Abstract:
An abrasive handheld tool and method of making same are provided. The hand-held tool can be used to finely sand and/or polish relatively small-scale working surfaces having various contours such as those found on miniatures, models, dollhouses, and the like. The substrate can be a unitary one-piece substrate including a handle and a working portion. The working portion can be continuously tapered along a length thereof from the handle to a tip end. An abrasive surface can be provided on the working portion of the substrate.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]     The present teachings relate to a manual abrasive device and method of making same. More particularly, the present teachings relate to a hand-held tool for fine sanding of relatively small-scale working surfaces having varying contours such as those found on miniatures, models, dollhouses, and the like.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Detailed sanding and/or finishing of small scale working surfaces characterized by planar and non-planar profiles, such as those encountered by miniaturists, jewelers, scientists, and the like, oftentimes require the use of very fine or micro abrading media. For example, detailed sanding and/or finishing can require grit grades of 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1200, etc. up to and exceeding 12,000 on the Coated Abrasives Manufacturers Institute (CAMI) scale. Thus, conventional files have working portions that are too coarse for properly performing cleaning, sanding, buffing, smoothing, polishing, etc. of small scale working surfaces. Moreover, conventional files have dimensions that prevent access to confined, tight spaces such as crevices, recesses or other difficult to reach surfaces encountered in intricate working surfaces. Similar drawbacks exist with high-speed power tools such as grinders and sanders that can incorporate the use of discs, belts, and interchangeable abrasive devices. In addition, such tools do not offer the desired precision with respect to the control of applied pressure or force of the abrasive working portion to the working surface to be finished.  
         [0003]     Modelers and miniaturists, including, prototypers, scratch builders, kit modelers, scroll sawers, dollhouse makers, and fine woodworkers, oftentimes encounter workpieces that have concave surfaces, such as, for example, inside radii. In the past, the fine sanding of such workpieces has required the use of improvised abrasive tools formed by wrapping sandpaper having an appropriate grit around a pencil or dowel. However, such improvised abrasive tools have numerous obvious disadvantages including being inconvenient or awkward to use, providing a non-uniform working portion, and like power tools, offering the user a limited degree of precision in applying pressure to the working surface.  
         [0004]     Similar disadvantages are exhibited by abrasive tools formed by abrasive media that is molded, extruded, or solidified as part of a composition to form an abrasive ‘core.’ These abrasive core compositions lack sufficient rigidity especially when incorporating a fine grade of grit. As a result, abrasive tools incorporating an abrasive core composition typically require additional parts, such as a rigid holder or casing for housing and/or dispensing the abrasive core composition.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, a need exists for an abrasive tool of simple construction that is suitable for finely abrading working surfaces of varying contours.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     An object of the invention is to solve at least the above problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described hereinafter.  
         [0007]     The present teachings disclose an abrasive tool comprising a substrate having an abrasive surface. The substrate can be a unitary one-piece substrate including a handle and a working portion. The working portion can be continuously tapered along a length thereof from the handle to a tip end. The abrasive surface can be provided on the working portion of the substrate.  
         [0008]     The present teachings also disclose a method of making an abrasive tool. The method can include providing a unitary one-piece substrate having a first end and a second end. A working portion can be formed at the second end by continuously tapering the substrate along a length thereof to a tip end. An abrasive surface can be adhered to the working portion of the substrate.  
         [0009]     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an abrasive tool including a working portion having a conical shape;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an abrasive tool including a working portion having an ovoidal cross-section;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an abrasive tool including a working portion having an triangular cross-section;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side view of an abrasive tool including a working portion having a rectangular cross-section;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an abrasive tool including a working portion having an pentagonal cross-section;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a side view of an abrasive tool including a working portion having a bisected conical-shape;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a side cross-sectional view of an abrasive tool having an embedded support structure in the working portion;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an abrasive tool having a working portion having a stepped transition from the handle;  
         [0026]      FIG. 8A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a side view of an abrasive tool having a working portion having a maximum radius greater than a radius of the handle at the transition;  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  is a side view of an abrasive tool having a fluted handle;  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is a side view of an abrasive tool having a working portion having a curved-conical shape;  
         [0030]      FIG. 11A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 12  is a side view of an abrasive tool having a working portion having a curved-square shape; and  
         [0032]      FIG. 12A  is an end view of the abrasive tool of  FIG. 12 ; 
     
    
       [0033]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are intended to provide an explanation of various embodiments of the present teachings.  
       DESCRIPTION  
       [0034]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-10  illustrate an abrasive tool, for example, a sanding device, having a tool body or substrate  10  that includes a handle  20  and a working portion  30  according to various embodiments. The working portion  30  adjoins the handle  20  and tapers inwardly towards an opposing distal end of the tool body  10  thereby terminating at a tip end  40 . According to various embodiments, the tip end  40  can end at a sharp point. As exclusively shown in  FIG. 1 , an abrasive surface  35  can be provided on the surface of the working portion  30 .  FIGS. 1A-8A  show various end views of the abrasive tool  10  looking at the respective tip ends  40 .  
         [0035]     The tool body or substrate  10  can be made of any suitable material capable of substantially retaining its shape and withstanding typically applied sanding pressures according to various embodiments. A suitable material can be a rigid, semi-rigid, yielding, or resilient, natural and/or synthetic material. Example suitable materials include, but are not limited to, polystyrenes and modified polystyrenes, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, polyvinylchloride and copolymers thereof, polypropylene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), closed-cell foams, and the like, or combinations thereof. Other lightweight, medium weight, and heavyweight materials of sufficient durability and having suitable mechanical properties, preferably having a low production cost, are possible.  
         [0036]     The substrate  10  can be made by any suitable method, in various regular or irregular shapes, and having various suitable dimensions. For example, the abovementioned materials can be injection molded, extruded, lathed, and the like, to form a preform of the substrate having a cylindrical shape. According to various embodiments, other shapes for the preform are possible. The substrate  10  can have a length, for example, of from about 1 inch or less, to about 12 inches or more. The substrate  10  can have a diameter, for example, of from about ¼ inch or less, to about 1 inch or more. According to various embodiments, other lengths and diameters are possible. The diameter of the substrate  10  can vary or be substantially constant along the length of the substrate  10 .  
         [0037]     The substrate  10  can be made having a unitary or integral construction according to various embodiments. For example, the substrate  10  can be formed having a handle  20  and a working portion  30  defined therewith. A multi-piece substrate  10  is also contemplated according to various embodiments. The handle  20  can be defined by the portion of the substrate  10 , not the working portion  30 , and/or generally that portion designed for manipulating, for example, grasping or holding by a user&#39;s fingers or hand. The handle  20  can have a substantially smooth surface or can be fluted (as illustrated in  FIG. 10 ) and/or provided with any textured surface to help facilitate gripping. The handle  20  can be provided with one or more parts configured to receive removable and/or adjustable attachments to accommodate, for example, a user with an arthritic condition and the like. The diameter of the handle  20  can vary or be substantially constant along its length. The working portion  30  can be defined by that portion of the tool body  10 , not the handle  20 , and/or generally that portion designed for abrading a working surface.  
         [0038]     According to various embodiments, the handle  20  and the working portion  30  can be arranged adjacent to one another. An interface between the handle  20  and the working portion  30  can be generally defined by an apparent transition in contour of the tool body  10  along a length thereof, for example, a change in diameter, e.g., tapering, and/or by an apparent transition between non-abrasive and abrasive surfaces provided on the tool body  10 . The handle  20  and the working portion  30  can be defined by a transition between the construction materials and/or properties. The handle  20  and the working portion  30  can have any desired relative dimensions. For example, the handle  20  can have a length that is from about half to about twice a length of the working portion  30 . A center of mass of the tool body  10  can be located at any predetermined location, for instance, to balance the tool body  10  for ease of use or to facilitate handling and/or manipulation. For example, the center of mass of the tool body  10  can be located at the juncture of the handle  20  and the working portion  30 , or, the center of mass can be located in either the handle  20  or the working portion  30 .  
         [0039]     According to various embodiments, the working portion  30  can include one or more support mechanisms to additionally structurally strengthen the working portion  30  along its length. The working portion  30  possesses a durability and strength to withstand various amounts of working pressure applied to a working surface. For example, the material used to form the handle  20  can have a different density than that used to form the working portion  30 . For example, the handle  20  can be made of about three pound material and the working portion  30  can be made of about seven pound material. According to various embodiments, other densities are possible. The density of the material in the working portion  30  can be uniform or can be progressively more dense in a direction from the base to the pointed end  40  thereof. According to various embodiments, a support structure  45  having any shape, such as a rod or cone (as illustrated in  FIG. 7 ), can be provided, for example, embedded, within any portion of the working portion  30 . According to various embodiments, other support mechanisms can be used. Other embodiments can use one or more of the supports described.  
         [0040]     The substrate  10  can be fabricated using the processes described above to form the handle  20  and the working portion  30 , or in multiple steps by shaping the preform of the substrate  10  of unified construction and thereafter, forming a working portion  30  by any suitable technique such as, for example, lathing. The diameter of the preform of the substrate  10  can vary or be substantially constant along the length of the substrate  10 . For example, the substrate  10  can be formed having a generally cylindrical or prismatic shape from which a working portion  30  is shaped by removing a predetermined portion of the cylinder or prism, thereby leaving a handle  20 . The transition in contour between the handle  20  and working portion  30  can be gradual or abrupt, for instance, stepped, as illustrated in  FIG. 8  or  9  (shown as having a centered working portion  30 , the stepped working portion can also be off-centered).  
         [0041]     According to various embodiments, the working portion  30  can have any desired regular or irregular shape or profile for complementing various types of working surfaces. For example, the working portion  30  can have a conical (as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) or frustoconical shape having the base attached to the handle  20 , and an opposing distal end. The working portion  30  can have other shapes having intersecting faces or sections, such as those having a cross-section that is ovoid (as illustrated in  FIG. 2 ), triangular (as illustrated in  FIG. 3 ), rectangular (e.g., rectangular with a prismatic handle as illustrated in  FIG. 4 ), pentagonal (as illustrated in  FIG. 5 ), or hexagonal (not shown). Other regular or irregular cross-sections are possible. For example,  FIG. 6  illustrates a working portion  30  having a shape corresponding to a bisected cone.  FIG. 11  illustrates a working portion  30  having a curved-conical shape. Moreover, referring to  FIGS. 4 and 4   a , a working portion  30  can have a rectangular cross-section having a first section  50 , a second section  60  having a common edge with the first section  50 , a third section  70  having a common edge with the second section  60 , and a fourth section  80  having a common edge with the third section  70  and a common edge with the first section  50 .  FIGS. 12 and 12 A illustrate a working portion  30  with such a rectangular cross-section that is curved.  
         [0042]     According to various embodiments, the base of the working portion  30  can have any radius up to or exceeding the radius of the handle  20  (as illustrated in  FIG. 9 ), and the distal end of the cone can have any radius, including approximately zero, to form the pointed end  40  having a sharp point. Thus, the working portion  30  can be used to abrade a working surface having any inner radii up to the radius of the working portion  30 . The working portion  30  can taper inwardly from the handle  20  at any desired angle along a length of the working portion  30 , for example, from about 10 to about 45 degrees, for instance, approximately 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 degrees.  
         [0043]     The working portion  30  of the various embodiments can be provided with an abrasive surface  35 . The abrasive surface  35  can be provided on any portion of or substantially all the working portion  30 . The abrasive surface  35  can be formed by applying an abrasive coating to the substrate by any suitable method or technique. For example, a layer or make-coat, including a substance such as an adhesive, can be applied to the substrate by any suitable method, for example, through a dipping process using a suitable solvent, such as acetone, or by spraying the adhesive coating on the substrate. Abrasive particles such as abrasive minerals (e.g., aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, ceramics, garnet, and the like) can be applied to the make-coat. Other abrasive granules of such material as carborundum, emery, and the like, can be used. Other abrasive grains having suitable abrading properties such as hardness, shape, and the like, are possible.  
         [0044]     Processes such as electrostatic attraction or a gravity feed process can be used to embed the abrasive material in the make-coat. According to various embodiments, other processes are possible. The make-coat and/or adhesive coating can be cured or dried. Another layer, or size-coat, including a substance such as an adhesive can be provided over at least a portion of the make-coat and/or embedded abrasive material. The make-coat and the size-coat can comprise the same or dissimilar substances. Other layers can be interposed between or provided on any of the aforementioned layers, for instance, a stearate layer. Other processes can be used to adhere and/or coat the abrasive materials to the substrate to form one or more abrasive surfaces  35  on the working portion  30 . The abrasive material layer can be distributed uniformly or non-uniformly on the working portion  30  in any concentration, to form an open coat or a closed coat. For example, the abrasive material can be more concentrated in one or more predetermined areas on the working portion  30 .  
         [0045]     According to various embodiments, the abrasive particles can be of any suitable size. The abrasive particles can be of any suitable standard or nonstandard grade of coarseness or grit. For example, grits of about 80; 100; 200; 400; 600; 800; 1,000; 1,200; 1,400; 1,600; 1,800; 2,000; 2,200; 2,400; 3,200; 3,600; 4,800; 6,000; 8,000; 10,000; and 12,000 on the CAMI scale can be used. Other grits as measured by the CAMI or other (e.g., FEPA (Federation of European Producers Association) and Finishing) scales are possible. Abrasive material of different grits can be provided on predetermined portions of the working portion  30 . For example, on a conical working portion  30 , grits may vary in distinct longitudinal sections or along the length of the cone surface in a direction of the base to the pointed end  40  (e.g., two opposing sides, etc.), in a uniform or non-uniform manner (i.e., progressively coarser or finer).  
         [0046]     For a working portion  30  of a shape having intersecting faces or sections, such as ovoidal, triangular, rectangular, and the like, one or more sections can be provided with abrasive material of different grits according to various embodiments. For example, the working portion  30  having an ovoid cross-section, see  FIGS. 2, 2A , can have opposing first and second sections  55 ,  65  having first and second grits, respectively. In another embodiment, the working portion  30  having a triangular cross-section, see  FIGS. 3, 3A , can have a first face  75  having a first grit, a second face  85  having a second grit, and a third face  95  having a third grit. In another embodiment, the working portion  30  having a rectangular cross-section, see  FIGS. 4, 4A , can have first and second sections  50 ,  60  having a first grit, and the third and fourth sections  70 ,  80  having a second grit. Alternatively, a first, a second, a third, and a fourth grit can be respectively provided on the four sections  50 ,  60 ,  70 , and  80 . Other combinations of grit arrays are possible. Thereby, different working portions  30  are made available in a single abrading tool.  
         [0047]     According to various embodiments, a system of abrading is provided including a plurality of individual abrasive tools having a complementary array of grits. For example, a tool set comprising, for instance, four or more individual abrading tools substantially as described above. For example, a tool set can comprise five abrasive tools having conical working portions  30  having grits of 2,400; 3,600; 4,800; 8,000; and 12,000. In another embodiment, the individual tools can have a working portion  30  of one or more different shapes.  
         [0048]     Those skilled in the art can appreciate from the foregoing description that the present teachings can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while these teachings have been described in connection with particular embodiments and examples thereof, the true scope of the present teachings should not be so limited. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein.