Patent · US Expired

Process for treatment of metal workpiece surface by electrical discharges

US5980681A · kind A · utility

6Cited by

6References

21Claims

0Family size

Assignee

FRAUNHOFER-GESELSCHAFT · DE

Inventors

Peter Siemroth · Dresden, DE
Bernd Schultrich · Dresden, DE
Horst Kleinert · Radeberg, DE
Sven Grosser · Radeberg, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Sep 15, 1997
Grant date	Nov 9, 1999
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Sep 15, 2017

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10T29/47
WIPO fieldMachine tools
WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A process and an apparatus that can be used for surface preparation and treatment of a metal workpiece surface, for example in a processing stage prior to adhesive assembly, without using environmentally harmful materials. The process comprises triggering and maintaining pulsed unipolar arc discharges between an electrode wired as an anode and a workpiece surface wired as a cathode, with the arc discharges following one another with a timing, number, and speed such that they do not cause macroscopic melting of the workpiece surface while ensuring complete extinction of the individual arc discharges. The apparatus comprises an electrode as the anode and the workpiece as the cathode, and a generator or component for generating electrical pulses.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.