The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 30, 1997
Filed:
May. 29, 1996
David A Raulerson, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US);
Brian J Schwartz, Royal Palm Beach, FL (US);
United Technologies Corporation, Hartford, CT (US);
Abstract
According to the present invention, a method and apparatus for electrochemically machining a workpiece is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) providing a machine head, having an electrically conductive face; (2) providing a sensor, for sensing a distance between a first surface and a second surface of the workpiece; (3) positioning the electrically conductive face in close proximity to the first surface, leaving a substantially constant space therebetween; (4) providing a pool of fluid in contact with the second surface of the workpiece; (5) placing the sensor in communication with the pool of fluid; (6) disposing an electrolytic fluid in the space between the electrically conductive face and the first surface; (7) establishing a potential difference between the workpiece and the electrically conductive face, thereby causing charged particles of the workpiece to migrate from the first surface into the electrolytic solution at a rate; and (8) sensing the distance between the first and second surfaces through the pool of fluid, the sensor providing a real-time signal representative of the distance.