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:
Jun. 27, 2000
Filed:
May. 11, 1998
Edward H Bittner, Madison, CT (US);
Walter S Koscomb, III, Sandy Hook, CT (US);
George D Mitchell, Jr, Oxford, CT (US);
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Stratford, CT (US);
Abstract
A masking tool (60) for use in combination with a shaped-workpiece (30.sub.S) in the manufacture of a precision gear (10), which shaped workpiece (30.sub.S) defines a plurality of gear teeth (12) and tooth space surfaces (68) defined by and between adjacent gear teeth (12). The masking tool (60) is, furthermore, operative to mask the tooth space surfaces (68) during surface deposition of a masking material (28) while facilitating deposition of the masking material (28) upon the top lands (14) of the gear teeth (12). The masking tool includes a flexible back-plate (64) and a plurality of compliant masking segments (62) bonded to and integrated by the flexible back-plate (64). Each of the compliant masking segments (62) define a surface geometry (66) which is substantially complementary to the respective tooth space surface (68). Furthermore, adjacent compliant masking segments (62) define an open-ended channel (70) therebetween. In use, the masking tool (60) is forcibly urged in combination with the precision gear (10) such that the compliant masking segments (62) are disposed in superposed engagement with the tooth space surfaces (68) for prohibiting deposition of the masking material thereupon, and the open-ended channels (70) permit deposition of the masking material (28) on the top lands (14) of the gear teeth (12). The masking tool (60) is fabricated by: forming an accurate representation of the shaped workpiece (30.sub.S); preparing a surface of a flexible back-plate (64) so as to promote adhesion; situating the flexible back-plate (64) proximal to the gear teeth (12); and, forming a compliant material (62.sub.M) between the flexible back-plate (64) and the tooth space surfaces (68) so as to produce the compliant masking segments (62).