Material removal tool with actuated guide pads
AssigneeValenite Inc.
InventorKevin Nedzlek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A material removal tool including a housing body having an active portion, at least one seating surface for a cutting insert operatively positioned on the active portion, and a guide pad positioned in a cavity in a circumferential surface of the active portion is disclosed. The guide pad is radially adjustable between a first radial position and a second radial position by a differential pressure across the guide pad. The differential pressure is created by an actuation fluid supplied to one side of the guide pad. A method for removing material from a workpiece with the rotating material removal tool is also disclosed.
Claims16
A material removal tool, comprising:
- a housing body including an active portion;
- at least one seating surface for a cutting insert operatively positioned on the active portion;
- and
- a guide pad positioned in a cavity in a circumferential surface of the active portion,
- wherein the guide pad is radially adjustable between a first radial position and a second radial position by a differential pressure across the guide pad,
- wherein the differential pressure is developed by an actuation fluid supplied to the cavity and vented from a first side of the guide pad to a second side of the guide pad through a channel in the guide pad, and
- wherein the channel opens into a groove on the second side of the guide pad to provide lubricant to the second side of the guide pad, the second side of the guide pad being a radially outward surface of the guide pad.
A method for removing material from a workpiece with a rotating material removal tool, the method comprising:
- positioning a distal end of an active portion of the material removal tool in a mating hole in the workpiece to locate at least a portion of a guide pad in opposing relationship to a surface of the mating hole,
- wherein the guide pad is positioned in a cavity in a circumferential surface of the active portion;
- and developing a differential pressure across the guide pad to translate the guide pad radially outward,
- wherein the differential pressure across the guide pad is developed by supplying an actuation fluid to a first side of the guide pad and venting the supplied actuation fluid from the first side to a second side through a channel in the guide pad, and
- wherein the actuation fluid is a lubricant and the vented actuation fluid supplies the lubricant to the second side of the guide pad.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.