End mill fiber chopper

• US 6,517,017 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation
• Inventors: Bellasalma, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/923,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20030029945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 241/189.1, 241/186.1, 241/277, 241/280, 241/18, 241/28, 241/30, 241/140, 241/142, 241/260.1, 241/134, 241/147
• US Class Current: 241/30
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 5/10 Shank-type cutters, i.e. with an integral shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 5/1009 Ball nose end mills

Abstract

This fiber chopper overcomes the disadvantages of the previous cutting rollers for chopping continuous filaments. The apparatus includes a means for feeding continuous fibers through apertures in a fixed head. End mills engage the continuous fiber and chops them into discrete fiber lengths.

Claims

1. An apparatus for chopping continuous fibers into discrete fiber lengths comprising:

at least one fixed head having a first side, a second side and at least one aperture therethrough;

at least one means for feeding at least one continuous fiber through the at least one aperture from the first side; and

at least one end mill on the second side of the at least one fixed head engaging the at least one continuous fiber.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fixed head has a circular shape.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the aperture in the fixed head is a slot or circular hole.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for feeding the continuous fiber is a pair of nip rollers.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 including a tube between the nip rollers and the fixed head.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the tube is capable of movement in a back and forth direction.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the at lease one continuous fiber has a longitudinal axis and tube is capable of movement in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the continuous fiber.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the tube has an end that extends into the aperture of the fixed head.

9. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the tube is hollow and the continuous fiber passes through the hollow tube.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for feeding the continuous fiber aligns the fiber transverse to the end mill.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the end mill has a cutting end provided with flat cutting edges.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the end mill has a ball nose cutting end provided with spiral grooves or flutes.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the end mill has a cutting end provided with multiple cutting edges.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the end mill is capable of movement in a back and forth direction.

15. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one continuous fiber has a longitudinal axis and the end mill is capable of movement in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the continuous fiber.

16. An apparatus for chopping continuous fibers into discrete fiber lengths comprising:

a fixed head having a first side, a second side and a plurality of apertures therethrough;

a plurality of means for feeding continuous fibers through the apertures from the first side; and

a plurality of end mills on the second side of the fixed head engaging the continuous fibers.

17. A process for chopping continuous fibers into discrete fiber lengths comprising the steps of:

providing at least one fixed head having a first side, a second side and at least one aperture therethrough;

at least one continuous fiber through the at least one aperture from the first side; and

rotating an end mill with a cutting end on the second side of the at least one fixed head wherein the cutting end of the end mill engages the at least one continuous fiber and chops the continuous fiber into discrete fiber lengths.

18. A process according to claim 17, including the step of moving the end mill in a back and forth direction.

19. A process according to claim 17 wherein the at least one continuous fiber has a longitudinal axis and including the step of moving the end mill in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the continuous fiber.

20. A process according to claim 17 including the step of extending a tube into the aperture of the fixed head from the first side of the fixed head and including the step of passing the continuous fiber through the tube.

21. A process according to claim 20 including the step of moving the tube in a back and forth direction.

22. A process according to claim 20 wherein the at least one continuous fiber has a longitudinal axis and including the step of moving the tube in a direction parallel to the three longitudinal axis of the continuous fiber.