Grinding machine for grinding a surface of an object

Abstract

A grinding machine for grinding a surface of an object has at least one grinding tool with a movably mounted abrasive carrier, and a plurality of abrasive elements attached to the abrasive carrier. An abrasive driving device drives the grinding tool in a first relative movement to the object. A conveying device conveys the object with a second relative movement to the grinding tool through the grinding machine. The plurality of abrasive elements each have a plurality of first surfaces provided with first abrasive bodies for lying against the surface of the object in a first direction of movement of the abrasive carrier and a plurality of second surfaces provided with second abrasive bodies for lying against the surface of the object in a second direction of movement of the abrasive carrier opposite to the first direction of movement of the abrasive carrier. The abrasive drive device is adapted to be operated in the first direction of movement in which the first surfaces of the abrasive elements are in grinding engagement with the surface of the object and in the second direction of movement in which the second surfaces of the abrasive elements are in grinding engagement with the surface of the object.

1 . Grinding machine for grinding a surface of an object, comprising:
 at least one grinding tool with a movably mounted abrasive carrier, and a plurality of abrasive elements attached to the abrasive carrier,   an abrasive drive device for driving the grinding tool in a first relative movement to the object,   a conveying device for conveying the object through the grinding machine with a second movement relative to the grinding tool,   
       wherein the plurality of abrasive elements comprise a plurality of first surfaces provided with first abrasive bodies for lying against a surface of the object in a first direction of movement of the abrasive carrier and a plurality of second surfaces provided with second abrasive bodies for lying against the surface of the object in a second direction of movement of the abrasive carrier, wherein the second direction of movement of the abrasive carrier is opposite to the first direction of movement of the abrasive carrier, and 
       wherein the abrasive drive device is adaptable to be operated in the first direction of movement, in which the first surfaces of the plurality of abrasive elements are in grinding engagement with the surface of the object, and wherein the abrasive drive device is adaptable to be operated in the second direction of movement, in which the second surfaces of the plurality of abrasive elements are in grinding engagement with the surface of the object, and
 a control device in signalling communication with the abrasive drive device that is adapted to switch the abrasive drive device back and forth between the first direction of movement and the second direction of movement. 
 
     
     
         2 . The grinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the abrasive drive device is adapted to drive the at least one grinding tool in a rotational movement as a first relative movement, and wherein the control device is adapted to switch the rotational movement back and forth between a clockwise rotation and a counterclockwise rotation.   
     
     
         3 . The grinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the abrasive drive device is adapted to set the at least one grinding tool in rotation about an abrasive rotation axis, wherein the abrasive rotation axis is formed on a grinding tool guide element which is pivotably or rotatably mounted about a guide axis which is not coaxially aligned with the abrasive rotation axis.   
     
     
         4 . The grinding machine according to  claim 3  wherein the guide axis of the grinding tool guide element is arranged parallel to and at a distance from the abrasive rotation axis. 
     
     
         5 . The grinding machine according to  claim 1  wherein the conveying device is adapted to convey the object through the grinding machine in a translatory movement. 
     
     
         6 . The grinding machine according to  claim 5  wherein the translatory movement is linear. 
     
     
         7 . The grinding machine according to  claim 1  wherein at least some or each of the abrasive elements has a plane abrasive body carrier element which is coated on a front surface with the first abrasive bodies and is coated on a rear surface with the second abrasive bodies. 
     
     
         8 . The grinding machine according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of abrasive elements comprises:
 a plurality of first plane abrasive body carrier elements, each of which is coated with the first abrasive bodies on a front surface forming the first surface; and 
 wherein each of which is not coated with abrasive bodies on a rear surface, 
 a plurality of second plane abrasive body carrier elements, each of which is not coated with abrasive bodies on a front surface, and wherein each of which is coated with the second abrasive bodies on a rear surface forming the second surface; and 
 wherein the first abrasive body carrier elements and the second abrasive body carrier elements are each arranged on the abrasive carrier such that in the first direction of movement the front surfaces of the first abrasive body carrier elements and the second abrasive body carrier elements lie against the surface of the object, and wherein in the second direction of movement the rear surfaces of the first abrasive body carrier elements and the second abrasive body carrier elements lie against the surface of the object. 
 
     
     
         9 . The grinding machine according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the first abrasive body carrier elements and the second abrasive body carrier elements are each fastened alternately adjacent to one another on the abrasive carrier so that the front surface of a first abrasive body carrier element faces the rear surface of an adjacent second abrasive body carrier element t on a first side and the rear surface of the first abrasive body carrier element faces a front surface of an adjacent second abrasive body carrier element on a second side.   
     
     
         10 . The grinding machine according to  claim 9 , wherein the first abrasive body carrier element and the second abrasive body carrier element are connected to one another by the rear surface of the first abrasive body carrier element being partially or fully connected to the front surface of the adjacent second abrasive body carrier element. 
     
     
         11 . The grinding machine according to  claim 8 , wherein one or more first groups of several first abrasive body carrier elements are arranged next to one another on the abrasive carrier and one or more second groups of several second abrasive body carrier elements are arranged next to one another on the abrasive carrier and at least one first group of the one or more first groups and at least one second group of the one or more second groups are fastened to the abrasive carrier. 
     
     
         12 . The grinding machine according to  claim 11  wherein the one or more first groups includes a plurality of first groups and the one or more second groups includes a plurality of second groups, and wherein several first groups of the plurality of first groups and several second groups of the plurality of second groups are fastened alternately adjacent to one another on the abrasive carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The grinding machine according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of abrasive elements is in a form of a plurality of abrasive paper sections which are flexible, and the abrasive carrier
 is adapted as a plate-shaped or ring-shaped carrier which has an axial end face to which a majority of the abrasive paper sections are attached, or 
 is adapted as a cylindrical carrier which has a circumferential surface to which the majority of the abrasive paper sections are attached, 
 wherein the first and second directions of movement are formed by a clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the carrier, and wherein the abrasive paper sections are fixed to the carrier such that when the carrier rotates clockwise, the abrasive paper sections lie with a front side against a workpiece onto which the abrasive elements are pressed, and when the direction of rotation is reversed, the abrasive paper sections fold over so that a rear side of the abrasive paper sections lies against the workpiece instead of the front side. 
 
     
     
         14 . The grinding machine according to  claim 1  wherein the first abrasive bodies of the first surfaces have a first grain size and the second abrasive bodies of the second surfaces have a second grain size, wherein the second grain size is different from the first grain size. 
     
     
         15 . Grinding tool for grinding a surface of an object, comprising:
 an abrasive carrier; and   a plurality of abrasive elements attached to the abrasive carrier, wherein   
       the plurality of abrasive elements has a first surface provided with first abrasive bodies for lying against the surface of the object in a first direction of movement of the abrasive carrier, and wherein the plurality of abrasive elements has a second surface provided with second abrasive bodies for lying against the surface of the object in a second direction of movement of the abrasive carrier, wherein the second direction of movement is opposite to the first direction of movement. 
     
     
         16 . The grinding tool according to  claim 12 , wherein at least
 some or each of the plurality of abrasive elements has a plane abrasive body carrier element which is coated with the first abrasive bodies on a front surface and is coated with the second abrasive bodies on a rear surface.   
     
     
         17 . The grinding tool according to  claim 15  wherein the plurality of abrasive elements comprises:
 a plurality of first plane abrasive body carrier elements, each of which is coated with the first abrasive bodies on a front surface forming the first surface, and wherein each of the plurality of first plane abrasive body carrier element is not coated with abrasive bodies on a rear surface, 
 a plurality of second plane abrasive body carrier elements, each of which is not coated with abrasive bodies on a front surface, and wherein each of the plurality of second plane abrasive body carrier elements is coated with the second abrasive bodies on a rear surface forming the second surface, and 
 wherein the first abrasive body carrier elements and the second abrasive body carrier elements are arranged on the abrasive carrier such that in the first direction of movement the front surfaces of the first abrasive body carrier elements and the second abrasive body carrier elements are lying against the surface of the object, and wherein in the second direction of movement the rear surfaces of the first abrasive body carrier elements and the second abrasive body carrier elements are lying against the surface of the object. 
 
     
     
         18 . The grinding tool according to claim  18 , wherein the first abrasive body carrier elements and the second abrasive body carrier elements are each fastened alternately adjacent to one another on the abrasive carrier so that the front surface of a first abrasive body carrier element of the first abrasive body carrier elements faces the rear surface of and adjacent second abrasive body carrier element of the second body carrier elements on a first side and the rear surface of the first abrasive body carrier element of the first abrasive body carrier elements faces a front surface of an adjacent second abrasive body carrier element of the second abrasive body carrier elements on a second side. 
     
     
         19 . The grinding tool according to  claim 18 , wherein the first abrasive body carrier element and the second abrasive body carrier element are connected to one another by the rear surface of the first abrasive body carrier element being partially or fully connected to the front surface of the second abrasive body carrier element. 
     
     
         20 . The grinding tool according to  claim 19 , wherein one or more first groups of several first abrasive body carrier elements are arranged next to one another on the abrasive carrier and one or more second groups of several second abrasive body carrier elements are arranged next to one another on the abrasive carrier, and wherein at least one first group and at least one second group are fastened to the abrasive carrier. 
     
     
         21 . The grinding tool according to  claim 20  wherein the one or more first groups includes a plurality of first groups and the one or more second groups includes a plurality of second groups, and wherein several first groups of the plurality of first groups and several second groups of the plurality of second groups are fastened alternately adjacent to one another on the abrasive carrier. 
     
     
         22 . Grinding tool according to  claim 15  wherein the plurality of abrasive elements is formed as a plurality of abrasive paper sections, and wherein the abrasive carrier is adapted as a plate-shaped or ring-shaped carrier which has an axial end face to which the majority of the abrasive paper sections are attached, or is adapted as a cylindrical carrier which has a circumferential surface to which the majority of the abrasive paper sections are attached,
 wherein the first direction of movement and the second direction of movement are formed by a clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the carrier, respectively, and wherein the abrasive paper sections are fixed to the carrier such that when the carrier rotates clockwise, the abrasive paper sections lie with a front side against a workpiece onto which the abrasive elements are pressed, and when the direction of rotation is reversed, the abrasive paper sections fold over so that a rear side of the abrasive paper sections lies against the workpiece instead of the front side. 
 
     
     
         23 . The grinding tool according to  claim 15  wherein the first abrasive bodies of the first surfaces have a first grain size and the second abrasive bodies of the second surfaces have a second grain size, and wherein the second grain size is different from the first grain size. 
     
     
         24 . A method of grinding a surface of an object, comprising:
 grinding the surface of the object by one or more grinding tools, each of which comprises a plurality of abrasive elements attached to at least one movably mounted abrasive carrier, wherein the plurality of abrasive elements of the one or more grinding tools comprise a first surface with first abrasive elements for lying against the surface of the object in a first direction of movement of the abrasive carrier and a second surface provided with second abrasive elements for lying against the surface of the object in a second direction of movement of the abrasive carrier, wherein the second direction of movement is opposite to the first direction of movement; and   moving the grinding tool in a first machining step in the first direction of movement in grinding engagement over the surface of the object, and moving the grinding tool in a subsequent second machining step in the second direction of movement in grinding engagement over the surface of the object.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the first abrasive bodies of the first surfaces have a first grain size and the second abrasive bodies of the second surfaces have a second grain size which is different from the first grain size, and wherein the grinding and moving steps are performed so as to achieve
 rough grinding of the surface in a first processing step, and
 fine grinding of the surface in a second processing step.