U.S. patent application number 16/499343 was filed with the patent office on 2021-04-29 for polishing machine and method for polishing optical waveguides.
The applicant listed for this patent is EUROMICRON WERKZEUGE GMBH. Invention is credited to Christoph WERNER.
Application Number | 20210122003 16/499343 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005328319 |
Filed Date | 2021-04-29 |
![](/patent/app/20210122003/US20210122003A1-20210429\US20210122003A1-2021042)
United States Patent
Application |
20210122003 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WERNER; Christoph |
April 29, 2021 |
POLISHING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR POLISHING OPTICAL WAVEGUIDES
Abstract
The invention relates to a polishing machine (10) and to a
method for polishing optical waveguides, the polishing machine
comprising a polishing disk (13) having a plug socket (14) for
holding a plug with an optical waveguide, a polishing platform (15)
for receiving an abrasive, a positioning device (17) for relative
positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing platform
between a polishing position and a set-up position (16), and a
drive device for executing a relative polishing movement between
the polishing platform and the polishing disk in the polishing
position, the positioning device having a holder (20) for
detachably holding the polishing disk, wherein the polishing
machine has a metering device for applying a rinsing liquid to the
polishing platform, a passage opening through which the rinsing
liquid is metered onto the polishing platform by means of the
metering device being formed in the polishing disk.
Inventors: |
WERNER; Christoph;
(Bischoffen, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EUROMICRON WERKZEUGE GMBH |
Sinn-Fleisbach |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005328319 |
Appl. No.: |
16/499343 |
Filed: |
April 3, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
April 3, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2017/057884 |
371 Date: |
December 2, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B24C 1/003 20130101;
B24B 53/017 20130101; B24B 37/345 20130101; B24B 57/02 20130101;
B24B 19/226 20130101; B24B 53/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B24B 19/22 20060101
B24B019/22; B24B 57/02 20060101 B24B057/02 |
Claims
1. A polishing machine (10) for polishing optical waveguides,
comprising a polishing disk (13) having a plug socket (14) for
holding a plug with an optical waveguide, a polishing platform (15)
for receiving an abrasive, a positioning device (17) for relative
positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing platform
between a polishing position and a set-up position (16), and a
drive device for executing a relative polishing movement between
the polishing platform and the polishing disk in the polishing
position, the positioning device having a holder (20) for
detachably holding the polishing disk, characterized in that the
polishing machine has a metering device for applying a rinsing
liquid to the polishing platform, a passage opening through which
the rinsing liquid is metered onto the polishing platform by means
of the metering device being formed in the polishing disk.
2. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that the metering device has a liquid reservoir, a metering pump, a
supply line, a metering valve and a controller for a rinsing
liquid.
3. The polishing machine according to claim 2, characterized in
that the liquid reservoir, the metering pump, the supply line and
the metering valve form a modular metering unit which is removably
disposed outside or within a housing (11) of the polishing machine
(10).
4. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that the holder (20) has a mount (21) for detachably holding the
polishing disk (13), the mount being realized with a magnet for
force-fitting holding and/or with a coupling for form-fitting
holding of the polishing disk.
5. The polishing machine according to claim 4, characterized in
that the mount (21) permits an inclination of the polishing disk
(13) at an angle of up to 2.degree. relative to the polishing
platform (15), the positioning device (17) having a force gauge for
determining a contact pressure between the polishing disk and the
polishing platform.
6. The polishing machine according to claim 4 or 5, characterized
in that the polishing disk (13) comprises a connecting protrusion
(22) which is detachably connectable to the mount (21).
7. The polishing machine according to claim 4, characterized in
that a channel for conducting a rinsing liquid to the passage
opening of the polishing disk (13) is formed in the mount (21).
8. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that an atomizer valve of the metering device is disposed at the
passage opening.
9. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that a plurality of passage openings through which the rinsing
liquid is metered onto the polishing platform (15) by means of the
metering device are formed in the polishing disk (13).
10. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that the polishing machine (10) has a cleaning device for applying
dry ice to the polishing platform (15) and/or to the polishing disk
(13).
11. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that at least part of the polishing disk (13) and/or of the
polishing platform (15) is coated with an amorphous carbon
layer.
12. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that the polishing machine (10) has a changer device, the changer
device comprising a plurality of polishing pads each having an
abrasive, the abrasives being different from each other, the
polishing pads with the abrasives being stored in a magazine of the
changer device and being arranged on and removed from the polishing
platform (15) by means of a handling device of the changer
device.
13. A method for polishing optical waveguides using a polishing
machine (10), an end of an optical fiber of an optical waveguide
being polished, a plug with the optical waveguide being held in a
plug socket (14) of a polishing disk (13), an abrasive being
received on a polishing platform (15), the polishing disk and the
polishing platform being moved relative to each other from a set-up
position (16) into a polishing position by means of a positioning
device (17), the polishing disk and the polishing platform being
moved relative to each other in a polishing movement by a drive
device when in the polishing position, the polishing disk being
detachably held on a holder (20) of the positioning device,
characterized in that a rinsing liquid is applied to the polishing
platform by means of a metering device of the polishing machine,
the metering device metering the rinsing liquid onto the polishing
platform through a passage opening formed in the polishing
disk.
14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that water,
preferably distilled water, or a mixture of water and alcohol is
used as a rinsing liquid.
15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that rinsing
liquid is metered out before and/or during execution of a polishing
movement.
16. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the
rinsing liquid is metered onto the polishing platform (15)
continuously or at intervals during execution of a polishing
movement.
17. The method according to according to claim 13, characterized in
that the rinsing liquid flows from a center toward an edge of the
polishing platform (15).
18. The method according to according to claim 13, characterized in
that dry ice is applied to the polishing platform (15) and/or to
the polishing disk (13) by means of a cleaning device of the
polishing machine (10).
19. The method according to according to claim 13, characterized in
that relative positioning of the polishing disk (13) and of the
polishing platform (15), changing of polishing pads, execution of
the polishing movement and/or metering of the rinsing liquid is
controlled by means of a control device (12) of the polishing
machine (10).
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a polishing machine and to a method
for polishing optical waveguides, the polishing machine comprising
a polishing disk having a plug socket for holding a plug with an
optical waveguide, a polishing platform for receiving an abrasive,
a positioning device for relative positioning of the polishing disk
and of the polishing platform between a polishing position and a
set-up position, and a drive device for executing a relative
polishing movement between the polishing platform and the polishing
disk in the polishing position, the positioning device having a
holder for detachably holding the polishing disk.
[0002] Polishing machines and methods of this kind are sufficiently
known and are typically employed to polish optical waveguides or,
more precisely, an end of an optical fiber of an optical waveguide.
The end of the optical fiber is received in a male connector or
plug for the detachable connection of optical waveguides or fiber
optic cables. These male connectors serve to establish a plug/plug
connection or a plug/socket connection of optical waveguides. The
plugs should exhibit as little signal loss as possible and high
return loss, which is why the ends of the respective optical fibers
are polished together with the respective plug ends, if
applicable.
[0003] The known polishing machines always have a polishing disk,
which forms a polishing attachment and which has fixing devices for
the detachable attachment of plugs. A plug attached to an optical
waveguide can be detachably attached to the polishing disk in a
defined position using the fixing device, the polishing disk being
arranged and moved relative to an abrasive layer of the polishing
device during polishing. The abrasive layer can be an abrasive that
is disposed on a polishing platform of the polishing machine. For
example, the abrasive can be a web or sheet of paper or plastic
with abrasive particles disposed thereon. The end of the optical
fiber in the plug will come into contact with an abrasive layer on
the polishing platform and will be polished through the relative
movement of the polishing disk, a rinsing liquid typically being
added.
[0004] Among other purposes, the rinsing liquid serves to cool the
optical waveguide or plug and prevents rapid wear of the abrasive
or abrasive layer due to wear debris from the plug and the optical
waveguide, and it takes away loose abrasive particles from the
abrasive layer, thus improving a quality of a polished surface of
an optical waveguide.
[0005] Depending on its embodiment, the polishing machine can
support a plurality of plugs on a polishing disk in order to polish
them simultaneously and to thus be able to execute an economically
advantageous polishing process. Hence, the polishing disk may also
be provided with a plurality of plug sockets having passage
openings for receiving an optical fiber or a plug with an optical
fiber of an optical waveguide.
[0006] In the known polishing methods, a polishing machine is set
up by manually attaching a number of plugs each having optical
waveguides to a polishing disk, an abrasive or a polishing film or
web having abrasive particles being placed on a polishing platform
with a polishing pad made of rubber as a support, if needed. A
person operating the polishing machine will manually wet the
polishing platform or the abrasive located thereon with rinsing
liquid. Depending on the type of the polishing machine, the
polishing process can be performed by using a positioning device of
the polishing machine to transfer the polishing disk from the
set-up position into a polishing position, in which the fiber ends
and/or the polishing platform are moved relative to the polishing
disk by means of a drive device in such a manner that the fiber
ends undergo a polishing movement on the polishing platform with
the polishing film.
[0007] After some time, the polishing platform is returned to the
set-up position and the abrasive or the polishing film having
abrasive particles on the polishing platform is manually replaced.
Since the plugs or the fiber ends and the polishing platform are
covered with polishing residue and polluted rinsing liquid, the
polishing disk and the polishing platform are typically wiped down
with a cloth by the operator in order to ensure, in particular,
that no larger abrasive particles remain on the plug ends and that
a clean and smooth support surface is available on the polishing
platform. Subsequently, a polishing pad with an abrasive having a
finer abrasive grit is manually placed on the polishing platform
and, after an addition of rinsing liquid, a new polishing process
is started. This polishing process is repeated multiple times, each
time using an abrasive with a finer abrasive grit than in a
previous polishing process. A hardness of the polishing pad can
also be varied. This means that the abrasive is changed, the
polishing disk and the polishing platform are wiped down and
rinsing liquid is added in the set-up position between polishing
processes.
[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to propose
a polishing machine and a method for polishing optical waveguides
that allow optical waveguides to be polished at low cost and with
high quality.
[0009] This object is attained by a polishing machine having the
features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim
13.
[0010] The polishing machine according to the invention for
polishing optical waveguides comprises a polishing disk having a
plug socket for supporting a plug with an optical waveguide, a
polishing platform for receiving an abrasive, a positioning device
for relative positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing
platform between a polishing position and a set-up position, and a
drive device for executing a relative polishing movement between
the polishing platform and the polishing disk in the polishing
position, the positioning device having a holder for detachably
holding the polishing disk, wherein the polishing machine has a
metering device for applying a rinsing liquid to the polishing
platform, a passage opening through which the rinsing liquid is
metered onto the polishing platform by means of the metering device
being formed in the polishing disk.
[0011] In the polishing machine according to the invention, the
polishing platform is configured to receive an abrasive, such as a
sheet of paper or a plastic film with abrasive particles adhering
thereto. By means of the metering device, the rinsing liquid can
now be applied to the polishing platform having the abrasive placed
thereon; alternatively, the abrasive can be arranged on the
polishing platform together with a polishing pad. In principle, it
is also possible for the rinsing liquid to be applied directly to
the polishing platform if there is no abrasive disposed on the
polishing platform. In particular, a passage opening through which
the metering device can meter or apply the rinsing liquid onto the
polishing platform is formed in the polishing disk. The passage
opening is explicitly not realized as a passage opening for
receiving a plug, i.e. as a passage opening of a plug socket, but
as a passage opening distinct therefrom.
[0012] This allows the rinsing liquid to be applied to the
polishing platform and thus also to the abrasive not only in the
set-up position but also in the polishing position even if a
polishing movement is being executed between the polishing platform
and the polishing disk. Thus, the actual polishing process can be
used to apply the rinsing liquid by means of the metering device,
which means that this process does not have to be performed during
set-up of the polishing machine. On the whole, this allows the
set-up process between different polishing processes to be
shortened, which saves the person operating the polishing machines
time and allows the polishing machine to be operated in a more
economically advantageous fashion. Since the rinsing liquid can
also be applied to the polishing platform or to the abrasive
disposed on the polishing platform through the passage opening
during a polishing process, an amount of rinsing liquid can also be
metered out by the metering device during the entire polishing
process. This helps ensure that a sufficient amount of rinsing
liquid is present on the abrasive or on the polishing platform at
all times during the polishing process. Depending on how the
rinsing liquid is metered, particles of the abrasive and material
residue or wear debris from the plugs and from the optical
waveguides can be prevented from interfering with a polishing
effect of the abrasive. A quality of the polished surface can be
significantly improved in this way.
[0013] The metering device can have a liquid reservoir, a metering
pump, a supply line, a metering valve and a controller for a
rinsing liquid. The liquid reservoir can be used to store rinsing
liquid. The metering pump can be used to pump the rinsing liquid.
The supply line can be connected to the metering pump, allowing
rinsing liquid to be conducted to the metering valve or directly to
the polishing platform via the supply line. The metering valve can
be used to control an amount of rinsing liquid discharged. The
controller can be used for open-loop and closed-loop control of the
modules described. The controller can also be formed by a control
device present already for controlling the polishing machine.
[0014] The liquid reservoir, the metering pump, the supply line and
the metering valve can form a modular metering unit which is
removably disposed outside or within a housing of the polishing
machine. This allows a conventional polishing machine to be
retrofitted with the metering unit or allows a polishing machine to
be configured in such a manner from the start that the metering
unit can be easily added to it. Furthermore, the metering unit can
be easily replaced with a new metering unit in the event of a
defect in this case.
[0015] The positioning device can have a holder, the holder can
have a mount for detachably holding the polishing disk, and the
mount can be realized with a magnet for force-fitting support
and/or with a coupling for form-fitting support of the polishing
disk. The positioning device can have an arm or a boom at whose end
the holder is formed. The arm or boom can be of such a design that
a contact pressure between the polishing disk and the polishing
platform is determined using said arm or boom. This may happen
using a bending beam having strain gauges in the boom, allowing a
dead weight of the polishing disk to be measured. Moreover, this
also allows measuring a force with which the positioning device
presses the polishing disk onto the polishing platform to be
measured. Based on said force, a polishing force can be calculated
and controlled as needed. The mount on the holder also allows the
polishing disk to be detached from the positioning device or arm or
boom and to be replaced, if required. The mount can be formed by
magnets which hold the polishing disk in a force-fitting manner.
The magnet can be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The
polishing disk itself can have a magnet or be made of a
ferromagnetic material. Alternatively or additionally, the mount
can be a coupling for supporting the polishing disk in a
form-fitting manner. For example, an axis disposed on the polishing
disk can be plugged into the mount. Said axis can lock with the
mount or coupling or, optionally, be wedged or clamped in the mount
or coupling, allowing the coupling to hold the axis in a
force-fitting manner, as well. If a passage opening is formed in
the polishing disk, a supply line can also be routed to the
polishing disk on or through the mount.
[0016] The mount can permit an inclination of the polishing disk at
an angle of up to 2.degree. relative to the polishing platform, the
positioning device having a force gauge for determining a contact
pressure between the polishing disk and the polishing platform.
Accordingly, the polishing disk can swing by said angle when
mounted on the mount. This helps ensure that the polishing disk
always aligns with the polishing platform and a polishing force is
distributed evenly across the polishing disk. The force gauge can
be formed within the holder, such as by a bending beam having
strain gauges.
[0017] The polishing disk can comprise a connecting protrusion to
which the mount can be detachably connected. The connecting
protrusion can be realized in the manner of an axis that is
attached to the polishing disk. In this case, the axis can simply
be plugged into the mount.
[0018] A channel for conducting a rinsing liquid to the passage
opening of the polishing disk can be formed in the mount. If a
connecting protrusion is disposed on the polishing disk, the
channel can also connect to the connecting protrusion and be routed
through it toward the passage opening of the polishing disk.
Alternatively, the channel can also end at the mount without being
connected to the polishing disk directly. In this case, the
polishing disk can be positioned in the mount in such a manner that
the channel always ends above the passage opening of the polishing
disk, for example.
[0019] An atomizer valve of the metering device can be disposed at
the passage opening. Using an atomizer valve, rinsing liquid can be
sprayed across a large area of the polishing platform. For
instance, the entire abrasive can be wetted with the rinsing liquid
in this way. Depending on the number of passage openings, more than
one atomizer valve may be provided.
[0020] A plurality of passage openings through which the metering
device can meter the rinsing liquid onto the polishing platform may
be formed in the polishing disk. This is particularly advantageous
when rinsing liquid is supposed to be metered out in the polishing
position since the rinsing liquid can be evenly distributed on the
polishing platform or on the abrasive in that case.
[0021] The polishing machine may additionally have a cleaning
device for applying dry ice to the polishing platform and/or to the
polishing disk. The cleaning device can be used to clean the
polishing platform and/or the polishing disk substantially without
residue. With the dry ice, abrasives and other pollutants on the
polishing platform and on the polishing disk, such as loose
abrasive particles or material residue and wear debris from the
plugs and from the optical waveguides, can be easily removed from
the abrasive itself, from the polishing platform and/or from the
polishing disk and the respective plugs. The cleaning device
applies the dry ice to the respective surface, where the dry ice
sublimates because of the significantly higher temperature of the
surface, an increase in volume during transition to the gaseous
state causing any pollutants to be separated from the surface and
eliminated. The transition to the gaseous phase also prevents dry
ice residue from remaining on the respective surfaces. Also, any
rinsing liquid residue on these surfaces can be easily removed in
this way. Compared to manual cleaning, such as using a cloth, a
significantly improved cleaning result can be achieved in this way,
which, in turn, leads to increased quality of a polishing result.
Furthermore, the cleaning device can be used to perform automatic
cleaning between polishing processes using different abrasives,
which saves a person operating the polishing machine time, thus
allowing the polishing machine to be operated in a more
economically advantageous fashion.
[0022] The dry ice can consist of solid carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2)
particles. In particular, the solid particles can be crystals. The
dry ice can also be what is known as CO.sub.2 snow. In that case,
application of the dry ice to the surfaces to be cleaned can
preferably take place by way of a compressed air jet at a
temperature of -78.9.degree. C. This will locally undercool and
embrittle a layer of pollutants on the respective surface. The
solid particles of carbon dioxide penetrate the layer and
sublimate, a volume of the carbon dioxide enlarged from the
transition to the gaseous phase breaking up the layer and
explosively separating it from the respective surface. The carbon
dioxide disperses in gaseous form in the ambient air. The surfaces
remain undamaged because the dry ice is relatively soft.
[0023] The cleaning device can have an application nozzle for dry
ice, the application nozzle being usable to form a directed core
jet of solid CO.sub.2 particles and a shell jet of compressed air
coaxially surrounding the core jet from liquid carbon dioxide and
compressed air. The application nozzle can be a nozzle that is
centrally supplied with liquid carbon dioxide, which is then
discharged to an environment via a central nozzle opening. A ring
gap for discharging compressed air can be formed around the nozzle
opening, the shell jet thus formed sweeping the liquid carbon
dioxide along, which freezes when expanded by the nozzle and turns
into CO.sub.2 particles or crystals. The shell jet can focus the
core jet onto a surface, i.e. collimate it and direct it at the
surface. This significantly improves a cleaning effect of the core
jet, i.e. of the dry ice. Also, the compressed air of the shell jet
can be used to discharge loosened pollutants to the ambient air.
The shell jet can alternatively be formed with nitrogen
(N.sub.2).
[0024] Another passage opening, through which the dry ice can be
metered onto the polishing platform by means of the cleaning
device, can be formed in the polishing disk.
[0025] At least part of polishing disk and/or of the polishing
platform can be coated with an amorphous carbon layer. For example,
the amorphous carbon layer can be applied by DLC coating, in which
case a surface of the polishing disk and/or of the polishing
platform can be fully coated with the amorphous carbon layer. A
coating of this kind has a smooth surface with high wear
resistance. In particular, a coating of this kind can have a
hardness of about 2,500 to 3,000 HV. Moreover, the coating is black
in color, making any damage or wear of the coating easy to detect.
A service life of the polishing disk and/or of the polishing
platform can be significantly prolonged in this way. In particular,
the material of the polishing disk and/or of the polishing platform
no longer has to be multi-coated in order to achieve a desired
hardness of the surface of the polishing disk and/or of the
polishing platform. Heat treatment of the polishing disk and/or of
the polishing platform can be significantly simplified in this way.
On the whole, this eliminates a series of process steps for
producing the polishing disk and/or the polishing platform, making
production more cost-effective.
[0026] Advantageously, the polishing machine can have a changer
device, wherein the changer device can comprise a plurality of
polishing pads each having an abrasive, wherein the abrasives can
be different from each other, wherein the polishing pads with the
abrasives can be stored in a magazine of the changer device and can
each be arranged on and removed from the polishing platform by
means of a handling device of the changer device. For example, the
polishing pads can also be different from each other if the
polishing pads are made of rubber and have different hardness
values. The abrasives can differ in abrasive particle size, i.e.
grit, and can be positioned on the polishing pads suitable in each
case. The magazine can store a plurality of polishing pads each
having abrasives. For example, the magazine can be realized as a
circulating belt or a chain in the manner of a paternoster in which
the polishing pads with the abrasives are placed or held. The
handling device can be a robot arm, a conveyor belt or another
suitable device by means of which a polishing pad with an abrasive
located on the polishing platform can be exchanged for a polishing
pad with an abrasive in the magazine. This also allows polishing
pads each having abrasives to be exchanged fully automatically for
the execution of a multi-stage polishing process. However, this is
not possible unless rinsing liquid can also be automatically
applied by means of the metering device.
[0027] In the method according to the invention for polishing
optical waveguides using a polishing machine, an end of an optical
fiber of an optical waveguide is polished, a plug with the optical
waveguide being held in a plug socket of a polishing disk, an
abrasive being received on a polishing platform, the polishing disk
and the polishing platform being moved relative to each other from
a set-up position into a polishing position by means of a
positioning device, the polishing disk and the polishing platform
being moved relative to each other in a polishing movement by a
drive device when in the polishing position, the polishing disk
being detachably held on a holder of the positioning device,
wherein a rinsing liquid is applied to the polishing platform by
means of a metering device of the polishing machine, the rinsing
liquid being metered onto the polishing platform by means of the
metering device through a passage opening formed in the polishing
disk. Regarding the advantages of the method according to the
invention, reference is made to the description of advantages of
the device according to the invention.
[0028] Water, preferably distilled water, or a mixture of water and
alcohol can be used as a rinsing liquid. The use of distilled or
deionized water, in particular, allows avoiding corrosion of the
polishing platform and/or of the polishing disk. Should the
polishing platform and/or the polishing disk be coated with an
amorphous carbon layer, potential corrosion can be precluded, which
is why any rinsing liquid suitable in principle can be used in that
case.
[0029] Rinsing liquid can be metered out before and/or during
execution of a polishing movement. This helps ensure that the
abrasive is supplied with a sufficient amount of rinsing liquid at
all times.
[0030] It is particularly advantageous for the rinsing liquid to be
metered onto the polishing platform continuously or at intervals
during execution of a polishing movement. For instance, rinsing
liquid may also be metered onto the polishing platform
sequentially. This also ensures that rinsing liquid present on the
abrasive is not excessively loaded with pollutants or dirt from the
polishing process.
[0031] Furthermore, the rinsing liquid may flow from a center
toward an edge of the polishing platform. Depending on where the
passage opening is disposed or where the rinsing liquid is applied
to the polishing platform or to the abrasive, a flow of rinsing
liquid from the center to the edge can be established. If the
rinsing liquid meets the abrasive in the center of the polishing
platform, it will always flow toward the edge as more rinsing
liquid is being metered out, where the rinsing liquid, now
polluted, can be collected in a circumferential groove and be
discharged.
[0032] By means of a controlling device of the polishing machine,
relative positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing
platform, changing of polishing pads, execution of the polishing
movement and/or metering of the rinsing liquid can be controlled.
In principle, the controlling device can also be used to control
other functions of the polishing machines. By using the controlling
device, a polishing process or a sequence of polishing processes
can be executed fully automatically. In addition to a metering of
rinsing liquid, rinsing liquid may be metered in order to obtain
high-quality polished surfaces.
[0033] If the polishing machine has a cleaning device, dry ice can
be applied before and/or after execution of a polishing movement,
preferably in the set-up position. This allows the abrasive or the
polishing platform and the polishing disk to be cleaned after a
polishing process in order to prepare for a subsequent polishing
process, for example. The controlling device can also be used to
control a cleaning function of the polishing machines.
[0034] Advantageous embodiments of the method are apparent from the
description of features of the claims dependent on device claim
1.
[0035] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be
explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
[0036] The FIGURE shows a polishing machine 10 for polishing
optical waveguides, polishing machine 10 comprising a housing 11
and a controlling device 12 for controlling a function of polishing
machine 10. In particular, polishing machine 10 has a polishing
disk 13 comprising a plurality of plug sockets 14. Polishing disk
13 is disposed opposite a polishing platform 15 of polishing
machine 10 and is shown positioned in a set-up position 16 relative
to polishing platform 15. A drive device (not shown) located in
housing 11 can drive polishing platform 10 in a circular movement
relative to polishing disk 13. A polishing pad (not shown) with an
abrasive can be placed on polishing platform 15.
[0037] A positioning device 17 of polishing machine 10 has a
linearly displaceable column 18 comprising an arm 19 and a holder
20 for holding polishing disk 13. Holder 20 forms a mount 21 for
detachably holding polishing disk 13. An axis 22 that can be
plugged into mount 21 is formed on polishing disk 13.
[0038] Polishing machine 10 has a metering device (not shown) by
means of which rinsing liquid can be metered onto polishing
platform 15 having the abrasive placed thereon. Rinsing liquid is
supplied through a passage opening (not shown) in polishing
platform 15, allowing rinsing liquid to also be applied during a
polishing process.
[0039] Furthermore, polishing machine 10 can have a cleaning device
(not shown) for applying dry ice to polishing platform 15 and/or
polishing disk 13. By means of the cleaning device, any pollutants
adhering to polishing disk 13 and polishing platform 15 can be
eliminated without residue in the set-up position 16 shown.
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