EP0131367A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method of and apparatus for machining ceramic materials
Assignee: Japan Kinoko Research Center Foundation
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Filing: 1984-05-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-05-30
Abstract
Abstract Efficient, high-precision machining of ceramic materials is achieved by supplying on to a workpiece of a ceramic material a liquid electrolyte having components at least one of which is normally inert to but becomes chemically reactive with the ceramic material at an elevated temperature, and applying to a limited zone of interface between the liquid electrolyte and the workpiece, localized energy of a magnitude sufficient to heat the liquid electrolyte and the ceramic material there to the elevated temperature and to remove from the workpiece the locally heated ceramic material in a form at least partially chemically degenerated with the at least one electrolytic component. The limited zone acquiring the localized energy is displaced in a scanning manner from one region to another on the workpiece along a programmed path to consecutively remove the ceramic material along the path from the workpiece.
Inventors
- 👤 Kiyoshi Inoue
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:21
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/12; B23K26/127; B23K26/16; B23K26/36; B23K26/40; B23P; B23P25/00; B23P25/003; B23P25/006; B24; B24B; B24B1/00; C; C25; C25F; C25F3/00; C25F3/02; C25F3/14; C25F7/00; B23K2103/00; B23K2103/50; B23K2103/52
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of machining a workpiece of a ceramic material, characterised by comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with the workpiece a liquid electrolyte having components at least one of which is chemically reactive with the ceramic material at an elevated temperature; applying to a limited zone of interface between said liquid electrolyte and said workpiece, localized energy of a magnitude sufficient to heat said liquid electrolyte and said ceramic material at said limited zone to said elevated temperature and to remove from the workpiece the locally heated ceramic material at said limited zone in a form at least partially chemically degenerated with said at least one component; and displacing, in a scanning manner, said limited zone acquiring said localized energy from one region to another on said workpiece along a programmed continuous path to continuously remove said ceramic material along said path from the workpiece.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of machining a workpiece of a ceramic material, characterised by comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with the workpiece a liquid electrolyte having components at least one of which is chemically reactive with the ceramic material at an elevated temperature; applying to a limited zone of interface between said liquid electrolyte and said workpiece, localized energy of a magnitude sufficient to heat said liquid electrolyte and said ceramic material at said limited zone to said elevated temperature and to remove from the workpiece the locally heated ceramic material at said limited zone in a form at least partially chemically degenerated with said at least one component; and displacing, in a scanning manner, said limited zone acquiring said localized energy from one region to another on said workpiece along a programmed continuous path to continuously remove said ceramic material along said path from the workpiece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method defined in Claim 1 characterised in that said localized energy is applied by irradiating said limited zone with an energy beam and said zone is displaced along said path by relatively displacing said energy beam and said workpiece along said programmed path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in Claim 2 characterised in that said energy beam is a laser beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in Claim 2 characterised in that said energy beam is a microwave beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method defined in Claim 2 characterised in that a portion of said localized energy is applied to said limited zone by disposing a pair of electrodes closely spaced apart from each other adjacent to said limited zone and effecting a succession of electrical discharges through said liquid electrolyte across said electrodes and said electrodes and said workpiece are also relatively displaced in a said scanning manner to displace said limited zone from one region to another on the workpiece along said programmed path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method defined in Claim 1 characterised in that said localized energy comprises at least two different forms of energy, a first of which is applied to said limited zone to heat it to said elevated temperature and a second of which is applied to said zone so heated by said first form of energy to mechanically facilitate removal of said locally degenerated ceramic material from the workpiece.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method defined in Claim 1 characterised in that said localized energy is applied to said limited zone by disposing a pair of electrodes so that they are spaced apart across a small gap adjacent to said zone and effecting a succession of electrical discharges through said liquid electrolyte across said electrodes and said electrodes and said workpiece are relatively displaced along said programmed path to displace said limited zone from one region to another on the workpiece.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method defined in Claim 7 characterised in that said electrodes are forwardly inclined to approach each other toward said workpiece so as to form said small spacing adjacent to said workpiece.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method defined in Claim 8 characterised in that at least one of said electrodes is disk- shaped.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method defined in Claim 7 characterised by further comprising disposing a partition substantially composed of an insulating material between said electrodes so as to confine development of said electrical discharges through said liquid electrolyte adjacent to said limited zone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
'11. An apparatus for machining a workpiece of a ceramic material, characterised by comprising:
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
'11. An apparatus for machining a workpiece of a ceramic material, characterised by comprising:
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
136 words
means for supplying on to the workpiece a liquid electrolyte having components at least one of which is chemically reactive with the ceramic material at an elevated temperature; means for applying to a limited zone of interface between said liquid electrolyte and said workpiece, localized energy of a magnitude sufficient to heat said liquid electrolyte and said ceramic material at said limited zone to said elevated temperature and to remove from the workpiece the locally heated ceramic material at said limited zone in a form at least partially chemically degenerated with said at least one component; and means for displacing, in a scanning manner, said limited zone acquiring said localized energy from one region to another on said workpiece along a programmed continuous path to continuously remove said ceramic material along said path from the workpiece.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
136 words
means for supplying on to the workpiece a liquid electrolyte having components at least one of which is chemically reactive with the ceramic material at an elevated temperature; means for applying to a limited zone of interface between said liquid electrolyte and said workpiece, localized energy of a magnitude sufficient to heat said liquid electrolyte and said ceramic material at said limited zone to said elevated temperature and to remove from the workpiece the locally heated ceramic material at said limited zone in a form at least partially chemically degenerated with said at least one component; and means for displacing, in a scanning manner, said limited zone acquiring said localized energy from one region to another on said workpiece along a programmed continuous path to continuously remove said ceramic material along said path from the workpiece.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus defind in Claim 11 characterised in that said means for applying a beam gun for irradiating said limited zone of interface with an energy beam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus defined in Claim 12 characterised in that said means for applying further includes a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent to said zone and energizable by a power supply for effecting a succession of electrical discharges through said liquid electrolyte across said electrodes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus defined in Claim 11 characterised in that said means for applying comprises a pair of electrodes juxtaposed with each other across a small gap spacing adjacent to said zone, and a power supply for energizing said electrodes to produce thereacross a succession of electrical discharges through said liquid electrolyte.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus defined in Claim 14 characterised in that said electrodes are forwardly inclined to approach each other towards said workpiece so as to form said small spacing adjacent to said workpiece.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus defined in Claim 15 characterised in that said electrodes are axially elongated to form said small gap spacing at their forward end portions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus defined in Claim 14, Claim 15, Claim 16, characterised by further comprising a partition member substantially composed of an insulating material between said electrodes so as to confine development of said electrical discharges through said liquid electrolyte adjacent to said successive limited zones.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus defined in Claim 12, Claim 13 or Claim 14, characterised by further comprising means for abrading said at least partially chemically degenerated zone to mechanically facilitate dislodgment thereof from said workpiece.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A ceramic material characterised by being machined according to a method of any one of Claims 1 to 10 or by an apparatus of any one of Claims 11 to 18.
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