Patent ID: 7998378
Filing Date: 2011-08-16
Classification: B24D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of making a composite support structure for a sander, which includes the steps of: (a) providing a mold having a top part and a bottom part which when brought in operative position adjacent each other substantially define a composite support structure cavity and said top part is formed with a flat inner surface and is equipped to provide a vacuum across said flat inner surface; (b) providing a rigid plate having a back surface and a front surface wherein said back surface is operatively disposed adjacent said bottom part of said mold such that a polyfoam layer can be formed to said front surface thereof, wherein said rigid plate front surface includes an inner wall defining a contained surface to aid in maintaining connection of said polyfoam thereto, and said rigid plate has a back surface configured for connection to a handle and said bottom part of said mold is configured to receive said back surface of said rigid plate; (c) providing a flat sheet consisting of hook and loop members present entirely over said sheet, wherein said sheet is maintained flat by said vacuum while directly connected to said flat inner surface, said sheet of a size smaller than said cavity, said sheet having a front surface and a back surface, wherein said front surface is disposed and held by vacuum adjacent said flat inner surface of said top part of said mold; and (d) introducing into the mold fluid components which react to form a polyfoam which is reaction bonded to said front surface of said rigid plate such that a back surface of the polyfoam layer forms within said contained surface of said rigid plate and about said inner wall in a complementary manner thereto and a front surface of the polyfoam layer extends outward from said front surface of said rigid plate and when said top part is brought in contact with said bottom part said sheet does not extend outside said cavity and remains in spaced relation from said front surface of said rigid plate by vacuum such that said sheet is integrally formed into said front surface of said polyfoam as part of said composite support structure thereby enabling a hook/loop sandpaper to be attached thereto and said front surface of said sheet is formed to have a relatively planar surface maintained at a fixed space relation from said rigid plate thereby rendering said composite support structure for removably connecting sandpaper to said relatively planar configuration.