EP1782921B1 - Manual sanding tool - Google Patents

Abstract

The tool (10) has a gripping unit (20) to which a main body (30) is connected. The body has flexible plates (31, 32) fixed below the unit (20) and defining two plane sanding supports (31`, 32`) which are flexible and elastically deformable. The supports form a shape of V having a rest angle greater than 90 degrees and lower than 180 degrees. The supports are curved by pressure exerted on the unit (20) having an ergonomic handle (21) in a manner to locally deform the supports and form a working angle greater than the rest angle.

Description

The invention relates to a manual tool for sanding a surface, for example a wall or a ceiling covered with a coating of finish or paint.

In the field of construction, and in particular that of the construction of housing or office, it is necessary to perform certain interior finishing and preparation operations called second work. When a building has just been constructed, such as a single-family house or a residential or office building, the interior walls and ceilings are bare, that is, the material used for their structure is gross . This material, typically banch or agglomerated concrete (cinder block) or brick, leaves many asperities on the surface. These asperities must be filled and smoothed before the wall or ceiling is painted. The problem is similar for board-mounted gypsum board or gypsum board, or for paint finishes.

To fill these orifices and correct surface irregularities, it is common to use a fluid or pasty coating such as plaster, which is sprayed by hand or machine. The finishing phase of the walls and ceilings thus coated is relatively long because it requires a thorough sanding to obtain a surface free of defects. Indeed, each protuberance or each hole in the coating forms a particularly unsightly imperfection that is easily noticeable. These defects are highlighted by the light, especially when grazing, and by the layers of paint that can cover the wall or ceiling for finishing. However, at this stage, it is no longer possible to sand again to make the defects disappear, except to make many more complex painting touch-ups to achieve.

Many tools, mainly manual, exist in the trade so that the craftsmen, in particular the painters of interior, can obtain a smooth surface. Thus, there are sanding blocks of all types comprising an abrasive surface, either included in their body, for example in the form of particles embedded in a plastic material or a resin, or detachably mounted using blocking means such as a band or a pad. Such tools are described in particular in patent documents FR 2,845,441 , FR 2,470,660 , FR 2,850,051 and FR 2,838,994 .

There are also sanding gloves comprising, on at least one surface of the glove substantially corresponding to the palm of the hand, an abrasive integrated or removably attached to the glove. Such gloves are described in patent documents FR 2,716,346 and US 6,406,365 .

Furthermore, there are manual tools in the form of an arc to maintain an abrasive band, generally closed on itself, around a metal structure having a certain elasticity for stretching said strip to hold it in place against at least one sanding surface of the tool. Such devices are presented in patent documents US 4,688,356 , US 3,699,729 and FR 830 733 .

There is also a manual sanding tool comprising a gripping member and a main body. The latter comprises a flexible plate fixed under the gripping member.
This plate defines a single flexible sanding plane support. The sanding support defined by the plate is flat at rest. This sanding tool comprises pivot systems between the elements that support the plate and a curved shaft and connected to the gripping member. As a result, the plate can take a curved shape. This curved shape can be obtained only during use of the sanding tool, and not at rest. Such a tool is presented in the document US 5,947,803 .

However, these numerous and varied tools are not satisfactory. Indeed, most of these tools are relatively small sizes, which implies a small sanding surface. But when the surface to be sanded is extended, the craftsman must handle the tool longer to cover it, which is expensive in time, without achieving a satisfactory result. However, on construction sites, productivity is a factor that has a significant influence on the final cost of the completed building. Because of this small size, it is also necessary to frequently change the abrasive, or even directly the tool if the abrasive is integrated in the latter. This again results in a significant cost for low efficiency.

In addition, some areas are more difficult to access, or almost impossible to sand with the current tools, for example the surfaces behind the plumbing pipes. Indeed, it is common for a plumber to make cuts in partitions or plaster tiles to pass tubes (heating, water) copper or PER. As a general rule, the plumber roughly re-inserts the grooves, positions the tube in front of the wall and then leaves it to the painter to take care of the finishing at this location. However, once the building is completed, these areas are often visible, at least according to certain angles of view.

An object of the present invention is to solve these problems by proposing a manual sanding tool easy to use, effective, flexible, suitable for both small and larger surfaces to sand and able to go into areas difficult to access.

To do this, the invention provides a manual sanding tool comprising a gripping member and a main body, wherein the main body comprises at least one flexible plate fixed under the gripping member and defining two flexible and elastically deformable flat sanding supports, said sanding supports forming , overall use, a V having an angle of repose greater than 90 ° and less than 180 °, and, in use, bending, by pressure exerted on the gripping member, so as to locally deform the sanding supports for increase the opening of the V and form a working angle greater than the angle of repose.

• le corps principal comprend une seule plaque comportant les deux supports de ponçage inclinés l'un par rapport à l'autre ;
• le corps principal comprend deux plaques distinctes définissant chacune un support de ponçage, lesdites plaques étant intercalées, par un bord interne respectif, entre l'organe de préhension et une bande longitudinale de maintien fixée fermement audit organe de préhension ;
• la bande longitudinale de maintien présente une rigidité supérieure à celle des plaques ;
• des moyens de serrage du corps principal sont prévus pour presser la bande longitudinale de maintien contre l'organe de préhension de telle sorte que plus le serrage est important, plus l'angle de repos tend vers 180°, et inversement ;
• les moyens de serrage sont constitués par des vis traversant la bande longitudinale de maintien et pénétrant dans l'organe de préhension ;
• au moins une des plaques est articulée de manière à pouvoir se replier contre l'autre plaque ;
• l'abrasif est incorporé dans chaque support sous la forme de particules ou bien l'abrasif se présente sous la forme d'une feuille abrasive fixé de manière amovible sur chaque support de ponçage ;
• chaque feuille abrasive est attachée à l'aide de bandes d'attaches fixées sur le pourtour de chaque support de ponçage ;
• l'organe de préhension est une poignée allongée placée sensiblement en position médiane du corps principal, ladite poignée présentant des extrémités munies de chanfreins, de sorte qu'aucune partie de la poignée ne dépasse dudit corps ;
• la poignée présente un profil concave au regard de la bande de maintien ;
• chaque support de ponçage est réalisé en acier doux et présente une épaisseur comprise entre environ un dixième de millimètre et vingt dixièmes de millimètre pour posséder une flexibilité et une élasticité permettant à l'angle formé par les supports de ponçage de passer de l'angle de repos à l'angle de travail par appui de l'outil contre la surface à poncer sensiblement normalement à celle-ci ;
• l'organe de préhension est réalisé en bois et présente une forme ergonomique facilitant sa prise en main ; et
• au repos, l'envergure du corps est comprise entre environ 10x15 cm et environ 60x80 cm.

According to preferred embodiments of the present invention:

• the main body comprises a single plate having the two sanding supports inclined relative to each other;
• the main body comprises two separate plates each defining a sanding support, said plates being interposed by a respective inner edge between the gripping member and a longitudinal holding strip firmly fixed to said gripping member;
• the longitudinal band of maintenance has a rigidity greater than that of the plates;
• clamping means of the main body are provided for pressing the longitudinal holding strip against the gripping member so that the greater the tightening, the greater the angle of repose tends to 180 °, and vice versa;
• the clamping means are constituted by screws passing through the longitudinal holding strip and penetrating into the gripping member;
• at least one of the plates is articulated so that it can fold against the other plate;
• the abrasive is incorporated in each support in the form of particles or the abrasive is in the form of an abrasive sheet removably attached to each sanding support;
• each abrasive sheet is attached using fastener strips attached to the periphery of each sanding support;
• the gripping member is an elongated handle positioned substantially in the middle position of the main body, said handle having ends provided with chamfers, so that no part of the handle protrudes from said body;
• the handle has a concave profile with respect to the holding strip;
• each sanding pad is made of mild steel and has a thickness of between about one tenth of a millimeter and twenty tenths of a millimeter to provide flexibility and elasticity allowing the angle formed by the sanding supports to pass from the angle of rest at the working angle by pressing the tool against the surface to be sanded substantially normally thereto;
• the gripping member is made of wood and has an ergonomic shape facilitating its grip; and
• at rest, the span of the body is between about 10x15 cm and about 60x80 cm.

• la figure 1, une vue en perspective de l'outil manuel de ponçage conforme à la présente invention, sans feuille abrasive,
• la figure 2, une vue de dessus de l'outil, sans feuille abrasive,
• la figure 3, une vue de dessous de l'outil muni de feuilles abrasives,
• la figure 4, une vue de côté de l'outil, sans feuille abrasive,
• la figure 5, une vue de face de l'outil en position de repos,
• la figure 6, une vue de face de l'outil en position d'utilisation, c'est-à-dire appuyé contre un mur, et
• la figure 7, une variante de réalisation de la figure 5 dans laquelle l'outil ne présente qu'une seule plaque de support pour abrasif.

Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated by the appended drawings which represent respectively:

• the figure 1 a perspective view of the sanding tool according to the present invention, without an abrasive sheet,
• the figure 2 , a top view of the tool, without an abrasive sheet,
• the figure 3 , a bottom view of the tool provided with abrasive sheets,
• the figure 4 , a side view of the tool, without abrasive sheet,
• the figure 5 , a front view of the tool in the rest position,
• the figure 6 a front view of the tool in the position of use, that is to say pressed against a wall, and
• the figure 7 , an embodiment variant of the figure 5 wherein the tool has only one abrasive support plate.

The Figures 1 to 6 represent, using different views, a first embodiment of a manual sanding tool 10 according to the present invention.

This tool 10, used mainly by painters for the purpose of finely sanding a wall or a ceiling covered with finishing plaster before painting, comprises a gripping member 20 to which is connected a main body 30.

The gripping member 20 consists of an ergonomic handle 21 preferably made of wood for a good grip and good wear resistance. The handle 21 extends substantially in the middle portion and over all or part of the length L of the main body 30 of the tool 10. Chamfers 22 and 23 are provided respectively at the two ends 24 and 25 of the handle 21 so that no part of the handle 21 extends laterally beyond the length of the main body 30. Thus, this prevents the handle 21 from creating unwanted scratches on a wall or ceiling when an artisan sandpits an adjacent surface.

The main body 30 of the tool 10 comprises two flexible plates 31 and 32 each forming a sanding support 31 'and 32'. Each plate is made of mild steel having a thickness "e" of between one tenth of a millimeter and twenty tenths of a millimeter, for example ten tenths of a millimeter. The two plates 31 and 32 are identical and each have for example a rectangular shape measuring 15 cm wide by 50 cm long, so that the tool has, at rest, a wingspan of about 32 cm by 50 cm. Each support plate is inserted, respectively at an inner edge 31a and 32a, between a longitudinal holding strip 40 and a lower profile 26 of the handle 21. As can be seen more specifically on the figure 5 , the edges 31a and 32a of the plates 31 and 32 are sandwiched and pressed between the longitudinal holding strip 40 and the handle 21 by means of clamping means 50 for example in the form of screws 52 penetrating into the handle 21 For this purpose, the longitudinal holding strip 40 is more rigid than the plates 31 and 32 to be able to exert on them a sufficient clamping pressure while deforming at least. In this case, the longitudinal holding band 40 measures substantially the width of the handle 21, that is to say 3 to 5 cm, for a length substantially equal to that of each of the plates 31 or 32, that is, about 50 cm.

Each plate 31 and 32 is also provided, in particular around its periphery 31b and 32b, with fastening means 60 such as Velcro (Velcro) fastening strips 62 stuck directly on the plates 31 and 32. fastener 62 can removably attach the abrasive sheets or cloths 70 of known type, the abrasive being on the inside of the manual tool 10. Different types of abrasive can be placed according to the work to be done, by choosing a suitable grain size.

An important aspect of the present invention is the inclination of the plates 31 and 32 together. Thus, as is particularly visible on the figures 1 and 5 , the plates 31 and 32 form between them, apart from use, a V having a rest angle a between substantially 90 ° and 180 °, for example 145 °. This angle of repose a is adjustable within a greater or lesser range, typically a few degrees, depending on the pressure exerted by the longitudinal holding strip 40 on the handle 21. For this purpose, the lower profile 26 of the handle 21 is substantially curved, more precisely concave. Thus, the greater the tightening of the screws 52, the greater the angle of repose formed by the plates between them increases. In the present case, the angle can vary from 145 ° to about 160 ° depending on the tightening of the screws 52. The inclination can either be definitively determined from the manufacture of the tool without being modifiable, for example by filing the heads of the clamping screws at the longitudinal holding strip 40 to prevent their use, or be set by the craftsman as indicated above when he wants the tool to have different geometric characteristics, for example to flatten it a little to be able to sand areas difficult to access.

The second important aspect of the present invention lies in the flexibility and elasticity of the plates 31 and 32 thus making it possible to modify their angle of inclination during the use of the tool 10. The artisan painter, who wishes to sand a wall or a ceiling 100 covered at least locally with a plaster-based finishing plaster 110, grasps with one hand the hand tool 10 according to the present invention, thanks to the long ergonomic handle 21. It then applies the tool 10 against the surface 100 to be sanded, for example a newly plastered wall 110 to fill holes, and it presses slightly on the tool according to the arrow F of the figure 6 , that is to say substantially perpendicular to the wall 100. This has the effect of crushing the plates 31 and 32 on said wall. The flexibility and elasticity of the plates 31 and 32 thus allows the angle to increase as a function of the pressure exerted, without exceeding 180 °. For example, starting from a manual tool 10 (cf. figure 5 ) whose angle of inclination of the plates between them is 140 ° at rest, the craftsman can increase the opening of the V to a working angle β of 170 ° to 180 ° (cf. figure 6 ) so that a bigger plate surface, and therefore a larger surface of abrasive sheets 70, can be applied to the wall. A fairly low pressure is sufficient to crush the plates and thus provide this enlarged sanding surface. Of course, the deformation of the plates is reversible so that at rest, they return to their original position, that is to say their angle of repose inclination. By reciprocating rectilinear and / or rotary movements, the artisan thus sandens the surface 100 to the places that require it thanks to the abrasive sheets 70 which gradually remove the excess plaster 110.

Due to the large dimensions that the hand tool 10 of the present invention may have in some embodiments, the artisan can sand a wall quickly and efficiently without tiring himself. In addition, because of the flexibility of the plates, the artisan can also sand areas that are difficult or impossible to access with the tools of the prior art. For example, a tool 10 according to the present invention having plates inclined at rest by an angle of 140 ° or more has a small overall thickness, especially on the outer edges of the plates. Such a tool can easily go behind tubes 120 copper or PER placed by a plumber along a wall 100, while a sanding block of the prior art can not access such a zone. In addition, the flexibility of the plates further improves this possibility of access to this type of areas because the tool flattens all the more as the craftsman puts pressure on it.

Due to the angle of inclination that is provided between the plates, the sanding area of the tool is naturally offset substantially towards the outer edges of the plates. Thus, the abrasive sheets are more worn on their outer edges. To save the abrasive, it is then sufficient to remove the sheets 70, to rotate them 180 ° and to replace them on the plates using the fastening strips 62 so as to use the other edge, the part already worn is then placed close to the center of the tool 10. It should be noted that the center of the tool 10, that is to say the area situated at the level of the longitudinal holding band 40, is not usually not covered with abrasive as it is not in contact with the sanding wall.

According to an alternative embodiment illustrated by the figure 7 , the tool 10 has a single curved plate 131 which is fixed to the concave lower profile 26 of the handle 21 with the screws 52 and possibly the longitudinal holding plate 40 (not shown). The flexible plate 131 defines two sanding supports 131 'and 132' flexible and elastically deformable which form between them generally a V having an inclination angle at rest between about 90 ° and 180 °. Abrasive belts 70 (not shown) may also be removably attached to the periphery 131b and 132b of the sanding supports 131 'and 132' with the aid of tie strips 62.

This tool is used in exactly the same way as Figures 1 to 6 , the flexibility and elasticity of the plate 131 allowing, in use, to change the angle that the supports 131 'and 132' do between them.

It should be understood, however, that the detailed description, given solely by way of illustration of the subject of the invention, in no way constitutes a limitation, the technical equivalents also being included in the scope of the present invention.

Thus, the handle 21 may be made of any other material than wood, such as for example a plastic material, a polymer resin or an easy-to-shape metal. Rounded shapes could also be provided to replace the chamfers 22 and 23 of the handle 21. It is also possible to provide a gripping handle attached to the handle with possibly the presence of a joint mounted in this handle. The tool then disposed at the end, can be used remotely to sand inaccessible places, the handle then serving as a pole.

Furthermore, the removable attachment of the abrasive sheets 70 can also be achieved by placing the fastening strips 60 on the inner side of the plates 31 and 32, or by replacing these strips of fasteners by any equivalent suitable means.

The abrasive may be incorporated into the supports, for example in the form of particles mixed with a binder. Alternatively, the supports may themselves have an abrasive surface following an embossing-type treatment, or by forming asperities in the manner of a flat file.

Small additional handles can also be provided in the center of each plate, on the back of the abrasive sheets, to press more firmly on the plates locally and to improve the grip of the tool in the case where it is large. .

One and / or the other of the plates 31 and 32 may be hinged around a hinge parallel to the handle and be folded against the other plate to reduce the bulk of the tool when not used. This hinge can be placed closer to the handle and the longitudinal holding strip so as not to hinder the attachment and use of abrasive sheets.

Claims (15)

1. Manual sanding tool (10) comprising a gripping member (20) and a main body (30), having at least one flexible plate (131; 31, 32) fixed underneath the gripping member (20) and defining a planar sanding support (131', 132'; 31', 32') which is flexible and elastically deformable, characterised in that the flexible plate defines another planar sanding support, and in that, when not in use, said sanding supports (131', 132'; 31', 32') overall form a V, having a resting angle (α) greater than 90° and less than 180° and, during use, they bend as a result of the pressure exerted on the gripping member (20) so as to deform the sanding supports (131', 132'; 31', 32') locally in order to enlarge the opening of the V and form a working angle (β) that is greater than the resting angle (α).
2. Manual sanding tool according to claim 1, wherein the main body (30) comprises a single plate (131) comprising the two sanding supports (131', 132') inclined relative to one another.
3. Manual sanding tool according to claim 1, wherein the main body comprises two separate plates (31, 32) each defining a sanding support (31', 32'), said plates (31, 32) being intercalated, by a respective inner edge (31a, 32a), between the gripping member (20) and a longitudinal holding strip (40) which is firmly fixed to said gripping member (20).
4. Tool according to claim 3, wherein the longitudinal holding strip (40) has greater rigidity than the plates (31, 32).
5. Manual sanding tool according to claim 3 or 4, wherein clamping means (50) for the main body (30) are provided for the purpose of pressing the longitudinal holding strip (40) against the gripping member (20) so that the greater the clamping force the more the resting angle (α) tends towards 180° and vice versa.
6. Manual sanding tool according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the gripping means (50) consist of screws (52) passing through the longitudinal holding strip (40) and penetrating into the gripping member (20).
7. Manual sanding tool according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein at least one of the plates (31; 32) is articulated so as to be able to fold against the other plate (32; 31).
8. Manual sanding tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the abrasive is incorporated in each sanding support (131', 132' 31', 32') in the form of particles.
9. Manual sanding tool according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the abrasive is in the form of an abrasive sheet (70) removably fixed to each sanding support (131', 132'; 31', 32').
10. Manual sanding tool according to claim 9, wherein each abrasive sheet (70) is attached by means of securing strips (62) fixed to the periphery (131b, 132b; 31b, 32b) of each sanding support (131', 132'; 31', 32').
11. Manual sanding tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping member (20) is an elongate handle (21) placed substantially in the median position of the main body (30), said handle (21) having ends (24, 25) provided with chamfers (22, 23), so that no part of the handle (21) projects beyond said body (30).
12. Manual sanding tool according to claim 11, wherein the handle (21) has a concave profile (26) facing the holding strip (40).
13. Tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each sanding support (131', 132'; 31', 32') is made of mild steel and has a thickness (e) between about one tenth of a millimetre and twenty tenths of a millimetre so as to have a flexibility and an elasticity which allow the angle formed by the sanding support (131', 132'; 31', 32') to move from the resting angle (α) to the working angle (β) by pressing the tool (10) against the surface which is to be sanded (100), substantially perpendicularly thereto.
14. Manual sanding tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping member (20) is made of wood and has an ergonomic shape which makes it easier to grip in the hand.
15. Manual sanding tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, in the resting position, the span of the body (30) is between about 10 x 15 cm and about 60 x 80 cm.

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