# US 7,465,219 B2 · Brut polishing of superhard materials

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,465,219 B2
- Document ID: US7465219B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/928,715
- Filed: 2004-08-27
- Published: 2005-06-09
- Granted: 2008-12-16
- Earliest claimed: 1994-08-12
- Assignees: Diamicron, Inc.
- Inventors: Richard H. Dixon; Clayton F. Gardinier; Troy Medford; Dean C. Blackburn; Victoriano Carvajal; Mark E. Richards; Art B. Curnow; Peter C. Cook
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7465219B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/30767: {Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth}
- A61F 2/32: for the hip
- A61F 2/442: {Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455)}
- A61F 2/4425: {made of articulated components}
- A61L 27/303: {Carbon}
- A61L 27/306: {Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/303 - A61L27/32}
- B24B 9/162: {by bruting, i.e. rubbing two precious stones against each other}
- B29C 43/006: {Pressing and sintering powders, granules or fibres}
- B29C 43/16: Forging
- C04B 35/52: based on carbon, e.g. graphite
- C04B 35/634: Polymers (C04B35/636 takes precedence)
- C04B 35/645: Pressure sintering
- C22C 26/00: Alloys containing diamond {or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes}
- A61F 2/3094: {Designing or manufacturing processes}
- A61F 2/3662: {Femoral shafts}
- A61F 2/3676: {Distal or diaphyseal parts of shafts}
- A61F 2002/30092: {using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol}
- A61F 2002/30331: {made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit}
- A61F 2002/30392: {Rotation}
- A61F 2002/30398: {Sliding}
- A61F 2002/30433: {using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws}
- A61F 2002/30451: {soldered or brazed or welded}
- A61F 2002/30578: {having apertures, e.g. for receiving fixation screws}
- A61F 2002/30649: {Ball-and-socket joints}
- A61F 2002/30836: {knurled}
- A61F 2002/30841: {Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes}
- A61F 2002/3085: {with a threaded, e.g. self-tapping, bone-engaging surface, e.g. external surface}
- A61F 2002/30884: {Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity}
- A61F 2002/30904: {serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed}
- A61F 2002/30934: {Special articulating surfaces}
- A61F 2002/30968: {Sintering}
- A61F 2002/3097: {using laser}
- A61F 2002/30971: {Laminates, i.e. layered products}
- A61F 2002/3611: {Heads or epiphyseal parts of femur}
- A61F 2002/3631: {with an integral complete or partial peripheral collar or bearing shoulder at its base}
- A61F 2002/443: {having two transversal endplates and at least one intermediate component}
- A61F 2002/4631: {the prosthesis being specially adapted for being cemented}
- A61F 2210/0014: using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
- A61F 2220/0025: Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
- A61F 2220/0033: made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
- A61F 2220/0041: using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
- A61F 2220/0058: soldered or brazed or welded
- A61F 2310/00017: Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
- A61F 2310/00023: Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
- A61F 2310/00029: Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
- A61F 2310/00095: Niobium or Nb-based alloys
- A61F 2310/00131: Tantalum or Ta-based alloys
- A61F 2310/00149: Platinum or Pt-based alloys
- A61F 2310/00167: Diamond or diamond-like carbon
- A61F 2310/00269: based on metal carbides
- A61F 2310/00281: containing silicon carbide
- A61F 2310/00293: containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
- A61F 2310/0058: Coating made of diamond or of diamond-like carbon DLC
- B22F 2003/247: {Removing material: carving, cleaning, grinding, hobbing, honing, lapping, polishing, milling, shaving, skiving, turning the surface}
- B22F 2998/00: Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
- B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
- B29K 2503/04: Inorganic materials
- B29L 2031/7532: {Artificial members, protheses}
- C04B 2235/3839: Refractory metal carbides
- C04B 2235/3856: Carbonitrides, e.g. titanium carbonitride, zirconium carbonitride
- C04B 2235/3886: Refractory metal nitrides, e.g. vanadium nitride, tungsten nitride
- C04B 2235/427: Diamond
- C04B 2235/5436: micrometer sized, i.e. from 1 to 100 micron
- C04B 2235/5445: submicron sized, i.e. from 0,1 to 1 micron
- C04B 2235/5472: Bimodal, multi-modal or multi-fraction
- C22C 2026/006: {with additional metal compounds being carbides}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- 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
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

Brut polishing of superhard materials to remove positive asperities by use of pressure and heat.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for brut polishing surfaces of superhard materials comprising the steps of:
selecting a surface of a superhard material which is to be polished;
placing a tool in contact with the superhard surface so as to contact only a small portion of the superhard surface;
rotating the tool so as to cause-relative motion between the superhard surface and the tool,
applying pressure between said tool and said superhard surface in a manner that causes said superhard surface to heat enough to degrade positive asperities on said superhard surface in order to brut polish said superhard surface; and
moving the tool relative to the superhard surface so as to move the contact area between the tool and the superhard surface across the superhard surface so as to polish the superhard surface; and
wherein said bruting is achieved by use of essentially a single point of contact between said tool and said superhard surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said tool is a bruting form.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said degradation of positive asperities bums away material of said positive asperities.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a part of said superhard surface is brut polished to within about 0.05 to 0.005 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said relative movement between said tool and said superhard surface is in the range from 20,000 to 40,000 surface feet per minute.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said pressure between said tool and said superhard surface is greater than 10 pounds per square inch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said pressure between said tool and said superhard surface is not less than 100 pounds per square inch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said tool is not less than 650 degrees Celsius.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said tool is to not less than 750 degrees Celsius.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said tool is between about 650-750 degrees Celsius.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said superhard material is sintered polycrystalline diamond.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said superhard material is sintered cubic boron nitride.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising using a cooling liquid to prevent excessive heat buildup on said superhard surface.

### Claim 14

A method for brut polishing surfaces of superhard materials comprising the steps of:
obtaining a sintered compact of superhard material,
selecting a surface of said superhard material to polish,
selecting a bruting form to apply against said superhard surface in order to brut polish it,
contacting the bruting form and the superhard surface such that only a small portion of the superhard surface is in contact with the bruting form at a time;
rotating the bruting form to cause-relative movement between said bruting form and said superhard surface,
applying pressure between said bruting form and said superhard surface,
causing friction between said bruting form and said superhard surface,
causing the temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said bruting form to increase, and
moving the bruting form relative to the sintered compact to move the contact area between the bruting form and the superhard surface across the superhard surface and thereby polish the entire superhard surface by causing positive asperities on said superhard surface to be lowered or removed by a combination of said pressure, friction and temperature increase by a bruting effect; and
wherein said bruting is achieved by use of essentially a single point of contact between said bruting form and said superhard surface.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein at least a part of said superhard surface is brut polished to within about 0.05 to 0.005 μm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said relative movement between said bruting form and said superhard surface is in the range from 20,000 to 40,000 surface feet per minute.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said pressure between said bruting form and said superhard surface is greater than 10 pounds per square inch.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said pressure between said bruting form and said superhard surface is not less than 100 pounds per square inch.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said bruting form increases to not less than 650 degrees Celsius.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said bruting form increases to between about 650-750 degrees Celsius.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said superhard material is sintered polycrystalline diamond.

### Claim 22 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said superhard material is sintered cubic boron nitride.

### Claim 23 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising using a cooling liquid to prevent excessive heat buildup on said superhard surface.

### Claim 24 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said bruting degrades superhard material of said positive asperities.

### Claim 25 (depends on 14)

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said bruting bums away said positive asperities.