Thin die to be used in a press

Abstract

Disclosed is a thin die adapted to be used in a press. The die disclosed herein includes a base or backing portion that provides rigidity to the die assembly. The base includes an indentation defining a boarder around the peripheral edge of the base. A thin die is housed in the indentation of the base and the thin die is adhered to the indentation of the base by an adhesive. The thin die is positioned in the indentation of the base so that raised portions of the thin die are facing away from the indentation in the base to allow the thin die to cut into a sheet material. Ejection foam is adhered to the raised portion side of the thin die by an adhesive so that the ejection foam protects the raised portion of the thin die and provides an ejection means of the cut shape out of the sheet material. Also disclosed is a die and press system utilizing the thin die disclosed herein. Included in the system is a die press, which may be a platen die press or a roller die press. The die press includes a cutting pad that allows the die to cut through the sheet material and into the cutting pad, if a platen die press is used. The system further includes a thin die adapted to be used with a die press. The thin die includes a base portion, a thin die portion, and an ejection foam portion, wherein the base portion and the ejection foam portion sandwich the thin die portion so that the thin die is located in an indentation located in the base and is adhered to the base by an adhesive. Further, the ejection foam portion is adhered to the thin die portion so as to protect raised portions of the thin die portion. The ejection foam protects the raised portions of the thin die portion and acts as an ejection means to eject the cut shapes from the sheet material.

1 . A thin die, comprising: 
 a base having a first outer side and a second outer side;    the base further comprising an indented area on the first outer side so as to define a peripheral border;    a die portion that has a first flat side and a second and opposite cutting side, wherein the first cutting side includes at least one raised portion;    an ejection foam that has a first inner side and a second and opposite outer side, the die portion first flat side being located in the base so that the flat side of the die portion is located in the indented area of the base and so that the inner side of the ejection foam is located on the cutting side of the die portion so that the cutting side of the die is covered by the ejection foam.    
   
   
       2 . The thin die of  claim 1 , wherein the base, the die portion, and the ejection foam are held together by adhesives.  
   
   
       3 . The thin die of  claim 1 , wherein the raised portion of the die portion defines a shape.  
   
   
       4 . The thin die of  claim 1 , wherein the die portion is made from a chemical etching process.  
   
   
       5 . The thin die of  claim 4 , wherein the base is made of a plastic material.  
   
   
       6 . The thin die of  claim 5 , wherein the ejection foam is made of a neoprene rubber.  
   
   
       7 . The thin die of  claim 6 , wherein the neoprene rubber is a CR foam.  
   
   
       8 . The thin die of  claim 5 , wherein the ejection foam is a cellular urethane foam.  
   
   
       9 . The thin die according to  claim 5 , wherein a double-sided adhesive adheres the die portion to the base.  
   
   
       10 . The thin die of  claim 9 , wherein a double-sided adhesive adheres the ejection foam to the die portion.  
   
   
       11 . The thin die according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the raised portion is approximately 0.021 inches.  
   
   
       12 . The thin die according to  claim 11 , wherein the width of the raised portion is approximately 0.021 inches.  
   
   
       13 . The thin die according to  claim 1 , wherein the raised portion of the die portion includes a cutting edge that is in the range of 0.001 to 0.004 inches.  
   
   
       14 . The thin die according to  claim 13 , wherein the cutting portion is approximately 0.001 to 0.002 inches wide.  
   
   
       15 . A die and die press system, comprising: 
 a thin die, comprising: 
 a base having a first outer side and a second outer side;  
 the base further comprising an indented area on the first outer side so as to define a peripheral border;  
 a die portion that has a first flat side and a second and opposite cutting side, wherein the first cutting side includes at least one raised portion;  
 an ejection foam that has a first inner side and a second and opposite outer side, the die portion first flat side being located in the base so that the flat side of the die portion is located in the indented area of the base and so that the inner side of the ejection foam is located on the cutting side of the die portion so that the cutting side of the die is covered by the ejection foam; and  
   a press adapted to be used with the thin die.    
   
   
       16 . A die and die press system of  claim 15 , wherein the press is a roller press.  
   
   
       17 . A die and die press system according to  claim 15 , wherein the press is a platen press.  
   
   
       18 . The die and die press system according to  claim 15 , wherein the base, the die portion, and the ejection foam are held together by adhesives.  
   
   
       19 . The die and die press system according to  claim 15 , wherein the raised portion of the die portion defines a shape.  
   
   
       20 . The die and die press system according to  claim 15 , wherein the die portion is made from a chemical etching process.  
   
   
       21 . The die and die press system according to  claim 20 , wherein the base is made of a plastic material.  
   
   
       22 . The die and die press system according to  claim 20 , wherein the ejection foam is made of a neoprene rubber.  
   
   
       23 . The die and die press system according to  claim 22 , wherein the neoprene rubber is a CR foam.  
   
   
       24 . The die and die press system according to  claim 20 , wherein the ejection foam is a cellular urethane foam.  
   
   
       25 . The die and die press system according to  claim 20 , wherein a double-sided adhesive adheres the die portion to the base.  
   
   
       26 . The die and die press system according to  claim 25 , wherein a double-sided adhesive adheres the ejection foam to the die portion.  
   
   
       27 . The die and die press system according to  claim 15 , wherein the height of the raised portion is approximately 0.021 inches.  
   
   
       28 . The die and die press system according to  claim 27 , wherein the width of the raised portion is approximately 0.021 inches.  
   
   
       29 . The die and die press system according to  claim 15 , wherein the raised portion of the die portion includes a cutting edge that is in the range of 0.001 to 0.004 inches.  
   
   
       30 . The die and die press system according to  claim 29 , wherein the cutting portion is approximately 0.001 to 0.002 inches wide.