Diamond rotary cutter flute geometry
AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsArturo A. Rodriguez, Ronald B. Crockett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A diamond cutting tool is disclosed that forms at least a pair of grooves in the shank of the tool. The grooves contain sintered diamond prior to formation of concave flutes next to the grooves. The grooves are angled to form positive or negative cutter rake angles, whichever is desired. The adjacent concave flutes subsequently formed in the shank of the tool begin parallel with the cutting face of the sintered diamond and curve away from the base of the diamond back towards the surface of the shank. Sharpening of the diamond then results in very little removal of the diamond material thus assuring the integrity of the tool.
Claims22
A diamond rotary cutter comprising:
- a rotary cutter blank forming first and second ends, said cutter blank further forming at least a pair of grooves in side walls formed by said blank said groove substantially extending between said first and second ends,
- said grooves further being radially oriented substantially at an angle that conforms to an angle of concave flutes that are subsequently formed adjacent said grooves in said rotary cutter blank, and
- diamond material secured within said grooves formed in said side walls, said diamond material and said cutter blank is subsequently machined to form said flutes and a cutting edge along an angled leading edge formed by said diamond material to form said rotary cutter.
A process for forming a diamond rotary cutter comprising the steps of:
- forming a cutter blank of hard metal, said cutter blank having a first cutting end and a second base end, said cutter blank forming at least a pair of grooves from said first cutting end and extending toward said base end, said grooves being radially oriented and formed at an angle that substantially conforms to an angle of concave flutes that are subsequently formed in said rotary cutter blank,
- filling said angled grooves formed in said cutter blank with diamond material,
- bonding said diamond material in said grooves in said cutter blank in a press,
- forming said concave flutes at an intersection substantially at a base of said angled grooves, and
- grinding said diamond material sintered in said grooves formed by said end mill blank thereby providing a diamond cutting edge along a leading edge of said sintered diamond material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.