Skate Blade Sharpening System with Visual Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skate sharpening systems rely on trial-and-error methods for aligning grinding wheels with skate blades, leading to inefficiencies, inconsistent results, and potential damage due to mechanical coupling issues and difficult-to-reach user controls.
Innovation Solution
A skate blade sharpening system that uses visual reference features and a position adjustment mechanism to align the grinding wheel with the skate blade before sharpening, ensuring accurate alignment and smooth adjustment movements, decoupling adjustment from pivoting motion and improving positioning accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If trial-and-error alignment techniques are used, then the grinding wheel can be adjusted to align with the skate blade, but the process is time consuming and requires multiple sharpening cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing visual reference features (alignment marks) on both the grinding wheel and skate blade holder that allow the user to align the components before sharpening begins. This eliminates the need for trial-and-error adjustments during the sharpening process, as the alignment is established in advance through visual confirmation of the reference features being in proper positional relationship.
2Stability of the object's composition
If locking mechanisms are used to secure alignment, then the position can be fixed, but the mechanisms may shift after adjustment introducing error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical locking system with a visual reference system. Instead of relying on mechanical locks that may shift or introduce error, the system uses visual reference features that provide continuous alignment information. This substitution eliminates the problem of mechanical shift while maintaining alignment stability through the persistent visual indicators.
3Device complexity
If user controls are placed in known positions, then the system is compact, but the controls are difficult to reach and adjust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses control accessibility by transitioning from a compact but hard-to-reach control arrangement to a configuration where controls are positioned in a different spatial dimension or location that is easily accessible to the user. This allows the system to maintain compactness while improving ergonomics and ease of adjustment.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the grinding wheel follows the edge of the skate blade during sharpening, then the wheel adapts to blade profile, but mechanical coupling interferes with smooth pivoting creating inconsistent grinding forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the alignment function from the sharpening function. The visual reference features handle alignment independently, while the sharpening mechanism operates separately without problematic mechanical coupling. This segmentation allows the grinding wheel to follow the blade profile for adaptation while eliminating the mechanical interference that caused inconsistent grinding forces.
Data Source
AI summary
A skate blade sharpening system includes a clamp for retaining a skate blade in a sharpening position during a sharpening operation, with a centerline of the sharpening position having a first predetermined location relative to a first visual reference feature. A grinding wheel contacts the skate blade during sharpening and is mounted for rotation on a motor arm. A centerline of the grinding wheel has a second predetermined location relative to a second visual reference feature carried by the motor arm. An adjustment mechanism is used to move the motor arm transversely during an alignment operation to vary relative position between the grinding wheel and the sharpening position across a range that includes an aligned position in which the centerline of the grinding wheel is aligned with the centerline of the sharpening position. The aligned position is indicated by alignment of the first visual reference with the second visual reference feature.