Patent Publication Number: US-8123595-B2

Title: Dressing apparatus for flex-arm mounted grinding wheel

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to apparatuses utilized in dressing flex-arm mounted grinding wheels. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Surfaces that have been accurately ground are often necessary in manufacturing processes. The accuracy of ground surfaces depends heavily upon the shaped precision of an employed grinding wheel. To facilitate this grinding wheel preciseness, dressing apparatuses are regularly utilized to remove grinding medium from a wheel and shape the wheel appropriately. However, for applications in which the grinding wheel is mounted to a flex-arm, dressing the grinding wheel is often difficult due to the dynamism provided by the flex-arm. 
     SUMMARY 
     One embodiment of an apparatus for dressing a grinding wheel mounted on a flex-arm includes a base, a post, a dresser and a guide, wherein when the flex-arm is in an unengaged position with the apparatus, the flex-arm is capable of movement along at least two directional axes, and wherein when the flex-arm is in an engaged position with the apparatus, the flex-arm is restricted to movement along one directional axis. 
     Another embodiment of an apparatus for dressing a grinding wheel mounted on a flex-arm includes a base with at least one magnet mounted on or within the base, a post with at least one aperture, a dresser comprising a bolt and a dressing element, and a guide, wherein when the flex-arm is in an unengaged position with the apparatus, the flex-arm is capable of movement along at least two directional axes, and wherein when the flex-arm is in an engaged position with the apparatus, the flex-arm is restricted to movement along one directional axis. 
     One embodiment of a method of dressing a grinding wheel that is mounted on a flex-arm capable of movement along at least two directional axes includes providing a dressing apparatus comprising a base, a post, a dresser and a guide, engaging the flex-arm and the dressing apparatus by urging a nose of the flex-arm into contact with the guide so that the flex-arm is restricted to movement along one directional axis, and dressing the grinding wheel by contacting the grinding wheel with the dresser while the grinding wheel is spinning. 
     These and additional features can be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the present invention, it is believed that the same will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary dressing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , further depicting an unengaged flex-arm grinding wheel; and 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , further depicting an engaged flex-arm grinding wheel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As will be discussed in relation to the figures, embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  may include base  110 , post  120 , dresser  130  and guide  140 . It should be understood, however, that other embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  may include additional structure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , base  110  may be utilized in the stabilization or attachment of dressing apparatus  100  to a surface. Base  110  may take any shape and may stabilize or attach dressing apparatus  100  to a surface by any method now or hereafter known in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, base  110  is a plate with magnets (not shown) mounted therein. Through employment of the magnets, base  110  may be utilized to stabilize and/or attach dressing apparatus  100  to a metal surface plate or metal die. However, other embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  may include a base that solely makes use of the weight of the base and the dressing apparatus for stabilization on a surface. Further embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  may include a base that employs one or more fasteners to attach and stabilize dressing apparatus  100  on a surface. Additional embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  may include a base for permanent attachment and stabilization of dressing apparatus  100  on a surface through welding, soldering, adhering or bonding. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , post  120  may be utilized to connect base  110  to guide  140 , as well as provide support to dresser  130 . In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom of post  120  is attached to base  110  through utilization of at least one fastener (not shown). However, any other method of attachment now or hereafter known in the art may also be used, including but not limited to, welding, soldering, adhering or bonding. In additional embodiments of dressing apparatus  100 , base  110  and post  120  may be formed together in a one-piece construction. In the illustrated embodiment, the top of post  120  is attached to guide  140  through utilization of fasteners  142 . However, any other method of attachment now or hereafter known in the art may also be used, including but not limited to, welding, soldering, adhering or bonding. In additional embodiments of dressing apparatus  100 , post  120  and guide  130  may be formed together in a one-piece construction. Additionally, further embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  may include base  110 , post  120  and guide  130  formed together in a one-piece construction. 
     Post  120  may also include one or more apertures for supporting dresser  130 . The illustrated embodiment of dressing apparatus  100  includes post  120  with two apertures  122 , both of which are threaded for cooperation with a threaded dresser (the drawings show dresser  130  engaged within the lower aperture of post  120 , and therefore, only the upper aperture of post  120  is shown). However, in alternate embodiments of dressing apparatus  100 , post  120  may include any number of aperture(s)  122 . Other embodiments may exclude apertures  122  all together. Further, in embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  that include aperture(s)  122 , the aperture(s) need not be threaded. Accordingly, any method or structure now or hereafter known in the art may be utilized to support and/or adjust the position of dresser  130 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , dresser  130  may be utilized to dress grinding wheel  150  while the wheel is spinning. Dresser  130  may be any structure now or hereafter known in the art that may be utilized to shape a rotating grinding wheel by removing grinding medium from the wheel. The illustrated embodiment shows dresser  130  that comprises a threaded bolt with dressing element  132  positioned at the end of the bolt. Dressing element  132  may comprise a diamond or any other hard/durable material now or hereafter know in the art that is useful in dressing grinding wheels. Referring back to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the illustrated embodiment includes dresser  130  that is threaded to cooperate with threaded apertures  122  of post  120 , and may be rotated through utilization of an Allen wrench (as depicted in  FIG. 2 ). Rotation of dresser  130  in one direction will advance dresser  130  through aperture  122 , and rotation of dresser  130  in the opposite direction will retract dresser  130  through aperture  122 . However, in alternate embodiments of dressing apparatus  100 , dresser  130  need not be threaded. As set forth above, any method or structure now or hereafter known in the art can be utilized to support and/or adjust the position of dresser  130 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , guide  140  may be utilized to direct grinding wheel  150  into an appropriate position for dressing, and may encompass any structure now or hereafter known in the art that may be utilized for that purpose. Moreover, guide  140  may be utilized to restrict flex-arm  160  (and thus also grinding wheel  150 ) from movement in a particular direction or directions, such as up and down, side to side and forward and back. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the illustrated embodiment depicts guide  140  that comprises a section of angle iron. In that embodiment, the angle iron includes a vertical channel or recess that nose  162  of flex-arm  160  may travel within. Alternate embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  may include guide  140  that comprises various structures that guide movement of flex-arm  160 . Non-limiting examples include angle iron at various angles, channeled structures and structures that further include tracks and/or grooves. Additionally, guide  140  and/or post  120  may further include a stop to keep grinding wheel  150  from contacting base  110  during the dressing operation. 
     The structure of dressing apparatus  100 , including the structure of the individual components (for example, base  110 , post  120 , dresser  130  and guide  140 ), may be composed of any suitable material, or combination of materials, now or hereafter known in the art. Non-limiting examples include steel, iron, aluminum, titanium and any other various metal or alloy. The illustrated embodiments are constructed of steel. However, it is not necessary for all individual components of the embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  to be composed of the same material. Certain embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  include components made from different materials, such as embodiments made of both steel and aluminum. 
     A flex-arm is generally capable of movement along multiple directional axes. Herein, the term “flex-arm” means any mechanical arm or boom that is capable of movement along at least two directional axes. As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and for purposes of non-limiting illustration only, flex-arm  160  is capable of moving in the directional axes of forward and backward, side to side and up and down. Accordingly, grinding wheel  150  mounted to flex-arm  160  is also capable of moving in the directional axes of forward and backward, side to side and up and down. However, when grinding wheel  150  is dressed, it is preferable to restrict the dynamism of grinding wheel  150  (and thus also flex-arm  160 ) to movement in a single directional axis to ensure more precise dressing. In particular non-limiting applications, a user seeks to keep grinding wheel  150  as vertical (i.e., perpendicular to the bottom of base  110 ) as possible during dressing. Accordingly, use of the illustrated embodiment of dressing apparatus  100  allows a user to keep grinding wheel  150  as vertical as possible by restricting grinding wheel  150  to only movement along a vertical directional axis during dressing. 
     When utilizing dressing apparatus  100 , a user directs flex-arm  160  from an unengaged position (as depicted in  FIG. 3 ) to an engaged position (as depicted in  FIG. 4 ) with dressing apparatus  100 . In the illustrated embodiment, when flex-arm  160  is in an engaged position with dressing apparatus  100 , nose  162  of flex-arm  160  is urged within the channel or recess of guide  140 . Herein, “urged” means that a slight force is continually exerted on flex-arm  160  towards guide  140  to ensure constant contact between nose  162  and guide  140 . Accordingly, once nose  162  of flex-arm  160  is urged within the channel or recess of guide  140 , the front to back and side to side movement of grinding wheel  150  is inhibited. Thus, while flex-arm  160  is in an engaged position with dressing apparatus  100 , grinding wheel  150  is restricted to movement along only a vertical directional axis, as nose  162  of flex-arm  160  may only travel upward and downward within guide  140 . Obviously, depending on the particular application, flex-arms in engaged positions with other embodiments of dressing apparatus  100  may be restricted to movement in different directional axes than the non-limiting illustrated example. 
     In the illustrated example, when flex-arm  160  is in an engaged position with dressing apparatus  100 , grinding wheel  150  may be guided downward towards base  110 , passing dressing element  132  of dresser  130 . As set forth above in paragraph, rotation of dresser  130  will advance or retract dresser  130  through aperture  122 , and therefore also advance or retract dressing element  132  into or out of the path of grinding wheel  150 . While spinning, grinding wheel  150  may be guided into dressing element  132  for removal of an amount of grinding medium. If desired, dressing element  132  can be advanced further to remove more grinding medium from grinding wheel  150 . Because the illustrated embodiment of dressing apparatus  100  restricts grinding wheel  150  to only movement in a vertical directional axis, grinding wheel  150  may be more precisely and accurately dressed. 
     The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art of the above teaching. While some of the diverse embodiments of the dressing apparatus have been discussed specifically, other embodiments will be apparent or relatively easily developed by those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations that have been discussed herein, and others that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the claims.