BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a tool for shaping or severing objects.

2. Description of the Related Art

The variety of semiconductor devices on the market is large and increasing rapidly. Since different devices have different processing requirements, the tools of the semiconductor industry have been designed with a holder which can support different inserts. The inserts must be readily interchangeable in order to quickly adapt a tool to different devices. Currently, dowel pins are frequently employed to releasably mount an insert on a holder.

When an insert is mounted on a holder, it is necessary to position the insert on the holder with a high degree of accuracy. This is a difficult operation with dowel pins. Furthermore, inasmuch as dowel pins must be hammered during insertion and removal of the dowel pins, the chances of damaging a tool are high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a tool which allows an insert to be readily positioned on a holder with relatively great accuracy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool which enables an insert to be mounted on a holder with little or no risk of damage to the tool.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a method which permits an insert to be positioned on a holder reasonably simply and with a relatively high degree of precision.

makes it possible to reduce the chance of damage to a tool whe mounting an insert on a holder.

The preceding object, as well as others which will becom apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by th invention.

One aspect of the invention resides in a tool. The tool comprises an insert for shaping or severing objects, and a holder for the insert. Either the insert or the holder is provided with a pair of grooves having first longitudinal axes which define a first intersection. The other of the insert and the holder is provided with a pair of ribs having second longitudinal axes which define a second intersection, and the grooves and ribs are complementary to one another.

Due to the complementary nature of the grooves and the ribs, the ribs can be inserted in respective ones of the grooves. Appropriate design of the grooves and the ribs will allow the insert to be accurately positioned relative to the holder by seating the ribs in the grooves. Thus, the tool of the inventio enables precise relative positioning of the insert and the holde to be achieved in a relatively simple manner. Moreover, no hammering is required to properly position the insert relative to the holder so that the risk of damage to the tool can be greatl reduced.

Another aspect of the invention resides in a method o mounting an insert for shaping or severing objects on a holder. One of the insert and the holder has a pair of first portions wit intersecting first axes which define a first intersection, and th other of the insert and the holder has a pair of second portion

The method comprises recessing the first portions in respective ones of the second portions so that the intersections are substantially in register with one another.

The method may further comprise the step of resiliently clamping the insert to the holder.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a tool in accordance with the invention, the tool having an insert and a holder for the insert, and the insert and holder being shown in disassembled condition.

FIG. 2a is a side view of a clamp according to the invention for locking an insert to a holder.

FIG. 2b is an end view of the clamp of FIG. 2a.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the tool of FIG. 1 in the assembled condition of the insert and the holder, the insert being locked to the holder by two of the clamps of FIGS. 2a and 2b.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the assembled tool of FIG. 3 with the clamps in their unlocked positions.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but shows the clamps in their locked positions.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral 1 generally identifies a tool in accordance with the invention. The tool 1 is here assume to be designed for use in the semiconductor industry to process semiconductor devices.

The tool 1 includes an insert 2 for shaping and/or severin objects. The term "shaping" is intended to encompass any operation which affects the shape and/or dimensions of an object. Examples of operations covered by the term "shaping" are machining, milling and press forming operations.

The tool 1 further includes a holder 3 for the insert 2. The holder 3 is provided with a pair of grooves 3a and 3b havin respective longitudinal axes XI and Yl which intersect one anothe at a location 3c of the holder 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the grooves 3a and 3b are perpendicular to each other as are th groove axes XI and Yl. The intersection 3c of the groove axes X and Yl lies on the center line 3d of the holder 3.

The insert 2 is provided with a rib 2a which is complementar to the groove 3a, and a rib 2b which is complementary to the groov 3b. The ribs 2a and 2b have respective longitudinal axes X2 and Y2 which intersect one another at a location 2c of the insert 2. Similarly to the grooves 3a and 3b, the ribs 2a and 2b exten normal to each other as do the rib axes X2 and Y2. Th intersection 2c of the rib axes X2 and Y2 is located on the cente line 2d of the insert 2.

The grooves 3a and 3b, as well as the ribs 2a and 2b, preferably have conical or frustoconical cross sections.

The ribs 2a and 2b are shown as being continuous from one en to the other. However, it is possible for the ribs 2a and 2b to b

each of the ribs 2a and 2b could be made up of two sections which are located on opposite sides of the intersection 2c and are separated from one another.

The grooves 3a and 3b are likewise depicted as being continuous from end to end. Again, each of the grooves 3a and 3b could instead be divided into a plurality of separate sections, e.g., two sections which are disposed on opposite sides of the intersection 3c and are spaced from each other.

When the insert 2 is to be mounted on the holder 3, the rib 2a is inserted in the groove 3a while the rib 2b is inserted in the groove 3b. This automatically causes the intersection 2c of the rib axes X2 and Y2 to come into register with the intersection 3c of the groove axes XI and Yl. The center lines 2d and 3d of the insert 2 and holder 3 then coincide to define the center line of the tool 1.

Two slots 4 are formed in the insert 2 on opposite sides of the latter. The slots 4 have an approximately U-shaped cross section, and each of the slots 4 is bounded by a pair of generally parallel walls 4a corresponding to the legs of a U and an end wall 4b which bridges the walls 4a and corresponds to the bottom of the U.

The slots 4 are used to lock the insert 2 to the holder 3 by means of clamps such as the clamp 5 illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b.

The clamp 5 has a part-cylindrical body section 5a and a part- circular disc-like section 5b which are joined to one another by a neck section 5c. The disc-like section 5b includes an elastically deformable or resilient tongue 5d which projects beyond the body

clamp 5 diametrically opposite the tip 5f is flat.

A part-circular recess 5e extends circumferentially of th clamp 5 between the body section 5a and the tongue 5d. The reces 5e allows the elastically deformable tongue 5d to flex so that i can exert a spring-like action.

A passage 6 extends longitudinally of the clamp 5 and is ope at either end thereof. The passage 6 includes a narrower portio 6a and a wider portion 6b which meet to form an abutment surface 6 running circumferentially of the passage 6.

The passage 6 has a center line 6d which constitutes an axi of rotation for the clamp 5. The rotational axis 6d i eccentrically disposed with respect to the tip 5f of the tongue 5 in that the rotational axis 6d is farther from the tip 5f than fro the flat side 5g of the clamp 5.

Figure 3 shows the insert 2 locked to the holder 3 by two o the clamps 5. The rib 2a of the insert 2 is received in the groov 3a of the holder 3, the rib 2b (see Fig. 1) is received in th groove 3b (see Fig. 1) , and the tongues 5d of the clamps 5 ar received in the respective slots 4. Due to the elastic nature o the tongues 5d, the insert 2 is locked to the holder 3 by a sprin force.

The clamps 5 are mounted on the holder 3 via fasteners 7 whic are accommodated in the passages 6 of the clamps 5. The fastener 7 are here assumed to be in the form of screws having heads 7 which seat on the abutment surfaces 6c of the passages 6. Th holder 3 is provided with threaded openings 8 which register wit the passages 6, and the screws 7 project into the openings 8 wher

openings 8.

In Figure 3, the screws 7 have been tightened in order to lock the insert 2 to the holder 3, and the clamps 5 are immobilized. When the screws 7 are loosened to release the insert 2, the clamps 5 are rotatable on the screws 7.

The operation of the tool 1 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

In Figure 4, the screws 7 (see Fig. 3) have been loosened and the clamps 5 rotated to release positions in which the flat sides 5g of the clamps 5 face one another. The spacing between the flat sides 5g exceeds the width of an insert 2 so that the insert 2 previously mounted on the holder 3 can be pulled away from the latter in a direction parallel to the rotational axes 6d of the clamps 5. A spacing sufficient to pass an insert 2 with clearance is achieved by appropriate dimensioning of the clamps 5 in conjunction with the eccentric positioning of the rotational axes 6d relative to the tongue tips 5f.

Once the previous insert 2 has been removed, a new insert 2 is pushed into the gap between the flat sides 5g of the clamps 5. The new insert 2 is aligned with the holder 3 in such a manner that the rib 2a of the new insert 2 enters the groove 3a of the holder 3 while the rib 2b of the new insert 2 enters the groove 3b of the holder 3.

After the ribs 2a and 2b have been inserted in the grooves 3a and 3b, the clamps 5 are rotated as indicated by the arrows 9 to introduce the tongues 5d (see Fig. 3) of the clamps 5 into the slots 4 (see Fig. 3) of the insert 2. The clamps 5 are preferably rotated through 180 degrees so that the tips 5f of the tongues 5d

the clamps 5 to the locking positions in which the tongues 5d are received in the slots 4, the screws 7 are tightened thereby causing the tongues 5d to resiliently bias the new insert 2 against the holder 3.

To remove the new insert 2, the screws 7 are loosened and the clamps 5 are rotated from their locking positions back to their release positions, i.e., the clamps 5 are rotated to move the tongues 5d out of the slots 4. When the flat sides 5g of the clamps 5 once again face each other, the new insert 2 is pulled away from the holder 3.

The tool 1 can constitute one of a pair of tools which cooperate to shape and/or sever objects. By way of example, the tool 1 may form part of a press having an upper head which includes the tool 1 and a lower head which includes a second tool. When the tool 1 is one of two cooperating tools, the second tool can be constructed similarly to the tool 1.

The tool 1 of the invention is not only very versatile but also permits rapid replacement of an insert 2. The ribs 2a and 2b of the insert 2, in conjunction with the complementary grooves 3a and 3b of the holder 3, allow the insert 2 to be accurately positioned relative to the holder 3 in a very simple manner. Moreover, the ribs 2a and 2b, together with the grooves 3a and 3b, make it possible to always bring the center line of the insert 2 into coincidence with the center line of the holder 3.

The clamps 5 enable an insert 2 to be mounted on and removed from the holder 3 quite easily. Furthermore, the clamps 5 allow mounting and removal of the insert 2 to be accomplished without

tool 1. If the holder 3 is installed in a production machine or system, the clamps 5 permit the insert 2 to be replaced without removing the holder 3.

The resilient tongues 5d of the clamps 5 provide the advantage that the same clamping force can always be obtained.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.