BARREL POLISHING DEVICE
A barrel polishing device for polishing a workpiece having a relatively complicated shape such as a vehicle wheel. The barrel polishing device comprises a polishing medium storage tank for storing polishing media, a base, a workpiece supporting shaft mounted on the base, and a workpiece detachably mounted on a tip part of the workpiece supporting shaft, the polishing media stored in the polishing medium storage tank being flowed by an appropriate means, and the workpiece supporting shaft being disposed so that a front side of the workpiece opposes the flow of the polishing media, the workpiece supporting shaft being rotated about an axis thereof, and a baffle member being placed in the vicinity of a back side of the workpiece.
This invention relates to a barrel polishing device which is used for barrel polishing, for example, a vehicle wheel.
BACKGROUND ARTConventionally, when a vehicle wheel is to be barrel polished, it was an ordinary practice that the front side of the vehicle wheel is arranged in such a manner as to oppose to the flow of polishing media in the state slanted forward, and the side of the vehicle wheel is polished by flowing the polishing media along the front side of the vehicle wheel while rotating the vehicle wheel (about the axis).
The polishing media, which have polished the front side, are turned from the perimeter of the vehicle wheel and stored in the back.
In this conventional barrel polishing method, however, the back of the vehicle wheel is difficult to polish because the polishing media stored in the back side of the vehicle wheel are flown away backward while turning by the turning force of the vehicle wheel.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned inconvenience.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTIONIn order to overcome the above-mentioned inconvenience, the inventor of the present invention made extensive search and development and accomplished this invention.
According to the present invention, there is provided a barrel polishing device comprising a polishing medium storage tank for storing polishing media, a base, a workpiece supporting shaft mounted on the base, and a workpiece detachably mounted on a tip part of the workpiece supporting shaft, the polishing media stored in the polishing medium storage tank being flowed by an appropriate means, and the workpiece supporting shaft being disposed so that a front side of the workpiece opposes the flow of the polishing media, the workpiece supporting shaft being rotated about an axis thereof, and a baffle member being placed in the vicinity of a back side of the workpiece. Accordingly, the flow of the polishing media stored in the back side of the workpiece is interfered with the baffle. Consequently, the surface pressure of the polishing media with respect to the back side of the workpiece can be increased.
Thus, if this barrel polishing device, since both the front and back sides of the workpiece can be polished simultaneously, the polishing efficiency of the barrel polishing for the workpiece can easily be enhanced.
Moreover, since the entire workpiece is simultaneously polished, the surface of the workpiece is activated. As a result, the coating adhesion, which is to be taken place in the succeeding process, is enhanced. In addition, since the surface hardening of the workpiece is caused by the polishing media, the workpiece is enhanced in strength.
If the workpiece is provided with a window, the corner parts of the back side of this window can be simultaneously polished in the shape of an R, the coating thickness in the succeeding process can be uniformed. As a result, generation of rust can be prevented and strength can be enhanced by preventing concentration of stress.
If the baffle member is capable of advancing and retracting with respect to the back side of the workpiece, the spacing between the back side of the workpiece and the baffle member is adjustable and therefore, the surface pressure of the polishing media with respect to the back side of the workpiece can be adjusted. Thus, the application range can be expanded.
If the baffle member is formed of an elastic material, since the baffle member is swung, the endurance of the baffle member can be maintained even if the flow pressure of the baffle member (at the back side of the workpiece), which is turned and flowed together with the workpiece, is changed.
If the baffle member is formed in the shape of a tongue, since the swinging can be made more easily, the endurance of the baffle member can be maintained over a longer period of time.
If an outer configuration of the baffle member is generally coincident with a configuration of the back side of the workpiece, since the surface pressure of the polishing media with respect to the back side of the workpiece can be maintained generally at a constant level, uniformed polishing can be carried out.
If the baffle member is placed in the vicinity of a lower part of the back side of the workpiece, the flow of the polishing media stored in a lower side of the back side of the workpiece is interfered with the baffle. As a result, the surface pressure of the polishing media with respect to the back side at the lower part of the workpiece can be increased.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In the embodiments to be described hereinafter, a “vehicle wheel” will be employed as one example of a workpiece.
In
Reference numeral 22 denotes an upper end opening of the polishing media storage vessel 20. Through this upper end opening 22, an aluminum-made vehicle wheel (corresponding to the “workpiece” of the present invention) W as later described is dipped into the polishing media 21, 21, . . . .
Reference numeral 11 denotes a supporting frame which is raised from the base 10. This supporting frame 11 extends generally to the upper end of the polishing media storage vessel 20.
Reference numeral 30 denotes a reversible plate which is mounted on the supporting frame 11 through a rotation shaft 31. This reversible plate 30 is reciprocally reversible in the range of approximately 180 degrees in accordance with the rotation of the rotation shaft 31. The rotation shaft 31 is driven for rotation by an appropriate rotation driving means such as a motor.
Reference numeral 41 denotes a supporting plate which is installed at the end edge part of the reversible plate 30. This supporting plate 41 extends upward. Reference numeral 40 denotes a supporting bed which is fixed to a forward end part of the supporting plate 41. This supporting bed 40 is arranged in its perpendicular posture.
Reference numeral 51 denotes a first driving motor which is mounted on the supporting bed 40. The turning force of this first driving motor 51 is transmitted through a driving sprocket 52. Reference numeral 60 denotes a workpiece supporting shaft which is turnably mounted on the supporting bed 40 through bearings 61, 61. This workpiece supporting shaft 60 projects in a direction of the polishing media storage vessel 20 (see
The aluminum-made vehicle wheel W is removably attached to the forward end of this workpiece supporting shaft 60 through an actuator (not shown) and dipped in the polishing media 21, 21, . . . of the polishing media storage vessel 20. Thus, in accordance with the revolution of the first driving motor 51, the workpiece supporting shaft 60 is turnable about its axis.
At that time, the aluminum-made vehicle wheel W is held in the state in which its front part is slanted toward the flow of the polishing media 21, 21, . . . (see the state of
The vehicle wheel W is of the type in which a rim part 72 is integrally formed around a disc part 71. Windows 73, 73, . . . are formed at this disc part 72.
Reference numeral 80 denotes an advance and retreat rod which is advanceably and retreatably (along the axis) mounted on the supporting bed 40 through bearings 81, 81. This advance and retreat rod 80 is arranged at a lower part of the workpiece supporting shaft 60 in a generally parallel relation. Reference numeral 82 is a basal part. In the advance and retreat rod 80, the basal part 82 is fixed between the bearings 81, 81. Nut members 83, 83 are fixed to this basal part 82.
On the other hand, reference numeral 84 denotes a second driving motor which is mounted on the supporting bed 40. This second driving motor 84 is provided with a reduction mechanism. Reference numeral 85 denotes a bolt pin which is turnably installed on the supporting bed 40 through bearings 86, 86. This bolt pin 85 is turned about the axis by the second driving motor 84. The bolt pin 85 is threadingly engaged with the nut members 83, 83. Owing to this arrangement, when the bolt pin 85 is turned, the nut members 83, 83, and thus the advance and retreat rod 80, are advanced and retracted.
Reference numeral 90 denotes a baffle member which is removably mounted on the forward end of the advance and retreat rod 80. This baffle member 90 is placed in the vicinity of a lower part on the back side of the vehicle wheel W. The baffle member 90 is formed in the shape of a tongue from elastic material such as synthetic resin. Owing to this feature, since the baffle member 90 can easily swing, the endurance of the baffle member 90 can be maintained even if the flow pressure of the polishing media 21, 21, . . . is changed. Moreover, if the baffle member 90 is formed in the shape of a tongue, it can more easily swing and therefore, the endurance of the baffle member 90 can be maintained over a longer period of time. Moreover, since the outer configuration of the peripheral edge of the baffle member 90 is made generally coincident with the configuration of the back side of the vehicle wheel W (see
Operation of the barrel polishing device B will now be described briefly.
In this barrel polishing device B, the aluminum-made vehicle wheel W is fixed to the forward end of the workpiece supporting shaft 60 and while rotating the same, the vehicle wheel W is sunk in the polishing media 21, 21, . . . of the polishing media storage vessel 20. Then, the polishing media 21, 21, . . . , which have passed through the windows 73, 73 of the vehicle wheel W, are mostly stored on the back side of the vehicle wheel W. Then, while rotating and flowing (see the direction as indicated by an arrow of
As the polishing media in this polishing device B, a granular body, a lump or the like of a soft material such as, for example, sponge, rubber, soft plastics and the like can be used. By using selected one of those materials, the finish polishing can be conducted in an efficient manner. It is also accepted that a soft material is coated on the surface of a hard grain, a hard lump or the like, so as to be used as the polishing media.
After the barrel polishing is carried out, a surface treatment such as coating, plating and anodizing is conducted. Those surface treatments include all of the normally available treatments.
Although a vehicle wheel is employed as a workpiece in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to it. Needless to say, all objects to be polished can be included therein.
When the vehicle wheel W enters the polishing media downward, the polishing media 21 flow from the front surface to the back surface and therefore, the same effect as in the above-mentioned embodiment can be obtained.
Industrial Applicability
As mentioned above, since a barrel polishing device according to the present invention is effectively used for a member which needs a polishing effect on the back side such as a vehicle wheel because it is excellent in polishing effect at the back side of a rotating workpiece.
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. A barrel polishing device according to claim 3, wherein said workpiece has a window.
3. A barrel polishing device, comprising:
- a polishing media storage tank for storing polishing media, said polishing media being flowed by rotation of the polishing medium storage tank;
- a base;
- a workpiece supporting shaft mounted on said base and being rotated about an axis thereof;
- a workpiece detachably mounted on a tip part of said workpiece supporting shaft; and
- a baffle member which is placed in the vicinity of a back side of said workpiece;
- wherein said workpiece supporting shaft being disposed so that a front side of said workpiece opposes to the flow of said polishing media;
- and wherein said baffle member is capable of advancing and retracting with respect to the back side of said workpiece.
4. A barrel polishing device according to claim 3, wherein said baffle member is formed of an elastic material.
5. A barrel polishing device according to claim 4, wherein said baffle member is formed in the shape of a tongue.
6. A barrel polishing device according to claim 4, wherein an outer configuration of said baffle member is generally coincident with a configuration of the back side of said workpiece.
7. A barrel polishing device, comprising:
- a polishing media storage tank for storing polishing media, said polishing media being flowed by rotation of the polishing medium storage tank;
- a base;
- a workpiece supporting shaft mounted on said base and being rotated about an axis thereof;
- a workpiece detachably mounted on a tip part of said workpiece supporting shaft; and
- a baffle member which is placed in the vicinity of a back side of said workpiece;
- wherein said workpiece supporting shaft being disposed so that a front side of said workpiece opposes to the flow of said polishing media;
- and wherein said baffle member is placed in the vicinity of a lower part of the back side of said workpiece.
Type: Application
Filed: May 12, 2004
Publication Date: Nov 17, 2005
Inventors: Shuji Kawasaki (Hamamatsu-shi), Naomichi Otani (Tomakomai-shi), Kazuo Yamaguchi (Tomakomai-shi), Akira Yokoyama (Tomakomai-shi)
Application Number: 10/844,207