US 6,305,183 B1 · Apparatus and method for cooling workpiece

Abstract

A cooling apparatus includes a lubricating fluid tank, a lubricating fluid nozzle, a lubricating fluid regulating device, a cooling fluid tank, a cooling fluid nozzle and a cooling fluid regulating device. The cooling fluid nozzle supplies cooling fluid to the workpiece to enhance cooling effect of the cooling fluid. The lubricating fluid nozzle feeds lubricating fluid to the machining zone to prevent frictional heat generated in the machining zone from raising temperature of the workpiece. Since an appropriate amount of the lubricating fluid within the range helps the cooling effect of the cooling fluid, a quantity of the cooling fluid is reduced within the minimum range of the cooling fluid. A consumption of the lubricating fluid is much smaller than that of the cooling fluid. Therefore, a total amount of the fluids is extremely reduced. The range of flow rates of the lubricating fluid has an upper limit that is preferably approximately 100.0 cm3/h or smaller in 1.0 mm of a contacting length in the machining zone. The range of flow rates of the cooling fluid has an upper limit that is preferably approximately 500.0 cm3/min or smaller in 1.0 mm of a contacting length in the machining zone.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A cooling apparatus comprising:

a lubricating fluid tank storing lubricating fluid;
a lubricating fluid nozzle connected with said lubricating fluid tank for supplying the lubricating fluid to machining zone between a tool and a workpiece;
a lubricating fluid regulating device configured to regulate a flow rate of the lubricating fluid supplied to said lubricating fluid nozzle within a range of flow rates of the lubricating fluid;
a cooling fluid tank storing cooling fluid;
a cooling fluid nozzle connected with said cooling fluid tank to supply the cooling fluid to the workpiece;
and
a cooling fluid regulating device configured to regulate a flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied to said cooling fluid nozzle within a range of flow rates of the cooling fluid while said lubricating fluid nozzle supplies the lubricating fluid within said range of flow rates of the lubricating fluid, said range of flow rates of the cooling fluid has an upper limit that is approximately 500.0 cm3/min or smaller in 1.0 mm of a contacting length in the machining zone.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for cooling workpiece

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for cooling workpiece

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17