Cutting tool with integrated circuit chip
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cutting tool for machining a workpiece, the tool comprising:
- a) a tool body; and
b) an integrated circuit chip securely mounted to the tool body and capable of being read and written upon,wherein the integrated circuit chip is a read/write RFID chip, and wherein the integrated circuit chip has written thereupon data identifying prior usage of the tool for one or more machining operations, wherein the data is made up of cumulative cutting tool operation time used to determine remaining cutting tool life.
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Abstract
A system manages a machine tool operation. The system includes a cutting tool, which includes a tool body; an integrated circuit chip securely mounted within the tool body and capable of being read and written upon; and a read/write device for communicating with the integrated circuit chip. The integrated circuit chip is an RFID chip. The tool body may be a mounting chuck, adapter, twist drill, thread tap, indexable drill, milling cutter or a square shank lathe tool.
64 Citations
71 Claims
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1. A cutting tool for machining a workpiece, the tool comprising:
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a) a tool body; and b) an integrated circuit chip securely mounted to the tool body and capable of being read and written upon, wherein the integrated circuit chip is a read/write RFID chip, and wherein the integrated circuit chip has written thereupon data identifying prior usage of the tool for one or more machining operations, wherein the data is made up of cumulative cutting tool operation time used to determine remaining cutting tool life. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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14. A system for managing a machine tool operation, comprising:
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a) a cutting tool, the cutting tool including a tool body; b) an integrated circuit chip securely mounted within the tool body and capable of being read and written upon; and c) a read/write device for communicating with the integrated circuit chip, wherein the integrated circuit chip is a read/write RFID chip, and wherein the integrated circuit chip is a read/write RFID chip, and wherein the integrated circuit chip has written thereupon data identifying prior usage of the tool for one or more machining operations, wherein the data is made up of cumulative cutting tool operation time used to determine remaining cutting tool life. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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36. A method for managing a machine tool operation, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a cutting tool, the cutting tool including a tool body; b) providing an integrated circuit chip securely mounted within the tool body and capable of being read and written upon, wherein the integrated circuit chip is a read/write RFID chip; c) providing a read/write device for communicating with the integrated circuit chip; d) establishing a communication link between the chip and the read/write device; and e) uploading data regarding the cutting tool from the integrated circuit chip to the read/write device f) providing a machine tool for performing a machining operation with the cutting tool; g) providing a controller for controlling operation of the machine tool; h) establishing a communication link between the read/write device and the controller; i) transmitting operational data for the cutting tool from the read/write device to the controller; j) programming the controller to control an operation of the machine tool based upon the operational data for the cutting tool; k) transmitting data regarding usage of the cutting tool from the controller to the read/write device; and l) writing the data regarding usage of the cutting tool to the integrated circuit chip with the read/write device; wherein the data regarding usage of the cutting tool is selected from the group consisting of;
cutting tool operation time, remaining cutting tool life information, cutting tool wear and failure information. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A cutting tool for machining a workpiece, the tool comprising:
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a) a tool body having a shank; and b) an integrated circuit chip securely mounted within the shank of the tool body and capable of being read and written upon, wherein the integrated circuit chip is an RFID chip and wherein the RFID chip is an antenna-less RFID chip comprising at least one electrical contact and capable of being read or written upon via the at least one electrical contact, and wherein the tool body includes a flat recessed portion formed in a side thereof and a cavity formed within the flat recessed portion of the tool body and wherein the RFID chip is securely mounted within the cavity such that a portion of the chip is disposed flush with the flat recessed portion of the tool body, the at least one electrical contact of the chip extending radially from the chip away from the flat recessed portion of the tool body. - View Dependent Claims (65)
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66. A system for managing a machine tool operation, comprising:
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a) a cutting tool, the cutting tool including a tool body having a shank; b) an integrated circuit chip securely mounted within the shank of the tool body and capable of being read and written upon; and c) a read/write device for communicating with the integrated circuit chip, wherein the integrated circuit chip is an RFID chip and wherein the RFID chip is an antenna-less RFID chip comprising at least one electrical contact and capable of being read or written upon by the read/write device via the at least one electrical contact, and wherein the read/write device includes a touch sensor having at least one probe adapted to engage the at least one electrical contact on the RFID chip so as to establish a direct link between the RFID chip and the read/write device. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68)
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69. A system for managing a machine tool operation, comprising:
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a) a cutting tool, the cutting tool including a tool body having a shank; b) an integrated circuit chip securely mounted within the shank of the tool body and capable of being read and written upon; c) a read/write device for communicating with the integrated circuit chip, wherein the integrated circuit chip is an RFID chip; and d) an automated tool management system for storing and dispensing a plurality of cutting tools, wherein the read/write device communicates with the tool management system to sort the plurality of cutting tools and track cutting tool locations.
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70. A method for managing a machine tool operation, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a cutting tool, the cutting tool including a tool body having a shank; b) providing an integrated circuit chip securely mounted within the shank of the tool body and capable of being read and written upon, wherein the integrated circuit chip is an RFID chip; c) providing a read/write device for communicating with the integrated circuit chip; d) establishing a communication link between the chip and the read/write device, wherein the communication link between the chip and the read/write device is a direct link formed by an engagement between at least one electrical contact disposed on the integrated circuit chip and a probe operatively associated with the read/write device; and e) uploading data regarding the cutting tool from the integrated circuit chip to the read/write device.
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71. A method for managing a machine tool operation, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a cutting tool, the cutting tool including a tool body; b) providing an integrated circuit chip securely mounted within the tool body and capable of being read and written upon, wherein the integrated circuit chip is a read/write RFID chip; c) providing a read/write device for communicating with the integrated circuit chip; d) establishing a communication link between the chip and the read/write device; and e) subsequent to using the cutting tool in a machining operation, writing data identifying prior usage of the tool for one or more machining operations, wherein the data is made up of cumulative cutting tool operation time used to determine remaining cutting tool life.
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Specification