Device for the abrasive machining of surfaces of elements and in particular optical elements or workpieces

Abstract

A device for abrasive machining of surfaces of components, comprising a tool ( 1 ) having an inlet ( 11 ) and an outlet ( 12 ); a supply unit for conveying to the inlet ( 11 ) a liquid in which abrasive agents are dissolved and which emerges from the outlet ( 12 ); and a positioning means which guides the tool across a surface to be machined and simultaneously positions the tool in such manner that the outlet faces the surface to be machined, an area of an annular gap ( 3 ) defined by boundary walls ( 13 ) of the outlet ( 12 ) and the surface ( 2 ) to be machined being smaller than a cross-sectional area of the inlet ( 11 ).

1 . Device for abrasive machining of surfaces of components, comprising 
 a tool having an inlet and an outlet;    a supply unit for conveying to the inlet a liquid in which abrasive agents are dissolved and which emerges from the outlet; and    a positioning means which guides the tool across a surface to be machined, and simultaneously positions said tool in such manner that the outlet faces the surface to be machined, an area of an annular gap defined by boundary walls of the outlet and the surface to be machined being smaller than a cross-sectional area of the inlet.    
   
   
       2 . Device according to  claim 1 , 
 characterized in that the cross-sectional area of the inlet is greater by a factor of at least 5 than the cross-sectional area of the formed annular gap.    
   
   
       3 . Device according to  claim 1  or  2 , 
 characterized in that a height of the formed annular gap is smaller than 3mm and preferably is about 1 mm.    
   
   
       4 . Device according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , 
 characterized in that a rotary unit is provided for rotating a component to be machined around an axis.    
   
   
       5 . Device according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , 
 characterized in that the outlet has a circular cross-section, and that the tool has a cylindrical outer contour at least in the region of the outlet.    
   
   
       6 . Device according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , 
 characterized in that the cross-sectional area of the inlet is smaller than that of the outlet.    
   
   
       7 . Device according to any one of  claims 1  to  6 , 
 characterized in that the supply unit conveys the liquid under a pressure smaller than 20 bar, preferably smaller than 5 bar.    
   
   
       8 . Device according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , 
 characterized in that for machining plane surfaces, an outer diameter of the tool in a region of the outlet is of an order of magnitude of one half of an aperture of an optical component.    
   
   
       9 . Device according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , 
 characterized in that for machining curved surfaces, an outer diameter of the tool is of an order of magnitude of a smallest radius of the surface.    
   
   
       10 . Device according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 , 
 characterized in that the positioning means comprises a control unit for controlling a positioning of the tool according to surface data of a surface to be produced.    
   
   
       11 . Use of a device of any one of  claims 1  to  10  for grinding optical surfaces.  
   
   
       12 . Use of a device of any one of  claims 1  to  10  for polishing optical surfaces.  
   
   
       13 . Use of a single device of any one of  claims 1  to  10  for first grinding, and subsequently polishing an optical surface.  
   
   
       14 . Use of a device of any one of  claims 1  to  10  for machining a spherical surfaces.