Patent ID: 6410438
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: B24B

Abstract:
A method for polishing an edge of a thin plate having at least one surface with a rubber wheel containing abrasives and mounted to a spindle drivable to rotate said rubber wheel in a plane normal to the at least one surface of said thin plate while said thin plate is mounted to a mount portion movable linearly with respect to said rubber wheel, said spindle and said thin plate mounting portion being biased by elastic means in a direction to bring said rubber wheel and said edge of said thin plate in contact with each other, said method comprising the steps of:(a) driving said spindle to rotate said rubber wheel in the plane normal to said at least one surface of said thin plate, (b) moving one of said spindle and said thin plate mounting portion toward and away from the other during a polishing operation, (c) floating said spindle on a first floating plate movable in a plane normal to the plane in which said rubber wheel is rotated, (d) floating said thin plate mounting portion on a second floating plate movable in a plane parallel with the plane in which said first plate is floated, and (e) bringing said rubber wheel and said edge of said thin plate into contact with each other under the bias of first and second compression springs of said elastic means acting respectively on said first and second floating plates.