Planetary Patents (Class 451/211)
  • Patent number: 11826868
    Abstract: Apparatuses and associated methods for polishing side surfaces of fibers. The system includes a fiber loading mechanism for securing a fiber to the apparatus, a polishing mechanism, and a linear motion mechanism for linearly translating one of the polishing mechanism and the fiber for polishing a side surface of the fiber using the polishing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Hyunjun Kim, Randall G. Corns, Randall S. Hay, Augustine M. Urbas
  • Patent number: 10518378
    Abstract: By, according to the invention, designing a surface treatment tool with a grinding head (16, 17) with cylindrical rollers (18), so that the tool (16, 17, 18) is balanced by weight because the tool's centre of gravity is close to the tool's surface treatment area, the tool (18) will automatically adjust according to the surface (25) of the treated workpiece, regardless of the level of the surface. Hereby is achieved a previously unknown simple way to surface treat, be it flat and curved workpiece surfaces alike. Furthermore, the tool (16,17,18) is balanced by weight so that treatment pressure can be adjusted according to need.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: HH PATENT A/S
    Inventor: Keld Otting Hundebol
  • Patent number: 9943385
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inner structure as an insertion geometry and/or as a rotation lock of a ceramic implant or of a ceramic attachment element. Thereby, a rotating disc for removing ceramic material is advanced in an advance direction of the rotating disc perpendicular to the rotation axis of the disc, into a proximally accessible surface of the ceramic implant or into an end surface of a ceramic attachment element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Z-SYSTEMS SCHWEIK AG
    Inventors: Ernst Thomke, Roger Staudenmann, Thomas Hug, Rubino Di Girolamo
  • Patent number: 9662759
    Abstract: There is disclosed a grinding method of a honeycomb structure, wherein a grind processing member having an outer peripheral surface, a first grinding wheel tapered surface and a second grinding wheel tapered surface and rotating around a central axis grinds a joined honeycomb segment assembly rotating around a central axis, and the above respective surfaces of the grind processing member form a first ground region, a second ground region, a center ground surface, a first tapered surface and a second tapered surface, to prepare the honeycomb structure including a cylindrical honeycomb base material, and a ring-like bulge portion “which surrounds an outer periphery of the honeycomb base material, protrudes from the outer periphery of the honeycomb base material toward the outside in a flange manner, and has the first tapered surface, the second tapered surface and the center ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasumasa Fujioka, Masanari Iwade, Akifumi Nishio, Taishi Michiwaki
  • Publication number: 20150050864
    Abstract: A polishing method for machining an optical surface of an optical lens uses a polishing wheel which has a wheel axis and a polishing face. The polishing wheel is moved in relation to the lens over the surface of the latter along a spiral machining path. The polishing wheel is rotated about the wheel axis, and is (simultaneously) rotated about an axis of rotation oriented perpendicularly to the wheel axis. The rotational speed of the polishing wheel about the wheel axis and/or the axis of rotation is reduced at the spiral center of the movement path. A workpiece fixture for receiving an optical lens stands opposite the polishing wheel, with the workpiece fixture and the polishing wheel being mounted movably in relation to one another along a spiral movement path. The rotational speed of the wheel axis can be coupled kinematically to the rotational speed of the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Sebastian STAHRINGER, Roland MANDLER
  • Patent number: 7871312
    Abstract: An adjustable removable grinding arrangement for grinding inside annular openings in bottom portions of water hydrants. The grinding arrangement comprises a router having an energizable motor with a grinding tool attached to an end thereof, a base plate supportively attached to an end of a housing of the router, a support plate pivotally attached to the base plate attached to the router, and an annular guide ring having securement studs for removable securement to a rim of an opening on a lower end of a hydrant. The support plate is rotatable on a plurality of wheel members engaged with the guide ring to permit the grinding tool of the router to remove material from the rim of the hydrant as the support plate is rotated about the guide ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Inventor: Matthew T. Wirkkala
  • Patent number: 7241209
    Abstract: An orbiting polishing tool for at least one of polishing and material removal. The orbiting polishing tool may include a housing of a housing assembly rotatable about a first axis. The orbiting polishing tool may also include at least one abrasive wheel rotatable about a second axis, the at least one abrasive wheel configured to remove material from an inner surface of an object, wherein the second axis extends through the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Frank Wiltshire, Jack Matsumoto, Steve DelGrande, James Kasik
  • Patent number: 7179157
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a workshop unit for use as a grinding center that includes a support frame having a drive motor and a multi-station tool mounted thereto. Particularly, the grinding center may be used for operations including but not limited to grinding, buffing, polishing, sanding, and cleaning. The multi-station tool includes a plurality of rotary tools, a power transfer system, and a rotary tool selecting system. The power transfer system operates through a plurality of pulleys each in communication with at least one rotary tool and the drive motor through a plurality of transmission links. The rotary tool selecting system, which includes one or more control shafts and a clutch system, allows each tool to be selectively and independently operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Olympia Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wheeler, Hrayr Darbinyan, Karine Kocharyan
  • Patent number: 7029377
    Abstract: A buffing head (34) includes a rotary element (36) for retaining an optical disc (20) and causing the disc (20) to rotate at a first speed. A buffing element (38) contacts a work surface (30) of the optical disc (20), and rotation of the disc (20) enables corresponding movement of the buffing element (38). A restrictor (40), in communication with the buffing element (38), restricts movement of the buffing element (38) so that the buffing element (38) moves at a second speed to recondition the work surface (30), the second speed being slower than the first speed. The buffing head (34) further includes a well (86) surrounding the buffing element (38) and containing a fluid (88). Movement of the buffing element (38) causes the buffing element (38) to be immersed into the fluid (88) and to be returned into contact with the work surface (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Azuradisc, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Bauer, Alexander Shekhel
  • Patent number: 6840722
    Abstract: A machining apparatus for machining a workpiece by rotating and revolving either the workpiece or a tool 1 to contact with each other. The machining apparatus comprises rotation/revolution ratio setting motors M1 and M3 for setting a ratio of a number of rotations to a number of revolutions of the workpiece or the tool 1, to a numerical value having a fraction below a decimal point, by changing the number of revolutions. The workpiece is machined by setting the number of revolutions and the number of rotations at the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Nonaka
  • Patent number: 6783437
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a polishing pad that can facilitate process stability, extend length of use, and mitigate process non-uniformity and process induced defects for chemical mechanical planarization processes. The polishing pad of the present invention is a composite of a top pad and a sealed sub-pad. The sealed sub-pad has a sealing mechanism that mitigates liquid penetration into the sub-pad thereby maintaining a substantially uniform compressibility of the sub-pad and the polishing pad and extending a useable life of the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Yanghua He
  • Patent number: 6773211
    Abstract: A method and cutting tool for producing a hole or a recess in a workpiece which includes flat or curved sheets of fiber-reinforced composite material, metal or combinations thereof. The cutting tool has a shaft with a longitudinal axis and an axial cutting surface and at least one cutting edge disposed on the axial cutting surface and extending radially from the longitudinal axis with a gap between the radial inner extent of the cutting edge and the longitudinal axis. The method of use includes rotating the cutting tool about its longitudinal axis and also translating the cutting tool during rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Novator AB
    Inventors: Leif Zackrisson, Ingvar Eriksson, Mats Jonsson, Mathias Wolf, Göran Roswall
  • Patent number: 6769971
    Abstract: A multispindle pedestal grinder includes: a head block, an indexable head rotatably supported by the head block, three spindles rotatably supported by the indexable head, the axes of rotation of the spindles being parallel to one another and to the axis of rotation of the indexable head, a source of rotating power such as an electric motor; and a belt drive selectively coupling only: a first one of the spindles to the source of rotating power when the indexable head is in a first index position; a second one of the spindles to the source of rotating power when the indexable head is in a second index position; and a third one of the spindles to the source of rotating power when the indexable head is in a third index position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Inventor: Gregory Lee Gipson
  • Patent number: 6602120
    Abstract: An edge grinding unit for machines for working the edges of plates in general and of glass sheets in particular comprising at least at one rim of a plate being worked, a grinding wheel which is accommodated in a carousel element provided with a rotatable cage formed by a plurality of circumferentially distributed rollers. The edge grinding unit further comprising an arm for supporting the grinding wheel which provides, for the grinding wheel, a first oscillation axis and a second oscillation axis which are spaced one another and are substantially perpendicular to the advancement plane of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Z. Bavelloni S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Bavelloni
  • Publication number: 20030049085
    Abstract: A fixation device for positioning a rotating machine tool onto a template, the template having at least one hole and at least one locating pin. The fixation device includes a housing with a housing tool end and a housing template end, a seat located on the housing tool end for coupling with the rotating machine tool, and a clamping mechanism disposed at least partially at the housing template end for coupling with at least one locating pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Bjorn Pettersson, Marcus Wiklund
  • Patent number: 6302769
    Abstract: In the wafer chamfering method, there is used a disk-shaped grindstone 8 which includes: a peripheral edge portion serving as a grinding surface 1; a flat portion formed in the central portion of the grinding surface 1 in the width direction thereof; and, two edge portions 5 respectively formed on the two sides of the flat portion 2 in the width direction thereof and made in the form of the shape of the valley portion of the notch portion 4 of a disk-shaped wafer 3 to be chamfered. In operation, in the wafer chamfering method, while rotating the above grindstone 8, the grindstone 8 is revolved in the thickness direction of the wafer 3 to thereby chamfer the wafer 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Nippei Toyama Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichiro Nishi, Shirou Murai
  • Patent number: 6056629
    Abstract: In a free form machining tool 10 for machining a surface to be machined while bringing the lower end into contact with the surface to be machined by a rotation around an axis z, the tool comprises a spherical tool 12 having a spherical surface machining section 13 on the lower portion, and a bearing 14 for supporting the spherical tool by an axis a of rotation which passes through the center .largecircle. of the spherical surface and is different from the axis. The tool also includes rotating means 16 (for example, a turbine) for rotating the spherical tool around the axis of rotation. Thus, even if the spherical surface machining section comes into contact with the surface to be machined on the axis (radius: 0) of the tool, the spherical surface machining section is rotated around the axis a of rotation which is different from the axis z. Therefore, a peripheral speed of the axis is not zero (0).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignees: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Ikegami Mold Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Ohmori
  • Patent number: 5984766
    Abstract: A sample removing tool comprises two partly spherical blades which are rotatably mounted on a carrier member about parallel axes. The cutting edges of the blades face each other and a portion of the cutting edges are arranged to lie in a nominal circle. The carrier member is rotatably mounted on a support member about an axis, the axis is perpendicular to a plane containing the nominal circle and passes through the center of the nominal circle. The axes of the blades are inclined to the axis of rotation of the carrier member. The blades are rotated about their axes and the carrier member is rotated about its axis such that the cutting edges of the blades move along the circumference of the nominal circle to cut a sample from a surface of a component arranged perpendicular to and intersecting the nominal circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce and Associates, Limited
    Inventor: Kenneth S. Gilmour
  • Patent number: 5980365
    Abstract: A tool grinding machine has a moveable tool receiving member and a support rotatable about a vertical axis. The support includes a solid disk having a great mass allowing a vibration-free grinding at great output. Grinding spindles are arranged vertically on the disk for grinding a tool received in the tool receiving member. The grinding spindles have a vertical extension above the disk. The disk has a vertical thickness matching at least the vertical length of the grinding spindles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: International Tool Machines of Florida Inc.
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Giebmanns
  • Patent number: 5709585
    Abstract: A method for removing burrs in a continuous rolling process including the steps of joining the rear end of a preceding billet with the front end of a succeeding billet using a flash butt welding method while both billets are moving, and grinding a burr on the welded part of the joined portion using a plurality of grinders while the billets are moving and while rotating the grinders and moving the grinders synchronously with the travelling speed of the billets. A grinding machine for continuously rolling a round billet includes a travelling body shuttling along the direction of movement of the round billet, a turret ring rotatably supported by the travelling body, and a plurality of grinding devices arranged in a movable manner within a radius of the turret ring, wherein the grinding devices include grinders which are set at a tilted angle relative to the center axis of the rotatable turret ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Giichi Matsuo, Nobuyoshi Hamura, Susumu Okawa, Hidenori Anai, Akira Sakai, Soichi Aoyama, Koji Okushima, Yuki Sugawara, Bunnosuke Ushioda, Yuji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5643067
    Abstract: A dressing apparatus is used to resurface a polishing surface of a polish cloth used to polish semiconductor wafers. A dressing brush which spins on its own axis is also coupled to a drive shaft of a main drive of the dressing apparatus through a planetary gear mechanism so that the brush will rotate or orbit about the drive shaft. Therefore, the dressing brush traces a complex path and its dressing action is spread over a wide surface area of the polishing cloth to produce thorough resurfacing of the polishing surface. The service life of the cloth is significantly increased and contributes to improving the overall efficiency of preparing high quality polished semiconductor wafers. For economy, the dressing apparatus can be mounted easily on a conventional polishing apparatus having a dressing facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Katsuoka, Kunihiko Sakurai, Tetsuji Togawa
  • Patent number: 5601481
    Abstract: In order to be able to sand the surface of an item (3) uniformly smooth, a sanding machine is used with sanding tools in the form of sanding rollers (29) which are rotated as well as turned in the same plane, and which at the same time herewith are also moved in a reciprocating manner transversely to and parallel with the direction in which the item is conveyed, whereby during the working stroke the sanding elements on the sanding rollers (29) will sand at all possible contact angles in relation to the item (3). The risk of sanding damage such as marks and grooves as a result of over-sanding, or the possible lack of sanding as a result of too sporadic contact, is herewith reduced, and the best possible result is achieved.Furthermore, the wear on the sanding rollers (29) is completely uniform, whereby their endurance is extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: HH Patent A/S
    Inventor: Keld O. Hundeb.o slashed.l
  • Patent number: 5584597
    Abstract: Apparatus for pretreating a pothole preparatory to filling thereof including determining the size and/or path of revolution of a treatment member responsive to determining the location and size of the pothole to be repaired; lowering the treatment member into the pothole; selectively revolving said treatment member and/or rotating said treatment member to abrade, compact and densify the portion of the pothole surrounding the surface thereof. Debris or other particulate in the pothole or developed by the abrading operation may be removed by a vacuum member. The pothole may be sprayed with a fluent material to either harden the surface or reduce the porosity of or render the sticky the surface of the pothole to provide a better bond between the pothole and the filler material. The force applied by the treatment member to the pothole surface is sensed and used as feedback information to control the abrading/compressing/densifying force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Inventor: Jerome Lemelson
  • Patent number: 5558561
    Abstract: To sand the surface of an item (3) uniformly smooth, a sanding machine is used with sanding tools in the form of sanding rollers (29) which are rotated as well as turned in the same plane, and which at the same time are also moved in a different direction from the direction in which the item is conveyed, whereby during the working stroke the sanding elements on the sanding rollers (29) will sand at all possible contact angles in relation to the item (3).To move the sanding rollers (29), the apparatus comprises a motor-driven crank arm (7), in sliding engagement with a carriage supports the sanding rollers (29), and drives the carriage on rails (33) which extend in a circle about the machine (1). This achieves a stable and robust construction which also gives the sanding rollers (29) an expedient movement characteristic, which compensates for the predominantly longitudinal sanding movements to which the items are exposed in the outer areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: HH Patent A/S
    Inventor: Keld O. Hundebol
  • Patent number: 5468173
    Abstract: An automatic deburring machine used for the edge deburring of hard components. This automatic deburring machine, utilizing several abrasive flap wheels, causes the wheels to penetrate the internal and external edges by combining the three axis motion of the abrasive flap wheels with the two axis motion of the work piece transporting system. This multi-axis motion will significantly deburr the internal and external edges with three hundred and sixty degrees of symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Inventor: George R. Winton, III
  • Patent number: 5458530
    Abstract: A device for producing drilled holes with an undercut has a swivel bearing, a drill shank mounted in the swivel bearing, swivelling means displacing the drill shank in a gyratory movement about a center line of drilling, a displacement element projecting at one side from the swivel bearing and displacing the drill shank against a resilient restoring force, and a ring around which the displacement element moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Fischerwerke Artur Fischer GmbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Herbert Erath
  • Patent number: 5441440
    Abstract: To sand the surface of an item (3) uniformly smooth, a sanding machine is used with sanding tools in the form of sanding rollers (29) which are rotated as well as turned in the same plane, and which at the same time are also moved in a different direction from the direction in which the item is conveyed, whereby during the working stroke the sanding elements on the sanding rollers (29) will sand at all possible contact angles in relation to the item (3).To move the sanding rollers (29), the apparatus comprises a motor-driven crank arm (7), in sliding engagement with a carriage supports the sanding rollers (29), and drives the carriage on rails (33) which extend in a circle about the machine (1). This achieves a stable and robust construction which also gives the sanding rollers (29) an expedient movement characteristic, which compensates for the predominantly longitudinal sanding movements to which the items are exposed in the outer areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: HH Patent A/S
    Inventor: Keld O. Hundebol
  • Patent number: 5411430
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hybrid lens having an axially asymmetrical non-spherical shape, good mass productivity, and excellent shape precision surface precision as well as environment resistant property, and a method for fabricating same, as well as a method and a device for a laser printer using that hybrid lens. In particular, there are disclosed a method, by which, when an axially asymmetrical non-spherical convex lens is formed by the replica method, the shape thereof is transcribed with a high precision, as well as a method and a device for fabricating an axially asymmetrical non-spherical concave lens (female die) serving as an original for the transcription. In a device for fabricating a female die by direct grinding, the positions of a rotation axis of an object to be worked and a rotation axis of a grinding wheel are controlled and it has further a function of correcting mounting errors, when the object to be worked and the grinding wheel are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignees: Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nishimura, Akira Arimoto, Yoshinori Miyamura, Yumiko Anzai, Yoshimasa Kondo, Fumihiko Uchida, Shigeo Moriyama
  • Patent number: 5409417
    Abstract: A numerically controlled grinding machine 60 for plate glass, comprising a table 3 for supporting the glass plate 5; a motor 35 connected to a grooved grinding wheel 38 that grinds by rotation thereof the periphery edge of the plate glass 5 supported by the table 3 to rotate the grooved grinding wheel; motors 11 and 53 for moving the grooved grinding wheel 38 relative to the plate glass in a direction X parallel to the surface of the plate glass as well as in a direction Y parallel to the surface of the plate glass and perpendicular to the first direction; a motor 40 for moving the grooved grinding wheel relative to the plate glass in a direction Z perpendicular to the surface of the plate glass 5; and a numerical control device connected to the motors 11, 53 and 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Bando Kiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Bando
  • Patent number: RE38029
    Abstract: In a chem-mech polishing process for planarizing insulators such as silicon oxide and silicon nitride, a pool of slurry is utilized at a temperature between 85° F.-95° F. The slurry particulates (e.g. silica) have a hardness commensurate to the hardness of the insulator to be polished. Under these conditions, wafers can be polished at a high degree of uniformity more economically (by increasing pad lifetime), without introducing areas of locally incomplete polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: IBM Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Cote, Michael A. Leach