Electrolytic deburring apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for toolless electrolytic deburring are disclosed in which a charged electrolyte stream flows through a hose and nozzle and can be selectively directed at a desired portion of an external or internal surface of a workpiece. The nozzle or the workpiece can be manipulated to vary the electrolytic deburring working gap so as to control the intensity of the electrolytic deburring and the portion of the workpiece that is electrolytically deburred. The electrolytic deburring is preferably performed in an enclosure having a glove which has an electrical contact that can be used to electrically connect the workpiece to the DC power supply anode simply by gripping the workpiece.

1 . An apparatus for toolless electrolytic deburring a metal workpiece, the apparatus comprising:
 a) an electrical power supply having an anode and a cathode, the electrical power supply being adapted to selectively supply a DC current;   b) a reservoir for containing a quantity of an electrolyte;   c) a flexible hose having a nozzle, the nozzle being selectively movable with respect to the workpiece during the electrolytic deburring of the workpiece;   d) a pump in fluid communication with the hose, the pump adapted to move the electrolyte from the reservoir through the nozzle;   e) a first electrical lead having a first end electrically connected to the cathode and a second end for electrically connecting the cathode to the electrolyte; and   f) a second electrical lead having a first end electrically connected to the anode and a second end for electrically connecting the anode to the workpiece;   wherein during the electrolytic deburring of the workpiece, the pump moves a portion of the quantity of the electrolyte from the reservoir through the hose and nozzle to form a stream, the first electrical lead second end electrically connects the stream to the cathode, the nozzle selectively directs the stream at the workpiece, the stream impinges the workpiece, the second electrical lead second end electrically connects the workpiece to the anode, and the DC current flows between the anode and the cathode through the workpiece.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter adapted to remove contaminants from the electrolyte. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure having:
 a) a window through which an operator can view the workpiece during the electrolytic deburring of the workpiece; and   b) a glove for receiving the operator's first hand, the glove having a gripping area and being adapted to permit the operator to manipulate during the electrolytic deburring of the workpiece at least one selected from the group consisting of the workpiece, the second electrical lead, and the nozzle.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the second lead second end is electrically connected to the gripping area of the glove so that the operator can bring the workpiece into electrical connection with the second lead second end by gripping the workpiece with the gripping area of the glove. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a second glove for receiving the operator's second hand, the second glove having a gripping area adapted to permit the operator to manipulate during the electrolytic deburring of the workpiece at least one selected from the group consisting of the workpiece, the second electrical lead, and the nozzle. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one of staging area for receiving the workpiece prior to electrolytic deburring and a post-deburring handling area for receiving the workpiece after the electrolytic deburring of the workpiece. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the enclosure has a work area for electrolytic deburring the workpiece and at least one door selectively separating the work area from at least one of the staging area and the post-deburring handling area. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the enclosure further comprises a magnifying lens adapted to allow the operator to inspect the workpiece. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a foot switch for controlling at least one selected from the the group consisting of the pump and the electrical power supply. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a valve adapted to control at least one selected from the group consisting of the flow of the stream from the nozzle and the spray pattern of the stream from the nozzle. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the valve is incorporated into the nozzle. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas jet, the gas jet being selectively movable with respect to the workpiece and adapted for blowing electrolyte off of a surface of the workpiece. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the gas jet comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen, argon, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the nozzle is adapted to emit the gas jet. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical power supply is adapted to selectively supply a pulsed DC current. 
   
   
       16 . A method for toolless electrolytic deburring a metal workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing an electrical power supply having an anode and a cathode, the electrical power supply being adapted to selectively supply a DC current;   b) electrically connecting the workpiece to the anode;   c) pumping an electrolyte stream through a flexible hose to exit a nozzle, wherein the nozzle is attached to the hose and the stream is electrically connected to the cathode;   d) selectively manipulating the nozzle to controllably impinge the stream upon the workpiece;   e) operating the power supply to flow a DC current between the anode and the cathode through the workpiece; and   f) continuing steps (c) through (e) until the desired level of electrolytic deburring has been achieved.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of filtering the electrolyte to remove contaminants. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of performing steps (c) through (e) in an enclosure, the enclosure having
 a) a window through which an operator can view the workpiece during the performance of steps (c) through (e); and   b) a glove for receiving the operator's first hand, the glove having a gripping area and being adapted to permit the operator to manipulate during steps (c) through (e) at least one selected from the group consisting of the workpiece, a lead electrically connected to the anode, and the nozzle.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of the operator using the glove to manipulate during steps (d) through (f) at least one selected from the group consisting of the workpiece, the lead, and the nozzle. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a portion of the gripping area of the glove is electrically connected to the anode and step (b) is performed by the operator gripping the workpiece with the gripping area of the glove. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the enclosure further comprises a second glove and further comprising the step of using the second glove to manipulate during steps (c) through (e) at least one selected from the group consisting of the workpiece and the nozzle. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of using a valve to control at least one selected from the group consisting of the flow of the stream from the nozzle and the spray pattern of the stream from the nozzle. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (d) includes moving at least one selected from the group consisting of the nozzle and the workpiece to change the distance between the nozzle and the workpiece. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (d) includes moving at least one selected from the group consisting of the nozzle and the workpiece to impinge the stream upon more than one area of the workpiece. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of using a gas jet to blow electrolyte off of a surface of the workpiece. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the step of selecting the gas jet to comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen, argon, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the DC current in step (e) is pulsed.