Grinding wheel and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A grinding wheel includes: a plurality of abrasive grains arranged so as not to contact with one another; interval adjustment materials interposed between the abrasive grains, arranged in contact with the abrasive grains, and having a grain size that allows a distance between the abrasive grains to be equal to a minimum separation distance; a binder that binds each of the abrasive grains to the interval adjustment materials; and pores formed between the abrasive grains.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grinding wheel comprising:
 a plurality of abrasive grains arranged so as not to contact with one another;   interval adjustment materials interposed between the abrasive grains, arranged in contact with the abrasive grains, and having a grain size that allows a distance between the abrasive grains to be equal to a predetermined minimum separation distance;   a binder that binds each of the abrasive grains to the interval adjustment materials; and   pores formed between the abrasive grains.   
     
     
         2 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a distance between the abrasive grains is twice or less as large as the grain size of the interval adjustment materials and equal to or larger than the grain size of the interval adjustment materials.   
     
     
         3 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the grinding wheel includes a plurality of intermediate materials each containing the abrasive grain, the interval adjustment materials, and the binder, and   each of the intermediate materials further comprises an attachment agent that cover a surface of the abrasive grain and that allows the interval adjustment materials to be attached to the surface such that the interval adjustment materials are exposed from the attachment agent.   
     
     
         4 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the binder and an attachment adjuvant are mixed together to generate the attachment agent, the intermediate materials are heated to cause the attachment adjuvant to be evaporated and lost, and to cause the binder to be melted and flow from the surfaces of the abrasive grains to surfaces of the interval adjustment materials, thereby surfaces of two abrasive grains that contact each of the interval adjustment materials are bridged.   
     
     
         5 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 3 , wherein
 in each of the intermediate materials, the attachment agent holds each of the interval adjustment materials  14  partly buried in the attachment agent.   
     
     
         6 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 3 , wherein
 in each of the intermediate materials, the entire surface of the abrasive grain is coated with the attachment agent.   
     
     
         7 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 3 , wherein
 in each of the intermediate materials, a thickness of the attachment agent is smaller than the grain size of the interval adjustment materials.   
     
     
         8 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 3 , wherein
 in each of the intermediate materials, the interval adjustment materials are discretely arranged on the surface of the abrasive grain.   
     
     
         9 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the grain size of the interval adjustment materials is one-fifth to one-third of a grain size of the abrasive grains.   
     
     
         10 . The grinding wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the interval adjustment materials are ceramics or alumina.   
     
     
         11 . A method for manufacturing a grinding wheel, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) generating intermediate materials each including:
 an abrasive grain, 
 interval adjustment materials, and 
 an attachment agent that is generated by mixing a binder and an attachment adjuvant, covers a surface of the abrasive grain and that allows the interval adjustment materials to be attached to the surface such that the interval adjustment materials are exposed from the attachment agent; 
   (b) feeding the intermediate materials into a molding die and pressuring an interior of the molding die to adjust a distance between the abrasive grains such that the distance is equal to a minimum separation distance between the abrasive grains determined by a grain size of the interval adjustment materials; and   (c) heating a molding generated in step (b) to generate the grinding wheel.   
     
     
         12 . The method for manufacturing a grinding wheel according to  claim 11 , wherein
 in step (c), the attachment agent is heated to cause the attachment adjuvant to be evaporated and lost, and to cause the binder to be melted and flow from the surfaces of the abrasive grains to surfaces of the interval adjustment materials, thereby the surfaces of two abrasive grains that contact with each of the interval adjustment materials are bridged.   
     
     
         13 . The method for manufacturing a grinding wheel according to  claim 11 , wherein
 step (a) comprises the steps of:   (d) coating the surfaces of the abrasive grains with the attachment agent to generate primary intermediate materials; and   (e) attaching the interval adjustment materials to the primary intermediate materials generated in step (d) to generate the intermediate materials.   
     
     
         14 . The method for manufacturing a grinding wheel according to  claim 13 , wherein
 in step (d), the primary intermediate materials are generated in which the entire surfaces of the abrasive grains are coated with the attachment agent,   step (e) comprises the steps of:   (f) generating secondary intermediate materials in which the interval adjustment materials are attached to the entire surfaces of the primary intermediate materials generated in step (d);   (g) removing some of the interval adjustment materials attached to the secondary intermediate materials generated in step (f) to generate tertiary intermediate materials that each have the interval adjustment materials discretely arranged on the surface of the abrasive grain and that each serve as the intermediate material.   
     
     
         15 . The method for manufacturing a grinding wheel according to  claim 14 , wherein
 in step (f), the interval adjustment materials are fed to outer peripheral surfaces of the primary intermediate materials such that a total volume of the interval adjustment materials is five times or more as large as a total volume of the abrasive grains.