Surface finishing apparatus and method, dimple die, and head suspension

Abstract

A surface finishing apparatus mirror-finishes a three-dimensional surface of a workpiece. The surface finishing apparatus has an ejector to eject a water jet to a concave surface of a dimple die and a feeder to feed microscopic grains so that the microscopic grains are propelled by the water jet to hit and mirror-finish the concave surface. The dimple die is movably supported so that the concave surface is entirely hit with the water jet. The water jet has a speed in the range of 200 m/sec to 1000 m/sec. The microscopic grains have grain diameters in the range of 4 nm to 100 nm.

1 . A surface finishing apparatus comprising: 
 an ejector configured to eject a water jet toward a three-dimensional surface of a workpiece; and    a feeder configured to feed microscopic grains so that the microscopic grains are propelled by the water jet to hit and mirror-finish the three-dimensional surface.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the feeder is connected to the ejector and is configured to feed a water solution in which the microscopic grains are dispersed into the water jet.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the feeder is a vessel being filled with a water solution in which the microscopic grains are dispersed and in which the water jet is ejected.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the workpiece is movably supported so that the three-dimensional surface is entirely hit with the water jet.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the microscopic grains have grain diameters in the range of 4 nm to 100 nm.    
   
   
       6 . A dimple die comprising a concave surface that is mirror-finished with the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 1  and is used to press a dimple of a head suspension for a hard disk drive.  
   
   
       7 . A dimple die comprising a concave surface that is mirror-finished with the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 2  and is used to press a dimple of a head suspension for a hard disk drive.  
   
   
       8 . A dimple die comprising a concave surface that is mirror-finished with the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 3  and is used to press a dimple of a head suspension for a hard disk drive.  
   
   
       9 . A dimple die comprising a concave surface that is mirror-finished with the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 4  and is used to press a dimple of a head suspension for a hard disk drive.  
   
   
       10 . A dimple die comprising a concave surface that is mirror-finished with the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 5  and is used to press a dimple of a head suspension for a hard disk drive.  
   
   
       11 . Ahead suspension comprising a dimple pressed with the dimple die of  claim 6 .  
   
   
       12 . A head suspension comprising a dimple pressed with the dimple die of  claim 7 .  
   
   
       13 . A head suspension comprising a dimple pressed with the dimple die of  claim 8 .  
   
   
       14 . A head suspension comprising a dimple pressed with the dimple die of  claim 9 .  
   
   
       15 . A head suspension comprising a dimple pressed with the dimple die of  claim 10 .  
   
   
       16 . A surface finishing method comprising: 
 hitting a three-dimensional surface of a workpiece with microscopic grains propelled by a water jet, thereby mirror-finishing the three-dimensional surface.    
   
   
       17 . A surface finishing method comprising: 
 hitting a three-dimensional surface of a workpiece with microscopic grains propelled by a water jet from the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 1 , thereby mirror-finishing the three-dimensional surface.    
   
   
       18 . A surface finishing method comprising: 
 hitting a three-dimensional surface of a workpiece with microscopic grains propelled by a water jet from the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 2 , thereby mirror-finishing the three-dimensional surface.    
   
   
       19 . A surface finishing method comprising: 
 hitting a three-dimensional surface of a workpiece with microscopic grains propelled by a water jet from the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 3 , thereby mirror-finishing the three-dimensional surface.    
   
   
       20 . A surface finishing method comprising: 
 hitting a three-dimensional surface of a workpiece with microscopic grains propelled by a water jet from the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 4 , thereby mirror-finishing the three-dimensional surface.    
   
   
       21 . A surface finishing method comprising: 
 hitting a three-dimensional surface of a workpiece with microscopic grains propelled by a water jet from the surface finishing apparatus of  claim 5 , thereby mirror-finishing the three-dimensional surface.