Side-lock modular drill with spring-assisted bump-off

A shank for a rotary cutting tool, the shank comprising:

• a pocket which receives an interchangeable cutting tip via an interference fit;
• the interchangeable cutting tip being axially displaceable between:
• an initial position, which is assumed by the interchangeable cutting tip upon being received in the pocket of the shank;
• a clamped position, wherein the interchangeable cutting tip is fixedly held with respect to the shank;
• and
• a bump-off position, wherein the interchangeable cutting tip is not fixedly held with respect to the shank;
• the pocket comprising two centering wall portions which, when viewed along a central longitudinal axis of the shank, are oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to one another;
• a holding element for holding an interchangeable cutting tip in a clamped position;
• and
• a spring assembly comprising a spring component in direct contact with the interchangeable cutting tip,
• wherein the holding element directly engages a clamping pin of the interchangeable cutting tip when the interchangeable cutting tip is axially displaced from the initial position to the clamped position, thereby causing elastic deformation of the spring component to provide a biasing force on the interchangeable cutting tip when the interchangeable cutting tip is axially displaced between the clamped position and the bump-off position.

A rotary cutting tool comprising:

• a shank;
• and
• an interchangeable cutting tip including a clamping pin;
• the shank comprising a pocket which receives the interchangeable cutting tip via an interference fit;
• the pocket comprising two centering wall portions which, when viewed along a central longitudinal axis of the shank, are oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to one another;
• the interchangeable cutting tip being axially displaceable between:
• an initial position, which is assumed by the interchangeable cutting tip upon being received in the pocket of the shank;
• a clamped position, wherein the interchangeable cutting tip is fixedly held with respect to the shank;
• and
• a bump-off position, wherein the interchangeable cutting tip is not fixedly held with respect to the shank;
• a holding element for holding the interchangeable cutting tip in the clamped position;
• and
• a spring assembly comprising a spring component and an upper interface portion, the spring assembly in direct contact with both the interchangeable cutting tip and the holding element,
• wherein the holding element directly engages both the spring assembly and the clamping pin of the interchangeable cutting tip when the interchangeable cutting tip is axially displaced from the initial position to the clamped position, thereby causing elastic deformation of the spring assembly and providing a biasing force on the interchangeable cutting tip when the interchangeable cutting tip is axially displaced between the clamped position and the bump-off position.