# US 6,296,553 B1 · Grinding method, surface grinder, workpiece support, mechanism and work rest > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,296,553 B1 - Document ID: US6296553B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/052,019 - Filed: 1998-03-31 - Granted: 2001-10-02 - Earliest claimed: 1997-04-02 - Assignees: Nippei Toyama Corporation - Inventors: Kenichiro Nishi; Mitsuru Nukui; Shirou Murai; Kazuo Nakajima; Toyotaka Wada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6296553B1 ## CPC - B24B 37/04: designed for working plane surfaces - B24B 41/06: Work supports, e.g. adjustable steadies (B24B37/27 takes precedence) - B24B 47/22: Equipment for exact control of the position of the grinding tool or work at the start of the grinding operation - B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS ## Abstract A workpiece receiving hole 60a for fittingly receiving a workpiece 17 is formed in the center of a rotary disk 60 which is thinner than the workpiece 17. A workpiece drive section 60b which engages a notch 17a formed for the purpose of orienting the workpiece 17 relative to crystal orientation is formed along the brim of the hole 60a. A gear 59 is rotated by a gear 62 of a motor 61, thereby rotating the rotary disk 60 and imparting torque to the workpiece 17. Accordingly, both surfaces of the workpiece are ground by means of a double disc surface grinder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surface grinder comprising: a support member; a rotary disk mounted on said support member for rotation, said rotary disk having one of a recess and a through hole for receiving a workpiece having an engaged portion, said rotary disk having a workpiece drive section for engaging with said engaged portion of said workpiece to rotationally fix together said rotary disk and said workpiece, said work piece being positively driven to rotate by said rotary disk; and a grinding wheel for grinding a work surface of said workpiece; wherein said engaged portion of said workpiece (1) is one of a notch and an orientation flat formed on an outer periphery of said workpiece and (2) defines a crystal orientation of said workpiece. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surface grinder as defined in claim 1, wherein said grinding wheel is an upper grinding wheel which is arranged so as to be opposite to the upper surface of said workpiece in the vertical direction of the surface grinder, and the recess is formed in the rotary disk. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surface grinder as defined in claim 1, wherein the grinding wheel comprises upper and lower grinding wheels arranged so as to respectively face both surfaces of the workpiece in the vertical direction of the surface grinder; and the through hole is formed in the rotary disk. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surface grinder as defined in claim 1, wherein the grinding wheel is a cup-shaped grinding wheel; the workpiece is substantially circular; and the center of the workpiece is arranged so as to permit overlap between the center and the grinding surface of the cup-shaped grinding wheel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surface grinder as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotational drive means comprises: a motor supported on the support member; and a torque transfer mechanism interposed between said motor and said rotary disk. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surface grinder as defined in claim 1, wherein said workpiece drive section is formed from a material which is softer than that of said workpiece. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surface grinder as defined in claim 1, wherein the rotary disk comprises: a substantially-annular rotary metal plate body; and a workpiece loosely fitting member provided along the internal periphery of said rotary body and formed from a material which is softer than that of the workpiece. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The surface grinder as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a work rest member operative to confront and support at least a part of said work surface of said workpiece when said grinding wheel grinds said work surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The surface grinder as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a grinding wheel holder for supporting the grinding wheel; and a dynamic pressure generating means provided on at least either the grinding wheel holder or the rotary disk for generating dynamic pressure between said grinding wheel holder and said rotary disk. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The surface grinder as defined in claim 3, wherein the upper and lower grinding wheels are different from each other in terms of magnitude of grinding ability. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The surface grinder as defined in claim 5, wherein the support member comprises: a slide table for rotatively supporting said rotary disk; and guide member, along which said slide table is movable, extended in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of said grinding wheel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The surface grinder as defined in claim 7, wherein the workpiece drive section is integrally formed from the rotary disk. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The surface grinder as defined in claim 9, wherein the dynamic pressure generating means is provided in the grinding wheel holder so as to surround the grinding wheel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The surface grinder as defined in claim 8, wherein said work rest member comprises: an upper work rest for supporting an upper surface of said workpiece; a lower work rest for supporting a lower surface of said workpiece. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The surface grinder as defined in claim 8, wherein said work rest member comprises: a hydrostatic slide for supporting said work surface of said workpiece through a pressurized medium. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The surface grinder as defined in claim 8, further comprising: means for moving said work rest member between (1) a supporting position in which said work rest member supports said work surface of said workpiece, and (2) a withdrawn position in which said work rest member is withdrawn from said workpiece. ### Claim 17 A grinding method comprising the steps of: fitting a workpiece into one of a recess and a through hole formed in a rotary disk in such a manner that a workpiece drive section formed on said rotary disk engages with an engaged portion formed in said workpiece to rotationally fix together said rotary disk and said workpiece, wherein said engaged portion of said workpiece (1) is one of a notch and an orientation flat formed on an outer periphery of said workpiece and (2) defines a crystal orientation of said workpiece; rotating said rotary disk and said workpiece together, said workpiece being positively driven to rotate by said rotary disk; and grinding a work surface of said workpiece with a grinding wheel while said workpiece is being rotated. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The grinding method as defined in claim 17, wherein said fitting step comprises the step of fitting loosely said workpiece into said recess; and said workpiece grinding step comprises the step of grinding the upper surface of said workpiece thus fitted into said recess loosely through use of a grinding wheel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The grinding method as defined in claim 17, wherein said fitting step comprises the step of loosely fitting said workpiece into said through hole; and said workpiece grinding step is the step of grinding both surfaces of said workpiece thus fitted into said through hole loosely through use of upper and lower grinding wheels. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The grinding method as defined in claim 17, wherein said grinding step is conducted with a cup-shaped grinding wheel the grinding surface of which is overlapped with the center of said workpiece. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The grinding method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of: simultaneously with said grinding step, supporting at least a part of said work surface with a work rest member that confronts said work surface. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The grinding method as defined in claim 19, wherein said step of grinding the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece comprises the steps of: grinding the upper surface of said workpiece with a certain magnitude of grinding ability; and grinding the lower surface of said workpiece with grinding ability which is different in magnitude from the grinding ability employed in the upper surface grinding step. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The grinding method as defined in claim 21, wherein said supporting step comprises the step of: supporting said work surface of said workpiece with a pressurized medium through a hydrostatic slide. ### Claim 24 A surface grinder comprising: a workpiece support member for rotating a workpiece, said workpiece support member rotationally fixed to said workpiece; a grinding wheel which is rotated to grind a work surface of said workpiece; and a work rest for confronting and supporting at least a part of said work surface of said workpiece when said grinding wheel grinds said work surface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The surface grinder as defined in claim 24, wherein said work rest member comprises: an upper work rest for supporting an upper surface of said workpiece; and a lower work rest for supporting a lower surface of said workpiece. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The surface grinder as defined in claim 24, wherein said work rest member comprises: a hydrostatic slide for supporting said work surface of said workpiece by use of a pressurized medium. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The surface grinder as defined in claim 24, further comprising: means for moving said work rest member between (1) a supporting position in which said work rest member said work surface of said workpiece, and (2) a withdrawn position in which said work rest member is withdrawn from said workpiece. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The surface grinder as defined in claim 24, wherein an outer diameter of said grinding wheel is substantially half an outer diameter of said workpiece. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The surface grinder as defined in claim 24, wherein said grinding wheel comprises a cup-shaped grinding wheel. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The surface grinder as defined in claim 27, wherein said moving means comprises an arm member supported by a pivot provided in parallel to a rotational axis of said grinding wheel said work rest disposed on said arm member. ### Claim 31 A work rest comprising: a workpiece supporting member, disposed in a surface grinder which grinds a work surface of a workpiece while said workpiece is (1) rotated around a center axis of said workpiece and (2) brought into engagement with an end face of a grinding wheel, wherein said workpiece supporting member confronts and supports at least a part of said work surface of said workpiece when said grinding wheel grinds said work surface. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The work rest as defined in claim 31, wherein said workpiece supporting member comprises: an upper workpiece supporting member for supporting an upper surface of said workpiece; and a lower workpiece supporting member for supporting a lower surface of said workpiece. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The work rest as defined in claim 31, wherein said workpiece supporting member is a hydrostatic slide that supports said work surface of said workpiece through a pressurized medium. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The work rest as defined in claim 31, further comprising: means for moving said work rest member between (1) a supporting position in which said work rest member said work surface of said workpiece, and (2) a withdrawn position in which said work rest member is withdrawn from said workpiece. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The work rest as defined in claim 34, wherein said moving means comprises an arm member supported by a pivot provided in parallel to a rotational axis of said grinding wheel said work rest disposed on said arm member. ### Claim 36 A grinding method comprising the steps of: rotating a grinding wheel; rotating a workpiece that is rotationally fixed to a rotatable disk; grinding a work surface of said workpiece while said grinding wheel being rotated is brought in contact with said work surface of said rotating workpiece; and simultaneously with said grinding step, supporting at least part of said work surface with a work rest member that confronts said work surface. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The grinding method as defined in claim 36, wherein said supporting step comprises the step of: supporting said work surface by means of a hydrostatic slide through use of a pressurized medium. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The grinding method as defined in claim 36, wherein said grinding step comprises the steps of: grinding an upper surface of said workpiece through use of an upper grinding wheel, and grinding a lower surface of said workpiece through use of a lower grinding wheel; and said supporting step comprises the steps: supporting at least either the upper or the lower surface of said workpiece. ### Claim 39 A workpiece support mechanism comprising: a support member; and a rotary disk mounted on said support member for rotation, said rotary disk having one of a recess and a through hole that receives a workpiece having an engaged portion, said rotary disk having a workpiece drive section for engaging with said engaged portion of said workpiece to rotationally fix together said rotary disk and said workpiece, said workpiece having a work surface that slides across a grinding surface when said rotary disk rotates, said workpiece being positively driven to rotate by said rotary disk; wherein said engaged portion of said workpiece (1) is one of a notch and an orientation flat formed on an outer periphery of said workpiece and (2) defines a crystal orientation of said workpiece; and wherein said support mechanism accommodates said workpiece without pulling a vacuum.