Work Rotating Patents (Class 451/242)
  • Publication number: 20030181149
    Abstract: Disclosed is a grinding table apparatus for a liquid crystal display panel and a grinder using the adapt to various sizes of unit liquid crystal display panels for grinding edges of the corresponding liquid crystal display panel by adjusting a variable moving distance of the grinding tables instead of replacing the previous grinding table. The present invention includes at least two grinding tables displaced in a direction making the grinding tables get farther from or closer to each other to adapt to the size of the unit liquid crystal display panel to grind edges of the unit liquid crystal display panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventor: Sang-Sun Shin
  • Patent number: 6620029
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing semiconductor planarizing operations is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a carrier assembly for maintaining a workpiece therein in a face up orientation. A roller assembly includes a first cylindrical roller and a cylindrical second roller, the first and second rollers being linked to one another through a pair of arms. Each of the first and second rollers may be independently positioned with respect to a horizontal plane, the horizontal plane being substantially parallel to a top surface of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond M. Khoury, Jose M. Ocasio, Uldis A. Ziemins
  • Publication number: 20030124962
    Abstract: An apparatus for repairing the surface of the optical disc, which is used to repair a damaged area of the laser transparent surface of the optical disc. A rotary seat is rotatably disposed on the base seat. An upper cover is pivotally connected with the base seat for covering the same. A buffing roller has a buffing layer and is rotatably disposed on inner side of the upper cover and passes over the disc rest face. A driving mechanism is mounted between the rotary seat and the buffing roller. When rotating, the buffing roller buffs the laser transparent layer of the disc. At the same time, the rotary seat is driven to rotate, whereby the disc rested on the disc rest face thereof is simultaneously rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventor: Jean Chin Chu Lee
  • Publication number: 20030087583
    Abstract: An eyeglass lens processing apparatus for processing a periphery of an eyeglass lens, includes; a lens rotation shaft which holds and rotates the lens, the shaft being rotatable about a first axis; a grooving grinding stone which forms a groove in an edge surface of the lens; a holder which rotatably holds the grooving grinding stone; inclination means for relatively inclining the holder with respect to the lens rotation shaft to change inclination of a rotation axis of the grooving grinding stone with respect to the first axis; and control means for obtaining desired inclination of the rotation axis of the grooving grinding stone correspondingly to a radius vector angle at each processing point of grooving locus, thereby controlling the inclination by the inclination means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryoji Shibata
  • Patent number: 6547652
    Abstract: An apparatus for multiple component slurry distribution during semiconductor wafer polishing operations. Concurrent polishing pad conditioning is obtained by means of a novel polishing pad design where polishing pads are mounted in a cylindrical configuration as opposed to the conventional flat surface configuration. A polishing pad conditioner is provided to refurbish the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventor: Sudipto Ranendra Roy
  • Patent number: 6544105
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control device to grind a knife shaft used in a machine intended for cutting sheets of materials into strips, for example sheets of paper, plastic, plates of photosensitive film or any other material having the form of thin sheets. The control device according to the invention enables the grinding of the knives of knife shafts of a slitter by checking and controlling the drift of the dimensional differences of position of the knives on the knife shaft and by controlling the variability of the pitches between the knives. This with the goal of obtaining the precision and the quality of cutting required for cut photographic film strips. This device especially finds its principal application in the photographic industry, in particular on grinding machines for the knives of knife shafts equipping the film slitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Olivier L. Berne, Frederic J. Gaudiller
  • Publication number: 20030032376
    Abstract: A centerless grinder 1 according to the present invention comprises a bed 108, a grinding wheel spindle stock 101, a regulating wheel spindle stock 102, a work rest 103, and the like. The grinding wheel spindle stock 101 and the regulating wheel spindle stock 102 are respectively moved toward and away from each other by feed devices 10, 10. The feed devices 10, 10 respectively comprise feed screws 11, 11 each having one end fixed to the work rest 103. Nuts 12, 12 are respectively retained in the grinding wheel spindle stock 101 and the regulating wheel spindle stock 102 in threading engagement with the feed screws 11, 11 so that axial movements thereof along the feed screws 11 are restricted and rotational movements thereof about axes thereof are permitted. The nuts 12, 12 are respectively rotated by driving motors 15, 15.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventor: Junzo Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20020182990
    Abstract: The gear train of a work drive system on a machine for the continuous grinding of gears, with which by means of non-integer transmission ratio between work spindle (3) and drive motor (4) as well as a high number of teeth on the cylindrical gear (6) on the work spindle (3), high integer transverse and face contact ratio of the gear train, and a damping ring (7) on the work spindle (3), tonal disturbances of the workpiece incorporated in the gear unit are avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: Reishauer AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Thyssen
  • Patent number: 6485353
    Abstract: A grinding machine has a wheelhead movable tinder computer control perpendicular to the axis of a composite workpiece, mounted between a headstock and a tailstock, and workrests slidable along front and rear rails. Between the workrests are sandwiched rigid cover-spacers to protect the rails and prevent lateral movement of the workrests. A spring-operated thrust bar may be supported against a fixed dressing wheelhead to clamp the stack of cover-spacers and workrests together, in order to accurately locate and space apart the workrests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: UNOVA U.K. Limited
    Inventors: Michael Laycock, Ian David Locker
  • Patent number: 6354920
    Abstract: A centerless microfinishing machine especially adapted for machining camshaft workpieces. The microfinishing machine causes the camshaft workpiece to rotate through the use of a centerless drive system including spaced rollers which frictionally engage the workpiece. A tooling head assembly strokes between engage and disengage positions and includes individual shoes which simultaneously engage the camshaft lobe and camshaft bearing journal surfaces. Through the use of separate compliant elements, these tools are caused to follow the contours of the surfaces being machined. The tooling head assembly allows these surfaces to be machined simultaneously; therefore, multiple machine functions can be accomplished in a single manufacturing step, which reduces the number of individual pieces of equipment which are required in accordance with typical machining approaches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Inventors: Norman Roy Judge, Lowell Walter Benickson, John Alfred Payne
  • Patent number: 6343977
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for conditioning the polishing pad of CMP system by employing a multi-zone conditioner, or dresser. The conditioner comprises a plurality of rollers or disks, which can be well tuned to make down-pressure and rolling speed of the rollers or disks to the extent as desirable. The conditioner further comprises driving means for rotating the polishing rollers or disks. It can make a better uniformity of the pad conditioning and improve the profile of the polished wafers. The apparatus and method for conditioning the polishing pad can be especially used to compensate the uniformity of the incoming films, or the pre-CMP films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Worldwide Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Shuang-Neng Peng, Bih-Tiao Lin
  • Patent number: 6312318
    Abstract: A method and a grinding machine for centerless angular plunge grinding a workpiece are disclosed. The workpiece is rotatable about a first axis and has essentially cylindrical sections of different diameter and at least one shoulder located between the sections. The grinding wheel has a conically shaped periphery and is rotated about its axis inclined relative to the workpiece axis by a predetermined angle. The grinding wheel is brought into engagement with the workpiece with at least an axial surface line of its periphery. The grinding wheel and the workpiece are fed-in relative to one another by a predetermined amount of overmeasure. The feeding-in is effected in at least two steps. In a first step the feeding-in is effected essentially in a radial direction. In a second step the feeding-in is effected essentially in an axial direction. In the first step essentially the overmeasure in the area of the cylindrical sections is removed. In the second step essentially the overmeasure of the shoulder is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Schaudt Mikrosa BWF GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich Mushardt, Ingo Rauch
  • Patent number: 6309286
    Abstract: An apparatus for, and method of, grinding crankpins of a crankshaft wherein the machine is under computer control and the grinding wheel is advanced and retracted under computer control so as to follow the planetary motion of the crankpin as the crankshaft rotates. This maintains grinding contact between the wheel and the crankpin to allow the grinding of the latter. The crankshaft is mounted between centers and is rotated by a drive unit, drive being transmitted to the end of the crankshaft via a connecting device which is torsionally rigid in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the crankshaft but which is readily deformable in other planes to accommodate misalingnment and so as to decouple the crankshaft from the drive other than to transmit pure rotation to the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Unova U K Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Laycock
  • Patent number: 6306018
    Abstract: The time to grind a workpiece can be reduced by selecting a grinding wheel whose width is not substantially greater than wheel strength considerations require, and which may therefore be less than the axial length fo the region to be ground providing a work rest or work steady to increase the workpiece stiffness if required, and performing a succession of plunge grinding steps so as to grind the whole of the said axial region. Typically the grinding wheel is an electroplated CBN wheel, and the width of the grinding wheel selected is the narrowest permissible given the desired feed rate and motive power available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Unova U.K. Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Roger Coverdale, Michael Laycock
  • Patent number: 6287176
    Abstract: A grinding disk (20) has a a peripheral groove for grinding the edges of glass panes (11), whereby a cooling liquid is fed to the point of grinding (18). When the disk (20) is in a mounted position, a lateral stop surface (8) fits closely against the opposite surface (7) of the grinding spindle, whereby the axial position thereof in relation to the lane of the glass pane can be adjusted. In order to increase the service life of said tool, irrespective of the composition of the abrasive product, the grinding disk (20) has a stop surface (8(I), 8(II)) on two opposite-lying flat sides (I, II) in addition to two peripheral grooves (13,14), whereby each peripheral groove is assigned to one of the two stop surfaces (8(I), 8(II)). The two peripheral grooves (13,14) are located at the same distance (X,X) from the respective stop surfaces (8(I), 8(II)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Wendt GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Voigt
  • Patent number: 6287183
    Abstract: A vacuum-hydrostatic shoe especially suited for supporting a workpiece in metalworking operations is disclosed. The vacuum-hydrostatic shoe is comprised of a body with a support surface confronting the workpiece. Preferably the support surface is shaped to substantially conform to the workpiece shape. The shoe body comprises hydrostatic pockets. Each hydrostatic pocket has a first pressure opening defined in the support surface and a second pressure opening fluidly connected to a respective first pressure opening. The second pressure openings are also fluidly connected to a supply of pressurized fluid so that a flow of pressurized fluid can be created between the shoe body and the workpiece. The shoe body further comprises a vacuum pocket. The vacuum pocket has a first vacuum opening defined in the support surface and a fluidly connected second vacuum opening. The second vacuum opening is also fluidly connected to a source of vacuum to create a vacuum pressure between the shoe body and workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: The University of Connecticut
    Inventors: Bi Zhang, Yanhua Yang
  • Patent number: 6220939
    Abstract: A rotating fixture includes work piece holders for carrying work pieces in a circular path for parading the work pieces one-by-one for machining engagement with a grinding wheel. The work pieces holders permit rotation or spinning of the work piece therein independently of the fixture rotation. A drive wheel engages and spins each work pieces in the holder as the work piece travels through machining engagement with the grinding wheel such that a round, outside-diameter surface is ground onto the work piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Inventor: James E. Pruitt
  • Patent number: 6200204
    Abstract: A roll grinder system including a roll grinder bed of high dynamic stiffness, having a roll support and a grinding wheel support fixedly mounted to the roll grinder bed. The roll grinder bed is comprised of a monolithic epoxy granite block with a steel plate embedded in the top surface and a steel plate embedded in the bottom surface. The bed for the support for the roll being ground is rigidly affixed to the top plate. The bed for the traversing carriage of the grinding wheel head is also rigidly affixed to the top plate. A bed for the caliper is affixed to a lateral side of the block. The grinding wheel and the caliper traverse along the axis of the roll being ground. Vibration isolators are disposed below the bottom plate of the block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Paper Technology North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Dale Helgren
  • Patent number: 6196902
    Abstract: An apparatus for finishing the edge of a sheet of glass, which includes a supporting structure with a support base, a stationary vertical structure coupled on the support base, and, an upper supporting arm located in a horizontal position on the vertical stationary structure. A motor is connected at one end of the upper supporting arm. Grinding means are connected to the motor fort finishing or grinding the edge of sheet of glass. A housing for housing the grinding means, which includes a fixed upper section and a removable lower section. A longitudinal groove is made in the housing for the introduction of the edge of the glass sheet to contact with the grinding means in order to finish the edge of the glass sheet. Cooling means are located within the housing for cooling the periphery, lower and upper sections of the grinding means during the finishing of the edge of the glass sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Vidrio Plano de Mexico, S.A. De C.V.
    Inventors: Pedro Gazca-Ortiz, José Luis Jimenez-Garay, Rafael Rojas-Cortes, Gonzalo Garcia-Perez, Raúl Perez-Gonzalez, José Rivera-Dominguez, Mauricio Rubio-Juarez
  • Patent number: 6176766
    Abstract: A centerless grinding fixture for grinding multi-diamtter forms that do not lend themselves to be ground on a conventional centerless grinder. An example of such a part will be shown in which all surfaces,including the sides,may be ground without removing the workpiece from the grinding fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Inventor: Emanuel Silverman
  • Patent number: 6142854
    Abstract: A deburring head is mounted on a frame for movement toward and away from a workpiece also mounted on the frame. The deburring head includes a plurality of deburring brushes which are rotated and which are adapted to engage the workpiece and remove burrs from the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Genesis SystemsGroup Ltd
    Inventors: Fred K. Remley, Jan C. Mangelsen
  • Patent number: 6126522
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a golf ball, wherein a grinding tool and a ball to be ground are rotated so that their adjacent points move toward opposite directions. A grinding face of the grinding tool is arranged to be Japanese Industrial Standard grain size #80 to 300. The ball is rotated at 100 to 600 mm/s and the grinding tool is rotated at 2400 to 6900 mm/s, and relative velocity of the grinding tool and the ball is 2500 to 7500 mm/s. Flash formed on a parting line of the ball is thereby removed by the grinding face of the rotating grinding tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichiro Endo, Masatoshi Yokota, Masaaki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 6106373
    Abstract: This application relates to a grinding machine which is capable of performing two controlled grinding operations simultaneously on a rotating workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Inventor: Mario Fabris
  • Patent number: 6039636
    Abstract: An apparatus for precision machining a part-spherical recess of a workpiece has a workpiece holder adapted to hold the workpiece which is rotated thereby about a symmetry axis of the recess and a honing tool which is rotated about a tool axis inclined to the workpiece axis while being urged along tool axis against a surface of the recess to hone the surface. In accordance with the invention a spacer body displaceable generally along the workpiece axis is engageable in a use position with the surface and carries a pair of feelers fixed relative to the spacer body. The feelers are in the use position of the spacer body spaced along the workpiece axis from the spacer body, symmetrically diametrally flank the workpiece axis, and engage the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Ernst Thielenhaus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Peter C. Di Nardi
  • Patent number: 6030279
    Abstract: A toothed timing belt is produced from a belt blank utilizing an apparatus having a belt blank fixturing device for supporting the belt blank for selective indexable rotation about a first axis and a toothed grinding wheel rotatable about a second transverse axis and supported for movement across the width of the belt blank in a direction parallel to the first axis for cutting a series of circumferentially spaced transverse teeth into the belt blank. The belt blank is indexed with each pass of the grinding wheel until the entire belt has been provided with teeth. The toothed belt blank may then be severed about its periphery to provide a plurality of discrete timing belt members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Inventor: Jerry Russell
  • Patent number: 5971836
    Abstract: A grinding machine comprises a grinding member having a thickness greater than 10 mm and an outer contact surface extending in a thickness direction of the grinding member for contacting a surface of a workpiece. The grinding member is supported by a first rotational shaft for rotation about a first rotational axis. A first moving mechanism reciprocates the first rotational shaft along a first displacement axis. The workpiece is supported by a second rotational shaft for rotation about a second rotational axis perpendicular to the first displacement axis and the first rotational axis. A second moving mechanism moves at least one of the workpiece and the grinding member along a second displacement axis to bring the outer contact surface of the grinding member into linear contact with the surface of the workpiece to grind the workpiece. The linear contact between the outer contact surface of the grinding member and the surface of the workpiece has a contact length greater than 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Seiko Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiharu Kogure, Katsura Tomotaki, Yoshikazu Kojima, Jun Osanai
  • Patent number: 5951025
    Abstract: The method uses the actuating mechanism of the chuck of a machine tool for turning or grinding in order to pre-tension the radially acting springs of a clamping attachment by means of the jaws of the chuck. When the pre-tension is released, the springs maintain the clamping attachment on a workpiece that is mounted between centers in order to be machined. The method allows to perform automatic machining cycles on a workpiece mounted between centers, without the necessity to use a compensated chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Forkardt Spanntechnik AG
    Inventor: Erwin Bohler
  • Patent number: 5944588
    Abstract: A chemical, mechanical polisher having a plurality of cylindrical rollers rotating orthogonally to a rotating work piece that they wipe and cover that are conditioned to uniformly receive a cleaning agent for polishing the work piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Patricia M. Marmillion, Anthony M. Palagonia
  • Patent number: 5899797
    Abstract: A grinding machine includes a bed, structure for supporting a camshaft on the bed, a carriage displaceably mounted on the bed to permit movement relative to the camshaft in a radial direction of the camshaft, first and second grinding spindles respectively having a rough-grinding disc and a finish-grinding disc, a headstock having the first and second grinding spindles mounted therein and the first and second grinding spindles respectively having first and second spindle axes aligned to intersect each other at an angle. The second grinding spindle also has a third grinding which has a third diameter smaller than a first diameter of the rough-grinding disc, greater than a second diameter of the finish-grinding disc and equal to substantially twice a concavity radius and of a cam to be ground and a width narrower than a cam width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Inventor: Erwin Junker
  • Patent number: 5871389
    Abstract: A CNC cylindrical grinding machine comprising a bed, a worktable movable relative to the bed along a linear path, wheelhead movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of worktable travel, a rotatable grinding wheel mounted thereon for engagement with a workpiece mounted on the worktable, wheel drive means on the wheelhead for rotating the grinding wheel, headstock and tailstock means carried by the worktable for supporting a workpiece at its opposite ends, drive means associated with the headstock and tailstock means for rotating the workpiece, worktable drive means for effecting movement of the worktable relative to the bed and therefore the wheelhead, wheelhead drive means for effecting movement of the wheelhead and therefore the grinding wheel towards and away from the workpiece, control means by which all of the drive means and particularly the worktable and wheelhead drive means, are controlled, thereby to enable the workpiece to be positioned axially and rotationally relative to the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Inventors: Christopher David Bartlett, Michael Laycock, Peter Brian Leadbeater
  • Patent number: 5865667
    Abstract: The part (1) to be machined, which exhibits an axis of revolution (aa') is secured in a rotatable spindle (11) forming part of a headstock (10) movable in translation on the framework of the grinding machine according to a longitudinal axis (X) parallel to the axis of revolution (aa'). A support (16) fixed to the framework and in the immediate proximity of which is arranged a grindstone (18), serves as lateral support to a portion of the part (1) to be machined. Grinding of the part (1) by the grindstone (18) over an arbitrary length capable of exceeding 1000 times its diameter, is effected by displacing the headstock (10) by such length in the sense of the longitudinal axis (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Rollomatic S.A.
    Inventor: Michel Rollier
  • Patent number: 5863239
    Abstract: A surface finishing tool for use in combination with a power driver for rotating a workpiece about a central axis including a microfinishing assembly adapted to be positioned adjacent the workpiece and having at least one finishing means for surface finishing the workpiece, the finishing means lying in a plane generally perpendicular to the central axis of rotation of the workpiece and a burnishing assembly for applying a burnishing pressure to the workpiece, the burnishing assembly positioned adjacent the workpiece and spaced apart from the microfinishing assembly, the burnishing assembly having at least one burnishing roller lying in the plane generally perpendicular to the central axis of rotation of the workpiece wherein the microfinishing assembly and burnishing assembly are operable upon rotation of the workpiece to microfinish and burnish the workpiece respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Inventor: Kenneth A. Barton, II
  • Patent number: 5807166
    Abstract: A glass-plate working machine 1 includes a table 3 on which a glass plate 2 is placed; a grinding wheel 4 for providing working to the glass plate 2; an electric motor 6 for driving the grinding wheel 4; a positioning device 8 for positioning a working portion C of the grinding wheel 4 with respect to a working point A on the glass plate 2; a fixing device 10 for fixing the glass plate 2 onto the table 3; and a revolving device 16 for revolving the grinding wheel 4 so as to dispose a center 14 of rotation of the grinding wheel 4 in a direction C normal to a contour 13. The positioning device 8 includes a moving device 18 for moving the grinding wheel 4 in a direction X and a rotating device 20 for rotating the table 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Bando Kiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Bando
  • Patent number: 5782674
    Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding an internal cylindrical surface of a workpiece in which the workpiece is moved toward a grinding wheel along the axis of revolution of the workpiece and the grinding wheel is moved transversely of the axis of revolution toward the cylindrical surface of the workpiece. The grinding wheel is mounted on a supporting structure which is mounted for pivoting about an axis which is transverse to the axis of revolution. A deflective stiffening element restrains the angular displacement of the supporting structure. The deflection of the stiffening element is proportional to the deflection of the spindle. The deflection of the stiffening element is measured by a sensor which transmits an electrical signal to a drive mechanism for angularly positioning the supporting structure in response to the signal to compensate for the deflection of the spindle. A ring-shaped workpiece is supported on the workhead by a magnetic face plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Inventor: Robert S. Hahn
  • Patent number: 5779526
    Abstract: Polishing apparatus cuts and shapes a polishing pad to produce a polishing surface which minimizes pad runout and which can be contoured to better achieve desired polishing rates, pressures, and performance with respect to selected areas on a semiconductor wafer being processed with the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Inventor: Gerald L. Gill
  • Patent number: 5766059
    Abstract: A workpiece and a grinding wheel are rotated and the grinding wheel is moved in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the workplace so as to grind a cylindrical surface of the workpiece. After a part of the cylindrical surface is ground, a rest device is advanced towards the workpiece so as to support the part of the cylindrical surface of the workpiece which has been ground. Under the condition, the remaining portion of the cylindrical surface of the workpiece is ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Imai, Masato Kitajima, Ryohei Mukai, Toshihiro Tsutsui, Takayuki Yoshimi
  • Patent number: 5766057
    Abstract: Grinding and regulating wheels are carried on opposed feed slides on a machine base. A workrest is fixed to the base between the opposed wheels. Wheel dressers are mounted to cross-slides on the base, behind the wheels, independent of the feed slides. CNC dressing occurs through combined transverse motions of feed slide (with wheel) and cross slide (with dresser).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Cincinnati Milacron Inc.
    Inventor: Horst E. Maack
  • Patent number: 5735732
    Abstract: A precision drill sharpener and grinding wheel assembly is provided, as is a corresponding drill chuck for use with the drill sharpener, in which the drill sharpener includes a lever and spring clip alignment subassembly for properly positioning a drill in the drill chuck, and sharpening ports for sharpening the drill and splitting the drill tip, the sharpening ports being positioned such that a single grinding wheel assembly is used to both sharpen the drill and split the tip. The drill sharpener uses a small diameter grinding wheel operated at high speed to provide cutting rates comparable to large industrial sharpeners. The drill chuck is of short length, relative to most of the drills to be sharpened, and is open at a back end, enabling the manipulation of the drill by its shank relative to the drill chuck when disposed in the alignment subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Inventor: David A. Bernard
  • Patent number: 5704826
    Abstract: A machine for grinding the rotor blades (4) of an aeronautical engine is equipped with a CNC control and its header (1) is a rotatable header provided with at least two grinders (2) of different abrasive materials, wherein each of them is coupled to the header (1) for being selected and then positioned in contact with the different stage blades (4) with the cooperation of the CNC. The machine for grinding also includes a measuring unit (10) fixed to the machine bed for controlling the radius of the blade stage, slides (11, 13) to displace the header (1) in two directions (X, W), and equipment to rotate the header (1) an angle (C) about its central transverse axis (1a). The CNC has registered the values of the grinder diameters (D1, D2) and the fixed position data (R1, A, R2, B) of the respective grinder profile (14, 15) relative to the central axis (1a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: DANOBAT, S. Coop. Ltda.
    Inventor: Elias De Luis Vizcaino
  • Patent number: 5685765
    Abstract: A machine designed to grind the rotor blades of aeronautical engines includes a bench with a sliding table which holds the rotor supports. The rotor supports include a side stand point and a side stand counterpoint, both of which are combined with a bridge frame over which the rotor is suspended. The stands have elastic joints which have associated optional blocking mechanisms that are controlled by the machine's CNC control. The table has sliding supports which also include mechanisms for optional blocking. When the blocking mechanisms of both the elastic joints and the table supports are utilized, a high precision balancing and rectifying operation is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Poligono Industrial Arriaga
    Inventor: Angel Ramon Azpeitia De Diego
  • Patent number: 5683290
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for forming a hemispherical convex mirror surface on the end of a ferrule or optical fiber connector efficiently and accurately. The apparatus has a grinding wheel having a concave work surface, a tool for correcting the shape of the work surface, a stage for bringing the tool into contact with the wheel, a mechanism for causing the end of the ferrule to contact the work surface, and a mechanism for displacing the axis of the ferrule from the center of the curvature of the arcuate section of the work surface. After the axis of the ferrule has been displaced from the center of the curvature, the ferrule is caused to contact the work surface and roughly ground thereby. Subsequently, after the ferrule axis has been brought into alignment with the center of curvature, the ferrule is sequentially finished from the tip to a preselected point thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Torahiko Kanda, Masashige Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 5678963
    Abstract: Wheels of rail vehicles are trued while the wheels are kept rotating about a wheel center of rotation that is continuously corrected to keep the center of rotation in a fixed position in response to eccentricities a wheel may have, especially in its outer circumference. For this purpose, a sensor for each wheel of two wheels forming a set senses a respective excursion of a center of rotation of each wheel being trued in a set to provide respective excursion signals which are supplied to a central processing unit that provides control signals to a power drive for wheel guide rollers which support the wheel set to be trued. The power drive applies wheel position adjusting force components, preferably directed radially relative to the respective wheel rotational axis in response to the control signals from the central processing unit whereby the excursions are compensated and the wheel rotation center is kept in a fixed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Hegenscheidt-MFD GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Heimann
  • Patent number: 5672092
    Abstract: A grinding machine comprises a grinding shaft which is rotatably mounted on the grinding shaft stock for rotation about a longitudinally extending shaft axis. The grinding machine includes at least one grinding disk fixedly mounted to the shaft and at least one bearing movably disposed between the grinding shaft and the grinding shaft stock for rotatably supporting the grinding shaft. Finally, the grinding machine includes an adjustment means with an adjustable piezoelectric actuator which is disposed between the bearing and the grinding shaft stock. The grinding machine can be used to grind selective regions of a workpiece which is mounted to a workpiece stock so as to define a fixed longitudinally extending workpiece axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Assignee: NAXOS-UNION Schleifmittel- und Schleifmaschinenfabrik AG
    Inventor: Paul Berberich
  • Patent number: 5667432
    Abstract: The part (1) to be machined, which exhibits an axis of revolution (aa') is secured in a rotatable spindle (11) forming part of a headstock (10) movable in translation on the framework of the grinding machine according to a longitudinal axis (X) parallel to the axis of revolution (aa'). A support (16) fixed to the framework and in the immediate proximity of which is arranged a grindstone (18), serves as lateral support to a portion of the part (1) to be machined. Grinding of the part (1) by the grindstone (18) over an arbitrary length capable of exceeding 1000 times its diameter, is effected by displacing the headstock (10) by such length in the sense of the longitudinal axis (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Rollomatic S.A.
    Inventor: Michel Rollier
  • Patent number: 5664991
    Abstract: A surface finishing tool for use in combination with a power driver for rotating a workpiece about a central axis including a microfinishing assembly adapted to be positioned adjacent the workpiece and having at least one finishing means for surface finishing the workpiece, the finishing means lying in a plane generally perpendicular to the central axis of rotation of the workpiece and a burnishing assembly for applying a burnishing pressure to the workpiece, the burnishing assembly positioned adjacent the workpiece and spaced apart from the microfinishing assembly, the burnishing assembly having at least one burnishing roller lying in the plane generally perpendicular to the central axis of rotation of the workpiece wherein the microfinishing assembly and burnishing assembly are operable upon rotation of the workpiece to microfinish and burnish the workpiece respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Inventor: Kenneth A. Barton, II
  • Patent number: 5643045
    Abstract: A retrofit kit for the regulating wheel drive of a centerless grinder. The kit includes a controller, an electric motor controlled by the controller, a cycloidal speed reducer driven by the electric motor, a belt sprocket provided on the output shaft of the speed reducer, a further belt sprocket carried by the spindle of the regulating wheel, and a toothed belt for engagement with the belt sprockets. The retrofit kit is installed by removing a cover plate on the housing of the grinder to expose an access opening, disabling the existing regulating wheel drive system by removing idler sprockets and drive chains, mounting a new belt sprocket on the regulating wheel spindle, positioning the gear motor on the housing proximate the exposed access opening with the gear reducer extending through the opening into the interior of the housing to position the speed reducer belt sprocket within the housing, and training the toothed belt around the speed reducer sprocket and the spindle sprocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Inventor: Thomas J. Kirt
  • Patent number: 5643051
    Abstract: In a method for minimizing the roundness error in an workpiece having a generally circular periphery during centerless grinding of the workpiece, the workpiece is rotatably supported on the upper surface of a first workpiece support between the grinding wheel and the second workpiece support, with the first support rotatably supporting the workpiece in contact with said grinding wheel and said second support. The .alpha.-setup angle and .beta.-setup angle cooperate with a cutting ratio to define the transfer function of a lobing loop system in the complex u-plane, and the lobing stability of the lobing loop system is thereby determined. The workpiece is rotated against the rotating grinding surface of the grinding wheel, and the magnitude and frequency of grinding disturbances causing the roundness error in the workpiece are detected. The .beta.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: The University of Connecticut
    Inventors: Shiping Steven Zhou, Joseph R. Gartner, Trevor D. Howes
  • Patent number: 5643049
    Abstract: A gage for a thrufeed centerless grinder for post process gaging of a work piece in which the gage is mounted for movement so as to track along a moving work piece as it is moved along a path of travel from the grinder. The gage is movable in two directions mutually orthogonal to the path of travel of the work piece as it exits the grinder so as to track along the cross-section of the moving work piece enabling the gage to measure the work piece diameter. Movement of the gage is provided for by rotation about two axes wherein the gage motion is an arcuate direction having substantial vector components in the mutual orthogonal directions to the work piece path of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Control Gaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Karl J. Liskow
  • Patent number: 5634842
    Abstract: An apparatus for the precision grinding of conical valve seats of nozzles, for example, injection nozzles for internal combustion engines. The body is entered hydraulically on a mandrel and a driver has a rubber O-ring braced against the nozzle body to frictionally engage it is rotation while passing through the mandrel for the shaft of a grinding tool which is located at the end of the mandrel. The system avoids radial clamping stresses on the workpiece and hence allows, precision low tolerance finish grinding to be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Ernst Thielenhaus KG
    Inventor: Manfred Becker
  • Patent number: 5630747
    Abstract: Tool grinding machine with a, from the machine stand (2) carried and horizontally oriented work platform (10), a work piece (200) receiving and upon the work platform (10) seated work piece carrier (20), as well as a grinder tool (300) receiving grinder head (30), which is mounted on a grinder upright support (32), which is oriented vertically and which is rotatable about a vertically extending axis via a rotating disk (36), wherein the rotating disk (36) is provided below the work platform (10) and integrated in the machine stand (2), and a carrier arm (34) is provided for the grinder upright support (32), which at one end is rigidly attached to the rotating disk (36) and at the other end extends sideways beyond the work platform (10), in such a manner that the thereupon provided grinder upright support (32) is rotatable around the work platform (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Hawema Werkzeugschleifmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Hubert Haller