Lightweight cutting tool

Abstract

A lightweight cutting tool, such as a reamer, includes a front cutting body, a front cutting ring, a center tube, a rear cutting ring and a rear machine connection member. An arm assembly of the front and rear cutting heads includes one or more leading arms, one or more trailing arms and a cutting head supported by the leading and trailing arms. The leading arms and the trailing arms curve in opposite directions. To reduce weight and moment of inertia of the reamer, a cross-sectional area of the leading arms and the trailing arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head. In addition, the front cutting body, the front and rear cutting rings and the center tube may be made by additive manufacturing. Fluid can be transported entirely through the reamer to the cutting insert/workpiece interface and the guide pad/workpiece interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cutting tool, comprising: a rear machine connection member; a center tube having a front end and a rear end; at least one cutting ring secured to the center tube, the at least one cutting ring including a sleeve member and one or more arm assemblies, each arm assembly including one or more leading arms extending radially outwardly from the sleeve member, one or more trailing arms extending radially outwardly from the sleeve member, and a cutting head supported by the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms, wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more leading arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head to reduce weight and moment of inertia of the cutting tool, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more trailing arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head to reduce weight and moment of inertia of the cutting tool. 
     
     
       2. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a front cutting ring proximate the front end of the center tube, and a rear cutting ring proximate the rear end of the center tube. 
     
     
       3. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms have a non-circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
       4. The cutting tool of  claim 3 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms have a kidney-shaped cross section. 
     
     
       5. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and each of the one or more trailing arms have a hollow interior portion defining a fluid channel capable of transporting fluid from the sleeve member to a cutting insert/workpiece interface. 
     
     
       6. The cutting tool of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid channel has a cross-sectional shape that varies along a length of each of the one or more leading arms and each of the one or more trailing arms. 
     
     
       7. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms are formed with a helix angle, HA, with respect to a center, rotational axis, RA, of the cutting tool. 
     
     
       8. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more leading arms extend radially outward from the sleeve member with a radius of curvature, R L , and wherein the one or more trailing arms extend radially outward from the sleeve member with a radius of curvature, R T . 
     
     
       9. The cutting tool of  claim 8 , wherein the trailing arms curve in the same direction as a direction of rotation, R, of the cutting tool, and the one or more leading arms curve in an opposite direction as a direction of rotation, R, of the cutting tool. 
     
     
       10. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting head comprises an insert pocket for mounting a cutting insert therein. 
     
     
       11. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting head comprises a guide pad pocket for mounting a guide pad therein. 
     
     
       12. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the center tube comprises an outer wall and an inner wall forming a cavity therebetween. 
     
     
       13. The cutting tool of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more ribs extending between the outer wall and the inner wall. 
     
     
       14. The cutting tool of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more ribs define a helical coolant channel within the cavity. 
     
     
       15. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one support member for supporting one of the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms. 
     
     
       16. The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting tool comprises is a reamer. 
     
     
       17. A cutting tool, comprising: a rear machine connection member; a center tube having a front end and a rear end; at least one cutting ring secured to the center tube, the at least one cutting ring including a sleeve member and one or more arm assemblies, each arm assembly including one or more leading arms extending radially outwardly from the sleeve member, one or more trailing arms extending radially outwardly from the sleeve member, and a cutting head supported by the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms, wherein the one or more leading arms extend radially outward from the sleeve member with a radius of curvature, RL, wherein the one or more trailing arms extend radially outward from the sleeve member with a radius of curvature, RT, and wherein the one or more leading arms curve in an opposite vertical and horizontal direction than the one or more trailing arms. 
     
     
       18. The cutting tool of  claim 17 , further comprising a front cutting ring proximate the front end of the center tube, and a rear cutting ring proximate the rear end of the center tube. 
     
     
       19. The cutting tool of  claim 17 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more leading arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head to reduce weight and moment of inertia of the cutting tool, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more trailing arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head to reduce weight and moment of inertia of the cutting tool. 
     
     
       20. The cutting tool of  claim 17 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms have a non-circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
       21. The cutting tool of  claim 20 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms have a kidney-shaped cross section. 
     
     
       22. The cutting tool of  claim 17 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and each of the one or more trailing arms have a hollow interior portion defining a fluid channel capable of transporting fluid from the sleeve member to a cutting insert/workpiece interface. 
     
     
       23. The cutting tool of  claim 22 , wherein the fluid channel has a cross-sectional shape that varies along a length of each of the one or more leading arms and each of the one or more trailing arms. 
     
     
       24. The cutting tool of  claim 17 , wherein the cutting head comprises an insert pocket for mounting a cutting insert therein. 
     
     
       25. The cutting tool of  claim 17 , wherein the center tube comprises an outer wall and an inner wall forming a cavity therebetween. 
     
     
       26. The cutting tool of  claim 25 , further comprising one or more ribs extending between the outer wall and the inner wall. 
     
     
       27. The cutting tool of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more ribs are helical define a helical coolant channel within the cavity. 
     
     
       28. The cutting tool of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one support member for supporting one of the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms. 
     
     
       29. The cutting tool of  claim 17 , wherein the cutting tool comprises is a reamer. 
     
     
       30. A cutting tool comprising:
 a rear machine connection member;   a center tube having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end along a central axis;   a front cutting ring attached to the center tube proximate the front end of the center tube; and   a rear cutting ring attached to the center tube proximate the rear end of the center tube and separated from the front cutting ring by a gap along the central axis, wherein the front cutting ring and the rear cutting ring each comprise one or more radially outwardly extending arm assemblies, and wherein the front cutting ring and the rear cutting ring each comprise a sleeve member and each of the one or more arm assemblies comprise:
 one or more leading arms extending radially outward from the sleeve member; 
 one or more trailing arms circumferentially offset from the one or more leading arms around a circumference of the sleeve member extending radially outward from the sleeve member; and 
 a cutting head supported by the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms and comprising an insert pocket for mounting a cutting insert therein.  
   
     
     
       31. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein the center tube comprises at least one opening extending radially through a wall of the center tube located in the gap between the front cutting ring and the rear cutting ring.  
     
     
       32. The cutting tool of  claim 31 , comprising at least two of the openings located at different axial and circumferential positions around the wall of the center tube.  
     
     
       33. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms extend axially forward or rearward.  
     
     
       34. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more leading arms extend axially forward.  
     
     
       35. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein the cutting head comprises a cutting head body having a radial inner wall and a radial outer wall, and the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms are connected to the inner wall.  
     
     
       36. The cutting tool of  claim 35 , wherein a location at which the one or more leading arms are connected to the inner wall of the cutting head and a location at which the one or more trailing arms are connected to the inner wall of the cutting head are separated by a gap extending in a direction parallel with the central axes.  
     
     
       37. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein a cutting head of the front cutting ring is circumferentially offset from a cutting head of the rear cutting ring.  
     
     
       38. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein the cutting head comprises a guide pad pocket for mounting a guide pad therein.  
     
     
       39. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more leading arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head to reduce weight and moment of inertia of the cutting tool, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more trailing arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head to reduce weight and moment of inertia of the cutting tool.  
     
     
       40. The cutting tool of  claim 39 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms have a non-circular cross-sectional shape.  
     
     
       41. The cutting tool of  claim 39 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and each of the one or more trailing arms have a hollow interior portion defining a fluid channel capable of transporting fluid from the sleeve member to a cutting insert/workpiece interface.  
     
     
       42. The cutting tool of  claim 41 , wherein each of the fluid channel has a cross-sectional shape that varies along a length of each of the one or more leading arms and each of the one or more trailing arms.  
     
     
       43. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein the front end comprises a radially outer surface and the front ring comprises a radially inner surface engaged with the front end radially outer surface.  
     
     
       44. The cutting tool of  claim 30 , wherein the rear end comprises a radially outer surface and the rear ring comprises a radially inner surface engaged with the rear end radially outer surface.  
     
     
       45. A cutting tool comprising: a rear machine connection member; a center tube having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end along a central axis; and a cutting ring attached to the center tube comprising: a sleeve member having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end along the central axis; one or more leading arms extending radially outwardly directly from the sleeve member; one or more trailing arms circumferentially offset from the one or more leading arms around a circumference of the sleeve member extending radially outwardly directly from the sleeve member; and a cutting head supported by the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms comprising an insert pocket for mounting a cutting insert therein.  
     
     
       46. The cutting tool of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms extend axially forward or rearward.  
     
     
       47. The cutting tool of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more leading arms extend axially forward.  
     
     
       48. The cutting tool of  claim 45 , wherein the cutting head comprises a cutting head body having a radial inner wall and a radial outer wall, and the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms are connected to the inner wall.  
     
     
       49. The cutting tool of  claim 48 , wherein a location at which the one or more leading arms are connected to the inner wall of the cutting head and a location at which the one or more trailing arms are connected to the inner wall of the cutting head are separated by a gap extending in a direction parallel with the central axes.  
     
     
       50. The cutting tool of  claim 45 , wherein the cutting head comprises a guide pad pocket for mounting a guide pad therein.  
     
     
       51. The cutting tool of  claim 45 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more leading arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head to reduce weight and moment of inertia of the cutting tool, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the one or more trailing arms is largest proximate the sleeve member and is smallest proximate the cutting head to reduce weight and moment of inertia of the cutting tool.  
     
     
       52. The cutting tool of  claim 45 , wherein each of the one or more leading arms and the one or more trailing arms have a non-circular cross-sectional shape.