Patent Publication Number: US-2006000253-A1

Title: Method for forming three-dimensional mark on cylindrical tool and die for forming the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a cylindrical tool, and more particularly to a method for forming three-dimensional mark on a cylindrical tool and a die for forming the same.  
      2. Description of the Prior Arts  
      Many tools are marked with trademark, specification identifier or the like for helping the customer to recognize and select the desired tool easily from other tools during the purchasing process, so that the purchasing process is simplified. In addition, the producers can improve their reputation through the trademark marked on the tool. Cylindrical tool is one of the commonly used tools, however, trademark or specification identifying mark on the existing cylindrical tool have some problems that need to be solved as follows:  
      First, if the identifying mark is adhered to the peripheral surface of the cylindrical tool through adhesive agent, since the peripheral surface of the cylindrical tool is normally grainy so that the adhesive agent is unable to completely enter into the concaves between the grains, thus, the adhering force exerted on identifying mark with respect to the surface of the cylindrical tool is weak so that the identifying mark is likely to fall off after a certain period of usage.  
      Second, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , to solve the above-mentioned problem, a concave mark  11  is formed on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical tool  10  by pressing method. However, a projecting edge  12  will be formed round the three-dimensional mark  11 , it is not a good design since this projecting edge  12  protrudes out of the surface of the cylindrical tool  10 . On the other hand, the three-dimensional mark  11  cannot be clearly and easily shown since they are located lower than the surface of the cylindrical tool  10 .  
      The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method and a die for forming three-dimensional mark on a cylindrical tool, which is capable of forming a projecting three-dimensional identification unit on the surface of a cylindrical tool so as to enable the customer to read the identification mark more easily and clearly.  
      A method for forming three-dimensional mark on a cylindrical tool in accordance with the present invention comprises the following steps: 
          first, material preparation: choosing a cylindrical tool as a raw material;     second, forming an identification area: forming the identification area on a surface of the raw material;     third, roll-and-press forming: forming a projecting three-dimensional identification unit by pressing and rolling the identification area of the raw material with a die.        

      A die for forming three-dimensional mark on a cylindrical tool in accordance with the present invention is provided on a terminal surface with an abutting portion and two guiding portions that are formed at both sides of the abutting portion, the abutting portion is formed with an identification groove, the guiding portions are inclined relative to the terminal surface of the die.  
      The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is stereographic view of showing a concave mark on a conventional socket;  
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is flow chart of showing a method in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  shows the material preparation step in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  shows the step of forming an identification area on the cylindrical tool in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  shows the step of roll-and-press forming in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a stereographic view of showing a final product produced by the method in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  shows the step of forming an identification area on the cylindrical tool in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 9  shows the step of roll-and-press forming in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 10  is a stereographic view of showing a final product produced by the method in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 11  is a partial stereographic view of a die in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of the die in  FIG. 11 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , which shows a method for forming three-dimensional mark on a cylindrical tool in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention and generally including the steps as follows: First, material preparation  20 , Second, forming an identification area  30 , Third, roll-and-press forming  40 .  
      First, material preparation  20 : as shown in  FIG. 4 , choosing a cylindrical tool as a raw material  21 , in this embodiment, takes a socket as an example.  
      Second, forming an identification area  30 : as shown in  FIG. 5 , forming two annular grooves  31  at a predetermined position on the surface of the raw material  21  by using cutting device. The two annular grooves  31  are parallel to each other and define an identification area  32  therebetween, and the surface of the identification area  32  is flushed with that of raw material  21 .  
      Third, roll-and-press forming  40 : as shown in  FIG. 6 , pressing and rolling the identification area  32  of the raw material  21  with a die  50  (with reference to  FIG. 11 ). The die  50  has an arc-shaped terminal surface which further includes an abutting portion  51  and two guiding portion s  52  formed at both sides of the abutting portion  51 . The abutting portion  51  is formed with an identification groove  511  that is formed on the bottom surface thereof with a predetermined pattern. During the course of roll-and-press forming, the arc-shaped surface of the die  50  serves to roll and press on the identification area  32  of the raw material  21  such that the identification area  32  is pressed by the abutting portion  51  and the guiding portion  52 , respectively. The identification area  32  pressed by the abutting portion  51  is partially located in the identification groove  511  so that the predetermined pattern on the bottom surface of the identification groove  511  is three-dimensionally formed on the identification area  32  by roll-and-press forming. The identification area  32  pressed by the guiding portion  52  is partially pressed into the annular grooves  31 . Through this way, a projecting three-dimensional identification unit is annually formed on the identification area  32  (as shown in  FIG. 7 ), and the three-dimensional identification unit is flush with the surface of the surface of the cylindrical tool.  
      The method in accordance with the present invention is generally used to form a projecting identification unit on the surface of a cylindrical tool.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , which shows a method for forming three-dimensional mark on a cylindrical tool in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention and also including the following three steps: First, material preparation  20 , Second, forming an identification area  30 , Third, roll-and-press forming  40 . The characteristics of the method of the second embodiment relative to that of the first embodiment are described as follows:  
      Second, forming an identification area  30 : as shown in  FIG. 8 , creating two annular grooves  31  on the surface of the raw material  21  by extrusion forming, thus defining an identification area  32  between the two annular grooves  31 , the identification area  32  partially protrudes out of the surface of the raw material  31 .  
      Third, roll-and-press forming  40 : as shown in  FIG. 9 , rolling and pressing the identification area  32  of the raw material  21  with a die  50  whose structure is the same as the first embodiment, so further description on this will be omitted. During the course of the roll-and-press forming, the arc-shaped terminal surface of the die  50  also serves to roll and press the identification area  32  of the raw material  21  so as to form a projecting three-dimensional identification unit, and the three-dimensional identification unit is annularly arranged. The distinction of the second embodiment relative to the first embodiment is that this three-dimensional identification unit projects out of the surface of the cylindrical tool, as shown in  FIG. 10 .  
      Referring finally to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the die  50  has an arc-shaped terminal surface which further includes an abutting portion  51  and two guiding portions  52  formed at both sides of the abutting portion  51 . The abutting portion  51  is formed with an identification groove  511  which is formed on the bottom surface with a predetermined pattern. The guiding portions  52  are inclined relative to the bottom surface of the terminal surface (the abutting portion  51 ) of the die  50  and the angle between them is 5 degree.  
      While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.