Portable Modular Deburring Machine

• US 20160008946A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPR Innovative Products Resources Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPR Innovative Products Resources Incorporated, Pavel D. Okulov
• Inventors: OKULOV, Pavel D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,694,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 27/033 for grinding a surface for cleaning purposes, e.g. for descaling or for grinding off flaws in the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 13/10 comprising assemblies of brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 9/04 Rigid drums for carrying flexible material

Abstract

An abrasive deburring machine comprised of a plurality of individually controlled abrasive modules, each having a rotatable drum type brush with flexible bristles, the drum is mounted on a rotatable support with axis of rotation generally perpendicular to the motional axis of the drum. Each support with brush and support drive are mounted inside of a housing therefore creating a module. Plurality of such modules can be combined in a desired configuration to form a deburring machine or finishing/polishing machine tailored to a specific geometry of the work piece or part to be deburred, finished or polished. Each drum and drum support, including its axial angular position are controlled independently, which for a pre-programmed movement of all brushes in order to conform to a complex shape of the part to be deburred, optimize the process of deburring and maximize the durability of abrasive brushes. The drum type brush is preferably made of polystyrene foam with helical groove along its outer shape containing a continuous abrasive filament secured inside the groove and having bristle or strap like abrasive extremities. The invention includes a variety of modes of use being mostly applicable for deburring and finishing operations in Aerospace sector as well as in finishing operations in other metal, plastic and woodworking industries.

Claims

1. An abrasive machine suitable for deburring operations comprising a rotatable hub with abrasive filament formed and scoured against said hub and said hub mounted on a support, a rotating means for rotating of said hub in a predetermined direction and said support rotating means for rotation of said support. in a predetermined direction, wherein the rotational axes of said rotatable huh and said rotatable support are generally perpendicular to each other.

2. An abrasive machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hub is made of polymeric foam, for instance polystyrene or alike.

3. An abrasive machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said abrasive filament is flexible fabric or fiber backed abrasive providing for bristle like abrasive extremities or flaps.

4. An abrasive machine as forth in claim 1 wherein said rotating means of said hub support are chosen from a range of electric motor, pneumatic motor and hydraulic motor.

5. An abrasive machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said driving means for said support have additional means for adjusting position of said support in the direction of its rotational axis.

6. An abrasive machine as set in claim 1 wherein said driving means for said support are mounted inside a housing.

7. An abrasive machine as set forth m claim 6 wherein said housing has an outer shape with geometry resembling an extrusion in the direction of rotational axis of said hub support and based on a choice from the following shapes:

triangle, rectangle, hexagon or circle.

8. An abrasive machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein said housings are provided in plurality and each housing has means for connecting to the adjacent housing so that the overall machine is formed as a combination of individual housings.

9. An abrasive machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotational means for said drum or said support have electronic controls and interface means for controlling their speed, direction of rotation and angular position independently or in coordination with each other or executed under numerical algorithm.

10. An abrasive machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said support positioning means can be controlled remotely.

15. An abrasive machine as set forth in claims 1 wherein said abrasive tool is comprised of a rotatable huh with helical groove formed along its outer surface containing a continuous abrasive filament formed from abrasive tape with plurality of integral with said tape abrasive straps extending outwards and having a continuous edge, said filament being inserted into said grove by its edge so that said edge is buckled inside said grove in a fashion prescribed by the position and the shape of notches or perforations provided in desired fashion close to said edge where the ends of said filament are secured against said hub and is irreplaceably mountable on said hub support.

11. A method for providing an abrasive machine suitable for deburring operations including steps of providing an abrasive tool in a form of a rotary abrasive brush with driving means for its rotation, mounting said brush with said driving means on a rotatable support with axis of rotation generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said brush and providing a housing holding driving means for rotation of said support and its positioning in direction of axis of its rotation and providing a work piece with relative movement against said brush.

12. A method per claim 11 wherein said driving means for said brush and said brush support are provided with sensory means and electronic control means for operation of their respectful speed of rotation, direction of rotation and relative position to the work piece, for instance angular or linear position.

13. A method per claim 11 wherein said housings are provided in plurality and are interconnected to a mechanical structure.

14. A method per claim 12 wherein said electronic controls are tailored to accept and provide for control of a plurality or a cluster of deburring units in a pre-programmed fashion, and/or by execution of numerical algorithm and/or utilizing the feedback from the said sensory means.