Guide pin assembly for metal forming dies and method
First Claim
1. A guide pin assembly for metal forming dies having first and second die members which mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts, comprising:
- a guide pin body having a generally cylindrical shape, with an outside diameter, and including;
a first end portion configured for secure operable attachment with the first die member;
a second end portion disposed generally opposite said first end portion, and configured to be received by the second die member;
a medial portion disposed between said first and second end portions, and having a generally hard, smooth finished exterior surface for precisely guiding the converging and diverging motion between the first and second die members;
a first retainer groove extending circumferentially about said exterior surface at an axial location disposed generally adjacent to said second end portion of said guide pin body, and having a generally arcuate shape that opens radially outwardly;
a guide pin head ring having a generally annular plan configuration, and including;
a generally cylindrically shaped exterior sidewall with an outside diameter that is greater than said outside diameter of said guide pin body, a generally cylindrically shaped interior sidewall with an inside diameter that is generally commensurate with said outside diameter of said guide pin body, a generally annularly shaped outwardly facing end edge, and a generally annularly shaped inwardly facing end edge;
a second retainer groove extending circumferentially about a medial portion of said interior sidewall, and having a generally arcuate shape that opens radially inwardly, and is generally axially aligned with said first retainer groove in said guide pin body when said guide pin assembly is in an assembled condition;
a counterbore formed into said outwardly facing end edge of said guide pin head ring, recessed into said interior sidewall of said guide pin head ring and extending generally axially from said outwardly facing end edge to said second retainer groove, and defining a counterbore wall;
a retainer ring having a radially inward portion thereof closely received and retained in said first retainer groove in said guide pin body, and a radially outward portion thereof protruding radially outwardly from said exterior surface of said guide pin body and being closely received and retained in said second retainer groove in said guide pin head ring to fixedly axially mount said guide pin head ring on said second end portion of said guide pin body and define an enlarged head portion of said guide pin assembly that serves to positively limit travel between the first and second die members; and
a guide pin head cap having a generally circular plan configuration, and including;
an outwardly oriented exterior face;
an inwardly oriented interior face; and
a generally annularly shaped support collar protruding axially inwardly from said interior face of said guide pin head cap, with a radially interior side wall defining a socket in which said second end portion of said guide pin body is received, and a radially exterior sidewall which is closely received against said counterbore wall, such that said support collar is securely retained in said counterbore in said guide pin head ring and said retainer ring is positively captured in said first retainer groove in said guide pin body and said second retainer groove in said guide pin head ring, such that said guide pin head ring is securely supported on said second end portion of said guide pin body to withstand impact forces applied to said enlarged head portion of said guide pin assembly during repeated, mutual convergence and divergence of the first and second die members.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A guide pin assembly for metal forming dies includes a cylindrical guide pin body with an external retainer groove adjacent one end thereof in which a retainer ring is received. An annular guide pin ring with an outside diameter greater than the pin body, has a counterbore adjacent the outside end thereof and a retainer groove in a medial portion thereof which receives the outer portion of the retainer ring to securely interconnect the pin body and the ring and thereby form an enlarged head at one end of the pin body which positively limits reciprocal motion between two associated die members. A circular guide pin head cap covers the outer end of the head ring, and includes a support collar that is closely received in the counterbore of the ring, and engages the retainer ring to securely hold the same in place.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A guide pin assembly for metal forming dies having first and second die members which mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts, comprising:
-
a guide pin body having a generally cylindrical shape, with an outside diameter, and including; a first end portion configured for secure operable attachment with the first die member; a second end portion disposed generally opposite said first end portion, and configured to be received by the second die member; a medial portion disposed between said first and second end portions, and having a generally hard, smooth finished exterior surface for precisely guiding the converging and diverging motion between the first and second die members; a first retainer groove extending circumferentially about said exterior surface at an axial location disposed generally adjacent to said second end portion of said guide pin body, and having a generally arcuate shape that opens radially outwardly; a guide pin head ring having a generally annular plan configuration, and including; a generally cylindrically shaped exterior sidewall with an outside diameter that is greater than said outside diameter of said guide pin body, a generally cylindrically shaped interior sidewall with an inside diameter that is generally commensurate with said outside diameter of said guide pin body, a generally annularly shaped outwardly facing end edge, and a generally annularly shaped inwardly facing end edge; a second retainer groove extending circumferentially about a medial portion of said interior sidewall, and having a generally arcuate shape that opens radially inwardly, and is generally axially aligned with said first retainer groove in said guide pin body when said guide pin assembly is in an assembled condition; a counterbore formed into said outwardly facing end edge of said guide pin head ring, recessed into said interior sidewall of said guide pin head ring and extending generally axially from said outwardly facing end edge to said second retainer groove, and defining a counterbore wall; a retainer ring having a radially inward portion thereof closely received and retained in said first retainer groove in said guide pin body, and a radially outward portion thereof protruding radially outwardly from said exterior surface of said guide pin body and being closely received and retained in said second retainer groove in said guide pin head ring to fixedly axially mount said guide pin head ring on said second end portion of said guide pin body and define an enlarged head portion of said guide pin assembly that serves to positively limit travel between the first and second die members; and a guide pin head cap having a generally circular plan configuration, and including; an outwardly oriented exterior face; an inwardly oriented interior face; and a generally annularly shaped support collar protruding axially inwardly from said interior face of said guide pin head cap, with a radially interior side wall defining a socket in which said second end portion of said guide pin body is received, and a radially exterior sidewall which is closely received against said counterbore wall, such that said support collar is securely retained in said counterbore in said guide pin head ring and said retainer ring is positively captured in said first retainer groove in said guide pin body and said second retainer groove in said guide pin head ring, such that said guide pin head ring is securely supported on said second end portion of said guide pin body to withstand impact forces applied to said enlarged head portion of said guide pin assembly during repeated, mutual convergence and divergence of the first and second die members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. In a metal forming die having first and second die members which mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts, the improvement of a guide pin assembly, comprising:
-
a guide pin body having a generally cylindrical shape, with an outside diameter, and including; a first end portion operably attached to said first die member; a second end portion disposed generally opposite said first end portion, and received by said second die member; a medial portion disposed between said first and second end portions, and having a generally hard, smooth finished exterior surface for precisely guiding the converging and diverging motion between said first and second die members; a first retainer groove extending circumferentially about said exterior surface at an axial location disposed generally adjacent to said second end portion of said guide pin body, and having a generally arcuate shape that opens radially outwardly; a guide pin head ring having a generally annular plan configuration, and including; a generally cylindrically shaped exterior sidewall with an outside diameter that is greater than said outside diameter of said guide pin body, a generally cylindrically shaped interior sidewall with an inside diameter that is generally commensurate with said outside diameter of said guide pin body, a generally annularly shaped outwardly facing end edge, and a generally annularly shaped inwardly facing end edge; a second retainer groove extending circumferentially about a medial portion of said interior sidewall, and having a generally arcuate shape that opens radially inwardly, and is generally axially aligned with said first retainer groove in said guide pin body when said guide pin assembly is in an assembled condition; a counterbore formed into said outwardly facing end edge of said guide pin head ring, recessed into said interior sidewall of said guide pin head ring and extending generally axially from said outwardly facing end edge to said second retainer groove, and defining a counterbore wall; a retainer ring having a radially inward portion thereof closely received and retained in said first retainer groove in said guide pin body, and a radially outward portion thereof protruding radially outwardly from said exterior surface of said guide pin body and being closely received and retained in said second retainer groove in said guide pin head ring to fixedly axially mount said guide pin head ring on said second end portion of said guide pin body and define an enlarged head portion of said guide pin assembly that serves to positively limit travel between the first and second die members; a guide pin head cap having a generally circular plan configuration, and including; an outwardly oriented exterior face; an inwardly oriented interior face; a generally annularly shaped support collar protruding axially inwardly from said interior face of said guide pin head cap, with a radially interior side wall defining a socket in which said second end portion of said guide pin body is received, and a radially exterior sidewall which is closely received against said counterbore wall, such that said support collar is securely retained in said counterbore in said guide pin head ring and said retainer ring is positively captured in said first retainer groove in said guide pin body and said second retainer groove in said guide pin head ring, such that said guide pin head ring is securely supported on said second end portion of said guide pin assembly during repeated, mutual convergence and divergence of said first and second die members. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for making a guide pin assembly for metal forming dies of the type having first and second die members which mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts, comprising:
-
forming a guide pin body with a generally cylindrical shape, an outside diameter, a first end portion configured for secure operable attachment with the first die member, a second end portion disposed generally opposite the first end portion for secure operable attachment with the second die member, and a medial portion disposed between the first and second end portions, and having a generally hard, smooth finished exterior surface for precisely guiding the converging and diverging motion between the first and second die members; forming a first retainer groove in the guide pin body extending circumferentially about the exterior surface at an axial location disposed generally adjacent to the second end portion of the guide pin body with a generally arcuate shape that opens radially outwardly; forming a guide pin head ring with a generally annular plan configuration, a generally cylindrically shaped exterior sidewall having an outside diameter that is greater than the outside diameter of the guide pin body, a generally cylindrically shaped interior sidewall with an inside diameter that is generally commensurate with the outside diameter of the guide pin body, a generally annularly shaped outwardly facing end edge and a generally annularly shaped inwardly facing end edge; forming a second retainer groove in the guide pin ring head extending circumferentially about a medial portion of the interior sidewall with a generally arcuate shape that opens radially inwardly, and is generally axially aligned with the first retainer groove in the guide pin body when the guide pin assembly is in an assembled condition; forming a counterbore in the outwardly facing end edge of the guide pin head ring that is recessed into the interior sidewall of the guide pin head ring, extends generally axially from the outwardly facing end edge to the second retainer groove, and defines a counterbore wall; providing a retainer ring having a radially inward portion shaped for close reception in the first retainer groove in the guide pin body, and a radially outward portion which protrudes radially outwardly from the exterior surface of the guide pin body and is shaped for close reception in the second retainer groove in the guide pin head ring; forming a guide pin head cap with a generally circular plan configuration, an outwardly oriented exterior face, an inwardly oriented interior face, and a generally annularly shaped support collar protruding axially inwardly from the interior face of the guide pin head cap, having a free end edge, a radially interior side wall defining a socket shaped to closely receive therein the second end portion of the guide pin body, and a radially exterior sidewall shaped to be closely received against the counterbore wall; positioning the radially inward portion of the retainer ring in the first retainer groove in the guide pin body; sliding the guide pin head ring onto and over the guide pin body from the first end portion thereof until the guide pin head ring contacts at least a portion of the retainer ring mounted in the first retainer groove on the guide pin body; positioning the guide pin head cap over the outwardly facing end edge of the guide pin head ring with at least a portion of the second end portion of the guide pin body received in the socket in the guide pin head cap, and at least a portion of the support collar of the guide pin head cap received in the counterbore in the guide pin head ring; converging the guide pin head cap and the guide pin head ring until at least a portion of the free end edge of the support ring on the guide pin head cap contacts at least a portion of the retainer ring mounted in the first retainer groove on the guide pin body; pressing the guide pin head cap and the guide pin head ring together, causing engagement of the free end edge of the support ring against the retainer ring mounted in the first retainer groove on the guide pin body, and thereby shifting the radially outward portion of the retainer ring into the second retainer ring groove in the guide pin head ring to fixedly axially mount the guide pin head ring on the second end portion of the guide pin body and define an enlarged head portion of the guide pin assembly that serves to positively limit travel between the first and second die members; further pressing the guide pin head cap and the guide pin head ring together until the second end portion of the guide pin body is fully received in the socket in the guide pin head cap, the support collar portion of the guide pin head cap is fully received in the counterbore in the guide pin head ring, and the inwardly oriented interior face of the guide pin head cap abuts with the outwardly facing end edge of the guide pin head ring, whereby the retainer ring is positively captured in the first retainer groove in the guide pin body and the second retainer groove in the guide pin head ring to rigidly support the guide pin head ring on the second end portion of said guide pin body to withstand impact forces applied to the enlarged head portion of the guide pin assembly during repeated, mutual convergence and divergence of the first and second die members. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification