Die cutting insert for a rotary die cutter and the die itself

• US 6,055,897 A
• Filed: 11/06/1997
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Mysliwiec, Stefan Alojzy
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHLEY, BOYER DOLINGER
• Application Number:
  US08/965,580
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 76/107.8, 83/698.41, 83/698.42, 83/347, 83/128, 83/698.51, 83/698.61, 83/698.21, 83/669, 83/123, 83/332, 83/333, 83/341, 83/346, 83/659
• US Class Current: 83/698.41
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2007/2607 for mounting die cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/2614 Means for mounting the cutting member
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/384 using rotating drums
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/44 Cutters therefor; Dies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 2001/4472 Cutting edge section features
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 2001/4481 having special lateral or edge outlines or special surface shapes, e.g. apertures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2133 By resiliently biased ejector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4838 With anvil backup
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9464 For rotary tool

Abstract

A die cutting insert for a rotary die cutter is disclosed as well as the die itself. The insert includes a base formed on a predetermined radius. The base has first and second spaced apart ends and first and second oppositely aligned surfaces. A knife is formed about the periphery of the first surface. The knife has a cutting edge and first and second side walls. The cutting edge has a width of less than about 0.005 inches (0.127 mm). In addition, the first side wall is aligned approximately perpendicular to the cutting edge while the second side wall is aligned at an angle of at least about 15° relative to the cutting edge. The insert also includes a mechanism for removably attaching it to a die shaft. The mechanism includes at least one aperture formed adjacent to each of the first and second ends. The apertures extend completely through the base and each is sized to receive a threaded bolt. The threaded bolts can be torqued to a predetermined value to secure the insert to the die shaft. The rotary die cutter includes a die shaft having one or more replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting inserts mounted thereto and is aligned to cooperate with a rotatable anvil roll. The die shaft and anvil roll are arranged to form a nip therebetween. Material which is to be cut can pass through the nip and will be cut into the desired shape of the die cutting inserts.

Claims

1. A rotary die cutter comprising:

a) a die shaft having an outer circumference with at least two die shaft bores, each of said die shaft bores having a die shaft outer periphery counterbore coaxially formed in said die shaft and respectfully aligned with said die shaft bores, wherein said die shaft outer periphery counterbores are located at said outer circumference of said die shaft and wherein said die shaft outer periphery counterbore relieve stresses in said die shaft imposed by a die cutting insert mounted to said die shaft;

b) a die cutting insert having a die cutting insert outside periphery and a die cutting insert inside periphery, said die cutting insert having first and second spaced apart ends;

c) a knife formed about the outside periphery of said die cutting insert, said knife having a cutting edge and first and second side walls with said first and second sidewalls being aligned at an angle of at least 15 degrees relative to one another; and

d) means for removably attaching said die cutting insert at said die cutting insert inside periphery to said die shaft at said outer circumference of said die shaft, said means including at least one die cutting insert aperture formed adjacent to each of said first and second ends and extending completely through said die cutting insert; and

at least two threaded bolts sized to mate with said die cutting insert apertures and secure said die cutting insert to said die shaft bores formed in said die shaft.

2. The rotary die cutter of claim 1 wherein said first sidewall is coextensive with said outside periphery of said die cutting insert.

3. The rotary die cutter of claim 1 wherein said second sidewall is located inward of said first sidewall.

4. The rotary die cutter of claim 1 wherein said second sidewall terminates into a third surface.

5. The rotary die cutter of claim 4 wherein said third surface is spaced at least 0.127 mm below said die cutting insert outside periphery.

6. The rotary die cutter of claim 1 wherein said first and second sidewalls are aligned at an angle of between about 15 degrees to about 50 degrees relative to one another.

7. The rotary die cutter of claim 6 wherein said first and second sidewalls are aligned at an angle of between about 15 degrees to about 40 degrees relative to one another.

8. The rotary die cutter of claim 7 wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of from about 2.5 mm to about 5.0 mm.

9. The rotary die cutter of claim 8 wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of about 3.175 mm.

10. A rotary die cutter comprising:

a) a die shaft having an outer circumference with at least four die shaft bores, each of said die shaft bores having a die shaft outer periphery counterbore coaxially formed in said die shaft and respectfully aligned with said die shaft bores, wherein said die shaft outer periphery counterbores are located at said outer circumference of said die shaft and wherein said die shaft outer periphery counterbore relieve stresses in said die shaft imposed by a die cutting insert mounted to said die shaft;

b) an arcuately shaped die cutting insert having a die cutting insert outside periphery and a die cutting insert inside periphery, said die cutting insert having first and second spaced apart ends;

c) a continuous knife integrally formed about the outside periphery of said die cutting insert, said knife having a cutting edge and first and second side walls with said first and second sidewalls being aligned at an angle of at least 15 degrees relative to one another; and

d) means for removably attaching said die cutting insert at said die cutting insert inside periphery to at least a portion of the outer circumference of said die shaft, said means including a pair of die cutting insert apertures formed adjacent to each of said first and second ends, all of said die cutting insert apertures extending completely through said die cutting insert; and

said means further including four threaded bolts sized to mate with said die cutting insert apertures and secure said die cutting insert to said die shaft bores formed in said die shaft.

11. The rotary die cutter of claim 10 wherein said first sidewall is coextensive with said outside periphery of said die cutting insert.

12. The rotary die cutter of claim 10 wherein said second sidewall is located inward of said first sidewall.

13. The rotary die cutter of claim 10 wherein said die cutting insert has a third surface and said second sidewall terminates at said third surface.

14. The rotary die cutter of claim 13 wherein said die cutting insert has a second surface and said apertures extend from said third surface to said second surface.

15. A rotary die cutter comprising:

a) a rotatable anvil roll;

b) a rotatable die shaft having an outer circumference with at least two threaded die shaft bores, each of said threaded die shaft bores having a die shaft outer periphery counterbore coaxially formed in said die shaft and aligned with said threaded die shaft bores, wherein said die shaft outer periphery counterbores are located at said outer circumference of said die shaft and wherein said die shaft outer periphery counterbores relieve stresses in said die shaft imposed by a die cutting insert mounted to said die shaft, said die shaft having at least one replaceable die cutting insert mounted thereto, each of said die cutting inserts cooperating with said anvil roll to form a nip between said anvil roll and said die cutting insert, each of said die cutting inserts having an arcuately shaped base, said base having first and second spaced apart ends, a continuous knife integrally formed about the periphery of said base, said knife having a cutting edge and first and second side walls with said first and second sidewalls being aligned at an angle of at least 15 degrees relative to one another, and means for removably attaching said base to said die shaft, said means including at least one die cutting insert non-threaded aperture formed adjacent to each of said first and second ends, said die cutting insert non-threaded apertures extending completely through said base, and at least two threaded bolts sized to mate with said die cutting insert non-threaded apertures and secure said die cutting insert to said die shaft bores formed in said die shaft.

16. The rotary die cutter of claim 15, wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of at least 1.27 mm.

17. The rotary die cutter of claim 15, wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of from about 2.5 mm to about 5.0 mm.

18. The rotary die cutter of claim 17, wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of about 3.175 mm.

19. The rotary die cutter of claim 15, wherein said rotatable die shaft with said outer circumference includes at least four die shaft bores, each of said at least four die shaft bores having a die shaft outer periphery counterbore coaxially formed with said at least four die shaft bores, wherein said die shaft outer periphery counterbores having a depth of from about 2.5 mm to about 5.0 mm and are located at said outer circumference of said die shaft and wherein said die shaft outer periphery counterbores relieve stresses in said die shaft imposed by a die cutting insert mounted to said die shaft.