Claims
- 1. A vibration inducing grinding wheel for removing material from a workpiece, said vibration inducing grinding wheel for use in a grinding machine, said vibration inducing grinding wheel comprising a generally cylindrically shaped body defining a cylindrical outer periphery with a composition and a contour adapted to induce a first noise into at least one of the grinding machine and the workpiece, the first noise of the vibration inducing grinding wheel having an amplitude and a frequency out of phase from at least one of: (1) a second noise from the grinding machine; and (2) a third noise from the workpiece, the first noise from the vibration inducing grinding wheel causing a reduction in at least one of: (1) the second noise; and (2) the third noise whereby the outer periphery of the vibration inducing grinding wheel is adapted to form a substantially cylindrical surface over the length of the workpiece.
- 2. A vibration inducing grinding wheel according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of said vibration inducing grinding wheel has a pattern thereon for inducing a vibration to the grinding machine.
- 3. A vibration inducing grinding wheel according to claim 2, wherein said pattern comprises at least one of a sinusoidal pattern, a diamond pattern, and a hatched pattern.
- 4. A vibration inducing grinding wheel according to claim 1:
- wherein the cylindrical outer periphery of said wheel defines a first portion thereof defined by a first radius extending from a rotational axis of said wheel; and
- wherein the cylindrical outer periphery of said wheel defines a second portion thereof defined by a second radius extending from the rotational axis of said wheel, said second radius being different from said first radius.
- 5. A vibration inducing grinding wheel according to claim 1, wherein said vibration inducing grinding wheel comprises a plurality of portions thereof, at least two of said portions being made of different compositions from each other.
- 6. A vibration inducing grinding wheel according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of said vibration inducing grinding wheel varies in at least one of the composition, and contour, and structure.
- 7. A vibration inducing grinding wheel according to claim 1, wherein said vibration inducing grinding wheel comprises at least one of aluminum oxide, silicone carbide and diamond.
- 8. A vibration inducing grinding wheel according to claim 1, wherein said vibration inducing grinding wheel comprises a plurality of segments thereof, each of said segments being different from each other.
- 9. A vibration inducing grinding wheel according to claim 1, wherein the contour of the outer periphery is formed so as to provide a vibration to the grinding machine such that the distance from one or more peaks to one or more valleys of the workpiece is less than about 1 micron.
- 10. A grinding machine for use in grinding a workpiece, said grinding machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a vibration inducing grinding wheel rotatably mounted to said body, said vibration inducing grinding wheel including a generally cylindrically shaped body defining a cylindrical outer periphery thereof having a composition and a contour, at least one of the composition and the contour adapted to induce a first noise having an amplitude and a frequency into the grinding machine that is out of phase from at least one of a second noise from the grinding machine and a third noise from the workpiece while forming the workpiece; and
- a motor for rotating the vibration inducing grinding wheel.
- 11. A grinding machine according to claim 10, wherein the cylindrical outer periphery of said vibration inducing grinding wheel has a pattern thereon for inducing a vibration to the grinding machine.
- 12. A grinding machine according to claim 10:
- wherein the cylindrical outer periphery of said wheel defines a first portion thereof defined by a first radius extending from a rotational axis of said wheel; and
- wherein the cylindrical outer periphery of said wheel defines a second portion thereof defined by a second radius extending from the rotational axis of said wheel, said second radius being different than said first radius.
- 13. A grinding machine according to claim 10, wherein said vibration inducing grinding wheel comprises a plurality of portions thereof, at least two of said portions being made of different compositions from each other.
- 14. A grinding machine according to claim 10, wherein the cylindrical outer periphery of said vibration inducing grinding wheel varies in at least one of composition, contour, and structure.
- 15. The grinding machine according to claim 10 further comprising a sensor for measuring vibrations during the grinding process and a controller for controlling the motor associated with the vibration inducing grinding wheel.
Parent Case Info
Cross reference is made to the following application filed concurrently herewith: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/146,207, entitled "Non-Contact Support for Cylindrical Machining", by Grethel K. Mulroy et al.
US Referenced Citations (20)