Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6086294
Timestamp: 2018-01-23 16:45:59
Document Index: 178629822

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 16', 'art 16', 'art 16', 'art 16', 'art 16', 'art 16', 'art 16', 'art 16', 'art 16']

Patent US6086294 - Robotic deflashing of plastics with cutter guidance - Google Patents
An integral cutting tool (10) for trimming a flash portion (12) from a peripheral edge (14) of a blow-molded plastic part (16). The cutting tool (10) has a main section (18) which has a circular cross-section. The cutting tool (10) also has a cutting tip (20) with a distal end (22) and cutting edges...http://www.google.com/patents/US6086294?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6086294 - Robotic deflashing of plastics with cutter guidance
Publication number US6086294 A
Application number US 09/272,442
Publication number 09272442, 272442, US 6086294 A, US 6086294A, US-A-6086294, US6086294 A, US6086294A
Inventors Denis Danchine, Laxmi P. Musumur
Original Assignee Fanuc Robotics North America Inc.
Patent Citations (21), Referenced by (32), Classifications (15), Legal Events (4)
Robotic deflashing of plastics with cutter guidance
US 6086294 A
An integral cutting tool (10) for trimming a flash portion (12) from a peripheral edge (14) of a blow-molded plastic part (16). The cutting tool (10) has a main section (18) which has a circular cross-section. The cutting tool (10) also has a cutting tip (20) with a distal end (22) and cutting edges (24). Between the main section (18) and the cutting tip (20) is an intermediate contoured section (26) which has a smooth surface. The cutting edges (24) on the cutting tip (20) extend from the end (22) of the cutting tip (20) up to the smooth contoured section (26). The contoured section (26) engages the shape of the part (16) to position the cutting tip (20) relative to the part (16) during the cutting of the flash (12).
1. A cutting tool (10) for trimming a flash portion (12) from a peripheral edge (14) of a blow-molded plastic part (16) comprising;
a main section (18) having a first cross section;
a cutting tip (20) having a second cross section and including cutting edges (24); and
an intermediate contoured section (26) extending between said main section (18) and said cutting tip (20), said contoured section (26) presenting a smooth surface adapted to engage and guide said tool (10) along the peripheral edge (14) of the blow-molded plastic part (16).
2. The cutting tool as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second cross sections are circular.
3. The cutting tool (10) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said contoured section (26) increases in circular cross section from said cutting tip (20) to said main section (18).
4. The cutting tool (10) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said contoured section (26) has substantially the same cross sectional area as said cutting tip (20) and said main section (18).
5. The cutting tool (10) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cutting tip (20) includes a distal end (22) and said cutting edges (24) extend from said distal end (22) to said smooth contoured section (26).
6. The cutting tool (10) as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cutting tool (10) is mounted to a robotic arm (28), said robotic arm (28) adapted to manipulate said cutting tool (10) along the peripheral edge (14) of the blow-molded plastic part (16).
7. The cutting tool (10) as set forth in claim 6 wherein said robotic arm (28) is equipped with a compliance device (30) for providing a constant force between said cutting tool (10) and the peripheral edge (14) of the blow-molded plastic part (16).
8. The cutting tool (10) as set forth in claim 6 wherein said robotic arm (28) includes a spot cooling unit (34) mounted to the robotic arm (28) to direct coolant on said cutting tool.
9. A method for trimming flash (12) from a blow-molded plastic part (16) by using a cutting tool (10) having a main section (18) and a cutting tip (20) with an intermediate contoured section (26) between the main section (18) and the cutting tip (20) and contoured to the shape of the part (16) adjacent the flash (12);
rotatably engaging the shape of the part (16) with the contoured section (26) to position the cutting tip (20) relative to the part (16), and
cutting flash (12) from the part (16) by rotating the cutting tip (20) while moving the contoured section (26) along the peripheral edge (14) of the part (16).
10. The method set forth in claim 9 including using a robotic arm (28) for moving the cutting tool (10) along the peripheral edge (14) of the blow-molded plastic part (16).
11. The method set forth in claim 9 including maintaining a constant force between said cutting tool (10) and said peripheral edge (14) of said blow-molded plastic part (16).
12. The method as set forth in claim 9 including directing a coolant onto said cutting tool (10).
1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a cutting tool for trimming the flash from blow-molded plastic parts.
Removing flash from blow-molded plastic parts is a well known problem in the industry, and various methods have been developed to achieve removal of flash from blow-molded parts. The most common method of flash removal from blow-molded plastic parts is manual deflashing. This two stage process begins with a worker using a knife and/or a hammer to cut away the bulk of the flash known as "rough deflashing", followed by the worker using a scrapper to remove the remaining smaller pieces of flash and smooth the edges of the part known as "finish deflashing". This process is extremely labor intensive, and therefore expensive. Additionally, the use of sharp knives and scrappers by workers is hazardous to the workers themselves, and the associated injuries are costly to the manufacturer.
Another method incorporates the use of high-tech hardware and software to locate the parting line of the flash and then uses a tracking algorithm to guide a cutting tool along the parting line. These tracking algorithms are slow to react to changes in the part geometry, however, causing the cycle time for deflashing the part to be very long. Additionally, the complexity of the system and the inaccuracy of the sensors make a clean, accurate edge difficult to attain.
Finally, a third method of deflashing uses a cutting tool with a roller or bearing mounted to the tool which will ride along the part surface and guide the cutting of the tool. This set-up is difficult to control, however, as the roller or bearing rides along the part at some distance from the point the flash is being cut. This type of point contact between the tool and the part encourages the tool to bounce or jump at sharp edges or changes in part geometry. Also, since support is provided by a point contact between the tool and the part, there is no rotational support to insure that the tool is oriented accurately as it travels around the edge of the part.
A cutting tool for trimming a flash portion from a peripheral edge of a blow-molded plastic part. The cutting tool has a main section which has a circular cross-section and a cutting tip having a circular cross-section that is smaller than the cross-section of the main section. An intermediate contoured section extends between the main section and the cutting tip and includes a smooth surface which increases in circular cross-section from the cutting tip to the main section.
The present invention also provides a method for trimming flash from a blow-molded plastic part comprising the steps of positioning the cutting tip relative to the part by engaging the part with the contoured section of the cutting tool; and cutting flash from the part by rotating the cutting tip while moving the cutting tip along the periphery of the part.
Accordingly, the present invention will utilize a cutting tool which is guided by itself along the part. The contoured smooth surface of the intermediate section is used as a guide. The contoured smooth section conforms to the shape of the part giving a broad surface to support the tool. This broad support improves upon the point contact support that is provided by the cutting tool with a roller or bearing, and will also be cheaper because it is one integral piece. By supporting the tool with the smooth contoured surface, rotational stability of the tool is achieved, assuring that the cutting tip will travel the correct path along the parting line between the molded part and the flash and at the correct orientation. Additionally, by using the broad surface of the intermediate contoured section for support, the tool can be guided by the part surface alone. No software or algorithms are necessary to guide the tool. This will promote faster cutting speeds because the tool path will not need to be re-calculated each time there is a slight geometry change in the part that is being trimmed. More efficient flash removal will be achieved as the tool will be guided by each part individually so the tool will conform to slight differences from part to part with no loss of time or accuracy. The process is completely automated, so there is very little manual labor or risk of injury. The present invention removes the flash from a blow-molded plastic part in a quick, efficient manner, that is both safe and productive.
FIG. 1 is a view of the prototype workstation with the part setting on a table and the cutting tool mounted to a robotic arm above the part prior to engagement;
FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the cutting tool prior to engagement with the part; and
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the cutting tool in working engagement with the part as the flash is being trimmed.
Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, an integral cutting tool is generally shown at 10 for trimming a flash portion 12 from a peripheral edge 14 of a blow-molded plastic part 16. The cutting tool 10 has a main section 18 which has a circular cross section. The cutting tool 10 also has a cutting tip 20 with a distal end 22 and cutting edges 24. The cutting tip 20 has a cross section that is smaller than the cross-section of the main section 18. Between the main section 18 and the cutting tip 20 is an intermediate contoured section 26 which has a smooth surface and has a cross-sectional area that increases from the cutting tip 20 towards the main section 18. The cutting edges 24 on the cutting tip 20 extend from the distal end 22 of the cutting tip 20 up to the smooth contoured section 26.
A robotic arm is generally shown at 28. The cutting tool 10 is mounted to the robotic arm 28 which is used to manipulate the cutting tool 10 along the edge 14 of the part 16. The robotic arm 28 is also equipped with a compliance device 30 for providing a constant force between the cutting tool 10 and the peripheral edge 14 of the part 16. The robotic arm 28 may also include a cooling unit 34 for providing a current of air or coolant directed onto the cutting tool 10 to remove the heat that is generated by friction between the tool 10 and the part 16 during the cutting operation. The removal of this heat will help to insure part quality and longer tool life.
In operation, the cutting tool 10 is rotated as the robotic arm 28 brings the cutting tool 10 into engagement with the part 16. The rotating smooth contoured section 26 contacts the part 16 and positions the cutting tip 20 relative to the part 16 while the flash portion 12 is cut away by the cutting tip 20. Preferably, the cutting tip is positioned to cut away the flash along the parting line 32 between the molded part and the flash. As the robotic arm 28 manipulates the cutting tool 10 along the edge 14 of the part 16, constant force is maintained between the cutting tool 10 and the part 16 to insure consistent trimming of the flash 12 around the entire peripheral edge 14 of the part.
US4227837 * Oct 12, 1978 Oct 14, 1980 Shigeyasu Yodoshi Router bit
US4475850 * Aug 16, 1981 Oct 9, 1984 Penoza Frank J Split helix router bit
US4637775 * Dec 12, 1984 Jan 20, 1987 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Industrial robot device
US4784540 * Sep 23, 1986 Nov 15, 1988 Njal Underhaug Rotary and yieldable drive means for a tool
US4963059 * Feb 24, 1989 Oct 16, 1990 Izumo Industrial Co., Ltd. Rotary cutting tool
US5013195 * Apr 9, 1990 May 7, 1991 Frank Strazar Router guide
US5049009 * Aug 21, 1990 Sep 17, 1991 The Weldon Tool Company Improved cutting tool
US5137098 * Aug 26, 1991 Aug 11, 1992 Inland Diamond Products Company Diamond tool for drilling and routing
US5188488 * Jul 10, 1992 Feb 23, 1993 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation End mill
US5201619 * Jan 27, 1992 Apr 13, 1993 Hitachi Tool Kabushiki Kaisha Tapered slot end mill
US5273422 * Oct 5, 1992 Dec 28, 1993 The Plastic Forming Company, Inc. Trimming apparatus
US5312212 * Sep 28, 1992 May 17, 1994 United Technologies Corporation Axially compliant tool holder
US5348462 * Sep 30, 1992 Sep 20, 1994 Double W. Stationery Corp. Apparatus for removing a flashing from a manufactured article
US5626444 * Aug 19, 1994 May 6, 1997 Campian; Jonathon Rotary cutting tool
US5647700 * Dec 6, 1995 Jul 15, 1997 Fred M. Velepec Co., Inc. Double bevel cutting edge router bit with multiple guide wheels
US5765975 * Sep 5, 1996 Jun 16, 1998 Abb Flexible Automation, Inc. Compliant end effector for an industrial robot
US5806577 * Mar 26, 1997 Sep 15, 1998 Durand; Greg Bearing guide for router bit
DE3738619A1 * Nov 13, 1987 Jun 1, 1989 Daimler Benz Ag Deburring device for an industrial robot
JPS57107718A * Title not available
US6298684 * Nov 15, 1999 Oct 9, 2001 Jel Corporation Substrate transfer robot
US6560556 * Nov 30, 1999 May 6, 2003 International Business Machines Corporation Non-invasive process for circuit defect isolation using thermal expansion property of thermodynamics
US6974286 * Jul 25, 2003 Dec 13, 2005 Ati Industrial Automation, Inc. Deburring tool
US7073423 Sep 17, 2003 Jul 11, 2006 Robotic Production Technology, Inc. Compliance device for trimming a workpiece
US7137763 * Aug 12, 2004 Nov 21, 2006 Ati Industrial Automation, Inc. Pneumatically driven deburring tool having an articulated air joint
US7171735 * Mar 9, 2005 Feb 6, 2007 Hitachi, Ltd. Shape member manufacturing apparatus and shape member manufacturing method
US7704023 Jul 11, 2007 Apr 27, 2010 Magna International Inc. Automatic deflashing RRIM
US7819611 * Nov 8, 2006 Oct 26, 2010 Lonnie Cox Drywall/sheathing cutting tool and method
US8621971 * Jan 20, 2011 Jan 7, 2014 Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd Cutting apparatus with adjustable mechanism
US8806999 * Dec 27, 2007 Aug 19, 2014 Nihon Shoryoku Kikai Co., Ltd. Deburring system, deburring apparatus and cutter blade
US9849594 * Mar 15, 2013 Dec 26, 2017 Kuka Systems Gmbh Parting device and parting method
US20050019123 * Jul 25, 2003 Jan 27, 2005 Lawson Douglas K. Deburring tool
US20050056134 * Sep 17, 2003 Mar 17, 2005 Aquino Reggie V. Compliance device for trimming a workpiece
US20050180829 * Aug 12, 2004 Aug 18, 2005 Lawson Douglas K. Pneumatically driven deburring tool having an articulated air joint
US20060059671 * Mar 9, 2005 Mar 23, 2006 Osamu Okafuji Shape member manufacturing apparatus and shape member manufacturing method
US20070074382 * Dec 1, 2006 Apr 5, 2007 Osamu Okafuji Shape member manufacturing apparatus and shape member manufacturing method
US20070082583 * May 6, 2004 Apr 12, 2007 Roger Blanc Head for a robot ar intended to perform a deflashing or rouging operation
US20080011142 * Jul 11, 2007 Jan 17, 2008 Patrick Chi-Tak Cheung Automatic Deflashing RRIM
US20080107495 * Nov 8, 2006 May 8, 2008 Lonnie Cox Drywall/sheathing cutting tool and method
US20100139207 * Feb 1, 2010 Jun 10, 2010 Lonnie Cox Drywall/sheathing cutting tool and method
US20100257986 * Apr 9, 2010 Oct 14, 2010 James Borg Apparatus and method for robotic deburr and material removal
US20110100178 * Dec 27, 2007 May 5, 2011 Nihon Shoryoku Kikai Co., Ltd. Deburring system, deburring apparatus and cutter blade
US20120017738 * Jan 18, 2011 Jan 26, 2012 Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. Cutting apparatus
US20120017739 * Jan 18, 2011 Jan 26, 2012 Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. Cutting apparatus
US20120017740 * Jan 20, 2011 Jan 26, 2012 Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. Cutting apparatus
US20150328778 * Mar 15, 2013 Nov 19, 2015 Kuka Systems Gmbh Parting device and parting method
CN100534352C May 6, 2004 Sep 2, 2009 依泰布里斯门特斯·阿西提斯公司 Head for a robot arm, which is intended to perform a deflashing or carding operation
CN104245246A * Mar 15, 2013 Dec 24, 2014 库卡系统有限责任公司 Parting device and parting method
WO2013143879A1 * Mar 15, 2013 Oct 3, 2013 Kuka Systems Gmbh Parting device and parting method
U.S. Classification 409/132, 409/138, 407/53
International Classification B29C37/02, B23C3/12, B24B27/04
Cooperative Classification B24B27/04, B23C3/12, Y10T409/303808, Y10T409/304144, Y10T407/1946, B29C37/02
European Classification B23C3/12, B24B27/04, B29C37/02
Owner name: FANUC ROBOTICS NORTH, MICHIGAN
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:DANCHINE, DENIS;REEL/FRAME:009947/0756