GB2193133A

GB2193133A - Metallic polishing element

Info

Publication number: GB2193133A
Application number: GB08618569A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tatsushige Mayama
Original assignee: Nippon Tenshashi KK
Current assignee: Nippon Tenshashi KK
Priority date: 1986-08-05
Filing date: 1986-07-30
Publication date: 1988-02-03
Also published as: GB8618569D0; DE3626464C1

Abstract

In a polisher comprising a metal body 2 having integrally-formed hardened teeth 3 with flat tops and arcuate sides, there is applied at least over the teeth a coating which reduces corrosion and provides other advantages. The coating may be synthetic resin, chromium plating or a ceramic material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Metallic polishing cleaner The present invention relates to a metallic polishing element for finishing surfaces of nonmetal and metal objects.

A metallic polishing element as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-1764 can be substituted for conventional files and sandpaper. The polishing element of this publication consists of a metal stock and a multiplicity of teeth which are fine protrusions having flat tops and arcuate sides and formed integrally on at least one face of the metal stock.

A hardened layer is included formed by quenching at least at the front surface portions of the metal stock and the surface portions of the teeth.

Such a metallic polisher with a hardened layer, having an increased hardness, exhibits an advantage especially in capability of the teeth to maintain the initial shape over an extended period of time. The polisher therefore, provides an extended life, that is, performance of the polishing function as desired for a long time.

There has been a problem involved in the application of such a metallic polisher, however, the problem being the susceptibility of most of the hardened layer to rusting, except for the part coming in contact with the polished objects. The corrosion that progresses with time is such that the teeth separate from the metal stock and the polisher becomes unsuitable for the purpose after a long time.

According to the present invention, there is provided a metallic polisher which consists of a metal stock, a multiplicity of teeth being fine protrusions having flat tops and arcuate sides and formed integrally on at least one face of the metal stock, a hardened layer formed by quenching at least at.the front surface portions of the metal stock and the surface portions of the teeth, and an applied coating to protect against corrosion at least partially covering the exterior surface of said hardened layer. By "front" surface we mean the surface on which the teeth are formed.

By moving the polisher with the teeth pressing against the surface of an object for polishing, application of a relatively slight force makes the teeth polish the surface of the object.

Since a hardened layer forms at least at the front surface portions of the metal stock and the surface portions of the teeth, the teeth especially exhibit an ability to retain the initial shape for an extended period of time.

Where the hardness of the coating layer is lower than that of the hardened metal layer, the portions of the coating that come into contact with the object of polishing wears out and is removed as the polishing action progresses, exposing by wearing the underlying hardened layer and allowing it to polish the object as desired. The particles produced by the polishing can be removed smoothly without clogging thanks to the remaining smoothsurfaced coating layer.

Where the hardness of the coating layer is higher than that of the hardened metal layer, the portion of the coating that comes in contact with the object of polishing performs the polishing without wearing out. The particles produced by the polishing do not clog and can be removed smoothly thanks to the smooth-surfaced coating layer.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of a metallic polisher as an embodiment of the present invention and Figure 2 is a similar view which illustrates the polisher after a period of work.

As shown by the illustrations, the metallic polisher 1 consists primarily of a body or stock 2, teeth 3, a hardened layer 4, and a coating layer 5.

The stock 2 is made of metal and, in this example, formed in the shape of plane metal plate.

The teeth 3 are a multiplicity of fine protrusions having substantially flat tops 6 and arcuate sides 7 and formed integrally on at least one face of the stock 2. In the example, the teeth 3 are formed substantially in the shape of minute mushrooms and arranged in a regular set pattern on one face of the stock 2. In each tooth the top 6 and a side 7 form at their junction a cutting edge having an angle xx. To top 6 of each tooth 3 is, in a sense, coarse with a multiplicity of concaves and convexes distributed in an irregular arrangement thereon.

The hardened layer 4 is formed by quenching at least at the front surface portions of the stock 2 and the surface portions of teeth 3. In Figure 1 the hardened layer is shown to be formed at the entire surface portions of both the stock 2 and the teeth 3.

The coating layer 5 is formed on the exterior surface of the hardened layer 4. In this embodiment, the coating layer is formed of a synthetic resin whose hardness is lower than that of the hardened layer 4.

As shown in the illustration, the metallic polisher 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has a total thickness T of about 0.5 mm, and a tooth 3 thereon has a height H of about 0.13 mm, a diameter D of about 0.13 mm as the largest value, and a cutting action angle a of about 70".

Metallic polishers 1, such as the embodiment referred to herein, can be used for polishing surfaces of objects in the same manner as files and sandpaper. The coating layer 5 having a lower hardness than the hardened layer 4 in the example, the portion of the coating 5 that comes in contact with the ob ject of polishing wears out and is removed (as shown in Fig. 2) as the polishing operation progresses, exposing by wearing the underlying hardened layer 4 and allowing it to polish the object as desired. The particles produced by the polishing are removed smoothly without clogging thanks to the remaining smoothsurface coating layer 5. Not only are said particles prevented from causing clogging but chances of seizure caused by such clogging are also eliminated.

Such a metallic polisher 1 can be fabricated by, for example, the following method.

A metal plate about 0.5 mm thick, rendered coarse on one face, is used as a starting material, which is processed to form teeth 3 thereon by a method, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60 17648. By quenching the surface portions by a heat treating machine a hardened layer 4 is formed in the material, which is then coated with a synthetic resin by a coating machine to form a coating layer 5 on the exterior surfaces of the hardened layer 4, thereby resulting in a finished metallic polisher 1.

The metal stock 2, without being restricted to a plate in shape, can be a block which is square, round or other configuration.

The teeth 3, though formed only on one face of the metal stock in the example, can be formed on more than one face.

The example refers to an embodiment having teeth 3 in the form of mushrooms, but in the practice of the invention the teeth can assume the form of ridges or rows of ridges in a lattice pattern in which one row intersects another; The teeth 3 can be arranged in an irregular layout as well as in a regular pattern, the example representing a regular pattern.

The size of the teeth 3 can be selected to suit different requirements irrespective of the specification in the example. The top plane 6 of the tooth 3 can be smooth as well as coarse, the example illustrating a coarse plane.

The hardened layer 4 constitutes superficial portions of the polisher in the example, but in the same hardness can be imparted to the whole polisher in the practice of the invention.

With respect to the coating layer 5 the example refers to application~ of a synthetic resin, such as one of melamines, acrylics and Teflon (RTM), but the technique of ceramic coating, chromium coating or the like can be applied to form an alternative coating. A coat ing of a synthetic resin has a lower hardness than the hardened layer 4, whereas a coating of a ceramic material or an electroplated chromium coating has a higher hardness than the hardened layer 4.

Advantages of the present invention: As will have become clear from the forego ing description, a metallic polisher fabricated according to the present invention exhibits ad vantages that can be summarized as follows.

(1) The hardened layer that otherwise is susceptible to corrosion is prevented from rusting by the protective coating layer.

(2) The coating layer overlying the hardened layer has no tendency to flake off, because the coating rests on a base that has a high hardness allowing of little dimensional change.

(3) The coating layer also has such an effect that the particles produced by polishing are removed smoothly without getting stuck, and, therefore, not only are said particles prevented from causing clogging but also chances of seizure caused by such clogging can be eliminated.

Claims

1. A polishing element comprising a metal stock, a multiplicity of teeth being fine protrusions with substantially flat tops and arcuate sides and formed integrally on at least one face of said metal stock, a hardened layer formed by quenching at least at the front surface portions of the metal stock and the surface portions of the teeth, and a coating covering the exterior surface of said hardened layer.

2. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose metal stock is in the shape of a plate.

3. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1 whose metal stock is in the shape of a block.

4. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1 whose teeth are formed only on one face of the metal stock.

5. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose teeth are formed on the surfaces of the metal stock on all sides.

6. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, each of whose teeth is substantially in the shape of a mushroom.

7. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose teeth are ridges.

8. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1 whose teeth are ridges arranged in a pattern in which one row intersects another.

9. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1 whose teeth are formed in a regular arrangement.

10. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose teeth are formed with no regularity in the arrangement.

11. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose teeth have smooth tops.

12. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose teeth have coarse tops.

13. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a hardened layer is formed only at the surface portions of the polisher.

14. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the polisher in its entirety is hardened.

15. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose surface coating is of a synthetic resin.

16. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose surface coating is formed by an electroplated chromium coating.

17. A polisher as claimed in Claim 1, whose surface coating is of a ceramic ma terial.

18. A polisher substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.