BELT GRINDER FOR CREATING SURFACE STRUCTURES

Abstract

A workpiece passes through a belt grinder for grinding and structuring a flat workpiece in a predefined direction of passage (P1) past at least one machining area of a structuring device. The structuring device comprises at least one endless grinding belt which is guided over deflection elements in at least one direction of circulation (P3) and the width of the which extends substantially across the working width of the belt grinder, and is guided over deflection elements, the longitudinal axes of which are oriented transversely to the direction of passage (P1) of the workpiece. Furthermore, the structuring device comprises an endless press-on belt 220 which is configured and arranged such that it exerts a force from the inside on the grinding belt in a press-on area, wherein the endless press-on belt is drivable with the aid of a drive unit. The direction of circulation (P2) of the press-on belt runs, at least in the press-on area, transversely to the direction of circulation (P3) of the grinding belt. The structuring device and the transport unit are configured and arranged such that the workpiece guided past the structuring device comes into contact with the machining area of the grinding belt. The structuring device comprises a control unit which controls the drive unit of the press-on belt such that the drive unit selectively drives the endless press-on belt in a first direction of circulation (P2) or in a second direction of circulation that is opposite to the first direction of circulation (P2).

Description

Claims

1. A belt grinder for grinding and structuring a flat workpiece, in which the workpiece passes through the belt grinder in a predetermined direction of passage (P1), with at least one structuring device;with at least one transport unit for the transport of the workpiece in the direction of passage (P1) past a machining area of the structuring device,the structuring device comprising: at least one endless grinding belt guided over deflection elements in at least one direction of circulation (P3), the width of which substantially extending over the working width of the belt grinder and being guided over deflection elements, the longitudinal axes of which are directed transversely to the direction of passage (P1) of the workpiece,an endless press-on belt configured and arranged such that is exerts a force from the inside on the grinding belt in a press-on area, the endless press-on belt being drivable with the aid of a drive unit,the direction of circulation (P2) of the press-on belt runs transversely to the direction of circulation (P3) of the grinding belt at least in the press-on area,wherein the structuring device and the transport unit are configured and arranged such that the workpiece guided past the structuring device is contacted by the machining area of the grinding belt, characterized in that the structuring device comprises a control unit which controls the drive unit of the press-on belt such that the drive unit drives the endless press-on belt optionally in a first direction of circulation (P2) or in a second direction of circulation opposite to the first direction of circulation (P2).

2. The belt grinder according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit of the structuring device optionally controls the drive unit such that it moves the press-on belt back and forth according to a first drive pattern or that it moves the press-on belt back and forth according to a second drive pattern.

3. The belt grinder according to claim 1, characterized in that the press-on belt of the structuring device has a first section with a first arrangement of press-on elements and at least one second section with a second arrangement of press-on elements.

4. The belt grinder according to claim 3, characterized in that the first arrangement of press-on elements comprises first press-on elements and the second arrangement of press-on elements comprises second press-on elements different from the first press-on elements and/or that the first arrangement of press-on elements comprises press-on elements in a first arrangement and the second arrangement of press-on elements comprises press-on elements in a second arrangement.

5. The belt grinder according to claim 3, characterized in that the first arrangement of press-on elements and the second arrangement of press-on elements comprise the same press-on elements, the density of the press-on elements and/or the structure of the arrangement of the press-on elements in the first section and in the second section being different.

6. The belt grinder according to claim 3, characterized in that the first section and the second section are arranged behind one another in the direction of motion of the press-on belt.

7. The belt grinder according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit of the structuring device controls the drive unit for driving the press-on belt optionally such that only the first section or that only the second section or alternately the first and the second section or at least partially simultaneously the first and the second section or parts of the first and parts of the second section or several first and several second sections of the press-on belt press against the grinding belt from the inside.

8. The belt grinder according to claim 3, characterized in that the shape, the size and/or the spacing of the press-on elements continuously changes along the circumference of the press-on belt.

9. The belt grinder according to claim 1, characterized in that the press-on belt is guided over at least two deflection elements, preferably around at least two deflection rollers and that the drive unit drives at least one deflection roller for driving the press-on belt.

10. The belt grinder according to claim 1, characterized in that the deflection elements of the structuring device are deflection rollers, the endless grinding belt preferably being guided over at least three deflection rollers.

11. The belt grinder according to claim 1, characterized in that between the press-on belt and the endless grinding belt a sliding layer is arranged.

12. The belt grinder according to claim 1, characterized in that the structuring device comprises at least one pressure beam, by which a force can be exerted from the inside onto the press-on belt in the direction of the grinding belt.

13. The belt grinder according to claim 12, characterized in that the press-on belt exerts a force from the inside on the grinding belt at least in a part of the press-on area at least when a pressure element of the pressure beam is activated, the pressure beam comprising several individually controllable pressure elements arranged behind one another in the direction of circulation (P2) of the press-on belt, which pressure elements are activatable, when controlled accordingly, for generating a press-on force in the press-on area.

14. The belt grinder according to claim 12, characterized in that the pressure elements are controllable such that the press-on elements of the press-on belt that are present between a controlled pressure element and the grinding belt exert a force on the inner side of the grinding belt.