1. A method for simultaneous double-side material-removing processing of at least three workpieces, the method comprising:
disposing the at least three workpieces in a working gap between a rotating upper working disk and a rotating lower working disk of a double-side processing apparatus, each workpiece lying in freely movable fashion in a respective opening of a guide cage;
moving the at least three workpieces under pressure in the working gap using the guide cage; and
upon attaining a preselected target thickness of the workpieces, initiating a deceleration process including reducing an angular velocity \u03c9i(t) of a respective drive i of each of the upper working disk, the lower working disk and the guide cage to a standstill, the reducing being carried out such that ratios of the angular velocities \u03c9i(t) with respect to one another as a function of time t deviate by no more than 10% from initial ratios of the angular velocities \u03c9i(t) corresponding to when the preselected target thickness was attained.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the the reducing is carried out such that ratios of the angular velocities \u03c9i(t) with respect to one another as a function of time t deviate by no more than 5% from initial ratios of the angular velocities \u03c9i(t) corresponding to when the preselected target thickness was attained.
3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the working disks are ring-shaped, and the method uses at least three circular guide cages each having at least one cutout for a respective workpiece and each having a toothing extending circumferentially on a circumference of the guide cage, wherein the toothing engages into an outer and an inner drive ring, which are respectively arranged concentrically with respect to a rotational axis of the working disks, and wherein the two drive rings constitute the drives of the guide cages by means of which the guide cages are moved circumferentially with simultaneous inherent rotation about the rotational axis of the working disks, such that the workpieces describe cycloidal trajectories relative to the two working disks.
4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the working disks are circular and the method uses exactly one guide cage, which covers an entire area of the working disks and is driven by eccentrically rotating guide rollers arranged on a circumference of the working disks to effect an orbital movement such that in a resting reference system for each workpiece there is a respective stationary area which is completely covered by the workpiece at any time.
5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the angular velocity \u03c9i(t) of each drive i is reduced in accordance with \u03c9i(t)=\u03c9i,0\u2212kiJit, wherein \u03c9i,0 denotes an initial angular velocity at a beginning of the deceleration process, Ji denotes a moment of inertia where Ji=\u222b\u03c1i(\u03c4)r2d \u03c4, \u03c1i(\u03c4) denotes a density distribution, r denotes a distance from an axis of rotation, ki denotes a deceleration capacity of the drive i, dr denotes an infinitesimal element of a volume r that encompasses rotating parts of the drive i, and t denotes time.
6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein a magnitude of a change in the angular velocity \u03c9i(t) of each drive i per unit time increases in a course of the deceleration process.
7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the angular velocity \u03c9i(t) of each drive i is reduced in accordance with
\u03c9
i
\u2061
(
t
)
=
\u03c9
i
,
0
2
–
2
\u2062
k
i
J
i
\u2062
t
,
wherein \u03c9i,0 denotes an angular velocity at a beginning of the deceleration process, Ji denotes a moment of inertia where Ji=\u222b\u03c1i(\u03c4)r2d \u03c4, \u03c1i(\u03c4) denotes a density distribution, r denotes a distance from an axis of rotation, ki denotes a deceleration capacity of the drive i, d\u03c4 denotes an infinitesimal element of a volume \u03c4 that encompasses rotating parts of the drive i, and t denotes time.
8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein a duration tbr of the deceleration process is determined by the respective drive i with a greatest angular momentum Li=Ji\u03c9i,0, wherein \u03c9i,0 denotes an angular velocity at a beginning of the deceleration process, Ji=\u222b\u03c1i(\u03c4)r2d \u03c4 denotes a moment of inertia, \u03c1i(\u03c4) denotes a density distribution, r denotes a distance from an axis of rotation, dr denotes an infinitesimal element of a volume \u03c4 that encompasses rotating parts of the drive i, and t denotes time.
9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the pressure exerted on the workpieces by the upper and lower working disks is reduced during the deceleration process.
10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the pressure at the end of the deceleration process is greater than zero.
11. The method recited in claim 1, wherein each working disk respectively carries a working layer containing fixedly bonded abrasive which, through contact with the workpieces, brings about material removal from the workpieces by grinding.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An inkjet cartridge refilling machine for refilling a used inkjet ink cartridge, the used inkjet ink cartridge comprising (a) an ink tank containing residual ink and (b) an integrated printhead, wherein the machine comprises a cabinet structure, a circuit test station for testing electronic circuitry of the printhead, and a print test station for testing print functionality of the cartridge subsequent to refilling, wherein the cabinet structure houses:
a computer,
a touch screen display for the computer for providing instruction to and receiving information from an operator of the machine;
a cleaning station for cleaning the integrated printhead of the cartridge,
a centrifuge station for removing a least a substantial portion of the residual ink from the ink tank of the cartridge,
a drill station for drilling one or more access holes to the ink tank of the cartridge; and
a filling station for filling replacement ink into the ink tank of the cartridge.
2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the computer is programmed with software that provides a below average retail technician operator with sufficient information to process the cartridge through the circuit test station, centrifuge station, drill station, cleaning station, filling station and print test station.
3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the computer is programmed with software that collects information on at least the number and type of cartridges that have been refilled.
4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the cabinet structure further houses the circuit test station and the print test station.
5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the cabinet structure further houses a communication port for allowing remote access to the computer.
6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the cleaning station comprises one or more nozzles oriented to be directed at the integrated printhead of the cartridge when the cartridge is in the cleaning station.
7. The machine of claim 1, wherein the centrifuge station comprises a centrifuge and a lid for covering the centrifuge, and the machine further comprises counterweights for use in the centrifuge.
8. The machine of claim 1, wherein the drill station comprises a drill, and the machine further comprises a holding fixture for holding the cartridge and defining a location of holes to be drilled in the cartridge.
9. The machine of claim 1, wherein the filling station comprises a vacuum filling device.
10. The machine of claim 1, wherein the filling station comprises a pressure filling device.
11. The machine of claim 1, wherein the filling station comprises both a vacuum filling device and a pressure filling device.
12. The machine of claim 1, having a footprint of no greater than four feet wide by three feet deep.
13. The machine of claim 1, wherein the cabinet further houses containers of replacement ink.
14. A process for refilling an inkjet ink cartridge comprising a tank portion and an integrated printhead, wherein the tank portion comprises either a sponge or a bladder containing residual ink, comprising the steps of:
(1) providing an inkjet cartridge refilling machine comprising a cabinet structure, a circuit test station for testing electronic circuitry of the printhead, and a print test station for testing print functionality of the cartridge subsequent to refilling, wherein the cabinet structure houses:
a computer,
a touch screen display for the computer for providing instruction to and receiving information from an operator of the machine;
a cleaning station for cleaning the integrated printhead of the cartridge,
a centrifuge station for removing a least a substantial portion of the residual ink from the ink tank of the cartridge,
a drill station for drilling one or more access holes to the ink tank of the cartridge; and
a filling station for filling replacement ink into the ink tank of the cartridge,
wherein the computer is programmed with software that provides a below average retail technician operator with sufficient information to process, refill and test a cartridge through the circuit test station, cleaning station, centrifuge station, drill station, filling station and print test station;
(2) providing an operator for operating the inkjet cartridge refilling machine;
(3) receiving an inkjet cartridge to be refilled from a customer;
(4) having the operator initiate the software to process, refill and test the cartridge;
(5) having the operator receive a first instruction via the touch screen display requesting information to identify the type of cartridge to be refilled;
(6) having the operator enter information into the computer via the touch screen display about the type of cartridge to be refilled;
(7) upon identifying the type of cartridge to be refilled, having the operator receive a second instruction via the touch screen display about testing the cartridge for suitability for refilling;
(8) having the operator test the cartridge for suitability for refilling in accordance with the second instruction;
(9) having the operator receive a third instruction via the touch screen display about removing residual ink from the cartridge via a centrifuge in the centrifuge station;
(10) having the operator remove residual ink from the cartridge in accordance with the third instruction;
(11) (a) in the event that the ink tank contains a sponge, (i) having the operator receive a fourth instruction via the touch screen display about drilling one or more access holes in the tank portion of the cartridge, then (ii) having the operator drill one or more access holes into the tank portion of the cartridge in accordance with the fourth instruction;
(11) (b) in the event that the ink tank contains a bladder, having the operator receive a fourth instruction via the touch screen display to proceed to the cleaning step;
(12) having the operator receive a fifth instruction via the touch screen display about cleaning the printhead on the cartridge in the cleaning station;
(13) having the operator clean the printhead in accordance with the fifth instruction;
(14) having the operator receive a sixth instruction via the touch screen display about refilling the tank portion of the cartridge with replacement ink;
(15) having the operator refill the tank portion of the cartridge with replacement ink in accordance with the sixth instruction;
(16) having the operator receive a seventh instruction via the touch screen display about testing the refilled cartridge for print functionality;
(17) having the operator test the refilled cartridge for print functionality in accordance with the seventh instruction; and
(18) (a) if the cartridge passes the test for print functionality, having the operator relabel the refilled cartridge, and return the relabeled cartridge to the customer; or
(18) (b) if the cartridge does not pass the test for print functionality, having the operator dispose of the refilled cartridge.
15. The process of claim 14, wherein the cabinet structure further houses the circuit test station and the print test station.
16. The process of claim 14, wherein the step of having the operator test the cartridge for suitability for refilling comprises the steps of having the operator visually inspecting the cartridge for damage, and having the operator test electronic circuitry of the printhead with the circuit test station.
17. The process of claim 14, wherein the ink tank of the cartridge comprises a sponge, and wherein the step of having the operator refill the tank portion of the cartridge with replacement ink comprises the step of vacuum filling the cartridge through the one or more access holes in the vacuum filling device.
18. The process of claim 14, wherein the ink tank of the cartridge comprises a bladder, and wherein the step of having the operator refill the tank portion of the cartridge with replacement ink comprises the step of pressure filling the cartridge through the integrated printhead in the pressure filling device.
19. The process of claim 14, wherein the cabinet structure further houses a communication port for allowing remote access to the computer.
20. The process of claim 19, wherein the computer is programmed with software that collects information on at least the number and type of cartridges that have been refilled, and wherein the process further comprises the step of remotely accessing the computer via the communication port to obtain such collected information.
21. The process of claim 19, further comprising the step of remotely accessing the computer via the communication port to obtain diagnostic information on the machine.
22. The process of claim 14, wherein the step of having the operator test the cartridge for suitability for refilling comprises the steps of having the operator perform a visual inspection of the cartridge, and having the operator test the cartridge in the circuit test station.
23. The process of claim 14, conducted in a retail location.