Novel automated polishing systems and methods relating thereto

Abstract

Polishing systems and methods are described. An exemplar polishing system includes: (i) a jig designed to secure mobile device; (ii) a polishing head designed to contact and polish a mobile device surface; (iii) a spindle disposed above the jig and fitted with the polishing head; (iv) a slurry dispenser arranged adjacent to the spindle and designed to store and dispense polishing slurry on the mobile device surface; and (v) a central controller programmed to control operation of the jig, the spindle, and the slurry dispenser such that during an operative state of the jig and the spindle, and under control of the central controller, the slurry dispenser dispenses polishing slurry to facilitate polishing of the mobile device surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A polishing system, comprising:
 a jig designed to secure mobile device;   a polishing head designed to contact and polish mobile device;   a spindle disposed above said jig and fitted with said polishing head;   a slurry dispenser arranged adjacent to said spindle and designed to store and dispense polishing slurry on surface of mobile device; and   a central controller programmed to control operation of said jig, said spindle, and said slurry dispenser such that during an operative state of said jig and said spindle, and under control of said central controller, said slurry dispenser dispenses polishing slurry to facilitate polishing surface of mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first tray that has disposed thereon one or more jig guides that guide displacement of said jig in an X-direction. 
     
     
         3 . The polishing system of  claim 2 , further comprising a first ball-screw drive subassembly that is coupled to said first tray and in conjunction with one or more of said jig guides, displaces said jig in said X-direction. 
     
     
         4 . The polishing system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an X-axis motor that operates in conjunction with said first ball-screw drive subassembly to displace said jig in said X-direction; and   an X-axis controller communicatively coupled to said central controller, and based upon instruction received from said central controller, said X-axis controller controls operation of said X-axis motor.   
     
     
         5 . The polishing system of  claim 2 , further comprising a second tray that has disposed thereon one or more tray guides that guide displacement of said first tray in a Y-direction. 
     
     
         6 . The polishing system of  claim 5 , further comprising a second ball-screw drive subassembly that is coupled to said second tray and operates in conjunction with one or more of said tray guides, to displace said first tray in said Y-direction. 
     
     
         7 . The polishing system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a Y-axis motor that operates in conjunction with said second ball-screw drive subassembly to displace said first tray in said Y-direction;   a Y-axis controller communicatively coupled to said central controller, and based upon instruction received from said central controller, said Y-axis controller controls operation of said Y-axis motor; and   wherein said Y-direction is perpendicular to said X-direction.   
     
     
         8 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a Z-axis motor that operates in conjunction with a third ball-screw drive subassembly to displace said spindle and said slurry dispenser in a Z-direction;   a Z-axis controller that is communicatively coupled to said central controller, and based upon instruction received from said central controller, said Z-axis controller controls operation of said Z-axis motor such that either said spindle moves towards or away from said jig; and   wherein said Z-direction is perpendicular to both an X-direction and a Y-direction.   
     
     
         9 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a slurry dispensing controller that is communicatively coupled to said slurry dispenser and to said central controller, and based upon instruction received from said central controller, said slurry dispensing controller controls operation of said slurry dispenser during an operational state of said jig and said spindle, to either dispense or cease dispensing polishing slurry. 
     
     
         10 . The polishing system of  claim 9 , during displacement of said jig and of said spindle and operating under control of said slurry dispenser controller, said slurry dispenser is capable of dispensing polishing slurry on portion of mobile device surface before that portion undergoes polishing by said polishing head. 
     
     
         11 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal sensor controller that is communicatively coupled to a thermal sensor and to said central controller, and said thermal sensor designed to measure an operating temperature of mobile device surface, such that when said thermal sensor measures said operating temperature to be equal to or greater than a predefined threshold temperature, then said thermal sensor informs said central controller of said operating temperature and said central controller ceases operation of said jig or ceases gradual displacement of said spindle, in Z-direction, towards mobile device surface during polishing operation. 
     
     
         12 . A polishing system, comprising:
 a jig designed to secure first mobile device and second mobile device;   a first polishing head designed to polish surface of first mobile device;   a first spindle disposed above said jig and fitted with said first polishing head;   a first slurry dispenser arranged adjacent to said first spindle and designed to store and dispense polishing slurry on surface of first mobile device;   a second polishing head designed to polish surface of second mobile device;   a second spindle disposed above said jig and fitted with said second polishing head;   a second slurry dispenser arranged adjacent to said second spindle and designed to store and dispense polishing slurry on surface of second mobile device; and   a coupling component that couples said first spindle and said second spindle such that during an operative state of said first spindle, said coupling component facilitates rotational displacement of said second spindle in a same manner as that of said first spindle.   
     
     
         13 . The polishing system of  claim 12 , further comprising a single spindle motor that is coupled to said first spindle, wherein during an operative state of said single spindle motor, presence of said coupling component conveys rotational displacement effected by said single spindle motor and received at said first spindle, to said second spindle. 
     
     
         14 . A method of polishing a mobile device, said method comprising:
 securing, in a jig, a mobile device that is to undergo polishing, wherein said jig is disposed above a top tray;   displacing, a spindle fitted with a polishing head, a vertical distance in a Z-direction to contact a surface of said mobile device with said polishing head; and   implementing one or more sets of sequences, each of which includes multiple sequences, and a sequence includes displacing, said jig relative to said polishing head, by a certain distance in an X-direction and/or include displacing, said top tray relative to said polishing head, by a certain distance in a Y-direction, wherein said X-direction is perpendicular to said Y-direction.   
     
     
         15 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 14 , wherein in said implementing, at least one sequence includes displacing a device support subassembly comprising said jig and said top tray, in a slanted direction relative to said polishing head, wherein said displacing in said slanted direction includes displacing, said device support subassembly relative to said polishing head, at an angle to an edge of said mobile device that extends only in said X-direction and at an angle to an edge of said mobile device that extends only in said Y-direction. 
     
     
         16 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 14 , wherein said securing is carried out prior to said displacing, and wherein during said implementing, holding said spindle stationary in said X-direction and in said Y-direction. 
     
     
         17 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a central controller, slurry dispensing instructions at a slurry dispensing controller; and   dispensing, using a slurry dispenser operating under control of said slurry dispensing controller, polishing slurry on said surface of said mobile device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 14 , wherein during said implementing, displacing in said X-direction is carried out using an X-axis motor, the operation of which is controlled by an X-axis controller that is coupled to a central controller. 
     
     
         19 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 18 , wherein during said implementing, displacing in said Y-direction is carried out using a Y-axis motor, the operation of which is controlled by a Y-axis controller that is coupled to said central controller. 
     
     
         20 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein said implementing includes:
 conveying, from said central controller to said X-axis controller jig, displacement instructions that require use of said X-axis motor; and   conveying, from said central controller to said Y-axis controller, top tray displacement instructions that require use of said Y-axis motor.   
     
     
         21 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 18 , wherein during said displacing, displacing said spindle in said Z-direction is carried out using a Z-axis motor, the operation of which is controlled by a Z-axis controller that is coupled to said central controller. 
     
     
         22 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 14 , wherein said implementing includes:
 measuring, using a thermal sensor, temperature of said surface of said mobile device to arrive at an operating temperature; and   conveying, from said thermal sensor to a thermal sensor controller, said operating temperature of said surface of said mobile device.   
     
     
         23 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 22 , wherein if during said measuring said operating temperature of said surface of said mobile device equal or exceeds a higher predefined temperature threshold, then said central controller ceases said implementing. 
     
     
         24 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 22 , wherein said higher predefined temperature threshold is equal to or greater than about 60° C. 
     
     
         25 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 22 , wherein if during said measuring said operating temperature of said surface of said mobile device equal or is less than a lower predefined temperature threshold, then said implementing includes further displacing said spindle in said Z-direction towards said surface of said mobile device and applying a greater amount of force with said polishing head on said surface of said mobile device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 25 , wherein said lower predefined temperature threshold is a value that is equal to or less than about 25° C. 
     
     
         27 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 26 , further comprising continuing said further displacing said spindle until operating temperature of said surface of said mobile device is measured to be equal to or greater than about 45° C. 
     
     
         28 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 22 , wherein said implementing includes carrying out multiple times one or more of said set of sequences. 
     
     
         29 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 checking for X-axis error, using said X-axis controller and said X-axis motor, in displacement of said jig by a predetermined distance in said X-direction;   checking for Y-axis error, using said Y-axis controller and said Y-axis motor, in displacement of said top tray by a predetermined distance in said Y-direction;   checking for Z-axis error, using said Z-axis controller and said Z-axis motor, in displacement of said spindle by a predetermined distance in said Z-direction; and   wherein said checking for X-axis error, said checking for Y-axis error, and said checking for Z-axis error are contemporaneously performed prior to said implementing.   
     
     
         30 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 checking for temperature error by measuring, using a thermal sensor functioning under control of a thermal sensor controller, operating temperature measured of said surface of said mobile device; and   checking for slurry dispensing error, by dispensing polishing slurry, using a slurry dispenser operating under control of a slurry dispense controller, and contemporaneous with said checking for temperature and prior to said implementing.   
     
     
         31 . The method of polishing said mobile device of  claim 14 , wherein said implementing includes grinding and/or buffing.