RADIUS END MILL

Abstract

Disclosed is a radius end mill equipped with end cutting edges formed such that rotational locus thereof around an axial line draw a protruded curved face. That is, the protruded curved face is formed so as to have a protruded curved face where a curvature radius in an inner portion located closer to an axial line side than a tip outer-peripheral side of an end mill body is greater than a curvature radius on the tip outer-peripheral side, in a sectional view along the axial line. A gash depth angle θ(°) calculated by θ=tan.sup.−1 (A/B) on the basis of a distance A in an axial direction from a protruded end of an end cutting edge to a most-posterior end of a gash and a radius B from the axial line to a contact point between a peripheral cutting edge and the end cutting edge is set to be 50° or less.

Claims

1. A radius end mill comprising: an end mill body that rotates around an axial line; a chip discharge groove that is formed at an outer periphery of a tip portion of the end mill body and is twisted to a side opposite to an end mill-rotational direction around the axial line from a tip of the end mill body toward a posterior end side thereof; a peripheral cutting edge that is formed at an outer-peripheral-side ridge portion of a wall face of the chip discharge groove that faces the end mill-rotational direction; a recessed groove-shaped gash that is formed at a tip portion of the chip discharge groove and extends toward the posterior end side as it becomes closer to an outer peripheral side of the end mill body; and an end cutting edge that is formed at a tip-side ridge portion of a wall face of the gash that faces the end mill-rotational direction and extends to the posterior end side as it becomes closer to the outer peripheral side of the end mill body, thereby coming in contact with a tip of the peripheral cutting edge, wherein the end cutting edge is formed such that a rotational locus thereof around the axial line draws a protruded curved face, wherein the protruded curved face is formed so as to have a convex curve where a curvature radius in an inner portion located closer to an axial line side than a tip outer-peripheral side of the end mill body is greater than a curvature radius on the tip outer-peripheral side, in a sectional view along the axial line, wherein a gash depth angle θ(°) calculated by θ=tan.sup.−1 (AB) on the basis of a distance A (mm) in the axial direction from a protruded end of the end cutting edge located on a tip side in the axial direction to a most-posterior end of the gash and a radius B (mm) from the axial line to a contact point between the peripheral cutting edge and the end cutting edge is set to be 50° or less, and wherein a sum (θ(°)+α(°)) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and an axial rake angle difference α(°)=(α2(°)−α1(°)) between an axial rake angle α2(°) of the end cutting edge at the contact point and an axial rake angle α1(°) of the end cutting edge at the protruded end is set to be 60° or more.

2. The radius end mill according to claim 1, wherein the sum (θ(°)+α(°) is set to be 80° or more.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a tip portion of a radius end mill of an embodiment of the invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of the radius end mill illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a side view of the radius end mill as seen in a direction of arrow X in FIG. 2.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a side view of the radius end mill as seen in a direction of arrow Y in FIG. 2.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the radius end mill, and is a ZZ sectional view in FIGS. 2 and 3.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0029] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

[0030] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, a radius end mill 10 includes the end mill body 1 in the present embodiment.

[0031] The end mill body 1 is integrally formed in a substantially columnar shape centered on an axial line O, using hard materials, such as cemented carbide. A posterior end portion (an upper right portion of FIG. 1 and a right portion of FIGS. 3 and 4) of the end mill body 1 serves as a columnar shank portion 2. A tip portion (a lower left portion of FIG. 1 and a left portion of FIGS. 3 and 4) of the end mill body 1 serves as a cutting portion 3.

[0032] In such a radius end mill 10, a workpiece is subjected to cutting work by the cutting portion 3 while the shank portion 2 is gripped by a main shaft of a machine tool and is rotated around the axial line O.

[0033] In addition, a direction in which the radius end mill 10 rotates around the axial line O is referred to an end mill-rotational direction T.

[0034] A plurality of (four in the present embodiment) chip discharge grooves 4, which are twisted to a side opposite to the end mill-rotational direction T around the axial line O from a tip of the end mill body 1 toward a posterior end side thereof, are formed at regular intervals in a circumferential direction in the above cutting portion 3.

[0035] Outer-peripheral-side ridge portions of wall faces 4 A of the chip discharge grooves 4 that face the end mill-rotational direction T are respectively formed with peripheral cutting edges 5 having the wall faces 4 A as rake faces.

[0036] In addition, each wall face 4A forms a concave curve that is recessed to the side opposite to the end mill-rotational direction T in a section orthogonal to the axial line O. That is, each wall face 4A is formed in a curved manner so as to have a concave curve that is recessed to the side opposite to the end mill-rotational direction T as seen in the section orthogonal to the axial line O.

[0037] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the four peripheral cutting edges 5 are formed at regular intervals in the circumferential direction, similar to the chip discharge grooves 4, and a rotational locus that the peripheral cutting edges 5 draw around the axial line O becomes a single cylindrical surface centered on the axial line O.

[0038] Additionally, a recessed groove-shaped gash 6 that extends toward the posterior end side as it becomes closer to an outer peripheral side of the end mill body 1 from the vicinity of the axial line O is formed at a tip portion of each chip discharge groove 4. More specifically, the gash 6 extends toward the posterior end side so as to cut out a groove bottom of the chip discharge groove 4 at the tip portion of the end mill body 1.

[0039] A wall face 6A of each of the gashes 6 that faces the end mill-rotational direction T is formed so as to extend toward the side opposite the end mill-rotational direction T while being curved in a convex shape as it becomes closer to the outer peripheral side as illustrated in FIG. 2 in the present embodiment. An end cutting edge 7 having the wall face 6A as a rake faces is formed at a tip-side ridge portion of the wall face 6A.

[0040] Moreover, a bottom face 6B that continues to the end mill-rotational direction T side with respect to the wall face 6A and faces a tip side in a direction of the axial line O, and a wall face 6C that further continues to the end mill-rotational direction T side with respect to the bottom face 6B and faces the side opposite to the end mill-rotational direction T are formed in each gash 6.

[0041] Moreover, a tip surface of the end mill body 1 that continues to the end mill-rotational direction T side with respect to the wall face 6C serves as a flank face 8 of the end cutting edge 7 adjacent to the end mill-rotational direction T side with respect to the end cutting edge 7 that continues to the gash 6 in which the wall face 6C is formed.

[0042] A clearance angle is given to the flank face 8 so as to incline toward the posterior end side of the end mill body 1 as it becomes closer to the side opposite to the end mill-rotational direction T.

[0043] Additionally, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the flank face 8 is curvedly formed in a convex shape so as to face the posterior end side after protruding slightly to the tip side from the vicinity of the axial line O toward the outer peripheral side in the tip portion of the end mill body 1.

[0044] Along with this, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the end cutting edge 7 is also formed in imitation of the flank face 8. Specifically, the end cutting edge 7 has a protruded end 7A that protrudes toward the tip side in the direction of the axial line O at a position slightly apart from the axial line O to the outer peripheral side. Also, the end cutting edge 7 is formed in a convexly curved shape that extends in a gently curved manner so as to face the posterior end side as it becomes closer to the outer peripheral side from the protruded end 7A.

[0045] Therefore, the end cutting edge 7 is formed so as to extend to the posterior end side as it becomes closer to the outer peripheral side of the end mill body 1 while a rotational locus thereof around the axial line O draws a protruded curved face from the protruded end 7A.

[0046] In this way, the end cutting edge 7 that extends to the outer peripheral side of the tip portion of the end mill body 1 is in contact with the peripheral cutting edge 5 via a contact point 7B at an outer peripheral end thereof

[0047] On a tip inner-peripheral side of the end mill body 1 around the protruded end 7A, the end cutting edge 7 is formed such that the curvature radius of a convex curve formed by a section along the axial line O of the protruded curved face formed by the end cutting edge 7 in the rotational locus around the axial line O becomes greater than that on a tip outer-peripheral side around the contact point 713.

[0048] That is, the above protruded curved face is formed so as to have a convex curve where a curvature radius in an inner portion (for example, the protruded end 7A) located closer to the axial line O side than the tip outer-peripheral side is greater than a curvature radius on the tip outer-peripheral side (for example, the contact point 7B) of the end mill body 1, in a sectional view along the axial line O.

[0049] For example, in the case of a radius end mill of which the external diameter is 6.0 mm, that is, a radius 13 (mm) from the axial line O to the contact point 7B between the end cutting edge 7 and the peripheral cutting edge 5 is 3.0 mm, the curvature radius of the above convex curve formed by the section of the rotational locus of the end cutting edge 7 at the protruded end 7A is 5.0 mm, while the curvature radius of the above convex curve formed by the section of the rotational locus of the end cutting edge 7 at the contact point 7B is set to be 0.6 mm.

[0050] The end cutting edge 7 is formed such that a plurality of (two in the present embodiment) circular arcs with that such different curvature radii are smoothly in contact with each other (are connected to each other).

[0051] While at the same time, the wall face 6A (the rake face of the end cutting edge 7) of the gash 6 that faces the end mill-rotational direction T is formed in the shape of a twisted surface such that the inclination thereof with respect to the axial line O in a sectional view parallel to the axial line O as it becomes closer to the outer peripheral side of the end mill body 1 becomes larger in a direction facing the side opposite to the end mill-rotational direction T as it becomes closer to the posterior end side of the end mill body 1.

[0052] That is, when the wall face 6A is cut by a section ZZ illustrated in FIG. 2 parallel to the axial line O orthogonal to the end cutting edge 7, an axial rake angle of the wall face 6A formed with respect to the axial line O becomes gradually larger to a positive angle side as it becomes closer to the outer peripheral side.

[0053] In addition, FIG. 5 is a sectional view at the protruded end 7A of the end cutting edge 7. In the present embodiment, an axial rake angle α1(°) of the end cutting edge 7 at the protruded end 7A is set to be a negative angle.

[0054] Therefore, the axial rake angle of the end cutting edge 7 becomes a maximum on the positive angle side at the contact point 7B (the outer peripheral end of the end cutting edge 7) between the end cutting edge 7 and the peripheral cutting edge 5. In the present embodiment, the axial rake angle of the end cutting edge 7 is equal to the axial rake angle of the peripheral cutting edge 5, that is, the twist angle of the peripheral cutting edge 5, at the contact point 7B. In addition, an axial rake angle α2(°) of the end cutting edge 7 at the contact point 7B is set to be a positive angle.

[0055] Additionally, as the wall face 6A is formed in the shape of a twisted surface in this way, in the present embodiment, an intersection ridgeline L between the wall face 6A and the bottom face 6B of the gash 6 extends to the posterior end side beyond the contact point 7B in the direction of the axial line O. Also, as the intersection ridgeline L intersects the wall face 4A (the rake face of the peripheral cutting edge 5 ) of the chip discharge groove 4 that faces the end mill-rotational direction T, at the intersection point C, the gash 6 is formed in a cut-upward shape.

[0056] In addition, the intersection point C is the position of a most-posterior end of the gash 6.

[0057] In the radius end mill 10 of the present embodiment, a gash depth angle θ(°) given (calculated) by θ=tan.sup.−1(A/B) on the basis of a distance A (mm) in the direction of the axial line O from the protruded end 7A of the end cutting edge 7 in the direction of the axial line O to the intersection point C serving as the most-posterior end of the gash 6, and a radius B (mm) from the axial line O to the contact point 7B between the peripheral cutting edge 5 and the end cutting edge 7 is set to be 50° or less.

[0058] Moreover, a sum (θ(°)+α(°)) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and an axial rake angle difference α(°)=(α2(°)−α1(°)) between the axial rake angle α2(°) of the end cutting edge 7 at the contact point 7B and the axial rake angle α1(°) of the end cutting edge 7 at the protruded end 7A is set to be 60° or more.

[0059] In such a radius end mill 10, the gash depth angle θ(°) represents the depth of the gash 6 to the posterior end side in the direction of the axial line O with respect to the radius B (mm) of the end cutting edge 7. Also, since the gash depth angle θ(°) is set to be as small as 50° or less, the gash 6 is formed to be relatively shallow.

[0060] For this reason, even in a case where the axial rake angle α2(°) at the contact point 7B (the outer peripheral end of the end cutting edge 7) between the end cutting edge 7 and the peripheral cutting edge 5 is enlarged on the positive angle side, the width of the gash 6 in the circumferential direction can be prevented from becoming too large.

[0061] Therefore, the gash 6 of the end cutting edge 7 can be prevented from reducing the thickness of the tip portion of the end mill body 1 connected to the side, opposite to the end mill-rotational direction T, of another end cutting edge 7 or peripheral cutting edge 5 adjacent thereto the end mill-rotational direction T side. Hence, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the strength of the other end cutting edge 7 or peripheral cutting edge 5, is impaired, or the gash 6 interfering with the flank face 8 of the other end cutting edge 7 or the flank face of the peripheral cutting edge 5. In addition to this, resistance can be reduced by sharpening the end cutting edge 7 at the contact point 7B, and chipping or the like at the contact point 7B can be prevented by suppressing occurrence of vibration.

[0062] In addition, it is desirable that the gash depth angle θ(°) is set to be 15° or more because the absolute capacity of the gash 6 become insufficient if this gash depth angle is too small.

[0063] While at the same time, the sum (θ(°)+α(°) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°)=(α2(°)−α1(°) between the axial rake angle α2(°) of the end cutting edge 7 at the contact point 7B and the axial rake angle α1(°) at the protruded end 7A of the end cutting edge 7 may be set to be 60° or more.

[0064] Therefore, in the case where a maximum value of the gash depth angle θ(°) is 50°, the axial rake angle difference α(°) is set to 10° or more. That is, 10° or more of the axial rake angle difference α(°) is secured between the protruded end 7A of the end cutting edge 7 and the contact point 7B.

[0065] For this reason, the wall face 6A (the rake face of the end cutting edge 7) of the gash 6 that faces the end mill-rotational direction T can be formed in the shape of a twisted surface as described above.

[0066] Therefore, chips, which are generated by the end cutting edge 7 and scratch the wall face 6A, receive stress from the wall face 6A and are bent. For that reason, chips are discharged by being rapidly separating from the wall face 6A and sent out to the chip discharge groove 4.

[0067] Therefore, according to the radius end mill 10 of the above configuration, even if the gash 6 becomes shallow by making the gash depth angle θ(°) small as described above, good chip discharge performance can be guaranteed, and chips can be prevented from getting clogged within the gash 6. For that reason, an increase in resistance caused by chip clogging can be suppressed, and it is possible to perform stable cutting work.

[0068] In addition, in order to much more reliably guarantee good chip discharge performance in this way, it is desirable that the sum (θ(°)+α(°) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°)=(α2(°)−α1(°)) is 80 degrees or more.

EXAMPLES

[0069] Next, effects of the invention will be demonstrated taking examples of the invention.

[0070] In the present example, eight types of radius end mills in which the gash depth angle θ(°) was 50° or less and the sum (θ(°)+α(°)) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°) was 60 ° or more were manufactured on the basis of the above-described embodiment.

[0071] Then, cutting tests were performed on the eight types of radius end mills, respectively, cutting resistance in that case (a resultant force of three forces) was measured, and the presence/absence or the like of chip clogging was confirmed. As these Examples 1 to 8, the axial rake angle α2(°) of the end cutting edge 7 at the contact point 7B of the end cutting edge 7, the axial rake angle α1(°) at the protruded end 7A, and the axial rake angle difference α(°) are altogether shown in Table 1.

[0072] In addition, in Examples 1 to 4 among Examples 1 to 8, the sum (θ(°)+α(°)) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°) is set to be 80° or more.

[0073] Additionally, as comparative examples over these Examples 1 to 8, a total of four types of radius end mills including three types of radius end mills in which the sum (θ(°)+α(°)) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°) is 50° that is less than 60°, and one type of a radius end mill in which the gash depth angle θ(°) is 55° exceeding 50° were also manufactured.

[0074] Cutting tests are performed on the same conditions as Examples 1 to 8, with the four types of radius end mills as Comparative Examples 1 to 4. Similarly, the results are shown in Table 1 together with the axial rake angles α2(°) and α1(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°).

[0075] In addition, the radius end mills of these Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 are made of cemented carbide in which (Al, Ti, Si) N coating is performed on the surface of the end mill body 1, and as described in the above embodiment, the external diameter is set to be 6.0 mm (the radius B (mm) is 3.0 mm).

[0076] More specifically, four flute radius end mills in which the curvature radius at the contact point 7B of the above convex curve formed by the section along the axial line O of the rotational locus around the axial line O of the end cutting edge 7 is 0.6 mm and the curvature radius at the protruded end 7A is 5.0 mm are provided.

[0077] That is, four-type of radius end mills in which the protruded curved face that the rotational locus of the end cutting edge 7 draws around the axial line O is formed so as to have a convex curve in which the curvature radius at the contact point 7B is 0.6 mm and the curvature radius at the protruded end 7A is 5.0 mm in the sectional view along the axial line O are provided.

[0078] Moreover, a cutting edge length from the protruded end 7A to a posterior end of the peripheral cutting edge 5 is set to be 9 mm, and the clearance angle of the end cutting edge 7 and the peripheral cutting edge 5 is 15°.

[0079] Additionally, in the cutting tests, pockets were formed in a workpiece (hardness 60HRC) that made of SKD11 by contour line-working with a cut of 0.3 mm in the direction of the axial line O and a pick feed of 4.5 mm. In that case, the spindle speed of the end mill body 1 was 2500 min.sup.−1, and the feed rate thereof was 4500 mm/min.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Cutting Axial Rake Angle (°) Resistance Angle (Resulting Gash Depth Difference Protruded Contact Force of Three Angle θ (°) 0(°) + α(°) α (α2 − α1) End (α1) Point (α2) Results Forces) Example 1 40° 100°  60° −20° 40° A 652 Example 2 40° 80° 40° −10° 30° A 640 Example 3 30° 80° 50° −20° 30° A 691 Example 4 50° 80° 30° −10° 20° A 716 Example 5 50° 60° 10°  10° 20° B 805 Example 6 40° 60° 20° −10° 10° B 827 Example 7 30° 60° 30° −10° 20° B 833 Example 8 20° 60° 40° −20° 20° B 889 Comparative 40° 50° 10°  0° 10° C 1350 Example 1 Comparative 30° 50° 20°  0° 20° C 1488 Example 2 Comparative 20° 50° 30° −10° 20° C 1613 Example 3 Comparative 55° 115°  60° −20° 40° C — Example 4

[0080] From the results of this Table 1, in Comparative Examples 1 to 3 in which the sum (θ(°)+α(°) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°) is 50°, not only bending of chips is little but also the gash depth angle θ(°) is small and the gash 6 is shallow, with respect to the bending of these chips. Therefore, the results that the chip clogging occurred and the cutting resistance increased were brought about in all of the comparative examples.

[0081] Additionally, in Comparative Example 4 in which the gash depth angle θ(°) is 55°, the thickness of the end mill body 1 on the side opposite to the end mill-rotational direction T of the peripheral cutting edge 5 became too small, cutting blade strength was insufficient, and the end mill body 1 was damaged, so that the cutting resistance could not be measured.

[0082] From these results, “C” representing “poor” when poor results were obtained is described in columns for the results of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 in Table 1.

[0083] With respect to these Comparative Examples 1 to 4, in Examples 1 to 8 in which the gash depth angle θ(°) is set to be 50° or less, and the sum (θ(°)+α(°)) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°) is set to be 60° or more, the cutting resistance was suppressed on a small scale by guaranteeing good chip discharge performance.

[0084] Particularly, in Examples 1 to 4 in which the sum (θ(°)+α(°)) of the gash depth angle θ(°) and the axial rake angle difference α(°) is 80° or more, chips could be sufficiently bent, and the depth of the gash 6 could also be secured, so that the cutting resistance decreased remarkably.

[0085] From these results, “A” representing “excellent” when excellent results were obtained is described in columns for the results of Examples 1 to 4 in Table 1.

[0086] Additionally, in Examples 5 to 7 in which the axial rake angle difference α(°) is within a range of 10° to 30°, the bending of chips is smaller compared to Examples 1 to 4. However, the gash depth angle θ(°) is within a range of 50° to 30°. For that reason, in the respective Examples 5 to 7, not only the bending of chips was larger compared to Comparative Examples 1 to 3 with the same axial rake angle difference α(°) but also the gash 6 also was deep. Therefore, chip clogging was not caused.

[0087] Meanwhile, in Example 8 in which the gash depth angle θ(°) was 20° that was the same as that of Comparative Example 3, the axial rake angle difference α(°) was as large as 40° and chips could be sufficiently bent. Therefore, even if the depth of the gash 6 was small, chip clogging did not occur too.

[0088] From these results, “B” representing “good” when good results were obtained is described in columns for the results of Examples 5 to 8 in Table 1.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0089] According to the invention, even in a case where even the outer peripheral end of the end cutting edge is used for cutting, it is possible to perform stable cutting work that prevents chipping or the like resulting from vibration. Therefore, the invention has industrial applicability.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0090] 1: END MILL BODY

[0091] 2: SHANK PORTION

[0092] 3: CUTTING PORTION

[0093] 4: CHIP DISCHARGE GROOVE

[0094] 4A: WALL FACE OF CHIP DISCHARGE GROOVE 4 THAT FACES END MILL-ROTATIONAL DIRECTION T (RAKE FACE OF PERIPHERAL CUTTING EDGE 5)

[0095] 5: PERIPHERAL CUTTING EDGE

[0096] 6: GASH

[0097] 6A: WALL FACE OF GASH 6 THAT FACES END MILL-ROTATIONAL DIRECTION T (RAKE FACE OF END CUTTING EDGE 7)

[0098] 6B: BOTTOM FACE OF GASH 6 THAT FACES TIP SIDE IN DIRECTION OF AXIAL LINE O

[0099] 6C: WALL FACE OF GASH 6 THAT FACES SIDE OPPOSITE TO END MILL-ROTATIONAL DIRECTION T

[0100] 7: END CUTTING EDGE

[0101] 7A: PROTRUDED END OF END CUTTING EDGE 7

[0102] 7B: CONTACT POINT BETWEEN END CUTTING EDGE 7AND PERIPHERAL CUTTING EDGE 5 (OUTER PERIPHERAL END OF END CUTTING EDGE 7)

[0103] 8: FLANK FACE OF END CUTTING EDGE 7

[0104] 10: RADIUS END MILL

[0105] O: AXIAL LINE OF END MILL BODY 1

[0106] T: END MILL-ROTATIONAL DIRECTION

[0107] L: INTERSECTION RIDGELINE BETWEEN WALL FACE 6A AND BOTTOM FACE 6B OF GASH 6

[0108] C: INTERSECTION POINT BETWEEN INTERSECTION RIDGELINE L AND WALL FACE 4A (MOST-POSTERIOR END OF GASH 6)

[0109] A: DISTANCE IN DIRECTION OF AXIAL LINE O FROM PROTRUDED END 7A OF END CUTTING EDGE 7 TO MOST-POSTERIOR END C OF GASH 6 IN DIRECTION OF AXIAL LINE O

[0110] B: RADIUS FROM AXIAL LINE O TO CONTACT POINT 7B BETWEEN PERIPHERAL CUTTING EDGE 5 AND END CUTTING EDGE 7

[0111] α1: AXIAL RAKE ANGLE AT PROTRUDED END 7A OF END CUTTING EDGE 7

[0112] α2: AXIAL RAKE ANGLE AT CONTACT POINT 7B OF END CUTTING EDGE 7