US 5,718,154 AGranted

Reciprocating tool holder assembly

AssigneeBausch & Lomb Incorporated

InventorBuford W. Council, Jr.

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Abstract

A reciprocating tool post assembly is disclosed that may provide substantially linear excursions of a cutting tool mounted therein. The apparatus includes a voice coil assembly having a longitudinal axis that provides for the reciprocating movement of the assembly and to which a pair of coil arms is attached. The assembly also includes a pair of lever arms, each being pivotally attached between a respective coil arm and a draw bar, with a pair of fulcrum members attached to a base of the assembly that engage each respective lever arm to provide a fulcrum about which each respective lever arm may pivot. One end of the draw bar is attached to a tool support that is guided in a substantially axial movement by a guide member, such that, when a cutting tool is attached to the tool support and the movement of the voice coil causes the cutting tool to reciprocate substantially axially with respect to the base.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A reciprocating tool holder assembly primarily intended to provide substantially axial excursions of a cutting tool positioned therein, said tool holder assembly comprising:

a base having an upper portion and a lower portion and a pair of generally opposed side walls extending between said upper and lower base portions;
a voice coil assembly attached to said base and including a coil body, a plurality of windings circumscribing at least a portion of said coil body, said coil body having a first end, a second end and an axis extending between said coil body first and second ends, and at least one pole piece positioned proximal said coil body to provide a magnetic field substantially transverse to said coil body axis;
a pair of coil arms attached to said coil body on generally opposite sides of said coil axis proximal said coil body first end;
a pair of lever arms, each having a first end, a second end and an axis extending between said first end and said second end, said first end being pivotally attached to a respective said coil arm by a first pivotal attachment with said axis of each said lever arm extending substantially transverse to said coil body axis;
a pair of fulcrum members attached to said base, each said fulcrum member positioned adjacent each said lever arm to engage a respective said lever arm intermediate said lever arm first and second ends to provide a fulcrum about which each said lever arm may pivot;
an elongated draw bar having two ends and a longitudinal axis, said draw bar being pivotally attached to each said lever arm second end by a second pivotal attachment, with said draw bar axis aligned generally parallel to said coil body axis;
a tool support attached to said draw bar end distal said coil body;
a guide structure attached to said tool support and to said base for allowing reciprocating movement of said tool support while restraining motion transverse to said draw bar axis;
and
a cutting tool having an axis generally aligned with said draw bar axis, said cutting tool attached to and extending from said tool distal said coil body, whereby providing alternating electrical current to the coil windings results in substantially linear, axial excursions of the cutting tool.

7 more elements

A method for reciprocating a cutting tool in a predetermined direction, said method comprising the steps of:

reciprocating a pair of coil arms along a first axis, each said coil arm having first and second ends;
pivotally attaching a lever arm to each said coil arm first end, each said lever arm having a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis extending between said first and second ends, said lever arm axis being substantially transverse to said first axis, with each said lever arm first end pivotally attached to the respective said coil arm first end;
pivoting each said lever arm about a fulcrum as said pair of coil arms is reciprocated;
pivotally attaching said second end of said lever arm to an elongated draw bar having two ends and a longitudinal axis, with said draw bar axis aligned generally parallel to said first axis;
attaching a tool support to said draw bar;
supporting said tool support for reciprocating movement generally parallel to said first axis while restraining motion transverse to said draw bar axis, whereby pivoting movement of the lever arms effects reciprocating movement of the draw bar and tool support generally parallel to the first axis;
and
attaching a cutting tool to said tool support, whereby the cutting tool is reciprocated in a direction generally parallel to the first axis.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.