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US 11,897,087 B2Granted
Polishing apparatus for smoothing diamonds
AssigneesBoard of Trustees of Michigan State University, Fraunhofer USA, Inc.
InventorsAaron Hardy, Timothy A. Grotjohn, Edward K. Drown, Michael Becker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A polishing apparatus is provided. Another aspect pertains to a self-leveling polishing apparatus for smoothing diamonds. Yet another aspect of the present system uses a ball and swivel joint in a diamond polishing machine. A further aspect employs a polishing apparatus including a diamond-holder, an elongated arm using gravity to apply downward polishing pressure of the diamond workpiece against a polishing wheel, and a sweeping transmission to cause the holder to radially move across the rotating polishing wheel.
Claims21
A diamond polishing apparatus comprising:
- a holder comprising a diamond-holding foot configured to temporarily secure a substrate, with an epitaxial diamond film grown on the substrate, the diamond film having a thickness less than 50 microns, said holder and said diamond-holding foot comprising a centerline axis;
- a shaft upwardly extending from the holder;
- a sealed, ball and socket joint coupling the shaft to the holder;
- a substantially horizontally elongated arm including a receptacle within which is mounted the shaft, whereby gravity acting on the arm causes the holder to push toward an actuator-driven polishing lap;
- and
- an actuator-driven transmission causing the arm to move the holder in a radial sweeping motion between inner and outer portions of the lap during polishing, said actuator-driven transmission comprising,
- a sweeping actuator;
- a disk operably rotated by the sweeping actuator about a central axis;
- an elongated rod pivotally coupled to the disk at a first pivot, said first pivot offset from the central axis;
- and
- the arm moving back and forth by movement of the rod in an eccentrical motion to cause the sweeping motion of the shaft and the holder above the lap while the lap is rotated;
- a platform operably rotating in response to the rod pivotally coupled thereto at a second pivot;
- a linearly adjustable micrometer supporting a portion of the arm, said arm positioned above the platform;
- and
- the arm held upon the platform only with gravity and the holder being held upon the lap only with the gravity.
12 more elements
A diamond polishing comprising:
- a holder comprising a diamond-holding foot configured to temporarily secure a substrate, with an epitaxial diamond film grown on the substrate, the diamond film having a thickness less than 50 microns;
- a shaft upwardly extending from the holder;
- a sealed, ball and socket joint coupling the shaft to the holder;
- a substantially horizontally elongated arm including a receptacle within which is mounted the shaft, whereby gravity acting on the arm causes the holder to push toward an actuator-driven polishing lap;
- an actuator-driven transmission causing the arm to move the holder in a radial sweeping motion between inner and outer portions of the lap during polishing;
- an enclosure, including a filtered air supply, within which are located the holder and the lap during the polishing;
- and
- downward polishing forces caused by the gravity between the diamond film and the lap are less than 5 kg/cm2.
5 more elements
A diamond polishing comprising:
- a holder comprising a diamond-holding foot configured to temporarily secure a substrate, with an epitaxial diamond film grown on the substrate, the diamond film having a thickness less than 50 microns;
- a shaft upwardly extending from the holder;
- a sealed, ball and socket joint coupling the shaft to the holder;
- a substantially horizontally elongated arm including a receptacle within which is mounted the shaft, whereby gravity acting on the arm causes the holder to push toward an actuator-driven polishing lap;
- an actuator-driven transmission causing the arm to move the holder in a radial sweeping motion between inner and outer portions of the lap during polishing;
- the lap comprises a ceramic material on a polishing surface of the lap, wherein the polishing surface further comprises spaced apart radial and concentric grooves therein.
3 more elements
A diamond polishing apparatus comprising:
- a diamond workpiece;
- a dop removably holding the diamond workpiece during polishing;
- a shaft extending from the dop, said dop and said shaft comprising a centerline axis;
- a ball and socket joint coupling the shaft to the dop;
- an elongated arm mounted to the shaft, the arm being offset angled from the shaft;
- a tub;
- a polishing lap having a circular periphery;
- a lap actuator rotating the lap in the tub;
- a motorized dop actuator coupled to the arm and rotating a portion of the dop about the centerline axis during the polishing;
- an aqueous slurry located on the lap to assist with the polishing.
7 more elements
A method for polishing a diamond workpiece, the method comprising:
- attaching the diamond workpiece to a holder;
- rotating a lap below the holder;
- self-leveling the diamond workpiece relative to the lap via a ball and socket joint of the holder to allow uniform material removal without lensing of the diamond workpiece;
- pushing the holder and the diamond workpiece toward the lap only with gravity and with downward polishing forces caused by gravity and being less than 5 kg/cm2, during the polishing;
- the holder being retractable from the lap
- radially sweeping the holder between inner and outer portions of the lap, during the polishing by moving a substantially horizontally elongated arm.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.