ROTARY FINISHING DEVICE
A rotary finishing device includes a generally circular hub having a front surface, a back surface, an inner periphery and an outer periphery. The inner periphery of the device defines a throughhole. The front surface of the hub has a plurality of slots formed therein. Each of the plurality of slots has a plurality of finishing sheets secured therein by an adhesive. Each of the finishing sheets is of sufficient length such that when the generally circular hub rotates at a slower speed, the plurality of sheets remain within the outer periphery of the generally circular hub and provide a relatively flexible device for contacting a surface to be finished. Further, when the generally circular hub rotates at a higher speed, the plurality of sheets extend beyond the outer periphery of the generally circular hub and provide a relatively stiff device for contacting a surface to be finished.
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The present invention claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/588,402, filed Jul. 15, 2004 and entitled “Rotary Finishing Device.”
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates generally to a rotary finishing device, and more particularly to a rotary finishing device for improving the finish of a wide variety of different surfaces having different shapes and contours.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTools for leveling the surfaces of parts to be finished are well known. One such tool known in the art is commonly referred to as a flap disc. This type of leveling tool consists of a backing plate constructed of a plastic, aluminum or fiberglass material. The backing plate has a plurality of sheets of abrasive media, such as sandpaper, adhered thereto by epoxy. Each of the individual sheets is disposed within a respective slot formed in the backing plate or surface mounted to the backing plate. Additionally, each of the sheets is positioned on the backing plate such that the width of each sheet is substantially longer than its length. This configuration of the sheets with respect to the backing plate provides a stiff and relatively inflexible configuration, which yields a leveling wheel that operates similar to a belt sander in that it removes material from the surface it contacts in a planar fashion in order to flatten it.
One significant disadvantage of these leveling tools is that they are unable to effectively contact the entirety of surfaces to be finished due primarily to their stiff and inflexible configuration. For example, known leveling tools cannot effectively contact curved surfaces or right-angled surfaces. Moreover, attempts to contact these hard to reach places with a leveling tool often results in “edge cutting” marks being formed in the surface, which are undesirable.
Accordingly, to improve the finish of these portions of the types of surfaces, which leveling tools cannot effectively accomplish, secondary tools or processes need to be employed. These secondary finishing tools can include hand tools with various types of finishing media or, alternatively, a flap wheel. Employing these secondary processes increases the labor time by requiring the utilization of multiple different finishing tools to finish each different surface. This also increases the costs associated therewith.
A typical flap wheel differs from a leveling wheel in that the flap wheel is intended to finish a surface instead of leveling or flattening it. Typical flap wheels include a central hub portion and have a plurality of flexible finishing strips secured thereto and extending from the outer periphery thereof. Because of their configuration, these flap wheel-type rotary finishing devices are also limited in the types of surfaces they can successfully and efficiently finish.
Because of the disadvantages present with existing rotary finishing devices, in order to improve the finish of a metal surface having a variety of contours such as a wheel rim or a surface having right angles, multiple tools typically need to be utilized to finish it efficiently. To the extent a single device can finish the surface, the surface finish is likely not uniform.
Therefore, a need exists for a rotary finishing device that is more flexible than existing finishing devices and can finish more areas on compound surfaces than existing products. In other words, a need exists for a rotary finishing device for finishing surfaces that can accomplish, in many instances, what currently requires multiple tools.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore an advantage of the present invention is to provide a rotary finishing device that is more flexible than prior rotary finishing devices in that it can finish a wide variety of different surfaces, which have varying contours, including complex curves, concave surfaces and right angled surfaces.
It is a related advantage of the present invention to provide a rotary finishing device that can finish surfaces that are constructed of different materials, including metal and non-metal.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a rotary finishing device that increases the efficiency associated with finishing a product having a complex surface, a concave surface and/or a right-angled surface.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide a rotary finishing device that decreases the time required to finish a product having a complex surface, a concave surface and/or a right-angled surface and therefore provides decreased cost.
Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide a rotary finishing device that can easily change the surface finish of a piece being finished by changing the rotational speed of the device.
It is still a further advantage of the present invention to provide a rotary finishing device that is more durable and has a significantly longer useful life than existing rotary finishing devices.
It is yet a further advantage of the present invention to provide a rotary finishing device with an effective diameter that varies with the rotational speed of the device.
It is a related advantage of the present invention to provide a rotary finishing device with an effective diameter that increases as the rotational speed of the device increases.
It is still yet another advantage of the present invention to provide a rotary finishing device with attached finishing media having a length that is greater than this width.
In accordance with the above and the other advantages of the present invention, a rotary finishing device is provided. The rotary finishing device includes a backing plate having an inner face and an outer face. The backing plate is coupled to a drive shaft to allow rotation of the device as desired and at a desired speed, which can vary. The inner face of the backing plate has one or more sheets of finishing media secured thereto and extending therefrom. Each of the sheets is configured such that it has a length at least as long as the width. In another embodiment, the length of the finishing strips is at least twice as great as the width.
The sheets are flexible and thus flatten or fan out as the device is rotated. The faster the device is rotated, the flatter the finishing media becomes, which provides a stiff finishing tool. The slower the device is rotated, the more flexible the finishing media becomes to allow finishing of a contoured surface. The effective contact area or diameter of the device thus changes or varies with the rotational speed.
Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFor a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention:
Referring now to the Figures, which illustrate various embodiments of a rotary finishing device in accordance with the present invention. The rotary finishing device disclosed herein can be utilized to finish a surface, such as by polishing, abrading, grinding or the like. However, it will be understood that the finishing devices disclosed herein can be utilized for a variety of different purposes and can be formed with a variety of different configurations.
The finishing media utilized with the disclosed finishing devices can also vary depending upon the application for which the finishing devices will be used and can include cloth, sandpaper or the like. Further, the finishing media may be a textile sheet, a woven sheet, a non-woven sheet, or a neo-textile sheet. The finishing media may also be a coated abrasive sheet. It will also be understood that a variety of other different finishing media may be utilized. The disclosed finishing device can be utilized to finish pieces constructed of a wide range of different materials, including metal, wood and a variety of other materials.
Turning now to
While the illustrated backing plate has a generally circular construction, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of other suitable configurations or shapes may be utilized. The backing plate 12 is preferably formed from a metal, such as aluminum, and is preferably formed by an extrusion process. However, it will also be understood that a variety of other materials may also be utilized to form the backing plate 12, including plastic. The backing plate 12 may also be formed in a variety of other suitable processes. It will also be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the backing plate 12 can be formed in a variety of different diameters to provide finishing devices of a variety of different sizes. The backing plate 12 may also have a variety of different thickness and a variety of different shapes.
The inner face 20 of the device 10 includes a plurality of slots 24 formed therein. In the embodiment of
As shown, each of the slots 24 includes a finishing media 30 disposed therein. The finishing media 30 may be comprised of a single sheet of finishing material or, more preferably, of a plurality of sheets of finishing material (“a pack”). The finishing media 30 is intended to contact a surface to be finished. A pack of finishing media 30 is preferably disposed within each of the plurality of slots 24 such that the finishing media 30 contacts at least either side 26, 28 of each of the plurality of slots 24 such that the pack is wedged in each slot. The finishing media 30 can be disposed in each of the plurality of slots in a variety of different ways. The finishing media 30 is preferably secured within each of the slots 24 by an adhesive, such as an epoxy. Obviously, the finishing media 30 can be secured within each of the slots 24 by a variety of other suitable methods including by mechanical attachment. The finishing media 30 may also be secured to the backing plate 12 by alternate suitable methods.
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While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only in terms of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A rotary finishing device, comprising:
- a hub having a front surface, a back surface, and an outer periphery;
- a plurality of slots formed in said front surface of said hub;
- each of said plurality of slots having at least one finishing sheet secured therein;
- wherein each of said at least one finishing sheet has a length that is greater than or equal to a respective width thereof.
2. The rotary finishing device of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of slots includes a plurality of finishing sheets disposed therein.
3. The rotary finishing device of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one finishing sheet extends generally perpendicularly from said front surface.
4. The rotary finishing device of claim 2, wherein said length of each of said plurality of finishing sheets is greater than or equal to twice said width of each of said finishing sheets.
5. The rotary finishing device of claim 2, wherein said length of each of said plurality of finishing sheets is greater than or equal to three times said width of each of said finishing sheets.
6. The rotary finishing device of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of finishing sheets are secured within a respective one of said plurality of slots by an adhesive.
7. The rotary finishing device of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of slots includes a plurality of sheets of sandpaper disposed therein.
8. The rotary finishing device of claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of slots includes a plurality of sheets of sandpaper with the grit facing in a direction in line with clockwise rotation of the device and a plurality of sheet of sandpaper with the grit facing in a direction in line with counter clockwise rotation of the device to allow the device to be operated in both directions.
9. The rotary finishing device of claim 8, wherein said plurality of sheets of sandpaper facing in said clockwise direction has a grit that is different than a grit of said plurality of sheets of sandpaper facing in said counter-clockwise direction.
10. A rotary finishing device, comprising:
- a hub having a front surface, a back surface, and an outer periphery;
- a plurality of finishing sheets in communication with and extending from said front surface of said hub and extending in the direction of an axis of rotation of said hub;
- wherein each of said finishing sheets has a length that is greater than or equal to a respective width thereof.
11. The rotary finishing device of claim 10, wherein when said hub rotates at a slower speed, said plurality of sheets provide a relatively flexible device for contacting a surface to be finished.
12. The rotary finishing device of claim 10, wherein when said hub rotates at a higher speed, said plurality of sheets fan out and provide a relatively stiff device for contacting a surface to be finished.
13. The rotary finishing device of claim 10, wherein said length of each of said at least one finishing sheet is greater than or equal to twice said width of each of said at least one finishing sheet.
14. The rotary finishing device of claim 10, wherein said length of each of said at least one finishing sheet is greater than or equal to three times said width of each of said at least one finishing sheet.
15. The rotary finishing device of claim 10, further comprising:
- a plurality of slots formed in said front surface of said hub, each of said plurality of slots receiving at least one finishing sheet.
16. The rotary finishing device of claim 15, wherein each of said at least one finishing sheet is secured within a respective one of said plurality of slots by an adhesive.
17. The rotary finishing device of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of finishing sheets consists of sandpaper.
18. The rotary finishing device of claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of slots includes a plurality of sheets of sandpaper with the grit facing in a direction in line with clockwise rotation of the device and a plurality of sheet of sandpaper with the grit facing in a direction in line with counter-clockwise rotation of the device to allow the device to be operated in both directions.
19. The rotary finishing device of claim 17, wherein said plurality of sheets of sandpaper facing in said clockwise direction has a grit that is different than a grit of said plurality of sheets of sandpaper facing in said counter clockwise direction.
20. A rotary finishing device, comprising:
- a hub having a front surface, a back surface, an inner periphery and an outer periphery;
- a plurality of finishing sheets coupled to said front surface of said hub, said plurality of finishing sheets extending generally perpendicularly from said front face and defining a starting footprint;
- wherein each of said plurality of finishing sheets is of sufficient length such that when said generally circular hub rotates at a slower speed, said plurality of sheets provide a relatively flexible device for contacting a surface to be finished; and
- wherein when said generally circular hub rotates at a higher speed, said plurality of sheets extend beyond said starting footprint to a provide a relatively stiff device for contacting a surface to be finished.
21. The rotary finishing device of claim 20, wherein said front surface of said hub includes a plurality of slots with each slot receiving at least one finishing sheet therein.
22. The rotary finishing device of claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of sheets is secured to said front surface of said hub by an adhesive.
23. The rotary finishing device of claim 21, wherein each of said at least one finishing sheet is secured within a respective one of a plurality of slots by an adhesive.
24. The rotary finishing device of claim 20, wherein each of said finishing sheets has a length that is greater than or equal to a respective width thereof.
25. The rotary finishing device of claim 21, wherein each of said finishing sheets has a length that is greater than or equal to twice a respective width thereof.
26. The rotary finishing device of claim 20, wherein each of said finishing sheets has a length that is greater than or equal to three times a respective width thereof.
27. The rotary finishing device of claim 20, wherein said plurality of finishing sheets are sheets of sandpaper.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 14, 2005
Publication Date: Jan 19, 2006
Applicant: BELANGER INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS, IN. (Northville, MI)
Inventors: Robert Wentworth (Farmington Hills, MI), Lionel Belanger (Northville, MI)
Application Number: 11/160,896
International Classification: B24B 9/02 (20060101);