Rotary buffer
A rotary buffer for buffing and polishing concave surfaces. The rotary buffer includes a malleable cone, a cone shaft, and a mounting shaft. The mounting shaft is configured to be received in a chuck of a rotary power tool. The cone and cone shaft work in conjunction with one another to absorb impact from a surface being buffed and polished and to prevent the rotary buffer from bouncing.
Rotary buffing pads for attachment to air or power tools (e.g., an electric drill) are known in the art. Rotary buffing pads generally are circular and have a relatively large diameter (e.g., 12 inches). The rotary buffing pads are able to polish and buff large, flat surfaces quickly. However, the rotary buffing pads cannot access non-flat surfaces (e.g., small apertures or concave surfaces) such as found on high end automobile wheels. Therefore, these non-flat surfaces must be polished and buffed by hand. What is needed is a rotary buffer capable of buffing non-flat surfaces.
SUMMARYThe present invention relates to rotary buffing and polishing tools.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a rotary buffer including a first assembly, a second assembly, a cone, a buffing pad. The first assembly includes a first shaft and a head, the first shaft configured to be received in a chuck of a power tool. The second assembly is coupled to the head and has a base and a second shaft. The cone is coupled to the base and supported by the second shaft and the buffing pad is coupled to the cone.
In another embodiment the invention provides a buffer for buffing concave surfaces. The buffer includes a cone, a buffing pad coupled to the cone and configured to contact a concave surface to be buffed, a mount adapted to receive the cone, the mount including a first shaft configured to support the cone and adapted to reduce stress at an adhesion point, and a second shaft coupled to the first shaft and adapted for insertion into a rotary device.
In another embodiment the invention provides a method of constructing a rotary buffer. The method comprises machining a first base including a first shaft and a head, overmolding a mount onto the head, the mount including a second base and a second shaft, curing a cone onto the mount, sewing a buffing material into a backing material to form a buffing pad, and gluing the buffing pad to the cone.
In another embodiment the invention provides power tool comprising a chuck, a handle, a rotary driver adapted to translate a received energy into a rotational force at the chuck, and a rotary buffer. The rotary buffer includes a first assembly having a first shaft and a head, the first shaft configured to be received in the chuck, a second assembly coupled to the head, the second assembly having a base and a second shaft, a cone coupled to the base and supported by the second shaft, and a buffing pad coupled to the cone.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
The cone mount base 135 has a thickness sufficient to hold the base 105 and a diameter sized to support a size of cone 115 desired. For example, the thickness of the cone mount base 105 can be between 0.25 inches and 0.5 inches. As another example, a diameter of the cone 115 at the cone mount base 105 can be between 1.0 inches and 2.5 inches.
In another construction, the cone mount 110 and cone shaft 140 can be integrally constructed with the base 105. The base 105 can be made larger to replicate the size of the cone mount 110 and the mounting shaft 125 can be extended to form the cone shaft 140.
Because the cone mount 110 is over-molded over the base 105, the base 105 and the cone mount 110 are adhered to remain secured together during operation of the rotary buffer 100. In other constructions, the base 105 and the cone mount 110 can be joined via other means including an adhesive and welding.
In the construction shown in
In other constructions, the cone 115 is manufactured separate from the cone mount 110. In this construction, an adhesive is applied to the cone mount 110 and the cone shaft 140. The cone 115 is mounted on the cone mount 110 and the cone shaft 140. The base of the cone 115 is substantially equal in diameter to the cone mount. The height of the cone 115 extends a distance beyond an end of the cone shaft 140. For example, the cone 115 can be 2.5 inches high with a 2.125 inch base 105 and a 2.1 inch cone shaft 140 or the cone 115 can be 1.75 inches high with a 1.25 inch base 105 and a 1.4 inch cone shaft 140.
The density of the cone 115 makes the cone 115 malleable and works in conjunction with the cone shaft 140 to absorb impact from the surface being buffed and polished and to prevent bouncing during buffing and polishing. The cone shaft 140 also provides support for the application of pivotal and rotational forces during buffing and polishing. In one construction, the urethane foam of the cone 115 has a Durometer reading of 30 to 45. Other constructions of the cone 115 can have Durometer readings of 25 to 50 or 20 to 55.
With reference to
The buffing pad 120 is wrapped around the cone 115 and attached to the cone 115 using an adhesive, such as hot melt glue. The type and amount of hot melt glue used is chosen based on its rate of absorption into the cone 115 and its hardness when dried. The hot melt glue provides sufficient adhesion to ensure that the buffing pad 120 does not separate from the cone 115 during operation. In addition, the hot melt glue cannot be too hard or it may offset the buffering effect of the cone 115. Also, if the hot melt glue is too brittle, it may crack and eventually lead to separation of the buffing pad 120 from the cone 115.
Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A rotary buffer comprising:
- a first assembly having a first shaft and a head, the first shaft configured to be received in a chuck of a power tool;
- a second assembly coupled to the head, the second assembly having a base and a second shaft;
- a cone coupled to the base and supported by the second shaft; and
- a buffing pad coupled to the cone.
2. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the cone is constructed of urethane foam.
3. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the cone has a Durometer density of 30-45.
4. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the cone absorbs an impact from a surface being buffed.
5. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the second shaft reduces a deformation of the cone when a force is applied to the cone.
6. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the second shaft reduces a stress on an adhesion point of the cone and the base when a force is applied to the cone.
7. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the rotary buffer rotates at a speed of 100 to 2500 rotations per minute.
8. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the buffing pad is constructed of at least one of twisted wool, natural lambs wool, wool blends, synthetic blends, wool silk blends microfiber, and fiberal wool felt blends.
9. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the second shaft is tapered.
10. The rotary buffer of claim 1 wherein the first assembly is constructed of steel.
11. The rotarty buffer of claim 1 wherein the second assembly is constructed of polypropylene and is over-molded over portions of the first assembly.
12. A buffer for buffing concave surfaces, the buffer comprising:
- a cone;
- a buffing pad coupled to the cone and configured to contact a concave surface to be buffed;
- a mount adapted to receive the cone, the mount including a first shaft configured to support the cone and adapted to reduce stress at an adhesion point; and
- a second shaft coupled to the first shaft and adapted for insertion into a rotary device.
13. The buffer of claim 12 wherein the cone is adapted to absorb impacts from the concave surface and prevent the buffer from bouncing.
14. The buffer of claim 12 wherein the first shaft is tapered.
15. A method of constructing a rotary buffer, the method comprising:
- machining a first base including a first shaft and a head;
- overmolding a mount onto the head, the mount including a second base and a second shaft;
- curing a cone onto the mount;
- sewing a buffing material into a backing material to form a buffing pad; and
- gluing the buffing pad to the cone.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the cone is constructed of urethane foam.
17. The method of claim 15 and further comprising suspending the second shaft in a liquid urethane foam.
18. A power tool comprising:
- a chuck;
- a handle;
- a rotary driver adapted to translate a received energy into a rotational force at the chuck; and
- a rotary buffer including a first assembly having a first shaft and a head, the first shaft configured to be received in the chuck, a second assembly coupled to the head, the second assembly having a base and a second shaft, a cone coupled to the base and supported by the second shaft, and a buffing pad coupled to the cone.
19. The power tool of claim 18 wherein the cone is adapted to absorb impacts from the concave surface and prevent the buffer from bouncing.
20. The power tool of claim 18 wherein the second shaft reduces a deformation of the cone when a force is applied to the cone.
21. The power tool of claim 18 wherein the second shaft reduces a stress on an adhesion point of the cone and the base when a force is applied to the cone.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 3, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 3, 2008
Inventors: Wade Joseph Carrell (Lodi, WI), Albert Daniel Walters (Springboro, OH), Gary Michael Elmer (Oregon, WI)
Application Number: 11/542,372
International Classification: B24D 13/02 (20060101);