Three-point spindle-supported floating abrasive platen
First Claim
1. An at least three-point, fixed-spindle floating-platen abrading machine apparatus comprising:
- a) three equal height rotary spindles having circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have a spindle-top axis of rotation at a center of the rotatable flat-surfaced spindle top;
b) an abrading machine base having a horizontal, flat top surface and a spindle-circle where the spindle-circle is located near the center of a top-surface of the machine base and the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base top surface;
c) wherein the at least three rotary spindles are located with equal spaces between each of them and the spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and the spindles are attached to the machine base top surface at those spindle-circle locations by a respective at least three spindle-support mounting legs that are equally spaced around the outer periphery of the spindles to form at least three-point supports of the spindles;
d) wherein the three spindle-top flat surfaces are co-planar with each other and where the three spindle-top flat surfaces are co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface;
e) wherein the spindle-tops axes of rotation are perpendicular to the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface;
f) a floating, rotatable abrading platen having a flat annular abrading surface with an abrasive band radial width and where the platen is supported by and rotationally driven about a platen rotation axis located at a rotational center of the platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the platen and the spherical-action rotation device restrains the platen in a radial direction relative to the platen axis of rotation and the platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle;
g) wherein the spherical-action rotation device allows spherical motion of the floating platen about the platen rotation axis where the platen abrading surface is nominally horizontal;
h) and wherein the platen can be moved vertically along the platen rotation axis by the spherical-action platen rotation device to allow the platen abrading surface to contact the spindle-top flat surfaces of the at least three spindles wherein the at least three spaced spindles provide at least three-point support of the platen and where the flat abrading surface of the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface;
i) and wherein the total force from the platen abrading contact that is applied to the at least three spindle-top flat surfaces by contact of the spindle-tops with the platen is controlled through the spherical-action platen rotation device to allow the total platen abrading contact force to be evenly distributed to the at least three individual spindle-tops;
j) flexible abrasive disk components having annular bands of abrasive coated surfaces wherein the radial width of the platen annular abrading surface is at least equal to the radial width of the abrasive disk annular abrading band of abrasives where each flexible abrasive disk is attached in flat conformal contact with the platen abrading surface by disk attachment techniques such that the attached abrasive disks are concentric with the platen abrading surface;
k) wherein equal-thickness workpieces having parallel or near-parallel opposed flat surfaces are attached in flat-surfaced contact with the flat surfaces of the spindle-tops and the platen is vertically moveable to allow the abrasive surface of the abrasive disk that is attached to the platen abrading surface to contact the top surfaces of the workpieces such that the total platen abrading contact force is evenly distributed to the workpieces attached to the at least three equally-spaced spindle-tops;
l) wherein the at least three spindle-tops having the attached workpieces can be rotated about the spindle axes and the platen can be rotated about the platen rotation axis to single-side abrade the workpieces while the moving platen abrading surface is in force-controlled abrading pressure with the workpieces and where the flat abrading surface of the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for releasably attaching flexible abrasive disks to a flat-surfaced platen that floats in three-point abrading contact with three rigid equal-height flat-surfaced rotatable fixed-position workpiece spindles that are mounted on a precision-flat abrading machine base where the spindle surfaces are in a common plane that is co-planar with the base surface. The three spindles are positioned to form a triangle of platen supports where the rotational-centers of each of the spindles are positioned at the center of the annular width of the platen abrading surface. Flat surfaced workpieces are attached to the spindles and the rotating floating-platen abrasive surface contacts all three rotating workpieces to perform single-sided abrading. The platen abrasive surface can be re-flattened by attaching equal-thickness abrasive disks to the three spindles that are rotated while in abrading contact with the rotating platen abrasive. There is no wear of the abrasive-disk protected platen surface.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An at least three-point, fixed-spindle floating-platen abrading machine apparatus comprising:
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a) three equal height rotary spindles having circular rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that each have a spindle-top axis of rotation at a center of the rotatable flat-surfaced spindle top; b) an abrading machine base having a horizontal, flat top surface and a spindle-circle where the spindle-circle is located near the center of a top-surface of the machine base and the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base top surface; c) wherein the at least three rotary spindles are located with equal spaces between each of them and the spindle-tops'"'"' axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and the spindles are attached to the machine base top surface at those spindle-circle locations by a respective at least three spindle-support mounting legs that are equally spaced around the outer periphery of the spindles to form at least three-point supports of the spindles; d) wherein the three spindle-top flat surfaces are co-planar with each other and where the three spindle-top flat surfaces are co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; e) wherein the spindle-tops axes of rotation are perpendicular to the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; f) a floating, rotatable abrading platen having a flat annular abrading surface with an abrasive band radial width and where the platen is supported by and rotationally driven about a platen rotation axis located at a rotational center of the platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the platen and the spherical-action rotation device restrains the platen in a radial direction relative to the platen axis of rotation and the platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle; g) wherein the spherical-action rotation device allows spherical motion of the floating platen about the platen rotation axis where the platen abrading surface is nominally horizontal; h) and wherein the platen can be moved vertically along the platen rotation axis by the spherical-action platen rotation device to allow the platen abrading surface to contact the spindle-top flat surfaces of the at least three spindles wherein the at least three spaced spindles provide at least three-point support of the platen and where the flat abrading surface of the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; i) and wherein the total force from the platen abrading contact that is applied to the at least three spindle-top flat surfaces by contact of the spindle-tops with the platen is controlled through the spherical-action platen rotation device to allow the total platen abrading contact force to be evenly distributed to the at least three individual spindle-tops; j) flexible abrasive disk components having annular bands of abrasive coated surfaces wherein the radial width of the platen annular abrading surface is at least equal to the radial width of the abrasive disk annular abrading band of abrasives where each flexible abrasive disk is attached in flat conformal contact with the platen abrading surface by disk attachment techniques such that the attached abrasive disks are concentric with the platen abrading surface; k) wherein equal-thickness workpieces having parallel or near-parallel opposed flat surfaces are attached in flat-surfaced contact with the flat surfaces of the spindle-tops and the platen is vertically moveable to allow the abrasive surface of the abrasive disk that is attached to the platen abrading surface to contact the top surfaces of the workpieces such that the total platen abrading contact force is evenly distributed to the workpieces attached to the at least three equally-spaced spindle-tops; l) wherein the at least three spindle-tops having the attached workpieces can be rotated about the spindle axes and the platen can be rotated about the platen rotation axis to single-side abrade the workpieces while the moving platen abrading surface is in force-controlled abrading pressure with the workpieces and where the flat abrading surface of the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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9. A process of abrading flat-surfaced workpieces using a three-point fixed-spindle floating-platen abrading machine assembly apparatus comprising:
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a) providing at least three primary equal-height rotary spindles having circular-shaped rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that have a spindle-top axis of rotation at the center of the rotatable flat-surfaced spindle top; b) providing an abrading machine base having a horizontal precision-flat top surface and a spindle-circle where the spindle-circle is located at the approximate center of the machine base top surface and the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base top surface; c) wherein the three rotary spindles are located with equal spaces between each of them and the spindle-tops axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and the spindles are attached to the machine base top surface at those spindle-circle locations by three spindle-support mounting legs that are equally spaced around the outer periphery of the spindles to form three-point supports of the spindles; d) wherein the three spindle-top flat surfaces are precisely co-planar with each other and where the three spindle-top flat surfaces are precisely co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; e) wherein the spindle-tops axes of rotation are precisely perpendicular to the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; f) providing a floating rotatable abrading platen having a precision-flat annular abrading surface having an abrasive band radial width and where the platen is supported by and rotationally driven about a platen rotation axis located at the rotational center of the platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the platen and the spherical-action rotation device restrains the platen in a radial direction relative to the platen axis of rotation and the platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle; g) wherein the spherical-action rotation device allows spherical motion of the floating platen about the platen rotation axis where the platen abrading surface is nominally horizontal; h) providing that the total platen abrading contact force that is applied to the three spindle-top flat surfaces by contact of the spindle-tops with the platen is controlled through the spherical-action platen rotation device to allow the total platen abrading contact force to be evenly distributed to the three individual spindle-tops; i) wherein flexible abrasive disk articles having annular bands of abrasive coated surfaces where the radial width of the platen annular abrading surface is at least equal to the radial width of the abrasive disk annular abrading band of abrasives where a selected flexible abrasive disk is attached in flat conformal contact with the platen abrading surface by disk attachment techniques comprising vacuum disk attachment techniques, mechanical disk attachment techniques and adhesive disk attachment techniques where the attached abrasive disk is concentric with the platen abrading surface; j) wherein equal-thickness workpieces having parallel or near-parallel opposed flat surfaces are attached in flat-surfaced contact with the flat surfaces of the spindle-tops and the platen is moved vertically to allow the abrasive surface of the abrasive disk that is attached to the platen abrading surface to contact the top surfaces of the workpieces where the total platen abrading contact force is evenly distributed to the workpieces attached to the three equally-spaced spindle-tops and where the flat abrading surface of the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; k) the three spindle-tops having the attached workpieces are rotated about the spindle axes and the platen is rotated about the platen rotation axis to single-side abrade the workpieces while the moving platen abrading surface is in force-controlled abrading pressure with the workpieces while the abrading pressure is maintained as equal for all three workpieces and where the flat abrading surface of the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A process of abrading an abrading surface of a floating platen on a three-point fixed-spindle floating-platen abrading machine to recondition or reestablish the planar flatness of the platen abrading surface comprising:
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a) providing three primary equal-height rotary spindles having circular-shaped rotatable flat-surfaced spindle-tops that have a spindle-top axis of rotation at the center of the rotatable flat-surfaced spindle top; b) providing an abrading machine base having a horizontal precision-flat top surface and a spindle-circle where the spindle-circle is located at the approximate center of the machine base top surface and the spindle-circle is coincident with the machine base top surface; c) providing that the three rotary spindles are located with equal spaces between each of them and the spindle-tops axes of rotation intersect the machine base spindle-circle and the spindles are attached to the machine base top surface at those spindle-circle locations by three spindle-support mounting legs that are equally spaced around the outer periphery of the spindles to form three-point supports of the spindles; d) wherein the three spindle-top flat surfaces are precisely co-planar with each other and where the three spindle-top flat surfaces are precisely co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; e) wherein the spindle-tops axes of rotation are precisely perpendicular to the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; f) providing a floating rotatable abrading platen having a precision-flat annular abrading surface having an abrasive band radial width and where the platen is supported by and rotationally driven about a platen rotation axis located at the rotational center of the platen by a spherical-action rotation device located at the rotational center of the platen and the spherical-action rotation device restrains the platen in a radial direction relative to the platen axis of rotation and the platen axis of rotation is concentric with the machine base spindle-circle; g) providing flexible abrasive flexible abrasive disk articles having annular bands of abrasive coated surfaces where the radial width of the platen annular abrading surface is at least equal to the radial width of the abrasive disk annular abrading band of abrasives where a selected flexible abrasive disk can be attached in flat conformal contact with the platen abrading surface by disk attachment techniques comprising vacuum disk attachment techniques, mechanical disk attachment techniques and adhesive disk attachment techniques where the attached abrasive disks are concentric with the platen abrading surface; h) wherein the spherical-action rotation device allows spherical motion of the floating platen about the platen rotation axis where the platen abrading surface is nominally horizontal; i) attaching flexible abrasive disk components concentric to the spindle-tops; j) moving the platen is moved vertically along the platen rotation axis by the spherical-action platen rotation device to allow the platen abrading surface to contact the spindle-top flat surfaces of the three spindles wherein the three spaced spindles provide three-point support of the platen where the total platen abrading contact force is evenly distributed to the abrasive disk-type articles attached to the three equally-spaced spindle-tops and where the flat abrading surface of the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface; k) controlling through the spherical-action platen rotation device the total platen abrading contact force that is applied to the three spindle-top flat surfaces by contact of the spindle-top abrasive disk-type articles with the platen abrading surface; l) rotating the three spindle-tops having the attached abrasive disk articles about the spindle axes and rotating the platen about the platen rotation axis to abrade the abrading-surface of the platen with the abrasive disk-type articles while the moving platen abrading surface is in force-controlled abrading pressure with the spindle-top abrasive disk-type articles abrading surfaces and where the flat abrading surface of the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. The process of 13 where the abrading surface of an abrasive disk that is attached to the abrading surface of the floating platen is abraded to recondition or reestablish the planar flatness of the abrading surface of the abrasive disk using conditioning rings where circular-shaped conditioning rings having an abrasive coated annular band that has a band diameter that is larger than the radial width of the annular abrading-surface of the abrasive disk wherein the conditioning rings are attached to the three spindle-tops where the conditioning ring annular abrasive surfaces have equal heights above each spindle-top wherein the three spindle-tops having the attached conditioning rings are rotated about the spindle axes while the moving platen abrading surface of the abrasive disk is in force-controlled abrading pressure with the spindle-top conditioning ring abrading surfaces and where the flat abrading surface of the abrasive disk attached to the platen is co-planar with the machine base horizontal precision-flat top surface.
Specification