Grinding machine with supplemental motion

Abstract

A grinding tool is formed of a grinding shoe ( 1 ) and an actuator ( 2 ) that acts upon the grinding shoe ( 1 ) and is characterized by a horizontal displacement (H) acting essentially parallel to the surface ( 8 ) of a material ( 9 ) to be worked and a perpendicular to the surface ( 8 ). The grinding shoe ( 1 ) is resiliently mounted by a spring element ( 3 ) in a housing ( 4 ) enclosing the actuator ( 2 ). Two spaced cylindrical grinding rollers ( 5 ) provide guidance of a grinding means ( 6 ), such as a grinding or abrasive belt. By superimposing the displacement (H) with a perpendicular displacement (V) the efficiency of the grinding process is generally increased.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A grinding tool comprises a grinding means ( 6 ), a grinding shoe ( 1 ) acting on said grinding means for working a surface ( 8 ) of a workpiece ( 9 ), an actuator ( 2 ), acting on said grinding shoe ( 1 ), said grinding shoe ( 1 ) being arranged to effect a movement via said actuator ( 2 ) wherein the movement includes a first movement (H) extending parallel to the surface ( 8 ) of the workpiece and a second movement (V) extending perpendicular to the surface ( 8 ) of the workpiece.  
     
     
         2 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said second movement (V) runs a generally sinusoidal course as a factor of time (t).  
     
     
         3 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said second movement (V) runs a pulsating course as a factor of time (t).  
     
     
         4 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said second movement (V) has a frequency in the range of 1 Hz to 500 Hz.  
     
     
         5 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said second movement (V) has an amplitude (A) in the range of 10 μm to 500 μm.  
     
     
         6 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said second movement (V) acts over the entire surface of said grinding means ( 6 ) in contact with the surface ( 8 ) of the workpiece ( 9 ).  
     
     
         7 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said second movement (V) acts punctiform on said surface of said grinding means in contact with the surface ( 8 ) of the workpiece ( 9 ).  
     
     
         8 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said actuator ( 2 ) comprises a piezo element for producing said second movement (V).  
     
     
         9 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said actuator ( 2 ) comprises a motor-driven eccentric shaft for producing said second movement (V).  
     
     
         10 . A grinding tool, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said actuator ( 2 ) is controlled by an electronic control unit ( 16 ) based on an input signal from a sensor ( 17 ) located in said grinding shoe ( 1 ).