Punching tool

• US 7,975,587 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mate Precision Tooling, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mate Precision Tooling, Inc.
• Inventors: Schneider, Albrecht
• Primary Examiner(s): Ashley; Boyer D
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLORES SANCHEZ, OMAR
• Application Number:
  US10/540,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,751 Days
• Field of Search: 836/989.1, 836/86, 836/84, 836/983.1, 836/987.1, 836/986.1, 836/981.1, 836/995.1, 836/996.1, 836/67, 724/829.1, 724/822, 279/79
• US Class Current: 83/684
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 28/34 Perforating tools; Die holders
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/2614 Means for mounting the cutting member
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/02 Perforating by punching, e.g. with relatively-reciprocating punch and bed
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/14 Punching tools; Punching dies
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/026 Mounting of dies, platens or press rams
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9423 Punching tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9457 Joint or connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9476 Tool is single element with continuous cutting edge [e.g., punch, etc.]

Abstract

A punching tool has a guided, axially displaceable die plunger, which is fixed against relative rotation, in a guide bushing. In a bore in its front end a punching die is seated. During the punching stroke the punching die rests against a front face of the die plunger and is axially fixed in place by means of one or several snap-in balls each of which is seated in a transverse bore, which snap-in balls are maintained in engagement with an annular groove by means of a resilient ring in the die plunger. The outer diameter of the resilient ring is only slightly less in the engagement position than the inner diameter of the guide bushing and can be resiliently widened for releasing the punching die outside of the guide bushing.

Claims

1. A punching tool, having a guided, axially displacable die plunger, which is fixed against relative rotation, in a guide bushing and having a bore in the front end in which a punching die can be axially fixed, the punching die provided with an annular groove, the punching die having a punch die longitudinal groove into which a transverse pin can be inserted, wherein the diameter of the pin matches the width of the punch die longitudinal groove, holding elements located in transverse bores in the die plunger, which holding elements releasably engage the annular groove, wherein during the punching stroke the punching die rests against a front face of the die plunger and can be axially fixed in place by said holding elements which are maintained in engagement with the annular groove by means of a resilient ring, the outer diameter of which resilient ring is less in the engagement position than the inner diameter of the guide bushing and which resilient ring can be widened to a diameter greater than the inner diameter of the guide bushing when the die plunger is removed from the guide bushing.

2. A punching tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transverse pin projects radially outward out of the die plunger into a guide bushing longitudinal groove located in the guide bushing.

3. A punching tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein in the engagement position the outer diameter of the resilient ring engages the inside of the guide bushing.

4. A punching tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the resilient ring is made of steel.

5. The punching tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the ends of the transverse bores facing the annular groove are tapered inwardly so as to prevent the holding elements from coming out of the transverse bores when the punching die is not in the die plunger.

6. The punching tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the holding elements are balls which are of such a diameter as to snap fit into the annular groove.

7. The punching tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in the widened condition of the resilient ring, the force of the holding elements on the punching die is reduced so as to allow axial removal of the punching die from the die plunger.

8. A punching tool, having a guide bushing, a die plunger axially displaceable in the guide bushing and being fixed against rotation relative to the guide bushing, the die plunger having a bore in the front end in which a punching die can be axially fixed, the guide bushing having an openable front end through which the punching die can be inserted and removed the punching die provided with an annular groove, holding elements located in transverse bores in the die plunger, which holding elements releasably engage the annular groove, wherein during the punching stroke the punching die rests against a front face of the die plunger and can be axially fixed in place by said holding elements which are maintained in engagement with the annular groove by means of a resilient ring, the die plunger including a further annular groove located in the outer circumferential surface of the die plunger and intersecting the transverse bores, the resilient ring being located within the further annular groove, wherein when the die plunger is within the guide bushing, the resilient ring is forced inwardly by its engagement with the inside wall of the guide bushing with sufficient force to cause the holding elements to engage the annular groove to secure the punching die in the die plunger, and wherein when the lower end of the die plunger is moved out of the guide bushing through the said openable front end, the resilient ring expands to release the holding elements enough to permit removal of the punching die from the die plunger.

9. A punching tool in accordance with claim 8, wherein in the engagement position the outer diameter of the resilient ring engages the inside of the guide bushing.

10. A punching tool in accordance with claim 8, wherein the resilient ring is made of steel.

11. A punching tool in accordance with claim 8, wherein the shaft of the punching die is formed with a flange, the rear of which rests against the front end face of the die plunger.

12. A punching tool in accordance with claim 11, wherein the distance between the transverse plane in which the longitudinal axes of the transverse bores are located and the front end face of the die plunger is of such a size in relation to the distance between the central transverse plane through the annular groove in the punching die and the back of the flange that the punching die can be pressed axially against the die plunger by means of the holding elements.

13. A punching tool in accordance with claim 8, wherein the rear end face of the punching die rests against the bottom of the said bore in the die plunger.

14. A punching tool in accordance with claim 13, wherein the distance between the transverse plane in which the longitudinal axes of the transverse bores are located and the bottom of the bore is of such a size in relation to the distance between the central transverse plane through the annular groove in the punching die and the rear end face of the punching die that the punching die can be pressed axially against the die plunger by means of the holding elements.

15. A punching tool in accordance with claim 8, wherein the punching die is further provided with a punch die longitudinal groove into which a transverse pin can be inserted, wherein the diameter of the pin matches the width of the punch die longitudinal groove.

16. A punching tool in accordance with claim 15, wherein the transverse pin projects radially outward out of the die plunger into a guide bushing longitudinal groove located in the guide bushing.

17. The punching tool in accordance with claim 8, wherein the ends of the transverse bores facing the annular groove are tapered inwardly so as to prevent the holding elements from coming out of the transverse bores when the punching die is not in the die plunger.

18. The punching tool in accordance with claim 8, wherein the holding elements are balls which are of such a diameter as to snap fit into the annular groove.

19. The punching tool in accordance with claim 18, wherein in the engagement position the outer diameter of the resilient ring engages the inside of the guide bushing.

20. The punching tool in accordance with claim 18, wherein the resilient ring is made of steel.

21. The punching tool in accordance with claim 18, wherein the shaft of the punching die is formed with a flange, the rear of which rests against the front end face of the die plunger.

22. The punching tool in accordance with claim 18, wherein the rear end face of the punching die rests against the bottom of the said bore in the die plunger.

23. The punching tool in accordance with claim 18, wherein the punching die is further provided with a punch die longitudinal groove into which a transverse pin can be inserted, wherein the diameter of the pin matches the width of the punch die longitudinal groove.

24. The punching tool in accordance with claim 18, wherein the ends of the transverse bores facing the annular groove are tapered inwardly so as to prevent the balls from coming out of the transverse bores when the punching die is not in the die plunger.