Abrading – Machine – Rotary tool
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-03-27
Morgan, Eileen P. (Department: 3723)
Abrading
Machine
Rotary tool
C451S288000, C451S291000, C451S285000, C451S269000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206767
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a planetary-gear-type parallel-surface processing machine for performing surface processing such as lapping, polishing, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 4
is a perspective view showing the main portion of a conventional 4-way-type parallel-surface processing machine, and
FIG. 5
is a sectional view thereof. In the figures, numeral
1
denotes an annular lower surface plate rotated by a first drive unit (not shown), numeral
2
denotes carriers each having a toothed surface around the outer periphery thereof, numeral
3
denotes an internal gear rotated by a second drive unit (not shown), numeral
4
denotes a sun gear rotated by a third drive unit (not shown), numeral
5
denotes materials to be processed, numeral
6
denotes columns, numeral
7
denotes a suspension plate
7
, numeral
8
denotes a universal joint, numeral
9
denotes an annular upper surface plate, numeral
10
denotes a drive shaft rotated by a fourth drive unit (not shown), and numeral
11
denotes drive keys mounted in the key grooves
10
a
of the drive shaft
10
for coupling the upper surface plate
9
with the drive shaft
10
.
When the parallel-surface processing machine operates, the plurality of carriers
2
are radially disposed on the lower surface plate
1
via meshing engagement thereof with the internal gear
3
and the sun gear
4
, and the materials to be processed
5
as workpieces are mounted in the plurality of workpiece holding holes of the carriers
2
. Furthermore, the upper surface plate
9
, which is suspended like a pendulum by the universal joint
8
via components such as the columns
6
, suspension plate
7
and the like, is lowered by a pressure adjustment mechanism such as, for example, an air cylinder or the like (not shown) so as to apply a proper load on the materials to be processed
5
which are mounted on the carriers
2
. Furthermore, the drive keys
11
mounted on the upper surface plate
9
are coupled with the drive shaft
10
. The key grooves
10
a
of the drive shaft
10
are disposed vertically so that a drive force can be transmitted from the key grooves
10
a
of the drive shaft
10
to the drive keys
11
while the drive keys
11
are permitted to move vertically. With this arrangement, the upper surface plate
9
naturally descends by gravity while engaging the materials to be processed
5
even after the drive keys
11
are coupled with key groove
10
a
of drive shafts
10
. A support shaft attached to the universal joint
8
is arranged so as to be rotatable via a bearing (not shown), and the upper surface plate
9
is also rotated by the rotation of the drive shaft
10
.
When the materials to be processed
5
are being polished, the lower surface plate
1
and the upper surface plate
9
are rotated in opposite directions while abrasive grains are supplied from an abrasive grain supply hole (not shown) disposed at the upper surface plate
9
. Furthermore, the rotation of the internal gear
3
and the sun gear
4
causes the carriers
2
, on which the materials to be processed
5
are mounted and clamped between the lower surface plate
1
and the upper surface plate
9
, to rotate about their own axes as well as to revolve around the outside of the sun gear
4
so that both surfaces of the materials to be processed
5
are polished. Since the rotations of the lower surface plate
1
, the internal gear
3
, the sun gear
4
, and the upper surface plate
9
are controlled by the first, second, third, and fourth drive units, their rotation speeds are adjusted so that the materials to be processed
5
can be polished optimally. Note that the term “polishing” used here is a generic term which means processing executed using abrasive grains such as lapping, polishing, grinding, and the like. The parallel-surface processing machine shown in
FIG. 4 and 5
is referred to as a 4-way-type parallel-surface processing machine because it is composed of elements which perform four motions including the rotation of the lower surface plate
1
, the rotation of the upper surface plate
9
, the rotation of the carriers
2
about their own axes, and the revolution of the carriers
2
around the sun gear
4
.
Recently in the mobile telecommunications industry, since there is a trend toward the use of progressively higher frequencies, it is desired to provide resonators and filters, which are main components of mobile telecommunications equipment, which are suitable for the higher frequencies. These components are typically made of dielectric ceramics such as lead zirconate titanate, lead titanate, etc., in addition to ferroelectric single crystals such as quartz, lithium niobate, lithium tantalate, etc. To permit these components to be used at high frequencies, the thicknesses of the substrates for the resonator and for the filter must be further reduced. However, the following problems arise when the thickness of the substrate is further reduced and the conventional 4-way parallel-surface processing machine is used.
(1) In
FIGS. 4 and 5
, when the upper surface plate
9
is rotated by coupling the drive keys
11
with the drive shaft
10
, the drive keys
11
cannot be moved in the vertical direction because the dynamic frictional forces between the key grooves
10
a
of the drive shaft
10
and drive keys
11
at the coupling sections are increased by being affected by the inertial force caused by the moment of inertia of the upper surface plate
9
. Thus, the upper surface plate
9
cannot be automatically lowered by gravity even if the thickness of the materials to be processed
5
is reduced because it is held by the coupling sections.
(2) The lower surface plate
1
is not maintained in parallel with the upper surface plate
9
due to the displacement of the center of the upper surface plate
9
at which it is supported (center of the universal joint
8
) from the center of the three coupling sections where the upper surface plate
9
is coupled with the drive shaft
10
via the drive keys
11
.
(3) Therefore, the upper surfaces and the lower surfaces of the materials to be processed
5
cannot be polished in parallel with each other. Furthermore, forces are unevenly applied to the materials to be processed
5
from above and below, depending upon the locations of the materials, whereby the materials
5
to be processed may be chipped or cracked.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems by employing a mechanism to prevent rotation of the upper surface plate while rotating the lower surface plate to avoid effects resulting from the moment of inertia caused by the rotation of the upper surface plate so that the upper surface plate can be easily and automatically lowered by gravity by avoiding the situation in which dynamic frictional resistance is increased between the key grooves
10
a
of the drive shaft
10
and the drive keys
11
at the coupling sections.
In addition to the above object, another object of the present invention is to provide a 3-way planetary-gear-type parallel-surface processing machine by which an upper surface plate is maintained in parallel with a lower surface plate at all times by enhancing the ability of the upper surface plate to follow the surfaces of materials to be processed by suspending the upper surface plate by a wire capable.
That is, a planetary-gear-type parallel-surface processing machine of the present invention disposes a plurality of carriers, each of which has a toothed surface formed around the outer periphery thereof and a plurality of workpiece holding holes formed thereat in a rotational direction, on a lower surface plate as well as causes the plurality of carriers to mesh with a sun gear and an internal gear which are disposed on a horizontal plane, thereby forming a planetary gear train. Then, after workpieces are inserted into the workpiece holding holes of the carriers, an upper surface plate is lowered so as to clamp both surfaces of the carriers betwee
Kunii Yutaka
Suzuki Junpei
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Hamai Co., Ltd.
Morgan Eileen P.
LandOfFree
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