Abrading – Frame or mount – Portable abrader
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-12
2004-03-02
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Abrading
Frame or mount
Portable abrader
C451S354000, C451S355000, C451S356000, C030S371000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06699111
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a hand-guided grinding or sanding device for carrying out a planar grinding motion and the device is mounted on a grinding disk. The device has a central housing positioned above the grinding disk which is mounted on an axis of a shaft extending downwardly from the central housing. The central housing has a main handle and an additional handle for two-handed operation of the device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For working planar, concave or convex surfaces of parts of wood, plastic, plaster and also metal, grinding devices of different constructions are used. The types of grinding devices, most in use, are either orbital sanders or eccentric sanders, for which the part is worked by a grinding or sanding element carrying out a motor-driven, flat grinding motion, in order to eliminate dimensional inaccuracies and, depending on the grinding or sanding element used, achieve a more or less smooth surface.
The housings of known grinding equipment extend essentially above the grinding surface and accommodate the driving motor and a transmission. The devices mostly also have a laterally protruding housing part, in which further electronic components are accommodated. A dust collection bag or similar devices are also fastened to the laterally projecting part of the housing. While being operated, the known grinding devices usually are guided with two hands. For this purpose, the laterally projecting part of the housing is constructed as a handle. A second handle is disposed at the side of the central housing, spaced from the laterally projecting part of the housing that is constructed as a handle. Due to the two-handed operation, a larger pressure can be exerted on the grinding surface, disposed between the two handles, and the planar contact between the equipment and the part can be controlled quite well.
For the fine finishing of surfaces, for which such a high contacting pressure is not required, the grinding device usually is guided by only one hand. For this purpose, the user takes hold of the grinding device in the head region of the central housing, which has a contacting surface for the hand. During the single-handed guidance of the known grinding devices, the guiding hand is at a relatively large distance from the surface being ground. As a result, the user loses touch for the grinding progress of the surface. Because of the disadvantageous relationship between the dimensions of the grinding surface of the grinding device and the height of the position of the handle over the grinding surface, an overturning moment is very large. Accordingly, there is the danger that, because of a tilting of the grinding device, corrugations and grinding tracks are produced in the surface of the part with the result that the grinding will be unsatisfactory. In the case of grinding at vertical walls, in which the device is held with a perpendicular alignment of its grinding surface, and while grinding curvatures of a part, the expenditure of a greater force is required because of the distance of the center of gravity of the device from the position of the handle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore it is a primary object of the invention to provide a remedy for these disadvantages in the state of the art. A hand-guided grinding device is provided which can be guided by one hand with little expenditure of force. The danger of grinding tracks, resulting from a tilting of the grinding device, is decreased. At the same time, the device is ready for diversified use for a one-handed or a two-handed operation, for which the user can select the way of holding the grinding device, which is most advantageous for him and the respective application purpose.
This objective is accomplished by a housing section on the central housing axially adjoining the grinding disc projecting laterally from at least in part and has a gripping surface for one-handed operation. Further advantageous developments of the invention and/or preferred examples are the object of the dependent claims. Accordingly, the object of the invention is a hand-guided grinding device for a grinding element, which carries out a planar grinding motion and is mounted on a grinding disk, which can be driven by a motor. The grinding disk is mounted on a shaft, which protrudes from a central housing of a device that extends axially above the grinding disk and serves to accommodate a transmission unit and a motor. The grinding device has a main handle and an additional handle for the two-handed operation of the device. The handles project from opposite sides of the central housing of the equipment, essentially laterally from the latter. The central housing of the device has a housing section, which adjoins the grinding disk axially and projects laterally over the central housing of the device at least in part and is equipped with a gripping surface for a single-handed operation.
Since the central housing of the device has a housing section, equipped with a gripping surface and adjoins the grinding disk, a more sensitive one-handed guidance is made possible. The position of the handle is clearly closer to the grinding surface. Due to the lower handle position, a tilting moment is reduced. This decreases the danger of an unsatisfactory grinding resulting from tilting of the grinding equipment. The lower position of the handle leads to a lesser expenditure of force, even when the grinder is guided with one hand on surfaces that are not horizontal, and ensures fatigue-free working.
To improve the counter-balancing of the grinding device, it proves to be advantageous if the axial projections of the gripping surface and the planar grinding surface, formed by the grinding disk, essentially overlap one another. Advisably, the projection of an essential part of the gripping surface lies within the grinding surface, so that the housing section with the additional gripping surface does not present an obstacle when working in regions close to the edge of the grinding surface.
From a construction point of view and in regard to the space required for the transmission unit and a normally provided fan wheel for aspirating the grinding dust, an average distance between the gripping surface and the grinding surface of the grinding disk of about 100 mm to about 140 mm proves to be advantageous. At this distance, there is sufficient space in the housing section for the units that have to be accommodated. Nevertheless, the low handle position is retained and, with that, sensitive guiding by one hand is made possible, in order to achieve better precision grinding qualities. The gripping surface extends essentially parallel to the grinding surface and slopes downward slightly in the direction of the main handle. Due to this ergonomically optimized construction of the gripping surface, the ball of the thumb of the user rests on the slightly declining part of the gripping surface. By these means, fatigue-free work is possible.
For counter-balancing the grinding device, it proves to be advantageous if the central part of the housing is disposed offset in the direction of the additional handle relative to a central axis, which passes through the center of the grinding disk along a straight line connecting the main handle and the additional handle. In this connection, at least ⅗ of the gripping surface extends from the central housing of the device essentially in the direction of the main handle. By shifting the central housing of the device from the center of the grinding surface of the grinding disk parallel to the axis, the gripping surface can be positioned even better over the center of gravity of the device, which advantageously coincides with the center of the grinding plate. By these means, the symmetry of the compressive force, exerted on the grinding surface during the processing of the surface of a part, can be controlled even better by the user.
Sections of the gripping surface advantageously extend over about 240° to about 300° of the periphery of the central housing of the device, so that the hand of the us
Legner Roland
Schneider Heinz-Joachim
Vogt Silvio
Grant Alvin J.
Hail III Joseph J.
Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
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