Partial Surface treatment apparatus

Abstract

A partial surface treatment apparatus includes a first electrode member electrically connected to a treatment object having a circumferential groove at an outer circumferential surface thereof, a second electrode member having an annular-shaped inner circumferential surface facing the outer circumferential surface while keeping a distance therefrom, an elastic sealing member in an annular shape being sealable a clearance between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface at portions on the outer circumferential surface above and below the circumferential groove, an attachment portion where the elastic sealing member is attached while keeping the distance from the outer circumferential surface, a pressure applying mechanism supplying a pressurized fluid into the elastic sealing member. to press-contact a radially inner circumferential end portion of the elastic sealing member against the outer circumferential surface and releasing a press-contact therebetween, and a supply passage through which an electrolyte is supplied to the circumferential groove.

1 . A partial surface treatment apparatus, comprising:
 a first electrode member electrically connected to a treatment object, which is made of a metal and which includes a circumferential groove at an outer circumferential surface of the treatment object;   a second electrode member having an annular-shaped inner circumferential surface facing the outer circumferential surface and the circumferential groove while keeping a distance therefrom;   an elastic sealing member made of a nonconductive material, formed in an annular shape and being sealable a clearance formed between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface at portions on the outer circumferential surface above and below the circumferential groove in an axial direction of the partial surface treatment apparatus;   an attachment portion at which the elastic sealing member is attached while keeping the distance relative to the outer circumferential surface along an entire circumference thereof;   a pressure applying mechanism configured so as to supply a pressurized fluid into the elastic sealing member attached at the attachment portion in order to press-contact a radially inner circumferential end portion of the elastic sealing member against the outer circumferential surface along the entire circumference thereof and so as to release a press-contact of the radally inner circumferential end portion of the elastic sealing member against the outer circumferential surface; and   a supply passage, through which an electrolyte is supplied to the circumferential groove, opening at the inner circumferential surface.   
     
     
         2 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastic sealing member includes a recessed portion along an entire circumference thereof so as to open in a radially outward direction thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein radially outer circumferential edge portions and radially inner circumferential edge portions of the elastic sealing member are displaced towards a center of the elastic sealing member in a radial direction thereof in response to the supply of pressurized fluid thereto so that an inner diameter of the elastic sealing member is decreased. 
     
     
         4 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member includes a contact surface, at which the elastic sealing member is contactable with the outer circumferential surface, and the contact surface of the elastic sealing member is formed as a surface parallel to an axial direction of the elastic sealing member. 
     
     
         5 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member is configured so as to be insertable into a groove portion formed by the attachment portion and the second electrode member, the elastic sealing member is formed so that a width in the axial direction between radially outer circumferential edge portions of the elastic sealing member before being inserted into the groove portion is greater than an opening width of the groove portion, and a width in the axial direction between radially inner circumferential edge portions of the elastic sealing member before being inserted into the groove portion is narrower than the opening width of the groove portion. 
     
     
         6 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member is formed so as to be protrudable in a radially inward direction relative to a grove portion, which is formed in an annular shape and which is defined by the attachment portion and the second electrode member so as to include an opening, which opens in the radially inward direction. 
     
     
         7 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member includes side wall portions defining a recessed portion, a thickness of each of the side wall portions is formed to be thinner than a width of the recessed portion in an axial direction of the elastic sealing member. 
     
     
         8 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member further includes a recessed portion, which includes a wall portion so as to be positioned closer to radially inner circumferential edge portions of the elastic sealing member relative to an intermediate point between radially outer circumferential edge portions and the radially inner circumferential edge portions of the elastic sealing member. 
     
     
         9 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member further includes a recessed portion, which includes a wall portion so as to be positioned closer to radially inner circumferential edge portions of the elastic sealing member, and the wall portion is formed as a surface parallel to an axial direction of the elastic sealing member along a contact surface of the elastic sealing member at which the elastic sealing member is contactable with the outer circumferential surface of the treatment object. 
     
     
         10 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member is slidably displaced in a radially inward direction while pressing a wall surface of a groove portion while the elastic sealing member is displaced so that the inner diameter thereof decreases. 
     
     
         11 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member further includes a recessed portion, and the elastic sealing member is formed so that a width of a wall portion of the recessed portion in an axial direction becomes greater than a width of an opening in the axial direction while the elastic sealing member is inserted into a groove potion formed between the attachment portion and the second electrode member. 
     
     
         12 . The partial surface treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic sealing member includes a contact surface, at which the elastic sealing member is contactable with the outer circumferential surface, and a corner portion, which is positioned so as to be closer to the circumferential groove and which guides a side surface to extend in a direction orthogonal to the outer circumferential surface, so as to extend along the entire circumference of the elastic sealing member in an annular shape. 
     
     
         13 . A partial surface treatment apparatus, comprising:
 a first electrode member electrically connected to a treatment object, which is made of a metal and which includes a circumferential groove at an outer circumferential surface of the treatment object;   a second electrode member having an annular-shaped inner circumferential surface facing the outer circumferential surface and the circumferential groove while keeping a distance therefrom;   an elastic sealing member made of a nonconductive material, formed in an annular shape, being sealable a clearance formed between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface at portions on the outer circumferential surface above and below the circumferential groove in an axial direction of the partial surface treatment apparatus, and including a recessed portion along an entire circumference thereof so as to open in a radially outward direction thereof and a displacement restricting portion so as to extend along an entire opening portion in a circumferential direction thereof in order to prevent a radially outer circumferential portion of the elastic sealing member defining the opening portion from being displaced towards the outer circumferential surface;   an attachment portion at which the elastic sealing member is attached while keeping the distance relative to the outer circumferential surface along an entire circumference thereof;   a pressure applying mechanism configured so as to supply a pressurized fluid into the elastic sealing member attached at the attachment portion in order to press-contact a radially inner circumferential end portion of the elastic sealing member against the outer circumferential surface along the entire circumference thereof and so as to release a press-contact of the radially inner circumferential end portion of the elastic sealing member against the outer circumferential surface; and   a supply passage, through which an electrolyte is supplied to the circumferential groove, opening at the inner circumferential surface.   
     
     
         14 . A partial surface treatment apparatus, comprising:
 a first electrode member electrically connected to a treatment object, which is made of a metal and which includes a circumferential groove at an outer circumferential surface of the treatment object;   a second electrode member having an annular-shaped inner circumferential surface facing the outer circumferential surface and the circumferential groove while keeping a distance therefrom;   an elastic sealing member made of a nonconductive material, formed in an annular shape, being sealable a clearance formed between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface at portions on the outer circumferential surface above and below the circumferential groove in an axial direction of the partial surface treatment apparatus and including a contact surface, at which the elastic sealing member is contactable with the outer circumferential surface, and a corner portion, which is positioned so as to be closer to the circumferential groove and which guides a side surface to extend in a direction orthogonal to the outer circumferential surface, so as to extend along the entire circumference of the elastic sealing member in an annular shape;   an attachment portion at which the elastic sealing member is attached while keeping the distance relative to the outer circumferential surface along an entire circumference thereof;   a pressure applying mechanism configured so as to supply a pressurized fluid into the elastic sealing member attached at the attachment portion in order to press-contact a radially inner circumferential end portion of the elastic sealing member against the outer circumferential surface along the entire circumference thereof and so as to release a press-contact of the radially inner circumferential end portion of the elastic sealing member against the outer circumferential surface; and   a supply passage, through which an electrolyte is supplied to the circumferential groove, opening at the inner circumferential surface.