Abrasive Tool With Mosaic Grinding Face

Abstract

An abrasive tool includes a back plate with a first side and a second side, a plurality of segment mounts disposed in spaced relation along a majority of said first side, a plurality of abrasive segments engaged by the segment mounts, the second side being configured for attachment to a grinding machine. A method of manufacture of an abrasive tool includes providing a backing plate configured to be mounted onto a grinding machine, providing abrasive segments, and mounting the segments onto a majority of the surface of the backing plate.

1 . An abrasive tool comprising:
 a back plate with a first side and a second side;   a plurality of segment mounts disposed in spaced relation along a majority of said first side;   a plurality of abrasive segments engaged by said segment mounts; and   the second side configured for attachment to a grinding machine.   
   
   
       2 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the back plate is a disc. 
   
   
       3 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the back plate comprises glass reinforced polyester. 
   
   
       4 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein the second side comprises internal threads. 
   
   
       5 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein said mounts comprise cavities disposed in the first side of the backing plate. 
   
   
       6 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive segments comprise grinding faces defining a plurality of shapes. 
   
   
       7 . The tool of  claim 6 , wherein the shapes are selected from the group consisting of circles, squares, diamonds, octagons, wedges, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The tool of  claim 6 , wherein the grinding faces of the segments are uniform in surface area. 
   
   
       9 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive segments are interchangeable. 
   
   
       10 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive segments are removably secured to the backing plate. 
   
   
       11 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive segments are comprised of materials of the group consisting of alumina, alumina zirconia, silicon carbide, CBN, diamond, and mixtures and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive segments comprise abrasive grains within a three-dimensional bond matrix. 
   
   
       13 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive segments are arranged in a geometric pattern. 
   
   
       14 . The abrasive tool of  claim 13 , wherein the geometric pattern includes spaces between the abrasive segments. 
   
   
       15 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive segments are integrally disposed on the back plate. 
   
   
       16 . The tool of  claim 15 , wherein the abrasive segments are secured to the back plate with an adhesive. 
   
   
       17 . The tool of  claim 15 , wherein said abrasive segments are threadably secured to the back plate. 
   
   
       18 . The tool of  claim 17 , wherein said abrasive segments comprise threaded mandrels. 
   
   
       19 . The tool of  claim 18 , wherein the threaded mandrels are secured to said segments with an adhesive. 
   
   
       20 . The abrasive tool of  claim 18 , wherein threaded mandrels are molded into the abrasive segments. 
   
   
       21 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein said segments comprise threaded inserts. 
   
   
       22 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein said segments are each configured in one of a plurality of distinct sizes. 
   
   
       23 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein said segments are each configured in one of a plurality of distinct compositions. 
   
   
       24 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein the back plate is molded. 
   
   
       25 . The abrasive tool of  claim 1 , wherein the back plate comprises threaded bores sized and shaped for threadably fastening the tool to the grinding machine. 
   
   
       26 . A method of manufacture of an abrasive tool, comprising:
 (a) providing a disc with a first side and a second side;   (b) providing abrasive segments;   (c) configuring the first side for attachment of abrasive segments along a majority of the first side;   (d) securing the abrasive segments along a majority of the surface area of the first side; and   (e) configuring the disc for being coupled to a grinding machine.