Electric heating – Metal heating – Cutting or disintegrating
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-29
2004-10-19
Evans, Geoffrey S. (Department: 1725)
Electric heating
Metal heating
Cutting or disintegrating
Reexamination Certificate
active
06806435
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a small hole electrical discharge machining method and a small hole electrical discharge machining apparatus.
FIG. 1
is a view showing one example of a related small hole electrical discharge machining apparatus
100
. In the small hole electrical discharge machining apparatus
100
, a processing vat
101
filled up with processing fluid is provided on an X-Y table
103
, and a work W is fixed to a jig
105
in the processing vat.
Above the processing vat
101
, a rotary spindle
1009
having an electrode
107
attached thereto is provided on a machining head
111
. The machining head
111
is provided so as to be freely moved in a vertical direction (Z axis direction) by a servomotor Mz. Moreover, the rotary spindle
109
is set to be rotatively driven by a motor Ms fixed to the machining head.
For example, when a small hole having a diameter of 0.2 mm or less is machined in the related small hole electrical discharge machining apparatus
100
, as shown in
FIG. 2
, a reverse discharge has been heretofore made to be generated between a rather thick electrode material
113
and a metal block
115
to form an electrode portion
117
having a fine electrode diameter d in accordance with a diameter of a hole to be machined, and the electrode portion
117
has been used as an electrode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, a length l of the electrode portion
117
is limited to fifth to tenth times the diameter d of the electrode portion
117
due to a factor such as buckling and vibration of the electrode portion
117
during machining. Hence, in the discharge machining in which an electrode corrodes away, there is a problem that the number of holes which can be continuously machined is small.
Moreover, in fabricating the electrode portion
117
by the reverse discharge, since corrosion of the metal block
115
cannot be completely eliminated, it is essential to confirm a finished dimension of the electrode diameter d. For confirming the dimension, the electrode
107
is detached from the rotary spindle
109
, and measurement thereof by use of a microscope and the like is repeated. Thus, the electrode portion is finished in a desired dimension. Therefore, productivity in the small hole electrical discharge machining is not enhanced.
The present invention was made in order to solve the problem as described above. An object of the present invention is to provide a small hole electrical discharge machining method capable of using a thin and long stick-shaped electrode, for which fabrication of an electrode tip thereof is not required, and a small hole electrical discharge machining apparatus having high productivity.
As means for achieving the above-described subjects, the small hole electrical discharge machining method of the present invention is a method_for a small hole electrical discharge machining apparatus including an electrode holding member for holding an upper portion of a stick-shaped or pipe-shaped electrode, and an electrode guiding member for guiding a lower portion of the electrode. Moreover, the electrode holding member is provided with a jet nozzle for generating a water jet. The method is characterized in that the electrode is fed to a work while being rotated simultaneously when the electrode is guided by use of the water jet.
Moreover, a small hole electrical discharge machining apparatus of the present invention is characterized by including: a slide base; a Z axis slide freely positionable in a verticle direction, the Z axis slide being provided on the slide base; an electrode holding member for holding an upper portion of a stick-shaped or pipe-shaped electrode, the electrode holding member being provided on the Z axis slide so as to be freely rotatable; an electrode guiding member for guiding a lower portion of the electrode, the electrode guiding member being provided on the slide base; and an electrode member, the electrode motor being provided on the Z axis slide. In the apparatus, the electrode holding member is provided with a jet nozzle for guiding the electrode by use of a water jet.
Moreover, in the small hole electrical discharge machining apparatus, the electrode guiding member is characterized by including; a guide unit provided with an electrode guide made of ceramics; a guide unit provided with an electrode guide made of ceramics; a funnel for guiding the water jet to a center of the guide unit; and a splash preventing member for preventing splash of the water jet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4055988 (1977-11-01), Dutton, Jr.
patent: 4996762 (1991-03-01), Takayama
patent: 5174586 (1992-12-01), Saeda et al.
patent: 6407385 (2002-06-01), Okada
patent: 6443295 (2002-09-01), Yasuda
patent: 6576858 (2003-06-01), Yokomichi
patent: 62-282825 (1987-12-01), None
patent: 9-174340 (1997-07-01), None
patent: 2000-202715 (2000-07-01), None
Ishiwata Hiroshi
Ishiwata Tomoshige
Yokomichi Shigeharu
Elenix, Inc.
Evans Geoffrey S.
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
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