Abstract:
A combination abrasive disc and backing plate provide workpiece viewing and blowing collectively through aligned viewing apertures. The backing plate has a bottom surface adapted to support the abrasive disc and an opposed top surface. Coordinated alignment of the viewing apertures of the disc and plate allows observation of a workpiece collectively through the disc and plate during rotary drive thereof. The plate&#39;s viewing aperture is partially adjoined by a scoop formation on the plate&#39;s top surface. The scoop is arranged for deflecting air from above the plate&#39;s top surface and consequently forcing such in a current collectively through the aligned viewing apertures of the disc and plate. This blowing current acts to both blow away debris from the field of view and thereby reduce viewing impairment, as well as to provide some cooling to the workpiece.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION(S) 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/384,490, filed May 31, 2002, and of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/335,258, filed Dec. 1, 2001, both wich are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to abrading and handheld disc grinding or, more particularly, to a backing plate and disc cooperatively configured to allow an angled grinding operation on a given workpiece at the same time as blowing a strong current of air over the workpiece. The invention also relates to a coupling adapter for inserting between a handheld grinding tool and a disc/plate combination, as well as to a locking nut or fastener for securing a disc/plate combination in a given alignment. 
     A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of preferred embodiments and examples. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a combination backing plate and disc for blowing angled-grinding operations. 
     It is an alternate object of the invention to configure a backing plate with apertures and blowing vanes as well as configure the disc with matching apertures to accomplish the blowing service. 
     It is another object of the invention to configure the blowing vanes and apertures to permit a worker to view the workpiece therethrough. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a locking device for the inventive backing plate and disc such as a locking nut or fastener or the like, all three of which are cooperatively configured to increase the chances that a given alignment between the disc and backing plate is obtained. 
     It is an additional object of the invention to provide an adapter for extending the distance between the handheld grinding tool and the combination disc/backing plate for various purposes as explained more particularly below. 
     These and other aspects and objects are provided according to the invention in a blowing angled-grinding combination that accomplishes forced-air blowing away of debris from the point of operation on the workpiece as well as to provide forced-air cooling to the workpiece. 
    
    
     A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of the preferred embodiments and examples with reference to the drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     There are shown in the drawings certain exemplary embodiments of the invention as presently preferred. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed as examples, and is capable of variation within the scope of the appended claims. In the drawings, 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an angled grinding operation in accordance with the prior art, in which a worker manipulates a handheld grinding tool so that a peripheral edge of a rapidly-spun grinding disc attacks the workpiece at an angle; 
     FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a combination backing plate and disc in accordance with the invention, in which the underlying disc is depicted in dashed lines, for blowing angled-grinding operations; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the backing plate of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line IV—IV in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 3 or  4 ; 
     FIG. 6 is comparable to FIG. 2 except from a different vantage point to show a bottom perspective view of the backing plate and disc in accordance with the invention, in which the disc which is overlying this time is again shown in dashed lines, and including a locking nut therefor as shown aligned on the central axis thereof; 
     FIGS. 7 through 9 are a series of comparable views showing the air currents developed by various spun abrading-disc configurations as described more particularly below, wherein: 
     FIG. 7 shows the mild, tangentially-ejected currents induced by a solid grinding disc in accordance with the prior art, 
     FIG. 8 shows the moderate suction currents induced by an apertured ventilating disc in accordance with the prior art, and 
     FIG. 9 shows the strong blowing currents forced by the combination backing pad and disc for blowing angled-grinding operations in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an adapter in accordance with the invention for insertion between a handheld grinding tool and combination abrasive disc/backing plate; 
     FIG. 11 is a reduced scale perspective view showing the adapter of FIG. 10 incorporated in use between a prior art handheld grinding tool and the inventive combination of a blowing angled grinding disc/backing plate, wherein FIG. 11 further includes illustration of a locking device in accordance with the invention for promoting a given alignment between the combination disc and backing plate; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a locking nut in accordance with the prior art for aligning a backing plate and disc in accordance with the prior art provided with viewing apertures in accordance with the prior art; 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view comparable to FIG. 11 except that only the drive shaft of the handheld grinding tool is shown, the remainder of the handheld grinding tool being omitted from the view, and also except that the inventive adapter and locking device are changed to show an instance of a locking fastener and an internally threaded hole in the adapter therefor; 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view comparable to FIG. 13 except showing modifications in the backing plate, adapter and locking fastener in accordance with the invention; and 
     FIG. 15 is an enlarged scale, partial sectional view taken along line XV—XV in FIG.  14 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows an angled grinding operation in accordance with the prior art. A worker manipulates a handheld grinding tool T so that a peripheral edge of a rapidly-spun grinding disc attacks the workpiece W at an angle. Grinding and sanding by discs are sufficiently different operations that it is worth reviewing their distinguishing aspects. To turn ahead to FIG. 7, it shows a prior art grinding disc which in contrast to FIG. 8, which shows a prior art sanding disc. Whereas FIG. 8 shows other features which will be more particularly described below, for present purposes FIGS. 7 and 8 can be compared to show the relative size of the disc to the backing plate. 
     In FIG. 7, the disc overhangs the backing plate by more than an inch or two (2.5 to 5.0 cm) or so for say a seven inch outside diameter (ø17.5 cm) grinding disc. Hence the backing plate is likely to measure merely about five inches in outside diameter (ø12.5 cm). In contrast, in FIG. 8, the sanding disc fairly matches in diameter the size of the backing plate. With angle grinding, only a short arc of the peripheral edge of the disc is trained on the workpiece as shown by FIG. 1. A sanding operation has a substantial fractional portion of the interior surface of the sanding disc in flat mating contact with the workpiece (this is not shown). 
     For grinding, it is indeed much preferred that the grinding disc has an enlarged size. That way, the grinding disc has a peripheral edge having a lengthier linear measure, which means longer wearability in use. Also, even though this practice is not really endorsed by original equipment manufacturers, it is indeed popular with workers to trim the edges of worn grinding discs to eke out more use. That is, all the wear takes place on the edge. After so much use the edge loses a lot of its grit and hence grinding isn&#39;t too effective. However, a worker can trim about a quarter-inch (0.5 cm) off the disc&#39;s periphery and pretty much make it like new. 
     FIG. 1 shows that grinding, in further contrast to sanding, produces great quantities of debris, varying from billowing clouds of fine dust to brief-lived miniature sparks rocketing away for short distances on projectile trajectories, possibly ricocheting. 
     FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a combination backing plate  20  and disc  22  in accordance with the invention, for blowing angled-grinding operations. The underlying disc  22  is depicted in dashed lines for sake of simplicity in various views of the drawings including in FIG.  2 . The backing plate  20  is preferably formed from a plastic or resinous material. The material ought optimally to be both tough but slightly flexible. The backing plate  20  is configured for mounting on, among other devices, the drive shaft output of a handheld shop tool T as shown for example by FIG.  1 . In autobody shops as the inventor is most familiar with, one class of these type of shop tools typically are pneumatic and have a pistol-grip configuration. 
     In the drawings, the terminology is adopted such that FIGS. 2 and 3 are said to show the “top” of the backing plate  20  in contrast to FIGS. 5 and 6 showing the “bottom.” However, the backing plate  20  can be viewed as well as utilized in about any orientation, and accordingly, terms like “top” and “bottom” are used merely for convenience in this description and do not limit the invention. 
     Referencing FIG. 2 more particularly now, the backing plate  20  has an enlarged or “barreled” hub portion  30  and then, in the radial direction toward the termination in the peripheral edge  32 , the plate gradually thins down to a given constant web thickness. For convenience of description, the backing plate  20  is hence reckoned as composed of a central hub portion  30  which merges gradually over a transition zone into an outer web portion  34 . The peripheral edge  32  is formed with three scallops about 120° apart, which in effect give the peripheral edge  32  three lobes. The web portion  34  is inventively configured with at least one and optionally two series of apertures, in this case each series has three apertures apiece. One series comprises non-blowing apertures (not indicated by a reference numeral), while more significantly the other series comprises inventive blowing apertures  42 . It is an inventive aspect of this backing plate  20  that certain ones  42  of the apertures—ie., referred to here on occasions as the blowing apertures  42 —are surrounded in part by vanes  44  to catch air and force or “push” it out in a direction of blowing over the workpiece W (see, eg., FIG.  1 ). 
     More particularly, three of the apertures  42  are slightly ovoid, tapering to sharp ends. The backing plate  20  includes spirally-formed fences or vanes  44  curling about the sharp ends of the blowing apertures  42  from origins in the hub portion  30 . FIGS. 2 and 3 include an arrow to show direction of turning. The vanes  44  are configured to catch air. Hence the blowing apertures  42  have a leading edge  46  and trailing edge, and it is the trailing edge which was just previously characterized as the sharp end. That is, the vanes or fences  44  curl around the trailing edge of the blowing aperture  42  to thrust air forwardly with considerable force. The plate  22 &#39;s web portion  34  ahead of the leading edge  46  is preferably flat or rather un-featured to provide clearance for air. The trailing edge is surrounded by the vane  44 , curling around it in part. The vane  44  catches the air that was given clearance ahead of the leading edge  46 . FIG. 3 (or perhaps FIG. 4 better) shows that the vanes  44  are angled relative to the central axis in order to deflect or “force” air in the direction of the workpiece. FIG. 2 shows that the vanes  44  start at origins in the central hub  30 , and thin as well as flatten out as the vanes curl or spiral out toward their terminations in the peripheral edge  32  in the lobe portions. FIG. 3 (or again perhaps FIG. 4 better) shows that the vanes  44  form a cooperative funnel portion  48  for funneling caught air through the blowing aperture  42 &#39;s trailing end. 
     More general aspects of FIGS. 2 and 3 include the following. The three other, non-blowing apertures which are not combined with vanes. Hence these apertures simply provide a viewing function (they are also simply round). That is, while the plate and disc  20  and  22  are spinning, the non-blowing apertures allow viewing therethrough as partly disclosed in connection with U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,414 —Van Osenbruggen. However, in terms of the invention here, these other or non-blowing apertures are optional and can be omitted because, as FIG. 3 shows, the inventive blowing apertures  42  which are combined with the vanes  44  also create substantial windows to view therethrough. 
     FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line IV—IV in FIG.  3 . FIG. 4 shows better that the funnel portion  48  of the vane  44  is angled slightly relative to the central axis of the backing plate  20 . That is, in FIG. 4, if given the central axis corresponding to a vertical line, then the funnel portion  48  of the vane  44  is tilted about 5°-10° away from the vertical. That slight tilt of the funnel section  48  is sufficient to not only catch but also deflect, force or “push” air in the direction of the workpiece W (not shown in FIG. 4, but which would be in the downward direction in FIG.  4 ). 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of FIGS. 3 or  4 . The bottom of the backing plate  20  is flat for supporting contact with the disc  22  (not shown in this view). FIG. 5 provides another look at the angled-funnel portions  48  of the vanes  44  for the blowing apertures  42 . 
     FIG. 5 also shows that the backing plate  20  is formed with a triangular socket  52 . To turn to FIG. 6, the invention preferably implements a locking methodology between the plate  20  and disc  22  which promotes correct alignment therebetween. One example way of accomplishing the foregoing is to provide a locking nut  50  with a triangular-block head. The disc  22  is cooperatively configured with a triangular central aperture (not shown). Hence the triangular-block head of the locking nut  50  inserts through the triangular aperture of the disc  22  and then nests into the triangular socket  52  of the backing plate  20 . By these means, correct alignment between the disc  22  and plate  20  can be relatively ensured. That is, the disc  22  is formed with a corresponding pattern of six apertures as substantially identically shown by FIG.  5 . It is noticed that the aperture pattern is angularly symmetric every 120°. Hence the triangular nut  50  and socket  52  promote correct alignment as the disc  22  and backing plate  20  are in relatively correct alignment every 120° of relative angular re-positioning therebetween. 
     FIGS. 7 through 9 are a series of comparable views showing the air currents developed by various spun abrading-disc configurations as described more particularly next. 
     FIG. 7 shows a solid grinding disc in accordance with the prior art. FIG. 8 shows a sanding disc in accordance with the prior art but not solid, instead it showing the apertured ventilating configuration of the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,414 —Van Osenbruggen. FIG. 9 shows the combination blowing backing plate and grinding disc  20  and  22  in accordance with the invention. Whereas the drawings of the invention have consistently shown the invention with six apertures, this is done so for sake of convenience of illustration of a single example only. Persons ordinarily skilled in the art would readily recognize routine variations to non-essential matters such as number of blowing and non-blowing apertures and pattern therefor as being incidental to the teachings of the invention, including optional elimination of all non-blowing apertures. Further routine variations would include the height of the fences or vanes  44  at their origins, the change along each vanes  44 &#39;s spiral dimension at which it thins and/or flattens out (ie., the size of a “scoop” it defines), and the relative inboard to outboard location to establish the vanes  44  and corresponding blowing apertures  42 . Naturally, the further outboard the vanes and blowing apertures  44  and  42  are established then a faster velocity will be expected relative to an inboard position and relative to a given or constant turning speed of the handheld shop tool T&#39;s output or drive shaft. 
     In view of the foregoing, FIG. 7 shows the mild currents induced by a solid grinding disc in accordance with the prior art and ejected tangentially along the disc&#39;s periphery. By way of background, experiments were conducted in order to make photographic record of the air currents illustrated by these FIGS. 7 through 9. An oily rag was set on fire. Then a shop tool outfitted successively with the three different types of combination abrading discs/backing plates and held up to the oily rag, and switched to ON to operate. Pictures were taken of the results. Hence, in the case of FIG. 7, the solid spinning disc induced a slight suction of the flame and smoke. The sucked-in smoke came into approximately the center of the spinning disc but then changed direction 90° and was ultimately tangentially-ejected along spiral trajectories from the edge of the disc. 
     FIG. 8 shows the moderate (in contrast to mild in connection with FIG. 7) suction currents induced by an apertured ventilating disc in accordance with the prior art. That is, the FIG. 8 version induced moderately more suction of the flame and smoke than the FIG. 7 version. Indeed, the smoke even carried through the ventilating apertures into the face of the worker. 
     FIG. 9 shows the strong blowing currents forced by the combination backing plate and disc  20  and  22  for blowing angled-grinding operations in accordance with the invention. Indeed, in the tests conducted, the invention blew out (“extinguished”) the oily rag virtually the moment the shop tool was switched ON. The digital-camera obtained photographic record froze the action at the moment of operation and hence provided more meaningful analysis than real-time observation. Apparently, the invention produces such a blast of air as to separate the flame-propagation front from its source of fuel. Much more simply in other words, the invention just blows out the flame. 
     In use, the invention is advantageous for blowing away debris from the point of operation on the workpiece as well as to provide forced-air cooling of the workpiece. 
     FIG. 10 shows a further inventive improvement in accordance with the invention, in this instance comprising an adapter  60 . Preferably the adapter  60  inserts between the handheld grinding tool T and the combination abrasive disc/backing plate  22 / 20  as shown in FIG.  11 . 
     The adapter  60  has a main cylindrical body  62 . The body  62  has grooves  64  to increase user manipulability. The main body  62  extends between spaced ends  65  and  66 . One of the ends is provided with means  65  for attaching to the drive output shaft F of the handheld grinding tool T. In this case the drive output shaft F comprises a threaded stud and accordingly the tool end  65  of the adapter  60  comprises a matching threaded bore or, as preferred and shown in the drawing, an internally threaded boss  65 . The other end can be configured in numerous ways for coupling the combination plate and disc. For example, FIGS. 10 and 11 show the locking end comprising a threaded stud  65  mimicking the threaded stud F of the handheld grinding tool T&#39;s drive output shaft. Alternatively, FIGS. 13-15 show other versions of the adapter  60 ′ and  60 ″ having other ends formed with internally threaded sockets  68  or bosses  65  comparable to the one end. Both the FIG. 13 version  60 ′ of the adapter and the FIGS. 14 and 15 version  60 ″ of the adapter are symmetric between opposite ends. Neither end is exclusively a tool end or locking end as each end is interchangeable in service of either coupling to the tool or securing the plate and disc  20  and  22  combination. In FIGS. 14 and 15, the tool is omitted from view except a relatively small portion of its drive output shaft F. 
     The adapter  60  provides many advantages. The adapter  60  serves as an extension between the tool T and plate/disc combination, giving a worker a gap to keep his or hands out of the way. The adapter  60  serves as an quick-connect, quick-disconnect feature. For example, the adapter  60 , plate/disc combination and locking nut (or screw) can all be pre-assembled as a unit, and thereafter be attached and detached as a unit to and from the tool T in an efficient movement. Also, the adapter  60  serves a blowing plate/disc  20 / 22  combination in a special way in special cases. 
     By way of background, some pneumatic handheld grinding tools have their turbine exhaust aimed to jet out right along the output drive shaft F. These kinds of pneumatic tools work wonders with the blowing plate/disc  20 / 22  combination because they create a moderately high pressure zone immediately on the backside of the backing plate  20 , which makes the work of the vanes  44  catching and scooping air even more efficient. In contrast, other kinds of pneumatic handheld grinding tools do not exhaust directly onto the backing plate  20 , and indeed may set up air currents that actually create a moderately low pressure zone in the area of the backing plate  20 . These kinds of tools seem to suck the wind out the vanes  44 . The vanes  44  aren&#39;t as effective with these kinds of tools except, and this is where the adapter  60  is advantageous, if an adapter  60  is included. The adapter  60  places the plate/disc  20 / 22  combination some set distance away from the tool T and hence establishes the plate/disc  20 / 22  combination in an environment not as affected by the very local, low pressure environment surrounding the operating tool T. In other words, the adapter  60  moves away the plate/disc  20 / 22  combination from a disadvantageous low pressure environment that surrounds the output drive shaft F of some types of handheld grinding tools, to a more favorable position in a relatively more neutral environment. 
     To turn back to FIG. 11, it further includes depiction of a locking nut  70  in accordance with the invention. The locking nut  70  has inventive aspects for promoting a given alignment between the disc  22  and backing plate  20  so that all the apertures line up instead of being blocked. 
     FIG. 12 shows a locking nut in accordance with the prior art for aligning a prior art, apertured backing plate and disc, all which is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,012 —Halliley. The prior art locking nut has substantially a triangular shoulder, with rounded vertices, which mate with matching triangular center holes in the FIG. 12 backing plate and disc. 
     In FIG. 11, the inventive nut  70  is produced in a more economical construction. The threaded nut portion comprises simply an internally threaded pipe section  72 . The pipe section  72  has an open end and a spaced end closed by an oversized sheet or plate head  74 . The pipe  72  and head  74  are joined any suitable means including by welding or brazing and the like. The plate head  74  has three tabs  76  stamped out it by a sheet or plate metal operation referred to in the applicable technical art as “lancing.” The three tabs  76  are produced from the original flat stock of the head  74  at a time of origin by a press operation which slices the sides of the tabs  76  and then folds them away to perpendicular positions from the plane of the remainder of the flat stock  74 . FIG. 11 shows that the tabs  76  extend parallel to the internally-threaded pipe section  72  and are arranged angularly space apart 120° each on a diameter that is larger than the pipe  72 &#39;s outside diameter. That way, the tabs  76  do not actually lie against the pipe  72 . Indeed, the tabs  76  are sufficiently spaced away to get a suitable moment distance relative to the central axis and to the pipe  72 &#39;s outside wall in order to resist the torque of the disc  22  from slipping out of its preferred alignment with the backing plate  20 . That is, the friction of grinding tends to want to grab the disc  22  and slip it relative to the backing plate  20 . The three tabs  76  act to prevent the disc  22  from slipping on the backing plate  20 . 
     To facilitate the anti-slip function of the tabs  76 , the plate  20  and disc  22  are formed with triangular central apertures sized such that registry among the disc  22 , plate  20  and tabbed-nut  70  occurs only in three positions at every 120° apart, which corresponds to acceptable preferred positions. 
     In FIG. 13, substantially omitted from view is the handheld shop tool except for a broken away stub portion F of its drive output shaft. FIG. 13 is comparable to FIG. 11 except that the FIG. 13 version of the adapter  60 ′ has a threaded socket  68  for both ends. Correspondingly, the locking device is not a nut  70  as shown in FIG. 11 but a threaded fastener  80 . The FIG. 13 threaded fastener  80  has a terminal threaded end  82 , a cylindrical shoulder  84 , and then is attached to the same or substantially the same three-tabbed head  74  as attached to the pipe section  72  in FIG.  11 . The disc  22  and backing plate  20  can be the same as in FIG. 11 or the disc  22  might be formed with a central hole as more particularly shown in FIG.  13 . 
     FIG. 14 is a comparable to FIG. 13 except showing modifications in the adapter  60 ″ and backing plate  20 . The adapter  60 ″ is provided with opposed internally-threaded bosses  65 . The backing plate  20  has a central lumen formation  52  that is cylindrical partway through, changing to triangular the remainder. The cylindrical portion accommodates the boss end  65  of adapter  60 ″ as better shown by FIG.  15 . The triangular portion accommodates the three-tabbed head  74  of the locking fastener  80  as also better shown by FIG.  15 . As FIG. 15 shows, the tabs  76  need not be very long to be good and satisfactory at both promoting alignment and preventing slip as well between the disc  22  and backing plate  20 . 
     The invention having been disclosed in connection with the foregoing variations and examples, additional variations will now be apparent to persons skilled in the art. The invention is not intended to be limited to the variations specifically mentioned, and accordingly reference should be made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing discussion of preferred examples, to assess the scope of the invention in which exclusive rights are claimed.