Dust shield and adapter device

Abstract

A dust shield and adapter, in combination or as separate components, for universal attachment to the bearing housings having different diameter sizes. As separate components, the shield has a skirt for covering a grinding disk and upward extending collar to which a separate component adapter attaches. The adapter has adjustable attachment members which adjustably secure to a bearing housing of numerous varying diameter sizes. The collar has cut-outs to accept the adapter and permit its upward and downward adjustability to ensure an effective distance adjustment and disk contact with a target surface. As a combination single component, the adapter is permanently attached to a collar having no cut-outs. The adapter has adjustable attachment members which adjustably secure to a bearing housing of numerous varying diameter sizes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None

BACKGROUND

This device relates to an improvement in the field of power hand tools, and more particularly to rotary tools which generate large amounts of dust and particulate debris.

Rotary grinders and similar rotary power tools are used extensively in industry. More specifically angle type grinders/sanders having grinding discs or pads, are used for grinding concrete, fiberglass, wood, steel, removing asbestos, and body filler in automobile shops. Such grinders/sanders are also used for making boats and similar products. In use these grinders create large quantities of dust that are both a fire hazard and a health hazard. Wood dust, for example, can be very explosive over a wide range of concentrations and is a known fire hazard. Hot metal grindings are particularly dangerous as fire starters. Both wood dust and metal filings as well as asbestos particles, fiberglass and body filler particles create known health hazards to users of the grinders and to others in the immediate environment. It is known that concrete dust, as typically generated in great quantities from grinding concrete, is a principal cause of pulmonary silicosis.

Grinder discs and pads often rotate in excess of 7,000 revolutions per minute (RPM). Grinding pads that use a sponge type backing material create a hazard where parts or particles from the backing material break off and are shot from the rotating disc tangently at a high rate of speed. It is often necessary to use a rotary grinder to grind into corners or against surfaces that have side edges, that can cause particles of the foam backing material to break off from the high speed rotating disc and hit the operator or other persons or equipment in the immediate area.

A dust shield described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,190 approached this problem and solved it. It has an upstanding attachment collar [reference character 16 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,190] which was diametered to fit onto the bearing housing [reference character 38 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,190] of a variety of different grinders. Different make grinders have different diameters for their respective bearing housing. Typical diameters of bearing housing range from one and one-half inch to three inches. A one-size attachment collar on the dust shield would not accommodate the different bearing housings. Consequently, several different models of the dust shield, each having different collar diameters, had to be manufactured for the various make grinders. This, of course, increases manufacturing costs and adds to inventory of a supplier and end-user since most end-users have more than one grinder and more than one make.

Without the adapter, the retailer generally must carry up to 40 SKUs (stock keeping units) to cover all the grinders made. With the adapter, the retailer will need only 6 stocking units, one for each of the major disc diameters of 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 inches. Space in a retail store is very valuable. This adds value to the adapter because it can reduce the amount of space needed to provide a line of dust shields that can fit all grinders.

Additionally, the grinding surface of different brands of grinders with different grinding disks varies in distance from the bearing housing of the grinder where the dust shield is attached. The dust shield of U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,190 was not readily capable of a distance adjustment to bring the grinding surface down to where it can be of effective use or, in some cases, any use at all. The collar (reference character 16 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,190) had to be individually and carefully sanded down such that its lower edge (reference character 35 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,190) was accordingly raised thereby bringing the grinding surface out to point of use. Cutting the skirt, improper sanding, or improper measurements would in essence ruin the dust shield and be a waste of time and money.

The presently disclosed device solves the problems associated with various make of grinders as to different bearing housing diameters and different distance adjustments. In particular, the adapter and a modified dust shield will solve the two major problems of U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,190; namely, [1] the onerous need to produce and inventory up to 40 dust shields to cover all the grinders commercially available and [2] the need for the operator to modify the structure of the dust shield to accommodate different thicknesses of grinding disks and different bearing housing to disk surface dimensions.

Additionally, the formulation for the manufacture of the dust shield is such that, if cutting the dust shield is necessary, it can easily be cut with ordinary household scissors without ruining the dust shield in its entirety. The formulation for the manufacture provides for greater flexibility, particularly where most critical, thereby eliminating much of the need to make distance adjustments of the collar into and away from the bearing housing.

The formulation also is such that renders the dust shield of this present device more durable and virtually incapable of being damaged in extremely cold climates, even in temperatures as low as −20° Fahrenheit. Lastly, the adapter of this improved dust shield has a diameter adjustment mechanism and distance adjustment mechanism which can be easily sized to fit any diameter bearing housing from one and one-half inches to over three inches while remaining centrally aligned with the axis of rotation of the grinder and can be easily distance adjusted to bring the grinding surface of different grinder out to the proper point of contact.

The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the device. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the device. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed device in a different manner or by modifying the device within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the device may be had by referring to the summary of the device and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the device defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY

The above-noted problems, among others, are overcome by the device. Briefly stated, the device contemplates a dust shield and adapter for rotary grinders. The dust shield has a cover with an upper surface and a circular skirt for enclosing a rotatable grinding disc; an exhaust opening through the skirt for passage of particles and air out to a connected exhaust; a circular collar upward of the upper section; and one or more cut-outs in the circular collar which are adapted to receive and permit downward movement of an external dust shield adapter. The adapter has an upper surface; a downward projecting wall around the upper surface adapted to fit into the opening of the collar of the aforementioned dust shield; and at least three registration components on the upper surface each having an axially translatable bracket member therein adapted to abut and secure to the bearing housing of an external grinder.

Another embodiment of the dust shield has an upper surface and a circular skirt for enclosing a rotatable grinding disk; an exhaust opening through the skirt for passage of collected particles and air out to a connected exhaust; a circular collar upward of the upper section; an adapter attached to the collar; and adjustable brackets on the adapter for adjusting and removably attaching to different diameters of bearing housing of rotary grinders.

The foregoing has outlined the more pertinent and important features of the device in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood so the present contributions to the art may be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the device will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific embodiment may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the device. It also should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions and methods do not depart from the spirit and scope of the device as set forth in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the device, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the dust shield, adapter, and grinder combination.

FIG. 2, as taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 3, is a cut-away view of the adapter without brackets.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the adapter without brackets.

FIG. 4, as taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 5, is a side elevation cut-away view of a bracket.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a bracket.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of a bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIG. 1, reference character 10 and 70 generally designates an adapter and dust shield constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The vastly improved dust shield 70 has an upper surface 72 with an integral downward projecting skirt 79. Projecting upward of the upper surface is a collar 78 with cut-outs 74. The dust shield 70 can be made of a translucent or transparent molded plastic, fiberglass, metal, or of any other suitable material though best results can be attained by manufacturing the dust shield 70 with the unique formulation described below. The collar 78 should be flexible and the unique formulation described below provides for greater flexibility and, if necessary, trimming of the collar 78 if necessary.

A unique feature of this improved dust shield 70 is the cut-outs 74 in the collar 78. The cut-outs 74 are aligned with the respective bracket base 32. The function of the cut-outs 74 is to accommodate that portion of the bracket base 32 which extends outward of the downward projecting wall 18 of the adapter 10 after the adapter 10 has been attached to the bearing housing 68. If the bracket base 32 does extend outward after attachment, each portion so extending will slip into the respective cut-out 74 and may be moved down into the cut-out 74 as needed for distance adjustment. Once the proper distance adjustment is attained for the brand grinder being used, the adapter 10 may be secured to the collar 78.

The preferred embodiment of the improved dust shield 70 comprises a unique formulation of a copolymer polypropylene, a no-break copolymer polypropylene, produced by Huntsman and bearing trade number 18S2A and a thermoplastic elastomer produced by DSM TPE, Inc., bearing the trademark Sarlink. The preferred ratios of these products is approximately 75% of the copolymer polypropylene and approximately 25% of the thermoplastic elastomer.

The skirt 79 of the improved dust shield 70 also has an exhaust opening 86 connected to an exhaust port 80 that is aligned tangently with the skirt 79. An external hose 82 attaches to the exhaust port 80. The external hose 82 typically is part of a vacuum or vacuum system [not shown] to draw out ground or sanded particles.

As described above, the upper surface 72 has an attachment collar 78 which houses or receives the adapter 10. The collar 78 encircles a hole or opening 76 in the upper surface 72. In one embodiment, the adapter 10 is an integral part of the dust shield 70 permanently affixed to it at or adjacent to the collar 78. In this embodiment, the collar 78 need not have cut-outs 74 in that the adapter 10 in integral to the dust shield 70 and thereby incapable of distance adjustment.

In another embodiment, the adapter 10 is a separate unit which is placed into the collar 78 of existing dust shield and secured thereat with a suitable fastener such as, but not limited to, a hose-type clamp 88 with setting screw placed and used around the collar 78. A typical grinder 60 has bearing housing 68 and arbor or drive shaft 64. Whether a separate unit or part of the dust shield, the adapter 10 is fitted onto and secured to the bearing housing 68 with a set of at least three adjustable brackets 30 and a hose-type clamp 88. When the adapter 10 and dust shield 70 are fitted to the grinder, the arbor 64 of the grinder 60 projects through the opening 26 in the adapter 10 and through the opening 76 in the dust shield 70. In this position, a hose type clamp 88 and setting screw tightens the brackets 30 and onto the bearing housing 68 to hold the dust shield 70 to the grinder 70.

Where the adapter 10 is a separate and removable unit from the dust shield, the attachment collar 78 may have any desired diameter or may be of a flexible material attached to the upper surface 72 of the dust shield 70. Its flexibility will accommodate the insertion of the wall 18 of the adapter 10 inside the collar 78 and further accommodate a suitable securing member, such as a hose clamp 88, to secure the adapter 10 to the dust shield 70. It should be understood that in this separate component embodiment, the adapter walls 18 may vary in diameter to accommodate varying diameter collars 78 as, and if, necessary. In addition, the collar 78 in this separate component embodiment also has the cut-outs 74 as described above.

Since the adapter 10 has adjustable brackets 30, the adapter 10 is capable of being secured to any diameter bearing housing which ranges in diameter from one and one-half inches to over three inches. Additionally, because of this adjustability, in a dual component embodiments [i.e., separate unit dust shield and separate unit adapter] only a single size diameter for the collar 78 on the dust shield 70 and similar size diameter for the wall 18 of the adapter 10 is necessary thereby eliminating the need to manufacture various sizes of dust shields and adapters. A one-size collar 78 will fit all grinders by use of this combination dust shield 70 and adapter 10.

FIG. 1 illustrates the dust shield 70 in combination with the adapter 10 and the grinder 60. This is illustrated in exploded to show a dual-component device having a separate detachable adapter 10 and a separate detachable dust shield 70 and to also illustrate a single-component device where the adapter 10 is an integral part of the dust shield 70 [in such case the hose clamp 88 around the collar 78 is not necessary].

The adapter 10 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2 through 6. The top surface 12 of the adapter 10 has an opening 26 through which the arbor 64 of the grinder 60 passes. This top surface 12 also has three axial slots 16 approximately 120° from each other. A guide such as a ridge or berm 14 is fashioned on each side of each slot 16. A wall 18 projects downwardly from the top surface 12. In embodiments where the dust shield 70 and adapter 10 are separate detachable components, the wall 18 of the adapter 10 is sized to fit into the collar 78 of the dust shield 70 and is secured thereat by a suitable fastener, such as, but not limited to a hose-type clamp 80 with set screw.

Sliding adjustable brackets 30 complete the adapter 10. Each bracket 30 has a base 32 and a gripper 38 upstanding from the front of the base 32. Each bracket 30 further has two or more apertures 46 in the base 32. The width of each base 32 is such that the bracket 30 will slidingly fit over the slot 16 and slidingly in between the pair of berms 14 adjacent to its respective slot 16. The edges of the base 32 should abut the berms 14 thereby permitting accurate axial movement to and from the center of the opening 26 on the top surface 12 of the adapter 10.

The apertures 46 on the bracket 30 are aligned with the slot 16. Suitable fasteners 90, such as but not limited to a nut and bolt or similar combination, are fitted through the apertures 46 and tightened to the point of retention of the bracket in the berm 14 and slot 16 combination while permitting the bracket 30 to be slid thereon back and forth as necessary to abut the bearing housing 68 of the grinder 60 to which the adapter 10 is being attached. A hose clamp 88 is placed over the adapter 10 on the backs of the gripper 38 and tightened around the bearing housing 68. Once the gripper 38 of the bracket 30 abuts the bearing housing 68 the adapter 10 is centered to the axis of rotation of the arbor 64, the hose clamp 88 is secured, and the fasteners 90 in the apertures 46 may be more securely tightened.

A distance adjustment of any distance from about one-fourth of an inch to about one and one-fourth inches may be made as necessary to bring the grinding surface down or out [in the directions of Arrows A and B] to the required point of contact. As described above, this is facilitated by the cut-outs 74 in the collar 78 which permit insertion of the bracket base 32 if the bracket base 32 extends outward beyond the downward projecting wall 18 and further permits downward movement for distance adjustment as necessary.

The leading edge of the gripper 38 may be slightly curved as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. A curved surface has proven to be more effective in securing the adapter 10 to the bearing housing 68 of the grinder 60.

The present disclosure includes that contained in the present claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this device has been described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred forms has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the device. Accordingly, the scope of the device should be determined not by the embodiment[s] illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Applicant[s] have attempted to disclose all the embodiment[s] of the device that could be reasonably foreseen. It must be understood, however, that there may be unforeseeable insubstantial modifications to device that remain as equivalents and thereby falling within the scope of the device.

Claims

1. A shield for rotary grinders comprising:

a cover having an upper surface and a continuous, circular skirt for enclosing a rotatable grinding disc which, when rotating, causes movement of particles and airflow in said cover;

an exhaust opening through said skirt for passage of particles and air to a connected exhaust;

a circular collar on said upper section; and

an adapter attached to said flexible collar, said adapter having adjustable attachment means for adjusting and removably attaching to different diameters of bearing housing of rotary grinders.

2. The shield as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adjustable attachment means comprises at least three registration components on said adapter each having an axially translatable bracket member therein.

3. The shield as claimed in claim 2 wherein said registration components comprise a axial slot and an axial ridge on each side of said axial slot.

4. The shield as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bracket member has a base and an upstanding gripper adapted to abut the bearing housing and be secured thereto.

5. The shield as claimed in claim 4 wherein said upstanding front gripper has a curved front edge.

6. The shield as claimed in claim 4 wherein said bracket has one or more apertures in said base.

7. The shield as claimed in claim 6 wherein said registration component further comprises a fastening member through said aperture of said bracket and through said slot.

8. The shield as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one air opening in said upper surface feeding air to the airflow.

9. The shield as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shield is made of a composition comprising approximately 3 parts copolymer polypropylene and approximately 1 part thermoplastic elastomer.

10. The shield as claimed in claim 1 wherein said circular collar is made of a composition comprising approximately 3 parts copolymer polypropylene and approximately 1 part thermoplastic elastomer.

11. A shield for rotary grinders comprising:

a cover having an upper surface and a continuous, circular skirt for enclosing a rotatable grinding disc which, when rotating, causes movement of particles and airflow in said cover;

an exhaust opening through said skirt for passage of particles and air to a connected exhaust;

a circular collar on said upper section; and

one or more cut-outs in said circular collar, said cut-outs having two spaced-apart vertically cut sides connected by one horizontally cut section.

12. The shield as claimed in claim 11 further comprising at least one air opening in said upper surface feeding air to the airflow.

13. The shield as claimed in claim 11 wherein said shield is made of a composition comprising approximately 3 parts copolymer polypropylene and approximately 1 part thermoplastic elastomer.

14. The shield as claimed in claim 11 wherein said circular collar is made of a composition comprising approximately 3 parts copolymer polypropylene and approximately 1 part thermoplastic elastomer.

15. An adapter for a dust shield having a circular collar, the dust shield used with rotary grinders having a bearing housing, said adapter comprising:

an upper surface;

a downward projecting wall around said upper surface; and

at least three registration components on said upper surface each having an axially translatable bracket member therein.

16. The adapter as claimed in claim 15 wherein said registration components comprise a axial slot and an axial ridge on each side of said axial slot.

17. The adapter as claimed in claim 15 wherein said bracket member has a base and an upstanding gripper adapted to abut the bearing housing and be secured thereto.

18. The adapter as claimed in claim 17 wherein said upstanding front gripper has a curved front edge.

19. The adapter as claimed in claim 17 wherein said bracket has one or more apertures in said base.

20. The adapter as claimed in claim 19 wherein said registration component further comprises a fastening member through said aperture of said bracket and through said slot.