Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a blast cabinet for carving a work-piece, and more specifically, to a blast cabinet specifically configured and adapted to allow an operator to hold the work-piece outside of a blasting enclosure with one hand and manipulate a carving nozzle located within the blasting enclosure with the other hand, which substantially eliminates the need to cover the work-piece in protective tape, thereby resulting in a quicker, more efficient carving process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sandblast etching, carving, and engraving highly detailed designs in materials, such as glass, crystal, stone, and metals is well known in the art. To that end, blast cabinets have been used for designing surfaces on a work-piece by directing high pressure fluid containing abrasive blast media or blast particulate toward the work-piece. The abrasive blast particulate is typically a relatively hard material such as aluminum oxide and silicon carbide, although many other materials may be selected for use as the blast particulate.
Conventional sandcarving entails utilizing a photo-developed film to carve patterns on many different work-pieces formed of different materials and having a wide range of shapes. The work-piece is carved using a developed film, which is applied to the work-piece to only allow certain areas of the work-piece to be carved. The film is attached to the work-piece prior to carving and removed from the work-piece after carving.
A conventional blast cabinet typically includes a housing supported on legs. The housing defines a generally air tight enclosure having a pair of arm holes with gloves hermetically sealed thereto such that an operator may manipulate a blast hose and/or the work-piece for blasting thereof within the enclosure. The blast hose is configured to direct the high pressure fluid such as air carrying the blast particulate at high velocity toward the work-piece surfaces. The blast cabinet typically includes a transparent window to allow the operator to manipulate the work-piece and to visually observe the progress of the blasting.
During carving, the work-piece having the film attached thereto is placed within the enclosure and the high-pressure blasting media is directed toward the work-piece. The blast media bounces off of the work-piece and is generally violently thrown about within the enclosure along with surface coatings, dirt and scale that are abraded from the work-piece by the blast media. As such, any exposed surface of the work-piece may be scratched or scuffed by the moving blast particular, surface coatings, dirt and scale. Thus, to protect against such inadvertent scratching or scuffing, the work-piece is commonly wrapped with a protective covering, e.g., protective tape, prior to the carving step and removed after the carving step. Oftentimes, tape residue remains on the work-piece and must be removed from the work-piece prior to final shipment to the consumer. The process of applying the protective covering to the work-piece tends to be a very labor intensive, tedious and time consumer endeavor, which inflates the overall cost of the end product. Along these lines, the time attributable to applying and removing the protective tape can account for approximately 40% of the overall processing time.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved and more efficient blast cabinet design which allows a work-piece to be carved, sand blasted, etc., outside of the main cabinet to reduce or eliminate the added cost for protective part taping. Various aspects of the present invention address these particular needs, as will be discussed in more detail below.
The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above-identified deficiencies in the art. Along these lines, there is provided a carving cabinet for carving a work-piece with a carving tool. The carving cabinet is specifically configured and adapted to enable carving of the work-piece outside of the main carving enclosure of the cabinet. This is possible using a sealed part-holding vestibule designed to allow the operator to hold the part outside the main carving enclosure of the cabinet while using the abrasive blasting nozzle located inside the main carving enclosure to direct abrasive toward the work-piece. The cabinet includes the sealed part-holding vestibule complete with an open area part processing port common with the inside cabinet chamber. A mold of the part may be held over the common port using strong magnets, which allows the part mold to have a processing port window that is common with the inside of the cabinet and enables the part to be sealed from the cabinet chamber. Placing the part into the part holding mold will substantially seal the common port allowing part processing using the mold window. In this respect, the part itself substantially seals the commonality between the vestibule and the blasting cabinet, thereby eliminating the time consuming part protection taping and tape removal, while keeping the part clean helping to further reduce the time required for cleaning a packing for shipment to the end user.
According to one embodiment, the carving cabinet includes a housing defining an enclosure for operating the carving tool when carving the work-piece. A barrier member is coupled to the housing and is configured to substantially separate the work-piece from the enclosure when carving the work-piece. The barrier member includes a first surface facing toward the enclosure and an opposing second surface facing away from the enclosure. A carving port extends between the first surface and the second surface. The barrier member is configured to allow the work-piece to be disposable adjacent the second surface to enable carving of the work-piece through the carving port.
The barrier member may be detachably coupled to the housing. The barrier member may be formed from a flexible material, such as a rubber material. The barrier member may be configured to be disposable in tension when the work-piece is disposed adjacent the second surface. The barrier member may be configured to form a seal with the work-piece when the work-piece is disposed adjacent the second surface of the barrier member.
According to another embodiment, the blasting cabinet includes a sealed part holding vestibule that is not considered part of the inside cabinet area by various air pollution control agencies. The configuration allows the work-piece to remain outside the blasting chamber to reduce time consuming protection taping.
A viewing window may be coupled to the housing to enable viewing into the enclosure. The viewing window may be offset to the vestibule side of the chamber to allow the operator to view see the part/work-piece held by the operator in the part-holding mold located at the end of the vestibule and within easy operator processing. The combination of the configuration of the vestibule, location of the offset window and the shape of the cabinet may allow the operator to use only one cabinet operator port for part processing.
A working port may be formed in the housing and configured enable a user to reach into the enclosure.
The sealed part-holding vestibule may be inside the main machine cabinet area and include a removable end plate. Several different end plates may be used, each of which are configured and adapted to for different uses. One particular configuration of the end plate may seal off the vestibule to allow the main cabinet to be used as a standard sandcarving machine, allowing the operator to place the part with protection taping inside the cabinet for sandcarving. A second end plate may include a window/port for part processing. The window may be supplied in different window sizes and locations to permit different part size processing. The window may be configured for part processing of flat parts using a compression seal on the end plate to substantially seal against the part being held against the window/port. It may be necessary to locate the window in another location to allow the part to enter the processing vestibule. A mold of the part may be used to cover and seal the processing window using strong magnets that may be cast into the mold to permit quick, tool-less mold changes. The mold may include a processing window/port for the part that allows only the film area to be common with the main blasting cabinet. The operator may place the part blindly into the mold located in the vestibule to allow sandcarving to occur. The new design allows for easy placement of the mold. Many parts that are to be carved are symmetrical, allowing the operator to lift and rotate the part to allow for 360 degree part processing with a small mold window opening. Another design of the removable plate may utilize a frame to hold a thin elastomeric diaphragm. The diaphragm may include a hole allowing the operator to push the part against the diaphragm, stretching the diaphragm and sealing a part with contour against the diaphragm. This allows sandcarving to occur without the need for casting a mold of the part.
The carving cabinet may additionally include a curtain coupled to the housing and at least partially extending over the barrier member.
The housing may include an attachment panel having an attachment panel opening formed therein and in communication with the enclosure. The carving cabinet may further include a mounting plate connectable to the attachment panel to at least partially extend over the attachment panel opening, with the barrier member being coupled to the mounting plate.
According to another embodiment, there is provided a method of carving a work-piece. The method includes providing a carving cabinet for carving a work-piece with a carving tool, wherein the carving cabinet includes a housing defining an enclosure for operating the carving tool when carving the work-piece, and a barrier member coupled to the housing and configured to substantially separate the work-piece from the enclosure when carving the work-piece. The barrier member further includes a first surface facing toward the enclosure, an opposing second surface facing away from the enclosure, and a carving port extending between the first surface and the second surface. The method further includes placing the work-piece adjacent the second surface and directing carving media from the carving tool to the work-piece through the carving port.
The present invention is best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
These as well as other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and a detailed description to indicate like elements.
The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiment 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 functions and sequences of steps for constructing and operating the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments and that they are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only, and are not for purposes of limiting the same, there is depicted a carving cabinet 10 (see
Referring now specifically to
One variation of vertical section 36 is shown in
The inclined section 37 of the front wall 24 is angularly offset from the vertical section 36 and includes a window 44 for allowing a user to lean toward the enclosure 32 for viewing into the enclosure 32 during operation of the carving tool 34, as will be described in more detail below.
The carving cabinet housing 10 includes a work-piece vestibule 46 (see
According to one embodiment, the work-piece vestibule 46 does not form part of the main carving enclosure 32 since the vestibule 46 is effectively sealed from the carving enclosure 32 when carving a work-piece 12. As such, the carving enclosure 32 will typically include a negative pressure/vacuum during operation of the carving cabinet 10 to collect abrasive within the main carving enclosure 32, while the vestibule 46 does not include a negative pressure, since it is separate from the carving enclosure 32. Along these lines, since the vestibule 46 is separate from the enclosure 32, when the volume of the carving enclosure 32 is calculated, the work-piece vestibule 46 is not included in that calculation. The volume of the carving enclosure 32 may be critical when applying for operating permits for the blasting machine, wherein a machine having a smaller carving enclosure 32 typically is easier to obtain permitting, if required. Thus, the ability to disregard the volume of the work-piece vestibule 46 when calculating the volume of the carving enclosure 32 provides significant advantages.
A curtain 48 (see
Referring now to
According to one embodiment, the barrier member 14 includes a first internal surface 50 facing toward the enclosure 32, and an opposing second external surface 52 facing away from the enclosure 32 when the barrier member 14 is attached to the housing 20. The carving port 18 extends between the first surface 50 and the second surface 52. During carving of the work-piece 12, the work-piece 12 is held in alignment with the carving port 18 adjacent the second surface 52 to enable carving of the work-piece 12 through the carving port 18.
The barrier member 14 may be available in several different embodiments, which may be varied depending on the work-piece 12 and/or the carving that is to be done. In the embodiment depicted in
The molded body 54 is coupled to a mounting plate 56, which is configured and adapted to be connected to the attachment panel 35 and extend over the attachment panel opening 39. The mounting plate 56 includes a plate processing port 59 extending between opposed external surfaces of the mounting plate 56. When the molded body 54 is attached to the mounting plate 56, the mold processing port 55 is aligned with the plate processing port 59 to collectively define the carving port 18.
According to one embodiment, the molded body 54 includes one or more magnets 60 encapsulated therein for purposes of effectuating tool-less detachable engagement between the molded body 54 and the mounting plate 56. The magnets 60 are preferably rare earth magnets which create a strong magnet attraction between the molded body 54 and the mounting plate 56 so as to create a substantially fluid-tight seal between the molded body 54 and the mounting plate 56. As noted above, when the molded body 54 is attached to the mounting plate 56, the mold processing port 55 is aligned with the plate processing port 59. The plate processing port 59 may be positioned at the approximate center of the mounting plate 56, or alternatively, at a location offset from the approximate center. An offset location may be desirable to enable the carving port 18 to be moved relative to the enclosure 32 simply by rotating the mounting plate 56 before the mounting plate 56 is attached to the attachment panel 35. The detachability of the molded body 54 from the mounting plate 56 allows several different molded bodies, each having a unique molded configuration, to be used and quickly interchanged with a single mounting plate 56. In this respect, various molded bodies may be used to carve designs into several different work-pieces, such as wine glasses, beer mugs, trophies, plaques, etc.
Although the exemplary embodiment utilizes magnets 60 for connecting the molded body 54 to the mounting plate 58, it is understood that other mechanical fasteners known in the art may also be used, such as brackets, snaps, adhesives, bolts, screws, etc.
One or more engagement members 58 (see
With the basic structural features of the carving cabinet 10 described above, the following will focus on operation of the carving cabinet 10 for carving a work-piece 12 according to one embodiment. Referring now to
After the film 62 is applied to the work-piece 12, the work-piece 12 is ready for carving. Due to the unique configuration of the carving cabinet 10 (see
The user then passes the work-piece 12 through the curtain 48 (see
Using one-hand, the user holds the work-piece 12 against the molded body 54 (see
The trapezoidal configurations of the housing 20 (see
The carving abrasive passes through the carving port 18 to impact the work-piece 12. The carving abrasive bounces off the work-piece 12 and remains in the enclosure 32, along with flakes, slivers, or chips which are carved off the work-piece 12. In this respect, when the work-piece 12 is nested within the molded body 54 (see
If the carving pattern extends circumferentially around the work-piece 12, the user may rotate the work-piece 12 to complete the circumferential design. In other words, the operator may slightly remove the work-piece 12 away from the carving port 18, rotate the work-piece 18, and then move the work-piece 12 back toward the carving port 18 to seal the work-piece 12 against the barrier member 14 for continued carving.
The carving cabinet 10 may include a filtration system for collecting the carving media and particulate and separating the carving media from the remaining particulate to allow for recycling of the carving media during subsequent carving processes. For more information regarding filtration and separating systems, please refer to U.S. Pat. No. 7,008,304, entitled Abrasive and Dust Separator, owned by Media Blast & Abrasives, Inc., the owner of the present application, and the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
After the work-piece 12 has been carved, the carving tool 34 is turned off and the work-piece 12 is removed from the vestibule 46. The film 62 is then removed from the work-piece 12 to expose the carved design (see
The foregoing describes a barrier member 14 which includes a molded body specifically configured and adapted for use with a particular work-piece 12. However, other barrier members may also be used with the carving cabinet housing 20 (see
According to one embodiment, the barrier member 114 is configured to allow for size adjustment of the carving port 118 to accommodate work-pieces that vary in size, as well as logos/designs that vary in size. For instance, if the logo/design is small, a large carving port 118 is not required. Conversely, if the logo/design is large, a large carving part 118 may be needed or useful. To that end, the barrier member 114 may include one or more adjustment panels (not shown) which may be selectively transitioned between stowed and deployed positions to vary the size of the carving port 118. As the adjustment panel(s) move from the stowed position to the deployed position, the size of the carving port 118 decreases, and as the adjustment panel(s) move from the deployed position to the stowed position, the size of the carving port 118. The adjustment panel(s) may transition between the stowed and deployed positions by translating therebetween, or moving in radially expanding and contracting directions. The adjustment panel(s) may be coupled to the mounting plate 156 adjacent the first or second surfaces 150, 152, or alternatively, the adjustment panel(s) may extend within an internal pocket formed within the mounting plate 156 between the first and second surfaces 150, 152.
Referring now to
According to one embodiment, the resilient panel 254 is formed from a flexible material, such as rubber or the like. The resilient panel 254 is configured to be disposable in tension when the work-piece 12 (see
The resilient panel 254 allows work-pieces 12 of different sizes, shapes, and configuration to be carved. In this respect, the resilient panel 254 is adaptable to the particular configuration of the work-piece 12.
Referring now to
In this respect, the user may selectively employ any one of the barrier members 14, 114, 214 or the block-off plate 300, depending on the work-piece 12 and the desired carving.
It is understood that the particular embodiments shown in the attached drawings and described herein are exemplary in nature only, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. For instance, the size and shape of the mounting plates and carving ports may be varied, and may define quadrangular, circular, oval, trapezoidal or other shapes known in the art.
Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention may also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the particular combination of components and steps described and illustrated herein is intended to represent only certain embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternative devices and methods within the spirit and scope of the invention.