Abstract:
A novel device for attaching a sanding pad to the detachable sanding head of a multi-use power tool is disclosed. An anchor is provided which mates with a recess in the face of the sanding head of a multi-use power tool. The anchor is inserted into the recess through an affixed sanding pad. The anchor engages the affixed sanding pad and compresses it between the walls of the recess to assist in securing the sanding pad.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/539,615 filed on Sep. 27, 2011. The entire disclosure contained in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/539,615 including the attachments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The device of the present application relates generally to power tools. More specifically, the device of the present application relates to a device and method which allows sanding heads on multi-purpose power tools to be detached and reattached without removing the sandpaper affixed to the sanding head face. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present application describes a novel sanding pad attachment system for a multi-use power tool. An anchor is provided which mates with the recess in the face of a sanding head of a multi-use power tool. The anchor is inserted into the recess through a mounted sanding pad. The anchor engages edges of the mounted sanding pad and impinges the edges against the walls of the recess to assist in securing the sanding pad. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  depicts a prior art multi-purpose power tool having a detachable sanding head. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  depicts a prior art sanding pad affixed to a detachable sanding head coupled to a multi-purpose power tool. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of a sanding pad having radial serrations and an embodiment of the anchor of the instant application aligned with the serrated portion of the sanding pad. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  depicts an exploded view of the anchor of the instant application inserted through a serrated sanding pad aligned with the attachment means recess of a sanding head and the attachment means. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  depicts a perspective view of the assembled anchor, sanding pad, sanding head, and multi-purpose power tool. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  depicts a cross sectional of the assembly of  FIG. 5  along axis  6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    As depicted in  FIG. 1 , innovations in power tools have led to the development of multi-use power tools  100  having interchangeable heads designed to accomplish different tasks. The sanding head  20  with affixed sanding pad  10  is depicted in greater detail in  FIG. 2 . These multi-use power tools  100  commonly have sanding heads  20  onto which sanding pads  10  are attached, commonly by a hook and loop fabric or an adhesive. The sanding pads  10  designed for these sanding heads  20  are manufactured in shapes corresponding to the geometry of the sanding head  20  of the multi-purpose power tool  100  onto which they are intended to be affixed. 
         [0011]    These sanding heads  20  are attached to a multi-use power tool&#39;s  100  motor/handle  50  through a sanding head attachment means  22 , e.g. bolt  22 , which is seated into an attachment means receiving recess  26  in the sanding head face  24  passes through the sanding head  20  to couple with the motor/handle  50 . The attachment means receiving recess  26  is typically comprised of a recess floor  28  and recess walls  29 . The sanding pad  10  is affixed so as to cover the attachment means receiving recess  26  and installed attachment means  22  in the sanding head face  24 , i.e. surface of the sanding head  20  onto which the sanding pad  10  is affixed. The attachment means  22  seats into the attachment means receiving recess  26  so as to reside below the sanding pad  10  affixed to the sanding head face  24 . The attachment means receiving recess  26  is deep enough to allow the sanding head end  23 , i.e. attachment means head  23 , of the attachment means  22  to seat into the attachment means receiving recess  26  below the sanding head face  24  so as to inhibit contact between the attachment means  22  and the surface being sanded. Coverage of the attachment means  22  by the sanding pad  10  also inhibits interchanging operating heads for the multi-purpose power tool  100  and requires repeated detachment and reattachment of the sanding pad  10  which can damage the sanding pad  10  so as to tear it or affect its ability to adhere to the sanding head face  24 . Simply leaving an opening through the sanding pad  10  through which the attachment means  22  solves the problem of gaining access to the attachment means  22 , but fails to address the problem associated with the affixed sanding pads  10  tendency to migrate across the sanding head face  24  during heavy use. Since only the outer edges of the sanding pad, e.g. the vertices  27  or apices  27  of a substantially triangular sanding pad  10 , are commonly used, the center of the sanding pad  10  can be removed above the attachment means receiving recess  26  without detracting from the utility and efficacy of the sanding pad  10  affixed to the sanding head face  24 . 
         [0012]      FIGS. 3-6  depict views of a serrated sanding pad and an embodiment of the anchor  30  of the instant application. The sanding pad anchor  30  disclosed herein is a plug  30  which cooperates with the attachment means  22  to secure the sanding pad  10  to the sanding head  20 . The anchor  30  possesses a top surface  32 , i.e. the anchor  30  surface which faces the sanding pad  10  when installed within the attachment means receiving recess  26 , an anchor base  34  which engages the attachment means receiving recess  26 , and at least one anchor wall  39  which engages the recess wall(s)  29  of the attachment means receiving recess  26  and functions to impinge the sanding pad  10  between the anchor  30  and the recess wall(s)  29  of the attachment means receiving recess  26 . 
         [0013]    In an alternative embodiment, the attachment means receiving recess  26  could be concave or beveled without affecting the fundamental utility of the attachment means receiving recess  26 , i.e. to seat the attachment means  22  below the sanding head face  24  and to provide a surface against which the sanding pad  10  can be impinged by the anchor  30 . The base  34  of the anchor  30  is installed to engage the recess floor  28 . The anchor wall(s)  39  secure portions of the sanding pad  10  which extend over the attachment means receiving recess  26  against the recess wall(s)  29  of the attachment means receiving recess  26 . As the anchor  30  is inserted into the attachment means receiving recess  26 , the portions of the sanding pad  10  which extend over the attachment means receiving recess  26  are folded down into attachment means receiving recess  26  and across the recess wall(s)  29 . The snug fit of the anchor  30  in the attachment means receiving recess  26  securely pinches or clamps the sanding pad  10  between the recess wall(s)  29  and the anchor wall(s)  39 . In a preferred embodiment, the top surface  32  of the anchor  30  is hollowed out or otherwise possesses an indention, i.e. attachment means seat  35 , which permits the attachment means head  23  to engage the anchor&#39;s  30  top surface  32  below the distal end(s)  37  of the anchor wall(s)  39 , i.e. the terminal end of the anchor wall(s)  39  nearest the sanding pad  10  when the anchor base  34  is installed against the recess floor  28  of the anchor wall(s)  39 . The distal end(s)  37  of the anchor wall(s)  39  terminate below the sanding head face  24  and reside completely within the attachment means receiving recess  26  when the anchor  30  is fully inserted within the attachment means receiving recess  26 . 
         [0014]    The anchor  30  is configured for snug insertion into the attachment means receiving recess  26 , leaving sufficient space between the recess wall(s)  29  and the anchor wall(s)  39  to receive a sanding pad  10  having a preferred thickness to as to allow the sanding pad  10  to be securely compressed and held between the recess wall(s)  29  and the anchor wall(s)  39 . The anchor  30  possesses an attachment channel  33  through which the attachment means  22  passes. The head  23  end of the attachment means  22  seats against the top surface  32  of the anchor  30 , i.e. the anchor  30  surface which faces the sanding pad  10  when installed, to securely hold the anchor  30  firmly in the attachment means receiving recess  26  and to further secure the sanding head  20  to the motor/handle  50  of the multi-purpose power tool  100 . 
         [0015]    During the installation of the anchor  30 , it passes through the sanding pad  10  affixed to the sanding head face  24  of the sanding head  20 . The sanding pad  10  may be pre-perforated with or otherwise cut to form pliable sanding pad seams  15  which permit the portion of the sanding pad  10  to be installed over the attachment means receiving recess  26 , typically this area would substantially be the center of the sanding pad, to be removed or otherwise folded into the attachment means receiving recess  26  either prior to the anchor  30  being inserted into the attachment means receiving recess  26 . Alternatively, the portion of the sanding pad  10  over the attachment means receiving recess  26  can be cut or sheared by or otherwise removed by the anchor  30  during installation, in which case the anchor  30  pushes the portion of the sanding pad  10  overlapping the attachment means receiving recess  26  down into the attachment means receiving recess  26  while leaving a portion thereof to remain attached to the sanding pad  10  and clamped between the recess wall(s)  29  and the anchor wall(s)  39 . Alternatively, the seams  15  may be a star-pattern or other design which may be perforated into the portion of the sanding pad  10  overlapping the attachment means receiving recess  26  so as to permit the installation of the anchor  30  to remove that perforated portion of the sanding pad  10  during the insertion of the anchor  30  into the attachment means receiving recess  26 . The seams  15  are configured to permit the anchor  30  to pass through the sanding pad  10  while folding part of the sanding pad  10  into the attachment means receiving recess  26  by the insertion of the anchor  30 . Radial seams  15  extending from a point in the portion of the sanding pad  10  overlapping the attachment means receiving recess  26  have been found to permit relatively easy insertion of the anchor  30  into the attachment means receiving recess  26  while providing sufficient material to be folded over the recess wall(s)  29  which then is securely clamped between the recess wall(s)  29  and the anchor wall(s)  39  when the attachment means  22  engages the anchor  30  and securely couples the sanding head  20  to the motor/handle  50  of the multi-purpose power tool  100 . Alternatively or in conjunction with the clamping of the sanding pad  10  between the recess wall(s)  29  and the anchor wall(s)  39 , the sanding pad  10  can be secured by clamping it between the anchor base  34  and the recess floor  28 . 
         [0016]    In an embodiment, the anchor  30  is an annular disc which is configured to snugly seat into an annular attachment means receiving recess  26  in the sanding head face  24  of a commercially available detachable sanding head  20  for use with a multi-purpose power tool  100 . Various alternative embodiments utilize different mated geometries for the anchor  30  and attachment means receiving recess  26 . 
         [0017]    An alternative embodiment of the anchor  30 , as depicted in  FIG. 7 , provides for anchor wall(s)  39  configured to cut the sanding pad  10  so as to create edges which can be folded into the attachment means receiving recess  26  when the anchor  30  is inserted therein over an installed sanding pad. The anchor  30  side walls can be configured in a triangular tooth-like pattern which cuts the sanding pad  10  when inserted top surface  32  first into the attachment means receiving recess  26  to leave portions thereof which overlap the attachment means receiving recess  26 . The anchor  30  may then be removed from its inverted insertion into the attachment means receiving recess  26  and then reinserted base  34  first to secure the sanding pad  10  to the sanding head face  24  and the sanding head  20  to the motor/handle  50  of the multi-purpose power tool  100 . All preceding embodiments of anchors  30  can conceivably be fashioned from a variety of materials including, but not limited to plastic, metal, metal alloys, and hardened rubber. 
         [0018]    One preferred embodiment of an anchor  30  is disc or washer-like anchor which is concave in construction. The disc anchor  30  is preferably configured to snugly mate within the attachment means receiving recess  26  of commercially available detachable sanding heads  20  of multi-purpose power tools  100 . Particularly, one such metal disc has an approximate thickness of 0.042 inches (1.07 mm), an attachment means 22 orifice diameter of approximately 0.25 inches (6.35 mm), a disc diameter of approximately 1.1 inches (27.94 mm), and a circumferential lip height of approximately 0.156 inches (3.96 mm) from the top surface  32  of the anchor  30  to the base  34 . 
         [0019]    Another preferred embodiment of an anchor  30  provides a lid-like anchor  30  having an attachment means channel  33  diameter of approximately 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) and a disc anchor  30  diameter of approximately 0.9375 inches (23.81 mm) and a base thickness of approximately 0.062 inches (1.57 mm). This embodiment may be preferred in various multi-purpose power tool configurations. 
         [0020]    Common commercial detachable sanding heads  20  used with multi-purpose power tools  100  include, but are not limited to the RIGID JOBMAX, ROCKWELL SONICRAFTER, DREMEL MULTIMAX MM20, BOSCH PS50-2B, CRAFTSMAN NEXTEC and FEIN FMM250. As previously discussed, only the vertices  17  or apices  17  of the roughly triangular sanding pad are truly useful for sanding. Examples of commercially available sanding pads  10  which are typically roughly triangular in geometry and possess a plurality of aeration holes  18  include, but are not limited to the BOSCH SDNR040 and the MAKITA A-95526, and ALI INDUSTRIES GATOR PADS #7842. 
         [0021]    The disclosed anchors  30  enable a method for removal of detachable sanding heads  20  on multi-purpose power tools  100  without causing the removal and likely damage to the sanding pad  10  affixed on the sanding head face  24 . The method provides for the use of an anchor  30  that fits within the attachment means receiving recess  26  of the sanding head  20  of a multi-purpose power tool  100  to secure the sanding pad  10  within the attachment means receiving recess  26  by clamping part of the sanding pad  10  between the recess wall(s)  29  and the anchor wall(s)  39  and/or the recess floor  28  and the anchor base  34 . As previously indicated, the attachment means receiving recess  26  is provided for the sunken seating of the attachment means  22 , e.g. bolt  22 , below the sanding head face  24  so as to affix the sanding head  20  to the motor/handle  50  of the multi-purpose power tool  100 . Further provided is the method of using the anchor wall(s)  39 , and preferably the distal end(s)  37  of the anchor wall(s)  39 , anchor  30  to cut or shear the sanding pad  10  so as to facilitate the folding of part of the sanding pad  10  into the attachment means receiving recess  26  for secure clamping by the anchor into the attachment means receiving recess  26 .