TUFTING TOOL WITH INSERT

Abstract

A tufting tool (20) is provided. The tufting tool can be adapted to be used in a tufting machine. The tufting tool is formed by a first material (22). The tufting tool comprises an insert of a second material (24), where the second material is harder than the first material. The insert is formed by a cavity in the first material filled with the second, melted, material filling said cavity. Hereby a tufting tool with an insert can be made in a robust and efficient manner.

Claims

1. A tufting tool for a tufting machine, the tufting tool being formed by a first material , the tufting tool comprising an insert of a second material being harder than the first material, wherein the insert is formed by a cavity in the first material filled with the second, melted, material filling said cavity.

2. The tufting tool according to claim 1, wherein the cavity is 0.2-0.8 mm deep.

3. The tufting tool according to claim 1, wherein the cavity is 0.3-0.6 mm deep.

4. The tufting tool according to claim 1, wherein the first material is a hardened steel material.

5. The tufting tool according to claim 1, wherein the first material is an un-hardened steel material.

6. The tufting tool according to claim 1, wherein the second material is one or more of: Hard metal alloy, Tungsten/Wolfram carbide, titanium or chromium.

7. The tufting tool according to claim 1, wherein the second material is a non-metal material.

8. The tufting tool according to claim 7, wherein the second material is a bonding material combined with one or more of: a ceramics material, CBN cubic boron nitride or HPHT diamond or CVD diamond.

9. The tufting tool according to claim 1, wherein said tufting tool is a hook.

10. The tufting tool according to claim 1, wherein said tufting tool is a Level Cut Looper, LCL, hook.

11. A tufting tool module for a tufting machine, the tufting tool module comprising a plurality of tufting tools according to claim 1, and a base block with the plurality of tufting tool being fixed in the base block.

12. A method of producing a tufting tool with an insert for a tufting machine comprising: forming a tufting tool in a first material, forming a cavity at a location in the tufting tool where the insert is to be provided in the tufting tool, filling the cavity with a second material, the second material being a granular material or a paste being harder than the first material, and melting the second material to form the insert.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the melting is performed by a laser beam or an electron beam.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising to machine the tufting tool with the insert formed by the melted second material on the outer surface of the insert.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The present invention will now be described in more detail by way of non-limiting examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a tufting tool with a cavity,

[0024] FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of a tufting tool with a filled cavity,

[0025] FIGS. 3a and 3b are a cross sectional views of a tufting tool with a filled cavity,

[0026] FIG. 4 is a view perspective of a tufting tool module, and

[0027] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating some steps performed when producing a tufting tool with a filled cavity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In the following an exemplary tufting tool will be described. In the Figures, the same reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements throughout the several figures. It will be appreciated that these figures are for illustration only and are not in any way restricting the scope of the invention. Also, it is possible to combine features from different described embodiments to meet specific implementation needs. Further, in the description herein a cavity is filled with a melted, hard, material that is cooled. The result is a tufting tool with a filled cavity of a hard material. The filled cavity with hard material is referred to as an insert herein.

[0029] In FIG. 1, an exemplary tufting tool 20 is shown. The tufting tool, 20 is in FIG. 1 a hook, but in other embodiments other tufting tools can be envisaged such as an LCL hook or some other tufting tool where it can be advantageous to provide an insert. The tufting tool 20 comprises a body 22. The body 22 can be made of a steel material such as hardened or an unhardened steel material. The body 2 can typically be 1-2.5 mm thick. The body 22 has a cavity 23 formed therein.

[0030] The cavity can in accordance with some exemplary embodiments have a depth of about 0.2-0.8 mm. In particular the cavity 23 can be 0.3-0.6 mm deep. The cavity 23 can be formed when manufacturing the body 22. For example, the body 22 can be formed from a steel material using electrical discharge machining. The cavity 23 can be formed using milling, grinding, electrical discharge machining or using some other type of machining.

[0031] The cavity 23 is machined at a location where an insert is to be provided in the tufting tool.

[0032] The cavity 23 is then filled with a material, in particular a granular material. The material filling the cavity 23 is harder than the material used to form the body 22. The material in the cavity is then melted. The material in the cavity 23 is harder than the material of the body 22. The material in the cavity 23 can for example be a hard metal alloy, Tungsten/Wolfram carbide, titanium or chromium or some other hard metal. In accordance with some embodiments the material in the cavity is a non-metal material. For example, the material in the cavity can be a bonding material combined with one or more of: a ceramics material, CBN cubic boron nitride or HPHT diamond or CVD diamond.

[0033] In FIG. 2 a perspective view of the hook 20 of FIG. 1 is shown with melted material 24 in the cavity of the body 22.

[0034] In FIG. 3a, a front cross-sectional view of the hook 20 of FIG. 2 is shown in a production state when a cavity is over-filled with material 24 that has been melted. The hook 20 has melted material 24 in the cavity of the body 22. In FIG. 3b a front cross-sectional view of the hook 20 of FIG. 2 is shown in a production state when the over-filled cavity with melted material 24 has been machined as will described.

[0035] In FIG. 4 a view in perspective of a tufting tool module 10 is shown. The tufting tool module 10 comprises a plurality of tufting tools 20 as described above. The tufting tools 20 are casted in a base block 12. The base block 12 can typically be a Zinc block.

[0036] In FIG. 5 a flow chart illustrating some steps performed when manufacturing a tufting tool in accordance with the above is shown. First, in a step 51, a body of the tufting tool is formed. The body of the tufting tool can for example be formed by electrical discharge machining of some suitable material such as a steel material. The steel material can for example be a hardened or an un-hardened steel material. Then, in a step 53, a cavity is machined in the body. The machining of the cavity can in accordance with some embodiments be made in a following step by milling or grinding. The machining of the cavity can in accordance with some other embodiments take place at the same time as when the body is machined. Next, in a step 55, a hard material, being harder than the body is filled in the cavity. The material filling the cavity can typically be a granular material or it can be a paste such as a bonding material mixed with a ceramic material or some other suitable material. The granular material can be filled via a nozzle running along a computer-controlled path. In accordance with some embodiments the cavity is over-filled with material. When the cavity has been filled, the material in the cavity is melted in a step 57. The melting can in accordance with some embodiments be performed with the use of concentrated energy, for instance a laser beam, electron beam or similar. The granulate is then melted and fills up the cavity with a solid material much harder than the surrounding steel. Hereby an area of the tufting tool with different characteristics is formed. The resulting tufting tool will have a combination of different properties. Wear resistance on the cutting edge is achieved by the melted granulate in the cavity and flexibility of the entire tufting tool is made possible with the surrounding steel.

[0037] Further, the concentrated energy needed to melt the granulate can be concentrated to target only the area that needs to be heated. As a result, the melting of the hard material typically will not cause the disadvantages of existing methods for providing an insert such as cracks, or deformation. There is also no extra material such as brazing paste. This reduces the disadvantages caused by the brazing material such as pores, cracks and cavities in the joint.

[0038] When the material in the cavity has cooled an insert is formed in the tufting tool. The side of the tufting tool provided with the insert can then be machined in a step 59. For example, a plane grinding and/or a profile grinding can be performed to provide an intended shape of the tufting tool. For instance, the rim that is in contact with a cutting knife can be given a sharp edge. Other further machining can also take place depending on the intended use of the tufting tool.

[0039] In the above description a hook has been given as an example. However, the insert can be provided in any tufting tool where an insert is desired such as an LCL hook.