IP Library Granted Patent US 7,887,678
Granted Patent B2
US 7,887,678 · App. 10/586,372 · Granted Feb 15, 2011

Electrode tool for electrochemical machining and method for manufacturing same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,887,678
App. No.
10/586,372
Granted
Feb 15, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrode tool for electrochemical machining includes a machining electrode surface ( 1 a ). The machining electrode surface ( 1 a ) includes a conductive pattern defined by lands ( 3 ) and grooves ( 3 a ) that are formed by groove machining the electrode surface ( 1 a ). The machining electrode surface ( 1 a ) is then molded with a hard insulating resin layer ( 4 ), and a surface of the hard insulating resin layer ( 4 ) is mechanically polished to expose the lands ( 3 ) of the conductive pattern. The lands ( 3 ) are chemically dissolved to obtain a conductive pattern ( 14 ) having a surface that is formed below a resulting insulating resin surface ( 2 ), with the height difference between the two surfaces being between 1 and 5 μm. The electrode tool allows precise surface machining of work pieces and can withstand prolonged use.

Claims (14)

1. An electrode tool for electrochemical machining comprising:

an electrode substrate including a machining electrode surface;

a conductive pattern defined by a plurality of lands and grooves formed on the machining electrode surface;

an insulating resin molded integrally with the electrode substrate and filled into the grooves of the conductive pattern,

wherein the lands define a surface of the conductive pattern that is recessed from a surface of the insulating resin filled into the grooves of the conductive pattern, and

a height difference between the surface of the conductive pattern and the surface of the insulating resin is between 1 and 5 μm.

2. The electrode tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the insulating resin comprises a resin selected from among epoxy resin, urethane resin and polyimide resin.

3. The electrode tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the electrode substrate comprises one of brass and austenitic stainless steel, and the insulation layer comprises an epoxy resin.

4. The electrode tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the lands comprise deburred lands.

5. The electrode tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the height difference between the surface of the conductive pattern and the surface of the insulating resin is between 1 and 3 μm.

6. The electrode tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the height difference between the surface of the conductive pattern and the surface of the insulating resin is 2 μm.

7. The electrode tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the height difference between the surface of the conductive pattern and the surface of the insulating resin is 3 μm.

8. The electrode tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the lands have rounded edges.

9. The electrode tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the conductive pattern reproduced on a work piece is free of groove separation breaks.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2020
From: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
To: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
Reel/Frame 051803/0293 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2006
From: YASUDA, TOMOYUKI; IDE, MAKOTO
To: MINEBEA CO.,. LTD.
Reel/Frame 018121/0848 →