Grinding member

Abstract

A grinding member is formed as a shape-elastic monolithic element and has at least partially a three-dimensional cell structure on a grinding surface of the grinding member. The grinding surface has a first abrasive agent. The grinding surface has at least partially an open-cell structure with open cells. The open cells of the grinding surface communicate via passages with cells of the interior of the grinding member. The cells in the interior of the grinding member that communicate via passages with the open cells of the grinding surface contain a second abrasive agent.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a grinding member that is formed as a monolithic shape-elastic element and comprises at least partially a three-dimensional cell structure on a grinding surface wherein the grinding surface comprises an abrasive agent.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the following, the term grinding member is to be understood as an element that can be used as a grinding device, a scouring device, or a cleaning device. The use of the grinding member depends on the type and structure of the abrasive agent provided on the grinding surface of the grinding member. The term particle is intended to include dirt particles as well as grinding particles. Grinding particles are produced by the abrasive effect of a grinding member. When using a grinding member, particles of material (grinding particles) of the surface to be ground are produced.

In many areas of daily life, for example, in the household, trades, as well as industry, grinding members, scouring members or cleaning members are used for performing different types of surface treatment actions such as sanding, grinding, scouring, cleaning, removing rust, removing dirt, polishing or providing a satin finish. In the household or in commercial cleaning, pot cleaners, fleece pads, metal cleaners, copper cleaners or plastic cleaners are used as well as stainless steel pot cleaners and steel wool.

For cleaning floor surfaces, so-called standard pads and super pads are used that, in combination with single disk or multi-disk cleaning machines, are used for cleaning floor surfaces.

Cleaning, scouring, and grinding fleeces are mostly used for grinding, cleaning and removing rust in industrial applications, in the trades, and by craftsmen.

For fine machining of wood, filler, and paint surfaces, it is also known to employ shape-elastic grinding sponges that adapt easily to profiled surfaces.

Surfaces of different materials are treated, for example, wood, plastic material, metal, non-iron metals, stainless steel or coated surfaces, for example, painted surfaces. For treating such surfaces, a variety of products are available, for example, sanding paper, steel wool, grinding fleece, cleaning sponges, plastic cleaners, metal and copper cleaners, pot cleaners and stainless steel pot cleaners.

The material of which these products are produced varies also greatly; for example, paper, metal, and plastic in different physical and chemical embodiments are used. Each product is suitable for a certain application and is designed especially for such application.

Sanding paper, for example, is employed for treating wood, metal, and painted surfaces. The abrasive action of the sanding paper is realized by the grain of the abrasive agent. Sanding paper as a support material is flexible but can also be easily damaged, for example, by coarse particles or sharp edges.

Steel wool is used for general cleaning work, smoothing of wood surfaces before and after application of paint or lacquer and for cleaning soldering seams. A disadvantage of steel wool is that in the external areas the steel wool can cause discoloration of the wood. Also, when cleaning soldering seams, for example, on copper pipes, small particles can break off the steel wool and remain within the pipe so that a proper sealing of valves that are present on the pipes is prevented. Also, steel wool is also usable only under certain conditions in an automated process.

Plastic cleaners are comprised of plastic material and have an excellent dirt take-up capacity. However, they only have a limited scouring and cleaning effect because the plastic material is relatively soft and usually not coated additionally with an abrasive agent.

Metal and copper cleaners are more aggressive in regard to their abrasive action than plastic cleaners. However, it is a disadvantage that they cannot be used on scratch-sensitive surfaces because of their more aggressive action.

Fleece pot cleaners can be manufactured in many varying shapes. Preferably, cleaning and scouring fleeces (non-woven materials) are laminated onto a foam material and are used as so-called pot cleaners, scrubbing (scouring) sponges or cleaning sponges. Such scrubbing or cleaning fleeces can be coated, as needed, with an aggressive abrasive agent, for example, quartz stand. For cleaning scratch-sensitive surfaces, scrubbing and cleaning fleeces are coated with a non-aggressive abrasive agent, for example, chalk or talcum. A disadvantage is that the sanding or grinding, scrubbing or cleaning fleeces, depending on the requirements, have different fiber mixtures and non-woven fiber structures. A fleece material has no cell structure. It is comprised of a composite of fibers whose structure can be matched to different requirements. It is therefore necessary to produce for each application a suitable fleece (non-woven) with different fleece structure, stiffness, and thickness.

The present invention is based on grinding sponges that conventionally have a closed grinding surface that is coated with an abrasive. Grinding sponges have the advantage that because of their cell-based structure they are shape-elastic and adapt very well to any shape of a surface to be treated. However, such grinding sponges can take up dirt or grinding particles that are present only to an unsatisfactory extent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shape-elastic grinding member that has an excellent grinding or cleaning effect and has an uptake capacity for particles that are present.

In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the grinding surface is provided at least partially with an open-cell structure.

A grid, for example, is a two-dimensional structure with open boundary surfaces between the grid frame. When several grids are combined with one another in a third dimension, a three-dimensional structure is generated. This three-dimensional structure is only one example of a cell structure. It is also possible to provide three-dimensional cell structures that are of an irregular configuration. The terms cell is used to indicate a regular or irregular envelope of a cavity that has exclusively closed boundary surfaces, exclusively open boundary surfaces, or partially open and closed boundary surfaces. A cell having exclusively closed boundary surfaces is a closed cell. A cell that has at least one open boundary surface is an open cell. It can take up particles and store them. Such cells are provided on the grinding surface. The grinding surface should have at least partially such open cells. When several open cells are neighboring one another, an open-cell structure results. When the surface has partially an open-cell structure, this means that open cells are arranged in one or several areas of the grinding surface. At other locations of the grinding surface open cells are not present. Instead, for example, closed cells are to be found. When the grinding surface has partially or entirely an open-cell structure, this has the advantage that the produced particles are received by the open cells that are present and are thus removed from the surface to be treated. This is desirable because in this way they do not impair the grinding effect of the grinding member in a negative way and do not clog the grinding member.

In an especially preferred embodiment, the cells of the grinding surface are communicating with cells in the interior of the grinding member by means of passages. When a cell has at least two open boundary surfaces, particles can pass through it. The cell thus provides a passage for particles; the cell is “particle-passable”. This passage is not necessarily linear. When a particle-passable cell on the grinding surface adjoins a neighboring open cell that is located farther in the interior of the grinding member, a passage or pathway is formed. A particle that is produced on the surface to be processed can then reach the particle-passable cell and from there can reach neighboring open cell. When the latter cell is also passable for particles, a passage is provided that extends possibly farther into the interior of the grinding member. The more cells are communicating with one another, the more passages are produced that receive particles and store them.

It is particularly preferred that cells in the interior of the grinding member that are in communication by passages with cells of the grinding surface comprise an abrasive agent. The cells in the interior of the grinding member are open cells that communicate with the open cells of the grinding surface. Via the particle-passable cells, passages can be provided that either end in a cell or lead to further branches. When the cells in the interior of the grinding member comprise an abrasive agent in addition to the abrasive agent on the grinding surface, the grinding action of the grinding member can be increased. It is beneficial that abrasive agents are provided in the open-cell layer in the interior of the grinding member that adjoins immediately the open-cell particle-passable cell layer of the grinding surface. As a result of the shape-elastic properties of the grinding member, the cell structures can be compressed so that by applying a pressing force during the grinding process the cells that are positioned inwardly are moved closer to the grinding surface. In this way, it is possible for the abrasive agent positioned inwardly to become effective and, despite the open-cell structure of the grinding surface, a sufficient quantity of abrasive agent per unit of surface area is available.

In a preferred embodiment, the grinding surface of the grinding member is provided with a different abrasive agent than the cells in the interior of the grinding member. Accordingly, when using the grinding member two grinding functions can be used simultaneously. Depending on the pressing force of the shape-elastic grinding member exerted on the surface to be treated, the inwardly positioned abrasive agents become effective to a greater or lesser extent. When, for example, the inwardly positioned abrasive agents have a greater abrasive action than the outwardly positioned abrasive agents, when applying a high pressing force a strong grinding action results while with reduced pressing force a reduced grinding action is generated. In this way, a single grinding member can be employed for two grinding functions, for example, for an initial coarse grinding action and a subsequent fine grinding action without the grinding surface having to be arranged anew or having to be exchanged.

Preferably, the abrasive agent has abrasive particles. Abrasive particles constitute an abrasive agent that can be handled easily when manufacturing the grinding member and is available in various embodiments for different applications. Abrasive particles have minimal geometric dimensions or sizes so that during the manufacture of the grinding member they can penetrate into the interior of the grinding member into the cell structure. This can be realized, for example, by impregnation or by spraying them onto the grinding member.

Advantageously, the abrasive agent can be attached or fixed by means of a resin on the cell structure. The resin can reach in a flowable form the interior of the grinding member in order to fix the abrasive in the open cells. On the externally positioned grinding surface the resin can also be employed for fixation of the abrasive agent. The resin can be, for example, polyurethane resin or an epoxy resin.

According to a further embodiment, the grinding member is impregnated with a scouring agent. The scouring agent is then present on the grinding surface as well as in the interior of the grinding member. It can be present in addition to the abrasive agents. It is also possible that scouring agents, without abrasive agents, are present in the interior and on the surface of the grinding member.

It is particularly preferred that the element is a foam material. A foam material can be shape-elastic and can have a cell structure as proposed according to the invention. The foam material is an open-pore foam and has at least partially open cells. The foam material can be viscoelastic hard or soft and can be manufactured in any desired thickness as a sheet material (web) without the structure and flexibility being changed. A fiber fleece does not possess these features. As a result of these properties, the open-pore foam is an ideal support for an abrasive agent, and thin and very flexible grinding and cleaning cloths can be manufactured from such a foam. The cloths, for example, sprayed with abrasive particles, can be used, for example, as a stainless steel cleaning cloth or for grinding work to be performed on profiled surfaces. Grinding members that are mechanically very flexible can be produced from foam. They can be handled like a steel wool ball or a stainless steel or plastic cleaner. Foam enables an improved dirt uptake in comparison to a scouring fleece that is made of a fiber fleece sprayed with a scouring agent and resulting in a surface of a significantly more closed structure. As a result of the open cell structure of the foam, the collected dirt can also be washed out of the grinding member; this is desirable with respect to hygienic considerations.

Preferably, the element is made of plastic material. Plastic material has the advantage that it does not corrode. For example, it is possible that the grinding member can come into contact with moisture without this being a disadvantage in regard to future grinding processes. The grinding member can be washed in order to rinse out collected particles from the interior of the grinding member. Also, the grinding member can be used for wet grinding. Plastic material can be shape-elastic and, at the same time, can have, for example, a honeycomb structure that has inwardly positioned open particle-passable cells in communication with cells on the grinding surface. Also, it is possible that a cell structure can be produced in the plastic material by foaming (expanding). Accordingly, a foamed plastic material is then present. Polystyrene, styrene copolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polyolefin, polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, phenol resin, and polyester are suitable for producing foamed plastic materials.

Preferably, the element has an air permeability of at least 1,500 liters per square meter and per second. Such an air permeability is achieved, for example, when particle-passable cells of the grinding surface area communicate with an opposed surface of the grinding member that is also provided with particle-passable cells via a large number of particle-passable cells in the interior of the grinding member. The air permeability depends on the size of the open particle-passable cells, their structure and the passages or pathways between the individual cells. A method for determining the air permeability is disclosed in DIN EN ISO 9237. The given value of 1,500 liters per square meter and per second ensures according to practice that the produced particles are taken up sufficiently by the grinding member in order to maintain the grinding action.

It is particularly preferred that the element has a compression hardness of at least 2 kPa (kilo Pascal). The compression hardness indicates to which extent a material can be compressed. The determination of the compression hardness is described in DIN EN ISO 3386-1. A material that has a compression hardness of approximately 3 kPa is, for example, a filter foam of polyester.

For example, the element has a thickness of at least 1 mm. The element should have a minimum thickness so that upon compression it still has a grinding effect. A thickness of approximately 1 mm ensures according to practice that the element, despite its cell structure, does not decompose during grinding and, over an extended period of time, remains intact as a contiguous cell structure.

Preferably, the element is configured as a web that is rolled up. Such rolled-up webs can be transported easily. Also, from such rolls of web it is possible to produce grinding members of any desired geometric shape.

Expediently, the element is attachable to a support material. This embodiment can be provided in order to be able to better handle the grinding member. The support material can also be elastically deformable but can also be less deformable. The monolithic element can be laminated onto the support material.

In accordance with an advantageous feature, the support material is a fabric. A fabric has a low weight, is flexible and adapts to any desired shape. The grinding member can be laminated onto a fabric without problems.

Preferably, the grinding member has surfaces that provide different effects. Such a grinding member can be, for example, provided to have a first grinding surface for a coarse grinding action and a second grinding surface for a fine grinding action. When the grinding member is configured, for example, as a parallelepipedal member, other sides of the grinding member are available, for example, for scouring or polishing.

Preferably, the element has differently colored surfaces. The colored surfaces can be provided in order to indicate differently acting surfaces. Also, the surfaces can be numbered in order to define, for example, the sequence of use of the grinding surfaces of the grinding member. Also, letters, words or symbols can be applied to a surface in order to provide a correlation, for example, for correctly positioning a grinding member on a holder.

According to another embodiment of the invention, at least two grinding members are connected to one another by a layer. This layer can be, for example, a blocking layer so that taken-up particles cannot move from the interior of the first grinding member into the interior of the second grinding member. The grinding members are therefore not mutually affected. The layer can also take on the function of a support that provides a positional correlation for the grinding members and is, for example, shape-elastic at the same time.

In accordance with a preferred feature, the grinding member is disc-shaped. Such grinding members in the form of discs are utilized, for example, in processing floors. Depending on the type of grinding agent, the disc is suitable for cleaning, grinding, scouring, smoothing or polishing.

In accordance with a further development of the invention, the grinding member is constructed in the form of a cylinder. The grinding member can then be used as a brush. The brush may have an integrally formed grinding member. However, the brush may also be composed of several grinding members which are arranged as lamellae around a brush grip.

In accordance with another development of the grinding member, the grinding member is constructed as an endless band. Such a grinding band or grinding sleeve can be used for manually working on a surface and can also be mounted in a grinding machine. The grinding band may have any desired length in the circumferential direction and any desired width transversely of the travel direction of the band. When the grinding bands are driven by a machine, it is possible to produce high-gloss surfaces as a result of high speeds of rotation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a grinding member with closed-cell structure;

FIG. 2 is a grinding member with open-cell structure;

FIG. 3 is a grinding member with a cell structure having open cells and closed cells;

FIG. 4 is a parallelepipedal grinding member;

FIG. 5 is a section of the parallelepipedal grinding member of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional cell structure with abrasive agent;

FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional cell structure with abrasive agent and taken-up particles;

FIG. 8a shows a grinding member without areal force loading;

FIG. 8b shows a grinding member under a large areal force load;

FIG. 8c shows a grinding member under a minimal areal force load;

FIG. 9 is a grinding member with a support material;

FIG. 10 is a grinding member having a cylindrical shape;

FIG. 11 shows two grinding members with an intermediate layer;

FIG. 12 shows a grinding member shaped as a disk; and

FIG. 13 shows a grinding member in the form of an endless band.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a two-dimensional closed-cell structure of a grinding member 1. The grinding member 1 has a grinding surface 2 provided with an abrasive agent 3. The abrasive agent 3 acts on a surface 4 to be treated or machined. The individual cells 5 of the grinding member 1 have closed cell walls 6. In FIG. 1 four such lateral boundaries (walls) 6 of the cells 5 are visible. The two other closed cell walls 6 of the parallelepipedal three-dimensional cell are parallel to the plane of the drawing and form two end faces. All cells in FIG. 1 are closed cells 7.

FIG. 2 shows an open-cell structure of a grinding member 1 with abrasive agent 3 that rests against the surface 4 to be processed. The schematically illustrated cells 5 have a parallelepipedal geometry like the ones in FIG. 1. However, the four visible sidewalls 6 have openings 8. When one of the cells has at least one opening 8, the cell is referred to in this context as an open cell. FIG. 2 shows all cells as open cells 9. Open cells 9 that have at least two openings are particle-passable cells 10. Accordingly, in FIG. 2 all cells are particle-passable cells 10.

In comparison, in FIG. 3 there are closed cells 7 as well as open cells 9. Some of the open cells are also particle-passable cells 10. These cells 10 are important in connection with air permeability and penetration depth of the particles into the interior of the grinding member 1. The arrows in FIG. 3 indicate possible pathways or passages for taken-up particles.

FIG. 4 shows a parallelepipedal grinding member 1 in a three-dimensional illustration with the surfaces 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. When a surface is provided with an abrasive agent 3, it is a grinding surface 2. All surfaces 11 to 16 in FIG. 4 are grinding surfaces 2.

In FIG. 5, the grinding surfaces 11a and 15a are symbolically illustrated with abrasive agent 3 as partial surfaces of the grinding surfaces 11 and 15. The grinding surfaces 11a and 15a in FIG. 5 result from a section taken along section line V-V indicated in FIG. 4. In FIG. 5, this section also makes visible the interior of the grinding member 1 in the section plane 17. The grinding member 1 has on its grinding surface 11a, 15a abrasive agents 3a in the form of abrasive particles with a fine grain. In the interior of the grinding member 1 there is an abrasive agent 3b in the form of abrasive particles having a large grain. The grinding member 1 therefore has on its grinding surfaces 11 through 16 a different abrasive agent than in the interior of the grinding member 1.

In the detail view D of the inner cell structure with the abrasive agent 3b is illustrated in FIG. 6. The cells 5 have an irregular cell structure in which the grinding particles are fixed by means of a resin. FIG. 6 shows the cell structure when it is new or after having been cleaned.

In FIG. 7, the cells contain particles 18 in addition to the abrasive agent 3b of FIG. 6. These particles 18 originate from the grinding surface 2 and pass through particle-passable cells 10 into the material of the grinding member 1. They are retained therein until, for example, they are washed out of the grinding member 1 in a cleaning process so that the interior of the grinding member 1 again assumes the state illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8a, 8b, and 8c show the grinding member 1 of FIG. 4, cut along the same section line as section line V-V, but in an end view onto the section plane. FIG. 8a shows the grinding member 1 on a surface 4 to be processed. For machining the surface 4, the grinding member 1 of FIG. 8a is loaded with an areal force. This is indicated by wide arrows 19 for a great force in FIG. 8b and by narrow arrows 20 indicating a small force (FIG. 8c). The areal force loading has the effect that the initial height of the grinding member 1 is reduced. For a large force according to FIG. 8b, this height reduction is greater than that for the smaller force according to FIG. 8c. If the force were not areal, only a partial area of the grinding member 1 would be reduced with regard to its height. When an areal or point-oriented force application ceases, the grinding member 1 assumes again its original height as soon as the force application is no longer present. The grinding member 1 is thus shape-elastic.

When the grinding member 1 is loaded with a large force areally, as illustrated in FIG. 8b, the compression of the cell structure causes the abrasive agents 3b of the inwardly positioned cells to move into the grinding surface 2. The grinding surface 2 now contains at the same time grinding agent 3b from the inner area of the grinding member 1 and abrasive agent 3a located on the grinding surface 2. In order for this to happen, a force is required which is referred to in this context as great. Because large-grain abrasive particles in general have a larger geometric size than fine-grain abrasive particles 3a, the large-grain abrasive particles 3b from the interior in FIG. 8b will be more effective than the fine-grain abrasive particles 3a. Accordingly, a coarse grinding or cleaning will take place.

When the force of FIG. 8b is changed, the large-grain abrasive particles 3b will return with their inwardly positioned cells 5 from the surface 4 to be processed as indicated in FIG. 8c. In FIG. 8c, only a small areal force is acting on the grinding member 1, symbolically illustrated by the narrow arrows 20. This small force is not sufficient for moving the inwardly positioned abrasive agent 3b to the grinding surface 2. In comparison to the state according to FIG. 8a, the grinding member 1 is still compressed but only to such an extent that the inwardly positioned abrasive agent 3b is no longer in contact with the surface 4 to be processed. In this state, only the outwardly positioned abrasive agents 3a of the grinding surface 2 are active and effect with their fine grain, for example, a fine grinding or sanding action. For a precise application of the two areal forces in FIGS. 8b and 8c, it is also possible to mount the grinding member 1 in a grinding member holder of a grinding machine that provides an areal force for the two processing states according to FIGS. 8b and 8c.

Instead of providing two different abrasive agents 3a and 3b, it is also possible to provide only one type of abrasive agent 3 on the grinding surface 2 of the grinding member 1 as well as within the interior of the grinding member 1. In this case, the grinding effect of the grinding member 1 will increase when, as illustrated in FIG. 8b, the force is applied to the grinding member so that the inwardly positioned abrasive particles 3 will reach the grinding surface 2.

FIG. 9 shows a grinding member 1 of foamed plastic material that has on one surface a hook and loop fastener element 21 that is laminated onto the grinding member 1. The hook and loop fastener element 21 serves as a support material and provides shape stability to the foamed plastic material. As a result of the presence of the hook and loop fastener element 21, the foamed plastic material however is not as flexibly deformable as without the hook and loop fastener element 21. The hook and loop fastener element can serve as a fastening device that cooperates with an additional hook and loop fastener element and, in this way, secures the grinding member 1, for example, on a grinding member holder. This grinding member holder can be part of a grinding machine or part of a device for manual processing.

Also, the geometry of the grinding member 1 with or without hook and loop fastener element 21 can have any desired shape. For processing profiled surfaces, as indicated in FIG. 9, a profiled structure 22 in the form of recesses can be provided on the grinding surface 2 of the grinding member 1. When the grinding member 1 is configured without support member or hook and loop fastener element, it can have a thickness of, for example, 2 mm. The grinding member 1 is then mechanically very flexible and can adapt to the article to be processed without requiring a profile structure 22. In this configuration, the grinding member 1 can be used as a grinding, polishing or cleaning cloth. Since the grinding member 1 is very flexible, it is also possible without problems to process surfaces 4 of any shape.

The grinding member 1 can be produced in any desired geometric shape. It is also conceivable to configure the grinding member 1 in the form of a cylinder 23 that is then used like a brush. Such a brush is illustrated in FIG. 10. The grinding member 1 is arranged about the handle 24. The brush can have a monolithic grinding member but, as illustrated in FIG. 10, can also be comprised of several grinding members that are arranged like narrow sections about the brush handle 24. It is also possible to produce a cylinder-shaped grinding member with radial sections wherein the original cylinder is still contiguous as an element.

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment where two grinding members 1 are connected to one another by an intermediate layer 25. The layer 25 serves in this configuration as a blocking layer. It provides a barrier for taken-up particles 18 in the interior of the grinding member 1. The layer 25 can be, for example, also provided with a magnetic action so that the particles 18 of the grinding surface can be removed more easily from the grinding surface.

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the grinding member 1. The grinding member 1 is shown as a disk and has, for example, two grinding surfaces 2. Such disks are used, for example, for processing floor surfaces. They are then referred to as “pad”. Depending on the abrasive agent 3, the disk is suitable for cleaning, sanding, scouring or scrubbing, smoothing or polishing. Often, such disks are used in a driveable treatment machines that treat the floor. The disk can also be provided with means, for example, cutouts, that enable the attachment of the disk on the treatment machine, for example. The rotating or oscillating movement of the disk is used to treat the surface 4 to be processed.

FIG. 13 illustrates a grinding member 1 in the form of an endless band 26. The band 26 is laminated onto a fabric band 27. The surface 4 to be processed is ground by the movement of rotation in the direction of arrow 28. At high rotational speeds, it is possible to produce high-gloss surfaces. It is also possible that the grinding band 26 is laminated onto an air-permeable material, so that the dust produced by grinding can be suctioned off toward the inside at the inner circumference of the grinding member 1.

The described embodiments illustrate that the grinding member according to the invention enables the production of a plurality of different grinding, scouring, and cleaning devices.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A grinding member formed as a shape-elastic monolithic element and having at least partially a three-dimensional cell structure on a grinding surface of the grinding member, wherein the grinding surface comprises a first abrasive agent, and wherein the grinding surface has at least partially an open-cell structure with open cells.

2. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the open cells of the grinding surface communicate via passages with cells of an interior of the grinding member.

3. The grinding member according to claim 2, wherein the cells in the interior of the grinding member that communicate via passages with the open cells of the grinding surface comprise a second abrasive agent.

4. The grinding member according to claim 3, wherein the first abrasive agent and the second abrasive agent are different.

5. The grinding member according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second abrasive agents is comprised of abrasive particles.

6. The grinding member according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second abrasive agents is fixed on the cell structure by a resin.

7. The grinding member according to claim 3, wherein the grinding member is impregnated with a scouring agent.

8. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the first abrasive agent comprises abrasive particles.

9. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the first abrasive agent is fixed on the cell structure by a resin.

10. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the monolithic element is comprised of a foam material.

11. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the monolithic element is comprised of a plastic material.

12. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the monolithic element has an air permeability of at least 1,500 liters per square meter and per second.

13. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the monolithic element has a compression hardness of at least 2 kPa.

14. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the monolithic element has a thickness of at least 1 mm.

15. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the monolithic element is produced as a rolled-up web.

16. The grinding member according to claim 1, further comprising a support material, wherein the monolithic element is attached to the support material.

17. The grinding member according to claim 16, wherein the support material is comprised of a fabric.

18. The grinding member according to claim 1, having several surfaces each providing a different surface treatment action.

19. The grinding member according to claim 1, having several surfaces that are colored differently.

20. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the grinding members are connected to one another by a layer.

21. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the grinding member is disc-shaped.

22. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the grinding member is cylindrical.

23. The grinding member according to claim 1, wherein the grinding member is an endless band.