PROCESSING ELEMENT FOR PROCESSING A PROFILE-SHAPED OR FLAT METALLIC WORKPIECE AND WALL-SHAPED SUPPORTING DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF PROCESSING ELEMENTS MOUNTED THEREUPON

Abstract

A processing element for processing a profile-shaped or flat metallic workpiece, wherein the processing element is designed such that a plurality of similar processing elements can be arranged one behind the other on a supporting device in the longitudinal direction of the supporting device, wherein the supporting device can be driven in a circulating manner and the plurality of processing elements can be guided past the workpiece for surface processing at least approximately linearly by means of the supporting device. A rectangular or block-shaped main body having bearing surfaces for bearing on the supporting device is provided, and oblong ribs protruding outward in a web-like manner are provided on the main body on opposite flat longitudinal sides and overlap the corresponding opposite flat longitudinal sides of the main body on an identically embodied processing element, which is arranged between the ribs.

Claims

1. A processing element for processing a profile-shaped or flat metallic workpiece, wherein the processing element is designed such that a plurality of similar processing elements are arranged one behind the other on a supporting device in the longitudinal direction of the supporting device, wherein the supporting device can be driven in a circulating manner and the plurality of processing elements can be guided past the workpiece for surface processing at least approximately linearly by means of the supporting device, wherein the processing element has two protruding engagement portions on the front side and receiving portions formed on the rear side, wherein the engagement portions and the receiving portions cooperate in the mounted state of the processing element on the supporting device such that the engagement portions of one processing element come into contact with the receiving portions of a next processing element on the supporting device, so that a rotation of the processing elements transversely to the longitudinal direction of the supporting device is prevented, wherein a rectangular or block-shaped main body having bearing surfaces for bearing on the supporting device is provided, and wherein oblong ribs protruding outward in a web-like manner are provided on the main body on opposite flat longitudinal sides and overlap the corresponding opposite flat longitudinal sides of the main body on an identically embodied processing element, which is arranged between the ribs.

2. The processing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a receiving region with a recess for receiving a plurality of grinding means arranged upright therein.

3. The processing element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the receiving region of the processing element has a single continuous recess.

4. The processing element as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a laterally protruding receiving body on the main body, and including a receiving region with a recess for receiving a plurality of grinding members arranged upright therein.

5. The processing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs protrude beyond a front side of the main body to the front in a direction parallel to the bearing surface by a predefined overhang.

6. The processing element as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ribs protrude greater than 25% of the length of the main body.

7. The processing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs are omitted in a rear portion of the main body relative to a front side with protruding ribs so that the ribs of a processing element arranged identically therebehind can receive the main body between them.

8. The processing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs protrude on the front side substantially to exactly the same extent as that to which the ribs in the rear portion of the longitudinal side are not provided, such that, with processing elements arranged one behind the other and as a result of adjacently arranged processing elements, the ribs only have a gap equal to the distance at which the processing elements are mounted from one another.

9. The processing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shape of the front portion of the rib is matched to the shape on the rear end of the rib, such that the ribs of adjacent processing elements are arranged adjacently in a matching manner.

10. A belt-like supporting device having a multiplicity of processing elements as claimed in claim 1 mounted thereupon with grinding members arranged upright therein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] A plurality of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained in the figures in greater detail with specification of further advantages and details.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view obliquely from above of a processing belt having base supports of processing elements;

[0020] FIGS. 2a to 2e show a base support according to FIG. 1 in a perspective view (FIG. 2a), a plan view (FIG. 2b), a section along the line C-C in the plan view of FIG. 2b (FIG. 2c), a side view (FIG. 2d), and a rear view (FIG. 2e);

[0021] FIG. 2f shows a processing element in a perspective view;

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of a processing belt in a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1;

[0023] FIGS. 4a and 4b show a base support from the processing belt according to FIG. 3 in a plan view (FIG. 4a) and in a sectional view along the line of section A-A (FIG. 4b);

[0024] FIG. 5 shows two base supports from the processing belt according to FIG. 3 in a position assembled one behind the other in a plan view;

[0025] FIG. 5a shows the marked detail A in an enlarged view;

[0026] FIG. 5b shows the detail E marked in FIG. 5a in an enlarged view; and

[0027] FIGS. 6a and 6b show a processing element in a perspective view (FIG. 6a) and in an enlarged partial view of the detail B in FIG. 6a (FIG. 6b).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] In FIG. 1 a processing belt 1 with a supporting belt 2 and base supports 3 arranged thereupon for processing elements is illustrated, i.e. processing elements without grinding means fixed upright thereon, for example, abrasive sheets, which are each glued in place spaced apart from one another by one or more further layers.

[0029] The supporting belt 2 is formed, for example, on the inner side 4 as a multi-V-ribbed belt, intended for a corresponding driving wheel. On an outer side 5, there sit the base supports 3, which are preferably screwed from the inner side. For this purpose, the threaded hole (for example, see FIGS. 2a and 2c) extending continuously from an underside 7 (see FIG. 2c, for example) to an upper side 8 of the base support 3 is visible in a receiving region 6 of the base support 3.

[0030] The base support 3 comprises, as is visible, in particular, from FIG. 2, a main body 10, which is block-shaped in the embodiment of the base support 3.

[0031] A receiving body 11 is arranged on the main body 3 protruding laterally beyond the main body 10. A receiving region 12 having a recess 12a for receiving a plurality of grinding means (not illustrated) arranged upright therein is provided on the receiving body 11.

[0032] In order to ensure that the grinding means can be fixed in a predefined manner in the receiving region 12 of the receiving body 11, the receiving region 12 has a circumferential frame 12b around the recess 12a.

[0033] The frame 12b, for example, comprises a plurality of vertically extending wall portions.

[0034] Ribs 13, 14 are formed on the main body 10 and protrude via a predefined overhang of, for example, 10 to 30 mm beyond a front side 15 (see FIG. 2a) in a direction, in particular, parallel to the bearing surface 5 of the supporting belt 2, based on a mounted state.

[0035] The ribs 13, 14 are guided further over a part of flat longitudinal sides 17, 18.

[0036] However, the ribs 13, 14 are omitted in a rear portion 19, 20 (see FIG. 2b, in particular) relative to the front side 15. The ribs of a processing element or base support 3 arranged identically therebehind can thus receive the main body 10 between them.

[0037] As can be seen, in particular, from FIG. 1, ribs 13, 14 protrude on the front side 15 substantially to an extent exactly the same as that to which the ribs 13, 14 are omitted in rear portions 19, 20, such that, with base supports 3 arranged one behind the other, the ribs 13, 14 preferably have only a gap 11 equal to the distance, of dimension b, defined between the base supports 3 and adjacently arranged processing supports 3.

[0038] In this way, the possibilities of guidance by adjacently arranged base supports is utilized to the maximum.

[0039] In FIG. 2f a complete processing element 3a is illustrated. It comprises the base support 3 and a grinding arrangement 3b. The grinding arrangement 3b comprises a plurality of grinding sheet layers 3c, for example, seven layers each formed of a plurality of, for example, four grinding sheets 3d. An abrasive side 3e of the grinding sheets 3d points in each case in a direction, specifically a grinding direction 3f, which corresponds to the direction of movement of the supporting belt 2 with processing elements 3a mounted thereon.

[0040] One or more grinding fleece layers, in the present case two grinding fleece layers 3g, 3h, are arranged between the individual grinding sheet layers 3c and serve as protective layers for the grinding sheets 3d. Other types of supporting layers, which, for example, have a fleece character, are also conceivable. As also illustrated in FIG. 2f, the grinding sheets 3d preferably protrude beyond the grinding fleece layers 3g, 3h.

[0041] In order to achieve a high flexibility, the grinding fleece layers 3g and 3h are preferably formed by individual grinding fleece portions 3i separate from one another, such that a plurality of adjacently arranged grinding fleece portions 3i divided in a vertical direction form the grinding fleece layers 3g and 3h. The grinding fleece portions, as considered in a width direction 3k, preferably have the same division as the grinding sheets 3d, such that an individual grinding sheet 3d can yield upon contact with a workpiece that is to be ground, as a result of the grinding fleece portions 3i arranged therebehind being pressed together, without this compression being transmitted to adjacent grinding sheets of the grinding fleece portions 3i.

[0042] The grinding arrangement 3b formed of grinding sheet layers 3c and grinding fleece layers 3g, 3h are glued, for example, in the receiving region 12 of the receiving body 12.

[0043] A further embodiment of a processing belt 21 is illustrated in FIG. 3. The supporting belt 2 corresponds to that from FIG. 1. The base supports 22 differ, however, from the base supports 3. In this embodiment a receiving region 24 having a recess 24a is provided directly on a main body 23. The base of the recess 24a has a multiplicity of indentations 24b, 24c, 24d and 24e.

[0044] The indentations can be used, for example, to provide an improved hold for adhesives or casting materials with which grinding means are fixed in the recess 24a.

[0045] The main body 23 also has a threaded hole 9 in order to enable the mounting of the base support 22 with grinding means on the supporting belt 2 on a bearing surface 16.

[0046] The base supports 3, 22 preferably sit directly on the bearing surface 16 of the supporting belt in the fixed state.

[0047] Since they have a central fastening via the threaded hole 9, they can be removed from the bearing surface 16 in the event of a bending of the supporting belt 2, in particular, in the region of a driving wheel (not illustrated), such that the supporting belt 2 can continue to run in a manner uninfluenced by the rigid base supports 3, 22, even in the curved regions.

[0048] The base supports 22 have ribs 27, 28 on longitudinal sides 25, 26, which ribs protrude beyond a front side 29 with an overhang of, for example, 10 to 30 mm, and in the present case 20 mm. The distances 1 between the ribs (see FIG. 5) correspond substantially to the distances b between the main bodies 23.

[0049] The ribs 27, 28 have, in their front portion 27a or 28a, a shape which is matched to the shape at the rear end 27b or 28b of the rib, such that the ribs 27, 28 of adjacent processing elements or base supports are arranged adjacently in a matching manner in the case of identical processing elements or base supports (see FIG. 5a, in particular).

[0050] A further detail can be seen in FIGS. 5a and 5b. At the transition of the rib 28 on the front side 29 of the main body 23, a bead-like material portion 30 is provided in order to enable an optimized flow of force in respect of applied forces, whereby the risk of a crack between the particular rib 27, 28 and the corresponding longitudinal side 25, 26 or the front side 29 is reduced.

[0051] FIG. 6a shows a complete processing element 22a with a base support 22b which corresponds substantially to the base support 22. Only the ribs 22c and a front side 22d are formed slightly differently.

[0052] In particular, the front side 2d has a front wall 22e which is lower compared to a front side of the base support 22.

[0053] A plurality of grinding sheet layers 22g and a plurality of grinding fleece layers 22h are combined in a grinding arrangement 22m in a receiving region 22f.

[0054] As is the case with the processing element 3a, the grinding sheet layers 22g are composed of individual grinding sheets 22i and the grinding fleece layers 22h are composed of individual grinding fleece portions 22k. In the embodiment according to FIGS. 6a and 6b, the division is such that two grinding sheets 22i sit in front of a grinding fleece portion 22k as considered in the processing direction 3f.

[0055] The grinding fleece portions 22k have approximately the same height as the grinding sheets 22i, but are provided with a chamfer 22l on one side. The grinding arrangement 22m is thus able to adapt better to workpieces that are to be processed, due to a greater mechanical flexibility of a front region 22n of the grinding arrangement 22m.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0056] 1 processing belt [0057] 2 supporting belt [0058] 3 base support [0059] 3a processing element [0060] 3b grinding arrangement [0061] 3c grinding sheet layer [0062] 3d grinding sheet [0063] 3e abrasive side [0064] 3f grinding direction [0065] 3g grinding fleece layer [0066] 3h grinding fleece layer [0067] 3i grinding fleece portion [0068] 3k width direction [0069] 4 inner side [0070] 5 outer side [0071] 6 receiving region [0072] 7 underside [0073] 8 upper side [0074] 9 threaded hole [0075] 10 main body [0076] 11 receiving body [0077] 12 receiving region [0078] 12a recess [0079] 12b frame [0080] 13 rib [0081] 14 rib [0082] 15 front side [0083] 16 bearing surface [0084] 17 longitudinal side [0085] 18 longitudinal side [0086] 19 portion [0087] 20 portion [0088] 21 processing belt [0089] 22 base support [0090] 22a processing element [0091] 22b base support [0092] 22c rib [0093] 22d front side [0094] 22e front wall [0095] 22f receiving region [0096] 22g grinding sheet layer [0097] 22i grinding sheet [0098] 22k grinding fleece portion [0099] 22l chamfer [0100] 22m grinding arrangement [0101] 23 main body [0102] 24 receiving region [0103] 24a recess [0104] 24b indentation [0105] 24c indentation [0106] 24d indentation [0107] 24e indentation [0108] 25 longitudinal side [0109] 26 longitudinal side [0110] 27 rib [0111] 27a front portion [0112] 27b rear side [0113] 28 rib [0114] 28a front portion [0115] 28b rear end [0116] 29 front side [0117] 30 bead-like material portion