Hard turning micro-machine tool
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsRichard E. DeVor, Kurt Adair, Shiv G. Kapoor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A micro-scale apparatus for supporting a tool for hard turning comprises a base, a pivot coupled to the base, an actuator coupled to the base, and at least one member coupled to the actuator at one end and rotatably coupled to the pivot at another end. A tool mount is disposed on the at least one member. The at least one member defines a first lever arm between the pivot and the tool mount, and a second lever arm between the pivot and the actuator. The first lever arm has a length that is less than a length of the second lever arm. The actuator moves the tool mount along an arc.
Claims20
An apparatus for supporting a tool for hard turning, the apparatus comprising:
- a base;
- a pivot coupled to said base;
- an actuator coupled to said base;
- at least one member coupled to said actuator at one end and rotatably coupled to the pivot at another end;
- and
- a tool mount disposed on said at least one member;
- said at least one member defining a first lever arm between said pivot and said tool mount, and a second lever arm between said pivot and said actuator, the first lever arm having a length that is less than a length of the second lever arm;
- wherein said actuator moves said tool mount along an arc.
An apparatus for supporting a tool for use in hard turning, the apparatus comprising:
- means for supporting the apparatus;
- means for mounting a tool, said means for mounting being rotatably coupled to said means for supporting;
- means for actuating movement along a first distance;
- means for transferring actuated movement from said means for actuating to angular movement of said means for mounting over a second distance, said means for mounting being rotatably coupled to said means for actuating, said second distance being shorter than said first distance;
- means for rotatably supporting a workpiece;
- and
- means for moving the workpiece with respect to said means for mounting a tool, said means for moving being coupled to said means for supporting.
A method for machining a miniature workpiece, the method comprising:
- placing a tool into a tool mount of a micro-scale hard turning apparatus, the apparatus comprising a base, a pivot coupled to the base, an actuator rotatably coupled to the base, and at least one member rotatably coupled to the pivot at one end and rotatably coupled to the actuator at another end, the at least one member supporting the tool mount, wherein the at least one member defines a first lever arm between the pivot and the tool mount and a second lever arm between the pivot and the actuator, the first lever arm having a length that is less than a length of the second lever arm;
- placing a workpiece into a spindle;
- selectively rotating the spindle;
- selectively moving the spindle along an axial direction;
- and
- selectively actuating the actuator to move the placed tool in an angular direction toward the spindle, wherein a distance traveled by the actuator is greater than a distance traveled by the placed tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.