Milling Head Third Cutting Edge Chip Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Handheld power tools, such as grooving cutters and circular saws, face challenges in efficiently removing chips during slot milling and ensuring occupational safety, with chip lengths often causing blockages and the risk of accidental user contact with moving cutting tools.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a third cutting edge axially mounted between the axial ends of the milling head to pre-weaken material before the second cutting edge, and the implementation of a warning light and movable protective hood to enhance chip removal and safety, respectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional cutting edges are used in grooving cutters, then the cutting tool can remove material, but long chips are generated that cause blockages and jamming in the suction system

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechip removal efficiencyVSAvoidchip blockage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting tool is divided into multiple cutting edges (first, second, and third cutting edges) arranged at different positions and orientations on the milling head. This segmentation allows different cutting edges to perform different functions: the third cutting edge creates preliminary grooves to break material into smaller chips, while the first and second cutting edges complete the groove formation. This segmented approach transforms the chip removal process into multiple staged operations that produce shorter, more manageable chips.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The third cutting edge performs a preliminary action by creating grooves and weakening the material structure before the main cutting edges (first and second cutting edges) remove the material. This preliminary groove creation breaks up the material integrity in advance, ensuring that when the main cutting edges engage, they produce shorter chips rather than long continuous chips that would block the suction system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the milling head rotates at high speed for efficient cutting, then material removal rate increases, but the risk of accidental contact with moving cutting tools increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial removal rateVSAvoidoccupational safety risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protective hood is designed with differentiated local qualities: it provides complete coverage over the milling head in non-operational positions, but includes specific openings or reduced coverage areas that allow the third cutting edge to access the workpiece surface for groove creation. This localized quality variation enables the hood to simultaneously provide safety protection and facilitate the preliminary cutting action needed for chip reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The protective hood is designed as a movable component that can dynamically adjust its position between covering the milling head during storage/transport and opening to allow access during operation. This dynamic capability enables the system to switch between safety mode (hood closed) and operational mode (hood open), reducing occupational safety risks while maintaining productivity during actual cutting operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a protective hood completely covers the milling head for safety, then occupational safety improves, but access to the workpiece surface for groove creation is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupational safetyVSAvoidworkpiece access

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The protective hood is designed with differentiated local qualities: it provides complete coverage over the milling head in non-operational positions, but includes specific openings or reduced coverage areas that allow the third cutting edge to access the workpiece surface for groove creation. This localized quality variation enables the hood to simultaneously provide safety protection and facilitate the preliminary cutting action needed for chip reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The protective hood is designed as a movable component that can dynamically adjust its position between covering the milling head during storage/transport and opening to allow access during operation. This dynamic capability enables the system to switch between safety mode (hood closed) and operational mode (hood open), reducing occupational safety risks while maintaining productivity during actual cutting operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3825084A1Handheld machine tool, in particular groove milling cutter or circular saw, in particular for woodworking

Publication Date: 2021.05.26 MAFELL AG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a slot milling machine for woodworking, comprising a milling head that can be driven to rotate and is equipped with several cutting edges, in particular indexable inserts, wherein the milling head has two axial ends and a radial outer circumference with respect to its axis of rotation, wherein at least one first cutting edge is arranged and axially mounted at an axial end and/or wherein at least one second cutting edge is arranged and radially mounted at the outer circumference, and wherein at least one third cutting edge is arranged and axially mounted axially between the axial ends.