Patent ID: 7744444

Claim:
A centerless feed-through super-finishing device comprising: (a) at least a first feed-through roller having a first longitudinal outer surface; (b) at least a second feed-through roller having a second longitudinal outer surface, (c) a metallic part having a generally cylindrical section, disposed between said outer surfaces, wherein a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical section is generally aligned with said longitudinal outer surfaces, said cylindrical section having a metal working surface, said outer surfaces disposed in a near-parallel fashion, wherein an angle of deviation from a strictly parallel orientation between said outer surfaces is within a range of 0.5 degrees to 10 degrees; (d) at least one rotating mechanism adapted to effect rotation of said rollers along respective longitudinal axes thereof, and to effect thereby a rotation of said cylindrical section, wherein said angle is selected wherein said rotation of said rollers propels said cylindrical section in a longitudinal direction between said rollers, and (e) a lapping system including: (i) a lapping tool having a polymeric contact surface, said contact surface disposed to contact said metal working surface, said contact surface including a polymeric material, and (ii) a lapping mechanism, associated with said lapping tool, adapted to exert a load on said contact surface and said working surface, and (f) a plurality of abrasive particles, said abrasive particles freely disposed between said contact surface and said working surface, said contact surface for providing an at least partially elastic interaction with said plurality of abrasive particles, and wherein said contact surface and said lapping mechanism are adapted, and said plurality of particles is selected, wherein upon activation of said lapping mechanism, said relative motion under said load effects lapping of said metal working surface, and wherein at least a portion of said first and second longitudinal outer surfaces of said feed-through rollers is covered with a polymeric material to form covered outer surfaces, and wherein said polymeric contact surface is part of a contact area component, said lapping tool has a base component associated with said contact area component, and wherein a hardness of said base component is greater than a hardness of said polymeric contact surface, and wherein between contact area component and said base component is disposed a flexible polymeric layer having a lower hardness than said contact surface, and a lower hardness than said base component.