Apparatus and a method for surface processing a metallic structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9670561-B2
Application number	US-201414250740-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2014
Priority date	Apr 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for processing a surface. The apparatus comprising a platform arranged to support a structure having an inner surface; at least one ball disposed adjacent to the inner surface; and a reflecting member having at least one reflecting surface; wherein the at least one ball is adapted to vibrate by a vibrating means and to collide with the inner surface and the reflecting surface thereby creating an impact to the inner surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for processing a surface, comprising the steps of:
supporting a structure having an inner surface on a platform,
disposing at least one ball adjacent to the inner surface,
positioning a reflecting member adjacent to the inner surface, wherein at least part of the reflecting member is arranged within the structure,
wherein the at least one ball is adapted to vibrate by a vibrating means and to collide with the inner surface and the reflecting member thereby creating an impact to the inner surface.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vibrating means is positioned below the platform.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vibrating means is positioned at least partially within the structure.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the structure is positioned such that a central axis thereof is substantially perpendicular to the platform.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the central axis of the structure is arranged in parallel to a longitudinal axis of the reflecting member.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the central axis of the structure is arranged in parallel to longitudinal axes of the reflecting member and the vibrating means.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the structure and the reflecting member are coaxially arranged.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the structure, the reflecting member and the vibrating means are coaxially arranged.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the structure is of tubular shape.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the reflecting member comprises a circular side wall circumferentially abuts the inner surface of the structure.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the reflecting member comprises at least one inclined wall extended downwardly and tapered inwardly from the circular side wall, the at least one inclined wall is adapted to collide with the ball.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the reflecting member is of a shape of a frustum.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the structure is made of metal or metal alloy.

14. An apparatus for processing a surface, comprising:
a platform arranged to support a structure having an inner surface,
at least one ball disposed adjacent to the inner surface, and
a reflecting member having at least one reflecting surface, wherein at least part of the reflecting member is arranged within the structure, and wherein the at least one ball is adapted to vibrate by a vibrating means and to collide with the inner surface and the reflecting surface thereby creating an impact to the inner surface.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the vibrating means is positioned below the platform surface.

16. An apparatus for processing a surface, comprising:
a platform arranged to support a structure having an inner surface,
at least one ball disposed adjacent to the inner surface, and
a reflecting member having at least one reflecting surface, wherein the at least one ball is adapted to vibrate by a vibrating means and to collide with the inner surface and the reflecting surface thereby creating an impact to the inner surface, and wherein the vibrating means is positioned at least partially within the structure.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the structure is positioned such that a central axis thereof is substantially perpendicular to the platform.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the central axis of the structure is arranged in parallel to a longitudinal axis of the reflecting member.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the central axis of the structure is arranged in parallel to longitudinal axes of the reflecting member and the vibrating means.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the structure and the reflecting member are coaxially arranged.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the structure, the reflecting member and the vibrating means are coaxially arranged.

22. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the structure is of tubular shape.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the reflecting member comprises a circular side wall circumferentially abuts the inner surface of the structure.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the reflecting member comprises at least one inclined wall extended downwardly and tapered inwardly from the circular side wall, the at least one inclined wall is adapted to collide with the at least one ball.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the reflecting member comprises a base portion extended downwardly from the at least one inclined wall and is positioned adjacent to the platform.

26. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein at least part of the reflecting member is of a shape of a frustum.

27. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the tubular structure is made of metal or metal alloy.

28. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the platform is supported by a supporting arrangement.

29. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the structure is fixedly positioned on the platform via a fixing means.

Assignees

• Univ City Hong Kong

Inventors

• Li Ying
• Lu Jian

Classifications

• C21D7/04

  of the surface · CPC title

• C21D2221/10

  Differential treatment of inner with respect to outer regions, e.g. core and periphery, respectively · CPC title

• C21D7/00 Primary

  Modifying the physical properties of iron or steel by deformation (apparatus for mechanical working of metal B21, B23, B24) · CPC title

• C21D9/08

  for tubular bodies or pipes · CPC title

• C21D7/06

  by shot-peening or the like · CPC title