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US 8,939,005 B2Granted
Guide pin assembly for metal forming dies and method
AssigneeStandard Lifters, Inc.
InventorsScott M. Breen, Joel T. Pyper
Life of this patent
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AssigneeStandard Lifters, Inc.
InventorsScott M. Breen, Joel T. Pyper
Estimating the term…
A guide pin assembly for metal forming dies includes a cylindrical guide pin body with an external retainer groove adjacent one end thereof in which a retainer ring is received. An annular guide pin ring with an outside diameter greater than the pin body, has a counterbore adjacent the outside end thereof and a retainer groove in a medial portion thereof which receives the outer portion of the retainer ring to securely interconnect the pin body and the ring and thereby form an enlarged head at one end of the pin body which positively limits reciprocal motion between two associated die members. A circular guide pin head cap covers the outer end of the head ring, and includes a support collar that is closely received in the counterbore of the ring, and engages the retainer ring to securely hold the same in place.
A guide pin assembly for metal forming dies having first and second die members which mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts, comprising:
In a metal forming die having first and second die members which mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts, the improvement of a guide pin assembly, comprising:
A method for making a guide pin assembly for metal forming dies of the type having first and second die members which mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts, comprising:
In a method for making a metal forming die of the type having first and second die members which mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Die sets; Pillar guides: particular guiding equipment, e.g. pliers; Special arrangements for interconnection or cooperation of dies
Making machine elements: elements not mentioned in one of the preceding groups
Tools as parts of machines covered by this subclass: die sets; Pillar guides
Metal working: method of mechanical manufacture
About 6 years 9 months of term left · ends 20 Jul 2033 (estimated)
The present invention relates to metal forming dies and the like, and in particular to a guide pin assembly and associated method.
Metal forming dies, such as stamping dies and the like, are well known in the art. Progressive metal forming dies are unique, very sophisticated mechanisms which have multiple stations or progressions that are aligned longitudinally, and are designed to perform a specified operation at each station in a predetermined sequence to create a finished metal part. Progressive stamping dies are capable of forming complex metal parts at very high speeds, so as to minimize manufacturing costs.
Heretofore, the dies used in metal forming presses have typically been individually designed, one of a kind assemblies for a particular part, with each of the various components being handcrafted and custom mounted or fitted in an associated die set, which is in turn positioned in a stamping press. Not only are the punches and the other forming tools in the die set individually designed and constructed, but the other parts of the die set, such as stock lifters, guides, end caps and keepers, cam returns, etc., are also custom designed and installed in the die set. Current die making processes require carefully machined, precision holes and recesses in the die set for mounting the individual components, such that the same are quite labor intensive, and require substantial lead time to make, test and set up in a stamping press. Consequently, such metal forming dies are very expensive to design, manufacture, and repair or modify.
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a guide pin assembly embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the guide pin assembly.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the guide pin assembly, shown with a guide pin head cap portion thereof in a first partially assembled condition.
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
The reference numeral 1 (FIGS. 1-7) generally designates a guide pin assembly embodying the present invention, which is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with metal forming dies, such as the die 2, selected portions of which are shown in FIG. 7, which has first and second die members 3 and 4, respectively, that mutually converge and diverge to form metal parts. Guide pin assembly 1 includes a guide pin body 5 having a generally cylindrical shape with a predetermined outside diameter. Guide pin body 5 includes a first end portion 6 configured for secure operable attachment with the first die member 3, and a second end portion 7, which is disposed generally opposite the first end portion 6, and is configured to be received into an associated aperture 8 in the second die member 4. The guide pin body 5 also includes a medial portion 9 disposed generally between the first and second end portions 6, 7, respectively, and having a generally hard, smooth, finished exterior surface 10 for precisely guiding the converging and diverging motion between the first and second die members 3 and 4. The guide pin body 5 also includes a first retainer groove 11, which extends circumferentially about the exterior surface 10 at an axial location disposed generally adjacent to the second end portion 7 of the guide pin body 5, and has a generally arcuate shape that opens radially outwardly. The guide pin assembly 1 also includes a guide pin head ring 15 which has a generally annular plan configuration, and includes a generally cylindrically shaped exterior sidewall 16 with a predetermined outside diameter that is greater than the outside diameter of the guide pin body 5, a generally cylindrically shaped interior sidewall 17 with a predetermined inside diameter that is generally commensurate with the predetermined outside diameter of the guide pin body 5, a generally annularly shaped outwardly facing end edge 18, and a generally annularly shaped inwardly facing end edge 19. The guide pin head ring 15 also includes a second retainer groove 20 extending circumferentially about a medial portion of the interior sidewall 17, which has a generally arcuate shape that opens radially inwardly, and is generally axially aligned with the first retainer groove 11 in the guide pin body 5 when the guide pin assembly 1 is in an assembled condition, as shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 7, 23 and 29. A counterbore 21 is formed into the outwardly facing end edge 18 of guide pin head ring 15, is recessed into the interior sidewall 17 of guide pin head ring 15, and extends generally axially from the outwardly facing end edge 18 to the second retainer groove 20 to define a counterbore wall 22. The guide pin assembly 1 also includes a retainer ring 30, which has a radially inward portion 31 closely received and retained in the first retainer groove 11 in the guide pin body 5, and a radially outward portion 32, which protrudes radially outwardly from the exterior surface 10 of the guide pin body 5, and is closely received and retained in the second retainer groove 20 in the guide pin head ring 15, so as to fixedly axially mount the guide pin head ring 15 on the second end portion 7 of the guide pin body 5 and define an enlarged head portion 33 of the guide pin assembly 1 that serves to positively limit travel between the first and second die members 3, 4. The guide pin assembly 1 also includes a guide pin head cap 40, which has a generally circular plan configuration, and includes an outwardly oriented exterior face 41, an inwardly oriented interior face 42 and a generally annularly shaped support collar 43 which protrudes axially inwardly from the interior face 42 of guide pin head cap 40. The support collar 43 of guide pin head cap 40 has a radially interior sidewall 44 (FIG. 3) which defines a socket 45 in which the second end portion 7 of the guide pin body 5 is received, and a radially exterior sidewall 46 which is closely received against the counterbore wall 22 in the guide pin head ring 15, such that the support collar portion 43 of the guide pin head cap 40 is tightly retained in the counterbore 21 in the guide pin head ring 15, and the retainer ring 30 is positively captured in the first retainer groove 11 in the guide pin body 5 and the second retainer groove 20 in the guide pin head ring 15, such that the guide pin head ring 15 is securely supported on the second end portion 7 of the guide pin body 5 to withstand impact forces applied to the enlarged head portion 33 of the guide pin assembly 1 during repeated, mutual convergence and divergence of the first and second die member 3, 4.
As will be appreciated by those having skill in the art of metal forming dies, metal forming dies typically incorporate multiple pairs of plates which converge and diverge relative to one another, and serve to either form the metal stock strip, and/or advance the stock strip through the various stations of the metal forming dies. Various tools and/or components are normally mounted on these die plates to achieve the desired forming of the metal stock and/or advancement through the die. These pairs of metal plates are typically interconnected by guide pins, which serve not only to accurately align each plate in the pair for precise reciprocation, but also act as a retainer to positively limit to a predetermined amount the distance each pair of plates may be separated from one another, so as to insure proper synchronization between the various stations and/or operations being performed in the metal forming die. Examples of such components are stock lifters, guided keepers, pressure plates, die shoes, die set pins and the like. Consequently, it should be understood that the term “die member,” as used herein refers to any portion of a metal forming die or die set, including, but not limited to, an upper die member or die shoe, a lower die member, all other die components, whether stationary or reciprocating, including a reciprocating pressure pad, or the like. In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, guide pin assembly 1 is shown used in conjunction with a guided keeper assembly, wherein the base portion 35 of the guided keeper is operably connected with the second die member 4, by bolts 36, and the lower end 6 of the guide pin body 5 is operably connected with the first die member 3 by bolts 37. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, guide pin assembly 1 can be mounted in other types of die members, and/or components in a variety of different positions and orientations, as necessary to manipulate and form the stock strip as it advances through the various work stations of an associated metal forming die.