Abrading – Precision device or process - or with condition responsive... – With indicating
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-22
2004-05-04
Eley, Timothy V. (Department: 3724)
Abrading
Precision device or process - or with condition responsive...
With indicating
C451S104000, C451S113000, C451S170000, C451S910000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06729937
ABSTRACT:
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a barrel-polishing apparatus and a barrel-polishing method.
2. Prior Art
(First Prior Art and Shortcomings Thereof)
In conventional barrel-polishing apparatuses, it is a usual practice that a workpiece is polished while flowing polishing mediums or while vibrating a workpiece in stationary polishing mediums.
However, because of the reasons that the polishing mediums tend to bulge over the workpiece due to flow of the polishing mediums in the former polishing apparatus and due to flow of the polishing mediums caused by vibrations of the workpiece in the latter polishing apparatus, a surface pressure of the polishing mediums applicable to the workpiece is readily reduced to discourage the enhancement of the polishing efficiency.
(Second Prior Art and Shortcomings Thereof)
Conventionally, there is known a typical method for polishing a workpiece. In this method, a workpiece is placed in polishing mediums such that an upper end side of a surface-to-be-polished of the workpiece is slanted forwardly and the workpiece is polished by rotating the workpiece in a circumferential direction while flowing the polishing mediums relative to the workpiece.
However this conventional barrel-polishing method has such shortcomings that in case the workpiece has a hole around its axis, the polishing mediums readily pass through the hole when they flow along the workpiece and therefore, they hardly stay at the axial portion of the workpiece, with the result that the axial portion of the workpiece is left unpolished.
(Third Prior Art and Shortcomings Thereof)
In the conventional barrel-polishing apparatus, it is a usual practice that a workpiece is polished while flowing the polishing mediums.
However, this conventional barrel-polishing apparatus has such shortcomings that since the entire polishing mediums must be flowed in order to flow the polishing mediums, the apparatus itself inevitably becomes large scale.
(Fourth Prior Art and Shortcomings Thereof)
If the workpiece is polished while rotating the workpiece in the polishing mediums, the polishing mediums are worn. Therefore, in the conventional apparatus, when the aggregate of polishing mediums has been partly worn, the workpiece is moved in the polishing medium bath in an effort to find a non-worn part of the polishing mediums and dipped in the non-worn part of the polishing mediums. By keep doing so in the polishing operation, a certain polishing effect can be obtained.
However, in such a conventional polishing apparatus, since the partial wear of the aggregate of polishing mediums is determined based on the perception or experience of the operator, much labor is required. In addition, since the result of determination is different depending on each operator, a constant polishing effect is difficult to obtain in an efficient manner.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the first object of the present invention to provide, in order to obviate the shortcomings inherent in the first prior art, a barrel-polishing apparatus having flowing polishing mediums, wherein a pressure level of polishing mediums applicable to a workpiece is maintained to a predetermined value or larger by preventing the polishing mediums from bulging, thereby enhancing the polishing efficiency of the barrel-polishing operation (hereinafter referred to the “first and second inventions”).
It is the second object of the present invention to provide, in order to obviate the shortcomings inherent in the second prior art, a barrel-polishing method, wherein polishing mediums are primarily stayed at an axial portion of the workpiece so that a peripheral edge portion and the axial portion of the circumferentially rotating workpiece can be polished efficiently and positively (hereinafter referred to the “third to fifth inventions”).
It is the third object of the present invention to provide, in order to obviate the shortcomings inherent in the third prior art, a barrel-polishing apparatus, which is simple in structure and easy in maintenance (hereinafter referred to the “sixth and seventh inventions”).
It is the fourth object of the present invention to provide, in order to obviate the shortcomings inherent in the fourth prior art, a barrel-polishing apparatus, wherein a constant polishing effect can normally be obtained efficiently and automatically even in case an aggregate of the polishing mediums is partly worn (hereinafter referred to the “eighth invention”).
(Construction of the Invention and Operation and Effects Thereof)
A barrel-polishing apparatus according to the first invention comprises a polishing medium bath with polishing mediums received therein, a base, an arm mounted on the base, and a workpiece attachment device mounted on a distal end portion of the arm and adapted to attach a workpiece to the arm, wherein the polishing mediums are caused to flow within the polishing medium bath by appropriate means and a pressing plate for pressing the polishing mediums is mounted on the polishing medium bath. Accordingly, since the polishing mediums are prevented from bulging by this pressing plate, a pressure level of the polishing mediums applicable to the workpiece can easily be maintained to a predetermined value or larger in the barrel-polishing apparatus having flowing polishing mediums. Thus, with use of this barrel-polishing apparatus, the polishing efficiency of the barrel-polishing operation can easily be enhanced in the barrel-polishing apparatus having flowing polishing mediums.
Also, as in the barrel-polishing apparatus according to the second invention, if there are further employed vibration means for vibrating the arm and a pressing plate for pressing the polishing mediums, mounted on the polishing medium bath, the polishing mediums are prevented from bulging by this pressing plate. Accordingly, a pressure level of the polishing mediums applicable to the workpiece can easily be maintained to a predetermined value or larger in the barrel-polishing apparatus having a vibrating workpiece. Thus, with use of this barrel-polishing apparatus, the polishing efficiency of the barrel-polishing operation can easily be enhanced in the barrel-polishing apparatus having a vibrating workpiece. If the pressing plate is fixed to the base and the polishing medium bath is moved reciprocally in a direction of the work attachment device by reciprocal means, or if the pressing plate is fixed to the base and the pressing plate is pressed in a direction of the polishing medium bath by pressing means, a pressure of the pressing plate applicable to the polishing mediums can be adjusted. Accordingly, a surface pressure of the polishing mediums applicable to the workpiece can be adjusted appropriately.
Also, if the pressing plate is divided into a plurality of auxiliary pressing plates and a pressing state of each of the auxiliary pressing plates is adjustable, a surface pressure of the polishing mediums applicable to a surface-to-be-polished of a single workpiece can partly be adjusted.
Also, if the arm is swung about the base with respect to an inner wall surface or an inner bottom wall surface of the polishing medium bath by swing means such that the arm can be fixed at an appropriate location, the surface pressure of the polishing mediums applicable to the workpiece can be adjusted by varying the flow rate of the polishing mediums relative to the workpiece.
Also, if the arm is axially reciprocally moved by reciprocal means so that the arm can be fixed at an appropriate location, the depth of the workpiece with respect to the polishing mediums can be adjusted. Thus, the surface pressure of the polishing mediums applicable to the workpiece can be adjusted.
Also, a barrel-polishing apparatus according to the third invention comprises a polishing medium bath with polishing mediums received therein, a base, an arm mounted on the base, a workpiece attachment device mounted on a distal end portion of the arm and adapted to attach a workpiece to the arm, and a pressing plate mounted on the polishing medium bath and adapted to press the polishing
Eley Timothy V.
Muramatsu & Associates
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