US 5,919,549 AGranted

Abrasive articles and method for the manufacture of same

AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

InventorsLoc X. Van, Eugene J. Miller, Leonard E. Nelson

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Abstract

Abrasive articles and a method for the manufacture of the articles are described. The articles comprise a backing having a first major surface and a second major surface; a first resin layer comprising a first hardened resin, the first resin layer extending over the first major surface of the backing; abrasive particles adhered within the first resin layer; a second resin layer applied over the first resin layer, the second resin layer comprising a second hardened resin; and a lofty, three dimensional, nonwoven web of fibers bonded to one another at their mutual contact points and extending through the first and second resin layers. The dry coating weights of the first and second hardened resins are about 400 g/m.sup.2 or greater and preferably greater than about 600 g/m.sup.2.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An abrasive article, comprising:

a backing having a first major surface and a second major surface;
a first resin layer comprising a first hardened resin having a dry coating weight of about 400 g/m.sup.2 or greater, the first resin layer extending over the first major surface of the backing, wherein the first hardened resin is selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, aminoplast resins having pendant .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carbonyl groups, urethane resins, epoxy resins, ethylenically unsaturated resins, acrylated isocyanurate resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, isocyanurate resins, acrylated urethane resins, acrylated epoxy resins, bismaleimide resins, epoxy resins having fluorine substituent groups, and combinations thereof;
abrasive particles adhered within the first resin layer;
a second resin layer applied over the first resin layer having a dry coating weight of about 400 g/m.sup.2 or greater, the second resin layer comprising a second hardened resin, wherein the second resin comprises a flexible material selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, styrene-butadiene rubbers, nitrile rubbers, polyisoprene, and combinations of the foregoing materials;
and
a lofty, three dimensional, nonwoven web of fibers bonded to one another at their mutual contact points and extending through the first and second hardened resin layers, wherein the first and second resin layers substantially penetrate and fill the nonwoven web of fibers that extend through the resin layers.

3 more elements

An abrasive article, comprising:

a nonwoven web of fibers bonded to one another, the fibers defining a first major web surface, a second major web surface and a middle web portion extending between the first and second major web surfaces;
a first resin layer extending through the web and comprising a first hardened resin, the dry weight of the first resin layer being at least about 400 g/m.sup.2, wherein the first hardened resin is selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, aminoplast resins having pendant .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carbonyl groups, urethane resins, epoxy resins, ethylenically unsaturated resins, acrylated isocyanurate resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, isocyanurate resins, acrylated urethane resins, acrylated epoxy resins, bismaleimide resins, epoxy resins having fluorine substituent groups, and combinations thereof;
abrasive particles adhered within the first resin layer;
a second resin layer applied over the first resin layer and comprising a second hardened resin, the dry weight of the second resin layer being at least about 400 g/m.sup.2, wherein the second resin comprises a flexible material selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, styrene-butadiene rubbers, nitrile rubbers, polyisoprene, and combinations of the foregoing materials, wherein the first and second resin layers substantially penetrate and fill the nonwoven web of fibers that extend through the resin layers.

1 more element

A method for the manufacture of an abrasive article, comprising:

providing an open, lofty, three dimensional nonwoven web of fibers having a first major web surface and a second major web surface and a middle web portion extending therebetween, the fibers bonded to one another at their mutual contact points;
applying a first coatable composition to the nonwoven web in an amount sufficient to provide a dry coating weight of about 400 g/m.sup.2 or greater, wherein the first coatable composition is selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, aminoplast resins having pendant .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carbonyl groups, urethane resins, epoxy resins, ethylenically unsaturated resins, acrylated isocyanurate resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, isocyanurate resins, acrylated urethane resins, acrylated epoxy resins, bismaleimide resins, epoxy resins having fluorine substituent groups, and combinations thereof;
applying abrasive particles to the first coatable composition;
at least partially hardening the first coatable composition;
applying a second coatable composition to the nonwoven web in an amount sufficient to provide a dry add-on weight of about 400 g/m.sup.2 or greater, wherein the second coatable composition comprises a flexible material selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, styrenbutadiene rubbers, nitrile rubbers, polyisoprene, and combinations of the foregoing materials;
and
hardening the second coatable composition, wherein the first and second hardened compositions substantially penetrate and fill the nonwoven web of fibers that extend through the coatable composition layers.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.