Abstract:
A quick mount adapter and backing plate is provided for use with a surface care tool of conventional manufacture, the tool including a male or female drive spindle with or without an adapter interface. A surface care media is attached directly to the backing plate. The quick mount adapter is configured with an inner sleeve member and an outer sleeve member, the sleeve members being axially movable and spring-biased in relation to one another. A plurality of keeper balls is disposed between the sleeve members to selectively engage and disengage a circumferential groove that is disposed within a hub of the backing plate. The backing plate is configured to be attachable to the quick mount adapter, the quick mount adapter being attachable to the threaded portion of a drive spindle, and to the threaded portion of the drive spindle itself.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/910,888 filed Apr. 10, 2007. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to surface preparation and finishing products, including surface care media, that are used with rotary or oscillating surface preparation and finishing tools. More particularly, this invention relates to a mounting system and apparatus for quickly connecting the backing plate and its associated surface care media to a rotary or oscillating surface care tool and for quickly disconnecting the plate and media from the surface care tool when such is desired or required. It also particularly relates to a unique backing plate configuration that allows the backing plate to be utilized with the mounting system of the present invention and, alternatively, with the threaded spindle of a conventional surface care tool. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present inventors are aware of prior art that provides a wide variety of rotary or oscillating surface preparation and finishing tools, which can be collectively referred to as “surface care tools,” as well as related attachments, including “surface care media,” for such tools. Indeed, rotary or oscillating surface preparation and finishing tools are well known in the art. Such surface care tools include, among others, rotary, dual action, oscillating, random orbital or other motion-controlled tools or hand fixtures. A wide variety of attachments for use with such tools also exists and such attachments are similarly known in the art. The available attachments may be attached to and detached from a drive spindle by use of a variety of attachment means. The most typical attachment means is to provide a mechanism for securing the backing plate of a surface preparation or finishing media, such as a buffing pad, directly to the threaded spindle of the rotary or oscillating surface preparation or finishing tool. In the environment where surface preparation or finishing tools of this nature are typically used, however, it is desirable to provide means whereby the backing plate of the surface preparation or finishing media is also quickly and easily removed from the surface care tool. However, mounting of the backing plate in the aforementioned fashion typically is not quick or easy. That is, doing so most frequently requires screwing the attachment on and off by hand, with significant pressure being required to remove the attachment the longer the attachment has been used. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, alternative designs of a “quick release” configuration have also included a backing plate that uses Velcro®-type hook and loop surface technology whereby the surface care media (via loops, for example) is attached to the backing plate (via hooks, for example) and the backing plate is, in turn, attached to the spindle of the rotary or oscillating surface preparation or finishing tool. In this type of application, the media itself is provided with a separate backing surface in order to provide sufficient structural support for the loops that are used to connect the media to the backing plate. In addition to increasing the number of different materials that are required to be used with this type of configuration, as well as increasing its complexity, this type of attachment configuration also frequently suffers from precise centering of the surface preparation or finishing media relative to the backing plate. This, in turn, directly results in “wobbling” of the surface preparation or finishing media that is attached to the backing plate during use. That is, there is a problem with the “concentricity” of the media relative to the backing plate. The obvious intended purpose of this type of configuration is to allow the user to minimize handling of the surface preparation or finishing media. However, misalignment and the presence of wobble in the media will often require to user to detach and then re-attach the surface preparation or finishing media several times before this “wobble” is minimized or eliminated. Even a minimal amount of wobble can compromise the quality and consistency of the surface finishing result. Increased wobble can also increase operator fatigue and create the potential for long-term user injury from repeated wobbling vibrations. Furthermore, it is also known to these inventors that the more the media and backing plate is rotated, the more difficult it is to detach the media from the backing plate, as more force or pressure is required to effect this detachment. 
         [0005]    In the view of these inventors, there is a clear need to provide an improved system and apparatus that comprises a backing plate with attached surface preparation or finishing media which allows the user to quickly and easily remove the backing plate and its attached media from the surface care tool. By permanently attaching the surface care media to the backing plate, the inadequacies of the hook and loop attachment system are eliminated and this construction would improve the durability of the media. This is true especially around chemicals that are used with the media and in view of washings that are intended to extend the useful life of the surface care media. 
         [0006]    There is a need to provide such a system and apparatus while also orientating the backing plate and its associated surface care media in such a way that the spindle of the surface care tool is precisely centered relative to the backing plate and the surface care media that is attached to it. In this fashion, the consistency of the surface preparation and finishing result is enhanced by means of balanced concentricity of the media, which would eliminate wobble, and improve the quality and consistency of the surface finish. What is also needed is such a system and apparatus that utilizes a minimal number of elements and a minimal number of steps to use, thereby making the system and apparatus one that is easy and simple to use, as well as one that minimizes handling of the surface care media and thereby reduces the time to change worn pads or to transition to a different type of pad that would be needed for the next phase of a surface care project. This type of a system and apparatus would also minimize cross-contamination of pads with surface particulate from other previously-used pads or media. 
         [0007]    What is also needed is such a system and apparatus that results in securely attaching the backing plate and its associated surface care media to the surface care tool such that the backing plate will not inadvertently detach from the surface care tool under normal use conditions. What is also needed is such a system and apparatus that is versatile such that it also allows the user to alternatively utilize the backing plate with the threaded spindle of a conventional surface care tool when such is desired or required by the user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a new and useful system and apparatus that allows the user to quickly and easily remove the backing plate and its attached surface care media from a surface care tool. It is another object of this invention to provide such a system and apparatus that allows for presentation of the backing plate relative to the surface care tool in such a way that the tool spindle is precisely centered relative to the backing plate and its associated surface care media. It is another object of this invention to provide such a system that utilizes a minimal number of elements and requires a minimal number of steps to use, thereby making the system easy and simple to use and minimizing the need to handle the media and the surface preparation or finishing particulate that may be accumulated on the media. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a system that securely attaches the backing plate and its associated surface preparation or finishing media to the rotary or oscillating tool such that the backing plate will not inadvertently detach from the tool under normal use conditions. It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a system that allows the user to alternatively utilize the backing plate of the system with the threaded spindle of a conventional rotary or oscillating tool when such is desired or required. 
         [0009]    The system of the present invention has obtained these objects. It provides for a quick mount adapter and backing plate that can be used with a surface care tool of conventional manufacture, the tool including a drive spindle. The surface preparation or finishing media, or simply “the surface care media,” is attached directly to the backing plate in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The quick mount adapter is configured with an inner sleeve member and an outer sleeve member, the sleeve members being axially movable and spring-biased in relation to one another. A plurality of keeper balls is disposed between the sleeve members to selectively engage and disengage a circumferential groove that is disposed within a hub of the backing plate. Alternatively, a plurality of detents would be defined within the hub, each detent being configured to capture a ball within it. The backing plate is thereby attachable to the quick mount adapter, the quick mount adapter being attachable to the threaded portion of a drive spindle, and to the threaded portion of the drive spindle itself. 
         [0010]    The foregoing and other features of the system and apparatus of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded top, front and left side perspective view of an exemplary rotary surface finishing tool having a drive spindle that would be used with the quick mount adapter, backing plate and surface care media of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged top, rear and side perspective view of the quick mount adapter and the backing plate of the surface finishing, or “buffing,” pad illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a view of the backing plate that is similar to  FIG. 2  but showing the quick mount adapter removed. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded bottom and side view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the quick mount adapter and backing plate illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the backing plate shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged side elevational and cross sectioned view of the quick mount adapter showing the backing plate attached to the adapter and taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a view of the quick mount adapter and backing plate that is similar to  FIG. 7  but showing the adapter prior to attachment of it to the backing plate. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is another view of the quick mount adapter and backing plate that is similar to both  FIGS. 7 and 8  but showing a portion of the adapter being retracted to allow for attachment of the backing plate to the adapter. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is an exploded and partially cross-sectioned view of the quick mount adapter and backing plate of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is another partially cross-sectioned view of the backing plate as it would be used with the drive spindle of a surface care tool but without the quick mount adapter attached to it. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0022]    Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals represent like structure and elements throughout,  FIG. 1  illustrates a preferred embodiment of the quick mount adapter and backing plate surface care system and apparatus that is constructed in accordance with the present invention. As shown, a representative surface care tool, generally identified  1 , is also illustrated. The tool  1  has a drive spindle  2  with a threaded portion  4  of the type that would be used with the quick mount adapter and backing plate surface care system and apparatus of the present invention. 
         [0023]    In this detailed description, it is to be understood that the system and apparatus of the present invention could be used with virtually any rotary, dual action, oscillating, random orbital or other motion-controlled tools or hand fixtures other than that illustrated in  FIG. 1 . All such tools will be collectively referred to in this detailed description and in the claims as “surface care tools,” or singularly as a “surface care tool.” The particular surface care tool  1  shown in  FIG. 1  is presented for purposes of illustrating enablement of the invention only and is in no way limiting of the present invention. 
         [0024]    The quick mount adapter, generally identified  10 , would be threadably attachable to the threaded portion  4  of the drive spindle  2  of the surface care tool. As illustrated in this  FIG. 1 , the backing plate  41  (shown also in  FIG. 2  by itself and in  FIG. 3 ) would be part of a buffing pad assembly with surface care media, generally identified  51 . It is to be understood that the buffing pad assembly  51  shown is solely for purposes of illustrating enablement of the present invention and is not a limitation of the present invention. A wide variety of such assemblies could be shown, each coming within the scope of the present invention. The buffing pad assembly with media  51  would, in turn, be attachable to the quick mount adapter  10  as will be apparent later in this detailed description.  FIG. 2  illustrates more clearly the connection that is made between the quick mount adapter  10  and the backing plate  41 . 
         [0025]    Here again, it is to be understood that the buffing pad assembly  51  shown and discussed here can include, without limitation, any type of “surface care media” that would be used in the surface care industries. It is also to be understood that the system and apparatus of the present invention is not limited to a “buffing pad,” which is referenced and discussed here for purposes of illustrating enablement of the present invention only. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 10 , it illustrates an exploded and partially cross-sectioned view of the quick mount adapter  10  and backing plate  41  of the present invention, showing in much greater detail the features of each of those assembly components. Moving downwardly from the top of  FIG. 10 , there is first shown a drive spindle  2  that includes an integrally-formed threaded portion  4 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the quick mount adapter  10  includes a number of essential elements—a cylindrically-shaped outer sleeve  11 , a partially cylindrically-shaped inner sleeve  21 , a ring  32 , a spring  33  and a plurality of balls  34 . With the exception of the balls  34 , each element is linearly disposed along the central axis line A as is shown in  FIG. 10  as well. 
         [0027]    Referring briefly to  FIGS. 7 through 9 , it will be seen that the threaded portion  4  of the drive spindle  2  is intended to be threadably receivable within a cylindrically-shaped aperture  23  of the inner sleeve  21 , the aperture  23  being like-threaded. Referring again to  FIG. 10 , it will be seen that the inner sleeve  21  of the quick mount adapter  10  further includes an outer surface  22 , the uppermost portion of the outer surface  22  having a circumferentially-disposed aperture  24  defined within it. This aperture  24  is functionally adapted to receive the innermost portion of the ring  32 . Extending downwardly along the outer surface  22  of the inner sleeve  21  is a circumferentially-disposed outer shoulder  27 . Moving downwardly along the inner structure of the inner sleeve  21 , it will be seen that the threaded aperture  23  of the inner sleeve  21  further includes an inner ramped surface  25  which leads to a hexagonally-shaped internal aperture  28 . See  FIG. 4  as well. This internal aperture  28  also has a hexagonally-shaped opening  29  at the bottommost portion of the inner sleeve  21 . It should be noted here that the lowermost portion of the outer surface  22  is also hexagonally shaped, as is shown most clearly in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0028]    The purpose of the hexagonal shaping of the aperture  28  and opening  29  of the inner sleeve  21  will be apparent later in this detailed description. It should also be mentioned here that the present invention is not limited to the hexagonal shape of the aperture  28  and opening  29 , or their cooperating parts. Any geometric and non-cylindrical shape could be used within the scope of the present invention. Additionally, a cylindrical shape could be used with a minor adaptation to the backing plate  41  and to the outer sleeve  11 , as will be apparent later in this detailed description. 
         [0029]    Disposed within the inner sleeve  21  at the point of transition between the ramped portion  25  and the lower aperture  28  are several openings  26 . Each of the openings  26  is radially-disposed within the inner sleeve  21  and is functionally adapted to receive a round ball  34  within it. However, that part of the opening  26  that is at the ramped portion  25  and lower aperture  28  is of a diameter that is smaller than that of the ball  34 . This configuration allows a portion of the ball  34  to protrude from the opening  26  but not to pass through it. See, for example,  FIG. 8 . 
         [0030]    As alluded to previously, the assembly  10  in the preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes a cylindrically-shaped outer sleeve  11 . Referring again to  FIG. 10 , it will be seen that this outer sleeve  11  comprises an upper sleeve portion  12  and a lower sleeve portion  18 . The upper sleeve portion  12  defines a cylindrically-shaped upper aperture  13  and the lower portion  18  similarly defines a hexagonally-shaped lower aperture  19 . See also  FIG. 4 . Disposed between the upper and lower apertures  13 ,  19 , respectively, is a slightly narrower, but also cylindrically-shaped, inner aperture portion  15 , and a cylindrically-shaped ramped portion  17  that is disposed immediately below the inner aperture portion  15  which transitions the inner aperture portion  15  to the lower aperture  19 , the lower aperture  19  being hexagonally-shaped to prevent rotation of the outer sleeve  11  relative to the inner sleeve  21  relative to the axis A. The upper aperture  13  of the inner sleeve  21  further includes a shoulder portion  14  that is disposed immediately above the inner aperture portion  15 . The outside surface of the outer sleeve  11  further includes a pull flange  16 , the pull flange being circumferentially-defined about the outer sleeve  11 . It should also be mentioned here that the lower aperture  19  of the outer sleeve  11  could be configured in a cylindrical shape (not shown) as well. The functionality of a cylindrical configuration would require an alteration in the design of the backing plate  41 , as will be apparent later in this detailed description. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , for example, the preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses that the spring  33  is captured within a space that is created between the inner sleeve  21  and the outer sleeve  11  when the quick mount adapter  10  is assembled. More specifically, the spring  33  is disposed between the cylindrically-shaped wall of the upper aperture  13  of the outer sleeve  11  and the cylindrically-shaped outer surface  22  of the inner sleeve  21 . One end of the spring  33  is biased against the shoulder portion  14  of the outer sleeve  11 . The opposite end of the spring  33  is biased against the ring  32 , the ring  32  being retained within the circumferentially-disposed aperture  24  of the inner sleeve  21 . In the preferred embodiment, the outer diameter of the ring  32  closely matches the inner diameter of the upper aperture  13  of the outer sleeve  11  such that the outer surface of the ring  32  clears the inner surface of the upper aperture  13  when the outer sleeve  11  is retracted upwardly relative to the inner sleeve  21 . See  FIG. 9 . 
         [0032]    Referring once again to  FIG. 10 , it will be seen that the backing plate  41  in the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a centrally-disposed hub  42  that rises upwardly from a disk portion  47 , the disk portion having a front face  49  and a rear face  48 . The rear face  48  includes a radius  46  that ramps upwardly towards the hub  42  of the backing plate  41 . It should also be noted that the outer profile of the hub  42  is hexagonally-shaped, this shape matching the hexagonal shape of the aperture  28  and opening  29  of the inner sleeve  21 . See  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  6 , in particular. The uppermost portion  43  of the hub  42  of the backing plate  41  includes a circumferentially defined groove  44  within it and a centrally disposed aperture  45 , the centrally disposed aperture  45  being threaded so as to match the threaded portion  4  of the drive spindle  2 . The radius of the groove  44  that is defined within the backing plate hub  42  substantially matches that of the balls  34  that are included with the assembly  10  of the present invention. See  FIG. 7 . It is to be understood that a plurality of dimples, or concave detents (not shown), could be defined at the flat face portions along the hexagonally-shaped hub  42  as an alternative “keeper” configuration, the radius of each dimple or detent substantially matching that of the balls  34 . In such an alternative configuration, the configuration of the inner sleeve  21  and the outer sleeve  11 , and particularly the placement of the openings  26  of the inner sleeve  21 , would be modified as well. 
         [0033]    The foregoing would be particularly true where, for example, the hub  42  was a cylindrically-shaped structure (not shown) having a plurality of detents (also not shown) defined within the hub, the detents being used to capture the balls  34  that would be held between the similarly-configured cylindrically-shaped lower aperture  29  of the inner sleeve  21  and the outer sleeve  11 . It is to be understood that where the hub  42  and the functionally cooperating inner sleeve  21  and outer sleeve  11  are hexagonally-shaped or other geometrically-shaped, the hub is maintained in axial position by the balls engaging the groove  44  or the detents defined within the backing plate hub  42 . The hexagonally-shaped hub  42 , or other geometrically-shaped configuration, prevents rotation about the axis A during use of the assembly  10  of the present invention. In the situation where the hub  42  and the functionally-cooperating inner sleeve  21  and outer sleeve  11  are cylindrically-shaped structures, the capturing of the balls  34  within the detents operates to prevent axial movement of the assembly  10  away from the tool  1  but also prevents rotation about the axis A as well. In short, a cylindrical design employees the balls  34  to serve a dual function to both drive the radial motion of the backing plate  41  as well as retain the backing plate  41  while it is engaged with the quick release adapter  10 . 
         [0034]    It is also to be understood that the disk portion  47  of the backing plate  41  would have attached to it a surface care media of some sort, such as a buffing pad or the like. As alluded to earlier, the exact type of surface care media is not, however, a limitation of the present invention. 
         [0035]    It should also be noted that the inner and outer sleeves  21 ,  11 , respectively, of the adapter  10 , as well as the backing plate  41 , are made of a plastic material in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The ring  32 , spring  33  and balls  34 , however, are made of a metal material in the preferred embodiment. 
         [0036]    It should be noted that the figures also illustrate how the quick mount adapter  10  interfaces with an externally threaded male drive spindle of a typical rotary care tool. Externally threaded drive spindles or adapters either to the backing plate  41  or the quick release adapter  10  would provide the ability to be compatible with other internally threaded drive spindles that are commonly found on oscillating or dual-action or orbital surface care tools. These externally threaded spindles could be molded into the backing plate  41  and quick release adapter  10  as options to the internally threaded design detailed in the attached figures or by using male/female threaded adapters which can be inserted into the components as illustrated. 
         [0037]    In application, the user would most likely hold the surface care tool  1  in one hand and the quick mount adapter  10  in the other hand. With the threaded portion  4  of the drive spindle  2  of the surface care tool  1  aligned with the threaded aperture  23  of the inner sleeve  21 , the user would rotate the quick mount adapter  10  so as to thread the quick mount adapter  10  onto the drive spindle  2 . The user would then pull back on the quick mount adapter  10 , drawing it towards the surface care tool  1 , by holding on to the pull flange  16  that is circumferentially-defined about the outer sleeve  11 . See  FIG. 9 . By pulling the outer sleeve  11  towards the spindle  2 , this allows the balls  34  to roll or move along the ramped portion  17  of the outer sleeve  11  and partially along the lower aperture  19 . This action compresses the spring  33  and allows the uppermost portion  43  of the backing plate  41  to be fully inserted into the hexagonally-shaped internal aperture  28  of the inner sleeve  21 . 
         [0038]    With the inner sleeve  21  in a position such that the balls  34  can now engage grooved aperture  44  of the backing plate  41 , the user would then allow the outer sleeve  11  to move away from the spindle  2 , the outer sleeve  11  being urged in that direction by force exerted on it by means of the captured spring  33 , the captured spring  33  having been previously compressed. See  FIG. 5 . At this point, the user would be able to use the backing plate  41  and its attached surface care media  51  to buff a surface, for example. 
         [0039]    In order to remove the backing plate  41  and its attached surface care media  51  from the quick mount adapter  10 , the same action mentioned above would be used. That is, the user would pull the quick mount adapter  10  towards the spindle  2  of the surface care tool  1 , thereby releasing the balls  34  from the backing plate groove  44  and allowing the backing plate  41  and media  51  to be withdrawn from the inner sleeve aperture  28 . It should be noted here that the user can accomplish this removal without any need to physically handle the backing plate  41  and its attached surface care media. Following a surface preparation step, the media may be contaminated with surface particulate and, as the user moves on to the next surface preparation or finishing step, it is beneficial to the quality of the end product that media not be cross-contaminated through handling by the user. In accordance with the present invention, this is avoided. 
         [0040]    In an alternative application, the quick mount adapter  10  could be omitted entirely because the threaded portion  4  of the drive spindle  2  of the surface care tool  1  can be inserted directly into the threaded aperture  45  of the backing plate  41 . See  FIG. 11 . This would allow the backing plate to be used in a more conventional application, the backing plate  41  being configured for use with or without the quick mount adapter  10 . 
         [0041]    In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a new and useful system and apparatus that allows the user to quickly and easily remove the backing plate and its associated surface care media from a surface care tool; that provides such a system and apparatus whereby a minimal number of elements and a minimal number of steps are required to use the system and apparatus, thereby making the system and apparatus easy and simple to use; that provides such a system and apparatus whereby the backing plate is securely attached to the backing plate to the surface care tool such that the backing plate will not inadvertently detach from the tool under use conditions; and that provides such a system and apparatus whereby the user can utilize the backing plate of the system and apparatus with the threaded spindle of a conventional surface care tool and without the quick mount adapter when such is desired or required.