Preformed abrasive articles and method for the manufacture of same
AssigneeTepco Ltd.
InventorsGrahame Emerson, Michael Salyards
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A non-woven abrasive article of interlaced fibers and abrasive particles and a binder which is preformed into a predetermined three dimensional shape and a method for manufacturing the same. The abrasive article is preformed by a thermal setting the abrasive article while it is maintained in a predetermined three dimensional shape or by heating the article to its glass transition temperature and then cooling the article below the glass transition temperature while it is maintained in a predetermined three dimensional shape. This method allows the manufacture of preformed abrasive articles in various three dimensional shapes, including, for example, a bull nosed shape suitable for finishing a concavely curved surface.
Claims39
A method for manufacturing an abrasive article, comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating at least a portion of a lofty non-woven abrasive article to its plasticizing temperature;
- (b) forming the non-woven abrasive article into a predetermined three-dimensional shape;
- and
- (c) maintaining the three-dimensional formation of the non-woven abrasive article while it cools below its plasticizing temperature.
An abrasive article comprising:
- (a) a lofty, three-dimensional, non-woven web of interlaced fibers having a major surface;
- (b) abrasive particles attached to said fibers;
- (c) a binder bonding the fibers to one another at their mutual contact points and attaching said abrasive particles to said fibers;
- and
- (d) wherein a portion of the fabric is preformed in a direction perpendicular to the major surface of the web of fibers.
An abrasive article comprising:
- (a) a lofty non-woven fabric made of interlaced fibers;
- (b) abrasive particles attached to the fibers of the non-woven fabric;
- (c) a binder attaching said abrasive particles to said fibers;
- and
- (d) wherein the article is rotatable about an axis of rotation and a portion of the fabric is preformed in a direction away from a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
An abrasive article resulting from the steps comprising:
- (a) heating at least a portion of a lofty non-woven abrasive fabric disk made of a web interlaced fibers, with a binder and abrasive particles attached to the fibers, to its plasticizing temperature;
- (b) forming the non-woven abrasive fabric disk into a predetermined three-dimensional shape;
- and
- (c) maintaining the formation of the non-woven abrasive fabric disk while it cools below its plasticizing temperature.
A method for manufacturing an abrasive article, comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating at least a portion of a lofty non-woven abrasive article to its glass transition temperature;
- (b) forming the non-woven abrasive article into a predetermined three-dimensional shape;
- and
- (c) maintaining the formation of the non-woven abrasive article while it cools below its glass transition temperature.
A method for manufacturing an abrasive article comprising thermosetting a non-woven abrasive article comprising a lofty, three-dimensional web of interlaced fibers and at least one thermosetting binder and abrasive particles attached to the fibers, while the abrasive article is formed in a predetermined three-dimensional shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.