Link elements for improved flexible abrasive cutting tools

A chain comprising:

• a plurality of elements configured to perform abrasive cutting, each element of the plurality of elements comprising a first sidewall comprising a first protruding member, a second sidewall comprising a second protruding member, and an outer surface extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, wherein the outer surface is a cutting surface, the first protruding member comprises a first ramped portion, and the second protruding member comprises a second ramped portion, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall are spaced apart and are connected by the cutting surface, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are longer than the cutting surface, wherein the first ramped portion of the first side wall and second ramped portion of the second side wall extend beyond the cutting surface to form an element slot between the first ramped portion and the second ramped portion that is adjacent to the cutting surface and open on an outer top side of each element, the outer top side being opposite an inner bar interface side of each element of the plurality of elements;
• a plurality of link elements, each link element comprising a first side member and a second side member, the first side member and the second side member of each link element defining surfaces upon which a respective element of the plurality of elements is disposed;
• and
• connecting elements that join the link elements together and have a rounded form, wherein each connecting element extends into a respective slot formed between the first side member and the second side member of a respective link element and each connecting element extends into a respective element slot formed between the first ramped portion of the first sidewall and the second ramped portion of the second sidewall of a respective element of the plurality of elements such that the connecting element extends through the respective element slot and at least partially beyond an outer top surface of the first ramped portion and an outer top surface of the second ramped portion wherein each connecting element fills a gap formed between two adjacent ones of the plurality of link elements when the chain is bent in an arcuate form and the rounded form of the connecting elements extends into the gap between the two adjacent ones of the plurality of link elements having a substantially same height as the elements.

A method for producing an abrasive cutting tool comprising:

• providing a flexible drive carrier comprising a plurality of link elements including a link element and an adjacent link element disposed in a serial configuration, the flexible drive carrier having a drive direction for performing cutting;
• providing a connecting element disposed between the link element and the adjacent link element such that the connecting element is configured to pivot relative to the link element and the adjacent link element;
• and
• providing an element coupled to the link element that is arranged to be in contact with a material to be cut by the abrasive cutting tool, the element comprising a trailing protruding member extending towards the adjacent link element in a direction opposite and parallel to the drive direction of the flexible drive carrier, the trailing protruding member being formed from or coated by an abrasive compound and the trailing protruding member being configured to contact the material to contribute to cutting the material by the abrasive cutting tool;
• and
• arranging the trailing protruding member to overlap a top surface of the adjacent link element in a plane perpendicular to the drive direction at least when the flexible drive carrier has a straight configuration and cover a portion of a width of a gap formed between the link element and the adjacent link element when the flexible drive carrier moves through a bend in an arcuate form.