Abrasive disc with universal hole pattern

Abstract

An abrasive disc for use with a sanding tool having a plurality of dust collection holes includes a hole pattern consisting of six openings arranged for substantial alignment with the dust collection holes provided in the sanding tool.

Claims

1. A circular abrasive disc adapted for use with a first sanding tool having five dust collection holes and for use with a second sanding tool having eight dust collection holes, the circular abrasive disc defining precisely six openings, the six openings comprising a first circular opening, a second enlarged circular opening arranged 180 degrees from the first circular opening, a first pair of elongated openings arranged on opposite sides of the first circular opening, and a second pair of elongated openings having a size greater than the first pair of elongated openings arranged on opposite sides of the enlarged circular opening and between the enlarged circular opening and the first pair of elongated openings, wherein a major axis of a first one of the second pair of elongated openings intersects a major axis of a second one of the second pair of elongated openings at a location adjacent the second enlarged circular opening in a direction opposite the first circular opening.

2. The circular abrasive disc of claim 1, wherein the first circular opening has a size that generally corresponds to a size of a dust collection hole provided in a sanding tool or back-up pad.

3. The circular abrasive disc of claim 1, wherein the first and second circular openings are bisected by an axis about which a hole pattern defined by the six openings is symmetrical.

4. The circular abrasive disc of claim 1, wherein the radius of the semi-circular ends of the elongated openings generally corresponds to the radius of the first circular opening, and further wherein the radius of the first circular opening is less than the radius of the second circular opening, whereby the first and second circular openings are readily visually distinguishable, and the second circular opening serves as an alignment hole.

5. The circular abrasive disc of claim 1, wherein the four elongated openings are defined by a pair of parallel side walls connected by symmetric semi-circular ends.

6. The circular abrasive disc of claim 5, wherein the first pair of the elongated openings have the same area, the second pair of elongated openings have the same area, and wherein the area of the first pair of elongated openings is different from the area of the second pair of elongated openings.

7. A circular abrasive disc of claim 6, wherein the area of the first pair of elongated openings is less than the area of the second pair of elongated openings.

8. A circular abrasive disc defining precisely six openings, the six openings comprising a first circular opening, a second enlarged circular opening arranged 180 degrees from the first circular opening, a first pair of elongated openings arranged on opposite sides of the first circular opening, and a second pair of elongated openings having a size greater than the first pair of elongated openings arranged on opposite sides of the enlarged circular opening and between the enlarged circular opening and the first pair of elongated openings, wherein a major axis of a first one of the second pair of elongated openings intersects a major axis of a second one of the second pair of elongated openings at a location adjacent the second enlarged circular opening in a direction opposite the first circular opening, and wherein the first and second circular openings are bisected by an axis about which a hole pattern defined by the six openings is symmetrical.

9. The circular abrasive disc of claim 8, wherein the disc is adapted for use with a first sanding tool having five dust collection holes and for use with a second sanding tool having eight dust collection holes, the circular abrasive disc.

10. The circular abrasive disc of claim 8, wherein the first circular opening has a size that generally corresponds to a size of a dust collection hole provided in a sanding tool or back-up pad.

11. The circular abrasive disc of claim 8, wherein the radius of the semi-circular ends of the elongated openings generally corresponds to the radius of the first circular opening, and further wherein the radius of the first circular opening is less than the radius of the second circular opening, whereby the first and second circular openings are readily visually distinguishable, and the second circular opening serves as an alignment hole.

12. The circular abrasive disc of claim 8, wherein the four elongated openings are defined by a pair of parallel side walls connected by symmetric semi-circular ends.

13. The circular abrasive disc of claim 12, wherein the first pair of the elongated openings have the same area, the second pair of elongated openings have the same area, and wherein the area of the first pair of elongated openings is different from the area of the second pair of elongated openings.

14. The circular abrasive disc of claim 13, wherein the area of the first pair of elongated openings is less than the area of the second pair of elongated openings.

15. The circular abrasive disc of claim 9, wherein the disc, when installed on the second tool having an eight hole dust collection system, allows substantially all eight holes in the tool to remain exposed.

16. The circular abrasive disc of claim 8, wherein the disc includes a center point, and wherein the openings are arranged so that each opening is intersected by an arc having a radius circumscribing the center point.

17. A sanding tool comprising: a dust collection system on a mounting surface, the system including either a five hole dust collection pattern or an eight hole dust collection pattern; and a circular abrasive disc defining precisely six openings, the six openings comprising a first circular opening, a second enlarged circular opening arranged 180 degrees from the first circular opening, a first pair of elongated openings arranged on opposite sides of the first circular opening, and a second pair of elongated openings having a size greater than the first pair of elongated openings arranged on opposite sides of the enlarged circular opening and between the enlarged circular opening and the first pair of elongated openings, wherein a major axis of a first one of the second pair of elongated openings intersects a major axis of a second one of the second pair of elongated openings at a location adjacent the second enlarged circular opening in a direction opposite the first circular opening, and wherein the first and second circular openings are bisected by an axis about which a hole pattern defined by the six openings is symmetrical.

18. The sanding tool of claim 17, wherein the first circular opening has a size that corresponds to a size of a dust collection hole in the dust collection system.

19. The sanding tool of claim 17, wherein the system includes a five hole dust collection pattern.

20. The sanding tool of claim 17, wherein the system includes an eight hole dust collection pattern.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a back-up pad having a five hole dust collection system according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 is a plan view of a back-up pad having an eight hole dust collection system according to the prior art;

(4) FIG. 3 is a plan view of an abrasive disc having six openings according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a plan view of the abrasive disc of FIG. 3 attached to a sanding tool having the five hole dust collection system of FIG. 1 such that the openings in the abrasive disc are in proper alignment with the dust collection holes in the sanding tool;

(6) FIG. 5 is a plan view of the abrasive disc of FIG. 3 installed on a sanding tool having the five hole dust collection system of FIG. 1 such that the openings in the abrasive disc are not in proper alignment with the dust collection holes in the sanding tool; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a plan view of the abrasive disc of FIG. 3 installed on a sanding tool having the eight hole dust collection hole pattern of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 3 shows an abrasive disc 10 for use with a hand-held power sanding tool having a plurality of dust collection holes 4, 8 such as the five hole dust collection hole pattern shown in FIG. 1, or the eight hole dust collection hole pattern shown in FIG. 2. The abrasive disc 10 may be, for example, the standard five inch disc having a nominal five inch diameter that is commonly used with orbital or random orbit sanders.

(9) Effective functioning of a dust collection system does not require 100 percent alignment between the openings in the abrasive disc and the dust collection holes in the sanding tool, thereby resulting in 100 percent exposure of the dust collection holes. Rather, it has been found that alignment resulting in exposure of 75 percent or greater of the dust collection hole open area is generally acceptable for efficient operation of a dust collection system.

(10) In accordance with a characterizing aspect of the abrasive disc 10, the abrasive disc 10 is provided with a universal hole pattern 12 defined by six openings 14 that can be arranged in substantial alignment with the dust collection holes 4, 8 provided in a sanding tool or back-up pad. That is, the six openings 14 of the abrasive disc 10 can be aligned with the dust collection holes 4, 8 of the sanding tool so that at least about 75 percent of the open area of the dust collection holes 4, 8 is exposed. In this manner, the six openings 14 provide sufficient open area for the dust collection holes 4, 8 to allow the dust collection system to perform in an acceptable manner.

(11) In the illustrated embodiment, the abrasive disc 10 hole pattern 12 consists of six openings 14 that can be arranged in substantial overlapping relation with the five or eight hole dust collection hole patterns shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. That is, the six openings 14 are configured to be aligned with dust collection holes 4, 8 of a sanding tool so that a functional amount of the dust collection holes 4, 8 is exposed and available for dust collection. In the illustrated embodiment, the hole pattern 12 contains precisely six openings (i.e. no more and no less). In other embodiments, the abrasive disc 10 may include additional openings that do not materially affect the dust collecting capability of the sanding tool, such as small apertures, perforations, or openings that are not configured for alignment with the dust collection holes 4, 8 of the sanding tool, and do not otherwise impact the dust collecting capability of the sanding tool.

(12) Referring to FIG. 3, in the illustrated embodiment, the abrasive disc 10 includes a first circular opening 16, a second circular opening 18 arranged 180 degrees from the first circular opening 16, a first pair of elongated openings 20, 22 arranged on opposite sides of the first circular opening 16, and a second pair of elongated openings 24, 26 arranged on opposite sides of the enlarged circular opening 18 and between the enlarged circular opening 18 and the first pair of elongated openings 20, 22. That is, the abrasive disc 10 includes a pair of diametrically opposed circular openings 16, 18, and four elongated openings 20, 22, 24, 26 symmetrically arranged between the circular openings 16, 18.

(13) To ensure there is a suitable amount of material between the openings 14, the distance D.sub.1 between the first circular opening 16 and the first elongated openings 20, 22 is generally at least equal to the diameter D.sub.2 of the first circular opening 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the distance D.sub.3 between the first elongated openings 20, 22 and the second elongated openings 24, 26, and the distance D.sub.4 between the second elongated openings 24, 26 and the second circular opening 18, is generally at least 1.5 times the diameter D.sub.2 of the first circular opening 16.

(14) The six openings 14 are arranged around a center point 28 such that each opening 14 includes a portion spaced the same radial distance 30 from the center point 28. That is, the openings 14 are spaced generally equidistant from the center point 28. Or stated another way, the openings 14 are arranged so that each opening 14 is intersected by an arc having a radius 30 circumscribing the center point 28.

(15) In the illustrated embodiment, the first circular opening 16 has a size that generally corresponds to the size of a dust collection holes 4, 8 provided in the sanding tool or back-up pad, and the diameter of the first circular opening 16 is smaller than the diameter of the second circular opening 18. In this manner, the first and second circular openings 16, 18 are readily visually distinguishable. As described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the visual distinction between the first and second circular openings 16, 18 allows the second circular opening 18 to be used as an alignment guide that ensures the abrasive disc 10 is oriented properly when it is affixed to a dust collection system having the standard five hole dust collection hole pattern.

(16) Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, having the circular openings 16, 18 be readily visually distinguishable allows one of the openingsis this case opening 18to be used as a guide when the abrasive disc 10 is attached to the sanding tool, thereby ensuring proper alignment between the five holes 4 of the dust collection system illustrated in FIG. 1, and the six openings 14 in the abrasive disc 10. That is, as shown in FIG. 4which generally illustrates the six opening hole pattern of FIG. 3 overlaying a sanding tool or back-up pad having the five hole pattern shown in FIG. 1when the second circular opening 18 is aligned with any one of the five dust collection holes 4 in the sanding tool, the remaining openings 14 in the abrasive disc 10 will be generally aligned with the holes 4 in the sanding tool.

(17) On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, if the first circular opening 16 is aligned with one of the five dust collection holes in the sanding tool (rather than the second circular opening 18), then the remaining openings in the abrasive disc 10 will be conspicuously out of alignment with the remaining duct collection holes 4 in the sanding tool. That is, the abrasive disc 10 will substantially cover, or block, the remaining four holes 4 of the dust collection system. This provides the user with an immediate indication that the abrasive disc 10 is not properly attached to the sanding tool.

(18) FIG. 6 shows the abrasive disc 10 installed on a sanding tool or back-up pad having the eight hole dust collection hole pattern illustrated in FIG. 2. When installed on an eight hole dust collection system, the six opening pattern of the abrasive disc 10 allows substantially all eight holes 8 in the sanding tool/back-up pad to remain exposed. In addition, because the eight hole pattern is perfectly symmetric (i.e. it appears identical regardless of its orientation, and each hole includes a diametrically opposed hole), the abrasive disc 10 will be properly aligned with the eight hole pattern regardless of whether the first circular opening 16 or the second circular opening 18 is used to align the abrasive disc on the sanding tool/back-up pad.

(19) Referring again to FIG. 3, in the illustrated embodiment, the hole pattern 12 is symmetric about an axis Y defined by a line drawn between the center of each of the first and second circular openings 16, 18. The first pair of elongated openings 20, 22 have generally matching geometries (i.e. similar, or identical, sizes and shapes). In addition, the second pair of elongated openings 24, 26 have generally matching geometries. However, the geometry of the first pair of elongated openings 20, 22 differs from the geometry of the second pair of elongated openings 24, 26. That is, the first pair of the elongated openings 20, 22 have the same area, and the second pair of elongated openings 24, 26 have the same area, but the area of the first pair of elongated openings 20, 22 is less than the area of the second pair of elongated openings 24, 26. More specifically, the second elongated openings 24, 26 are generally at least two times as long as the first elongated openings 20, 22.

(20) Each of the elongated openings 20, 22, 24, 26 may be provided in a variety of noncircular shapes and sizes suitable to provide the desired degree of overlap with the dust collection holes 4, 8 in the sanding tool. However, for ease of production, it is generally desirable that each of the elongated openings 20, 22, 24, 26 have a relatively simple shape, such as the rectangular body with arcuate ends shown. More particularly, each of the first elongated openings 20, 22 include parallel side walls 20a, 20b and symmetric arcuate ends 20c, 20d in the form of semi-circles. (For simplicity, only first elongated opening 20 and second elongated opening 24 are shown and described in detail, it being understood that first elongated opening 22 and second elongated opening 26 are similar to elongated openings 20 and 24, respectively). Similarly, second elongated opening 24 included parallel side walls 24a, 24b and symmetric arcuate ends 24c, 24d in the form of semi-circles.

(21) In more specific aspects, the abrasive disc 10 may have a first circular opening 16 having a diameter D.sub.2 of at least about 0.33 inches (7.62 mm), at least about 0.35 inches (8.89 mm), or at least about 0.37 inches (9.4 mm), and a diameter D.sub.2 of no greater than about 0.4 inches (10.16 mm), no greater than about 0.45 inches (11.43 mm), or no greater than about 0.5 inches (12.7 mm). The second circular opening 18 may have a diameter D.sub.8 of at least about 0.35 inches (8.89 mm), at least about 0.4 inches (10.16 mm), or at least about 0.45 inches (11.43 mm), and a diameter D.sub.8 of no greater than about 0.8 inches (20.32 mm), no greater than about 0.7 inches (17.78 mm), or no greater than about 0.6 inches (15.24 mm). The first pair of elongated openings 20, 22 may have a length D.sub.6 of at least about 0.5 inches (12.7 mm), 0.55 inches (13.97 mm), 0.6 inches (15.24 mm), and a length D.sub.6 of no greater than about 1.0 inches (25.4 mm), 0.9 inches (22.86 mm), 0.8 inches (20.32 mm). The second pair of elongated openings 24, 26 may have a length D.sub.7 of at least about 1.0 inches (25.4 mm), at least about 1.2 inches (30.48 mm), or at least about 1.3 inches (33.02 mm), and a length D.sub.7 of no greater than about 2.0 inches (50.8 mm), no greater than about 1.7 inches (43.18 mm), or no greater than about 1.6 inches (40.64 mm).

(22) Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that various changes and modifications may be made to the invention described above without deviating from the inventive concept. For example, in the embodiments shown and described herein, the abrasive disc was depicted as a five inch circular disc. Other sizes and shapes, however, are considered within the slope of this disclosure. Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the structures described in this application, but only by the structures described by the language of the claims and the equivalents of those structures.