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US 5,490,808 AGranted
Abrasive attachment system for rotative abrading applications
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsRobert J. Jantschek, Forrest J. Rouser, Mark L. Sterner, Theodore J. Testen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for abrading a workpiece. The apparatus includes an abrasive tape having a microstructured surface on the back face thereof, and a support shoe having a microstructured surface on an exposed pressure face. The two microstructured surfaces intermesh and resist displacement of the abrasive tape with respect to the pressure face as the workpiece is rotatively abraded.
Claims12
An apparatus for abrading an outer peripheral surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- (a) an abrasive tape including an abrasive face and an opposed back face including a first microstructured surface defining a first plane;
- (b) support means including a rigid pressure face for supporting said abrasive tape thereon and for urging said abrasive tape against the workpiece, said pressure face having mounted thereon a resilient layer conformable to the pressure face, the resilient layer including a second microstructured surface defining a second plane;
- wherein said first microstructured surface comprises a first plurality of tapered elements and said second microstructured surface comprises a second plurality of tapered elements, said tapered elements including sides inclined relative to said planes of said microstructured surfaces and being configured such that when said first plurality of tapered elements is in intermeshing engagement with said second plurality of tapered elements, frictional forces between said sides of said first plurality of tapered elements and said sides of said second plurality of tapered elements maintain said tapered elements in intermeshing engagement so as to prevent relative movement between said abrasive tape and said pressure face in response to shear forces induced during abrading;
- and
- (c) means for rotating one of the workpiece and the support means relative to the other of the workpiece and the support means;
- whereby said abrasive face abrades material from the outer peripheral surface of the workpiece during relative rotation between the workpiece and said support means.
3 more elements
An apparatus for abrading an outer peripheral surface of a journal, comprising:
- (a) an abrasive tape including an abrasive face and a back face including a first microstructured surface defining a first plane;
- and
- (b) at least one support shoe including a rigid pressure face for supporting said abrasive tape thereon and for urging said abrasive tape against the journal, said pressure face having mounted thereon a resilient layer conformable to the pressure face, the resilient layer including a second microstructured surface defining a second plane;
- wherein said first microstructured surface comprises a first plurality of tapered elements and said second microstructured surface comprises a second plurality of tapered elements, said tapered elements including sides inclined relative to said planes of said microstructured surfaces and being configured such that when said first plurality of tapered elements is in intermeshing engagement with said second plurality of tapered elements, frictional forces between said sides of said first plurality of tapered elements and said sides of said second plurality of tapered elements maintain said tapered elements in intermeshing engagement so as to prevent relative movement between said abrasive tape and said pressure face in response to shear forces induced during abrading;
- whereby said abrasive face abrades material from the peripheral surface when the journal is rotated relative to said at least one support shoe.
2 more elements
A method of abrading an outer peripheral surface of a workpiece, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an abrasive tape having an abrasive face and a back face including a first microstructured surface defining a first plane, wherein said first microstructured surface comprises a first plurality of tapered elements including sides inclined relative to said first plane;
- (b) providing a support shoe having a rigid pressure face for supporting the abrasive tape thereon, the pressure face having mounted thereon a resilient layer conformable to the pressure face, the resilient layer including a second microstructured surface defining a second plane, wherein said second microstructured surface comprises a second plurality of tapered elements including sides inclined relative to said second plane;
- (c) intermeshing the first and second microstructured surfaces such that frictional forces between said sides of said first plurality of tapered elements and said sides of said second plurality of tapered elements maintain said tapered elements in intermeshing engagement so as to prevent relative movement between said abrasive tape and said pressure face in response to shear forces induced during abrading;
- (d) contacting the outer peripheral surface of workpiece with said abrasive tape;
- and
- (e) inducing relative rotation between the workpiece and the support shoe to abrade material from the peripheral surface of the workpiece.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.