Title:
Sanding block
Document Type and Number:
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
In a sanding block having two expansive sides and two adjacent sides, each adjacent side adjoins each expansive side at a given one of two opposite edges of that expansive side. The expansive and adjacent sides are abrasive. When viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, the expansive sides between their opposite edges are planar and are parallel, a given one of the opposite edges of each expansive side is a curved edge, which defines a radius not less than about ⅛ inch at any location on the curved edge, and the other one of the opposite edges of each expansive side is a sharp edge, which defines an acute angle in a range from about 55° to about 70°. The curved edges are intended to minimize gouging or scuffing due to uneven pressure being applied by a user holding the sanding block in one hand and to minimize damage when gouging or scuffing due thereto occurs. The sanding block is intended particularly for drywall-finishing uses but is expected to be also useful for fiberglass-finishing, metal-finishing, wood-finishing, and other uses.
Inventors:
Joseph Jr., Koenig M. (Glenview, IL, US)
Plaque It!
Sponsored by: Flash of Genius |
Application Number:
10/158608
Publication Date:
12/04/2003
Filing Date:
05/30/2002
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Referenced by:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Trim-Tex, Inc.
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
451/461
International Classes:
(IPC1-7): B24B025/00
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
WOOD, PHILLIPS, KATZ, CLARK & MORTIMER (500 W. MADISON STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60661, US)
Claims:
1. A sanding block conforming, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, substantially to a parallelepiped having two expansive, abrasive sides and two adjacent sides, wherein each adjacent side adjoins each expansive side at a given one of two opposite edges of said expansive side, wherein a given one of the opposite edges of each expansive side, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, is a curved edge, and wherein the other one of the opposite edges of each expansive side, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, is a sharp edge.
2. The sanding block of claim 1 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each curved edge defines a radius not less than about ⅛ inch at any location on said curved edge.
3. The sanding block of claim 1 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each sharp edge defines an acute angle is in a range from about 55° to about 70°.
4. The sanding block of claim 2 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each sharp edge defines an acute angle in a range from about 55° to about 70°.
5. The sanding block of claim 1 wherein each adjacent side also is abrasive.
6. The sanding block of claim 2 wherein each adjacent side also is abrasive.
7. The sanding block of claim 3 wherein each adjacent side also is abrasive.
8. The sanding block of claim 4 wherein each adjacent side also is abrasive.
9. A sanding block conforming, before the sanding block becomes worn, substantially to a parallelepiped having two expansive, abrasive sides and two adjacent sides, wherein each adjacent side adjoins each expansive side at a given one of two opposite edges of said expansive side, wherein a given one of the opposite edges of each expansive side, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, is a curved edge, wherein the other one of the opposite edges of each expansive side, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, is a sharp edge, wherein a given one of the expansive sides, a given one of the adjacent sides, and the curved edge where the given one of the expansive sides adjoins the given one of the adjacent sides have a comparatively coarser, abrasive grit, and wherein the other one of the expansive sides, the other one of the adjacent sides, and the curved edge where the other one of the expansive sides adjoins the other one of the adjacent sides have a comparatively finer, abrasive grit.
10. The sanding block of claim 9 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each curved edge defines a radius not less than about ⅛ inch at any location on said curved edge.
11. The sanding block of claim 9 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each sharp edge defines an acute angle in a range from about 55° to about 70°.
12. The sanding block of claim 10 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each sharp edge defines an acute angle in a range from about 55° to about 70°.
2. The sanding block of claim 1 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each curved edge defines a radius not less than about ⅛ inch at any location on said curved edge.
3. The sanding block of claim 1 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each sharp edge defines an acute angle is in a range from about 55° to about 70°.
4. The sanding block of claim 2 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each sharp edge defines an acute angle in a range from about 55° to about 70°.
5. The sanding block of claim 1 wherein each adjacent side also is abrasive.
6. The sanding block of claim 2 wherein each adjacent side also is abrasive.
7. The sanding block of claim 3 wherein each adjacent side also is abrasive.
8. The sanding block of claim 4 wherein each adjacent side also is abrasive.
9. A sanding block conforming, before the sanding block becomes worn, substantially to a parallelepiped having two expansive, abrasive sides and two adjacent sides, wherein each adjacent side adjoins each expansive side at a given one of two opposite edges of said expansive side, wherein a given one of the opposite edges of each expansive side, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, is a curved edge, wherein the other one of the opposite edges of each expansive side, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, is a sharp edge, wherein a given one of the expansive sides, a given one of the adjacent sides, and the curved edge where the given one of the expansive sides adjoins the given one of the adjacent sides have a comparatively coarser, abrasive grit, and wherein the other one of the expansive sides, the other one of the adjacent sides, and the curved edge where the other one of the expansive sides adjoins the other one of the adjacent sides have a comparatively finer, abrasive grit.
10. The sanding block of claim 9 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each curved edge defines a radius not less than about ⅛ inch at any location on said curved edge.
11. The sanding block of claim 9 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each sharp edge defines an acute angle in a range from about 55° to about 70°.
12. The sanding block of claim 10 wherein, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, each sharp edge defines an acute angle in a range from about 55° to about 70°.
Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention pertains to a sanding block intended particularly for drywall-finishing uses but expected to be also useful for fiberglass-finishing uses, metal-finishing uses, wood-finishing uses, and other similar and dissimilar uses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Sanding blocks, which include sanding pads and sanding sponges, of various types are known. Sanding blocks of a first known type are monolithic blocks of pumice or other inherently abrasive materials, which may be porous or nonporous, which may be flexible or inflexible in normal uses, and which may be compressible or incompressible in normal uses. Sanding blocks of a second known type have cores of suitable materials, which may be flexible or inflexible in normal uses and which may be compressible or incompressible in normal uses, with abrasive materials, such as abrasive grit, emery sheets, or sandpaper sheets, which are bonded to the cores. Except as illustrated in the drawings and described herein, particulars of the cores and abrasive materials and of bonding of abrasive materials to the cores are known and are outside the scope of this invention.
[0003] As sold by Trim-Tex, Inc. of Lincolnwood, Ill., and admitted here to constitute prior art, a sanding block of the second known type has abrasive grit bonded to a core, which is made of a flexible, compressible, polymeric foam. The sanding block is a six-sided block having two expansive sides, to each of which abrasive grit is bonded, two adjacent sides, to each of which abrasive grit is bonded, and two lateral sides, which do not have abrasive grit and at which the core is exposed. Each adjacent side meets each expansive side at two opposite edges. The sanding block has comparatively coarser, abrasive grit bonded to a given one of the expansive sides and to a given one of the adjacent sides and comparatively finer, abrasive grit bonded to the other one of the expansive sides and to the other one of the adjacent sides.
[0004] When viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, the sanding block is tapered at its adjacent sides so that a given one of the opposite edges defines an obtuse angle and so that the other one of the opposite edges defines an acute angle in a range from about 55° to about 70°. The acute angle enables a user holding the sanding block in one hand to sand a surface with said expansive side, as far as another surface intersecting the surface being sanded at a right angle, without scuffing the intersecting surface with the adjacent side meeting said expansive side at the acute angle. However, if the user holding the sanding block in one hand applies uneven pressure, gouging of the surface being sanded can occur easily at the opposite edge, which defines the obtuse angle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention provides a sanding block conforming, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, substantially to a parallelepiped having two expansive, abrasive sides and two adjacent sides. Each adjacent side adjoins each expansive side at a given one of two opposite edges of said expansive side. A given one of the opposite edges of each expansive side, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, is a curved edge, whereas the other one of the opposite edges of said expansive side, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, is a sharp edge, which may define an acute angle. Preferably, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block becomes worn, the curved edge defines a radius not less than about ⅛ inch at any location on the curved edge.
[0006] In a preferred embodiment, a given one of the expansive sides, a given one of the adjacent sides, and the curved-edge where the given one of the expansive sides adjoins the given one of the adjacent sides have a comparatively coarser, abrasive grit, whereas the other one of the expansive sides, the other one of the adjacent sides, and the curved edge where the other one of the expansive sides adjoins the other one of the adjacent sides have a comparatively coarser, abrasive grit.
[0007] Herein, a given side of a sanding block is regarded as abrasive if the sanding block is inherently abrasive at the given side or if the sanding block has abrasive grit, an emery sheet, a sandpaper sheet, or other abrasive material bonded to the
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0008] The single figure is an isometric view of a sanding block constituting a preferred embodiment of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
[0009] As illustrated in the drawing, a sanding block
[0010] Each adjacent side
[0011] Preferably, the sanding block
[0012] As indicated in the drawing, when viewed macroscopically before the sanding block
[0013] Although the sanding block