Electroplated wheel

Abstract

An electroplated wheel comprises a metal base formed to a disc shape and rotationally driven about a rotational axis and a superabrasive grain layer formed to have numerous superabrasive grains fixed by plating on a belt section that extends in a predetermined width on an outer peripheral portion of the metal base. In the electroplated wheel, a plurality of masking portions having no superabrasive grains electrodeposited thereat are formed of gel adhesive fixed as dots to be larger than the superabrasive grains by a dispenser at intersection points of a plurality of concentric array circles imaginarily drawn concentrically of the rotational axis to divide the belt section at equal intervals and a plurality of width-direction array lines imaginarily drawn from one end toward the other end of the belt section to divide the belt section at equal intervals in a circumferential direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electroplated wheel comprising:
 a metal base formed to a disc shape and rotationally driven about a rotational axis;   a superabrasive grain layer formed to have numerous superabrasive grains fixed by plating on a belt section that extends in a predetermined width on an outer peripheral portion of the metal base; and   a plurality of masking portions having no superabrasive grains electrodeposited thereat and formed of gel adhesive fixed as dots to be larger than the superabrasive grains by a dispenser at intersection points of a plurality of concentric array circles and a plurality of width-direction array lines, the plurality of concentric array circles being imaginarily drawn concentrically of the rotational axis to divide the belt section at equal intervals, and the plurality of width-direction array lines being imaginarily drawn from one end toward the other end of the belt section to divide the belt section at equal intervals in a circumferential direction.   
     
     
         2 . The electroplated wheel in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of concentric array circles are grouped into a plurality of concentric array circle groups each composed of a plurality of different concentric array circles;   the plurality of width-direction array lines are grouped into a plurality of width-direction array line groups each composed of a plurality of different width-direction array lines and being respectively in corresponding relation with the plurality of concentric array circle groups; and   the plurality of masking portions are formed at the intersection points of the plurality of concentric array circles in each concentric array circle group and the plurality of width-direction array lines in each width-direction array line group corresponding to each such concentric array circle group.   
     
     
         3 . The electroplated wheel in  claim 1 , wherein each of the width-direction array lines is constituted by a primary array line and at least one secondary array line which are imaginarily drawn to be close to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The electroplated wheel in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of width-direction array lines are straight lines tilted at the same angle relative to the radial direction of the metal base. 
     
     
         5 . The electroplated wheel in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a plurality of auxiliary width-direction array lines are imaginarily drawn to be close to each of the width-direction array lines; and   the masking portions are respectively formed at intersection points of the plurality of concentric array circles and the plurality of auxiliary width-direction array lines so that the wear of the superabrasive grain layer becomes uniform.   
     
     
         6 . The electroplated wheel in  claim 1 , wherein the electroplated wheel is a grinding wheel for grinding a workpiece. 
     
     
         7 . The electroplated wheel in  claim 1 , wherein the electroplated wheel is a dressing tool for dressing a grinding wheel. 
     
     
         8 . A manufacturing method for an electroplated wheel comprising a metal base formed to a disc shape and rotationally driven about a rotational axis and a superabrasive grain layer formed to have numerous superabrasive grains fixed by plating on a belt section that extends in a predetermined width on an outer peripheral portion of the metal base, the method comprising:
 a masking portion forming step of forming a plurality of masking portions having no superabrasive grains electrodeposited thereat by fixing gel adhesive as dots to be larger than the superabrasive grains by a dispenser at intersection points of a plurality of concentric array circles and a plurality of width-direction array lines, the plurality of concentric array circles being imaginarily drawn concentrically of the rotational axis to divide the belt section at equal intervals, and the plurality of width-direction array lines being imaginarily drawn from one end toward the other end of the belt section to divide the belt section at equal intervals in a circumferential direction; and   an electroplating step of fixing by electroplating the numerous superabrasive grains on the belt section except for the masking portions;   wherein at the masking portion forming step, the total projected area of the masking portions is set in a range of 5 to 20% of the total projected area of the superabrasive grain layer.