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US 8,790,164 B2Granted
Method, system, and apparatus for modifying surfaces
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsAllen J. Rivard, Galen A. Fitzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to method, apparatus, and system for uniformly supporting flexible surface modifying articles during surface modification as well as enabling replacing and repositioning thereof for improving their useful service life as well as improving dust and debris control management.
Claims13
An assembly suitable for modifying a surface, the assembly comprising:
- an adapter assembly comprising:
- a generally planar member defining a rotational axis and a driving surface having a periphery, and
- a plurality of attaching elements attached to portions of the driving surface of the generally planar member in spaced apart relationship to each other, each of the attaching elements including a plurality of fastening elements, wherein the spaced apart arrangement of the attaching elements provides discrete regions of the driving surface at which the fastening elements are not present;
- and
- an abrasive article attached to the attaching elements but not supported by the generally planar member.
2 more elements
An apparatus for controlling displacement of powdery particles and debris resulting from the modification of a working surface by a surface modifying article, the apparatus comprising:
- a driving member having a driving surface rotatable about an axis of rotation;
- a plurality of spaced apart elements attached to the driving surface at least adjacent its periphery;
- and
- a continuous surface modifying article covering the plurality of elements and spaced from the driving surface to define a peripheral gap for controlling movement of powdery particles and debris generally radially from the axis of rotation,
- wherein the attaching elements are spaced relative to each other and have an orientation relative to the axis of rotation such that in response to rotation being imparted to the driving member, displacement of the powdery particles and debris formed by the surface modifying article are radially dispersed.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a driving member having a driving surface rotatable about an axis;
- a plurality of spaced apart segments attached to the driving surface adjacent to at least its periphery;
- and
- a surface modifying article having first and second opposing major surfaces, wherein the first major surface has at least one portion in releasable engagement with the segments and the second major surface is adapted to modify a working surface;
- the segments form working areas of greater unit pressure on corresponding portions of the second major surface during surface modification by the surface modifying article, such that surface modification is performed primarily by the second major surface corresponding to the working areas than portions of the second major surface not corresponding with the working areas, and the releasable engagement enables those portions of the second major surface not corresponding to the working areas to be repositioned to be corresponding to the working areas so that subsequent surface modification is performed primarily by areas that did not perform surface modification.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.