Back to results
US 9,339,942 B2Granted
Foil cutting tools for sheet metal processing machines and related systems and methods
AssigneeTRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
InventorsOliver Steingrueber, Holger Skare
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In some aspects, a tool for a sheet metal processing machine for penetrating a foil disposed on a surface of workpiece to be processed includes a rotatably supported ball for cutting the foil by rolling the ball along the workpiece.
Claims18
A tool for a sheet metal processing machine for cutting a foil disposed on a planar surface of a workpiece to be processed, the tool comprising:
- a rotatably supported ball at a first end of the tool for cutting the foil by rolling the ball along the workpiece, wherein the tool is configured to cut the foil along arbitrary paths including nonlinear paths by a rolling cutting movement of the rotatably supported ball over the surface of the workpiece;
- and
- a biasing member at a second end of the tool opposite the first end and configured to cause the rotatably supported ball to completely penetrate the foil so that the ball contacts the planar surface of the workpiece after penetrating the foil.
A system comprising:
- a sheet metal processing machine;
- and
- a tool for cutting a foil disposed on a workpiece to be processed by the sheet metal processing machine, the tool comprising:
- a rotatably supported ball for cutting the foil by rolling the ball along the workpiece, wherein the tool is configured to cut the foil along arbitrary paths by a rolling cutting movement of the rotatably supported ball over the surface of the workpiece, and
- wherein the sheet metal processing machine comprises a tool holder for accommodating the tool and a workpiece support device for positioning the workpiece, and the sheet metal processing machine is configured such that the tool holder or the workpiece support device is vertically movable such that a determinable distance between the tool holder and a surface of the workpiece is produced so that the ball penetrates the foil and the determinable distance can be maintained while the sheet metal is moved horizontally with respect to the tool holder in order to cut the foil.
2 more elements
A tool for a sheet metal processing machine for cutting a foil disposed on a surface of a workpiece to be processed, the tool comprising:
- a rotatably supported ball for cutting the foil by rolling the ball along the workpiece, wherein the tool is configured to cut the foil along arbitrary paths including nonlinear paths by a rolling cutting movement of the rotatably supported ball over the surface of the workpiece,
- a ball accommodation apparatus having an accommodation chamber formed at an end of the ball accommodation apparatus facing the workpiece, the accommodation chamber comprising an orifice at the end of the ball accommodation apparatus, the accommodation chamber being formed to accommodate the ball so that the ball protrudes from the orifice and out of the ball accommodation apparatus, and the ball is substantially only rotatable within the ball accommodation apparatus, and
- a biasing member by which the ball accommodation apparatus is forced in the direction towards the end,
- wherein the ball accommodation apparatus is accommodated in the tool in a slidable manner and is movable in a direction that is towards and away from the end.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.