Spindle structure in ultrasonic machine and supporting horn used in the same

• US 6,762,535 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Takesho Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Takesho Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawanami, Masayoshi, Take, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US10/114,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20030085632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 310/323.02, 310/323.04, 310/323.08, 310/323.12, 310/323.13, 310/323.18, 310/323.19, 310/325
• US Class Current: 310/323.18
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 37/00 Boring by making use of ultrasonic energy essentially using abrasive material B24B, e.g. B24B1/04
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 1/04 subjecting the grinding or polishing tools, the abrading or polishing medium or work to vibration, e.g. grinding with ultrasonic frequency polishing or abrading surfaces on work by means of tumbling apparatus B24B31/00, involving oscillating or vibrating containers B24B31/06; superfinishing surfaces on work, e.g. by means of abrading blocks reciprocating with high frequency, B24B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 35/005 for making three-dimensional objects by electroerosion B23H5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 41/04 Headstocks; Working-spindles; Features relating thereto

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine which can reduce the number of assembling steps, can improve working accuracy, and can reduce heat generation due to an ultrasonic wave leakage during the working process. The spindle structure comprises: an ultrasonic vibrator 4 housed in a main body sleeve 3b formed in a spindle main body 3 rotationally driven, and a supporting horn 6 connected to the ultrasonic vibrator 4, wherein the supporting horn 6 comprises a main body 6a, a base portion 6c formed in a brim shape on an outer peripheral face of the main body 6a, an elastic cylindrical damping sleeve 6d formed by extending an outer periphery of the base portion 6c in the axial direction, a loose flange 6e and a fixing flange 6f formed on both ends of the damping sleeve 6d, and a buffer groove 6g formed on an outer peripheral face of the base portion 6c, wherein the loose flange 6e of the supporting horn 6 is disposed on the side of the ultrasonic vibrator 4 in a state that it is slidable to and has contact with an inner peripheral face of the main body sleeve 3b, and the fixing flange 6f is mounted on the main body sleeve 3b in a state that it is restrained in the axial direction.

Claims

1. A spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine comprising a spindle main body rotationally driven around an axial line thereof, an ultrasonic vibrator housed in a cylindrical main body sleeve formed in the spindle main body, and a supporting horn connected to the ultrasonic vibrator within the main body sleeve, wherein

said supporting horn comprises a main body connected coaxially to the ultrasonic vibrator, a base portion formed in a brim shape on an outer peripheral face of the main body, an elastic cylindrical damping sleeve formed by extending an outer periphery of the base portion in the axial direction, a loose flange formed on one end of the damping sleeve, an fixing flange formed on the other end of the damping sleeve, and a gap portion formed on an outer peripheral face of the base portion along a circumferential direction thereof,

said loose flange of the supporting horn being disposed on a side of the ultrasonic vibrator in a state that the loose flange is slidable to and has contact with an inner peripheral face of the main body sleeve and said fixing flange being mounted on the main body sleeve in a state that the fixing flange is restrained in the axial direction.

2. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 1, wherein said gap portion of the supporting horn is a buffer groove extending in a circumferential direction on an outer peripheral face of the base portion.

3. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 1, wherein a length, in the axial direction, of the main body of the supporting horn is set to be ½

of a wavelength of an ultrasonic wave applied, a length, in the axial direction, of the damping sleeve of the supporting horn is set within ¼

of the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave applied, and the base portion is formed in an intermediate position of the main body in the axial direction and in an intermediate position of the damping sleeve in the axial direction.

4. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 2, wherein a length, in the axial direction, of the main body of the supporting horn is set to be ½

of a wavelength of an ultrasonic wave applied, a length, in the axial direction, of the damping sleeve of the supporting horn is set within ¼

of the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave applied, and the base portion is formed in an intermediate position of the main body in the axial direction and in an intermediate position of the damping sleeve in the axial direction.

5. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 2, wherein a width of the buffer groove is set to be from 0.1% to 3% of a wavelength of the ultrasonic wave applied.

6. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 1, wherein said main body of the supporting horn has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

7. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 2, wherein said main body of the supporting horn has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

8. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 3, wherein said main body of the supporting horn has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

9. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 4, wherein said main body of the supporting horn has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

10. The spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine according to claim 5, wherein said main body of the supporting horn has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

11. A supporting horn which is connected to an ultrasonic vibrator disposed inside of a spindle main body of an ultrasonic machine, comprising:

a main body connected coaxially to the ultrasonic vibrator,

a base portion formed in a brim shape on an outer peripheral face of the main body,

an elastic cylindrical damping sleeve formed by extending an outer peripheral portion of the base portion in the axial direction,

a loose flange formed on one end of the damping sleeve,

a fixing flange formed on the other end of the damping sleeve, and

a gap portion provided along a circumferential direction on an outer peripheral face of the base portion.

12. The supporting horn according to claim 11, wherein said gap portion is a buffer groove extending in a circumferential direction on an outer peripheral face of the base portion.

13. The supporting horn according to claim 11, wherein a length, in the axial direction, of the main body is set to be ½

of a wavelength of an ultrasonic wave applied, a length, in the axial direction, of the damping sleeve is set within ¼

of the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave applied, and the base portion is formed in an intermediate position of the main body in the axial direction and in an intermediate position of the damping sleeve in the axial direction.

14. The supporting horn according to claim 12, wherein a length, in the axial direction, of the main body is set to be ½

of a wavelength of an ultrasonic wave applied, a length, in the axial direction, of the damping sleeve is set within ¼

of the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave applied, and the base portion is formed in an intermediate position of the main body in the axial direction and in an intermediate position of the damping sleeve in the axial direction.

15. The supporting horn according to claim 12, wherein a width of the buffer groove is set to be from 0.1% to 3% of a wavelength of an ultrasonic wave applied.

16. The supporting horn according to claim 11, wherein said main body has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

17. The supporting horn according to claim 12, wherein said main body has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

18. The supporting horn according to claim 13, wherein said main body has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

19. The supporting horn according to claim 14, wherein said main body has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.

20. The supporting horn according to claim 15, wherein said main body has a portion where an outer diameter of the main body varies continuously or intermittently along the axial direction of the main body within a range of an inner diameter of the damping sleeve is provided.