Shaper router and method
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRoger Ahrnkiel, Bradley Pense
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A routing tool for cutting material and an associated apparatus and method are provided. The tool includes a substantially cylindrical shaft member having a shank portion and a cutting portion. The cutting portion includes a plurality of cutting teeth disposed peripherally about a first helix and an intersecting second helix. Each cutting tooth defines a first cutting clearance on a first cutting edge and a first clearance on a first non-cutting edge. The cutting tooth defines a second cutting clearance on a second cutting edge and a second clearance on a second non-cutting edge. A flat extends on each cutting tooth resulting in a circular land on an outside diameter of the cutting portion.
Claims26
A routing tool for cutting material, the tool comprising:
- a substantially cylindrical shaft member having a shank portion and a cutting portion, the cutting portion including a plurality of cutting teeth disposed peripherally about a first helix and an intersecting second helix, wherein a cutting tooth defines a first cutting clearance on a first cutting edge and a first non-cutting clearance on a first non-cutting edge, wherein the cutting tooth includes a flat extending on the cutting tooth resulting in a circular land on an outside diameter of the cutting portion, and wherein the cutting tooth further defines a second cutting clearance on a second cutting edge and a second non-cutting clearance on a second non-cutting edge.
An apparatus for cutting material, the tool comprising:
- a router having a substantially cylindrical shaft member having a shank portion and a cutting portion, the cutting portion including a plurality of cutting teeth disposed peripherally about a first helix and an intersecting second helix, wherein a cutting tooth defines a first cutting clearance on a first cutting edge and a first non-cutting clearance on a first non-cutting edge, wherein the cutting tooth includes a flat extending on the cutting tooth resulting in a circular land on an outside diameter of the cutting portion, and wherein the cutting tooth further defines a second cutting clearance on a second cutting edge and a second non-cutting clearance on a second non-cutting edge;
- and
- a motor, wherein the motor is coupled to the shank portion to drive the cutting portion in rotation about an axis extending through the cylindrical shaft member.
A method for forming a router tool, the method comprising:
- providing a substantially cylindrical shaft member having a shank portion and a cutting portion;
- grinding a plurality of first helixes into the cutting portion peripherally about the cutting portion, wherein the grinding step forms a first cutting clearance on a first cutting edge and a first non-cutting clearance on a first non-cutting edge on a cutting tooth;
- and
- grinding a plurality of second helixes into the cutting portion peripherally about the cutting portion to define a flat on the cutting tooth, resulting in a circular land on an outside diameter of the cutting portion, wherein the second helixes intersect the first helixes such that the second grinding step forms a second cutting clearance on a second cutting edge and a second non-cutting clearance on a second non-cutting edge on the cutting tooth to define a plurality of cutting teeth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.