US5031483A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for the manufacture of laminated tooling
Assignee: Edmond Dantes Holding LLC
•
Filing: 1989-10-06
•
Granted: 1991-07-16
•
Expires: 2009-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A process for manufacturing tooling, e.g., molds, from individual laminations which when stacked in the proper sequence and bonded together define a forming surface. In producing a mold, cut-outs are made by a 4 or 5-axis cutting means in the individual laminations to provide the shaping surface and optionally passageways adjacent the surface through which a heat transfer medium can be made to circulate. Also, selected ones of the laminations may be spaced in the thickness dimension of the mole to provide communication between the mold cavity and a source of pressurized air or vacuum, or the atmosphere.
Inventors
- 👤 William R. Weaver
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:30
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C33/00; B29C33/38; B29C33/3828; B21; B21D; B21D37/00; B21D37/20; B23; B23P; B23P15/00; B23P15/24; B23P15/246; B29C33/30; B29C33/301; B29C33/302; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/141; B29C64/147; B29C45/00; B29C45/17; B29C45/72; B29C45/73; B29C45/7312; B29C2045/7318; B29C33/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S76/00; Y10S76/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for the manufacture of a tool for producing a contoured part, comprising: defining the contour of the part; designing a graphic of said tool with a surface corresponding to said defined contour; sectioning said graphic into a plurality of planar laminations each having a predetermined thickness; developing a program for a 4 or 5-axis cutting machine for cutting a plurality of individual segments corresponding to said plurality of planar laminations from sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing a 4 or 5-axis cutting machine; securing said sheet material in a predetermined stationary position; cutting said plurality of individual segments from said sheet material, while said sheet material remains stationary, with said 4 or 5-axis cutting machine according to said program; assembling said plurality of individual segments into a stack in a preselected sequence corresponding to said graphic; and providing means for securing said individual segments into an integral unit to form said tool.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for the manufacture of a tool for producing a contoured part, comprising: defining the contour of the part; designing a graphic of said tool with a surface corresponding to said defined contour; sectioning said graphic into a plurality of planar laminations each having a predetermined thickness; developing a program for a 4 or 5-axis cutting machine for cutting a plurality of individual segments corresponding to said plurality of planar laminations from sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing a 4 or 5-axis cutting machine; securing said sheet material in a predetermined stationary position; cutting said plurality of individual segments from said sheet material, while said sheet material remains stationary, with said 4 or 5-axis cutting machine according to said program; assembling said plurality of individual segments into a stack in a preselected sequence corresponding to said graphic; and providing means for securing said individual segments into an integral unit to form said tool.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said sheet material is metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the composition of said sheet material and individual segments cut therefrom varies throughout the thickness dimension of said tool.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the thickness of at least one of said individual segments is not equal to the thickness of the remaining segments of said stack.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said individual segments has a thickness in the range of from 0.062 inch to 0.500 inch (1.57-12.70 mm).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for the manufacture of a mold for producing a contoured part, comprising: defining the contour of the part; designing a graphic of said mold with a cavity shaping surface corresponding to said defined contour; sectioning said graphic into a plurality of planar laminations each having a predetermined thickness; developing a program for a cutting machine for cutting a plurality of individual segments corresponding to said plurality of planar laminations from sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing a cutting machine; cutting said plurality of individual segments from said sheet material with said cutting machine according to said program; assembling said plurality of individual segments into a stack in a preselected sequence corresponding to said graphic; inserting between selected ones of said individual segments spacing means, inside the periphery of said individual segments, to provide communications between the mold cavity and a source of vacuum, air under pressure, or the atmosphere; and providing means for securing said individual laminations and spacing means into an integral unit to form said mold.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for the manufacture of a mold for producing a contoured part, comprising: defining the contour of the part; designing a graphic of said mold with a cavity shaping surface corresponding to said defined contour; sectioning said graphic into a plurality of planar laminations each having a predetermined thickness; developing a program for a cutting machine for cutting a plurality of individual segments corresponding to said plurality of planar laminations from sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing a cutting machine; cutting said plurality of individual segments from said sheet material with said cutting machine according to said program; assembling said plurality of individual segments into a stack in a preselected sequence corresponding to said graphic; inserting between selected ones of said individual segments spacing means, inside the periphery of said individual segments, to provide communications between the mold cavity and a source of vacuum, air under pressure, or the atmosphere; and providing means for securing said individual laminations and spacing means into an integral unit to form said mold.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as defined in claim 6, wherein said sheet material is metal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the composition of said sheet material and individual segments cut therefrom varies throughout the thickness dimension of said mold.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 6, wherein said spacing means includes elongated strips fixed adjacent the perimeter of said selected ones of the said individual segments.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as defined in claim 6, wherein said spacing means provide separations between the selected ones of said segments in the order of about 0.001 inch to 0.015 inch (0.025-0.381 mm).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
171 words
A method for the manufacture of a tool for producing a contoured part, comprising: defining the contour of the part; designing a graphic of said tool with a surface corresponding to said defined contour and internal passageways for the circulation of heating or cooling fluids adjacent said surface; sectioning said graphic into a plurality of planar laminations each having a predetermined thickness and cut-out(s) to provide said surface and said passageways; developing a program for a cutting machine for cutting a plurality of individual segments corresponding to said plurality of planar laminations from sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; cutting said plurality of individual segments from said sheet material according to said program; assembling said plurality of individual segments into a stack in a preselected sequence corresponding to said graphic such that said internal passageways for the circulation of heating or cooling fluids adjacent said surface are created; and providing means for securing said individual laminations into an integral unit to form said tool.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
171 words
A method for the manufacture of a tool for producing a contoured part, comprising: defining the contour of the part; designing a graphic of said tool with a surface corresponding to said defined contour and internal passageways for the circulation of heating or cooling fluids adjacent said surface; sectioning said graphic into a plurality of planar laminations each having a predetermined thickness and cut-out(s) to provide said surface and said passageways; developing a program for a cutting machine for cutting a plurality of individual segments corresponding to said plurality of planar laminations from sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; cutting said plurality of individual segments from said sheet material according to said program; assembling said plurality of individual segments into a stack in a preselected sequence corresponding to said graphic such that said internal passageways for the circulation of heating or cooling fluids adjacent said surface are created; and providing means for securing said individual laminations into an integral unit to form said tool.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as defined in claim 11, wherein said cutting of said segments to provide said cut-out(s) is performed by a 4 or 5-axis cutting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as defined in claim 11, wherein said sheet material is metal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the composition of said sheet material and individual segments cut therefrom varies throughout the thickness dimension of said tool.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for the manufacture of a tool for producing a contoured part, comprising: providing a computer aided design system; entering design data of the contoured part into said system for generating a three-dimensional graphic thereof; instructing said system to develop a graphic representation of said tool having a contoured shaping surface corresponding to the three-dimensional graphic of the contoured part and to divide the developed graphic representation of said tool into a plurality of planar laminations having a predetermined thickness; providing a program for a 4 or 5-axis cutting means for cutting a plurality of individual segments in a predetermined sequence corresponding to said planar laminations from sheet material of a predetermined thickness; providing sheet material for the individual segments; securing said sheet material in a predetermined stationary position; providing a 4 or 5-axis cutting means; cutting the individual segments from said sheet material, while said sheet material remains stationary, with said 4 or 5-axis cutting means and assembling said individual segments in the pre-selected sequence into a stack corresponding to said developed graphic representation of said tool; and bonding the individual laminations into an integral unit to form said tool.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for the manufacture of a tool for producing a contoured part, comprising: providing a computer aided design system; entering design data of the contoured part into said system for generating a three-dimensional graphic thereof; instructing said system to develop a graphic representation of said tool having a contoured shaping surface corresponding to the three-dimensional graphic of the contoured part and to divide the developed graphic representation of said tool into a plurality of planar laminations having a predetermined thickness; providing a program for a 4 or 5-axis cutting means for cutting a plurality of individual segments in a predetermined sequence corresponding to said planar laminations from sheet material of a predetermined thickness; providing sheet material for the individual segments; securing said sheet material in a predetermined stationary position; providing a 4 or 5-axis cutting means; cutting the individual segments from said sheet material, while said sheet material remains stationary, with said 4 or 5-axis cutting means and assembling said individual segments in the pre-selected sequence into a stack corresponding to said developed graphic representation of said tool; and bonding the individual laminations into an integral unit to form said tool.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
9 words
A tool produced by the process of claim 1.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
9 words
A tool produced by the process of claim 6.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
9 words
A tool produced by the process of claim 11.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
9 words
A tool produced by the process of claim 15.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for the manufacture of a tool for producing a contoured part, comprising: defining the contour of the part; designing a graphic of said tool with a surface corresponding to said defined contour; sectioning said graphic into a plurality of planar laminations each having a predetermined thickness; developing a program for a 4 or 5-axis cutting machine for cutting a plurality of individual segments corresponding to said plurality of planar laminations from sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing sheet materials of differing compositions having said predetermined thicknesses; cutting said plurality of individual segments from said sheet materials with said 4 or 5-axis cutting machine according to said program; assembling said plurality of individual segments into a stack in a predetermined sequence corresponding to said graphic such that the composition of said sheet material and individual segments cut therefrom varies throughout the thickness dimension of said tool; and providing means for securing said individual segments into an integral unit to form said tool.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for the manufacture of a tool for producing a contoured part, comprising: defining the contour of the part; designing a graphic of said tool with a surface corresponding to said defined contour; sectioning said graphic into a plurality of planar laminations each having a predetermined thickness; developing a program for a 4 or 5-axis cutting machine for cutting a plurality of individual segments corresponding to said plurality of planar laminations from sheet material having said predetermined thicknesses; providing sheet materials of differing compositions having said predetermined thicknesses; cutting said plurality of individual segments from said sheet materials with said 4 or 5-axis cutting machine according to said program; assembling said plurality of individual segments into a stack in a predetermined sequence corresponding to said graphic such that the composition of said sheet material and individual segments cut therefrom varies throughout the thickness dimension of said tool; and providing means for securing said individual segments into an integral unit to form said tool.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2007301A
Cited
US2679172A
Cited
JPS6082679A
Cited
US4575330A
Cited
US4575330B1
Cited
US4675825A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-07-15 | 1995-01-14 | 1995-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-07-15 | 1999-01-14 | 1999-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-07-15 | 2003-01-14 | 2003-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |