Patent Publication Number: US-2022227018-A1

Title: Tool assembly including heated cutting tool for use in cutting fabric

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to machine tool assemblies, and more specifically, to a heated cutting tool for use in cutting fabric. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     At least some known fabric cutting machines includes rotary blades that are used to cut sheets of fabric into desired shapes. The sheets are held in place on a cutting platform as a mechanical arm moves the rotating blade across the sheet of fabric to allow the rotary blade to cut the sheet of fabric to the desired shape. Over time, the edge of the rotary blade becomes worn, which causes an uneven cutting of the fabric, which results in frayed edges that require additional work to repair. 
     The present invention addresses one or more of the aforementioned challenges. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In different embodiments of the present invention, a heated tool assembly for use in a cutting press machine, are provided. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, a cutting tool for use with a tool assembly is provided. The cutting tool includes a support body and a plurality of cutting blades extending outwardly from an outer surface of the support body. The plurality of cutting blades includes a primary cutting blade and a pair of secondary cutting blades extending obliquely from the primary cutting blade. At least one heating element chamber is defined within the support body and is configured to receive a heating cartridge therein to facilitate transferring thermal energy from the heating cartridge to the cutting tool for use in heating the plurality of cutting blades. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a tool assembly is provided. The tool assembly includes a cutting tool and a heating assembly. The cutting tool includes a support body and a plurality of cutting blades extending outwardly from an outer surface of the support body. The plurality of cutting blades includes a primary cutting blade and a pair of secondary cutting blades extending obliquely from the primary cutting blade. The heating assembly is coupled to the cutting tool for transferring thermal energy to the cutting tool for use in heating the plurality of cutting blades. The heating assembly includes at least one heating cartridge positioned within a corresponding heating element chamber defined within the support body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fabric cutting machine for use in cutting fabric including a heated tool assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the heated tool assembly shown in  FIG. 1  including a cutting tool, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is perspective view of the cutting tool showing front and bottom sidewalls of a support body and a plurality of cutting blades; 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the cutting tool showing rear and bottom sidewalls of the support body and the plurality of cutting blades; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the cutting tool; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the cutting tool; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the cutting tool; 
         FIG. 8  is a rear view of the cutting tool; 
         FIG. 9  is a left-side view of the cutting tool; 
         FIG. 10  is a right-side view of the cutting tool; 
         FIGS. 11A-11C  illustrate the cutting lines formed on a roll of fabric by the cutting tool; and 
         FIG. 12 . illustrates an end of a fabric belt that is formed from a roll of fabric by the machine using the heated tool assembly. 
       Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the specific detail need not be employed to practice the present invention. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention. 
     In general, the present invention describes a heated tool assembly for use with an automatic cutting machine. The heated tool assembly includes a heating cartridge that is inserted into a cutting tool to facilitate heating and maintaining a temperature of the blades of the cutting tool. The cutting tool is designed to function as a highly-efficient heated knife blade made to cut fabric material. The blade cuts a proprietary shape and a straight cut simultaneously. The more heat provided to the blade, the more perfectly repeatable the cuts will be. The tip of the blade loses small amounts of heat during each cut when energy from the blade is drawn away by the material being cut. The heating cartridge helps minimize that effect by providing heat to bring the blade back up to ideal operating temperature quickly and provides an optimal balance between energy consumption and repeatable cut performance. As a roll of fabric is passed under the heated tool assembly, the cutting machine presses the cutting tool into the fabric to cut the fabric into desired shapes. By using the heated cutting tool, the cutting machine produces a more consistent cut in the fabric than other known fabric cutting machines. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-10 , in the illustrated embodiment, the present invention includes an automatic cutting machine  10  that includes a heated tool assembly  12  for use in cutting woven fabric material  14  into desired shapes. The cutting machine  10  includes a machine press  16  positioned over a base platform  18 . The heated tool assembly  12  is mounted to the machine press  16  and is oriented to contact the base platform  18  when moved by the machine press  16 . During operation, a woven fabric material is positioned on the base platform  18  underneath the heated tool assembly  12 . The machine press  16  operates to move the heated tool assembly  12  towards the base platform  18  to contact the woven fabric material  14 . As the heated tool assembly  12  is pressed towards the woven fabric material  14 , the blades of the heated tool assembly  12  cut the woven fabric material  14  into a desired shape. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the heated tool assembly  12  includes a cutting tool  20  and a heating assembly  22  that is coupled to the cutting tool  20  for transferring thermal energy to the cutting tool  20 . The heating assembly  22  includes at least one heating cartridge  24  (shown in  FIG. 9 ) that is inserted into the cutting tool  20 . A heating element  26  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) is coupled to the heating cartridge  24  and is configured to transfer thermal energy to the heating cartridge  24  to facilitate heating the cutting tool  20 . The heating cartridge  24  may include for example, a heating rod formed of Incoloy  800 . However, one skilled in the art would understand that the heating cartridge  24  may be formed from other suitable materials. A thermocouple  28  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) is mounted to the cutting tool  20  for use in measuring a temperature of the cutting tool  20  to facilitate regulating the heating assembly  22  to maintain the cutting tool  20  at a desired temperature. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-10 , the cutting tool  20  includes a support body  30  and a plurality of cutting blades  32  that extend outwardly from an outer surface of the support body  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the support body  30  and the plurality of cutting blades  32  are formed as a single unitary piece. In other embodiments, one or more cutting blades  32  may be coupled to the support body  30  via a weld, or similar method. 
     The support body  30  includes a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape including a plurality of sidewalls  34  extending between a first endwall  36  and an opposite second endwall  38  along a first axis  40  (e.g., an X-axis). The plurality of sidewalls  34  includes a top sidewall  42 , a bottom sidewall  44 , a front sidewall  46 , and a rear sidewall  48 . The bottom sidewall  44  is spaced a distance from the top sidewall  42  along a second axis  50  (e.g., a Z-axis) that is perpendicular to the first axis  40 . The rear sidewall  48  is spaced a distance from the front sidewall  46  along a third axis  52  (a Y-axis) that is perpendicular to the first axis  40  and the second axis  50 . At least one heating element chamber  54  is defined within the support body  30  and is sized and shaped to receive a heating cartridge  24  therein to facilitate transferring thermal energy from the heating cartridge  24  to the cutting tool  20  for use in heating the plurality of cutting blades  32 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3, 4, 9, and 10 , the heating element chamber  54  is orientated substantially parallel to the first axis  40  and includes an inner surface that defines a substantially cylindrical cavity that extends along a centerline axis  56  between a first open end  58  defined at the first endwall  36  and an opposite second open end  60  defined at the second endwall  38 . In some embodiments, the heating element chamber  54  is spaced an equal distance between the front sidewall  46  and the rear sidewall  48 . In other embodiments, the heating element chamber  54  may be positioned closer to the front sidewall  46  or closer to the rear sidewall  48 . In the illustrated embodiment, the heating element chamber  54  is spaced a distance from the top sidewall  42  such that the heating element chamber  54  is positioned nearer to the bottom sidewall  44  than the top sidewall  42 . In other embodiments, the heating element chamber  54  may be equally spaced between the bottom sidewall  44  than the top sidewall  42 . 
     The support body  30  also includes a pair of set screw openings  62 ,  64  that are defined along the rear sidewall  48 . Each set screw opening  62 ,  64  is sized and shaped to receive a corresponding set screw  66  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) therein to facilitate coupling the heating cartridge  24  to the support body  30 . Each set screw opening  62 ,  64  includes a cylindrical inner surface extending between the rear sidewall  48  and the heating element chamber  54  and is sized and shaped to receive a set screw  66  therein. The cylindrical inner surface includes a threaded portion to facilitate the set screw  66  contacting the heating cartridge  24  to facilitate coupling the heating cartridge  24  to the support body  30  via friction fit. The pair of set screw openings  62 ,  64  includes a first set screw opening  62  orientated adjacent to the first endwall  36  and a second set screw opening  64  orientated adjacent to the second endwall  38 . 
     In some embodiments, the support body  30  includes a first heating element chamber  68  that is sized and shaped to receive a first heating cartridge  24  therein and a second heating element chamber  70  that is sized and shaped to receive a second heating cartridge  24  therein. The second heating element chamber  70  is orientated between the first heating element chamber  68  and the top sidewall  42 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second heating element chamber  70  includes a diameter  72  that is smaller than a diameter  74  of the first heating element chamber  68 . In some embodiments, the diameter  72  of the second heating element chamber  70  may be greater than, or equal to, the diameter of the first heating element chamber  68 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second heating element chambers  68 ,  70  are each spaced an equal distance between the front sidewall  46  and the rear sidewall  48 . In other embodiments, the first heating element chamber x and/or the second heating element chamber  70  may be positioned closer to the front sidewall  46  or closer to the rear sidewall  48 . The first and second heating element chambers  68 ,  70  may be aligned along the second axis  50 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , or the first and second heating element chambers  68 ,  70  may be in an off-set relationship from the second axis  50 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the support body  30  includes a plurality of mounting chambers  76  spaced along the first axis  40 . Each mounting chamber  76  is sized and shaped to receive a mounting fastener  78  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) therethrough to facilitate coupling the support body  30  to the machine press  16 . Each mounting chamber  76  includes an inner surface that defines a substantially cylindrical cavity extending along a centerline axis  80  between a first open end  82  defined at the front sidewall  46  and an opposite second open end  84  defined at the rear sidewall  48 . In some embodiments, each mounting chamber  76  spaced an equal distance apart along the first axis  40 , and is spaced an equal distance between the top sidewall  42  and the bottom sidewall  44 . The mounting chambers  76  may also be positioned between the first heating element chamber  68  and the second heating element chamber  70  along the second axis  50 . 
     At least one thermocouple opening  86  is defined along an outer surface of the rear sidewall  48 . The thermocouple opening  86  includes a threaded inner surface that is sized and shaped to receive the thermocouple  28  therein to facilitate mounting the thermocouple  28  to the support body  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the thermocouple opening  86  is orientated closer to the second endwall  38  than the first endwall  36  and extends between the first heating element chamber  68  and the second heating element chamber  70 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3, 4, 6, 9, and 10 , in the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of cutting blades  32  extend outwardly from the bottom sidewall  44  and include a primary cutting blade  88  and a pair of secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92 . The primary cutting blade  88  is positioned adjacent to the front sidewall  46  and is oriented substantially parallel to the first axis  40 . The secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92  extend obliquely from the primary cutting blade  88 . 
     Each cutting blade  32  includes a blade body  94  including a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape including a base  96  positioned adjacent to an outer surface of the bottom sidewall  44  and an apex  98  spaced from the base  96  along the second axis  50 . The height  100  of the cutting blade  32  is defined between the base and the apex. In the illustrated embodiment, each cutting blade  32  includes the same height  100 . In other embodiments, one or more cutting blades has a different height  100 . 
     Each secondary cutting blade  90 ,  92  extends obliquely from the primary cutting blade  88  towards the rear sidewall  48  and includes a first end  102  positioned adjacent the primary cutting blade  88  and a second end  104  spaced a distance from the primary cutting blade  88  defined along the third axis  52 . In the illustrated embodiment, each secondary cutting blade  90 ,  92  extends between the first end  102  positioned adjacent the primary cutting blade  88  and the second end  104  positioned adjacent the rear sidewall  48 . In other embodiments, the second end  104  of one or more secondary blades is spaced a distance from the rear sidewall  48 . 
     The cutting tool  20  includes a first secondary cutting blade  90  extending a first oblique angle  106  from the primary cutting blade  88 , and a second secondary cutting blade  92  extending a second oblique angle  108  from the primary cutting blade  88 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first oblique angle  106  is opposite the second oblique angle  108  such that the first and second secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92  extend from the primary cutting blade  88  in a mirrored relationship. In other embodiments, the first oblique angle  106  may be equal to or different from the second oblique angle  108 , or the first and second secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92  may be orientated substantially parallel. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92  are spaced along the first axis  40  such that a first gap  110  is formed having a first distance  112  defined between the first ends  102  of the first and second secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92  along the first axis  40 , and a second gap  114  is formed having a second distance  116  defined between the second ends  104  of the first and second secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92  along the first axis, with the second gap  114  being larger than the first gap  110 . In other embodiments, the first and second secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92  may be orientated such that the second gap  114  is smaller than the first gap  110 . In some embodiments, the primary cutting blade  88  has a length  118  defined along the first axis  40  that is longer than the second gap  114  defined between the second ends  104  of the pair of secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11A-12 , in some embodiments, the cutting tool  20  is used to cut a piece of woven fabric material  14  to form a front portion  200  and a rear portion  202  of fabric belts  204 ,  206 . As the cutting tool  20  is pressed onto the woven fabric material  14 , the primary cutting blade  88  makes straight cut line  208  along the woven fabric material  14  that is substantially perpendicular to the side edges  210  of the woven fabric material  14 . The second secondary cutting blades  90 ,  92  form mirrored angled cut lines  212  that extend from the straight cut line  208  to the side edges  210  of the fabric material  14 . The straight cut line  208  forms the rear portion  202  of a first fabric belt  204  having a rear edge  214  that is substantially perpendicular to the side edges  210 . The straight cut line  208  also forms a front edge  216  of the front portion  200  of a second fabric belt  206  this is substantially perpendicular to the side edges  210 . The mirrored angled cut lines  212  form opposing angled edges  218  of the front portion  200  of a second fabric belt  206 , and form the front edge  216  with a length  220  that is less than the length  222  defined between the side edges  210 . The straight cut line  208  and the mirrored angled cut lines  212  also form two right-triangles of remaining material  224  from the woven fabric material  14 . 
     In various embodiments, the cutting tool  20  is designed to function as a highly-efficient heated knife blade made to cut 2″ wide material. The blade cuts a proprietary shape and a straight cut simultaneously. The three evenly-spaced mounting holes which run through the Y plane of the part allow it to be mounted to an automatic cutting machine. The upper and lower holes running through the X plane of the part are designed to accept 12 mm and 14 mm heating rods respectively. The four threaded holes found at the corners of the front face of the part are to accommodate set screws used to hold the heating rods in place. The threaded hole found centered height-wise in the leftmost third of the front face is designed to accommodate a thermocouple used to regulate temperature. The heating rods (also referred to as cartridge or insertion heating elements) are a generic product produced by several different manufacturers. The primary material used in the heating rods is Incoloy  800 . The cutting tool  20  is made from 4140 Steel, however there are many different types of metals which would be well-suited for the application. 
     The more heat provided to the blade, the more perfectly repeatable the cuts will be. The tip of the blade loses small amounts of heat during each cut when energy from the blade is drawn away by the material being cut, so the larger diameter heating rod helps minimize that effect by providing heat to bring the blade back up to temp quickly. The diameter of the heating rods isn&#39;t critical, and the rods don&#39;t have to be different sizes, but the combination of heating rods with the previously mentioned diameters creates an optimal balance between energy consumption and repeatable cut performance. Two heating rods are not required, however, any more or less would change the performance of the part. The combination used in the illustrated embodiment provides acceptable results. 
     In some embodiments, the support body  30  may include a width measured along the third axis  52  of about 1.181 inches and a length measure along the first axis  40  of about 4.734 inches. The length of the primary cutting blade  88  may be about 2.335 inches and the length of each secondary cutting blade  90 ,  92  measure between the first and second ends  102 ,  104  may be about 1.181 inches. The first and second oblique angles  106 ,  108  may each be about 63.4° , with the first gap  110  having a length of about 1 inch and the second gap  114  having a length of 2.056 inches. The above described measurements are for illustrative purposes only, and one skilled in the art would understand that other suitable length and angle measurements are contemplated and would fall within the scope of the present invention. 
     Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the appended claims. 
     Although specific features of various embodiments of the disclosure may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. In accordance with the principles of the disclosure, any feature of a drawing or other embodiment may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing or embodiment. 
     This written description uses examples to describe embodiments of the disclosure and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.