Accessory for a sanding machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to an accessory (1) for a sanding machine (M) comprising a frame (10), configured to be removably coupled to a body (C) of the sanding machine (M), equipped with at least three supports (30) provided with rolling means (38), and a side cover (40); wherein said frame (10) is configured to form a housing suitable for hosting a portion of the body (C) of the sanding machine (M) and is provided with support means (22) on which said body (C) of the sanding machine (M) can rest, so that, when the accessory is applied to the sanding machine (M), a portion of its weight is discharged to the ground through the supports (30) of the frame (10), and wherein said side cover (40) comprises a strip (41) of a flexible material applied to the frame (10) and is provided with an opening (45) to which a pipe of a dust suction system of the sanding machine (M) can be connected.

Description

[0001] TITLE

[0002] ACCESSORY FOR A SANDING MACHINE DESCRIPTION

[0003] The present invention relates to an accessory for a machine designed to perform sanding and / or polishing operations on flat surfaces, in particular floors. More specifically, the accessory of the present invention is conceived to be applied to semi-portable floor sanding machines, for example of the planetary or roto-planetary type, configured to accommodate one or more rotating abrasive tools.

[0004] Even more specifically, the invention concerns an accessory that functions as a mobile support for a sanding machine.

[0005] To perform the above-mentioned sanding and / or polishing operations on floors or other equivalent flat surfaces, depending on the material of the surface to be treated, two main types of sanding machines are generally employed: belt or roller sanders, and disc sanders. The latter can be equipped with a single rotating disc / tool (so-called single-disc or single-brush sanders) or with multiple discs / tools (so-called planetary or roto-planetary sanders) which rotate around their own axis and simultaneously along a circumferential trajectory.

[0006] The accessory of the present invention is particularly suitable for use with the above-mentioned disc sanders, whether planetary or single-disc.

[0007] For this type of machines, various abrasive tools with different shapes and configurations are known, equipped with abrasive elements made of various materials.

[0008] Among these, there is a type of tool of the abrasive disc type comprising a circular support whose lower face is provided with a plurality of flaps or filaments, made of cellulose or other polymers, typically forming paper or non-woven fabric, respectively, and coated with abrasive material, fixed directly to the circular support or through fastening elements such as brackets or the like.Examples of such tools are described, for instance, in W02005113198A2, W02008088908 Al , WO2011110176A1 , and WO2022251798 Al .

[0009] These tools offer good sanding performance but, however, present some limitations especially when used for sanding polymeric materials, in particular thermoplastic polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (Linoleum, LVT, etc.) or similar.

[0010] A problem that occurs in the processing of such materials is the excessive heat generated by friction between the flaps or abrasive filaments and the treated surface. This problem is even more pronounced when the tools are used with semi-portable sanding machines whose weight, which can reach 70 kg or more, causes excessive pressure between the abrasive element and the treated surface.

[0011] Under such conditions, the thermal energy generated causes a rise in the temperature of the treated surface with the consequent melting of the sanding debris, which adhere to the abrasive surfaces of the tool, rendering them ineffective prematurely.

[0012] This condition is further aggravated by the fact that the above-mentioned debris generated during the processing of polymeric materials are generally larger in size than those from other materials such as wood, cement, or other stone materials, and being heavier, are more difficult to remove through the suction system with which machines of the prior art are generally equipped.

[0013] In this context, the purpose of the present invention is therefore to propose an accessory for a sanding machine that overcomes the above-mentioned problems affecting the machines of the prior art.

[0014] In detail, the purpose of the present invention is to propose an accessory for a sanding machine that efficiently manages the contact pressure of the abrasive elements with the surface to be treated.

[0015] In particular, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an accessory for a sanding machine that ensures a longer life of the abrasive tools when used for processingpolymeric materials.

[0016] Another purpose of the present invention is to propose an accessory for a sanding machine that allows obtaining a better and consistent processing quality with sanding machines of different size and weight.

[0017] Another purpose of the present invention is to propose an accessory for a sanding machine that allows more efficient evacuation of debris, especially polymeric materials.

[0018] Yet another purpose of the present invention is to provide an accessory that can be applied to the sanding machine and removed from it in a few moments and without the use of tools.

[0019] These and other purposes are achieved by an accessory for a sanding machine, in particular a sanding machine for a flat surface such as a floor or the like, according to claim 1, as well as by a sanding machine according to claim 8.

[0020] In detail, according to the present invention, the accessory comprises a frame configured to be removably coupled to a body of the sanding machine and equipped with at least three supports provided with rolling means. These supports are preferably at least four or optionally five or six, in the case the sanding machine is particularly bulky or heavy. These supports are typically arranged along a circumference and are angularly equally spaced.

[0021] According to an aspect of the invention, the frame comprises an annular band configured to form an internal housing suitable for hosting a portion of the body of the sanding machine, in particular the flat or bell-shaped circular portion surrounding the tool attachment (single-disc or planetary system).

[0022] Said annular band is provided with support means, such as flaps, pins, or the like, protruding from the band towards the internal housing. The body of the machine can rest on said support means.

[0023] When the sanding machine is placed on the frame, a portion of its weight can thereforebear on said frame and can be discharged to the ground through the supports.

[0024] In this way, it is possible to limit the weight force acting on the abrasive elements of the tool and, consequently, the pressure between them and the surface to be treated.

[0025] The operations of applying the accessory to the machine, as well as its removal, are simple and quick and can be performed without tools and without particular expertise. In fact, once the accessory is positioned with the supports resting on the ground, it is sufficient to insert the body of the machine into the annular band and position it resting on the support means. Removal is equally simple since it is enough to lift and slide the machine body off the frame.

[0026] According to an aspect of the invention, the supports can be adjusted in height relative to the annular band, so as to vary the distance between said annular band, and therefore the body of the sanding machine, and the ground.

[0027] Such adjustment allows adapting the accessory to tools of different types and sizes, enabling calibration of the correct pressure sufficient to exert an efficient abrasive action, while maintaining the temperature of the surface to be treated within an optimal threshold value.

[0028] According to a preferred variant, said supports are equipped with height adjustment means configured to provide discrete and predefined adjustment steps. Said adjustment steps are the same for all the supports of the frame.

[0029] This configuration allows for more effective and simpler adjustment by an operator. Indeed, with the above-mentioned types of abrasive tools (flaps or filaments), it is important that the contact pressure is constant over the entire active surface of the tool; this generally corresponds to a substantially parallel arrangement of the support disc relative to the surface to be treated. Thanks to the presence of predefined height adjustment steps, it is much easier for the operator to adjust all supports to the same height compared, for example, to systems with continuous adjustment by sliding or screw-nut systems.According to another aspect of the invention, each support may comprise a fixed portion, integral with the annular band, and a movable portion, slidably housed in the fixed portion. More precisely, said fixed portion is connected to the outer face of the annular band and protrudes from it outwardly.

[0030] The movable portion is connected to the rolling means, for example swivel wheels, spherical wheels or the like.

[0031] Each support further comprises locking and adjustment means to vary the relative position between the fixed portion and the movable portion, and thus the rolling means.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment, said locking and adjustment means comprise a plurality of seats formed in the fixed portion and arranged at different levels (heights). Said locking and adjustment means comprise at least one engagement element, for example a pin or a tab, integral with the movable portion, suitable to engage one of the seats of the fixed portion. In practice, the fixed portion rests on the movable portion through said seat and the respective engagement element.

[0033] By moving the movable portion relative to the fixed one, it is possible to engage the engagement element with a different seat, thus varying the position of the movable portion relative to the fixed portion, and consequently the height of the accessory and the sanding machine relative to the ground.

[0034] According to another aspect of the present invention, the accessory further comprises a side cover in the form of a strip applied to the perimeter of the annular band. Said cover is made of flexible material, for example rubber or equivalent materials. The strip is wrapped around a reinforcing element, also in the form of a circular band, made of a rigid material, for example metal, or semi-rigid, such as a plastic material of adequate strength.

[0035] According to a preferred variant, said side cover, which has an upper edge and a lower edge, is connected to the annular band, usually through the upper edge, so as to be able to slide freely for a certain distance along a vertical direction.In this way, in the various adjustment positions of the supports, and thus of the machine height, said cover, by gravity, always rests on the ground with its lower edge, so as to completely surround the tool and retain the dust and debris from the sanding operation.

[0036] Said side cover is also provided with an opening to which a suction system inlet pipe of the sanding machine can be connected. The opening is positioned very close to the ground and to the abrasive tool (or tools); such positioning facilitates the removal of larger debris, thus heavier, such as those formed during the sanding of polymeric materials, particularly thermoplastic ones.

[0037] Other features and advantages will become more apparent from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, description of a preferred embodiment, but not exclusive of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which:

[0038] • Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the accessory for sanding machines, according to the present invention;

[0039] • Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the frame of the accessory of Figure 1;

[0040] • Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the cover of the accessory of Figure 1;

[0041] • Figure 4 is a side view of a detail of the support of the accessory of Figure 1;

[0042] • Figure 5 is a lateral sectional view of the accessory according to the present invention, applied to a sanding machine.

[0043] With reference to the attached figures, number 1 indicates as a whole an accessory to be applied to a sanding machine M for flat surfaces, in particular floors.

[0044] The accessory comprises a frame 10 and a side cover 40.

[0045] The frame 10, typically made of metal (steel or eventually aluminium), comprises a circular annular band 20 supported by supports 30 (four in the illustrated example). The supports 30 are fixed to the annular band 20 and are arranged along a circumference larger than that of said annular band.

[0046] Said annular band 20 has a thin wall with a cylindrical development. The wallthickness is generally between 2 mm and 5 mm; the height development of the wall is instead between 20 mm and 100 mm.

[0047] The annular band 20 presents a lower edge 21 from which support means 22, flaps in the figures, protrude inwardly, on which the body of the sanding machine M rests, more precisely the bell-shaped portion C that overlies and / or surrounds the abrasive tool T (Fig.

[0048] 5).

[0049] Each support 30 comprises a fixed portion 31, fixed to the annular band 20 by means of a connecting plate 32. Said fixed portion comprises a body developed in height with a through internal cavity in which a movable portion 33 is housed. Said movable portion 33 also comprises a body developed in height and a pin 35. In the illustrated variant, the fixed and movable portions have a circular cross-section in plan view.

[0050] The fixed portion 30 presents a lower section 3 la which is shaped to present a plurality of cavities 34. Said cavities 34, numbering at least two, preferably at least three, four or more, are arranged at different heights.

[0051] Said cavities 34 serve as seats to temporarily house and retain the pin 35 protruding from the external surface of the movable portion 33.

[0052] A handle 36 is rotatably integral to the movable portion 33 and allows rotating the movable portion 33 relative to the fixed portion 31 to vary the position of the pin 35 in the various seats 34.

[0053] Swivel wheels 38 are connected to the lower part of the movable portion 33.

[0054] When the accessory 1 is applied to the sanding machine M, the weight of said machine is discharged at least partially on the frame 10 through the flaps 22 of the annular band 20 and from it to the supports 30. In the support 30, the weight portion transmitted by the annular band is discharged on the pin 35 of the movable portion 33 and then to the wheels.

[0055] Each position of the pin 35 in a cavity 34 corresponds to a height of the body of the sanding machine M.The side cover 40 comprises a flexible strip 41 made of polymer or rubber wrapped around a reinforcing element 42 of circular shape.

[0056] The side cover 40 is connected to the annular band 20 of the frame by means of a pin 25, fixed to the annular band 20 and slidably housed in a slot 44, the latter being formed in the reinforcing element 42 and in the flexible strip 41. Said connection allows the cover 40 to slide along a vertical direction relative to the frame 10.

[0057] An opening 45 is formed in the flexible strip 41 to allow connection of a pipe (not illustrated) of the dust suction system.

[0058] The present invention, as described and illustrated, is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants all encompassed within the inventive concept; moreover, all details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An accessory (1) for a sanding machine (M), in particular a sanding machine for a flat surface such as a floor or the like, comprising:a frame (10), configured to be removably coupled to a body (C) of the sanding machine (M) and provided with at least three supports (30) provided with rolling means (38); anda side cover (40);wherein said frame (10) is configured to form a housing suitable for hosting a portion of the body (C) of the sanding machine (M) and is provided with support means (22) suitable for providing support to said body (C) of the sanding machine (M), so that, when the accessory (1) is applied to the sanding machine (M) a portion of the weight of the latter is discharged to the ground through the supports (30) of the frame (10), andwherein said side cover (40) comprises a strip (41) of a flexible material applicable to the frame (10), said strip having a mouth (45) suitable for being connected to a tube of a waste suction system of the sanding machine (M).

2. The accessory (1) according to claim 1, wherein the supports (30) are adjustable in height so as to vary the distance between the body (C) of the sanding machine (M) and the ground.

3. The accessory (1) according to claim 2, wherein each support (30) comprises a fixed portion (31) and a movable portion (33), the movable portion (33) being slidably housed in the fixed portion (31), and connected to the rolling means (38), each support further comprising locking and adjustment means (34, 35) for varying along a vertical direction the relative position between the fixed portion (31) and the movable portion (33).

4. The accessory (1) according to claim 3, wherein said locking and adjustment means (34, 35) are configured to provide discrete and predefined adjustment steps that are the same for all the supports (30) of the frame (10).

5. The accessory (1) according to claim 4, wherein said locking and adjustment means (34, 35) comprise a plurality of seats (34) obtained in the fixed portion (31) and arranged at different levels and at least one engagement element (35), integral with the movable portion (33), suitable for engaging one of said seats (34) to block the relative movement between said fixed (31) and movable (33) portions along a vertical direction.

6. The accessory (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the frame (10) comprises an annular band (20) provided with flaps, pins or the like (22), protruding towards the internal housing, suitable for providing support to the body (C) of the machine (M), said supports (30) being connected to said annular band (20).

7. The accessory (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said side cover (40) is connected to the frame (10) in such a way as to be able to slide freely for a certain distance along a vertical direction.

8. A sanding machine (M) for flat surfaces, in particular floors, comprising a body (C) to which at least one abrasive tool (T) is connected, said sanding machine (M) being provided with an accessory (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

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