Patent US3380776A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3866358A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3866358A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for generating toroidal surfaces
Assignee: Camelot Industries Corp
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Filing: 1973-08-02
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Granted: 1975-02-18
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Expires: 1993-08-02
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for generating finely ground toroidal surfaces on workpieces. A generally disc-shaped surfacing tool having a double grit annular peripheral grinding surface and an initial radius substantially equal to the radius of the curvature to be generated in the direction of a first major meridian of the workpiece is caused to sweep across the workpiece along a curved path having a radius equal to the radius of the curvature to be generated in the direction of a second major meridian of the workpiece perpendicular to the first major meridian in order to generate a high quality toroidal surface on the workpiece ready for polishing. In order to compensate for the reduction in the tool radius due to wear, which reduction would normally change the curvature of the workpiece in the direction of the first meridian, means are provided to change the orientation of the tool relative to the curved path in a prescribed manner such that the tool will present an ''''effective'''' radius to the workpiece that remains substantially constant. The technique enables accurate toroidal surfaces to be generated on large numbers of workpieces without necessitating frequent reconditioning or replacement of the tool. The system is thus especially well suited for grinding toroidal surfaces on ophthalmic lenses in mass production operations.
Inventors
- 👤 Wiktor J Rupp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 07:42
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B13/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
Apparatus for generating a toroidal surface on a workpiece comprising: a. means for supporting a workpiece upon which said toroidal surface is to be generated; b. means for supporting a surfacing tool adjacent said workpiece for generating said toroidal surface thereupon, said surfacing tool comprising a disc tool having a substantially annular peripheral surfacing face symmetrical about a central tool axis, the radius of said annular peripheral surfacing face being generally equal to the radius of the curvature to be generated in the direction of a first major meridian of said toroidal surface; c. first drive means for transversely sweeping said tool and said workpiece relative to one another in a curved path having radius substantially equal to the radius of the curvature to be generated in the direction of a second major meridian of said toroidal surface; and d. adjustment means for adjusting the orientation of said tool relative to said curved path for maintaining the radius of the curvature to be generated along said first major meridian of said toroidal surface substantially constant as the radius of said tool changes due to wear.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
Apparatus for generating a toroidal surface on a workpiece comprising: a. means for supporting a workpiece upon which said toroidal surface is to be generated; b. means for supporting a surfacing tool adjacent said workpiece for generating said toroidal surface thereupon, said surfacing tool comprising a disc tool having a substantially annular peripheral surfacing face symmetrical about a central tool axis, the radius of said annular peripheral surfacing face being generally equal to the radius of the curvature to be generated in the direction of a first major meridian of said toroidal surface; c. first drive means for transversely sweeping said tool and said workpiece relative to one another in a curved path having radius substantially equal to the radius of the curvature to be generated in the direction of a second major meridian of said toroidal surface; and d. adjustment means for adjusting the orientation of said tool relative to said curved path for maintaining the radius of the curvature to be generated along said first major meridian of said toroidal surface substantially constant as the radius of said tool changes due to wear.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said adjustment means comprises means for tilting said tool relative to said curved path by increasingly greater amounts as the radius of said tool changes due to wear.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said means for tilting said tool relative to said curved path comprises means for incrementally moving said tool to different positions along said curved path as the radius of said tool changes due to wear.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said incremental moving means comprises an X-Y table.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said annular peripheral surfacing face comprises a rough abrasive portion for roughly grinding said workpiece and a fine abrasive portion for finely grinding said workpiece subsequent to the rough grinding thereof.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for generating a toroidal surface on a workpiece comprising the steps of: a. supporting a workpiece upon which said toroidal surface is to be generated; b. supporting a disc tool adjacent to said workpiece for generating said toroidal surface thereupon, said disc tool including a substantially annular peripheral surfacing face symmetrical about a central tool axis and having a radius generally equal to the radius of curvature to be generated in the direction of a first major meridian of said toroidal surface; c. transversely sweeping said tool and said workpiece relative to one another along a curved path having a radius substantially equal to the radius of curvature to be generated in the direction of a second major meridian of said toroidal surface; and d. periodically adjusting the orientation of said tool relative to said curved path for maintaining the radius of the curvature to be generated in the direction of said first major meridian of said toroidal surface substantially constant as the radiuss of said tool changes due to wear.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for generating a toroidal surface on a workpiece comprising the steps of: a. supporting a workpiece upon which said toroidal surface is to be generated; b. supporting a disc tool adjacent to said workpiece for generating said toroidal surface thereupon, said disc tool including a substantially annular peripheral surfacing face symmetrical about a central tool axis and having a radius generally equal to the radius of curvature to be generated in the direction of a first major meridian of said toroidal surface; c. transversely sweeping said tool and said workpiece relative to one another along a curved path having a radius substantially equal to the radius of curvature to be generated in the direction of a second major meridian of said toroidal surface; and d. periodically adjusting the orientation of said tool relative to said curved path for maintaining the radius of the curvature to be generated in the direction of said first major meridian of said toroidal surface substantially constant as the radiuss of said tool changes due to wear.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as recited in claim 6 wherein said adjusting step comprises the step of tilting said tool relative to said curved path by increasingly greater amounts as the radius of said tool decreases due to wear.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said tilting step comprises the step of shifting said tool to different positions along said curved path as the radius of said tool changes due to weawr.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
109 words
A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said shifting step comprises shifting said tool in accordance with the fOllowing equations: x (RT.RB/RC) - RT and y RB Square Root 1 -(RT2/RC2) wherein x is the amount of tool movement in the coordinate direction perpendicular to the tool axis; y is the amount of tool movement in the coordinate direction parallel to the tool axis; RT tool radius; RB the radius of curvature to be generated in the direction of said second major meridian of said toroidal surface; and RC the radius of curvature to be generated in the direction of said first major meridian of said toroidal surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |