U.S. patent application number 11/358593 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-03 for abrasive cleaning and honing device and method of honing concrete surfaces.
Invention is credited to Simon Palushaj.
Application Number | 20070099549 11/358593 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46325262 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070099549 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Palushaj; Simon |
May 3, 2007 |
Abrasive cleaning and honing device and method of honing concrete
surfaces
Abstract
A cleaning element (36) for a rotating disc cleaning pad 32 to
hone a cement floor surface. Each cleaning element has a flat
flexible abrasive surface (39) that is transversely positioned to
the direction of motion to provide flex during cleaning of a cement
floor surface.
Inventors: |
Palushaj; Simon; (Shelby
Township, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REISING, ETHINGTON, BARNES, KISSELLE, P.C.
P O BOX 4390
TROY
MI
48099-4390
US
|
Family ID: |
46325262 |
Appl. No.: |
11/358593 |
Filed: |
February 21, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10851393 |
May 21, 2004 |
|
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11358593 |
Feb 21, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
451/41 ;
451/526 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B24B 7/18 20130101; B24D
13/16 20130101; A46B 13/02 20130101; B24B 7/30 20130101; A46B
2200/3093 20130101; B24B 7/186 20130101; B24D 99/00 20130101; A46B
13/008 20130101; B24D 11/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
451/041 ;
451/526 |
International
Class: |
B24B 7/30 20060101
B24B007/30; B24D 11/00 20060101 B24D011/00 |
Claims
1. An abrasive cleaning device for cleaning and honing a concrete
surface comprising: a rotatable disc shaped housing for rotation
about a central axis; a plurality of cleaning strips having a front
abrasive face with a width and length extending downward from said
disc shaped housing; said cleaning strips mounted to said housing
such that the front abrasive face is aligned substantially
transverse to the normal rotatable direction of motion of said
housing; said cleaning strips having a substrate and an abrasive
material at the surface of said cleaning strips and secured to said
substrate; and the length of said cleaning strips being
substantially greater than its thickness to provide flexibility of
said cleaning strips to allow some strips to flex over high spots
in said concrete surface.
2. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 1 further
comprising: said abrasive material being hard abrasive particles
being embedded in said substrate; and said substrate being a
plastic matrix.
3. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 1 further
comprising: said plastic matrix being a high temperature
plastic.
4. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 1 further
comprising: said cleaning strips having its front abrasive faces
substantially radially aligned with the center of said pad and
transverse to the normal rotational motion of said housing.
5. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 3 further
comprising: said abrasive material embedded only in a distal end
section of said bristle; and a proximate mounting section being
devoid of said abrasive material.
6. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 1 further
comprising: said abrasive material being only on a distal end of
said front abrasive face with said proximate end and said other
faces being devoid of said abrasive material.
7. An abrasive bristle comprising: a plastic matrix, an abrasive
material embedded in a distal end section of said bristle; and a
proximate mounting section of said bristle being devoid of said
abrasive material.
8. An abrasive bristle as defined in claim 7 further comprising:
said distal end with said abrasive extending toward said proximate
mounting section with said abrasive ending at a point where said
flexibility degrades a sufficient amount and said point being used
as a wear indicator.
9. An abrasive bristle as defined in claim 8 further comprising:
said abrasive material being only on a distal end of a front
abrasive face with said proximate end and other faces being devoid
of said abrasive material.
10. An abrasive bristle as defined in claim 7 further comprising:
said abrasive material comprising diamond particles.
11. An abrasive bristle element comprising: a plastic matrix; and
an abrasive material at opposing distal ends of said bristle
element; said middle section being a mounting section to a support
base; said middle section being free of said abrasive material.
12. An abrasive bristle element as defined in claim 11 further
comprising: said abrasive material being embedded in said
matrix;
13. An abrasive bristle element as defined in claim 11 further
comprising: said abrasive material being coated on said opposing
ends.
14. An abrasive bristle element as defined in claim 13 further
comprising: said abrasive material having a brazed connection on
said opposing ends.
15. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 14 further
comprising: said front abrasive faces being substantially flat and
said abrasive material being coated on only said front abrasive
faces with said other faces being devoid of abrasive material.
16. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 15 further
comprising; said cleaning strips in cross-section having a major
axis and a minor axis with said major axis positioned to be
transverse to the normal motion of said housing.
17. An abrasive cleaning device for cleaning and honing concrete
surfaces comprising: a disc shaped housing for rotation about a
center axis; a plurality of cleaning strips having a substrate with
a mounting end mounted to said housing and a distal end with
abrasive particles at the surface of said substrate and secured to
said substrate for honing concrete surfaces and releasable from
said distal end as said abrasive particles rounds out to provide
exposure of another abrasive particle for honing said concrete
surface; the length of said cleaning strips being substantially
greater than its thickness to provide flexibility of said cleaning
strips; and said cleaning strips in cross-section having a major
axis and a minor axis with one of said axes positioned to be
transverse to the normal motion of said housing.
18. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 17 further
comprising: said major axis being positioned transversely to the
normal motion of said housing.
19. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 18 further
comprising: said abrasive material at the surface of only the front
abrasive face with other faces being devoid of abrasive material;
and said front abrasive faces being substantially flat.
20. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 19 further
comprising: said abrasive material comprising diamond particles
having a brazed connection with said substrate.
21. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 18 further
comprising: said cleaning strips having a major and minor axis
greater than 1/8 inch such that it is larger than the diameter of
cement pores.
22. An abrasive cleaning device for a concrete surface comprising:
a brush with a plurality of resiliently flexible bristles having a
major and minor axis larger than the pores of said concrete; said
brush having a scrub working surface with abrasive particles
affixed thereto; said brush having a flat edge at its distal end to
scrape away dirt and residue; and said brush providing a
replenished scrub working surface as worn abrasive particles abrade
from the scrub working surface and as the scrub working surface
abrades away for honing the concrete surface.
23. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 22 further
comprising: said scrub working surface being substantially flat and
substantially transverse to the normal direction of motion of said
cleaning device.
24. An abrasive cleaning device as defined in claim 23 further
comprising: said abrasive particles affixed only at said scrub
working surface with other faces of said bristles being devoid of
abrasive particles.
25. A method of claiming a polished concrete surface comprising:
moving a plurality of cleaning strips having a front abrasive face
aligned substantially transverse to the direction of movement; and
said cleaning strips flexing to accommodate high and low spots of
the concrete surface.
26. A method as defined in claim 25 further comprising: said
cleaning strip being a flexible substrate with said abrasive face
having a plurality of abrasive particle secured thereon across said
face.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S.
Ser. No. 10/851,393 filed on May 21, 2004.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The field of this invention relates to a cleaning and honing
device for polished concrete surfaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] Normal cleaning of concrete whether by a power wash, power
sweep or scrub progressively deteriorates concrete by breaking
apart smaller particles from the concrete surface, thereby making
the concrete surface more porous and more suspect to further
deterioration.
[0004] Known cleaning brushes also progressively deteriorate
concrete surfaces. The small bristles tend to undesirably add
porosity to the concrete surface by poking into the holes that
naturally occur in the concrete and breaking away the smaller
particles of the concrete.
[0005] While concrete or cement is a very popular material for use
in floors and construction materials because of its strength,
durability and low costs, if the concrete or cement is left
unfinished, the floor will inherently produce dust by the constant
scuffing it undergoes whether by foot traffic or wheeled traffic
and be susceptible to staining due to the porosity. One is then
faced with a dilemma of cleaning a concrete floor with the
disadvantage of the deterioration of its relatively smooth
surface.
[0006] One way to achieve a better concrete surface look is to add
a densifier such as sodium silicate to the concrete floor which
closes the porosity of the floor. One then polishes the concrete
with successive finer grit sand paper or polishing pads. This known
process provides for a relatively attractive concrete polished
surface. However this surface also needs maintenance when it gets
dirty.
[0007] Previous attempts have been made to embed hardened abrasive
particles such as silicone carbide a diamond particles into a
substrate such as plastic for use on a power high speed machine.
However, when such as abrasive device is used on the machine, the
abrasive particles cause too much heat build up and has melted the
plastic matrix. As more diamond particles are introduced in the
plastic matrix, the more extensive and faster the heat build up
occurs.
[0008] Previous attempts to embed hard diamond or other abrasive
materials in the plastic matrix has resulted in affixing the
diamond particles such that the diamond particle remains secured in
the plastic even after the diamond edge has worn down and its
abrasive cutting power has significantly degraded.
[0009] What is needed is a durable cleaning brush for mounting to a
cleaning or buffing machine that is suitable for cleaning a
polished cement floor. What is also needed is an expedient method
to clean a polished concrete floor. What is also needed is a
bristle that is durable and with a cross-sectional diameter larger
than the cement floor pores in order to hone and smooth a concrete
floor rather than degrade it during the cleaning process. What is
also needed is a bristle that has a durable abrasive particle
securely affixed to the bristle that is capable of honing a
concrete surface.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0010] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an abrasive
cleaning device has a housing and a plurality of cleaning strips
having a front abrasive face with a width and length. The cleaning
strips are mounted to the housing such that the front abrasive face
is aligned substantially transverse to the normal direction of
motion of the housing. The cleaning strips include an abrasive
material at the surface of the cleaning strips and secured to a
substrate of the strips. The length of the face is substantially
greater than the thickness of the strip to provide flexibility of
the cleaning strips.
[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an
abrasive cleaning device has a plurality of cleaning strips with
one end mounted to the housing. The strip has a distal end with an
abrasive material at the surface of a substrate and secured to the
substrate. The length of the cleaning strips is substantially
greater than its thickness to provide resilient flexibility.
Preferably the substrate is made from a steel or plastic that
provides the resilient flexibility to the bristle. Preferably,
abrasive particles are secured to the strip such that when the
strip wears it is exposing fresh abrasive particles at its working
scrub surface. The distal working surface provides a flat edge to
scrape away dirt and residue while the sharp abrasive particle cut
and hone the cement surface. As the abrasive particles wear out,
i.e. round down and loose its effectiveness, they eventually abrade
away as the bristle shortens to expose new abrasive particles with
sharp edges to the work surface.
[0012] In one embodiment, the abrasive material is formed by hard
abrasive particles being embedded in the substrate that is a high
temperature plastic matrix. In one embodiment, the housing is in
the form of a rotatable pad made for rotation about a central
point. The cleaning strips have their respective front faces
substantially radially aligned with the center of the pad. In
another embodiment, the housing is tubular and made for rotation
about its major axis. The cleaning strips extend radially from the
housing with the faces co-aligned with the major axis.
[0013] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an
abrasive bristle includes a plastic matrix, and an abrasive
material embedded in only a distal end section of the bristle. A
proximate mounting section of the bristle is devoid of the abrasive
material. In another embodiment, the abrasive is coated on opposing
ends. Preferably, the abrasive is brazed on the opposing ends.
[0014] In one embodiment, the distal end with the abrasive material
extends toward the proximate mounting section with the abrasive
ending at a point where the flexibility degrades a sufficient
amount and the point being used as a wear indicator. In one
embodiment, the abrasive material includes diamond particles. In
one embodiment, the bristle includes abrasive material at opposing
distal ends of the bristle element with a middle section being a
mounting section to a support base. The middle section is devoid of
the abrasive material. It is preferred that the abrasive material
is embedded in the plastic matrix. It is also preferred that the
plastic matrix is a high temperature plastic material.
[0015] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method
of cleaning and honing a polished concrete surface includes moving
a plurality of cleaning strips having a front abrasive face aligned
substantially transverse to the direction of movement. The cleaning
strips resiliently flex to accommodate high and low spots of the
concrete surface. Preferably, the cleaning strip is in the form of
a flexible plastic matrix with the abrasive face having a plurality
of abrasive particle secured onto the cleaning strip across the
face.
[0016] Preferably, the cleaning strips in cross-section have a
major axis and a minor axis with the major axis positioned to be
transverse to the normal motion of the housing. It is also
preferred that the housing is a rotatable pad made for rotation
about a central point. The cleaning strips have their respective
major axis substantially radially aligned with the center of the
pad. The minor axis is positioned to be transverse to the normal
motion of the housing. In one embodiment, the abrasive material is
diamond particles being brazed onto the substrate which can be
steel.
[0017] According to another aspect of the inventor, the flexible
bristles with abrasive particles have a cross-sectional diameter
substantially greater than the cement pores and preferably greater
than 1/8'' diameter to provide the bristles to glide over the pores
and clean and hone the surface of the polished cement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Reference now is made to the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a high speed burnishing
brush with a cleaning device incorporating one embodiment of the
invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the cleaning
device on the polished concrete floor;
[0021] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one cleaning
element made in accordance with another embodiment of the
invention;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 4-4 shown
in FIG. 3;
[0023] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a further modified
embodiment of a cleaning element;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 6-6 shown
in FIG. 5;
[0025] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of an additional
embodiment of a cleaning element;
[0026] FIG. 8 illustrates a method of attaching the bristle shown
in FIG. 7 to a housing;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of a disc pad incorporating
wide blade shaped strips in accordance with an alternative
embodiment of the invention;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a roller brush
incorporating blades in accordance with an alternative embodiment
of the invention;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a cross-section side elevational view of a steel
bristle with diamond abrasive particles brazed thereon in use on a
concrete floor; and
[0030] FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 showing an embodiment
with the abrasive particles only on the lower section of the front
scrub face.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0031] Instead of washing and waxing as is often done with
conventional floors, the maintenance of a polished concrete floor
is accomplished by using an abrasive pad 32 used as shown in FIG. 1
on a conventional high speed machine (not shown) for honing the
concrete surface. The machine is set at about 175 rpm's with a pad
pressure of 60-300 psi. The cleaning by honing can also be done by
a drum brush 34 as shown in FIG. 10 also mounted to a conventional
drum machine (not shown).
[0032] The pad 32 is made from a plurality of cleaning elements
called strips or bristles 36 which can be in the form of a round,
square or rectangular bristle as shown in FIG. 2 which can be
embedded with abrasive 38. The bristle 36 may be extruded from a
high temperatures thermoplastic material mixed with abrasive
particles 38. The abrasive particles 38 may be a hard particulate
such as alumina silicate or small industrial diamond particles.
[0033] In one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bristle 36
has a distal end 40 with an abrasive flat front face 39 that
engages the polished floor 10 with the hardened abrasive particles.
The abrasive particles are sufficiently aggressive to scour any
dirt or grime that exists on the concrete floor. The square
bristles are at least 1/8 inch wide to be larger than the pores of
most normal concrete floors. The bristle is also flexible to flex
over high spots of the concrete floor to avoid scratching of the
high spots of the concrete surface. While a square bristle is
shown, rectangular or other shaped bristles are possible as long as
they have a scrub face 39 over 1/8 inch wide. In this fashion, the
concrete surface is honed and not abraded or scratched.
[0034] The bristle has its mounted end 42 embedded in the pad as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by being molded directly therein. The
bristles are mounted such that the abrasive scrub face 39 is
aligned transverse to the normal direction of motion of the pad at
the face 39. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the faces 39 are
radially aligned about the center 41 of the pad when the pad
rotates about its center 41. In this construction, all the bristles
may be in working contact with the concrete surface simultaneously.
The drum brush shown in FIG. 10 has the faces aligned along the
width of the drum brush such that as the drum rotates in the
indicated direction, the face 39 flushly encounters the concrete
floor.
[0035] When diamond particles 38 are embedded as abrasive in the
bristle, it is desirable that only the working distal end 40 is
provided with the diamond particles 38 to contain costs of the
relatively expensive diamond particles. As shown in FIGS. 3-6, two
embodiments are shown each with diamond abrasive in proximity with
the distal end 40 and the proximate mounting end 42 being devoid of
such diamond particles. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 show
a bristle with a layer of diamond particulates coated about the
distal end. The diamond particulates are coated sufficiently thick
and are secured strong enough to maintain its adherence to the
underlying bristle material. It should be noted that only the scrub
surface 39 needs to be coated. As shown, opposing surface 43 is
also coated in case there are machines that rotate the pad in the
opposite direction. The side walls 45 need not have any abrasive
coating. FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment where only the front
scrub surface 39 has an abrasive coating and the side walls 45 and
opposing surface 43 are free of an abrasive coating. The diamond
abrasive coating is positioned only at the distal section of the
front scrub surface 39.
[0036] FIGS. 5 and 6 show where the extruded bristle is made such
that only the distal area 40 has the diamond particulate embedded
therein with the remaining or proximate section 42 being devoid of
diamond particulate. In this embodiment, the embedded diamonds
extend completely through the interior of the bristle 36 as clearly
illustrated in cross sectional view of FIG. 6. This embedded
particulate has its advantages over the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3
and 4 as the bristle abrades through extended use, its outer
surface at the distal end 40 no matter how worn always provides an
outer abrasive surface 39 with diamond particulate 38 on a working
surface.
[0037] For either embodiment, as the pad 32 is used, the distal end
40 abrades to provide a straight knife-like edge 41 on the concrete
surface 12. As the diamond particles 39 wear down and their
effectiveness becomes diminished, they eventually abrade off the
bristle as the substrate material whether plastic or steel also
wears down to provide a fresh diamond particles just above to
replenish the effectiveness of the bristle for honing concrete
surfaces.
[0038] Furthermore, the bristles 36 have a length that is
sufficiently long compared to its thickness to provide resilient
flexibility of the bristle as illustrated in FIG. 2 to flex. As the
bristle is shortened through the extended wear and the bristle
becomes to short and too stiff for proper use, the diamond
particulate also becomes exhausted which provides for a sensory
indicator that the bush is worn out.
[0039] In this fashion an abrasive bristle maintains its abrasive
aggressiveness for a long term. The resilient flexibility of the
bristle provides relief when the pad hits a high spot of the
concrete floor and will not gouge or scratch at the high spot or
opens the pores at the high spot.
[0040] In this manner, the brush by having a bristle with a
relatively wide, flat, and resilient flexible abrasive face 39 does
not cause excessive deterioration or scratching of the concrete
floor. In fact, it hones the concrete floor to maintain its
smoothness. Secondly, by only having diamond particulate at the
distal section 40, there is less waste of diamond particulate and
increases the structural and heat integrity of the plastic matrix.
By placing the diamonds only on the front scrub face, the plastic
matrix is able to withstand higher heat outputs produced by the
diamond abrasive. By placing the diamond bristles in a rotating pad
construction as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 8 and 9, all the diamond scrub
faces can be in operating contact with a concrete surface
simultaneous thereby increasing the work output of the brush pad
32. In addition, a sensory wear indicator is provided when the
diamond particulate is totally abraded.
[0041] A further embodiment is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 which
provides for a double ended bristle 46 that has two opposing distal
ends 48 each with diamond particulate either coated or embedded in
the same fashion as described in the embodiments shown and
described for FIG. 3-6.
[0042] In this bristle, both distal ends 48 are positioned to be
operable against the floor surface 10. The mid-section 50 is
mounted to the brush substrate by extending through holes 52 and
being stapled in place by staple 54. Other molding techniques may
also embed the mid-section 50 in the brush with the two distal ends
48 extending outward. It should be noted that the bristle provides
for two cleaning sections with opposing abrasive faces 39. When the
bristle is mounted into the pad, both faces 39 face the same
direction. The operation of the brush bristles 46 is identical with
the previous described embodiments.
[0043] While square cross-sectioned bristles 36 have been shown and
described, wide blade bristles 36 as shown in FIG. 9 can be used
with pad 32. Bristles 36 have a cross-section with a major and
minor axis with the major axis being radially aligned about the
center of rotation 41 and transverse to the normal motion of pad
32. The blade shaped bristles 36 while shown in four staggered
sections can have a variety of configurations on pad 32. The
bristles 36 may also have an elliptical or oblong cross-sectional
shape with the major axis in the same position as shown. Other
applications may have the minor axis aligned to be transverse to
the normal motion of the housing. A bristle with a circular
cross-section is also usable for honing the concrete surface if the
diameter exceeds 1/8''.
[0044] While a plastic matrix has been shown and described, the
substrate may be made from steel such as steel wire or wire strips
36 as shown in FIG. 11 with diamond particles 38 brazed or
electroplated thereon.
[0045] Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 10 with drum 34 mounting
wide blades 36 about its periphery to provide scrub faces 39 to
operate in similar fashion as described before. The brush may also
be used as an aggressive abrader. For this use, narrower bristles
may also be used.
[0046] In all the shown embodiments, the wear of the substrate
allows for the sacrifice of the diamond particles. Preferably, the
diamond particles are sacrificed or fall off of the bristle before
the diamond edge becomes sufficiently rounded. If the diamond edge
becomes rounded, a ball bearing effect undesirably occurs where the
diamond glides over the surface but does not cut, abrade or polish.
By sacrificing the diamonds before hand, the bristle is assured to
cut and hone as it wears down and becomes shorter.
[0047] In this fashion the use of diamond abrasive bristles becomes
cost effective and provides for easy maintenance of a polished
concrete or cement floor surface and provide honing of the floor
during cleaning maintenance.
[0048] Other variations and modifications are possible without
departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as
defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *