Die holder technology for fabricating press

Abstract

The invention involves a die holder ( 70 ) for a press, such as a metal-fabricating press ( 10 ). The die holder can be configured to receive a die ( 90 ), and can include a clamp portion ( 130 ) and a wall portion ( 140 ). Preferably, the clamp and wall portions can be positioned in an open configuration or a closed configuration, and the die holder can be adjusted from an undamped configuration to a clamped configuration. The die holder m have a die-release mechanism useful for overcoming stiction and facilitation removal of the die from the die holder.

1 . A die holder for a fabricating press, the die holder defining an interior recess configured to receive a die, the die holder including a clamp portion and a wall portion, wherein the clamp and wall portions are adapted to be positioned in an open configuration or a closed configuration, the clamp and wall portions together surrounding said interior recess when in the closed configuration, wherein the die holder can be adjusted from a clamped configuration to an unclamped configuration by performing an unclamping operation, wherein when the die is received in said interior recess and the die holder is in the clamped configuration the die is clamped securely by the die holder, the die holder being provided with a single-motion actuator that allows the unclamping operation to be performed in response to a single motion of the actuator. 
     
     
         2 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein, when the clamp and wall portions are positioned in the open configuration, the die can be mounted in the die holder by moving the die sideways through an open side of the die holder. 
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein the clamp portion is a concave clamp portion and the wall portion is a concave wall portion, and when the clamp and wall portions are positioned in the closed configuration the die holder has a generally annular configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein the die holder is an independently-operable die holder such that performing the unclamping operation unclamps the die holder alone and does not simultaneously unclamp any other die holder. 
     
     
         7 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein the clamp portion has a concave interior surface, and wherein, when the clamp and wall portions are positioned in the closed configuration, the concave interior surface of the clamp portion bounds more than 180 degrees of said interior recess. 
     
     
         10 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein the clamp portion has a concave interior surface adapted to embrace the die such that when the clamp portion is moved away from the wall portion the die moves together with the clamp portion away from the wall portion. 
     
     
         11 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein the die holder has a shelf adapted to support a bottom of the die, and the die holder has a shoulder defining an interior side surface that extends at least generally orthogonally from the shelf, the shoulder bounding said interior recess, wherein the die holder has a central opening, and the shelf encompasses said central opening. 
     
     
         12 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein said open configuration involves the clamp portion being removed from the wall portion, and said closed configuration involves the clamp portion being attached removably to the wall portion. 
     
     
         13 . The die holder of  claim 22  wherein the actuator is a tool-free actuator that allows both the unclamping operation and the clamping operation to be tool-free operations. 
     
     
         14 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein the die holder includes at least one spring component. 
     
     
         15 . The die holder of  claim 14  wherein during a clamping operation the die holder applies a clamping force on the die, and wherein the spring component generates at least part of the clamping force. 
     
     
         16 . The die holder of  claim 14  wherein the spring component comprises at least one compression spring provided on the clamp portion. 
     
     
         17 . The die holder of  claim 14  wherein the spring component is adapted to resiliently bias an engagement body that is moveable between locked and unlocked positions, wherein the engagement body is in its locked position when the die holder is in the clamped configuration, and the engagement body is in its unlocked position when the die holder is in the unclamped position. 
     
     
         18 . The die holder of  claim 17  wherein the engagement body comprises a locking pin that moves axially between its locked and unlocked positions. 
     
     
         19 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein the die holder can be adjusted from the unclamped configuration to the clamped configuration by performing a clamping operation, and wherein the single-motion actuator allows the clamping operation to be performed in response to a single motion of the actuator. 
     
     
         23 . The die holder of  claim 22  wherein the actuator comprises a body that moves in one direction during the clamping operation and in another direction during the unclamping operation. 
     
     
         24 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein the fabricating press is a turret press having a turret with a plurality of stations adapted to receive respective tool holders, the die holder being mounted removably to the turret. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The die holder of  claim 1  wherein die holder is adapted for being clamped and unclamped without any assembly or disassembly of the die holder. 
     
     
         29 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A die holder for a fabricating press, the die holder defining an interior recess configured to receive a die, the die holder including a clamp portion and a wall portion, wherein the die holder is adapted to be adjusted from an unclamped, open configuration to a closed, clamped configuration by performing a single step that comprises pushing together the clamp and wall portions. 
     
     
         37 . The die holder of  claim 36  wherein, when the die holder is in the unclamped, open configuration, the die holder has an open side. 
     
     
         38 . The die holder of  claim 36  wherein the clamp portion is a concave clamp portion and the wall portion is a concave wall portion, and when the die holder is in the closed, clamped configuration the die holder has a generally annular configuration. 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The die holder of  claim 36  wherein the die holder includes at least one resiliently-biased engagement body that is moveable between locked and unlocked positions, wherein the engagement body is in its locked position when the die holder is in the closed, clamped configuration. 
     
     
         41 . The die holder of  claim 36  wherein the die holder includes a plurality of locking pins that are moveable axially between locked and unlocked positions, the locking pins being in the locked position when the die holder is in the closed, clamped configuration. 
     
     
         42 . The die holder of  claim 36  wherein the die holder can be unclamped by performing an unclamping operation, the die holder being provided with a single-motion actuator that allows the unclamping operation to be performed in response to a single motion of the actuator. 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . The die holder of  claim 36  wherein the clamp portion has a concave interior surface and wherein the die has a generally disk-shaped configuration and a perimeter defined by an exterior side surface, and when the die holder is in the closed, clamped configuration, the concave interior surface of the clamp portion abuts more than 180 degrees of the die's exterior side surface. 
     
     
         45 . The die holder of  claim 36  wherein the clamp portion is adapted to embrace the die such that when the clamp portion is moved away from the wall portion the die moves together with the clamp portion away from the wall portion. 
     
     
         46 . A method of using a die holder, the die holder defining an interior recess in which a die is provided, the die holder including a clamp portion and a wall portion, the method comprising adjusting the die holder from an unclamped, open configuration to a closed, clamped configuration by performing a single step that comprises pushing together the clamp and wall portions. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46  wherein, when the die holder is in the unclamped, open configuration, the die holder has an open side through which the die can be passed by moving the die sideways. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the fabricating press is a turret press having a turret with a plurality of stations adapted to receive respective tool holders, the die holders being mounted removably to the turret, and wherein said pushing together of the clamp and wall portions involves moving the clamp portion horizontally toward the wall portion. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46  wherein said single step is a tool-free operation. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the die holder includes at least one engagement body that is moveable between locked and unlocked positions, and wherein said pushing together of the clamp and wall portions results in the engagement body being moved resiliently from its unlocked position to its locked position during which process the engagement body moves into a corresponding recess. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the die holder includes a plurality of locking pins that are moveable axially between locked and unlocked positions, and wherein said pushing together of the clamp and wall portions involves the locking pins moving axially into corresponding recesses. 
     
     
         52 - 86 . (canceled)