Powered paint removal tool
A powered paint removal tool having a rotating abrasive disk for removing paint, with the disk resiliently mounted for deflection out of perpendicular to a driving shaft axis, and which operates in a range of about 780 to about 4200 surface feet per minute. The tool has a folding handle that may be positioned to a storage position adjacent the body of the tool, and which may, selectively be positioned to an operating position generally perpendicular to the body of the tool, with a locking feature to hold the handle in either of the operating and storage positions. A cam surface urges the handle from an intermediate position toward the storage position.
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The present invention relates to the field of tools and processes for removing protective coatings from architectural surfaces in preparation for recoating.
A number of approaches to preparing previously coated surfaces for recoating are known. Typically paint is the coating to be removed, and as used herein, “paint” is to be understood to refer to any coating similar or identical to paint at least a portion of which is to be removed in the process of preparing the surface for recoating, again typically using paint. Specifically, one other coating included within the meaning of “paint” as used herein is stain.
Among the prior art paint removal approaches are certain powered devices such as a heat gun (for use with a putty knife or scraper), an infrared heat source sold under the name “Silent Paint Remover,” a rotary cutter sold under the name “Paint Shaver,” and a rotary grinder sold under the name “Power Paint Remover.” In addition to powered products, manual products and processes have been known, such as carbide scrapers, chemical paint strippers, powered washers using a water stream of 1500 to 4000 psi at 2 to 4 GPM (with pressures at about 4000 psi needed to remove paint), and various sanding appliances, wire brushes and other such abrasives. As is also known, each of these prior art approaches have various shortcomings, including substantial manual effort, operator skill, potential damage to the substrate from which the paint is to be removed, and, in some instances, increased time to prepare the previously coated surface for recoating.
While it is known that electric drills may be used with sanding disks, such drills generally operate in a speed range well below the operating speed of the paint removal tool of the present invention. Using a drill with a sanding disk is substantially less efficient than using the paint removal tool of the present invention. As a result, there is a need for a more efficient paint removal tool.
It is also known that angle grinders may be used to remove material using abrasives; however, such angle grinders generally operate in a speed range substantially above the operating speed range of the paint removal tool of the present invention. Using an angle grinder to remove paint is not satisfactory, since the angle grinder is far too aggressive in removing material, and a user will not readily be able to avoid damaging the substrate when using an angle grinder to remove paint, because such tools are designed to remove much harder material, e.g., metal. As such, angle grinders have been found to be unsatisfactory for paint removal from architectural surfaces, such as home siding and trim. As a result of the shortcomings of the various prior art approaches described above, there remains a need for a more efficient paint removal tool.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention overcomes shortcomings of the prior art by providing a powered paint removal tool that is efficient, easy to use and forgiving of misalignment of the abrasive disk with the surface to be prepared using the tool, by providing a coupling assembly having a floating connection between the drive assembly and the abrasive disk.
In one aspect, the present invention operates in a range of about 780 to about 4200 surface feet per minute with respect to the previously coated surface.
In another aspect the present invention includes a coating removal apparatus for at least partially removing a coating from a previously coated surface, the apparatus having a powered drive assembly having a housing, a rotating disk driven by the powered drive assembly and having a generally planar abrasive surface; and a handle positionable to a storage position adjacent the housing and (alternatively) to an operating position generally perpendicular to the housing.
In another aspect, the apparatus of the present invention may include means for urging the handle towards the storage position.
In still another aspect, the present invention may include a release mechanism operable to release the handle from the operating position to enable the handle to move toward the storage position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the Figures, and most particularly to
Apparatus 10 has an electric motor 17 (
The tool 10 may also have a strap 30 spaced apart from a housing 32. A user may place one hand between the housing 32 and the strap 30 with the palm facing the housing 32 while using the tool 10. Simultaneously, the user may place the other hand on the handle 12. A third gripping location (for either hand) is a generally ovoid or egg-shaped top 34 of the housing 32.
Referring now most particularly to
Motor 17 is preferably a universal type motor and includes an armature assembly 54, a field assembly 56, and a pair of brush assemblies 58 that, in operation, bear against a commutator 59. Motor 17 also includes a conventional fan 60 (shown only in outline), it being understood that fan 60 will draw cooling air in through vents 62, 64 in the housing 32 (see
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Retaining nut 112 has a hexagonal extension 118, a radially extending flange 120 defining an annular groove 122 and internal threads 124. Groove 122 is sized to receive and retain the O-ring 116.
Referencing now most particularly to
It is to be understood that in one aspect, the present invention includes the powered drive assembly 66 and the rotating disk 22 driven by the powered drive assembly and having the generally planar abrasive surface 128 wherein the rotating disk moves in a range of about 780 to about 4200 surface feet per minute with respect to the previously coated surface when the tool 10 is loaded by being in contact with the surface on which the coating is to be removed. It is to be understood that the surface speeds mentioned correspond to a range of about 1500 to about 3500 RPM, but that the significant parameter is the actual relative speed between the disk and the surface being treated with the tool 10. As such, it is within the scope of the present invention to achieve the surface feet per minute range by varying either the RPM or the diameter of the disk to achieve the desired surface feet per minute. In practice, it has been found most preferable to operate at 2000 RPM with a disk having an OD of 4.5 inches and an ID of 2 inches, such that the relative speed is between about 1047 surface feet per minute (at the inside of the abrasive section 126) and about 2356 surface feet per minute (at the outside edge of the abrasive section 126) with the tool at its rated torque load.
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The present invention has been found to be satisfactory when an angular misalignment (represented by angle 146 in
In this aspect, the present invention may be seen to be a coating removal apparatus for at least partially removing a coating from a previously coated surface including the rotating drive assembly 66 providing rotational torque about the rotational axis 24, the rotating disk 22 having the generally planar abrasive surface 128 and the centrally located non-circular cross-section engagement portion 134. The invention also includes the coupling assembly 110 attached to the rotating drive assembly 66. The coupling assembly 110 preferably has the corresponding non-circular cross-section drive surface 136 positively coupled to the engagement portion 134 of the disk 22 in a circumferential direction about the rotational axis 24 and loosely coupled to the engagement portion of the disk in an angular direction with respect to the rotational axis 24 for both positively rotating the disk 22 about the rotational axis 24 while simultaneously allowing angular deflection of the disk (e.g. along angle 146) with respect to the rotational axis 24. The coupling assembly also includes the resilient member 116 located adjacent the disk 22 to bias the planar abrasive surface 128 of the disk 22 to be generally perpendicular to the rotational axis 24 in the absence of external forces on the disk 22, as shown e.g., in
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In this aspect the present invention may be seen to include a powered drive assembly 66 having a housing 32, a rotating disk 22 driven by the powered driving assembly and having a generally planar abrasive surface 128; and a handle 12 positionable to a storage position 16 adjacent the housing, and (alternatively) to an operating position 14 generally perpendicular to the housing 32. In this aspect, the invention may further include means for urging the handle towards the storage position.
The lock and release mechanism 160 is operable to retain the handle 12 in the operating position 14 and to selectively permit release of the handle 12 from the operating position 14 to enable movement of the handle 12 toward the storage position 16. The lock and release mechanism 160 is further operable to retain the handle 12 in the storage position 16 and to selectively permit release of the handle 12 from the storage position 16 to enable movement of the handle toward the operating position 14. The lock and release mechanism 160 may include at least one pushbutton 162 on the handle 12 and the pushbutton may have a projection 170 that moves with the handle and engages a first locking surface 184 on the housing to lock the handle in the operating position. The housing preferably has a second locking surface 186 positioned to engage the projection 170 on the pushbutton 162 to lock the handle 12 in the storage position 16. The spring 166 provides resilient biasing means for urging the pushbutton to a lock position in which the projection 170 overlaps the second locking surface 186 when the handle is moved to the operating position. The pushbutton 166 is manually movable from the lock position to a release position wherein the projection 170 does not overlap with the second surface 186 wherein the handle 12 is released to move from the operating position 14 toward the storage position 16. The lock and release mechanism 160 may further include a cam surface 182 in the housing 32 in contact with the edge 188 of the projection 170 of the pushbutton 162 and operable to urge the handle 12 towards the storage position 16 when the handle is intermediate the operating and storage positions.
This invention is not to be taken as limited to all of the details thereof as modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
Claims
1. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the powered drive assembly provides rotational torque about a rotational axis and the rotating disk has a centrally located non-circular cross-section engagement portion; and wherein the coating removal apparatus includes
- a coupling assembly attached to the rotating drive assembly for rotation therewith and having
- i. a corresponding non-circular cross-section drive surface positively coupled to the engagement portion of the disk in a circumferential direction about the rotational axis and loosely coupled to the engagement portion of the disk in an angular direction with respect to the rotational axis for positively rotating the disk about the rotational axis while simultaneously allowing angular deflection of the disk with respect to the rotational axis; and
- ii. a resilient member located adjacent the disk and biasing the planar abrasive surface of the disk to be generally perpendicular to the rotational axis in the absence of external forces on the disk and allowing the disk to deflect out of perpendicular with the axis when an external force offset from the axis is applied to the disk while still rotating the disk.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the abrasive surface of the disk comprises a plurality of abrasive coated filaments.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the resilient member comprises an O-ring.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the disk is allowed to deflect up to an angle of about 1.5 degrees out of perpendicular with the rotational axis.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the coupling assembly includes a drive nut having a non-circular drive surface.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the coupling assembly further includes a retaining nut, with the drive nut and the retaining nut located on opposite sides of the disk.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the retaining nut and the drive nut have opposed mating surfaces radially inward of the disk and each of the retaining nut and drive nut have a radially projecting flange with the flanges spaced apart by a predetermined distance when the opposed mating surfaces are in contact with each other.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the predetermined distance is greater than a thickness of the engagement portion of the disk.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the resilient member is an O-ring and one of the retaining nut and drive nut has an annular space for receiving and locating the O-ring adjacent the disk.
10. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the rotating disk moves in a range of about 780 to about 4200 surface feet per minute with respect to a surface on which a coating is to be removed.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the abrasive surface of the rotating disk moves in a range of about 1047 to about 2356 surface feet per minute with respect to the previously coated surface when in contact with the surface on which the coating is to be removed.
12. A coating removal apparatus for at least partially removing a coating from a previously coated surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a powered drive assembly having a housing;
- b. a rotating disk driven by the powered driving assembly and having a generally planar abrasive surface;
- c. a handle positionable to: i. a storage position adjacent the housing, and ii. an operating position generally perpendicular to the housing; and
- d. a lock and release mechanism operable to retain the handle in the operating position and to selectively permit release of the handle from the operating position to enable movement of the handle toward the storage position wherein the lock and release mechanism includes at least one pushbutton on the handle.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
- d. means for urging the handle towards the storage position.
14. (canceled)
15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the lock and release mechanism is further operable to retain the handle in the storage position and to selectively permit release of the handle from the storage position to enable movement of the handle toward the operating position.
16. (canceled)
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the pushbutton has a projection that moves with the handle and engages a first locking surface on the housing to lock the handle in the operating position.
18 The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the housing has a second locking surface positioned to engage the projection on the pushbutton to lock the handle in the storage position.
19 The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the handle further includes resilient biasing means for urging the pushbutton to a lock position in which the projection overlaps the second surface when the handle is moved to the operating position.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the pushbutton is manually movable from the lock position to a release position wherein the projection does not overlap with the second surface wherein the handle is released to move from the operating position toward the storage position.
21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the lock and release mechanism further includes a cam surface in the housing in contact with the projection of the pushbutton and operable to urge the handle towards the storage position when the handle is intermediate the operating and storage positions.
22. The apparatus of claim 12 where in the powered driving assembly rotates the rotating disk about a rotational axis and the operating position of the handle is generally perpendicular to the rotational axis.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the storage position of the handle is generally parallel to the rotational axis.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 17, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 23, 2007
Applicant: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation (Plymouth, MN)
Inventors: Jeffrey Jerdee (Brooklyn Park, MN), Victor Fageroos (Urbandale, IA), Michael Jones (Excelsior, MN), Paul Hatch (Chicago, IL), Christopher Barmore (Cambridge, MA), Gregory Reinecker (Chicago, IL)
Application Number: 11/356,904
International Classification: B24B 27/08 (20060101);