SINGLE-USE EDGING WHEEL FOR FINISHING GLASS

• US 20090017736A1
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Abrasifs (Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Abrasives Incorporated (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Block, Robert G., Schier, Daniel L., Ramanath, Srinivasan
• Application Number:
  US11/775,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20090017736A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 451/260
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 9/10 of plate glass
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 18/00 Manufacture of grinding tools or other grinding devices, e.g. wheels, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 5/02 Wheels in one piece

Abstract

A single-use grinding tool includes a wheel portion having a profiled recess (e.g., such as a U, V, or bowl shape) extending circumferentially along the wheel portion'"'"'s periphery. A multi-layered bonded abrasive (e.g., 3-dimensional matrix of abrasive grains and bond material, or multiple layers of abrasive tape) is conformably coated or otherwise applied in a uniform thickness along the profiled recess. The bonded abrasive in one particular case includes a metal bond with diamonds. However, organic, resinous, vitrified, and hybrid bonds, as well as other abrasive grit types, can be used. The wheel portion is supported by an arbor portion which may be removably coupled to the wheel portion, or formed integrally with the wheel portion. The tool is useful, for example, in edge grinding a workpiece, such as sheet glass. Methods of tool use and tool manufacture are disclosed as well.

Claims

1. A single-use grinding tool for shaping an edge of a glass sheet, the tool comprising:

a wheel configured for engagement with an arbor, the wheel having an axis of rotation;

a profiled recess extending along a periphery of the wheel, the profiled recess having a profile corresponding to a desired edge profile of the glass sheet; and

a multi-layered bonded abrasive disposed in the profiled recess, the multi-layered bonded abrasive being conformably disposed at a substantially uniform thickness along the predetermined profile, thereby providing the multi-layered bonded abrasive with an abrasive profile configured to impart the desired edge profile to the glass sheet upon rotation of the tool about the axis.

2. The grinding tool of claim 1 wherein the multi-layered bonded abrasive is free-sintered.

3. The grinding tool of claim 1 wherein the multi-layered bonded abrasive is hot-pressed or hot-coined in a split mold.

4. The grinding tool of claim 1 wherein the wheel is removably coupled to the arbor.

5. The grinding tool of claim 1 comprising the arbor.

6. The grinding tool of claim 5 wherein the wheel and the arbor are of unitary construction.

7. The grinding tool of claim 1 wherein the wheel is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, iron alloys, non-metallic composites, polymers, and combinations thereof

8. The grinding tool of claim 1 wherein the bonded abrasive comprises a superabrasive grain disposed within a matrix.

9. The grinding tool of claim 8 wherein the superabrasive grain comprises a particle size distribution ranging from:

greater than or equal to about 2 microns; and

less than or equal to about 300 microns.

10. The grinding tool of claim 8 wherein the superabrasive grain comprises a particle size distribution ranging from:

greater than or equal to about 20 microns; and

less than or equal to about 200 microns.

11. The grinding tool of claim 8 wherein the matrix comprises from:

greater than or equal to about 5 volume percent superabrasive grain; and

less than or equal to about 25 volume percent superabrasive grain.

12. The grinding tool of claim 8 wherein the matrix comprises a bond selected from the group consisting of metallic, organic, resinous, and vitrified bonds.

13. The grinding tool of claim 8 wherein the matrix is a metal bond matrix.

14. The grinding tool of claim 13 wherein the superabrasive grain comprises diamond.

15. The grinding tool of claim 13 wherein the metal bond is selected from the group consisting of bronze, copper, zinc, cobalt, iron, nickel, silver, tin, aluminum, indium, phosphorous, antimony, titanium, tungsten, zirconium, chromium, hafnium, and hydrides, alloys, and mixtures thereof.

16. The grinding tool of claim 13 wherein the metal bond comprises a bronze alloy.

17. The grinding tool of claim 13 wherein the metal bond comprises a bronze alloy and a material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, iron, tungsten, and mixtures and alloys thereof.

18. The grinding tool of claim 13 wherein the metal bond comprises a nickel-chrome alloy.

19. The grinding tool of claim 18 wherein the metal bond comprises a nickel-chrome alloy and a material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, iron, tungsten, and mixtures and alloys thereof.

20. The grinding tool of claim 1 wherein the desired edge profile comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of U-shaped, V-shaped, and basket-shaped.

21. The grinding tool of claim 1 wherein the wheel comprises a diameter ranging from:

greater than or equal to about 75 millimeters; and

less than or equal to about 300 millimeters.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

discarding the grinding tool once the abrasive profile falls beyond dimensional specifications associated with the desired edge profile.

21-1. A method for shaping an edge of a glass sheet, the method comprising:

mounting on a grinding machine, a single-use grinding tool including;

a wheel configured for engagement with an arbor, the wheel having an axis of rotation;

a profiled recess extending along a periphery of the wheel, the profiled recess having a profile corresponding to a desired edge profile of the glass sheet; and

a multi-layered bonded abrasive disposed in the profiled recess, the multi-layered bonded abrasive being conformably disposed at a substantially uniform thickness along the predetermined profile, thereby providing the multi-layered bonded abrasive with an abrasive profile configured to impart the desired edge profile to the glass sheet upon rotation of the tool about the axis;

applying the edge of the glass sheet to the multi-layered bonded abrasive as the single-use grinding tool rotates on the grinding machine about the axis.

23. A method for fabricating a single-use edging tool for finishing glass, the method comprising:

providing a wheel having an axis of rotation and a recess extending along a periphery of the wheel, the recess having a profile corresponding to a desired profile of a glass workpiece;

conformably disposing at least one of a multi-layered paste and tape of abrasive and bond along the profile; and

applying at least one of heat and pressure to the at least one of paste and tape to form a multi-layered bonded abrasive having an abrasive profile configured to impart the desired edge profile to the glass workpiece upon rotation of the tool about the axis.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein prior to applying at least one of heat and pressure, the method further comprises:

applying a template to the at least one of paste and tape to provide the at least one of paste and tape with a substantially uniform thickness along the profile.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein applying at least one of heat and pressure comprises free-sintering the at least one of paste and tape.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein applying at least one of heat and pressure comprises one of hot-pressing or hot-coining to the at least one of paste and tape in a split mold.