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  Linearly advancing polishing method and apparatusUSPTO Application #: 20070202777Title: Linearly advancing polishing method and apparatus Abstract: Continuous feeding of workpieces to an apparatus and effective use of the space around the apparatus are difficult in rotary abrasive finishing. To solve such problems, the present invention provides a conceptually novel method and apparatus for linear abrasive finishing. A pair of parallel flat surface plates adjacent in parallel move linearly in opposite directions. A workpiece is pressed onto both of the surface plates to apply a couple of forces for rotational movement to the workpiece. The workpiece is subjected to abrasive finishing with abrasive grains by relative movement between the rotation of the workpiece and the linear movement of the pair of surface plates. The workpiece may be held between the pair of parallel flat surface plates and another pair of parallel flat surface plates facing the pair of parallel flat surface plates before one or both surfaces of the workpiece are subjected to the abrasive finishing. Belt polishers passing over a workpiece support may be used instead of the surface plates. (end of abstract) Agent: Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian, LLP - Washington, DC, US Inventor: Heiji Yasui USPTO Applicaton #: 20070202777 - Class: 451036000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Abrading, Abrading Process, Utilizing Fluent Abradant The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070202777. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to abrasive finishing of, for example, metals (steel and nonferrous metals) and nonmetallic materials (ceramic, glass, and plastic). BACKGROUND ART [0002] Abrasive finishing, which is used as a final finishing step in mechanical processing, is growing in importance as device quality has improved recently. Examples of abrasive finishing include lapping, in which a workpiece is rubbed with a lap using an abrasive containing dispersed loose abrasive grains, and polishing, in which a workpiece is polished with a tool softer than metal, called a polisher. [0003] Abrasive finishing can be performed in various ways, including single-side finishing, double-side finishing, and curved surface finishing. FIG. 10 illustrates a basic way of abrasive finishing. In FIG. 10, a holder 14 holds a workpiece 3 supported by, for example, a carrier 13 and rotates at a speed of n. The workpiece 3 is pressed onto an abrasive surface plate 10 (onto a polisher 11 laminated on the surface plate for polishing) by a pressure of P. The abrasive surface plate 10 is rotated at a speed of N while an abrasive 15 containing loose abrasive grains 12 is supplied to the surface plate 10 (to the polisher 11 for polishing). Relative rotation between the workpiece 3 and the surface plate 10 causes the loose abrasive grains 12 to remove a surface portion of the workpiece 3, thus forming a highly smooth surface. Nonwoven fabric or suede-type plastic is often used as the polisher 11. The current maximum speed of the abrasive finishing seems to be about 2 m/s. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention [0004] Abrasive finishing using a rotary abrasive surface plate, however, needs the time for attachment/detachment of workpieces because the finishing is generally a batch process in which the abrasive surface plate must be stopped to detach and attach the workpieces. Also, an automated double-side abrasive finishing system capable of continuous feeding of workpieces to the apparatus is difficult to establish. In particular, improving abrasive finishing efficiency is challenging in mass production. [0005] Furthermore, the rotary abrasive surface plate requires a diameter of at least twice that of a workpiece because the workpiece is processed on the abrasive surface plate. Processing a larger workpiece requires a larger abrasive surface plate and a larger area for installation of the abrasive finishing apparatus. In addition, a rotary abrasive surface plate for double-side abrasive finishing having a horizontal rotating axis and a vertical plane of rotation is difficult to produce because of the mechanical difficulty of supporting a workpiece. This makes it difficult to sufficiently utilize the space around the apparatus. Accordingly, the development of a conceptually novel method for abrasive finishing has strongly been demanded to facilitate establishment of a more compact automated abrasive finishing system capable of continuous feeding of workpieces to an apparatus and to sufficiently utilize the space around the apparatus. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS [0006] The present invention provides a conceptually novel method for abrasive finishing which can facilitate establishment of a compact automated abrasive finishing system capable of continuous feeding of workpieces to an apparatus and which allows effective use of the space around the apparatus. Such a system is difficult to establish based on existing methods for rotary abrasive finishing using rotary abrasive surface plates. The present invention also provides an abrasive finishing apparatus based on the novel method. [0007] That is, the present invention provides a method for linear abrasive finishing which includes pressing a workpiece onto both of a pair of parallel flat surface plates that are adjacent in parallel and move linearly in opposite directions to apply a couple of forces for rotational movement to the workpiece; and subjecting the workpiece to abrasive finishing with abrasive grains by relative movement between the rotation of the workpiece and the linear movement of the pair of flat surface plates. In this method, the workpiece may be held between the pair of parallel flat surface plates and another pair of parallel flat surface plates facing the pair of parallel flat surface plates before one or both surfaces of the workpiece are subjected to the abrasive finishing. [0008] The present invention further provides a method for linear abrasive finishing which includes pressing a workpiece onto a flat surface plate that moves linearly to apply a couple of forces for rotational movement to the workpiece; and subjecting the workpiece to abrasive finishing with abrasive grains by relative movement between the rotation of the workpiece and the linear movement of the flat surface plate. The flat surface plate has a surface whose friction coefficient differs in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the flat surface plate moves linearly. In this method, the workpiece may be held between the flat surface plate and another flat surface plate facing the flat surface plate before one or both surfaces of the workpiece are subjected to the abrasive finishing. [0009] In the above methods, the abrasive finishing can be continuously performed by gradually moving an elongated plate-like carrier having a circular hole holding a circular subcarrier holding the workpiece in one direction as the abrasive finishing progresses. [0010] In the above methods, additionally, belt polishers passing over a workpiece support may be used instead of the flat surface plates. [0011] The present invention further provides a linear abrasive finishing apparatus including a pair of parallel flat surface plates adjacent in parallel; means for linearly moving the flat surface plates in opposite directions; and means for pressing a workpiece onto the flat surface plates. This apparatus may further include another pair of parallel flat surface plates disposed opposite the pair of parallel flat surface plates such that the workpiece is held therebetween. [0012] The above apparatus may further include an elongated plate-like carrier for continuously feeding the workpiece to the abrasive finishing apparatus and ejecting the workpiece therefrom during the abrasive finishing. This apparatus may further include a circular workpiece-holding subcarrier hole in the plate-like carrier, and the center of rotation of the hole may be located on or away from an adjacent center line between the parallel flat surface plates. In addition, the circular subcarrier hole in the plate-like carrier may include a workpiece-holding hole having a shape such as a circle, a square, a rectangle, or a polygon, and the center of rotation thereof may be located on the adjacent center line between the parallel flat surface plates. [0013] The present invention further provides a linear abrasive finishing apparatus including a flat surface plate that moves linearly and has a surface whose friction coefficient differs in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the flat surface plate moves linearly; and means for pressing a workpiece onto the flat surface plate. This apparatus may further include another flat surface plate disposed opposite the flat surface plate such that the workpiece is held therebetween. [0014] Each of the above apparatuses may include a workpiece support and a pair of belt polishers passing over the workpiece support instead of the flat surface plates. [0015] The methods according to the present invention leave no unidirectional abrasive streaks because the abrasive finishing is performed by rotating a workpiece using a couple of forces produced by the linear movement of the flat surface plates. These methods can therefore provide an excellent nondirectional finished surface with a roughness of about 1.5 nm or less (intervals of several atoms or less). Without rotation, the workpiece would suffer streaks oriented in the direction in which the flat surface plates move, leading to a roughness exceeding 10 nm. The methods according to the present invention can thus provide an ultrasmooth surface without such abrasive streaks. ADVANTAGES [0016] The methods for linear abrasive finishing according to the present invention have the following advantages: 1) An abrasive finishing apparatus that is more space-saving than rotary abrasive finishing apparatuses can be produced. 2) An automated abrasive finishing system capable of continuous feeding of workpieces to the apparatus can be established. Such a system is difficult to establish based on known methods for abrasive finishing using rotary abrasive surface plates. Continue reading... Full patent description for Linearly advancing polishing method and apparatus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Linearly advancing polishing method and apparatus patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Linearly advancing polishing method and apparatus or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Eyeglass lens processing system Next Patent Application: Polishing apparatus Industry Class: Abrading ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Linearly advancing polishing method and apparatus patent info. 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