Marking stylus for automated marking systems

Abstract

A marking stylus for use in automated marking systems with one of the following superabrasive components as the scribing tip: polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride. The superabrasive may have one or more chamfers, as well as a sharp, rounded, or blunt tip. The superabrasive is preferably attached to the body of the stylus by one of the following methods: brazing, press fit, shrunk fit, clamped, casted, injection molded, or a high pressure high temperature cycle.

Claims

1. A method of automated marking of a metal substrate using a marking stylus, the method comprising: (a) affixing a body to a polycrystalline superabrasive compact having a pointed tip that extends away from the body; (b) retaining the body in an automated marking apparatus with the tip facing the substrate; (c) moving the tip into contact with the substrate with sufficient force to deform the substrate; and (d) displacing at least the tip relative to the substrate while applying a force to the body sufficient to deform the substrate, thereby dragging the tip along the substrate.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising moving the tip away from contact with the substrate after dragging the tip along the substrate.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a step of moving the tip into contact with the substrate immediately followed by moving the tip away from contact with the substrate without any substantial dragging of the tip along the substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view through the lines A-A of FIG. 5 illustrating an automated marking stylus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an automated marking stylus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an automated marking stylus in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an automated marking stylus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 5 is a schematic top view illustrating an automated marking stylus in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 6 is a schematic top view illustrating an automated marking stylus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

(7) In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific term so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. For example, the word connected or terms similar thereto are often used. They are not limited to direct connection, but include connection through other elements where such connection is recognized as being equivalent by those skilled in the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/121,149 filed Feb. 26, 2015 is incorporated in this application by reference. The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide an automated marking stylus capable of being introduced to a material's surface and then removed, or dragged to mark the material's surface before removal.

(9) Referring now to FIG. 1, an automated marking stylus assembly 1 may generally include a body 2 containing and supporting a member of polycrystalline superabrasive 3 such as polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (CBN). The material of body 2 may be made of metal, cemented tungsten carbide, plastic, glass, ceramic or any other suitable material or combination of materials, such as in a composite material, depending upon the needs of a given application as the person of ordinary skill will understand from the description herein. As shown, the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 may extend deep into the body 2, which can be helpful with retention of the superabrasive if the stylus experiences extreme side loading.

(10) The assembly 1 is typically substantially longer than it is wide, and the outer surface of the body 2 may be circular cylindrical, although this is determined by the machine in which the assembly 1 is to be held. The assembly 1 has an outer shape that may be received by the machine that will hold the assembly 1. The polycrystalline superabrasive 3 may have a circular cylindrical outer shape that fits tightly within a complementary circular cylindrical bore formed in the body 2. The stylus 1 may contain a chamfer 6 on the body 2 and a chamfer 4 on the portion of polycrystalline superabrasive 3 that protrudes from the body 2. The chamfers 4 and 6 may be formed by abrading the body 2 and the polycrystalline superabrasive 3, or by forming the body 2 and the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 with the chamfered shape. Each chamfer is a surface that is at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the body 2 and/or the polycrystalline superabrasive 3, and permits the terminal end of the assembly 1 to contact a substrate's surface at a localized point without peripheral portions of the assembly 1 contacting the surface. The polycrystalline superabrasive 3 may have a sharp tip 5 at the end of the chamfer 4 to further localize the contact.

(11) The interface 14 between the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 and the body 2 constrains the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 in such a way that it remains attached to the body 2. This interface 14 may be the surface of contact between the body 2 and the superabrasive 3, as in the case of a friction fit, or it may be a third material inserted between the body 2 and the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 that contacts both the body 2 and the polycrystalline superabrasive 3. In the former, the interface 14 may be formed by press fitting the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 in the body 2, by shrink fitting the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 in the body 2, by casting the body 2 around the polycrystalline superabrasive 3, by molding the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 into the body 2, or by physically clamping the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 in the body 2 with a clamping mechanism (not shown). In the latter, the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 is held in the body 2 by a third material by brazing, gluing (adhering) or otherwise interposing a third material between the body 2 and the polycrystalline superabrasive 3. Additionally, the interface 14 may be a result of combining the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 to the body 2 through a high pressure, high temperature cycle, or by sintering the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 within the body 2 through a high pressure, high temperature cycle. For example, the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 can be deposited, such as by one of many vapor deposition processes, within the body 2, or the body can be deposited around the polycrystalline superabrasive 3.

(12) As shown in FIG. 2, an automated marking stylus assembly 21 may generally include a body 22 containing and supporting a member of polycrystalline superabrasive 23 such as polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride. The stylus assembly 21 may contain a chamfer 26 on the body 22 and a chamfer 24 on the portion of polycrystalline superabrasive 23. The polycrystalline superabrasive may have a blunt tip 27. The body 22 and polycrystalline superabrasive 23 may have shapes similar to those described for the above embodiment(s), may be attached to one another in any of the ways described for the above embodiment(s), and may have an interface 28 similar to those described above.

(13) As shown in FIG. 3, an automated marking stylus assembly 31 may generally include a body 32 containing and supporting a member of polycrystalline superabrasive 33 such as polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride. The polycrystalline superabrasive 33 may be intimately combined with a portion of backing material 38 used in the sintering and manufacturing of the polycrystalline superabrasive 33. The backing material 38 may be made of cemented tungsten carbide or any other suitable material. The interface 31 between the backing material 38 and the body 32 may be formed, as described above for the interface 34, by press fitting, shrink fitting, brazing, casting, gluing, being molded into, and/or physically clamping with a mechanism (not shown).

(14) As also shown in FIG. 3, the exposed polycrystalline superabrasive 33 may have more than one chamfer 34 and 39, and it will be understood that any number of chamfers is possible and contemplated. Additionally, the body 32 may have more than one chamfer (not shown) as will be understood. The body 32 and polycrystalline superabrasive 33 may have shapes similar to those described for the above embodiment(s), may be attached to one another in any of the ways described for the above embodiment(s), and may have an interface similar to those described above.

(15) As shown in FIG. 4, an automated marking stylus assembly 41 may generally include a body 42 containing and supporting a member of polycrystalline superabrasive 43 such as polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride. A backed polycrystalline superabrasive 43 may be attached to the body 42 by only the interface 41 between a backing 48 and the body 42. The backing 48 may have a chamfer 46. The assembly 41 may contain a chamfer 44 on the portion of polycrystalline superabrasive 43 that protrudes from the body 42. The backing 48 is intimately connected to the superabrasive 43 via numerous fingers of catalyst material from the backing 48 that has been incorporated into the superabrasive 43 during their manufacturing process. The polycrystalline superabrasive may have a rounded tip 40. The body 42 and polycrystalline superabrasive 43 may have shapes similar to those described for the above embodiment(s), may be attached to one another in any of the ways described for the above embodiment(s), and may have an interface similar to those described above.

(16) As shown in FIG. 5 in the view of the end of the assembly 1 shown in FIG. 1, the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 may be round in cross section to form a circular cylinder. It is to be noted that the polycrystalline superabrasive 3 may alternatively have a non-round exterior shape (not shown), for example, such as a square, triangle, oval, polygon, or cross, and it is preferred that, even with a non-round shape, the superabrasive 3 is preferably cylindrical. Even if the superabrasive 3 is circular cylindrical, non-circular cylindrical or any other shape, it is preferred that the body 2 have an exterior shape that conforms to the interior of the machine that holds the assembly 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the body 2 may be formed entirely around the superabrasive 3 on the long sides of the assembly 1.

(17) As shown in the end view of FIG. 6, an automated marking stylus assembly 61 may generally include a body 62 containing and supporting a member of polycrystalline superabrasive 63 such as polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride. A polycrystalline superabrasive 63 may extend to the long edges of the body 62 in one or more, such as opposing, portions of the body 62. This can be accomplished by sandwiching two body 62 segments on opposite sides of a substantially planar strip of superabrasive 63. The body 62 and polycrystalline superabrasive 63 may have shapes similar to those described for the above embodiment(s), may be attached to one another in any of the ways described for the above embodiment(s), and may have an interface similar to those described above.

(18) In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the marking stylus is grasped, clamped or otherwise retained in a moving component of an automated marking machine, such as an arm. The machine displaces the pointed tip of the stylus, which tip is made of polycrystalline superabrasive, toward and into contact with the substrate to be marked. This substrate may be a metal or plastic (or any other material) panel, plate or other body. The force of the arm moving the stylus toward and into contact with the substrate is sufficient to cause the preferably pointed tip to strike the substrate and deform the substrate's material sufficiently to make a desired mark. The toughness of the polycrystalline superabrasive compact greatly reduces the likelihood of damage to the stylus. The tip makes a mark that may be left at the mark made upon initial impact, or the mark can be extended by simply dragging the tip of the stylus along the surface of the substrate while maintaining a force that continues a degree of deformation. Once the mark is sufficient, the arm draws the stylus away from the substrate and prepares for another movement back to the substrate or to another, different substrate.

(19) This detailed description in connection with the drawings is intended principally as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the designs, functions, means, and methods of implementing the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and features may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention and that various modifications may be adopted without departing from the invention or scope of the following claims.