Tube inner surface electropolishing device

An apparatus for electropolishing the interior surface of a section of electrically conductive tubing, comprising:

• an electrolyte delivery means being connectable to a first end of said section of tubing for causing an electrolyte to flow through said tubing;
• an electropolishing electrode member being electrically engaged to a length of electrically conductive cable and being adapted for disposition within said section of tubing, said electrode member including a quantity of flexible strands of electrically conductive material, and an insulating member including a thin walled membrane, said insulating member being shaped to enclose said electrode member and being engaged to said cable;
• said membrane having a plurality of perforations formed therein for the ingress and egress of said electrolyte therethrough;
• an electrical power supply means being electrically connected to said section of tubing and to said cable and functioning to provide electrical current for passage through said electrode means, said electrolyte and said section of tubing for electropolishing an interior wall of said tubing;
• and
• an electrode pulling means being engaged to said cable and functioning to pull said electrode means through said section of tubing.

An apparatus for electropolishing the interior surface of a section of electrically conductive tubing, comprising:

• an electrolyte delivery means being connectable to a first end of said section of tubing for causing an electrolyte to flow through said tubing;
• an electropolishing electrode means including an uninsulated length of electrically conductive cable being adapted for disposition within said section of tubing, and an insulator member including a generally cylindrical, thin walled tubular member having a plurality of sets of slits formed in said wall thereof, and an engagement means functioning to engage said insulator to said uninsulated length of said cable;
• an electrical power supply means being electrically connected to said section of tubing and to said cable and functioning to provide electrical current for passage through said electrode means, said electrolyte and said section of tubing for electropolishing an interior wall of said tubing;
• and
• an electrode pulling means being engaged to said cable and functioning to pull said electrode means through said section of tubing.

An electrode for electropolishing an interior surface of a section of electrically conductive tubing, comprising:

• a length of electrically conductive cable;
• a plurality of electrode members being fixedly engaged to said cable and being electrically connected thereto;
• a plurality of insulator members being fixedly disposed upon said electrical cable;
• at least one of said insulator members being disposed between each of said electrode members, such that said insulator members and said electrode members are generally alternately disposed upon said electrical cable to form a chain of insulator and electrode members, and wherein a first member in said chain is an insulator member and a last member in said chain is an insulator member;
• at least one of said insulator members having an electrolyte passage means, including at least one indented portion formed into said insulator member, and functioning to allow an electrolyte to more easily flow past said insulator during a tube electropolishing process.

An electrode for electropolishing an interior surface of a section of electrically conductive tubing, comprising:

• an electrically conductive cable;
• an electrode member being electrically connected to said cable, said electrode member including a quantity of flexible strands of electrically conductive material;
• an insulating member including a thin walled membrane;
• said insulating member being shaped to enclose said electrode member, and being engaged to said cable;
• said membrane having a plurality of perforations formed therein for the ingress and egress of a liquid electrolyte therethrough.