A grinding tool, in particular a diamond cup wheel, includes at least one main body, which has at least one connection region and at least one contact region, the contact region at least substantially completely surrounding the connection region when viewed in at least one main extension plane of the main body. The grinding tool further includes a plurality of grinding elements, which are arranged on the main body. The main body delimits a plurality of suction openings which, when viewed along a circumferential direction of the main body, are each arranged between at least two grinding elements of the plurality of grinding elements.

A grinding tool, in particular a diamond cup wheel, includes at least one main body, which has at least one connection region and at least one contact region, the contact region at least substantially completely surrounding the connection region when viewed in at least one main extension plane of the main body. The grinding tool further includes a plurality of grinding elements, which are arranged on the main body. The main body delimits a plurality of suction openings which, when viewed along a circumferential direction of the main body, are each arranged between at least two grinding elements of the plurality of grinding elements.

A grinding apparatus includes a table that holds a workpiece, and a grinding unit including a grinding wheel mounted to a spindle. The grinding wheel has a grindstone formed by binding abrasive grains with a bonding agent. In addition, the grinding apparatus further includes: a supply unit that supplies grinding water to at least the grindstone when grinding the workpiece; and a light applying unit that is disposed adjacent to the table and that applies light to a grinding surface of the grindstone grinding the workpiece held by the table. The light applying unit includes a light emission section that emits light, and a diffusion preventive wall that surrounds the light emission section and prevents diffusion of the light.

A grinding apparatus includes a table that holds a workpiece, and a grinding unit including a grinding wheel mounted to a spindle. The grinding wheel has a grindstone formed by binding abrasive grains with a bonding agent. In addition, the grinding apparatus further includes: a supply unit that supplies grinding water to at least the grindstone when grinding the workpiece; and a light applying unit that is disposed adjacent to the table and that applies light to a grinding surface of the grindstone grinding the workpiece held by the table. The light applying unit includes a light emission section that emits light, and a diffusion preventive wall that surrounds the light emission section and prevents diffusion of the light.

A grinding wheel includes a plurality of grinding stone groups arranged in an annular array, each of the grinding stone groups including at least three grinding stone segments having different thicknesses which include a smallest thickness, an intermediate thickness, and a largest thickness. The grinding stone segments in each of the grinding stone groups are successively arranged in the order of the grinding stone segment having the smallest thickness, the grinding stone segment having the intermediate thickness, and the grinding stone segment having the largest thickness, with uniform gaps left therebetween. The grinding stone segments in the grinding stone groups have respective radially inner edges aligned with each other in an annular shape.

A grinding wheel includes an annular base having a free end portion and a plurality of segment grindstones fixed on the free end portion of the annular base in a state of being spaced from one another in a circumferential direction. The plurality of segment grindstones are divided into a plurality of grindstone groups each including a predetermined number of segment grindstones. Each of the segment grindstones included in each of the grindstone groups has a grinding surface formed into a rectangular shape having a long side and a short side. The segment grindstones of the grindstone group are sequentially fixed on the free end portion of the annular base from an outer circumferential side toward an inner circumferential side such that directions in which the long sides of the segment grindstones extend are changed from the circumferential direction to a diametric direction of the free end portion.

A method of fabricating a grinding tool includes providing an abrasive particle, and cutting the abrasive particle with a laser beam so that the cut abrasive particle has four tips adjacent to one another, a cavity of a generally cross shape extending between the four tips, and a material discharge surface at an end of the cavity. The laser beam is applied along a plurality of parallel first cutting lines and a plurality of parallel second cutting lines, the second cutting lines intersecting the first cutting lines, at least the first cutting lines being grouped into a first, a second and a third region, the second region being located between the first and third regions, a number of cutting passes repeated along each of the first cutting lines in each of the first and third regions increasing as the first cutting line is nearer to the second region, and the laser beam repeating a plurality of cutting passes along each of the first cutting lines in the second region.

A floor polishing or grinding pad assembly is provided. In one aspect, a polishing or grinding pad assembly employs a fibrous pad, a reinforcement layer or ring, and multiple floor-contacting disks. In another aspect, the reinforcement layer includes a central hole through which the fibrous pad is accessible and the fibrous pad at the hole has a linear dimension greater than a linear dimension of one side of the adjacent reinforcement layer. In yet another aspect, at least one of the floor-contacting disks has an angle offset from that of a base surface of the disk, the fibrous pad and/or the reinforcement layer. A further aspect employs a smaller set of disks alternating between and/or offset from a larger set of the disks. In another aspect, the reinforcement layer includes a wavy or undulating internal edge shape.

A floor polishing or grinding pad assembly is provided. In one aspect, a polishing or grinding pad assembly employs a fibrous pad, a reinforcement layer or ring, and multiple floor-contacting disks. In another aspect, the reinforcement layer includes a central hole through which the fibrous pad is accessible and the fibrous pad at the hole has a linear dimension greater than a linear dimension of one side of the adjacent reinforcement layer. In yet another aspect, at least one of the floor-contacting disks has an angle offset from that of a base surface of the disk, the fibrous pad and/or the reinforcement layer. A further aspect employs a smaller set of disks alternating between and/or offset from a larger set of the disks. In another aspect, the reinforcement layer includes a wavy or undulating internal edge shape.

A drive plate attachable to a driven shaft of a floor-finishing machine has a central circular recess and a plurality of radially extending pockets having beveled side edges formed in a surface thereof. Located in the pocket is a rectangular stabilizing bar. The abrasive tool includes a plate sized and shaped to fit into the pockets when inserted from the central recess and having a groove formed therein for receiving the stabilizing bar. On the surface of the tool plate opposite the groove are abrasive members.