Patent US3900972A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3900972A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for polishing toroidal surfaces
Assignee: Camelot Industries Corp
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Filing: 1974-09-11
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Granted: 1975-08-26
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Expires: 1994-09-11
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for polishing toroidal surfaces on ophthalmic lenses. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a toroidal polishing tool is driven in a non-rotating orbital manner while being supported by a gimbal having pivot axes which are vertically displaced from one another so that the lapping surface of the tool will, in its movement, define and always move on a toroidal surface fixed in space. By properly spacing the gimbal axes relative to the vertex of the tool surface, the fixed toroidal surface in space will have the same radial dimensions as the tool surface and the lens surface to be polished. Therefore, by positioning the lens so that its surface will be on the fixed toroidal surface in space, the lens will be effectively polished by the moving tool and can be held stationary throughout the polishing operation. Because the lens can be held stationary, greater machine speeds and polishing rates can be achieved. An improved breakup motion is also provided in the system to prevent the formation of ridges or grooves on the lens surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Wiktor J Rupp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 05:16
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B13/00; B24B13/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
264 words
Apparatus for polishing toroidal surfaces comprising: a. a first member and a second member, one of said members comprising a lapping tool having a toroidal lapping surface and the other of said members comprising means for carrying a workpiece having a toroidal workpiece surface to be polished, the toroidal surfaces of both said lapping tool and said workpiece having a curvature of a first radius in the direction of a first principal meridian thereof and a curvature of a second radius different from said first radius in the direction of a second principal meridian thereof perpendicular to said first principal meridian; b. means for supporting said first member for pivotal movement in first and second curved paths, said first curved path being parallel to said first principal meridian of the toroidal surface thereof and having a radius equal to said first radius, and said second curved path being parallel to said second principal meridian of the toroidal surface thereof and having a radius equal to said second radius; c. drive means for driving said first member in a non-rotating orbital manner, said support means causing the toroidal surface of said first member to define and always move in a fixed toroidal surface in space, said fixed toroidal surface in space having the same radial dimensions as the toroidal surfaces of said first and second members; and d. means for positioning the toroidal surface of said second member on said fixed toroidal surface in space such that during the movement of said first member thereon said workpiece surface will be polished by said lapping tool.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
264 words
Apparatus for polishing toroidal surfaces comprising: a. a first member and a second member, one of said members comprising a lapping tool having a toroidal lapping surface and the other of said members comprising means for carrying a workpiece having a toroidal workpiece surface to be polished, the toroidal surfaces of both said lapping tool and said workpiece having a curvature of a first radius in the direction of a first principal meridian thereof and a curvature of a second radius different from said first radius in the direction of a second principal meridian thereof perpendicular to said first principal meridian; b. means for supporting said first member for pivotal movement in first and second curved paths, said first curved path being parallel to said first principal meridian of the toroidal surface thereof and having a radius equal to said first radius, and said second curved path being parallel to said second principal meridian of the toroidal surface thereof and having a radius equal to said second radius; c. drive means for driving said first member in a non-rotating orbital manner, said support means causing the toroidal surface of said first member to define and always move in a fixed toroidal surface in space, said fixed toroidal surface in space having the same radial dimensions as the toroidal surfaces of said first and second members; and d. means for positioning the toroidal surface of said second member on said fixed toroidal surface in space such that during the movement of said first member thereon said workpiece surface will be polished by said lapping tool.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises gimbal means having first and second axes which are perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to said first and second principal meridians, respectively, and wherein said first and second axes are spaced from the vertex of the toroidal surface of said first member by distances equal to said first and second radii, respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 2, and further including means for maintaining said second member substantially stationary relative to said first member with the first and second principal meridians of the toroidal surface thereof parallel to the first and second principal meridians of said fixed toroidal surface in space.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said first member comprises said lapping tool, and wherein said second member comprises said means for carrying said workpiece.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 3 and further including means for introducing a breakup motion into the movement of said first member to vary the path of movement of said first member relative to said second member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said breakup motion introducing means comprises means for continuously varying the amplitude of the orbit of said first member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said drive means drives said first member at an orbital speed of between about 1, 000 and 2,000 c.p.m.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said first member comprises said lapping tool and wherein said second member comprises said means for carrying said workpiece.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said workpiece comprises a lens.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said means for carrying said lens comprises conveyor means carrying a plurality of lenses to be polished, said conveyor means including means for positioning said plurality of lenses, one at a time, on said fixed toroidal surface in space to be polished by said lapping tool.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
193 words
Apparatus for polishing toroidal surfaces comprising: a. a lapping tool having a toroidal lapping surface, said toroidal lapping surface having a curvature of a first radius in the direction of a first principal meridian thereof and a curvature of a second radius different from said first radius in the direction of a second principal meridian perpendicular to said first principal meridian; b. means for supporting said lapping tool for pivotal movement in first and second curved paths, said first and second paths being parallel to said first and second principal meridians, respectively, and having radii equal to said first and second radii, respectively; c. drive means for driving said lapping tool in a non-rotating orbital manner whereby said support means will cause the toroidal surface of said lapping tool to define and always move on a fixed toroidal surface in space, said fixed toroidal surface in space having the same radial dimensions as said toroidal lapping surface; and d. means for positioning a workpiece having a toroidal surface to be polished on said fixed toroidal surface in space such that the movement of said lapping tool thereon will effect polishing of said workpiece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
193 words
Apparatus for polishing toroidal surfaces comprising: a. a lapping tool having a toroidal lapping surface, said toroidal lapping surface having a curvature of a first radius in the direction of a first principal meridian thereof and a curvature of a second radius different from said first radius in the direction of a second principal meridian perpendicular to said first principal meridian; b. means for supporting said lapping tool for pivotal movement in first and second curved paths, said first and second paths being parallel to said first and second principal meridians, respectively, and having radii equal to said first and second radii, respectively; c. drive means for driving said lapping tool in a non-rotating orbital manner whereby said support means will cause the toroidal surface of said lapping tool to define and always move on a fixed toroidal surface in space, said fixed toroidal surface in space having the same radial dimensions as said toroidal lapping surface; and d. means for positioning a workpiece having a toroidal surface to be polished on said fixed toroidal surface in space such that the movement of said lapping tool thereon will effect polishing of said workpiece.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said workpiece positioning means comprises means for maintaining the surface thereof stationary on said toroidal surface fixed in space.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said support means comprises gimbal means having first and second axes which are perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to said first and second principal meridians, respectively, and wherein said first and second axes are spaced from the vertex of the toroidal lapping surface by distances equal to said first and second radii, respectively.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 13 and further including means for introducing a breakup motion into the movement of said lapping tool to vary the path of movement of said lapping tool relative to said workpiece.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |