Patent Publication Number: US-2016221153-A1

Title: Apparatuses, systems and methods for aligned abrasive grains

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of, claims priority to and the benefit of, PCT/US2015/011178 filed on Jan. 13, 2015 and entitled “APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALIGNED ABRASIVE GRAINS,” which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/930,222 filed on Jan. 22, 2014 and entitled “APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALIGNED ABRASIVE GRAINS.” Both of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to apparatuses, systems, and methods for grinding wheels, and more specifically, to grinding wheels with aligned abrasive grains. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Traditional grinding is often used for precision finishing. Grinding operations typically have lower material removal rates than turning (e.g., lathe operations) and/or milling processes. Abrasive grinding wheels typically include abrasive particles that are added to a retention medium in a random fashion. In this regard, the abrasive particles are not oriented with respect to one another and/or the direction of rotation of the grinding wheel. 
     SUMMARY 
     A method may comprise depositing a plurality of abrasive grains on a film, aligning the abrasive grains on the film, depositing a bond on the film (wherein the bond is configured to fill the void between the each of the plurality of abrasive grains) and curing the bond. 
     A grinding wheel is provided. The grinding wheel may be made from a process comprising: distributing a plurality of abrasive grains on a film; aligning the abrasive grains on the film with at least one of a magnetic field and an electrical current; wrapping the film into a about a hub; and firing the wrapped film to form the grinding wheel. 
     A grinding wheel is provided. The grinding wheel may comprise a plurality of layers. Each of the plurality of layers may comprise a film. Each of the plurality of layers may be bonded together by a firing process. The film may comprise a plurality of abrasive grains, each of the plurality of grains positioned in a cutting orientation in response to application of a magnetic field prior to the firing process. 
     The forgoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated herein otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of the following description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an abrasive grain, in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a top view of a plurality of abrasive grains disposed on a film, in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a side view of a plurality of abrasive grains disposed on a film, in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a grinding wheel, in accordance with various embodiments; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a process flow to create a grinding wheel, in accordance with various embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the inventions, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical, chemical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Also, any reference to attached, fixed, connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact. 
     In various embodiments, multi-layer grinding wheels may have improved abrasive and/or material removal rates, where the grinding wheels comprise precision-shaped abrasive grains. These abrasive grains may be alignable during the manufacturing process. In this regard, the abrasive grains may be aligned such that they have material removal rates that are similar to milling and/or turning (e.g., lathe) processes. The abrasive grains may comprise particular cutting surfaces and/or particular shapes that improve material removal rates. 
     In various embodiments, and with reference to  FIG. 1 , an abrasive grain  110  may comprise a first portion  102  (e.g., a first end), a second portion  104  (e.g., a second end), and a cutting portion  106 . Abrasive grain  110  may be of any suitable size, including, for example, between approximately 220 grit (e.g., having an average particle diameter of 68 micrometers) and approximately 60 grit (e.g., having an average particle diameter of 265 micrometers). Abrasive grain  110  may be used in the manufacturing of an abrasive wheel. Abrasive grain  110  may also have a magnetic polarity between first portion  102  and second portion  104 . In this regard, first portion  102  and/or second portion  104  may be magnetic poles. The polarity may allow abrasive grain  110  to be oriented in response to be subjected to an electrical current and/or a magnetic field. In this regard, abrasive grain  110  may be created with and/or include a ferromagnetic characteristic and/or material (e.g., iron). Abrasive grain  110  may also comprise and/or be coated with a paramagnetic coating. The magnetic field may be created and/or applied by any suitable method. In this regard, abrasive grain  110  may comprise an inclusion material and/or a coating containing a ferromagnetic material and/or a paramagnetic material, giving abrasive grain  110  ferromagnetic characteristics and/or paramagnetic characteristics. 
     In various embodiments, and with reference to  FIGS. 2A and 2B  and  FIG. 4 , a plurality of abrasive grains  210  (shown as abrasive grain  210 - 1 , abrasive grain  210 - 2 , abrasive grain  210 - 3 , abrasive grain  210 - 4 , abrasive grain  210 - 5 , abrasive grain  210 - 6  in  FIG. 2A ) may be deposited and/or distributed on a film  222  (Step  410 ) as part of a method of manufacture for grinding wheels. The plurality of abrasive grains  210  may be aligned and/or positioned on film  222  (Step  420 ). More specifically, the plurality of abrasive grains  210  may be oriented by application of an electrical charge and/or a magnetic field to at least one of the film  222  and/or to the plurality of abrasive grains  210 . In this regard, each of the plurality of abrasive grains  210  may have a polarity such that each of the plurality of abrasive grains  210  may move and/or reorient in response to the electrical charge and/or magnetic field. 
     In various embodiments, the aligning may orient the plurality of abrasive grains  210  in a known and/or designed fashion. For example, the aligning may orient the plurality of abrasive grains  210  into a cutting orientation. Each of the cutting portions of the plurality of abrasive grains  210  may be aligned and/or oriented in a similar fashion. Moreover, the aligning may be accomplished by creating a conductive pattern in film  222 . In this regard, the conductive pattern may be designed and applied to film  222  to organize and/or position abrasive grains  210  in a desired configuration. The cutting portions may be aligned based on the rotation of a grinding wheel, the type of grinding wheel being manufactured, the type of grinding and/or processing being done, and/or the like. 
     In various embodiments, abrasive grains  210  may be placed and/or positioned in film  222  by any suitable method. For example, abrasive grains  210  may be individually positioned on film  222 . Abrasive grains  210  may also be dropped and/or propelled at high velocity (e.g., sprayed) to be positioned on film  222 . 
     In various embodiments, a bond  224  may be deposited on film  222  (Step  430 ). An assembly  200  may be formed in response to the depositing of the bond  224 . Assembly  200  may include film  222 , the plurality of abrasive grains  210  and bond  224 . Bond  224  may include filler  226 . Bond  224  may coat and/or fill voids between each of the plurality of abrasive grains  210  on a first surface of film  222 . In various embodiments, the plurality of abrasive grains  210  may be aligned in bond  224 . In response to abrasive grains  210  and bond  224  being disposed on film  222  and the plurality of abrasive grains  210  being aligned, assembly  200  may be cured (Step  440 ). 
     In various embodiments, assembly  200  and/or film  222  may be wrapped (Step  450 ). For example, film  222  of assembly  200  may be rolled around a hub, rod or other suitable device for forming an axis of a grinding wheel. Wrapped film  222  may have any suitable shape including, for example, a cylindrical shape, a conical shape, and/or the like. Wrapped film  222  may be sized, shaped, cut and/or the like (Step  455 ). 
     In various embodiments and with reference to  FIGS. 2A-2B, 3, and 4  assembly  200  may be fired to create grinding wheel  300  (Step  460 ). A grinding wheel may have abrasive grains  310  in engineered alignment. 
     In various embodiments, film  222  may be porous. The porous nature of film  222  may allow contact between a first layer of film  222  and a second layer of film  222 . Moreover, film  222  may comprise and/or include a surface texture and/or bonding structure. The surface texture and/or bonding structure may promote bonding between a first layer of film  222  and a second layer of film  222 , during the wrapping and/or firing processes. 
     In various embodiments and with reference to  FIG. 3 , grinding wheel  300  may be cut and/or shaped in any suitable fashion after firing. Grinding wheel  300  may comprise a plurality of abrasive grains  310  (shown as abrasive grain  310 - 1 , abrasive grain  310 - 2 , abrasive grain  310 - 3  in  FIG. 3 ). Moreover, grinding wheel  300  may comprise an outer surface or an outer diameter  332  and an axis or hub  334 . A first plurality of abrasive grains  310  may be disposed along the outer diameter to form a cutting and/or processing surface. Grinding wheel  300  may be configured to rotate about hub  334 . Moreover, the plurality of abrasive grains  310  may be aligned in a cutting orientation based on the rotational configuration of the grinding wheel. 
     In various embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may provide for increased tool life, improved surface finishing quality, improved machine part quality and/or reduced cost. In various embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may enable process changes from traditional turning and/or machining to grinding. 
     Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the inventions. The scope of the inventions is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. 
     Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments. 
     Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f), unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.