Method for forming precision clockplate with pivot pins
| DWPI Title: Precision clockplate forming method, involves finishing curved bearing surfaces by performing electrical discharge machining to curved bearing surfaces from initial dimension to dimension equal to reference value |
| Abstract: Methods are disclosed for producing a precision clockplate with rotational bearing surfaces (e.g. pivot pins). The methods comprise providing an electrically conductive blank, conventionally machining oversize features comprising bearing surfaces into the blank, optionally machining of a relief on non-bearing surfaces, providing wire accesses adjacent to bearing surfaces, threading the wire of an electrical discharge machine through the accesses and finishing the bearing surfaces by wire electrical discharge machining. The methods have been shown to produce bearing surfaces of comparable dimension and tolerances as those produced by micro-machining methods such as LIGA, at reduced cost and complexity. |
| Use: Method for forming a precision clockplate. Uses include but are not limited to a watch, a medical instrument, a sensor and a timer. |
| Advantage: The method enables the wire to transverse over the bearing surface for causing formation of the arc shaped slot in the base, so that the bearing surfaces of the pivot pin can be produced with improved machining precision at reduced cost and complexity. |
| Novelty: The method involves providing an electrically conductive blank (100) in which a clockplate and a pivot pin (102) are integrally formed. Multiple wire accesses are provided in the blank, where each wire access is adjacent to curved bearing surfaces (104) of the pivot pin. An electrical discharge wire (50) is passed through the wire accesses. The curved bearing surfaces are finished by performing an electrical discharge machining to the curved bearing surfaces from an initial dimension to a dimension equal to the reference value. |
| Filed: 6/18/2007 |
| Application Number: US2007764260A |
| Tech ID: SD 10432.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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