Precision surface polishing equipment

Abstract

Precision polishing equipment polishes a general surface, such as an aspheric optical surface. A polishing element is rotatably mounted in a frame of the equipment. Polishing element has a compliant polishing member fixedly mounted to a substantially rigid support member. Compliant polishing member has plurality of spaced polishing portions for engaging the surface to be polished and trapping polishing fluid between the interface of the surface to be polished and nearest polishing portion in contact with the surface. Important advantages derived from the polishing equipment of the invention are that it can efficiently polish a general surface, such as an aspheric optical surface, and it enables the polishing fluid to evenly flow across the surface to be polished.

1 . Precision surface polishing equipment, comprising: 
 a rigid frame;    a polishing element mounted for rotation in said rigid frame, said polishing element having a substantially rigid support member cooperatively associated with a compliant polishing member fixedly attached thereto, said compliant polishing member having a plurality of spaced polishing portions for engaging a surface to be polished, each one of said plurality of spaced polishing portions being projected radially outwardly from said substantially rigid support member, and wherein nearest adjacent of said each one of said plurality of spaced polishing portions form a fluid transport region therebetween when said compliant polishing member is in compressive contact with said surface to be polished;    means associated with said rigid frame for rotating said polishing element; and,    means for applying a layer of polishing fluid onto said surface to be polished, said layer of polishing fluid being substantially evenly applied onto said surface to be polished when disposed in said fluid transport region of said polishing element.    
   
   
       2 . The precision polishing equipment recited in  claim 1  wherein each one of said plurality of spaced polishing portions is configured to trap polishing fluid between the surface to be polished and a nearest one of said plurality of spaced polishing portions.  
   
   
       3 . The precision polishing equipment recited in  claim 2  wherein each of said plurality of spaced polishing portions is substantially torus shaped.  
   
   
       4 . The precision polishing equipment recited in  claim 1  wherein said means for rotating is a motor.  
   
   
       5 . The precision polishing equipment recited in  claim 1  wherein said means for applying a polishing fluid comprises a fluid reservoir in fluid communications with a nozzle, said nozzle being directed at said surface to be polished.