Planetary tubing cutter

• US 7,275,469 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axonn LLC (Globalstar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Axonn LLC (Globalstar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, Kuo-Raid Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): Ashley; Boyer D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alie; Ghassem
• Application Number:
  US10/890,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20060011025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 83/13, 836/51, 83/92, 833/64, 835/97, 836/07, 836/391, 83/54, 835/98, 839/24, 833/70, 836/475, 836/02, 838/76, 838/83, 838/78, 839/46, 836/47, 836/63, 833/563, 833/03, 834/109, 834/111, 834/11, 834/117, 839/14, 493/288, 493/363, 493/372, 156/556, 156/86, 156/353, 156/215, 156/443, 156/521, 53296-298, 533/893, 53/64, 53/68, 53/65, 535/51, 535/52, 535/57, 535/63, 301/01, 30/92, 30/97, 301/02, 30/70, 30/72, 30/702, 82/11.1, 82/47, 821/13, 82/83, 82/84, 82/85
• US Class Current: 83/13
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/28 and rotating continuously in one direction during cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/16 Cutting rods or tubes transversely cutting tubes longitudinally B26D3/001
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/924 Work wrapped or coated around a core, not part of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/946 Container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/10 Process of turning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16016 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16672 including rotatable cutters supporting work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16688 Planetating work mandrels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0311 By use of plural independent rotary blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8798 With simple oscillating motion only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8812 Cutting edge in radial plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8877 With gyratory drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/929 Tool or tool with support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9372 Rotatable type

Abstract

The planetary tubing cutter of the invention provides a gearing assembly having a pair of ring gears and a number of pinions with a blade affixed to each pinion. The ring gears are parallel to one another and are individually driven. The pinions are rotatably mounted to a side surface of one ring gear and engage a sun gear assembled to the other ring gear. When the ring gears rotate at the same speed, the pinions and blades do not revolve around their respective axes, and when one ring gear rotates at a speed different from the other ring gear, the pinions and blades revolve about their respective axes, intercepting and cutting a tube passing through an axial passage through the ring gears.

Claims

1. A method for cutting tubing, comprising the steps of:

a. causing a first drive element, having a passage formed axially therethrough, to rotate at a first selected speed in a selected direction;

b. causing a second drive element, having a passage formed axially therethrough, to rotate at a second selected speed in the selected direction, wherein the first and the second drive elements are coaxial;

c. mounting a plurality of driven elements in rotational engagement with the first and second drive elements such that when the first and second selected speeds are synchronous, the driven elements do not rotate relative to the first and second drive elements, and when the first and second selected speeds are non-synchronous, the driven elements rotate relative to the first and second drive elements;

d. providing a blade affixed to each of the plurality of driven elements;

e. causing the first and second drive elements to rotate at synchronous speeds for a first time interval;

f. causing the first and second drive elements to rotate at non-synchronous speeds for a second time interval; and

g. causing the first and second drive elements to rotate at synchronous speeds for a third time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the first and second drive elements to rotate at non-synchronous speeds is maintained for a time sufficient to cause the blades to rotate 900 relative to the first and second drive elements.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein after the step of causing the first and second drive elements to rotate at non-synchronous speeds for a time sufficient to cause the blades to rotate 90°

relative to the first and second drive elements, the method further comprises the step of causing the first and second drive elements to rotate at synchronous speeds for a time interval sufficient to cause the blades to cut the tubing.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of causing the first and second drive elements to rotate at non-synchronous speeds for a time sufficient to cause the blades to rotate a further 270°

relative to the first and second drive elements to return to their respective original positions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of causing the first and second drive elements to rotate at non-synchronous speeds is maintained for a time sufficient to cause the blades to rotate 360°

relative to the first and second drive elements.