EP0876246B1 - A knife shaft assembly with die cutting inserts for a rotary die cutter and the die cutter itself - Google Patents
A knife shaft assembly with die cutting inserts for a rotary die cutter and the die cutter itself Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0876246B1 EP0876246B1 EP96945072A EP96945072A EP0876246B1 EP 0876246 B1 EP0876246 B1 EP 0876246B1 EP 96945072 A EP96945072 A EP 96945072A EP 96945072 A EP96945072 A EP 96945072A EP 0876246 B1 EP0876246 B1 EP 0876246B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- die
- shaft assembly
- knife
- knife shaft
- cutting edge
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
- B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
- B26D7/26—Means for mounting or adjusting the cutting member; Means for adjusting the stroke of the cutting member
- B26D7/2614—Means for mounting the cutting member
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
- B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
- B26F1/38—Cutting-out; Stamping-out
- B26F1/44—Cutters therefor; Dies therefor
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
- B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
- B26D7/26—Means for mounting or adjusting the cutting member; Means for adjusting the stroke of the cutting member
- B26D2007/2607—Means for mounting or adjusting the cutting member; Means for adjusting the stroke of the cutting member for mounting die cutters
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
- B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
- B26F1/38—Cutting-out; Stamping-out
- B26F1/384—Cutting-out; Stamping-out using rotating drums
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
- B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
- B26F1/38—Cutting-out; Stamping-out
- B26F1/44—Cutters therefor; Dies therefor
- B26F2001/4472—Cutting edge section features
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
- B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
- B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
- B26F1/38—Cutting-out; Stamping-out
- B26F1/44—Cutters therefor; Dies therefor
- B26F2001/4481—Cutters therefor; Dies therefor having special lateral or edge outlines or special surface shapes, e.g. apertures
Definitions
- This invention relates to a knife shaft assembly according to the preamble of claim 1 (see, for example, DE-A-14 36 912) for the rotary die cutter and the die cutter itself.
- a rotary die cutter includes a rotatable anvil roll which cooperates with a rotatable knife shaft assembly.
- the knife shaft assembly has an outer circumference with at least one die cutter associated therewith.
- the knife shaft assembly cooperates with the anvil roll to form a nip through which a web of material can pass. As a web of material passes between the nip, the die cutter will cut the material into a predetermined shape.
- Rotary die cutters are used in many different industries to cut many different types of material.
- rotary die cutters can be employed to cut paper, cardboard, plastic, laminates formed of two or more layers, absorbent materials such as wood pulp fluff, webs formed from natural or synthetic fibers, cellulose fluff, tissue, cotton, rayon and various other types of woven and nonwoven materials.
- Rotary die cutters are particularly useful in cutting a plurality of layers of different material which have been assembled to form an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner.
- Such products are normally constructed, from top to bottom, of a liquid-permeable cover sheet, one or more absorbent layers, a liquid-impermeable baffle, a layer of garment attachment adhesive and a removable peel strip.
- the various layers are normally bonded together by a construction adhesive and the article usually has a total thickness of between 0.26 cm (0.1 inches) to 2.54 cm (1.0 inch).
- Each replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert has a unique configuration and includes mounting means for properly securing it to the outer circumference of a knife shaft assembly.
- This invention relates to a knife shaft assembly to claim 1.
- the general object of this invention is to provide a knife shaft assembly having replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert attached thereto which can be removed without requiring the inserts to be reground in order to obtain the right clearance nip between the anvil roll and the knife shaft assembly.
- a further object of this invention is to provide a rotary die cutter having a rotatable anvil roll mating with a rotatable knife shaft assembly to form a nip therebetween and having one or more replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting inserts mounted about its outer circumference of the knife shaft.
- a rotary die cutter 10 which includes a rotatable anvil roll 12 cooperating with a rotatable knife shaft assembly 13.
- the anvil roll 12 can be constructed of a ferrous or non-ferrous metal and should have a smooth surface.
- the anvil roll 12 can be formed from a material which is compressible, such as neoprene rubber or from a non-compressible material, such as steel. For most applications, it is preferred that the anvil roll 12 be a metal roll.
- the knife shaft assembly 13 includes a die shaft 14 with an outer circumference 16 and at least one replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert 18 mounted onto the die shaft 14.
- replaceable it is meant that the insert 18 can be unbolted and removed from the die shaft 14, cleaned, reground or machined in some fashion and then secured back onto the die shaft 14 in its original position.
- interchangeable it is meant that each of the die inserts 18 is capable of being mutually interchanged with any other insert 18. This interchangeability feature is very important because, up until now, it has been virtually impossible to produce replaceable and interchangeable inserts 18 for a rotary die cutter 10 while still maintaining the nip dimension between the anvil roll 12 and the knife shaft assembly 13.
- the knife shaft assembly 13 can be constructed of a metal, for example steel, and should have an outer circumference machined to a very close tolerance.
- the die shaft 14 can have one or more, preferably several die cutting inserts 18 mounted to its outer circumference 16. As depicted in Fig. 1, there are four die cutting inserts 18 equally spaced about the outer circumference 18 of the die shaft 14.
- the anvil roll 12 and the knife shaft assembly 13 cooperate to form a nip 20 therebetween through which a web of material 22 can pass. As the anvil roll 12 and the knife shaft assembly 13 are rotated in opposite directions, the web of material 22 can pass through the nip 20 and be cut by the die cutting inserts 18 into individual articles 24.
- the articles 24 can be transported by conventional means, such as a conveyor 26, to a location where they can be stacked, packaged and later shipped.
- Any waste trim 30 from the rotary die cutter 10 can be directed away from the nip 20 by a conduit 28 using vacuum, air pressure, gravity or mechanical means.
- the waste trim 30 can then be collected in a hopper 32 for possible recycling or some other means of disposal.
- a replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert 18 is shown before it is secured to the die shaft 14.
- the replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert 18 has an arcuately-shaped base 34 formed on a predetermined radius.
- the base 34 has first and second spaced apart ends, 36 and 38 respectively, and first and second oppositely aligned surfaces, 40 and 42 respectively.
- the first surface 40 will face the anvil roll 12 when the inserts 18 are assembled onto the knife shaft assembly 13.
- the second surface 42 will be concave so as to match the outer circumference 16 of the die shaft 14 onto which the insert 18 is to be secured.
- the second surface 42 It is common to machine the second surface 42 to have a tolerance of plus or minus 0.00026 cm (.0001 inches) so as to facilitate a proper attachment between the die cutting insert 18 and the die shaft 14. If the second surface 42 is not machined to closely match the outer circumference 16 of the die shaft 14, then it is possible for additional compressive forces to develop as each insert 18 is secured to the die shaft 14. The presence of such compressive forces can alter the dimension of the nip 20, and this is undesirable.
- the die cutting insert 18 is shown having a knife 44 which is integrally formed about the periphery of the first surface 40.
- the knife 44 is a continuous element but could be serrated if desired.
- the knife 44 has a cutting edge 46 and first and second side waits, 48 and 50 respectively.
- the cutting edge 46 has a width of less than 0.013 cm (.005 inches).
- the width of the cutting edge 46 is between 0.0013 cm (.0005) to 0.01cm (.004 inches), and most preferably, the width is between 0.003 cm (.001) to 0.005 cm (.002 inches).
- the width of the cutting edge 46 is very important because if the thickness becomes too great, it will be more difficult to cleanly cut the material 22 passing through the nip 20. For example, instead of making a clean cut, the cutting edge 46 could compressed the material 22 and allow the material 22 to be torn or broken and thereby produce a ragged cut.
- the first side wall 48 is aligned approximately perpendicular to the cutting edge 46.
- the first side wall 48 is coextensively aligned with the outside periphery 52 of the base 34.
- the first side wall 48 will be aligned perpendicular, that is at 90 degrees, to the cutting edge 46.
- the second side wall 50 is aligned in an angle of at least 15° relative to the cutting edge 46.
- the second side wall 50 is located inward of the first side wall 48 and terminates at a third surface 54.
- the third surface 54 is located intermediate the first surface 40 and the second surface 42.
- the third surface 54 is spaced below the first surface 40 by a distance "d".
- the actual distance between the first surface 40 and the third surface 54 can vary but normally will be about equal to the thickness of the article 24 which is to be cut.
- the distance of the third surface 54 below the first surface 40 can be between 0.26 cm (0.1 inches) to 0.32 cm (.125 inches).
- the distance “d” also represents the height of the knife 44.
- the distance "d” can be affected by the type of material 22 which is being cut, the thickness of the material, whether the material is compressible, whether the material is formed from a single layer or from a plurality of layers, whether the layers are bonded together by an adhesive, as well as the particular characteristics of the material itself.
- thermoplastic film may react differently to be cut than a fibrous nonwoven web.
- distance "d" could be less than the thickness of the material 22 because the cut may not have to extend as far through the material as with a thicker product.
- the second side wall 50 is aligned at an angle ⁇ of at least 15° relative to the cutting edge 46.
- the angle ⁇ is between 15° to 50° relative to the cutting edge 46, and more preferably, the angle ⁇ is between 15° to 40° relative to the cutting edge 46. It is important that the second side wall 50 be angled relative to the cutting edge 46 at an angle ⁇ of at least 15° because the design of the insert 18 leaves very little support for the knife 44. Since the first side wall 48 is approximately perpendicularly aligned to the cutting edge 46, all support provided to the knife 44 will have to come from the material present between the first side wall 48 and the second side wall 50. If the angle ⁇ is less than 15°, there is a high probability that the cutting edge 46 will crack or chip as the material 22 is being cut because the forces acting on the cutting edge 46 can become very high.
- the replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert 18 further includes means for removably attaching the base 34 to at least a portion of the outer circumference 16 of the die shaft 14.
- the die shaft 14 can have one or more, and preferably a plurality of replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting inserts 18 mounted about its outer circumference 16.
- the inserts 18 can be arranged so that they are equally spaced apart from one another or they can be arranged such that the outer periphery of one will contact the outer periphery of an adjacent insert 18.
- inserts 18 are grouped around a portion of the outer circumference 16 while another portion of the outer circumference 16 is void of any inserts.
- the particular arrangement and the spacing of the inserts 18 will depend upon the type of material which is to be cut and the particular configuration of the articles which are to be cut.
- One means for removably attaching the die cutting inserts 18 to the die shaft 14 includes forming at least one aperture 56 adjacent to each of the first and second ends, 36 and 38 respectively.
- a pair of apertures 56 are formed adjacent to each of the ends, 36 and 38 respectively, so as to permit each insert 18 to be correctly secured to the die shaft 14 without introducing unwanted forces into each insert 18.
- Each of the apertures 56 extends completely through the base 34 from the third surface 54 to the second surface 42.
- the apertures 56 are not threaded but do contain a counterbore 58 located adjacent to the third surface 54.
- Each counterbore 58 is sized and configured to receive the head of a machine bolt 60, see Fig. 4, which will attach the insert 18 to the die shaft 14.
- a threaded machine bolt 60 is shown positioned in one of the apertures 56.
- the bolt 60 is aligned with and threaded into a threaded bore or aperture 62 formed in the die shaft 14.
- the bolt 60 contains a head 64 and a threaded shank 65.
- the head 64 is larger than the threaded shank 65 and is designed to seat in the counterbore 58 when the insert 18 is mounted onto the die shaft 14. When assembled, the head 64 will be flush with the third surface 54.
- Each of the machine bolts 60 can have a predetermined thread pitch.
- the length of the threads and the number of threads per inch can vary depending upon one's application.
- the size and style of the bolts 60 can be selected depending upon the size and configuration of the replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert 18. It should be noted that it is desirable to tighten the bolts 60 to a relatively high torque setting, for example between 690 kPa (100 pounds per square inch (psi)) to 6900 kPa (1000 psi). Preferably, each bolt 60 is tightened to a torque setting of between 1380 kPa (200 psi) to 3450 kPa (500 psi), and more preferably, between 2760 kPa (400 ps) to 3450 kPa (500 psi).
- a relatively high torque setting for example between 690 kPa (100 pounds per square inch (psi)) to 6900 kPa (1000 psi).
- each bolt 60 is tightened to a torque setting of between 1380 kPa (200 psi) to 3450 kPa (500 psi), and more preferably
- One bolt size which works well in mounting an insert measuring 15.2 cm (six inches) in length, 5.1 cm (two inches) in width and 1.9 cm (.75 inches) in depth to a die shaft 14 is a bolt 60 having the following diameter (inches) and thread .3125-24 UAF. It is also advantageous to drill and tap the threaded bore 62 to a depth which is greater than the threaded length of the bolt shank 65 so that the bolt 60 will not bottom-out in the threaded bore 62. This difference in length will allow the bolt 60 to be properly torqued during assembly.
- the bolts 60 should be sized and configured to mate with each pair of the coaxially aligned apertures 56 and 62. It should be noted that when each of the die cutting inserts 18 contains a single aperture 56 formed adjacent to each end, 36 and 38 respectively, that only two threaded bolts 60 will be required to secure each insert 18 to the die shaft 14. However, when each of the die cutting inserts 18 contains two apertures 56 formed adjacent to each end, 36 and 38 respectively, four threaded bolts 60 will be required to secure each insert 18 to the die shaft 14.
- one of the threaded bores 62 is shown. It should be realized that there will be a plurality of threaded bores 62, one for each of the corresponding apertures 56 formed in each of the inserts 18. It is possible to arrange the threaded bores 62 in the die shaft 14 such that various sizes of inserts 18 can be assembled onto the die shaft 14 at a later time. By forming more threaded bores 16 than needed and arranging them at different locations about the outer circumference 16 of the die shaft 14, one can use a single die shaft 14 to accommodate two or more different style of die cutting inserts 18.
- Each counterbore 66 begins at the outer circumference 16 of the die shaft 14 and has a depth of at least 0.13 cm (.05 inches). Preferably, the depth will range from 0.26 cm (.1 inches) to 0.51 cm (.2 inches), and more preferably, the depth will range between 0.26 cm (.1 inches) and 0.38 cm (.15 inches). A depth of 0.32 cm (.125 inches) works well when the threaded bores 62 have a diameter of 0.79 cm (.3125 inches) or greater.
- the presence of the counterbores 66 are important for they functions to relieve compressive stresses in the metal from which the die shaft 14 is constructed.
- Such force can occur as the replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting inserts 18 are secured to the die shaft 14. It has been found that as a machine bolt 60 is threaded into the threaded bore 62 and then torqued to a relatively high inch pound value, that the metal forming the die shaft 14, on a microscopic scale, can actually buckle or deform as the die shaft 14 is drawn up against the insert 18. By forming the counterbore 66 at the open end of the threaded bore 62, one can minimize the amount of compressive stresses and forces which are developed.
- the Insert 18 can also contains a pin hole 68 formed at the intersection of the central longitudinal axis X-X and the central transverse axis Y-Y.
- the pin hole 68 is designed to be coaxially aligned with a hole or bore formed in the die shaft 14 such that a pin can be inserted through the pin hole 68 and serve to physically align the insert 18 onto the die shaft 14.
- the bolts 60 can be threaded into the threaded bores 62.
- the pin hole 68 is an optional feature and is present only for convenience in mounting the insert 18 onto the die shaft 14.
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to a knife shaft assembly according to the preamble of claim 1 (see, for example, DE-A-14 36 912) for the rotary die cutter and the die cutter itself.
- A rotary die cutter includes a rotatable anvil roll which cooperates with a rotatable knife shaft assembly. The knife shaft assembly has an outer circumference with at least one die cutter associated therewith. The knife shaft assembly cooperates with the anvil roll to form a nip through which a web of material can pass. As a web of material passes between the nip, the die cutter will cut the material into a predetermined shape.
- Since the nip between the anvil roll and the knife shaft assembly is very small, it is necessary that the anvil roll and the knife shaft assembly be manufactured to very close tolerances. Because of the close tolerances, most rotary die cutters utilize a solid die shaft having the die cutters integrally formed thereon. When replaceable die cutting inserts have been mounted onto the circumference of a rotatable die shaft, it has been found that it becomes difficult to maintain the required close tolerances. In addition, it is difficult to attach the die cutting inserts without also introducing additional forces which can cause the inserts to flex under load. Up until now, in order to assure that the nip dimension remains constant, it was necessary to regrind the die cutting inserts after they were mounted on the knife shaft assembly to assure that the correct nip dimension would be present. This was particularly necessary when two or more die cutting inserts were mounted about the outer periphery of a die shaft.
- Rotary die cutters are used in many different industries to cut many different types of material. For example, rotary die cutters can be employed to cut paper, cardboard, plastic, laminates formed of two or more layers, absorbent materials such as wood pulp fluff, webs formed from natural or synthetic fibers, cellulose fluff, tissue, cotton, rayon and various other types of woven and nonwoven materials. Rotary die cutters are particularly useful in cutting a plurality of layers of different material which have been assembled to form an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin or a pantiliner. Such products are normally constructed, from top to bottom, of a liquid-permeable cover sheet, one or more absorbent layers, a liquid-impermeable baffle, a layer of garment attachment adhesive and a removable peel strip. The various layers are normally bonded together by a construction adhesive and the article usually has a total thickness of between 0.26 cm (0.1 inches) to 2.54 cm (1.0 inch).
- Now a replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert for a rotary die cutter has been invented along with the die itself. Each replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert has a unique configuration and includes mounting means for properly securing it to the outer circumference of a knife shaft assembly.
- This invention relates to a knife shaft assembly to claim 1.
- The general object of this invention is to provide a knife shaft assembly having replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert attached thereto which can be removed without requiring the inserts to be reground in order to obtain the right clearance nip between the anvil roll and the knife shaft assembly.
- A further object of this invention is to provide a rotary die cutter having a rotatable anvil roll mating with a rotatable knife shaft assembly to form a nip therebetween and having one or more replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting inserts mounted about its outer circumference of the knife shaft.
- Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the following description and the accompanying drawings.
-
- Fig. 1 is a schematic of a rotary die cutter showing a rotatable anvil roll cooperating with a rotatable knife shaft assembly to form a nip therebetween and having a web of material passing through the nip.
- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert.
- Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the cutting edges and the mounting holes for attaching the insert to a die shaft.
- Fig. 4 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of a portion of the replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting insert mounted to a portion of the outer circumference of the die shaft.
-
- Referring to Fig. 1, a
rotary die cutter 10 is shown which includes arotatable anvil roll 12 cooperating with a rotatableknife shaft assembly 13. Theanvil roll 12 can be constructed of a ferrous or non-ferrous metal and should have a smooth surface. Theanvil roll 12 can be formed from a material which is compressible, such as neoprene rubber or from a non-compressible material, such as steel. For most applications, it is preferred that theanvil roll 12 be a metal roll. - The
knife shaft assembly 13 includes adie shaft 14 with anouter circumference 16 and at least one replaceable and/or interchangeabledie cutting insert 18 mounted onto thedie shaft 14. By replaceable it is meant that theinsert 18 can be unbolted and removed from thedie shaft 14, cleaned, reground or machined in some fashion and then secured back onto thedie shaft 14 in its original position. By interchangeable, it is meant that each of thedie inserts 18 is capable of being mutually interchanged with anyother insert 18. This interchangeability feature is very important because, up until now, it has been virtually impossible to produce replaceable andinterchangeable inserts 18 for arotary die cutter 10 while still maintaining the nip dimension between theanvil roll 12 and theknife shaft assembly 13. - The
knife shaft assembly 13 can be constructed of a metal, for example steel, and should have an outer circumference machined to a very close tolerance. Thedie shaft 14 can have one or more, preferably severaldie cutting inserts 18 mounted to itsouter circumference 16. As depicted in Fig. 1, there are fourdie cutting inserts 18 equally spaced about theouter circumference 18 of thedie shaft 14. Theanvil roll 12 and theknife shaft assembly 13 cooperate to form anip 20 therebetween through which a web ofmaterial 22 can pass. As theanvil roll 12 and theknife shaft assembly 13 are rotated in opposite directions, the web ofmaterial 22 can pass through thenip 20 and be cut by thedie cutting inserts 18 into individual articles 24. The articles 24 can be transported by conventional means, such as aconveyor 26, to a location where they can be stacked, packaged and later shipped. Anywaste trim 30 from therotary die cutter 10 can be directed away from thenip 20 by aconduit 28 using vacuum, air pressure, gravity or mechanical means. Thewaste trim 30 can then be collected in a hopper 32 for possible recycling or some other means of disposal. - Referring to Fig. 2, a replaceable and/or interchangeable
die cutting insert 18 is shown before it is secured to thedie shaft 14. The replaceable and/or interchangeabledie cutting insert 18 has an arcuately-shaped base 34 formed on a predetermined radius. Thebase 34 has first and second spaced apart ends, 36 and 38 respectively, and first and second oppositely aligned surfaces, 40 and 42 respectively. Thefirst surface 40 will face theanvil roll 12 when theinserts 18 are assembled onto theknife shaft assembly 13. Thesecond surface 42 will be concave so as to match theouter circumference 16 of thedie shaft 14 onto which theinsert 18 is to be secured. It is common to machine thesecond surface 42 to have a tolerance of plus or minus 0.00026 cm (.0001 inches) so as to facilitate a proper attachment between thedie cutting insert 18 and thedie shaft 14. If thesecond surface 42 is not machined to closely match theouter circumference 16 of thedie shaft 14, then it is possible for additional compressive forces to develop as eachinsert 18 is secured to thedie shaft 14. The presence of such compressive forces can alter the dimension of thenip 20, and this is undesirable. - Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the
die cutting insert 18 is shown having aknife 44 which is integrally formed about the periphery of thefirst surface 40. Preferably, theknife 44 is a continuous element but could be serrated if desired. Theknife 44 has acutting edge 46 and first and second side waits, 48 and 50 respectively. Thecutting edge 46 has a width of less than 0.013 cm (.005 inches). Preferably, the width of thecutting edge 46 is between 0.0013 cm (.0005) to 0.01cm (.004 inches), and most preferably, the width is between 0.003 cm (.001) to 0.005 cm (.002 inches). The width of thecutting edge 46 is very important because if the thickness becomes too great, it will be more difficult to cleanly cut thematerial 22 passing through thenip 20. For example, instead of making a clean cut, thecutting edge 46 could compressed thematerial 22 and allow thematerial 22 to be torn or broken and thereby produce a ragged cut. - As shown in Fig. 3, the
first side wall 48 is aligned approximately perpendicular to thecutting edge 46. In other words, thefirst side wall 48 is coextensively aligned with theoutside periphery 52 of thebase 34. Preferably, thefirst side wall 48 will be aligned perpendicular, that is at 90 degrees, to thecutting edge 46. Thesecond side wall 50 is aligned in an angle of at least 15° relative to thecutting edge 46. Thesecond side wall 50 is located inward of thefirst side wall 48 and terminates at athird surface 54. Thethird surface 54 is located intermediate thefirst surface 40 and thesecond surface 42. Thethird surface 54 is spaced below thefirst surface 40 by a distance "d". The actual distance between thefirst surface 40 and thethird surface 54 can vary but normally will be about equal to the thickness of the article 24 which is to be cut. For example, when cutting a compressible article having a total thickness of 0.32 cm (.125 inches), the distance of thethird surface 54 below thefirst surface 40 can be between 0.26 cm (0.1 inches) to 0.32 cm (.125 inches). The distance "d" also represents the height of theknife 44. The distance "d" can be affected by the type ofmaterial 22 which is being cut, the thickness of the material, whether the material is compressible, whether the material is formed from a single layer or from a plurality of layers, whether the layers are bonded together by an adhesive, as well as the particular characteristics of the material itself. For example, a thermoplastic film may react differently to be cut than a fibrous nonwoven web. It should also be noted that when cutting thinner materials, that the distance "d" could be less than the thickness of the material 22 because the cut may not have to extend as far through the material as with a thicker product. When cutting thematerial 22, it is not necessary that thecutting edge 46 actually contact theanvil roll 12. In fact, the life of the cutting dieinsert 18 can be extended when thecutting edge 46 does not physically contact theanvil roll 12. - The
second side wall 50 is aligned at an angle α of at least 15° relative to thecutting edge 46. Preferably, the angle α is between 15° to 50° relative to thecutting edge 46, and more preferably, the angle α is between 15° to 40° relative to thecutting edge 46. It is important that thesecond side wall 50 be angled relative to thecutting edge 46 at an angle α of at least 15° because the design of theinsert 18 leaves very little support for theknife 44. Since thefirst side wall 48 is approximately perpendicularly aligned to thecutting edge 46, all support provided to theknife 44 will have to come from the material present between thefirst side wall 48 and thesecond side wall 50. If the angle α is less than 15°, there is a high probability that thecutting edge 46 will crack or chip as thematerial 22 is being cut because the forces acting on thecutting edge 46 can become very high. - Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the replaceable and/or interchangeable
die cutting insert 18 further includes means for removably attaching the base 34 to at least a portion of theouter circumference 16 of thedie shaft 14. It should be noted that thedie shaft 14 can have one or more, and preferably a plurality of replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting inserts 18 mounted about itsouter circumference 16. Theinserts 18 can be arranged so that they are equally spaced apart from one another or they can be arranged such that the outer periphery of one will contact the outer periphery of anadjacent insert 18. It is also possible to mount theinserts 18 on theouter circumference 16 of thedie shaft 14 such that theinserts 18 are grouped around a portion of theouter circumference 16 while another portion of theouter circumference 16 is void of any inserts. The particular arrangement and the spacing of theinserts 18 will depend upon the type of material which is to be cut and the particular configuration of the articles which are to be cut. - One means for removably attaching the
die cutting inserts 18 to thedie shaft 14 includes forming at least oneaperture 56 adjacent to each of the first and second ends, 36 and 38 respectively. Preferably, a pair ofapertures 56 are formed adjacent to each of the ends, 36 and 38 respectively, so as to permit eachinsert 18 to be correctly secured to thedie shaft 14 without introducing unwanted forces into eachinsert 18. Each of theapertures 56 extends completely through the base 34 from thethird surface 54 to thesecond surface 42. Theapertures 56 are not threaded but do contain acounterbore 58 located adjacent to thethird surface 54. Eachcounterbore 58 is sized and configured to receive the head of amachine bolt 60, see Fig. 4, which will attach theinsert 18 to thedie shaft 14. - Referring to Fig. 4, a threaded
machine bolt 60 is shown positioned in one of theapertures 56. Thebolt 60 is aligned with and threaded into a threaded bore oraperture 62 formed in thedie shaft 14. Thebolt 60 contains ahead 64 and a threadedshank 65. Thehead 64 is larger than the threadedshank 65 and is designed to seat in thecounterbore 58 when theinsert 18 is mounted onto thedie shaft 14. When assembled, thehead 64 will be flush with thethird surface 54. Each of themachine bolts 60 can have a predetermined thread pitch. In addition, the length of the threads and the number of threads per inch can vary depending upon one's application. The size and style of thebolts 60 can be selected depending upon the size and configuration of the replaceable and/or interchangeabledie cutting insert 18. It should be noted that it is desirable to tighten thebolts 60 to a relatively high torque setting, for example between 690 kPa (100 pounds per square inch (psi)) to 6900 kPa (1000 psi). Preferably, eachbolt 60 is tightened to a torque setting of between 1380 kPa (200 psi) to 3450 kPa (500 psi), and more preferably, between 2760 kPa (400 ps) to 3450 kPa (500 psi). To facilitate the torquing of thebolts 60, it is recommended that a fine thread be used instead of a course thread. One bolt size which works well in mounting an insert measuring 15.2 cm (six inches) in length, 5.1 cm (two inches) in width and 1.9 cm (.75 inches) in depth to adie shaft 14 is abolt 60 having the following diameter (inches) and thread .3125-24 UAF. It is also advantageous to drill and tap the threaded bore 62 to a depth which is greater than the threaded length of thebolt shank 65 so that thebolt 60 will not bottom-out in the threaded bore 62. This difference in length will allow thebolt 60 to be properly torqued during assembly. - In order to properly secure the replaceable and/or interchangeable
die cutting inserts 18 to thedie shaft 14, thebolts 60 should be sized and configured to mate with each pair of the coaxially alignedapertures die cutting inserts 18 contains asingle aperture 56 formed adjacent to each end, 36 and 38 respectively, that only two threadedbolts 60 will be required to secure each insert 18 to thedie shaft 14. However, when each of thedie cutting inserts 18 contains twoapertures 56 formed adjacent to each end, 36 and 38 respectively, four threadedbolts 60 will be required to secure each insert 18 to thedie shaft 14. - Referring again to Fig. 4, one of the threaded bores 62 is shown. It should be realized that there will be a plurality of threaded bores 62, one for each of the corresponding
apertures 56 formed in each of theinserts 18. It is possible to arrange the threaded bores 62 in thedie shaft 14 such that various sizes ofinserts 18 can be assembled onto thedie shaft 14 at a later time. By forming more threadedbores 16 than needed and arranging them at different locations about theouter circumference 16 of thedie shaft 14, one can use asingle die shaft 14 to accommodate two or more different style of die cutting inserts 18. - It has also been found to be extremely advantageous to form a
counterbore 66 at the open end of each of the threaded bores 62. Eachcounterbore 66 begins at theouter circumference 16 of thedie shaft 14 and has a depth of at least 0.13 cm (.05 inches). Preferably, the depth will range from 0.26 cm (.1 inches) to 0.51 cm (.2 inches), and more preferably, the depth will range between 0.26 cm (.1 inches) and 0.38 cm (.15 inches). A depth of 0.32 cm (.125 inches) works well when the threaded bores 62 have a diameter of 0.79 cm (.3125 inches) or greater. The presence of thecounterbores 66 are important for they functions to relieve compressive stresses in the metal from which thedie shaft 14 is constructed. Such force can occur as the replaceable and/or interchangeable die cutting inserts 18 are secured to thedie shaft 14. It has been found that as amachine bolt 60 is threaded into the threaded bore 62 and then torqued to a relatively high inch pound value, that the metal forming thedie shaft 14, on a microscopic scale, can actually buckle or deform as thedie shaft 14 is drawn up against theinsert 18. By forming thecounterbore 66 at the open end of the threaded bore 62, one can minimize the amount of compressive stresses and forces which are developed. - Referring again to Fig. 2, the
Insert 18 can also contains apin hole 68 formed at the intersection of the central longitudinal axis X-X and the central transverse axis Y-Y. Thepin hole 68 is designed to be coaxially aligned with a hole or bore formed in thedie shaft 14 such that a pin can be inserted through thepin hole 68 and serve to physically align theinsert 18 onto thedie shaft 14. Once the insert is aligned and held in position by a pin (not shown), thebolts 60 can be threaded into the threaded bores 62. It should be noted that thepin hole 68 is an optional feature and is present only for convenience in mounting theinsert 18 onto thedie shaft 14. - While the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the aforegoing description. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations which fall within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (17)
- A knife shaft assembly (13) comprising:a) a rotatable die shaft (14) having an outer circumference, said die shaft (14) having a plurality of threaded bores (62);b) at least one die cutting insert (18) comprising a base (34) formed on a predetermined radius, said base having first and second spaced apart ends (36, 38) and first and second oppositely aligned surfaces (40, 42);
a knife (44) having a cutting edge (46) having a width of less than 0.013 cm (.005 inches), and first and second side walls (48, 50); and
means for removably attaching said base to said die shaft (14), said means including at least one aperture (56) formed adjacent to each of said first and second ends (36, 38), said apertures (56) extending completely through said base (34), and at least two threaded bolts (60) sized to mate with said apertures (56) and secure said insert (18) to said die shaft (14), - The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 1 wherein said base (34) has an outside periphery (52) and said first sidewall (48) is coextensive with said outside periphery (52) of said base (34).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 1 or 2 wherein said second sidewall (50) is located inward of said first sidewall (48).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 3 wherein said second sidewall (50) terminates into a third surface (54) which is located intermediate said first and second surfaces (40, 42).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 4 wherein said third surface (54) is spaced at least 0.013 cm (.005 inches) below said first surface (40).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of one of the preceding claims wherein said second sidewall (50) is aligned at an angle of between 15 degrees to 50 degrees relative to said cutting edge (46).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 6 wherein said second sidewall (50) is aligned at an angle of between 15 degrees to 40 degrees relative to said cutting edge (46).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of one of the preceding claims wherein said cutting edge (46) has a width of between 0.0013 cm (.0005 inches) to 0.01 cm (.004 inches).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 8 wherein said cutting edge (46) has a width of between 0.003 cm (.001 inches) to 0.005 cm (.002 inches).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the insert (18) is replaceable and/or interchangeable.
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 10, wherein the base (34) is arcuately shaped.
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the knife is a continuous knife (44) and is integrally formed about the periphery of said first surface (40).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of one of the preceding claims, wherein said means for removably attaching said base (34) to at least a portion of the outer circumference (16) of the die shaft (14) include a pair of apertures (56) formed adjacent to each of said first and second ends (36, 38), and said means further including four threaded bolts (60) sized to mate with said apertures (56) and secure said insert (18) to said die shaft (14).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of one of the preceding claims, wherein each of said counterbores (66) has a depth of at least 0.13 cm (0.05 inch).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 14 wherein each of said counterbores (66) has a depth from 0.26 cm (0.1 inch) to 0.51 cm (0.2 inch).
- The knife shaft assembly (13) of claim 15 wherein each of said counterbores (66) has a depth of about 0.32 cm (0.125 inch).
- A rotary die cutter (10) comprising:a) a rotatable anvil roll (12);b) the knife shaft assembly of one of the preceding claims, each of said die cutting inserts (18) cooperating with said anvil roll (12) to form a nip (20) therebetween.
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US1063696P | 1996-01-26 | 1996-01-26 | |
US10636P | 1996-01-26 | ||
US66757896A | 1996-06-21 | 1996-06-21 | |
US667578 | 1996-06-21 | ||
PCT/US1996/020711 WO1997027033A1 (en) | 1996-01-26 | 1996-12-19 | A die cutting insert for a rotary die cutter and the die cutter itself |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0876246A1 EP0876246A1 (en) | 1998-11-11 |
EP0876246B1 true EP0876246B1 (en) | 2003-06-11 |
Family
ID=26681410
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP96945072A Expired - Lifetime EP0876246B1 (en) | 1996-01-26 | 1996-12-19 | A knife shaft assembly with die cutting inserts for a rotary die cutter and the die cutter itself |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0876246B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2000503262A (en) |
KR (1) | KR100441574B1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU1352897A (en) |
DE (1) | DE69628668T8 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1997027033A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5967009A (en) * | 1996-05-30 | 1999-10-19 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Rotary knife apparatus and cutting method |
SE528041C2 (en) * | 2004-07-02 | 2006-08-15 | Sandvik Intellectual Property | Rotary knife and rotary knife unit with such a rotary knife |
CN104057493A (en) * | 2014-06-24 | 2014-09-24 | 吴中区甪直渡岘工艺品厂 | Rolling cutter |
CN109434954A (en) * | 2018-10-29 | 2019-03-08 | 苏州中航盛世刀辊制造有限公司 | A kind of die cutter roller device with waste discharge function |
CN114012166B (en) * | 2021-11-01 | 2023-03-10 | 江苏华宏科技股份有限公司 | Sheet material shearing system and saw-tooth-shaped multi-cutter shear thereof |
Family Cites Families (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB191416735A (en) * | 1914-07-14 | 1915-07-01 | Ammon Bird | Improvements in and relating to Press Cutters, for Labels, and other Articles of Paper, Leather and the like. |
US1738271A (en) * | 1926-03-25 | 1929-12-03 | Box Blank Corp | Die roll |
US2381955A (en) * | 1943-12-04 | 1945-08-14 | P L Andrews Corp | Envelope machine |
DE1436912C3 (en) * | 1963-03-21 | 1975-07-17 | F.L.Smithe Machine Co. Inc., New York, N.Y. (V.St.A.) | Rotary die cutter for paper |
FR1420429A (en) * | 1964-09-25 | 1965-12-10 | Linear stamp usable as cutting element | |
US3744384A (en) * | 1970-02-21 | 1973-07-10 | Masson Scott Thrissell Eng Ltd | Rollers for cutting,creasing,perforating or embossing sheet materials |
US3792637A (en) * | 1972-06-07 | 1974-02-19 | Container Graphics Corp | Rotary die and cutting rule |
US4412467A (en) * | 1981-09-14 | 1983-11-01 | Lehigh Steck Warlick | Cylinder-mounted cutter |
JPS63312099A (en) * | 1987-06-10 | 1988-12-20 | 株式会社レザック | Knife for punching sheet |
DE3927106A1 (en) * | 1989-08-17 | 1991-02-21 | Schober Werkzeug & Maschbau | CUTTING ROLLER OR PUNCHING CYLINDER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUCH |
EP0525327B1 (en) * | 1991-08-02 | 1995-03-01 | EUGEN DROHMANN GmbH STANZMESSER UND WERKZEUGFABRIK | Cutting die |
-
1996
- 1996-12-19 DE DE69628668T patent/DE69628668T8/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1996-12-19 WO PCT/US1996/020711 patent/WO1997027033A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1996-12-19 AU AU13528/97A patent/AU1352897A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1996-12-19 EP EP96945072A patent/EP0876246B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1996-12-19 KR KR10-1998-0705750A patent/KR100441574B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1996-12-19 JP JP09526335A patent/JP2000503262A/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
KR19990082030A (en) | 1999-11-15 |
DE69628668T8 (en) | 2004-08-12 |
DE69628668T2 (en) | 2004-04-29 |
AU1352897A (en) | 1997-08-20 |
KR100441574B1 (en) | 2004-12-03 |
DE69628668D1 (en) | 2003-07-17 |
EP0876246A1 (en) | 1998-11-11 |
JP2000503262A (en) | 2000-03-21 |
WO1997027033A1 (en) | 1997-07-31 |
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