Abstract: A fiber grinding process includes: contacting an end of the optical fiber with a grinding surface in such a manner that a central axis of the optical fiber at the end is inclined to the grinding surface; rotating the optical fiber about the central axis; and changing a contact pressure between the end of the optical fiber and the grinding surface by applying a variable torque while rotating the optical fiber. A substantially cone-shaped end face with a substantially elliptic cross-section may be produced. A fiber grinding apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus including a fixed abrasive article interposed between a substrate and a support assembly. The support assembly creates regions of high and low erosion force at the interface between the substrate and the fixed abrasive article. The high erosion force is sufficient to activate the fixed abrasive article.

Abstract: A sanding block holds a continuous loop sanding belt tightly thereon. The block includes a hollow block body including a spring clamp having top and bottom racks of serrated indented teeth, which extend longitudinally therein, forming the top and bottom gear racks. Each of these gear racks engages reciprocal top and bottom gear racks with serrated indented teeth extending longitudinally along top and bottom forked members the spring clamp. The spring clamp is positioned within the hollow block body so that the continuous loop sanding belt can be tightly fit over the hollow block body.

Abstract: A polishing tape makes use of a foamed material such as polyurethane foam attached to a plastic backing material. The foamed material is elastic and some of its gas holes formed inside but near one of its surfaces are exposed externally. Because of its elastic nature, it can be deformed even if there are abnormally large abrading particles contained in a liquid slurry and such abrading particles do not become embedded in the target surface being textured. These externally exposed gas holes can also serve to absorb the debris generated by the texturing and to protect the target surface from being scratched thereby. Such a tape is used for a texturing process while dropping a liquid slurry containing abrading particles and rotating the disk substrate and pressing the tape against the target surface.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to prevent a lapping member from being cut by an edge of a slider when the edge is chamfered by lapping it with the lapping member. A slider held by a slider holding jig according to the invention is put in contact with a diamond lapping sheet. A load applying portion moves weights provided in the form of a plurality of stages downward from a state in which the lower end of a shaft portion of the weight at the bottom stage is located above the slider holding jig without contacting the slider holding jig, thereby loading the slider holding jig with the weights sequentially from the bottom stage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for planarizing a microelectronic substrate. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include an elongated, non-continuous polishing pad oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal to allow planarizing liquids and materials removed from the microelectronic substrate to flow off the polishing pad under the force of gravity. Two such polishing pads can be positioned opposite each other in a vertical orientation and can share either a common platen or a common substrate carrier. The polishing pads can be pre-attached to both a supply roll and a take-up roll to form a cartridge which can be easily removed from the apparatus and replaced with another cartridge.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to prevent a lapping member from being cut by an edge of a slider when the edge is chamfered by lapping it with the lapping member. A slider held by a slider holding jig according to the invention is put in contact with a diamond lapping sheet. A load applying portion moves weights provided in the form of a plurality of stages downward from a state in which the lower end of a shaft portion of the weight at the bottom stage is located above the slider holding jig without contacting the slider holding jig, thereby loading the slider holding jig with the weights sequentially from the bottom stage.

Abstract: Midspan access to selected optical fibers which are encapsulated in an optical ribbon or tube is achieved by placing the desired span of the encapsulated fibers to be accessed between opposing abrasive layers and controllably urging at least one of the abrasive layers in the direction of the opposing abrasive layer to cause both abrasive layers to contact the encapsulant which covers the fibers. The amount of force applied to the at least one abrasive layer is limited by the structure of a resilient element which is coupled to the abrasive surface. Stress concentrators are created in the encapsulant and the encapsulant is removed from the span portion by relative movement of the encapsulated fibers and the abrasive layers. A minimum separation distance between the opposing abrasive layers can be defined, according to the thickness of the specific encapsulated fiber medium undergoing fiber separation, to avoid contact between the abrasive surfaces and the fibers within the medium.

Abstract: A tool for polishing/fining an ophthalmic lens has a housing with an interior open at the ends thereof. Resiliently elastic diaphragms with central spherical work surfaces extend across the ends of the housing. A cluster of rods extends longitudinally in sliding abutment within the housing from one diaphragm work surface to the other. A cap has a rim which fixes the exterior perimeter of the first diaphragm against the top of the housing. The cap defines a pneumatic chamber longitudinally aligned between the exterior surface of the first diaphragm and the interior wall of the cap. A passage through the cap wall admits air under pressure into the chamber. A ring fixes the exterior perimeter of the other diaphragm against the bottom of the housing. Preferably the cap and ring thread onto the housing with the diaphragms therebetween. Pneumatic distortion of one diaphragm is transmitted by longitudinal displacement of individual ones of the cluster of rods to the interior surface of the other diaphragm.

Abstract: A burnisher for disassociating undesirable material from a work piece includes a wire and a burnishing medium operably associated with the wire. The flexibility of the burnisher permits forces to be generated to disassociate the burnishing medium.

Abstract: An improved mechanism for applying a controlled load to a specimen being polishing in an automatic polishing machine including a tension spring for exerting a downward load which is transmitted to the specimen to press the same against an abrasive polishing member, and a stepper motor connected by a plurality of mechanical elements to one end of the tension spring whereby through use of a microprocessor the stepper motor may be operated to control the load applied to the specimen.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically polishing run-out table rolls, comprising: (a) a run-out table polisher take-up reel operatively connected to a carrier belt having abrasive material affixed thereto; and (b) control means for paying out and then retrieving the carrier belt onto the run-out table in response to one or more permissive signals indicative of the operational status of the run-out table. A method of automatically polishing run-out table rolls, comprising: (a) receiving one or more signals indicative of the operational status of a run-out table; (b) processing the signal(s) to determine whether a permissive condition for polishing the run-out table rolls exists; (c) in response to a determined permissive condition, paying out from a take-up reel a carrier belt having abrasive material affixed thereto; and (d) retrieving the carrier belt onto the take-up reel.