Specimen mover and a method of placing specimens in a specimen mover

Abstract

A specimen mover (100) for a grinding and/or polishing machine (120) is disclosed. The specimen mover (100) is configured for rotating one or more specimens (50) in abutment with a preparation surface (75) carried by the grinding and/or polishing machine (120) and the specimen mover (100) includes: a drive housing (20), a driveshaft (30) protruding from said drive housing (20), a thrust housing (10) disposed coaxially on said driveshaft (30) and including at least one thrust pad (12), and a specimen mover plate (15) disposed essentially coaxial with said thrust housing (10) and/or said driveshaft (30) The specimen mover is configured such that the thrust housing (10) is displaceable connected to the driveshaft (30) protruding from said drive housing (20) in a manner allowing the thrust housing (10) to move along, and relative to, the driveshaft (30) protruding from said drive housing (20).

Claims

1. A specimen mover configured for rotating one or more specimens in abutment with a preparation surface, comprising: a drive housing, a driveshaft protruding from said drive housing, and a thrust housing disposed coaxially on said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing and including at least one thrust pad, wherein said thrust housing is displaceable connected to said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing in a manner allowing said thrust housing to move along, and relative to, said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

2. The specimen mover according to claim 1, wherein said preparation surface is carried by said specimen mover.

3. The specimen mover according to claim 1, wherein said specimen mover further includes a specimen mover plate or cage disposed coaxially with said thrust housing and said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

4. The specimen mover according to claim 3, wherein said thrust housing and said specimen mover plate or cage are arranged on said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing in a manner allowing for temporary increase of a distance in-between said thrust housing and said specimen mover plate or cage.

5. The specimen mover according to claim 4, wherein said temporary increase of said distance in-between said thrust housing and said specimen mover plate or cage, is allowed following activation of release means and subsequent manipulation of said thrust housing along said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

6. The specimen mover according to claim 1, wherein said specimen mover plate or cage is arranged on said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing in a manner maintaining said specimen mover plate or cage in a fixed position relative to said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing irrespective the position of said thrust housing.

7. The specimen mover according to claim 1, wherein said thrust housing accommodates release means configured for engaging and disengaging said thrust housing from said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing such that said thrust housing may, when said release means is released, move along and relative to, said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

8. The specimen mover according to claim 7, wherein said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing is provided with a bore and wherein said release means includes a pawl configured to interlock said thrust housing and said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing by way of receiving a part of said pawl into said bore.

9. The specimen mover according to claim 8, wherein said pawl and said bore are oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

10. The specimen mover according to claim 5, wherein said release means constitutes a clinch lock configured for engaging with said bore to lock said thrust housing to said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

11. The specimen mover according to claim 5, wherein said release means are arranged in said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing and wherein said thrust housing is provided with a bore for receiving said release means arranged in said driveshaft.

12. The specimen mover according to claim 4, wherein said thrust housing and said specimen mover plate or cage are arranged on said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing in a manner allowing for temporary increase of a distance in-between said thrust housing and said specimen mover plate or cage by means of threads interconnecting said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing and said thrust housing and wherein said distance may be temporarily increased by turning said thrust housing relative to said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

13. The specimen mover according to claim 1, wherein said thrust housing comprises: a plurality of thrust pads, and wherein said plurality of thrust pads are disposed in a circular array having a geometrical center disposed coaxially with said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

14. The specimen mover according to claim 13, wherein said specimen mover plate or cage includes a plurality of slots configured for receiving specimens and wherein said plurality of slots are disposed in a circular array having a geometrical center disposed coaxially with said driveshaft protruding from said drive housing.

15. The specimen mover according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of thrust pads and said plurality of slots configured for receiving specimens are arranged coaxially in sets.

16. The specimen mover according to claim 1, wherein said thrust housing is configured to apply a linear load or force on each of said at least one thrust pads and wherein said linear load or force stem from individual springs configured to apply said load or force.

17. The specimen mover according to claim 16, wherein the load or force is in the range of 2-40 N.

18. A method of placing specimens in a specimen mover comprising a thrust housing and a specimen mover plate or cage, where said thrust housing and said specimen mover plate or cage are disposed essentially coaxially on a driveshaft protruding from a drive housing, comprising: moving the thrust housing along the driveshaft protruding from the drive housing to increase a distance in-between the thrust housing and the specimen mover plate or cage, placing one or more specimens in slots configured for receiving specimens in the specimen mover plate or cage, and moving the thrust housing towards the specimen mover plate or cage to apply load or force on the specimens.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises, prior to moving the thrust housing to increase the distance in-between the thrust housing and the specimen mover plate or cage: releasing locking means configured for interlocking the thrust housing to the driveshaft protruding from the drive housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of a specimen mover in a state wherein the specimen mover allows for easy handling of specimens,

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of a specimen mover ready for operation,

(3) FIG. 3 is a sectional view through a thrust housing, and

(4) FIG. 4 is perspective view of a thrust housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) In the following detailed portion of the present description, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.

(6) FIGS. 1 and 2 show side views of a specimen mover. In the depicted embodiments, the specimen mover 100 is supported by a grinding and/or polishing machine 120 outlined schematically in broken lines.

(7) The grinding and/or polishing machine 120 includes a preparation surface 75. The preparation surface 75 is configured to receive different and not shown means for grinding, lapping and polishing the specimens 50. The preparation surface 75 typically is configured to operate in a not shown bowl provided to collect debris and water applied during the preparation process.

(8) The preparation surface 75 typically is configured to rotate. The rotation may be clockwise or counterclockwise. Preferably, the preparation surface 75 rotates counter wise the rotation of the driveshaft 30 of the specimen mover 100.

(9) The grinding and/or polishing machine 120 may include not shown electrical means interconnecting the specimen mover 100 to the grinding and/or polishing machine 120.

(10) The specimen mover 100 typically resides in a slot or bore 121 provided in the base of the grinding and/or polishing machine 120. As can be seen, spacers or shims 122 may be provided between the lower end of the support post 110 supporting the specimen mover 100 and the bottom of the slot 121 of the grinding and/or polishing machine 120. The spacers or shims 122 facilitate height adjustment of the specimen mover 100 and are in terms of effect equivalent to the second drive mentioned in US 2014/0030967 A.

(11) The height adjustment of the specimen mover 100 allows for adjustment of the gap in between lower face of the specimen mover plate 15 and the upper face of the preparation surface 75. The gap typically is in the range of 0.5-5 mm. depending on application.

(12) In the depicted state according to FIG. 1, the thrust housing 10 is shown in a position wherein the thrust housing 10 is moved to an elevated position, i.e. out of an operative position. In the elevated position, the bore 13 in the driveshaft 30 for receiving the release means 11 in an operative state, is visible.

(13) FIG. 2 shows the specimen mover in an operative state.

(14) The distance A is less in the operative state according to FIG. 2 than in the state according to FIG. 1. The difference, i.e. the stroke of the thrust housing 10 it selves, is typically in the range of 5-50 mm, 6-25 mm 7-20 mm, 8-15 mm or about 10 mm.

(15) When the thrust housing 10 rests in the operative state according to FIG. 2, turn locks 31, disposed on the shaft 30 and visible in FIG. 1, engage with one or more apertures 32 provided in the thrust housing 10 (FIG. 4) The forces exerted on the specimens 50 by the thrust housing 10 and intermediate components, is perpendicular to the preparation surface 75. Therefore, the turn locks 31 and the one or more apertures 32 provided in the thrust housing 10, are not exposed to torque generated by the preparation of the specimens.

(16) The torque generated by the preparation of the specimens is conveyed to the specimens via the specimen mover plate 15.

(17) The specimen mover plate 15 is rigidly mounted to, and rotated by, the driveshaft 30.

(18) The sectional view through a thrust housing 10 according to FIG. 3 shows the pawl 14 configured to interlock the thrust housing with the driveshaft 30 when the specimen mover is in the operative state according to FIG. 2.

(19) FIG. 3 further shows the thrust pads 12 connected to the thrust rods 17 via a ball joint configured for allowing firm connection, or contact, between the specimens 50 as shown in FIG. 2 and the thrust pads 12. Springs are in this embodiment applied to urge the thrust rods 17 towards the specimens 50.

(20) The thrust rods 17 may be provided with grips or handles 18 facilitating height wise adjustments of the thrust rods 17 by means of the treads 25.

(21) Prior to the conceivement of the present invention, an operator wishing to place relatively high specimens in the specimen holder 100 was required to turn each of the thrust rods 17 in order to retract the thrust rods 17.

(22) The means for applying force to the thrust rods 17 constitute, in the embodiments according the figures, springs 16. The springs 16 operate under pretension and the magnitude of the pretension is indicated by pins or screws 19 travelling in an aperture provided in the thrust housing 10. The pins or screws 19 also prevent the thrust rods 17, and any interconnecting plunger, from exiting the thrust housing 10.

(23) The springs 19 may be substituted by hydraulic/pneumatic actuators and the like without departing from the scope of the present invention.

(24) FIG. 4 is perspective view of a thrust housing. As can be seen, the release means 11 may be operated by means of a simple handle 9.

(25) In the depicted embodiments the pawl 14, as shown in FIG. 3, is urged against the driveshaft 30 and into the bore 13 by means of a not shown spring forming part of the release means 11. In order to release the release means 11, the operator pulls the handle 9, against the forces of the not shown spring, and the pawl 14 is withdrawn from the bore 13. The thrust housing 10 is now free to move upwards along the driveshaft 30 and away from the preparation surface 75.

(26) In a not shown embodiment, the thrust housing 10 and the specimen mover plate or cage 15 are arranged on driveshaft 30 protruding from drive housing 20 in a manner allowing for temporary increase of a distance (A), in-between the thrust housing 10 and the specimen mover plate or cage 15 by means of threads interconnecting the driveshaft 30 protruding from the drive housing 20 and the thrust housing 10. The distance (A) may in this embodiment be temporarily increased by turning the thrust housing 10 relative to the driveshaft 30 protruding from the drive housing 20.

(27) The teachings of this specification have numerous advantages. Different embodiments or implementations may yield one or more advantages. It should be noted that this is not an exhaustive list and there may be other advantages which are not described herein.

(28) Although the teaching of this application has been described in detail for purpose of illustration, it is understood that such detail is solely for that purpose, and variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the teaching of this application.

(29) The term comprising as used throughout this specification does not exclude other elements or steps. The term a or an as used in the claims does not exclude a plurality. The single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several means recited in the claims.