Patent Publication Number: US-2023150007-A1

Title: Die assembly tool

Description:
GOVERNMENT INTERESTS 
     This invention was made with Government support under Contract No.: DE-NA-0002839 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Die assemblies often include several heavy parts that are difficult to handle properly. More particularly, preparing a die assembly for processing, including manipulating its parts for material loading, creates significant risk of injury and damage to the die assembly, work structures, and process machinery. To make these tasks easier, makeshift clamps are often used to keep the parts together and to provide gripping points and leverage. Unfortunately, the clamps themselves are unwieldy, and their general-purpose construction may create a false sense of secureness between the clamps and the die assembly, which perpetuates the risk of injury or damage to the die assembly, work structures, and process machinery. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a distinct advance in the art of die assembly tools. More particularly, the present invention provides a die assembly tool (hereinafter “tool”) that minimizes or eliminates the physical difficulties in handling die assembly parts during preparation for processing. 
     An embodiment of the invention is a die assembly tool broadly comprising a rocker and a swivel. The tool facilitates a controlled reconfiguration of die assembly parts via particular manipulations of the rocker and swivel. 
     The rocker includes a foot, a backrest, and a chamfered surface. The rocker (and hence the tool) is configured to be in an upright orientation, a tilted orientation, and a reclined orientation. 
     The foot includes left and right arms, left and right handles, a through-slot, and a groove and is configured to engage a base of the die assembly. The foot has sufficient width and depth to support the tool itself in the upright orientation. The foot may include an adapter for accommodating bases of different sizes. 
     The left and right arms extend laterally outward (when the tool is in the upright orientation) for embracing the base. To that end, the left and right arms extend in an arc complementary to the shape of a base of the die assembly. The left and right arms include an inwardly-facing beveled ledge for engaging the bevel of the base. 
     The left and right handles are positioned horizontally on sides of the foot. The left and right handles include grip material or geometry for improving a user’s grip thereon. 
     The through-slot extends laterally through the foot and is configured to receive a circumferential strap therethrough. The through-slot is positioned at a height from a bottom of the foot so that a strap fed through the through-slot can encircle the base without any twisting, curling, or localized side-loading of portions the strap. 
     The groove extends from a bottom side of the foot, along the chamfered surface, and up a back side of the backrest for receiving a strap encircling the die assembly in a vertical plane. 
     The backrest extends vertically from the foot and includes a slot, left and right handles, and portions of the groove described above. The backrest has sufficient width and depth to balance the tool itself and an outer shell, female component, and male component of the die assembly in the reclined position without tipping over. 
     The slot extends vertically (when the tool is in the vertical orientation) on a front face of the backrest. The slot is configured to guide movement of the slider of the swivel. 
     The left and right handles of the backrest are positioned vertically on sides of the backrest. The left and right handles include grip material or geometry for improving a user’s grip thereon. 
     The chamfered surface extends diagonally from the foot to the backrest at an angle of between approximately 1 degree and 89 degrees, more preferably between 20 degrees and 70 degrees, and most preferably between approximately 26 degrees and 60 degrees. The chamfered surface connects to a bottom surface of the foot via an edge and to the rear surface of the backrest via a filleted surface. 
     The edge is a well-defined boundary between the chamfered surface and the bottom surface of the foot. This allows the tool to be leaned from the upright orientation to the tilted orientation via the edge as a fulcrum. The well-defined boundary facilitates initial leaning to verify that components of the die assembly and tool are well-supported and assembled properly. 
     The fillet is a curved surface between the chamfered surface and the rear surface of the backrest. This allows the tool to be leaned from the tilted orientation to the reclined orientation via the fillet as a fulcrum. The curvature of the fillet (compared to a well-defined edge) facilities gradual leaning (e.g., rolling) the tool from the tilted orientation to the reclined orientation and from the reclined orientation to the tilted orientation. 
     The swivel includes a slider, a bearing, and a cradle. The swivel is configured to support the outer shell, female component, and male component of the die assembly as they are maneuvered when the tool is in the reclined orientation. The swivel may also include an adapter for accommodating die assembly components of different sizes. 
     The slider resides in the groove and is configured to translate toward and away from the foot. The slider may be interlocked with the groove so that the slider  40  cannot easily be dislocated from the groove. 
     The bearing pivotably connects the cradle to the slider. The bearing may be a ball bearing, fluid bearing, plain bearing, or the like. 
     The cradle includes left and right arms and is pivotably connected to the slider via the bearing. The cradle thereby also is configured to translate with the slider toward and away from the foot. 
     The left and right arms of the backrest extend laterally outward (when the tool is in the upright orientation) for embracing an outer shell of the die assembly. To that end, the left and right arms extend in an arc complementary to the shape of the outer shell. 
     In use, the tool may be maneuvered toward the die assembly (with the die assembly in an inverted configuration) such that the left and right arms of the foot are against the base and such that the backrest is against the outer shell. The beveled ledge of the foot should engage a bevel of the base. A strap may then be inserted into the through-slot, passed around the base, and cinched or fastened to secure the base to the foot. 
     The rocker may then be leaned from the upright orientation to the tilted orientation via the left and right handles of the foot or backrest. The rocker may be tilted an initial amount to verify the die assembly is fully supported by the tool. In the tilted orientation, the tool should be balanced on the chamfered surface. With the tool in the tilted orientation, another strap may be passed in a vertical loop to encircle the tool and die assembly via the slot and cinched or fastened to secure the die assembly to the tool. 
     The rocker may then be leaned from the tilted orientation to the reclined orientation via the filleted surface. The outer shell should be resting entirely on the cradle when the rocker is in the reclined orientation. The strap encircling the tool and die assembly may then be at least partially loosened or unfastened. 
     The slider may then be moved in the groove away from the foot such that the outer shell, female component, and male component are spaced from the base. The cradle may then be rotated a half turn via the bearing such that the outer shell, female component, and male component are in a non-inverted orientation (i.e., a processing orientation) and hence the die assembly is in a non-inverted configuration. The slider may then be moved in the groove toward the foot such that the outer shell is against the base. 
     The strap previously encircling the tool and die assembly may then be cinched or fastened again to resecure the die assembly to the tool. The rocker may then be leaned from the reclined orientation to the tilted orientation. The tool and die assembly may then be lifted and carried to a processing machine or other location via the handles. 
     The rocker may then be leaned from the tilted orientation to the upright orientation. The straps may then be removed from the tool and from around the die assembly, and the tool may be moved away from the die assembly. 
     The above-described invention provides several advantages. For example, the tool secures the die assembly as the die assembly is leaned to the reclined orientation. The die assembly can be safely switched between its inverted configuration and non-inverted configuration without having to provide a lifting force. The tool does not require cumbersome clamps yet can accommodate die assemblies of different sizes. The tool can also be used to carry the die assembly. 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the current invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a rear perspective view of a die assembly tool constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a bottom perspective view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3   a    is side elevation view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1    in an upright orientation; 
         FIG.  3   b    is a side elevation view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1    in a tilted orientation; 
         FIG.  3   c    is a side elevation view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1    in a reclined orientation; 
         FIG.  3   d    is another side elevation view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1    in the reclined orientation; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1    in the reclined orientation; 
         FIG.  5    is another perspective view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1    in the reclined orientation; 
         FIG.  6    is a top plan view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a cutaway perspective view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  8    is an exploded view of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1   ; and 
         FIG.  9    is an exploded view of certain components of the die assembly tool of  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     The drawing figures do not limit the current invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description of the invention references the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the current invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the current invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
     In this description, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the current technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein. 
     Turning to the drawing figures, a tool  10  constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The tool  10  broadly comprises a rocker  12  and a swivel  14 . The tool  10  may be used for handling and manipulating a die assembly  100 . 
     The die assembly  100  may include a base  102 , an outer shell  104 , a female component  106 , and a male component  108 , as best seen in  FIG.  7   . The die assembly  100  may weigh between approximately 50 pounds and 200 pounds. In one embodiment, the die assembly  100  weighs approximately 120 pounds. The die assembly  100  may be substantially cylindrical and may have a diameter of approximately 14 inches. The die assembly  100  may also have few or no features conducive to direct handling. The base  102 , outer shell  104 , female component  106 , and male component  108  also are not interconnected or restrained to each other. These factors make preparing the die assembly  100  for processing difficult. Furthermore, it may be imperative that the die assembly  100  not be scratched or damaged. 
     The base  102  may be circular or disc-shaped and supports the outer shell  104 , female component  106 , and male component  108 . The base  102  may include a circumferential, inwardly-angled beveled surface  110 , which is configured to be engaged by the foot  16  of the rocker  12 . An outer diameter of the base  102  may be equal to an outer diameter of the outer shell  104 . 
     The outer shell  104  may be an open-ended, cylindrical wall configured to encircle the female component  106  and male component  108 . The outer shell  104  may have alignment geometry, guides, and other features for ensuring the outer shell, female component  106 , and male component  108  are assembled correctly. An outer diameter of the outer shell  104  may be equal to an outer diameter of the base  102 . 
     The female component  106  fits within one end of the outer shell  104  opposite the male component  108  and may include molding geometry for forming portions of an article. The female component  106  may also include generally concave geometry complementary of the male component  108 . 
     The male component  108  fits within one end of the outer shell  104  opposite the female component  106  and may include molding geometry for forming other portions of the article. The male component  108  may also include generally convex geometry complementary of the female component  106 . 
     The outer shell  104 , female component  106 , and male component  108  cooperatively form an inner molding chamber  112  configured to receive molding material for forming the article. The tool  10  described herein facilitates loading the molding material in the inner molding chamber  112  and reorienting the die assembly  100  for molding. 
     The rocker  12  broadly comprises a foot  16 , a backrest  18 , and a chamfered surface  20 . The rocker  12  may have an L-shaped profile. The rocker  12  (and hence the tool  10 ) may be configured to be in an upright orientation, a tilted orientation, and a reclined orientation. The rocker  12  is configured to engage the base  102  of the die assembly  100  when the tool  10  is in an upright orientation and stabilize the die assembly  100  as the tool  10  is leaned from the upright orientation to a reclined orientation via a tilted orientation, as discussed in more detail below. 
     The foot  16  may include left and right arms  22 A,B, left and right handles  24 A,B a through-slot  26 , and a groove  28 . The foot  16  has sufficient width and depth to support the tool  10  itself in the upright orientation. The foot  16  may include an adapter for accommodating bases of different sizes. 
     The left and right arms  22 A,B extend laterally outward (when the tool  10  is in the upright orientation) for embracing the base  102 . To that end, the left and right arms  22 A,B may extend in an arc (in one embodiment, a circular arc) in a C-shape or other shape complementary to the shape of the base 1-2. The left and right arms  22 A,B may also include an inwardly-facing beveled ledge  30  for engaging the bevel  110  of the base  102 . 
     The left and right handles  24 A,B may be positioned horizontally on sides of the foot  16  and may be integral components or separate fastened pieces. The left and right handles  24 A,B may include grip material or geometry for improving a user’s grip thereon. 
     The through-slot  26  extends laterally through the foot  16  and is configured to receive a circumferential strap therethrough. The through-slot  26  may be positioned at a height from a bottom of the foot  16  so that a strap fed through the through-slot  26  can encircle the base  102  without any twisting, curling, or localized side-loading of portions the strap. 
     The groove  28  extends from a bottom side of the foot  16 , along the chamfered surface  20 , and up a back side of the backrest  18  and is configured to receive a strap encircling the die assembly  100  in a vertical plane. The strap positioned in the through-slot  26  and the strap positioned in the groove  28  cooperatively secure the die assembly  100  to the tool  10 . 
     The backrest  18  extends vertically from the foot  16  and includes a slot  32 , left and right handles  34 A,B, and portions of the groove  28  described above. The backrest  18  also sufficient width and depth to support the tool  10  itself and the die assembly  100  in the reclined position without tipping over. 
     The slot  32  extends vertically (when the tool  10  is in the vertical orientation) on a front face of the backrest  18 . The slot  32  guides the slider of the swivel as described below. 
     The left and right handles  34 A,B may be positioned vertically on sides of the backrest  18  and may be integral components or separate fastened pieces. The left and right handles  34 A,B may include grip material or geometry for improving a user’s grip thereon. 
     The chamfered surface  20  extends diagonally from the foot to the backrest  18  at an angle of between approximately 1 degree and 89 degrees, more preferably between 20 degrees and 70 degrees, and most preferably between approximately 26 degrees and 60 degrees. The chamfered surface  20  may connect to a bottom surface of the foot  16  via an edge  36  and to the rear surface of the backrest  18  via a filleted surface  38 . 
     The edge  36  may be a well-defined boundary between the chamfered surface  20  and the bottom surface of the foot  16 . This allows the tool  10  to be leaned from the upright orientation to the tilted orientation via the edge  36  as a fulcrum. The well-defined boundary facilitates initial leaning to verify that components of the die assembly  100  and tool  10  are well-supported and assembled properly. 
     The fillet  38  may be a curved surface between the chamfered surface  20  and the rear surface of the backrest  18 . This allows the tool  10  to be leaned from the tilted orientation to the reclined orientation via the fillet  38  as a fulcrum. The curvature of the fillet  38  (compared to a well-defined edge) facilities gradual leaning (e.g., rolling) the tool  10  from the tilted orientation to the reclined orientation and from the reclined orientation to the tilted orientation. 
     The swivel  14  broadly comprises a slider  40 , a bearing  42 , and a cradle  44 . The swivel  14  supports the outer shell  104 , female component  106 , and male component  108  during maneuvering of these components when the tool  10  is in the reclined orientation. The swivel  14  may also include an adapter for accommodating outer shells of different sizes. 
     The slider  40  resides in the groove  28  and is configured to translate toward and away from the foot  16  in the groove  28 . The slider  40  may be interlocked with the groove  28  so that the slider  40  cannot easily be dislocated from the groove  28 . 
     The bearing  42  pivotably connects the cradle  44  to the slider  40 . The bearing  42  may be a ball bearing, fluid bearing, plain bearing, or the like. 
     The cradle  44  includes left and right arms  46 A,B and is pivotably connected to the slider  40  via the bearing  42 . The cradle  44  thereby also translates with the slider  40  toward and away from the foot  16 . 
     The left and right arms  46 A,B extend laterally outward (when the tool  10  is in the upright orientation) for embracing the outer shell  104 . To that end, the left and right arms  46 A,B may extend in an arc (in one embodiment, a circular arc), thereby forming a concave surface or other shape complementary to the shape of the outer shell  104 . 
     Use of the tool  10  will now be described in more detail. First, the die assembly  100  may be assembled in an inverted configuration. More particularly, the outer shell  104 , female component  106 , and male component  108  may be assembled on the base  102  in an inverted orientation (e.g., a material loading orientation). Material may then be loaded into the inner molding chamber  112  (this may require one of the female component  106  and male component  108  to be removed from the outer shell  104 ). 
     The tool  10  may then be maneuvered toward the die assembly  100  such that foot  16  (and more particularly, the left and right arms  22 A,B of the foot  16 ) is against the base  102  and such that the backrest  18  is against the outer shell  104 , as shown in  FIG.  3   a   . The beveled ledge  30  of the foot  16  should engage the bevel  110  of the base  102 . A strap may then be inserted into the through-slot  26 , passed around the base  102 , and cinched or fastened to secure the base  102  to the foot  16 . 
     The rocker  12  (and hence the tool  10  and die assembly  100 ) may then be leaned from the upright orientation to the tilted orientation via the left and right handles  24 A,B and/or the left and right handles  34 A,B, as shown in  FIG.  3   b   . The rocker  12  may be tilted an initial amount to verify the die assembly  100  is fully supported by the tool  10 . In the tilted orientation, the tool  10  should be balanced on the chamfered surface  20 . With the tool  10  in the tilted orientation, another strap may be passed in a vertical loop to encircle the tool  10  and die assembly  100  via the slot  32  and cinched or fastened to secure the die assembly  100  to the tool  10 . 
     The rocker  12  (and hence the tool  10  and die assembly  100 ) may then be leaned from the tilted orientation to the reclined orientation via the filleted surface  38  and via the left and right handles  24 A,B and/or the left and right handles  34 A,B, as shown in  FIG.  3   c   . The outer shell  104  should be resting entirely on the cradle  44  when the rocker  12  is in the reclined orientation. The strap encircling the tool  10  and die assembly  100  may then be at least partially loosened or unfastened. 
     The slider  40  may then be moved in the groove  28  away from the foot  16  such that the outer shell  104 , female component  106 , and male component  108  are spaced from the base  102 , as shown in  FIG.  3   d   -5. The cradle  44  may then be rotated a half turn via the bearing  42  such that the outer shell  104 , female component  106 , and male component  108  are in a non-inverted orientation (i.e., a processing orientation) and hence the die assembly  100  is in a non-inverted configuration, as shown in  FIG.  6   . The slider  40  may then be moved in the groove  28  toward the foot  16  such that the outer shell  104  is against the base  102 . 
     The strap previously encircling the tool  10  and die assembly  100  may then be cinched or fastened again to resecure the die assembly  100  to the tool  10 . The rocker  12  (and hence the tool  10  and die assembly  100 ) may then be leaned from the reclined orientation to the tilted orientation via the filleted surface  38  and via the left and right handles  24 A,B and/or the left and right handles  34 A,B. The tool  10  and die assembly  100  may then be lifted and carried to a processing machine or other location via the handles  24 A,B of the foot  16  and/or the handles  34 A,B of the backrest  18 . This can be performed by one or two individuals. If two individuals carry the tool  10 , it may be more ergonomic for one of the individuals to lift from the left handle  24 A and left handle  34 A and the other individual to lift from the right handle  24 B and right handle  34 B. This also has the advantage of approaching the desired location with the lifting individuals on each side of the tool  10 . 
     The rocker  12  (and hence the tool  10  and die assembly  100 ) may then be leaned from the tilted orientation to the upright orientation via the left and right handles  24 A,B and/or the left and right handles  34 A,B. The straps may then be removed from the through-slot  26  and slot  32 . The tool  10  may then be moved away from the die assembly  100 . 
     The above-described invention provides several advantages. For example, the tool  10  secures the die assembly  100  as the die assembly  100  is leaned to the reclined orientation. The die assembly  100  can be safely switched between its inverted configuration and non-inverted configuration without having to provide a lifting force. The tool  10  does not require cumbersome clamps yet can accommodate die assemblies of different sizes. The tool  10  can also be used to carry the die assembly  100 . 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. 
     Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: