Patent ID: 8408976

Claim:
Optical grade surfacing tool, including: a rigid support ( 11 ; 111 ) having a transverse end surface ( 15 ; 115 ); an elastically compressible interface ( 12 ; 112 ) attached to the rigid support ( 11 ; 111 ) and having a first transverse end surface ( 16 ; 116 ), a second transverse end surface ( 17 ; 117 ) and a lateral surface ( 18 ; 118 ) extending from the periphery of the first end surface ( 16 ; 116 ) to the periphery of the second end surface ( 17 ; 117 ), said first end surface ( 16 ; 116 ) of the interface ( 12 ; 112 ) being pressed against and covering said end surface ( 15 ; 115 ) of the rigid support ( 11 ; 111 ); and a flexible pad ( 13 ; 113 ) adapted to be pressed against a surface ( 30 ) to be worked and that is pressed against and covers at least in part the second end surface ( 17 ; 117 ) of the interface ( 12 ; 112 ) on the opposite side to and in line with said end surface ( 15 ; 115 ) of the rigid support ( 11 ; 111 ); wherein a flexible rim ( 14 ; 114 ) is pressed against and partly covers the lateral surface ( 18 ; 118 ) of the interface, said rim ( 14 ; 114 ) extending from the periphery of said pad ( 13 ; 113 ) to a free edge ( 20 ; 120 ), an annular portion ( 21 ; 121 ) of said lateral surface ( 18 ; 118 ) of the interface ( 12 ; 112 ) being free between said free edge ( 20 ; 120 ) of said rim ( 14 ; 114 ) and the first end surface ( 16 ; 116 ) of the interface ( 12 ; 112 ); wherein said first transverse end surface ( 16 ; 116 ) and said second transverse end surface ( 17 ; 117 ) of said interface are in an absence of loads generally parallel to one another, and wherein said lateral surface ( 18 ; 118 ) has an extent less than that of each of first transverse end surface ( 16 ; 116 ) and said second transverse end surface ( 17 ; 117 ); and wherein said flexible rim opposes lateral expansion of said interface.