WO2005065930A1

WO2005065930A1 - A tool and a method for creating a tool

Info

Publication number: WO2005065930A1
Application number: PCT/US2003/038542
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Manuel
Original assignee: Mark Manuel
Priority date: 2003-12-04
Filing date: 2003-12-04
Publication date: 2005-07-21
Also published as: AU2003298874A1

Abstract

A method for forming a tool (10) and a tool (10) which is comprised of several selectively coupled sectional members, such as members (12, 16), which are placed upon a heat resistant surface (20). A sealing material (24), such as copper in a solid molecular state, is placed around the periphery of the tool (10). The copper in a solid molecular state (24), the heat resistant surface (20), and the tool (10) are placed within a heat source which transforms the copper in a solid molecular state (24) into liquid which flows within the gaps, such as gap (41) and within knife edges (26, 28) which exists within the tool (10). After the copper (24) cools, the cooper (24) reinforces and strengthens the tool (10).

Description

A TOOL AND A METHOD FOR CREATING A TOOL

Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a tool and to a method for creating a tool and more particularly, to a laminated tool which is formed • by the creation and the selective coupling of members which have certain respective attributes and which are rigidly and selectively sealed in

• an efficient manner, thereby allowing for the creation of a relatively strong tool .

Background of the Invention

A production or a prototype tool, such as a mold, die, or other object formation apparatus is used to repeatedly form or create substantially similar objects or products. Conventional tooling methodologies and strategies (e.g., stamping, molding, and casting) typically require a solid block of material (e.g., a wrought block of solid steel) to be machined, burned, or . otherwise "worked" into a desired shape or form, thereby forming or creating a tool having a desired shape and geometrical configuration. While these strategies and methodologies do produce tools having a desired shape or form, these strategies and methodologies

are relatively expensive and inefficient and/or time

consuming.

Alternatively, the tool may be formed by a laminar

process in which various sectional members or laminates are

created and selectively coupled (e.g., by gluing, bolting,

welding, or bonding) , effective to allow the coupled

members or laminates to cooperatively form the tool (i.e.,

as the separate and respective laminates are formed, they

are stacked and coupled to collectively form the desired

tool) . Particularly, the laminar process of forming a tool

is a relatively cost effective, efficient, and simple

method for producing production and/or prototype tools .

However, tools which are formed by a laminar process

are oftentimes structurally weaker or suffer from an

overall weaker constitution than those formed by the

conventional process of machining due to a failure to

adequately or fully and rigidly secure the sections or

laminates together. Any movement in the sections will

undesirably cause the surface of tool to change, thereby

causing the production of inferior and "out of tolerance"

components. Moreover, a further drawback associated with

laminated tooling is the difficulty in developing or creating a smooth continuous angled surface formed by adjacently coupled laminates or sectional plates. That is,

• "knife edges" typically exist between adjacent sections or laminates which cooperately form a greatly varying surface contour. A "knife edge^"" is an edge or axis which is disposed within a greatly varying surface formed by a pair of adjacently coupled laminates. By way of example and without limitation, these "knife edges" undesirably disturb the relatively smooth transition between adjacently coupled plates or laminates, thereby causing a poor and undesirable surface finish. Moreover, these "knife edges" are very thin and relatively fragile and are likely to prematurely fail, and become easily damaged during machining and finishing. Moreover, when a tool having "knife edges" is used in injection molds, the injected material tends to peel the laminate in the vicinity of the knife edges, thereby significantly lowering the usable life of the tool. Moreover, such "knife edges" make the tolerances associated with and required of the production parts very difficult to maintain. Hence, it should be realized that each of the aforementioned problems or drawbacks results in a substantially ineffective tool, higher production costs, and inefficient overall operation. There is therefore a need for a method to selectively

create a laminated tool which overcomes some or all of the

previously delineated drawbacks of prior techniques and

strategies. Moreover, there is a further need to form a

laminated tool ^"by the use of a method which allows for

"knife edges" to be seamlessly "blended" or eliminated in a

relatively fast, inexpensive, and efficient manner. There

is also a need to form a relatively strong tool which

overcomes some or all of the previous delineated

disadvantages of pror tools formed by a laminar process.

These and other needs are addressed by the present

invention, as is more fully delineated below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a first non-limiting advantage of the present

invention to provide a method for creating a laminated tool

which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated'

drawbacks of prior techniques.

It is a second non-limiting advantage of the present

invention to provide a tool which is relatively strong.

It is a third non-limiting advantage of the present

invention to provide a method for creating a laminated tool

which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks associated with prior laminating tooling

methodologies and which, by way of example and without

limitation, allows for the efficient formation of a

relatively smooth surface which is cooperatively formed by

a pair of adjacently coupled laminates.

According to a first aspect of the present invention,

a tool is provided. Particularly, the tool comprises at

least a first and a second section, the at least second

section being attached to the at least first section; and a

sealer material disposed between the at least first and

second sections.

According to a second aspect of the present invention

a laminated tool is provided. Particularly, the laminated

tool is made by the process of creating a first member of a

certain shape; creating a second member of a certain shape;

registering the first member with the second member;

attaching the second member to the first member; providing

a certain material; placing the certain material in close

proximity to the first and second members; and heating the

first and second member and the certain material, effective

to cause the certain material to flow between the first and

second members . According to a third aspect of the present invention,

a method is provided for creating a tool. The method

includes the steps of forming a first member having a

certain shape; forming a second member having a certain

shape; attaching the first member to the second member;

placing the attached first and second members on a surface;

disposing a certain material around the periphery of the

attached first and second members; heating the surface, the

attached first and second members, and the certain material

for a predetermined amount of time; and removing the

attached first and second members from the heat source.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of

the present invention will become apparent to those of

ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following

detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the

invention and by reference to the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tool which is made

in accordance with the teachings of the preferred

embodiment of the invention in combination with a heat

resistant surface and sealer material . Figure 2 is a perspective unassembled view of the tool

which is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view which is similar to that which is

shown in Figure 1 but illustrating the flow of the sealer

material into gaps which reside within the tool .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE

INVENTION

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a

tool 10 which is made in accordance with the teachings of

the preferred embodiment of the invention. It should be realized that tool 10 may be of any substantially desired

shape or geometric configuration and that nothing in this

Application is intended to limit the applicability of the

invention to a particular type of tool or apparatus.

Rather, the tool 10 is only one non-limiting example of a

tool which may be produced according to the invention.

Particularly, tool 10 is made by the use of a

lamination process in which several sectional members, such

as sectional members 12, 16 are selectively formed and then

selectively coupled or connected in a predetermined manner

in order to cooperatively form the tool 10. It should be appreciated that nothing in this Application is meant to

limit the applicability of the invention to a particular

type, shape, ^' or configuration of sectional members.

Moreover, the sectional members which are shown in Figures

1-3, such as sectional members 12, 16, are used for

illustrative purposes only and are not meant to limit the

scope of the invention in any manner.

Particularly, as will be noted from the discussion

below and according to the preferred embodiment of the

invention, some of seams, such as seam 18, which are formed

between adjacent and bonded sectional members, such as

members 12, 16, reside within a generally flat surface

portion of the tool 10 and generally do not pose the same

difficulties which are associated with knife edges . The

term "adjacent", in this description, means the sectional

members are physically and abuttingly connected within or

as part of the tool 10.

Particularly, the sectional members, such as sectional

members 12, 16, are connected (e.g., by conventional

lamination techniques), thereby forming the seams 18.

Hence, a seam 18 is formed by the registration (e.g., the

at least partial "alignment") of a first one of the

sections with a second one of the sections. These utilized sections may be of any desired and respective shape, size,

and/or geometric configuration. Moreover, abutting sections

may have a respective and unique or different shape.

Furthermore, the laminated tool 10 also includes

"knife edges" or "knife type seams" 26, 28 which are

respectively formed between the sectional pairs 29, 30; and

30, 32 and are substantially and structurally weaker than

the seam 18 (e.g., prone to failure and having the

drawbacks which have been discussed above) . Particularly,

edge 26 is created between the angled portion 35 of section

29 and the angled portion 37 of section 30, thereby forming

seam 26 which resides within a greatly varying surface

contour region of the tool 10. Knife edge 28 is formed

between the angle portion 37 of section 30 and the

substantially flat face 39 of section 32. Gaps typically

exist within each of the seams 18, 26, 28. It should be

understood that nothing in this Application is meant to

limit the angles of the tool 10 to a certain angle or to

the number of "knife edges" 26, 28 which are formed by the

lamination process which is used to create the tool 10.

Rather, the location of seams 18 and "knife edges" 26, 28

are for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to

limit the invention in any manner. Cooling holes 14 may be formed within the tool 10 after the tool has been

constructed in a conventional manner (e.g., by machining)

or these holes 14 may be formed from the registration of

holes which respectively occur within some or all of the

sections which are used to create the tool 10. Moreover,

gaps, such as gap 41, may reside within or be disposed

within the formed tool 10 (e.g., between sections 30, 32)

even after the sections, such as sections 30, 32 are

attached by a conventional lamination strategy. These gaps

may be created/formed by imperfections occurring upon the surface of certain sections, such as bumps, or by a

misalignment or misregistration of two adjacent sections.

Such gaps are also typically present along knife edges,

such as edges 26, 28 and within the seams 18. As earlier

-delineated, these gaps undesirably weaken the tool 10 and

may cause sections, forming the gap, to undesirably shift.

As best shown in Figure 1, according to the

methodology of the invention, the laminated tool 10 is subject to the methodology of the preferred embodiment of

the invention and, as such, the tool 10, according to the teachings of the present invention, represents or comprises a "pre-tool" apparatus (e.g., an apparatus which must be subjected to further processing in order to form a final tool having desired characteristics or attributes) .

Particularly apparatus or pre-tool 10 is disposed upon a

heat resistant surface 20 and discrete portions of sealable

material, such as copper 24 residing within or formed

within a substantially solid molecular state are

selectively placed upon the heat resistant surface 20 and

generally around the periphery of the laminated tool 10.

Hence, the laminated tool 10 is placed upon a heat

resistant surface 20 and a predetermined total volume of

the copper 24 is. placed upon the heat resistant surface 20

in selected positions around the base periphery 34 of the

tool 10. It should be understood that nothing in this

description is meant to limit the type of material which is

placed around the periphery of the tool 10. For example and

without limitation, the copper material may be replaced

with bronze or any other desired and selectively "meltable"

and "fiowable" material. It should be further understood

that the form or the shape of the selected bronze or copper

is not limited to a square sheet but can be utilized in a

powder form, block form, and coil form, and that nothing in

this description is meant to limit the invention to a

particular form of copper. In the preferred embodiment of

the invention, the total volume of copper which is disposed around the periphery of the pre-tool 10 is equal to the sum

of each volume of each gap present within the pre-tool 10

and, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, is

equal to about one half of the total volume of the pre-tool

10. Other calculatable amounts of the sealing and

reinforcement material 24 may be utilized.

As best .shown in Figure 3, after the calculated amount

of the copper in solid molecular state 24 is disposed on

the heat resistant surface 20 and around the base of the

laminated tool 10, the heat resistant surface 20, the

laminated tool 10, and the copper 24 are heated or placed

in a heat source (not shown) . For example and without

limitation, the heat source may comprise a furnace, an

oven, or substantially any other commercially available and

conventional heat source .

The heat source temperature is then raised to a

temperature which is above the melting point of the copper

24 (i.e., the temperature at which copper transforms from a

solid molecular state to a liquid molecular state, or

approximately 1000 degrees Celsius) , and the laminated tool

10 is contained or "baked" within the heat source for

approximately one-half of an hour (the "baking" time varies

depending on the size of the laminated tool) . During this "baking" time, the copper in solid molecular state 24 melts

into a liquid state or form and naturally flows or "wicks"

between all of- the coupled laminates and within all of the^'

gaps formed within the pre-tool 10 (i.e., the melted copper

25 naturally flows into the gaps, such as gap 41, which

exist within the laminated pre-tool, around the laminated

pre-tool 10, within the seams 18, and within the "knife

edges" 26, 28) at this temperature (i.e., 1000 degrees

Celsius) . Hence, the copper flows within and' seals the gaps

which may exist within the laminated pre-tool 10 and

reinforces or strengthens the pre-tool 10 such as in the

vicinity of the knife edges 26, 28 after the copper

sealingly and reinforceably cools, thereby forming a

"final" tool 10 having desired structural properties and

attributes.

It should be appreciated that the shear strength of

the laminated tool 10 using the process delineated above,

is approximately ninety percent that of a wrought block of

equivalent steel (i.e., the traditional material used in

the machining process) . It should also be appreciated that

the invention is not limited to the exact construction and

method which has been described above, but that various

alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as is

delineated in the following claims and that the cooper

material 24 functions as a sealant to strengthen the

previously coupled sectional members, thereby allowing a

relatively strong tool 10 to be^" constructed. It should also

be appreciated that the copper 24 may be applied to

adjacent pairs of sectional members, such as member 12, 16

shortly after the members 12, 16 are attached and that the

entire tool or pre-tool 10 need . not be subjected to the

foregoing process .

Claims

What is Claimed Is;

(1) A tool comprising at least a first and at least a

second section, said at least second section being coupled

to said at least first section; and sealing material which

is resident between said previously coupled sections .

(2) The tool of Claim 1 wherein said sealing material

comprises copper.

(3) The tool of Claim 1 wherein said sealing material

comprises bronze.

(4) A tool made by the process of creating a first member

of a certain shape; creating a second member of a certain

shape; registering the first member with the second member;

attaching said second member to said first member;

providing a certain material; placing the certain material

in close proximity to said first and second coupled

members; and heating said first and second members and said

certain material, effective to cause said certain material

to flow between said first and second member, thereby

forming a tool .

(5) The tool of Claim 4, wherein said certain material

comprises of copper.

(6) The tool of Claim 4, wherein said certain material

comprises of bronze.

(7) A method for creating a tool comprising the steps of: forming a first member having a certain shape; forming a second member having a certain shape; attaching said first member to said second member; placing said attached first and second members on a

surface ; disposing a certain material around the periphery of

said attached first and second members; placing said surface, said attached first and second

members, and said certain material- in a heat source which

provides a certain temperature for a predetermined amount

of time; and removing said attached first and second members from

said heat source,, effective to form a relatively strong

laminated tool.

(8) The method of Claim 7, wherein said step of placing

said attached- first and second members on a surface further

comprises the step of providing a surface which is heat

resistant .

(9) The method of Claim 7, wherein said step of disposing

a certain material around the periphery of said attached first and second members further comprises the step of providing a certain material which comprises a molecular structure which allows said certain material to have a lower melting point than the material of said first and

^" said second members .

(10) The method of Claim 9, wherein said step of disposing a certain material around the periphery of said attached first and second members further comprises the step of calculating the amount of said certain material needed by summing the volume of gaps occurring within the tool.

(11) The method of Claim 7, wherein said step of placing said surface, said attached first and second members, and said certain material in a heat source which provides a certain temperature for a predetermined amount of time further comprises the step of providing a heat source which is capable of generating a sufficient level of heat to transform said certain material from a solid molecular state to a liquid molecular state.

(12) The method of Claim 7, wherein said step of removing said attached first and second members from said heat source further comprises the step of allowing said first and second attached members to cool before utilizing said laminated tool.