Gear hobbing cutter system

• US 6,609,858 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kennametal Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kennametal Incorporated
• Inventors: Francis, Mark A., Hray, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fridie, Jr., Willmon
• Application Number:
  US10/198,281
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 407/20, 407/21, 407/23, 407/25, 407/113
• US Class Current: 407/21
• CPC Class Codes: B23F 21/226 in exchangeable arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/17 Gear cutting tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/1705 Face mill gear cutting tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/1715 Hob
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/1725 including holder having seat for inserted tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/23 including tool having plural alternatively usable cutting edges

Abstract

A gear hobbing cutter system that includes a cutter head body having a plurality of cartridge-receiving slots arranged in pairs comprising an inside and an outside cartridge-receiving slot. Each pair of inside and outside cartridge-receiving slots are capable of receiving a respective inside and outside cartridge assembly. To ensure that the inside and outside cartridge assemblies are properly positioned within their respective cartridge-receiving slots, one of the dimensions, preferably the length, of the inside cartridge-receiving slot and its respective inside cartridge assembly of a pair is different than the outside cartridge-receiving slot its respective outside cartridge assembly so as to form an error proofing system. A deformable area is provided between the cartridge-receiving slot and the cutter head body. The deformable area includes a flex area for controlling an amount of deformation of the deformable area when a clamping member bears against a clamping pad. The invention provides for a cartridge assembly including a cutting insert that can be indexable to at least two cutting edges, thereby providing cost savings as compared to conventional cutter systems that use cutter blades that required to be entirely scraped when worn or broken.

Claims

1. A cutter system, comprising:

a disc-shaped cutter head body;

at least one aperture formed into a periphery of the cutter head body capable of receiving a clamping member;

at least one cartridge-receiving slot formed in the cutter head body capable of receiving a cartridge assembly; and

at least one clamping slot formed in the cutter head body and positioned between the periphery of the cutter head body and the at least one cartridge-receiving slot forming a deformable area of the cutter head body therebetween, the deformable area including a flex area defined by a predetermined pattern of slots formed in the deformable area,

wherein the flex area determines an amount of force needed to be exerted by the clamping member on the at least one cartridge-receiving slot to secure the cartridge assembly to the cutter head body.

2. The cutter system of claim 1, wherein the cartridge assembly comprises a cartridge, a supporting block and a cutting insert mounted to the supporting block.

3. The cutter system of claim 2, wherein the cutting insert comprises an indexable cutting insert.

4. The cutter system of claim 2, wherein the cartridge has a length so as to provide a clearance between the cartridge and the cartridge-receiving slot when the cartridge assembly is received in the at least one cartridge-receiving slot.

5. The cutter system of claim 1, wherein the at least one clamping slot includes a clamping pad projecting therefrom.

6. The cutter system of claim 5, wherein the clamping member bears against the clamping pad, thereby causing the flex area to bear against the cartridge assembly to secure the cartridge assembly to the cutter head body.

7. The cutter system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined pattern of slots comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots that define a distance therebetween.

8. A cutter system, comprising:

a disc-shaped cutter head body;

a plurality of apertures formed into a periphery of the cutter head body capable of receiving clamping members;

at least one pair of cartridge-receiving slots formed in the cutter head body including an outside cartridge-receiving slot capable of receiving an outside cartridge assembly and an inside cartridge-receiving slot capable of receiving an inside cartridge assembly, each of the inside and outside cartridge assemblies comprises a cartridge, a supporting block and an indexable cutting insert mounted to the supporting block; and

a plurality of clamping slots formed in the cutter head body and positioned between the periphery of the cutter head body and the at least one cartridge-receiving slot forming a deformable area of the cutter head body therebetween, the deformable area including a flex area defined by a predetermined pattern of slots formed in the deformable area.

9. The cutter system of claim 8, wherein the cartridge has a length so as to provide a clearance between the cartridge and the cartridge-receiving slot when the inside and outside cartridge assemblies are properly positioned into their respective cartridge-receiving slots.

10. The cutter system of claim 9, wherein each clamping slot includes a clamping pad projecting therefrom.

11. The cutter system of claim 10, wherein the clamping member bears against the clamping pad, thereby causing the flex area to bear against the cartridge to secure the cartridge assembly to the cutter head body.

12. The cutter system of claim 8, wherein the outside cartridge-receiving slot has a different dimension than the inside cartridge-receiving slot, thereby forming an error proofing system to ensure that the outside and inside cartridge assemblies are properly positioned into their respective cartridge-receiving slots.

13. The cutter system of claim 12, wherein said different dimension is one of a length and a width.

14. A gear hobbing cutter system, comprising:

a disc-shaped cutter head body;

a plurality of apertures formed into a periphery of the cutter head body capable of receiving clamping members;

at least one pair of cartridge-receiving slots formed in the cutter head body including an outside cartridge-receiving slot capable of receiving an outside cartridge assembly and an inside cartridge-receiving slot capable of receiving an inside cartridge assembly; and

a plurality of clamping slots formed in the cutter head body, each clamping slot positioned between the periphery of the cutter head body and a respective cartridge-receiving slot to form a deformable area of the cutter head body therebetween, the deformable area including a flex area defined by a predetermined pattern of slots formed in the deformable area, each clamping slot includes a clamping pad projecting therefrom,

wherein the clamping member bears against the clamping pad, thereby causing the flex area to bear against the cartridge to secure the cartridge assembly to the cutter head body.

15. The cutter system of claim 14, wherein each of the inside and outside cartridge assemblies comprises a cartridge, a supporting block and a cutting insert mounted to the supporting block.

16. The cutter system of claim 15, wherein the cutting insert comprises an indexable cutting insert.

17. The cutter system of claim 15, wherein the cartridge has a length so as to provide a clearance between the cartridge and the cartridge-receiving slot when the inside and outside cartridge assemblies are properly positioned into their respective cartridge-receiving slots.

18. The cutter system of claim 14, wherein the outside cartridge-receiving slot has a different dimension than the inside cartridge-receiving slot, thereby forming an error proofing system to ensure that the outside and inside cartridge assemblies are properly positioned into their respective cartridge-receiving slots wherein said different dimension is one of a length and a width.