Polishing Apparatus

Abstract

A polishing apparatus is disclosed. The polishing apparatus has a base, a carrier, an elevating mechanism, a pressing mechanism, and a polishing mechanism. The carrier has a plurality of work pieces disposed thereon. The elevating mechanism is mounted on the base and has a pair of positioning plates. The carrier is disposed on the pair of positioning plates. The pressing mechanism is mounted on the base and has a pair of pressing heads each including an arc-shaped protrusion respectively pressing each of a pair of opposite ends of the carrier against the pair of positioning plates. The polishing mechanism is mounted on the base and polishes the plurality of work pieces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A polishing apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   a carrier having a plurality of work pieces disposed thereon;   an elevating mechanism mounted on the base and having a pair of positioning plates, the carrier disposed on the pair of positioning plates;   a pressing mechanism mounted on the base and having a pair of pressing heads each including an arc-shaped protrusion respectively pressing each of a pair of opposite ends of the carrier against the pair of positioning plates; and   a polishing mechanism mounted on the base and polishing the plurality of work pieces.   
     
     
         2 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the arc-shaped protrusion is hemisphere-shaped or hemicylinder-shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of work pieces are a plurality of fiber optic ferrule assemblies each having a ferrule and an optical fiber fixed within an internal hole of the ferrule. 
     
     
         4 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fiber optic ferrule assemblies are disposed within a plurality of positioning slots in the carrier. 
     
     
         5 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the polishing mechanism polishes an end surface of each of the plurality of fiber optic ferrule assemblies. 
     
     
         6 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the elevating mechanism has a pair of vertical support plates oppositely mounted on the base, a pair of vertical slide rails disposed on the pair of vertical support plates, a pair of slide blocks slidably mated with the pair of vertical slide rails, a connection beam connecting the pair of slide blocks and the pair of positioning plates, and a first drive mounted on one of the pair of vertical support plates driving the pair of slide blocks to move along the pair of vertical slide rails. 
     
     
         7 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first drive is a linear actuator. 
     
     
         8 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first drive is an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electrical actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of positioning plates has a positioning pin extending vertically upward. 
     
     
         10 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each of the pair of opposite ends of the carrier has a positioning passageway, each positioning pin fitted in one positioning passageway. 
     
     
         11 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each positioning pin is fitted in one positioning passageway with a gap disposed between the positioning pin and the positioning passageway. 
     
     
         12 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each of the positioning plates has a horizontal extending portion, the positioning pin is disposed on an end of the horizontal extending portion and each of the pair of opposite ends of the carrier is disposed on one horizontal extending portion. 
     
     
         13 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the polishing mechanism has a horizontal support plate disposed below the pair of positioning plates and a polishing film disposed on the horizontal support plate, the polishing mechanism reciprocatingly moving to polish the end surface of each of the plurality of fiber optic ferrule assemblies. 
     
     
         14 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the pressing mechanism has a pair of second drives mounted on the pair of vertical support plates, the pair of second drives driving the pair of pressing heads. 
     
     
         15 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pressing mechanism has an elastic buffer, the pair of second drives pressing and deforming the elastic buffer to press the pair of pressing heads against the carrier. 
     
     
         16 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the pair of pressing heads each have an upper body portion and a lower body portion separate from the upper body portion, the elastic buffer disposed in the upper body portion and the lower body portion. 
     
     
         17 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the pair of pressing heads each have a pair of guide rods disposed in the upper body portion and the lower body portion guiding vertical motion of the upper body portion with respect to the lower body portion. 
     
     
         18 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each of the second drives has a horizontal pressing plate disposed on an end, an upper end surface of each pressing head is attached to one horizontal pressing plate. 
     
     
         19 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the pair of pressing heads are formed of an elastic material. 
     
     
         20 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each of the pair of second drives is a linear actuator. 
     
     
         21 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein each of the pair of second drives is an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electrical actuator. 
     
     
         22 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pair of vertical slide rails, the pair of slide blocks, and the first drive are mounted on a pair of outer sides of the pair of vertical support plates. 
     
     
         23 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the pair of second drives are mounted on a pair of inner sides of the pair of vertical support plates. 
     
     
         24 . The polishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is rectangular.