ELECTROCHEMICAL POLISHING APPARATUS
An electrochemical polishing apparatus is provided for polishing a workpiece having at least one sharp object. According to the present invention, the electrolyte is driven to flow to the sharp object and the electrochemical processing is performed for polishing the sharp object.
The present invention relates generally to an electrochemical process, and particularly to an electrochemical polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe methods for polishing sharp objects include chemical and electrochemical polishing processes. Nonetheless, electrochemical polishing processes tend to blunt the sharp ends of sharp objects, that causes the expected function of the sharp objects being unachievable. In order to keep the sharp ends of sharp objects, electrochemical polishing processes are normally not adopted. In addition, the polishing efficiency of chemical polishing processes is low; chemical materials are detrimental to the environment and human health. Thereby, chemical polishing processes are not suitable for polishing sharp objects. How to polish sharp objects using electrochemical processes has become a challenge in electrochemical processing.
SUMMARYAn objective of the present invention is to provide an electrochemical polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece.
An electrochemical polishing apparatus polishing a workpiece having at least one sharp object according to the present invention comprises an electrode and a power supply unit. The electrode includes a plurality of hollow-out parts corresponding to the workpiece. The plurality of hollow-out parts allow an electrolyte to flow through and to the sharp object of the workpiece. The electrolyte flows from a sharp end of the sharp object to a sharp body of the sharp object for reducing the difference between a first polished amount of the sharp end and a second polished amount of the sharp body. The two electrodes of the power supply unit are coupled to the electrode and the workpiece, respectively. Thereby, the electrochemical polishing apparatus can polish the sharp object of the workpiece.
In addition, the electrochemical polishing apparatus further comprises an electrolyte driving unit driving the electrolyte to flow.
In order to make the structure and characteristics as well as the effectiveness of the present invention to be further understood and recognized, the detailed description of the present invention is provided as follows along with embodiments and accompanying figures.
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According to the present embodiment, the cathode of the power supply unit 20 is coupled to the electrode 10 whereas the anode is coupled to the workpiece 30. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the electrode 10 is a metal plate having the plurality of hollow-out parts 110. The arrangement of the plurality of hollow-out parts 110 can be symmetric, asymmetric, or staggered. Each hollow-out part 110 can be a hole or an opening. The shape of each hollow-out part 110 can be circular (as shown in
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Besides, the flow equalizer 70 includes at least one hollow-out part 710. According to the present embodiment, the flow equalizer 70 includes a plurality of hollow-out parts 710 corresponding to the plurality of sharp objects 320 of the workpiece 30, respectively. Moreover, the flow equalizer 70 can be an insulator, so that the flow equalizer 70 can shelter a part of electric field. The part of electric field not corresponding to the plurality of hollow-out parts 710 will be sheltered. Thereby, the processed amount at the parts shouldn't be processed can be reduced. The electrolyte 40 passing through the plurality of hollow-out parts 110 of the electrode 10 passes through the plurality of hollow-out parts 710 of the flow equalizer 70 and flows to the plurality of sharp objects 320. When the electrolyte 40 flows through the flow equalizer 70, the flow of the electrolyte 40 is limited by the flow equalizer 70. The flow of the electrolyte 40 is divided by the plurality of hollow-out parts 710 and led to the corresponding plurality of sharp objects 320. Thereby, the electrolyte 40 can flow to each sharp object 320 more uniformly. In addition, the flow equalizer 70 can be a plate or a mesh. The shape of the plurality of hollow-out parts 710 is not limited.
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Besides, the step S2 further includes projecting the electrolyte 40 to the electrode 10 or disturbing the electrolyte 40 for driving the electrolyte 40 to pass through the plurality of hollow-out parts 110 of the electrode 10 and flow to the sharp object 320. The electrolyte 40 flows from the sharp end 321 to the sharp body 322 of the sharp object 320 for reducing the difference between the first polished amount of the sharp end 321 and the second polished amount of the sharp body 322. In addition, the electrochemical polishing method according to the present invention can further adjust the processing parameters, for example, the flow rate of the electrolyte 40, the voltage intensity or current intensity of the power, or the processing time, and thus adjusting the taper of the sharp object 320.
To sum up, the present invention drives the electrolyte to flow and generates the relatively uniform flow field of the electrolyte. The electrolyte flows to the sharp object. Thereby, the electrolyte can carry away the products and prevent accumulation of the products on the sharp body of the sharp object. Then the sharp body can contact the electrolyte, enabling both of the sharp end and the sharp body of the sharp object to be polished and reducing the taper variation of the sharp object. Thereby, the sharp object can be less blunted. Moreover, the parameters of the electrochemical processing can be adjusted and hence adjusting the angle and shape of the sharp object.
Accordingly, the present invention conforms to the legal requirements owing to its novelty, nonobviousness, and utility. However, the foregoing description is only embodiments of the present invention, not used to limit the scope and range of the present invention. Those equivalent changes or modifications made according to the shape, structure, feature, or spirit described in the claims of the present invention are included in the appended claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. An electrochemical polishing apparatus, polishing a workpiece having at least one sharp object, comprising:
- an electrode, having a plurality of hollow-out parts corresponding to said workpiece, said plurality of hollow-out parts allowing an electrolyte to pass through and flow to said sharp object of said workpiece, said electrolyte flowing from a sharp end of said sharp object to a sharp body of said sharp object for reducing the difference between a first polished amount of said sharp end and a second polished amount of said sharp body; and
- a power supply unit, coupled to said electrode and said workpiece.
2. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electrolyte driving unit, driving said electrolyte to flow.
3. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an electrolyte tank, accommodating said electrode, said workpiece, and said electrolyte driving unit, and said electrolyte driving unit being an electrolyte disturbing device disturbing said electrolyte.
4. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said electrolyte driving unit is an electrolyte projecting device projecting said electrolyte to said electrode.
5. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a flow equalizer, disposed between said electrode and said workpiece, and having at least one hollow-out part corresponding to said at least one sharp object of said workpiece, respectively.
6. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 5, wherein said flow equalizer and said workpiece are spaced by a distance.
7. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrode is a metal mesh or a metal plate.
8. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of hollow-out parts are arranged symmetrically.
9. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of hollow-out parts are arranged asymmetrically.
10. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrode and said workpiece are spaced by a distance.
11. The electrochemical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the material of said electrode is titanium.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 17, 2015
Publication Date: Jun 22, 2017
Inventors: JUNG-CHOU HUNG (KAOHSIUNG CITY), WEN-CHIEH WU (KAOHSIUNG CITY), DA-YU LIN (KAOHSIUNG CITY)
Application Number: 14/972,737