Method for die cutting plastic foam

• US 4,856,393 A
• Filed: 06/10/1987
• Issued: 08/15/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tekni-Plex Incorporated (ASP TPI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: George B. Braddon
• Inventors: Braddon, George B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yost, Frank T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Hien H.
• Application Number:
  US07/060,981
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 83/50, 83/55, 83/96, 83/97, 83/128, 83/138, 83/148, 83/150, 83/142, 83/567, 83/569, 83/556, 83/685, 83/167, 83/84, 83/85
• US Class Current: 83/50
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/1818 by pushing out
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/40 using a press, e.g. of the ram type presses in general B30B
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/44 Cutters therefor; Dies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0577 Repetitive blanking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/06 Blanking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2033 Including means to form or hold pile of product pieces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2035 In nested relation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2155 Stripper biased against product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/222 With receptacle or support for cut product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8737 With tool positioning means synchronized with cutting stroke
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9425 Tool pair

Abstract

A die cutter for cutting a product from a sheet of material. The die cutter has a rule die blade, which defines the shape of the product. The die blade is held by a die holder, which has an opening corresponding to the die blade, so that the cut product can pass through the die holder. A platen is mounted for relative movement toward and away from the die holder, and has a groove corresponding to the die blade. The die blade thus does not contact the platen at any time. The platen also has passages for the removal of chaff. A resilient stripper plate is mounted on the die holder, adjacent to the die blade, for stripping the material away from the die blade.

Claims

1. A method for cutting a product from a sheet of plastic foam material, comprising in combination:

(a) providing a rule die blade with an inner perimeter that defines an outline of the product;

(b) mounting the die blade to a die holder which has an opening with a perimeter bounded by the die blade;

(c) mounting a platen in front of and to a support base by at least one support member to define a clearance between the platen and the support base, providing the platen with a central portion bounded by a groove with an inner perimeter having substantially the same dimensions as the inner perimeter of the die blade and which extends completely through the platen in communication with the clearance, and freeing the clearance between the support base and the groove of any obstructions;

(d) mounting a resilient stripper plate on the die holder adjacent to the die blade;

(e) placing a single sheet of plastic foam material between the die blade and the platen;

(f) moving one of the die holder and the platen toward the other until the die blade passes through the sheet and into the groove to cut a completed product from the sheet, causing the completed product to move into the opening bounded by the die blade and causing chaff resulting from cutting of the sheet to pass through the groove and fall freely into the clearance between the platen and support base;

then

(g) separating the die holder and the platen from each other and stripping with the stripper plate a skeleton scrap of the sheet from the die blade;

then

(h) removing the skeleton scrap from between the die holder and platen, and repeating steps (e) through (g) continuously to cause the completed products to advance through the opening in the die holder.

2. A method for cutting a product from a sheet of plastic foam material, comprising in combination:

(a) providing a rule die blade with an inner perimeter that defines an outline of the product;

(b) mounting the die blade to a die holder which has an opening therethrough with a perimeter bounded by the die blade;

(c) providing a platen with a central portion bounded by a groove which has an inner perimeter with a shape and size substantially the same as the inner perimeter of the die blade and which extends completely through the platen, and mounting the platen in front of and to a support base by a plurality of spaced apart support members to define a clearance between the platen and the support base which is free of any obstructions between the groove and the support base;

(d) mounting a resilient stripper plate on the die holder adjacent to the die blade;

(e) placing a single sheet of the plastic foam material between the die blade and the platen;

(f) moving one of the die holder the the platen toward the other until the die blade passes through the sheet and into the groove without contacting the platen to cut a completed product from the sheet, causing the completed product to move into the opening bounded by the die blade and causing chaff resulting from cutting of the sheet to pass through the groove and fall freely into the clearance between the platen and support base;

then

(g) separating the die holder and the platen from each other and stripping with the stripper plate a skeleton scrap of the sheet from the die blade;

then

(h) removing the skeleton scrap from between the die holder and platen, and repeating steps (e) through (g) continuously to cause the completed products to advance through the opening in the die holder.

3. A method for cutting a product from a sheet of plastic foam material, comprising in combination:

(a) providing a rule die blade with an inner perimeter that defines an outline of the product;

(b) mounting the die blade to a die holder which has an opening therethrough with a perimeter bounded by the die blade;

(c) providing a platen with a central portion bounded by a groove which has an inner perimeter with a shape and size substantially the same as the inner perimeter of the die blade and which extends completely through the platen, defining an outer portion surrounding the central portion, mounting the platen in front of and to a support base by a plurality of support members located between the central portion of the platen and the support base and between the outer portion of the platen and the support base, and spacing the support members apart from each other to define clearances between them and a clearance between the outer and central portions of the platen and the support base which is free of any obstructions between the groove and the support base;

(d) mounting a resilient stripper plate on the die holder adjacent to the die blade;

(e) placing a single sheet of the plastic foam material between the die blade and the platen;

(f) moving one of the die holder and the platen toward the other until the die blade passes through the sheet and into the groove without contacting the platen to cut a complete product from the sheet, causing the completed product to move into the opening bounded by the die blade and causing chaff resulting from cutting of the sheet to pass through the groove and fall freely into the clearances between the platen and support base;

then

(g) separating the die holder and the platen from each other and stripping with the stripper plate a skeleton scrap of the sheet from the die blade;

then

(h) removing the skeleton scrap from between the die holder and platen, and repeating steps (e) through (g) continuously to cause the completed products to advance through the opening in the die holder.