Abstract
A cutting tool for cutting a hole into a fluid transportation pipe and for retaining a cutting chip is provided. The tool (1) comprises a main body (2) having an end which is prolonged by a tapered part (3), the tool (1) further comprising an accommodation space (11), the tool being configured to receive a cutting chip in the accommodation space (11) via an opening (10) which extends at least from a geometrical apex (5) of the tapered part (3) to the periphery of the main body (61), and the tool (1) further has a cutting edge (4) extending at least from the geometrical apex (5) of the tapered part (3) to the periphery of the main body (2) of the cutting tool (1). The main body (2) is made of a material that differs from a material of which the cutting edge (4) is made.
Claims
1. A cutting tool for cutting a hole into a fluid transportation pipe and for retaining a cutting chip, the tool comprising a main body having an end which is prolonged by a tapered part, the tool further comprising an accommodation space, the tool being configured to receive a cutting chip in the accommodation space via an opening which extends at least from a geometrical apex of the tapered part to the periphery of the main body, the tool further having a cutting edge extending at least from the geometrical apex of the tapered part to the periphery of the main body of the cutting tool, wherein the main body is made of a material that differs from a material of which the cutting edge is made.
2. A cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the cutting edge comprises: a leading portion which extends from a position close to the geometrical apex of the tapered part of the main body; a trailing portion; and a transition portion which is located between the leading portion and the trailing portion, for effecting a separation between a cutting chip and a pipe being cut, wherein the transition portion has a curved shape, wherein a curvature radius of the transition portion preferably exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
3. (canceled)
4. A cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the cutting tool is configured to cut and/or peel off a layer of a fluid transportation pipe while rotating around a central axis of the tool.
5. A cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the main body is a cylindrical body and/or the tapered part is at least partially cone-shaped, wherein the main body and/or the tapered part is preferably made of plastic, and the cutting edge is preferably made of metal, preferably of stainless steel.
6. (canceled)
7. A cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the tapered part has a tapered part axis which is parallel and off-center relative to a main axis of the main body.
8. A cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the main body and the tapered part are a single-piece element.
9. A cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed as a slot extending substantially parallel to the cutting edge.
10. A cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the accommodation space is formed in the main body and/or in the tapered part.
11. (canceled)
12. A cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the cutting edge is held in place by any one or a combination of: formfitting, clamp fitting, over-molding, gluing, and at least one set screw.
13-14. (canceled)
15. A cutting tool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the main body includes a circumferential surface, and the circumferential surface comprises an outer thread.
16. Use of a cutting tool according to claim 1 to cut a fluid transportation pipe comprising PVC.
17. Cutting blade for a cutting tool according claim 1, wherein the cutting blade comprises: a leading portion, extending from a position close to the geometrical apex of the tapered part, a trailing portion, and a transition portion, located between the leading portion and the trailing portion, for effecting a separation between a cutting chip and a pipe being cut, wherein the transition portion has a curved shape.
18. (canceled)
19. Branch connection device for a pipe, comprising a T-shaped connection element with a main part and a branching pipe connection part, the main part comprising a mounting end portion for mounting the device on a pipe from which a branch is to be branched-off and configured to fluidly connect the main part with a pipe from which a branch is to be branched-off, the connection element further comprising a cutting tool according to claim 1, and a storage space for receiving and retaining the cutting tool, wherein the cutting tool is retractable from a cutting position for cutting a pipe from which a branch is to be branched-off at the mounting end portion into the storage space, wherein the branching pipe connection part is fluidly connected to the main part between the storage space and the mounting end portion.
20. Branch connection device for a pipe, comprising a T-shaped connection element with a main part and a branching pipe connection part, the main part comprising a mounting end portion for mounting the device on a pipe from which a branch is to be branched-off and configured to fluidly connect the main part with a pipe from which a branch is to be branched-off, the main part comprising a cutting tool and a storage space for receiving and storing the cutting tool, and wherein the cutting tool is retractable from a cutting position for cutting a pipe from which a branch is to be branched-off at the mounting end portion into the storage space, wherein the branching pipe connection part is fluidly connected to the main part between the storage space and the mounting end portion, and wherein the cutting tool is configured to cut PVC.
21. Branch connection device according to claim 19, wherein the main part is provided with an inner thread and the cutting tool is provided with an outer thread, said inner and outer threads configured to interact in order to assist a retraction movement of the cutting tool from a cutting position into the storage space and/or a cutting process of the cutting tool.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0054] The description is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0055] FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of an embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention;
[0056] FIGS. 2A is a sectional view of an embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention; FIGS. 2B is a top view of the embodiment of a cutting tool depicted in FIG. 2A;
[0057] FIG. 3A is a side view of an embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention; FIG. 3B is a sectional view through the embodiment of a cutting tool shown in FIG. 3A, as seen in the direction of the arrows A in FIG. 3A; FIG. 3C is an enlarged view of a part B of FIG. 3B;
[0058] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention; FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a different embodiment of a cutting tool;
[0059] FIG. 5 is a comparative view of a torque as occurring with a cutting tool shown in FIG. 4A, and as occurring with a cutting tool shown in FIG. 4B, in function of the turns of the cutting tool;
[0060] FIG. 6 depicts top and bottom views as well as left and right side views of broad and narrow sides of an embodiment of a cutting blade according to the present invention;
[0061] FIGS. 7A and 7B are perspective view of an embodiment of a cutting blade according to the present invention; FIG. 7C is a side view of the cutting blade depicted in FIGS. 7A and 7B; and
[0062] FIG. 8A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a branch connection device according to the present invention without a cutting tool, and FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the same embodiment of a branch connection device comprising a cutting tool.
[0063] FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of an embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention.
[0064] The cutting tool 1 is configured to cut a hole into a fluid transportation pipe and to retain a cutting chip as produced by the cutting process. It comprises a main body 2 having an end which is prolonged by a tapered part 3. The tapered part 3 extends towards the tip of the tool 1.
[0065] The tool 1 further comprises a cutting blade, which forms a cutting edge 4, extending from the geometrical apex 5 of the tapered part 3 to the periphery of the main body 2. In this context, an extension from the geometrical apex 5 does not imply that the tip of the cutting edge 4 needs to precisely be positioned at the geometrical apex 5, but it means that the cutting edge 4 extends up to a vicinity of the geometrical apex 5. In the case of the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the distance between the tip of the cutting edge 4 and the geometrical apex 5 amounts to a few mm, but the present invention encompasses embodiments wherein the distance takes on any preferred value, such as e.g. 0 to 3 cm, or between 0.2 and 0.5 mm. The cutting edge 4 may be provided by a cutting blade. However, it is not inconceivable that the cutting edge is provided as a coating or a sheet of material, such as thin metal, applied to a supporting part of the main body.
[0066] In the case of the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the main body 1 is made of plastic, while the cutting edge 4 is made of stainless steel. In other words, the material of the main body 2 (plastic) differs from the material of the cutting edge 4 (stainless steel). However, the present invention also encompasses embodiments wherein at least one of the main body 1 and the cutting edge 4 is made from a different material. For example, the cutting edge 4 can be made from any chosen metal, wherein said metal can be chosen such that it can cut a chosen type of fluid transportation pipe.
[0067] As can be seen in FIG. 1B, this embodiment of a cutting tool 1 also comprises a mounting part 6 for mounting the cutting tool 1 e.g. on an actuator exerting a rotational force onto the cutting tool 1. Accordingly, the embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention displayed in FIGS. 1A and 1B is configured to cut and/or peel off a layer of a fluid transportation pipe, such as a PVC water transportation pipe, while rotating around a central axis C of the tool 1.
[0068] In the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the main body 1 is a cylindrical body and the tapered part 3 is cone-shaped, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
[0069] FIG. 2A is a sectional view of an embodiment of a cutting tool 1 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a top view of the embodiment of the cutting tool 1 depicted in FIG. 2A.
[0070] As can be seen from FIG. 2A, the tapered part 3 and the main body 2 are, in the case of this embodiment, a single-piece element. This is advantageous, as this configuration reduces the number of seal lines and may provide a single entity rigid element which is resistant to high pressures.
[0071] FIG. 2A illustrates that the inside of the cutting tool 1 is provided with an accommodation space 11 for receiving via an opening 10 a cutting chip as produced during a cutting process on a pipe. The opening 10 extends substantially in parallel to a leading (tip side) portion of the cutting edge 4.
[0072] When the cutting tool 1 of FIGS. 2A and 2B is rotated around its central axis C, the cutting edge 4 may drill into an outer layer of a fluid transportation pipe and start peeling off a cutting chip in a spiral shape, by virtue of the rotation of the cutting tool 1. The single piece cutting chip enters the opening 10, positioned adjacent to the cutting edge 4, and is thereby guided into the accommodation space 11. This is further promoted as the opening 10 is formed as a slot, extending substantially parallel to a leading portion of the cutting edge 4.
[0073] In the case of the cutting tool of FIG. 2A, the accommodation space 11 is mainly formed inside of the main body 2, but there is also a part 12 of the accommodation space 11 which is located in the tapered part 3.
[0074] The accommodation space 11 of the embodiment of the cutting tool depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B has a volume which is more than 3.5 times as large as the maximum volume of cutting chip material which can be cut out using this cutting tool 1.
[0075] FIG. 3A is a side view of an embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention. FIG. 3A again displays a main part 2 and a tapered part 3. Moreover, a lower part of the main part 2 is provided with a circumferential surface 21 comprising, at a lower part thereof, an outer thread 20. The outer thread 20 may assist a cutting process while rotating the cutting tool 1 around its central axis C. The outer thread 20 may interact with an inner thread (not shown), provided in a connection branching member, also referred to as a saddle, which may be used together with a cutting tool according to the present invention.
[0076] On the one hand, the outer thread 20 may interact with such an inner thread (not shown) during the cutting process, but it may also, on the other hand, assist a retraction movement, wherein the cutting tool 1 is withdrawn from a cutting position, for example in order to be withdrawn into a storage space provided in a branching connection member provided with the cutting tool 1.
[0077] FIG. 3B is a sectional view along the central axis C of the cutting tool 1 depicted in FIG. 3A, as viewed in the direction of the arrows A in FIG. 3A. FIG. 3B shows the cutting tool 1 without a cutting edge. A mounting space 40 for receiving the cutting edge is provided towards the tip of the tool 1, i.e. at the tapered part 3. Moreover, FIG. 3B shows that the displayed embodiment of a cutting tool 1 comprises a main body 2 which is formed of two components, an upper component 22, and a lower component 23, The outer thread 20 is provided on a circumferential surface 21 of the lower component 23.
[0078] As can be seen best in the enlarged view of part B of FIG. 3B, the upper component 22 and the lower component 23 are fit together by means of a protrusion 24 provided on the upper component 22, which is received in a corresponding recess provided in the lower component 23, so as to form a press fit connection. Additionally, the upper and lower components 22, 23 of this embodiment may be welded together. The advantage of such a configuration lies in a simplification of the manufacturing process, as the upper part of the main body 2 can be separately processed in order to provide a suitable opening 10 for receiving a cutting chip and a mounting space for a cutting edge, whereas also the lower part of the main body 2 can be separately processed, in order, for example, to provide the outer thread 20.
[0079] A cutting edge can be inserted into the mounting space 40 depicted in FIG. 3B, and it can be fixed by a set screw, glued to the main body 2, or it may be held in place by a formfitting or clamp fitting. Another option to form a cutting edge consists of over-molding it onto the main body 2 of the cutting tool 1.
[0080] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cutting tool 1 according to the present invention. The cutting edge 4 of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4A has a leading portion 41, extending to the geometrical apex 5 of the tapered part 3 of the main body 2, a trailing portion 42, and a transition portion 43, located between the leading portion 41 and the trailing portion 42. The transition portion 43 is the portion of the cutting edge 4 provided for effecting a final separation between a cutting chip and a pipe being cut. The transition portion 43 has a curved shape.
[0081] For comparison, FIG. 4B depicts an embodiment of a cutting tool 100 with a cutting edge 400, comprising a leading portion 401, extending to the geometrical apex 500 of the tapered part 300 of the main body 200, the trailing portion 402, and a transition portion 403, located between the leading portion 401 and the trailing portion 402, for effecting a (final) separation between a cutting chip and a pipe being cut. In contrast to the transition portion of the embodiment of FIG. 4A, the transition portion 403 of the cutting tool 100 of FIG. 48 is angular. An advantage of curved transition portion 43 in FIG. 4A over an angularly shaped transition portion 403 in FIG. 4B, is that the peak force experienced by the corresponding cutting tool (in FIG. 4A) is reduced.
[0082] The highest forces occurring during the cutting, which may take place during the (final) separation of a cutting chip from a pipe, are distributed due to the curved shape of the transition portion 43, and hence spread out over a larger number of turns of the cutting tool 1. Therefore, the peak force is also reduced, and the cutting tool 1 does not need to comprise a main body 2 of the same rigidity as a main body 200 of the cutting tool 100, depicted in FIG. 4B. Consequently, the main body 200 of the cutting tool 100 in FIG. 4B is made of metal, while the main body 2 of the cutting tool 1 of FIG. 4A is made of plastic, which is rigid and stable enough for the entire cutting tool 1 to be able to support the reduced peak force occurring. Therefore, the cutting tool of FIG. 4A can be produced more cost efficiently than the cutting tool 100 of FIG. 4B.
[0083] FIG. 5 illustrates the difference between the peak forces occurring during use of the cutting tools depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B, for comparison. FIG. 5 is a functional plot of the torque force, measured in Nm, applied with the cutting tool upon contacting and cutting a fluid transportation pipe, in function of the number of turns of the cutting tool. In both cases, contact with a pipe to be cut is established in the vicinity of the first turn of the tool, and the torque then continuously increases up until about 17 turns. At this stage, the torques applied by the cutting tools 1 and 100 of FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively, differ.
[0084] The curve T1 depicts the torque applied using the cutting tool 1 with a curved transition portion 43 (FIG. 4A). While the torque remains increasing just after the 17.sup.th cutter turn, it does not increase as much as the torque applied by virtue of the cutting tool 100 comprising a sharp edge transition portion 403 (FIG. 4B), depicted as the curve T2. The peak force in the curve T1 of the cutting tool 1 of FIG. 4A amounts to about 34 Nm, whereas the peak force applied using the cutting tool 100 of FIG. 4B in curve T2 amounts to about 53 Nm. Thus, the cutting tool 100 with the sharp edged transition portion 403 must sustain higher forces than the cutting tool 1 of FIG. 4A, and must therefore comprise a main body 200 made from more stable and rigid (and costly) material, such as metal, than the main body 2 of the cutting tool 1 in FIG. 4A which may be made of plastic.
[0085] The peak force occurs in the curves T1 and T2 in FIG. 5 the transition portions 43 and 403, respectively, engage in a separation of a cutting chip from a pipe being cut out, i.e. approximately after 19 cutter turns.
[0086] The radius of curvature of the transition portion 43 of the cutting tool 1 displayed in FIG. 4A stays above a predetermined threshold value. This ensures that the peak force (the highest point in the curve T1 of the torque experienced by the cutting tool 1 of FIG. 4A) stays below a predetermined peak torque value. In this way, the material of the main body 2 of the cutting tool 1 can be matched with a certain minimal radius of curvature of the transition portion 43 of the cutting edge 4 used for the separation between a cutting chip and a pipe being cut.
[0087] FIG. 6 depicts six different views of an embodiment of a cutting blade according to the present invention. Part a of FIG. 6 depicts a top view of the cutting blade 4; part b depicts a side view of a thin side of the cutting blade 4, whereas part d depicts a side view of an opposite thin side; part c depicts a left side view of a broad side of the cutting blade 4, whereas part e depicts a side view of the opposite broad side of the cutting blade 4; and part f depicts a bottom view of an embodiment of the cutting blade 4 according an embodiment of the present invention.
[0088] As the various views of FIG. 6 illustrate, the cutting blade 4 is chamfered along the entire side, at an angle close to 25.4, as depicted in part f of FIG. 6. Moreover, parts c and e of FIG. 6 depict the leading portion 41, the trailing portion 42 and the intermediate portion 43 of the cutting blade 4, wherein the intermediate portion 43 has a curved shape. Specifically, the radius of curvature of the intermediate portion 43 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, for the same reasons as explained previously with regard to the cutting edge 4 depicted in FIG. 4A.
[0089] The embodiment of a cutting blade depicted in FIG. 6 is configured to be at least partly received in a mounting opening 40 of the embodiment of a cutting tool 1 as depicted in FIG. 3B.
[0090] FIGS. 7A and 7B depict further perspective views from the left and the right side of the embodiment of a cutting blade 4 according to the present invention depicted in FIG. 6.
[0091] FIG. 7C is a further side view of the embodiment of a cutting blade 4 according to the present invention depicted in FIGS. 6, 7A and 7B. When the embodiment of the cutting blade 4 of FIG. 7C is arranged in a cutting tool, it is mounted in a position wherein the line 50 extends substantially in parallel to the central axis C of the cutting tool 1. As will become apparent from FIG. 7C, the lines 51 and 52 are not entirely parallel, but the trailing portion 42 of the cutting blade 4 is slanted in a radially inward direction. This corresponds to the fact that the lines 51 and 52 define an angle close to 4.8. The front end part of the circumferential surface of the cutting blade 4 covers an angle close to 29.4.
[0092] Moreover, the cutting blade 4 comprises a mounting protrusion 53 which can be held firmly inside of the main body of a corresponding cutting tool.
[0093] FIG. 8A depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of a branch connection device 60 for a pipe, also referred to as a saddle. FIG. 8B is another image of the same embodiment of a branch connection device, but this time comprising a cutting tool 1.
[0094] The branch connection device 60 may be used to branch off an additional pipe from a fluid transportation pipe already transporting a fluid and already installed in place. For example, the branch connection device 60 can be used to branch off a pipe from a water transportation pipe made from PVC and already mounted in a building or underground. Specifically, the branch connection device 60 can be used to branch off an additional pipe without interrupting the fluid transportation in the pipe in use and without, for example, having to depressurize the pipe in use, in order to implement a branching point.
[0095] The branch connection device 60 comprises a T-shaped connection element with a main part 61 and a branching pipe connection part 62. The branching pipe connection part 62 is configured to be connected with a branching pipe, being a further pipe which is branched off from the pipe already in use.
[0096] The main part 61 comprises a mounting end portion 63 which is configured to mount the device 60 onto a pipe from which a branch is to be branched-off and which is configured to fluidly connect the main part 61 with a pipe in use. In the case of the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the mounting end portion 63 comprises mounting ring 65 which is configured to be fit around a fluid transportation pipe. The mounting ring 65 has two parts and can be disassembled, the parts can be fit to a pipe and then fastened together, to bring the branch connection member 64 into position.
[0097] A cutting tool 1 is arranged in the main part 61, as depicted in FIG. 8B, and the cutting tool 1 can be used to drill into the fluid transportation pipe in use, and to cut out a part of the layers of the pipe in use, while concurrently the internal fluid pressure is maintained. To perform the cutting process, the cutting tool (not shown in FIG. 8A) is rotated around its central axis inside of the main part 61 of the branch connection device 60, and a spirally shaped cutting chip is thereby cut out of the pipe in use.
[0098] To assist the cutting movement, the cutting tool is provided with an outer thread, as displayed e.g. for the embodiment of the cutting tool 1 depicted in FIG. 3A. Although this is not the case for the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B, an inner periphery of a part of the mounting end portion 63 of the main part 61 of the branch connection device 60 (the part located above of the mounting ring 65 in FIGS. 8A and 8B) may be provided with an inner thread. Such an inner thread may be configured to interact with the outer thread 20 of the cutting tool 1, in order to assist the cutting movement.
[0099] The cutting chip, which is formed in a single piece, is received via the opening 10 of the cutting tool 1 and is stored in the accommodation space 11. When the cutting process is complete, the cutting tool 1 can be withdrawn from the cutting position located towards the mounting end portion 63. The outer thread of the cutting tool and the inner thread on the inside periphery of a part of the main part 61 of the branch connection device 60 interact to assist the retraction movement, in order to withdraw the cutting tool 1 from the cutting position.
[0100] The main part 61 of the branch connection device 60 comprises a storage space 64 for receiving and storing the cutting tool 1 after use. The cutting tool is hence retractable from the cutting position into the storage space 64.
[0101] The branching pipe connection part 62 is fluidly connected to the main part 61 at a position between the storage space 64 and the mounting end portion 63. Thus, the cutting tool 1 is not in the way of the established fluid connection between the pipe, from which a pipe is branched off, and the branching pipe connection part 62. In this way, the cutting tool 1 can be withdrawn into a position where it can remain long term, i.e. the storage space 64.
[0102] In the case of the embodiment of a branch connection device depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the cutting chip is stored in the accommodation space 11 of the cutting tool 1, whereas the cutting tool 1 is stored in the storage space 64 after use, where it can remain for an extended period of time such as, for example, 50 years. In this regard, the branch connection device and the cutting tool according to the present invention are very convenient, as the cutting tool does not need to be extracted from the branch connection device after use, and the cutting chip does also not need to be disposed. The entire process of branching off a pipe from a pipe in use is thereby simplified and made cost-efficient.
[0103] Due to the fact that the cutting tool can be made from a cheap material, such as for example plastic, it is also cost efficient to merely use a cutting tool once, and to then simply leave it behind in a branch connection device after the branching-off of an additional pipe from the pipe in use is completed.
[0104] Many additional variations and modifications are possible and are understood to fall within the framework of the invention.
