Flexible grinding disk and grinding method

Claim 2

A grinding disk for rotating at very high spin speeds and having a low static flexural stiffness for grinding irregularities upon a workpiece, comprising: a highly flexible inner portion having radially extending elongated members for increasing membrane disk strength by reinforcing the disk radially to increase the in-plane tensile strength of the disk to enable said disk to be driven at very high spin speeds without being damaged by centrifugal forces within said disk, said elongated members being sufficiently thin and flexible to provide minimal flexural stiffness in a direction transverse to the plane of the disk to enhance disk deflection when placed on the workpiece; and a flexible outer face portion for bearing an abrasive surface thereon.

Claim 3

The grinding disk of claim 1 in which said outer face portion is of lesser flexibility than said inner portion, yet sufficiently flexible to enable said outer portion to be substantially deformed by the irregularities upon said workpiece.

Claim 4

The grinding disk of claim 1 in which said inner portion includes a central hub portion and said outer face portion is coupled to said hub portion solely by said elongated members.

Claim 5

The grinding disk of claim 1 in which said inner portion includes flexible material and said elongated members lies within said flexible material.

Claim 6

The grinding disk of claim 4 in which said elongated members extends into said outer face portion.

Claim 7

The grinding disk of claim 1 further including circumferentially extending elongated members for increasing membrane disk strength, to enable said disk to be driven at very high spin speeds, said circumferentially extending means being sufficiently thin and flexible to provide minimal flexural stiffness.

Claim 8

The grinding disk of claim 6 in which said circumferentially extending elongated members includes a plurality of filamental elements.

Claim 9

A grinding disk for rotating at very high spin speeds, said disk having a low static flexural stiffness for grinding irregularities upon a workpiece, comprising: a highly flexible inner portion; an outer face portion for bearing an abrasive surface thereon, said outer face portion of lesser flexibility than said inner portion, yet sufficiently flexible to enable said outer portion to be substantially deformed by the irregularities upon said workpiece; and circumferentially extending reinforcing means for increasing membrane disk strength by increasing the in-plane tensile strength of said disk to enable said disk to be driven at very high spin speeds, said circumferentially extending means being sufficiently thin and flexible to provide minimal flexural stiffness in a direction transverse to the plane of the disk to enhance disk deflection when placed on the workpiece.

Claim 10

A grinding disk for rotating at very high spin speeds, said disk having a low static flexural stiffness for grinding irregularities upon a workpiece, comprising: a highly flexible inner portion; an outer face portion for bearing an abrasive surface thereon, said outer face portion of lesser flexibility than said inner portion, yet sufficiently flexible to enable said outer portion to be substantially deformed by the irregularities upon said workpiece; and circumferentially extending reinforcing means for increasing membrane disk strength by increasing the in-plane tensile strength of said disk to enable said disk to be driven at very high spin speeds, said circumferentially extending means being sufficiently thin and flexible to provide minimal flexural stiffness in a direction transverse to the plane of the disk to enhance disk deflection when placed on the workpiece.

Claim 11

The grinding disk of claim 8 in which said circumferentially extending reinforcing means is a plurality of filamental elements disposed within said outer face portion.

Claim 12

A grinding disk having a low status flexural stiffness for grinding irregularities upon a workpiece, comprising: a highly flexible inner portion; a flexible outer face portion coaxially disposed about said inner portion for bearing an abrasive surface thereon; a plurality of elongated members radially extending from said inner portion to said outer face portion for connecting said portions together; and weighting means for substantially increasing the average density of said outer face portion while negligibly affecting the flexibility of the disk.

Claim 13

A grinding disk having a low status flexural stiffness for grinding irregularities upon a workpiece, comprising: a highly flexible inner portion; a flexible outer face portion coaxially disposed about said inner portion for bearing an abrasive surface thereon; a plurality of elongated members radially extending from said inner portion to said outer face portion for connecting said portions together; and weighting means for substantially increasing the average density of said outer face portion while negligibly affecting the flexibility of the disk.

Claim 14

The grinding disk of claim 10 in which said weighting means includes a high-density filler material disposed in said outer face portion.

Claim 15

The grinding disk of claim 11 in which said filler material includes metal powder.

Claim 16

The grinding disk of claim 11 in which said outer face portion is of lesser flexibility than said inner portion, yet sufficiently flexible to enable said outer portion to be substantially deformed by the irregularities upon said workpiece.

Claim 17

A grinding disk having a low static flexural stiffness for rotating at very high spin speed and for grinding irregularitiies upon a workpiece comprising: a central hub portion; an outer annular disk portion coaxially aligned with said central hub portion; abrasive material secured to the surface of said outer annular disk; and a plurality of elongated members connected to and arranged about said central hub portion in a spoke like configuration for connecting said outer annular portion to said central hub portion.

Claim 18

A grinding disk having a low static flexural stiffness for rotating at very high spin speed and for grinding irregularitiies upon a workpiece comprising: a central hub portion; an outer annular disk portion coaxially aligned with said central hub portion; abrasive material secured to the surface of said outer annular disk; and a plurality of elongated members connected to and arranged about said central hub portion in a spoke like configuration for connecting said outer annular portion to said central hub portion.

Claim 19

The grinding disk of claim 14 in which said outer face portion is of lesser flexibility than said inner portion, yet sufficiently flexible to enable said outer portion to be substantially deformed by the irregularities upon said workpiece.

Claim 20

The grinding disk of claim 14 in which said elongated members are bonded into the medial plane of the outer annular portion to provide an increased membrane disk strength and to enable the disk to be driven at very high spin speeds without being torn apart by centrifugal forces within the disk.

Claim 21

The grinding disk of claim 14 in which said elongated members are sufficiently thin and flexible to provide minimal flexural stiffness.