FLOOD COOLANT TO THROUGH SPINDLE COOLANT CONVERSION

• US 20150151402A1
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cazzoli, James R., Henderson, Nathaniel H., Hunt, Christopher A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,579,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 55/02 Equipment for cooling the grinding surfaces, e.g. devices for feeding coolant cooling or lubricating during dressing operation B24B53/095; incorporated in grinding wheels B24D
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 13/10 comprising assemblies of brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 9/00 Wheels or drums supporting in exchangeable arrangement a layer of flexible abrasive material, e.g. sandpaper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

Rotary tools configured to sand components and accommodate complex geometries thereof are provided. The rotary tools may include a rotary head and a shaft. Bristles and an abrasive material may be coupled to the abrasive material. The rotary tools may additionally include outlets configured to receive a flow of coolant to cool the rotary tool. A system configured to convert a flood coolant system to a through spindle coolant system is also provided. The system may include a hollow shaft with inlets and a redirector therein. A flow receptor may include scoops that receive coolant sprayed from a flood coolant system and direct the coolant through the inlets in the hollow shaft. Thereby, the coolant may contact the redirector and be directed downward through the hollow shaft to a rotary tool, such as the rotary tool described above.

Claims

1. A rotary tool, comprising:

a tool head;

a plurality of bristles coupled to the tool head; and

an abrasive material coupled to the tool head,

wherein the bristles and the abrasive material are water resistant and configured to conform to a shape of a component during rotation of the tool head about a rotational axis to affect a surface finish of the component.

2. The rotatory tool of claim 1, wherein the bristles comprise a plurality of polymer filaments and the abrasive material comprises a sandpaper.

3. The rotary tool of claim 2, wherein the polymer filaments are coupled to a back of the sandpaper.

4. The rotary tool of claim 2, wherein the sandpaper comprises a plurality of tabs extending substantially parallel to the polymer filaments.

5. The rotary tool of claim 1, wherein the bristles and the abrasive material extend radially from the rotational axis of the tool head.

6. The rotary tool of claim 1, wherein the rotary tool is configured to receive a flow of a coolant and direct the coolant out of the tool head to the bristles and the abrasive material.

7. The rotary tool of claim 6, further comprising a hollow shaft configured to direct the coolant to the tool head.

8. The rotary tool of claim 6, further comprising a shaft and a cone coupled to the tool head, the cone defining an upper opening configured to receive the coolant and direct the coolant downwardly through the tool head.

9. A system configured to convert a flood coolant system to a through spindle coolant system, the system comprising:

a conversion apparatus, comprising;

a hollow shaft defining a plurality of inlets configured to receive a coolant sprayed from an external nozzle therethrough;

a redirector positioned within the hollow shaft and configured to direct the coolant through the hollow shaft.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the conversion apparatus further comprises a flow receptor wheel coupled to the hollow shaft, the flow receptor wheel comprising:

a body portion;

a plurality of scoops extending from the body portion; and

a plurality of apertures defined in the body portion,

the scoops being configured to receive the coolant sprayed from the external nozzle and direct the coolant through the apertures in the body portion into the inlets in the hollow shaft.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the redirector cooperates with the hollow shaft to define a plurality of spiral shaped channels, each of the spiral shaped channels being in communication with at least one of the inlets.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the hollow shaft comprises a tool holder configured to engage a rotary tool.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the hollow shaft is configured to engage a tool holder.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a rotary tool coupled to the hollow shaft, the rotary tool comprising:

a tool head defining a plurality of outlets extending therethrough;

a plurality of bristles coupled to the tool head; and

an abrasive material coupled to the tool head,

wherein the bristles and the abrasive material are water resistant and configured to conform to a shape of a component during rotation of the tool head about a rotational axis to affect a surface finish of the component, and

wherein the rotary tool is configured to receive a flow of a coolant from the shaft and direct the coolant out of the tool head through the outlets to the bristles and the abrasive material.

15. A method for converting a flood coolant system to a through spindle coolant system, the method comprising:

rotationally coupling a conversion apparatus to a motor of a rotary machine, the conversion apparatus comprising;

a hollow shaft defining a plurality of inlets; and

a redirector positioned within the hollow shaft;

rotating the conversion apparatus with the motor of the rotary machine;

spraying a coolant out of an external nozzle at the conversion apparatus such that the coolant enters the inlets in the hollow shaft; and

directing the coolant through the hollow shaft with the redirector.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein spraying the coolant out of the external nozzle at the conversion apparatus comprises spraying the coolant at a flow receptor wheel coupled to the hollow shaft, the flow receptor wheel comprising a plurality of the scoops configured to receive the coolant sprayed from the external nozzle and direct the coolant through a plurality of apertures defined in the body portion into the inlets in the hollow shaft.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein directing the coolant through the hollow shaft comprises directing the coolant through a plurality of spiral shaped channels defined between the redirector and the hollow shaft.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising engaging the hollow shaft with a rotary tool.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising engaging the hollow shaft with a tool holder.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising coupling a rotary tool to the shaft, the rotary tool comprising a tool head with a plurality of bristles and an abrasive material coupled thereto;

and

directing the coolant from the shaft out of the tool head through a plurality of outlets extending therethrough to the bristles and the abrasive material.