the abutment surface 19 of one of the main side surfaces 4 of the milling cutting insert 1 rests in order to prevent radial movement of the milling cutting insert 1 relative to the holder 20. A threaded bore 28 for receiving the threaded shank portion of a fastening screw 30 is formed in the radial abutment surface 22. The tangential milling cutting insert 1 is fastened to the insert seat 21 by the fastening screw 30 being passed through the through-hole 10 with its shank portion and by the screw head pressing against the internal surface of the through-hole 10, as is well known in the art.

[0052] The insert seat 21 comprises a tangential abutment surface 23 against which one of the main seat surfaces 17 of the milling cutting insert 1 rests in order to prevent tangential movement of the milling cutting insert 1 relative to the holder 20. Further, the insert seat 21 comprises an axial abutment surface 24 against which the support surface 15 of the milling cutting insert 1 rests in order to prevent axial movement of the milling cutting insert 1 relative to the holder 20. The radial abutment surface 22 and the axial abutment surface 24 of the insert seat 21 are arranged under an acute internal angle ε relative to each other. Preferably, the acute internal angle ε corresponds at least substantially to the internal angle β described above for the milling cutting insert 1. By this orientation, the milling cutting insert 1 is securely held in a form-fitting manner in the insert seat 21 against centrifugal forces acting on the milling cutting insert 1 during machining. The tangential abutment surface 23 and the axial abutment surface 24 of the insert seat are arranged under an acute internal angle δ relative to each other. Preferably, this acute internal angle δ corresponds at least substantially to the internal angle α described above for the milling cutting insert 1. By this arrangement, rotation of the milling cutting insert 1 in the insert seat 21 about the axis of the through-hole 10 is reliably prevented by a form-fitting engagement, as can be taken from FIG. 9. It should be noted that the internal angles δ and ε appear slightly distorted in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, as the respective views are not exactly orthogonal to the plane in which the angles are measured.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0053] 1 tangential milling cutting insert [0054] 2 first end surface [0055] 3 second end surface [0056] 4 main side surface [0057] 5 corner side surface [0058] 6 secondary side surface [0059] 7 wiper relief surface [0060] 8 raised corners [0061] 9 lowered corners [0062] 10 through-hole [0063] 11a first cutting edge section [0064] 11b second cutting edge section [0065] 11c third cutting edge section [0066] 11d fourth cutting edge section [0067] 12 main cutting edge [0068] 13 wiper edge [0069] 14 transitional edge portion [0070] 15 support surface [0071] 16 main relief surface [0072] 17 main seat surface [0073] 18 groove [0074] 19 abutment surface [0075] 100 tangential milling tool [0076] 20 holder [0077] 20a first end [0078] 20b second end [0079] 21 insert seat [0080] 22 radial abutment surface [0081] 23 tangential abutment surface [0082] 24 axial abutment surface [0083] 28 threaded bore [0084] 30 fastening screw [0085] S1 first symmetry axis [0086] S2 second symmetry axis [0087] S3 third symmetry axis [0088] RP reference plane [0089] SP12 first symmetry plane [0090] SP13 second symmetry plane [0091] R rotational axis [0092] α, β, γ, δ, ε angles