System and Method for height controlled, air cooled buffing deburring sanding

Abstract

A sanding, grinding, buffing or deburring tool includes an elongated cylindrical housing, wherein a proximal end is open, and a distal end includes an exhaust port that cooperates with a vacuum system to pull air through the housing and into the exhaust port. A motor is mounted in the housing, and includes a shaft coupled to a removable tip configured to perform one or more of: sanding, grinding, deburring or buffing. A removable truncated cone-shaped vent has a distal end attached to the housing, and a proximal end having an opening through which the removable tip protrudes and a ridge configured to support to a workpiece while being sanded, ground, buffed or deburred. The vacuum system draws air into the housing through the vent opening, past the removable tip and motor, and into the exhaust port, thereby removing dust and cutting debris and cooling the removable tip and the motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sanding, grinding, buffing or deburring tool comprising:
 an elongated generally cylindrical housing having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end being open; the distal end being attached to or having an exhaust port configured to cooperate with a vacuum system to pull air through the housing and into the exhaust port;   a motor mounted in the housing, the motor having a shaft extending through the open proximal end of the housing, the shaft coupled to a removable tip, the removable tip configured to perform one or more of: sanding, grinding, deburring or buffing;   a removable truncated cone-shaped vent having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the vent being attached to the proximal end of the housing, the proximal end of the vent having an opening configured to allow the removable tip to protrude through the opening; the opening in the proximal end of the vent having a ridge configured to provide support to a workpiece while the workpiece is being sanded, ground, buffed or deburred; and   wherein, the vacuum system is configured to draw air into the housing through the opening in the vent, past the removable tip, past the motor and into the exhaust port, thereby removing dust and cutting debris and cooling both the removable tip and the motor.   
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the removable truncated cone-shaped vent is supplied in different heights allowing more or less of the removable tip to be exposed outside the vent. 
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 2 , wherein vents of different heights may be chosen for workpieces of different thicknesses. 
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 2 , wherein vents of different heights may be chosen to control tip wear. 
     
     
         5 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the opening in the removable truncated cone shaped vent is a circular opening. 
     
     
         6 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge is flat. 
     
     
         7 . The invention has herein described and illustrated. 
     
     
         8 . A system for height controlled, air cooled buffing, deburring or sanding comprising:
 a housing containing a motor;   the housing having an open proximal end and a closed distal end, the distal end containing an exhaust port.