Asymmetric Conical Countersink Cutting Edge Angles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional countersinks require high contact pressure forces and result in surface irregularities and vibrations during machining, leading to suboptimal surface quality and potential crack formation when producing chamfers for connecting elements.

Innovation Solution

A countersink design with an unequal division of cutting edges, where the angles α, β, and γ are specifically chosen to reduce contact forces and vibrations, ensuring a more even force distribution and minimizing surface deviations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If cutting edges are equally spaced on the countersink, then the tool structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but high contact forces and vibrations occur during machining resulting in poor surface quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface qualityVSAvoidcutting edge spacing configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by spacing the cutting edges at unequal angular intervals around the countersink periphery. Specifically, the cutting edges are positioned at angles of 0°, 120°, and 240° relative to each other, creating an asymmetric distribution that balances the cutting forces during rotation. This asymmetric spacing eliminates the periodic vibrations and high contact forces that occur with equal spacing, thereby improving surface quality and reducing tool wear.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Productivity

If high contact forces are used to produce a countersink, then the machining process is faster, but vibrations increase causing surface irregularities and potential cracking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemachining speedVSAvoidsurface finish quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetric spacing of cutting edges at 0°, 120°, and 240° distributes the cutting forces more evenly throughout the rotation cycle, preventing the concentration of forces that causes vibrations. This allows the tool to operate at higher speeds without generating harmful vibrations, thus maintaining both high productivity and surface finish quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The unequal spacing creates a periodic cutting action that varies the force application timing, which helps to average out the contact forces over one complete rotation. This periodic variation prevents sustained high-force contact points, reducing vibrations while maintaining efficient material removal rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Duration of action of stationary object

If conventional equal spacing of cutting edges is used, then the tool design is straightforward, but thermal stresses and wear increase due to concentrated contact forces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool lifeVSAvoidcutting edge arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetric arrangement of cutting edges at unequal angular intervals distributes thermal and mechanical stresses more uniformly across the tool structure during operation. This prevents localized stress concentration that would otherwise accelerate wear and reduce tool life, thereby extending the stationary object's duration of action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP3071355B1Conical countersink
Publication Date: 2019.05.22 MAPAL DR KRESS SE & CO KG
  • EP3071355B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3071355B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3071355B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a conical countersink (1) with a main part (8) which has a central axis (17) and three geometrically defined cutting edges (3, 5, 7), each of which is paired with a chip space (9, 11, 13). The conical countersink (1) is characterized in that the angle (α) between a first cutting edge (3) and a second cutting edge (5) is 90° to 110°, the angle (β) between the second cutting edge (5) and a third cutting edge (7) is 100° to 140°, and the angle (γ) between the third cutting edge (7) and the first cutting edge (3) is 120° to 160°, wherein α < β < γ and α + β + γ = 360°.