Rotary die cutter

• US 6,250,189 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• 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): ASHLEY, BOYER DOLINGER
• Application Number:
  US09/470,357
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 836/984.1, 836/984.2, 833/46, 831/28, 833/31, 833/47, 836/985.1, 836/986.1, 836/982.1, 836/69, 831/23, 833/32, 833/33, 833/41, 836/59, 83/13, 83/23, 83/55, 83/27, 83/37, 761/078
• US Class Current: 83/37
• 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: H01L 21/2652 Through-implantation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/823418 with a particular manufacturing method of the source or drain structures, e.g. specific source or drain implants or silicided source or drain structures or raised source or drain structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0847 of field-effect transistors with insulated gate H01L29/0653 takes precedence; with a passive supplementary region between source or drain and substrate related to punch-through, capacity or isolation phenomena H01L29/1079; with LDD or DDD structure H01L29/7833; for thin film transistors H01L29/78618
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/456 on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0515 During movement of work past flying cutter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4795 Rotary tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4838 With anvil backup
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9387 Punching tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9464 For rotary tool

Abstract

Novel apparatus and method are disclosed for cutting a sheet material by a rotary die cutter. A die shaft has an outer circumference and at least two die shaft bores having coaxial counterbores. The counterbores relieve stresses imposed by a die cutting insert. A knife formed about an outside periphery of the die cutting insert has a cutting edge and first and second side walls aligned at an angle of at least 15 degrees. The die cutting insert is removably attached at the inside periphery to the die shaft outer circumference. At least two threaded bolts sized to die cutting insert apertures secure the die cutting insert to the die shaft bores. Stresses are relieved in the internal metal of the die shaft as each insert is mounted, interchangeably and repeatedly, for cutting layered absorbent articles in large numbers and with multiple replacement of cutting die inserts without machining all of the die surfaces to keep the nip constant.

Claims

1. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter, comprising:

a) providing 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 counterbores relieve stresses in said die shaft imposed by a die cutting insert mounted to said die shaft;

b) providing 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) providing 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) 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, wherein at least one die cutting insert aperture is formed adjacent to each of said first and second ends and extending completely through said die cutting insert, and wherein at least two threaded bolts are 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. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first sidewall is coextensive with said outside periphery of said die cutting insert.

3. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sidewall is located inwardly of said first sidewall.

4. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sidewall terminates into a third surface.

5. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 4, wherein said third surface is spaced at least 0.127 mm below said die cutting insert outside periphery.

6. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in 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. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in 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. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of from about 2.5 mm to about 5.0 mm.

9. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of about 3.175 mm.

10. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter, comprising:

a) providing 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 counterbores relieve stresses in said die shaft imposed by a die cutting insert mounted to said die shaft;

b) providing 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) providing 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) 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, wherein a pair of die cutting insert apertures are 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

wherein four threaded bolts are 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. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 10, wherein said first sidewall is coextensive with said outside periphery of said die cutting insert.

12. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 10, wherein said second sidewall is located inward of said first sidewall.

13. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 10, wherein said die cutting insert has a third surface and said second sidewall terminates at said third surface.

14. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in 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 method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter comprising:

a) providing a rotatable anvil roll; and

b) providing 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 removably attaching said base to said die shaft, wherein at least one die cutting insert non-threaded aperture is formed adjacent to each of said first and second ends, said die cutting insert non-threaded apertures extending completely through said base, and wherein at least two threaded bolts are 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. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 15, wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of at least 1.27 mm.

17. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 15, wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of from about 2.5 mm to about 5.0 mm.

18. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 17, wherein each of said die shaft counterbores has a depth of about 3.175 mm.

19. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in 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 counterbore having a depth of from about 2.5 mm to about 5.0 mm is 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.

20. A method of cutting an article from a sheet material using a rotary die cutter as set forth in claim 19, wherein said die shaft has at least one replaceable die cutting insert mounted to said die shaft, 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 about 15 degrees relative to one another, and removably attaching said base to at least a portion of the outer circumference of said die shaft, said wherein a pair of die cutting insert apertures are formed adjacent to each of said first and second ends, all of said die cutting insert apertures extending completely through said base, and wherein four threaded bolts are 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.