Tool holders with fluid directing passages
A tool holder (e.g., shrink fit adapter) with fluid directing passages includes a shank and a fluid/coolant directing structure including one or more nozzles fluidically connected to feeder channels of the shank. The one or more nozzles each include an inner wall and an outer wall configured/shaped to direct fluid/coolant flow both radially inwardly and longitudinally distally and/or to variably modulate fluid/coolant flow around a nozzle outlet of or provided by the nozzle(s) in relation to a longitudinal central axis of the shank. The fluid/coolant directing structure incorporates one of more of: a ring of peripherally located nozzles having geometries/orientations configured to focus and direct thin sheets of fluid/coolant both radially inwardly and distally longitudinally; manifolds for directly feeding nozzle inlets of distally located nozzles; and a nozzle provided by approximately sinusoidally varying surfaces circumferentially disposed about a tool receiving recess of the tool holder for correspondingly variably modulating fluid/coolant flow direction through and exiting from the nozzle.
1. A tool holder with fluid directing passages, the tool holder comprising:
a shank including a distal portion having feeder channels, the shank including one or more fluid inlets with which the feeder channels are fluidically connected, the distal portion including a tool receiving recess configured/sized to receive a cutting tool therein and including a tool coupling interface portion; and
a fluid directing structure coupled to the distal portion, the fluid directing structure including a fluid chamber fluidically connected to and distally positioned in relation to the feeder channels, at least one nozzle integrally formed with and fluidically connected to the fluid chamber and a conical radially inwardly angled annular outer surface at a distal end of the tool holder, the nozzle(s) each facing and being configured/shaped to focus and direct fluid flow that is both radially inwardly and longitudinally distally directed in relation to a longitudinal central axis of the shank, wherein:
the nozzle(s) each include a nozzle inlet fluidically connected to the fluid chamber, a nozzle outlet at the angled annular surface, and a nozzle channel spanning between the nozzle inlet and the nozzle outlet;
the nozzle channel comprises an inner wall, an outer wall and opposing sidewalls extending between the inner and outer walls; and
the inner wall, outer wall, and sidewalls are integrally formed with each other.
2. The tool holder of claim 1 , wherein the fluid directing structure is configured/formed such that the fluid chamber is a revolved chamber for pressurized fluid.
3. The tool holder of claim 1 , wherein for each nozzle, the length radially along the nozzle generally increases and the width transversely across the nozzle generally decreases advancing through the nozzle channel from the nozzle inlet to the nozzle outlet.
4. The tool holder of claim 1 , wherein for each nozzle, a ratio of the area across the nozzle at the nozzle inlet over the area across the nozzle at the nozzle outlet is at least 1.0.
5. The tool holder of claim 1 , wherein the feeder channels and the fluid directing structure are configured such that a ratio of the total area across the feeder channels over the total area across the nozzle(s) at the nozzle outlet(s) is at least 1.0.
6. The tool holder of claim 1 , wherein for each of the nozzles, a shortest angle between a vertex at/defined by the nozzle outlet and the longitudinal central axis is around 60°.
7. The tool holder of claim 1 , wherein the fluid directing structure and/or at least a portion of the tool holder includes material from or in the form of one or more 3D printed objects.
8. The tool holder of claim 1 , wherein the fluid directing structure includes a plurality of manifolds fluidically connected to and distally positioned in relation to the feeder channels, the nozzle(s) being fluidically connected to the manifolds and the angled annular outer surface at a distal end of the tool holder, the manifolds each having a manifold inlet channel and a plurality of manifold outlet channels configured to substantially evenly distribute/divide fluid flow from the manifold inlet channel as between the manifold outlet channels.
9. The tool holder of claim 8 , wherein the manifolds are evenly distributed about a periphery portion of the tool holder.
10. The tool holder of claim 8 , wherein the distal end includes an outer periphery and, for each of the manifolds, the manifold outlet channels are sequentially arranged along a path concentrically within the outer periphery.
11. The tool holder of claim 10 , wherein the manifolds, at the manifold outlet channels, are interconnected together along the path.
12. The tool holder of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of manifolds and the nozzles are integrally formed.
13. The tool holder of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of manifolds and/or at least a portion of the tool holder includes material from or in the form of one or more 3D printed objects.