EP3892421B1

EP3892421B1 - Grinding pad, grinding pad carrier body and grinding wheel

Info

Publication number: EP3892421B1
Application number: EP20168509.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Schulze
Original assignee: VK Investment GmbH
Current assignee: VK Investment GmbH
Priority date: 2020-04-07
Filing date: 2020-04-07
Publication date: 2023-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2040-04-07
Also published as: EP3892421A1

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a grinding wheel, to a grinding pad for such a grinding wheel (such as a sintered diamond impregnated grinding pad), and to a grinding wheel carrier body for supporting such a grinding pad.

Background

EP 1629 944 discloses a drum grinding wheel with an elongated drum configured for coaxial engagement with a spindle of a grinding machine. A plurality of removable cutters are removably fastened to the exterior surface of the drum, each cutter having a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced relation thereon. An abrasive grain is disposed on a grinding face of each of the ribs.
DE 197 53 618 discloses a grinding disk with a carrier disk with radial projections set uniformly around it, on which segments of grinding material (e.g. diamond grains in metal binder) are sintered to project above the grinder layer. Recesses are formed at the sides between the segments. The recesses have sectors filled with grinding material located alternately on the outside and inside over part of their extent.
EP 2 335 877 discloses a grinding wheel with a working direction of rotation. The wheel includes grinding lamellae with front, rear, inner and outer edges. In each lamella, the front edge (relative to the working direction of rotation) leads from the inner edge to the outer edge, the rear edge leads from the inner edge to the outer edge, the front edge intersects the outer edge in a front outer corner and the inner edge in a front inner corner and the rear edge intersects the outer edge in a rear outer corner and the inner edge in a rear inner corner.
GB 264 308 A discloses a grinding wheel consisting of a support to which blocks of abrasive material are clamped with separate clamping or cover plates. The joint between two adjacent blocks is oblique to the plane of the wheel.
DE 8809288 U1 discloses a grinding wheel with a coating layer of super-hard bonded abrasives. The grinding wheel includes periphery alternately claw-like interlocking grinding segments which carry the coating layer.
EP 2 095 908 discloses a grinding wheel provided with a grinding surface thereof with oblique grooves between adjoining abrasive grain layers.

Summary

It is an object of the present invention to provide a grinding wheel (and a carrier body therefor) that is simple to service and/or grinds more uniformly than comparable devices.
According to a first aspect, the invention provides a grinding pad, comprising:

a grinding pad outer surface for contacting and grinding a workpiece;
a grinding pad inner surface configured for attachment to a grinding wheel (such as with glue);
leading and trailing faces (that is, relative to the direction of rotation in use), typically configured to abut or be adjacent to respective trailing and leading faces respectively of adjacent like grinding pads; and
first and second outer faces (typically in parallel planes);
wherein the leading and trailing faces of the grinding pad are configured such that the leading and trailing faces are oblique (that is, neither parallel nor perpendicular) to a direction of rotation of a grinding wheel when the grinding pad is mounted on the grinding wheel, the grinding pad is of non-uniform thickness, and the grinding pad is thicker at its first outer face than at its second outer face.

Thus, a first portion of the grinding pad outer surface (e.g. the vertex where the left side of the grinding pad outer surface meets the leading face) would typically encounter a large flat workpiece before by a second portion of the grinding pad outer surface (e.g. the vertex where the right side of the grinding pad outer surface meets the leading face).
It will be appreciated that the grinding pad inner surface may be configured for attachment to a detachable portion of the wheel (such as a grinding pad carrier body).
The grinding pad may be, for example, a sintered, abrasive impregnated grinding pad, in some embodiments including diamond, such as in a ceramic or polymeric matrix.
In an embodiment, the grinding pad outer surface has a leading edge that is a geodesic (though other shapes are envisaged). As a result, the leading edge and hence the outer surface would encounter a large flat workpiece at a uniformly oblique angle. In an example, the grinding pad outer surface has a trailing edge that is also a geodesic.
In an embodiment, an edge between the grinding pad outer surface and one of the first and second grinding pad outer faces meets the leading edge at an acute angle of more than 45 degrees, and preferably more than 60 degrees.
In an embodiment, the grinding pad outer surface constitutes a curved non-rectangular parallelogram (that is, comparable to a non-rectangular parallelogram but formed on a curved surface-in this case on a cylinder). Thus, the leading edge encounters the workpiece uniformly and obliquely, and plural identical examples of the grinding pad can be exclusively employed, such that any one of the grinding pads mounted on the grinding wheel body can be readily substituted with another when necessary or desired. In this arrangement, the leading and trailing edges are geodesics. In another embodiment, the grinding pad outer surface constitutes a curved isosceles trapezium (that is, an isosceles trapezium formed on a curved surface).
In an embodiment, the grinding pad is thicker at its first outer face than at its second outer face progressively. In another embodiment, the grinding pad is thicker at its first outer face than at its second outer face in stepwise fashion (such as by providing the inner surface with a flange or ridge at or adjacent to the first outer face). This may improve the adhesion of the grinding pad or its resistance to inadvertent dislodgement when in use.
In an embodiment, the grinding pad is sized such that an integral number of like grinding pads can be supported by and fully cover (within manufacturing or mechanical tolerances) an outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel.
In an embodiment, the grinding pad is sized such that 18 like grinding pads can be supported by and fully cover the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the grinding pad may be sized such that fewer grinding pads (e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17) or more grinding pads (e.g. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, ..., n-1, n with n being an integer) can be supported by and are required to fully cover an outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel.
In an embodiment, the leading and trailing edges of the grinding pad are mutually skewed (that is, are neither parallel nor intersecting).
According to a second aspect, the invention provides a grinding wheel carrier body, comprising:

a carrier body outer surface configured to carry a grinding pad (such as a sintered, abrasive impregnated grinding material, in some embodiments including diamond, such as in a ceramic or polymeric matrix);
a carrier body inner surface with one or more mounting points for detachably mounting the carrier body on an outer circumferential surface of a grinding wheel body;
leading and trailing faces (that is, leading and trailing relative to the direction of rotation in use), typically configured to abut or be adjacent to respective trailing and leading faces respectively of adjacent like carrier bodies; and
first and second outer faces (typically in parallel planes);
wherein the leading and trailing faces of the carrier body are configured such that the leading and trailing faces are oblique to a direction of rotation of a grinding wheel when the carrier body is mounted on the grinding wheel body.

Thus, a first portion of a grinding pad mounted on the carrier body outer surface (e.g. at the vertex where the left side of the carrier body outer surface meets the leading face) would encounter a large flat workpiece before by a second portion of a grinding pad mounted on the carrier body outer surface (e.g. at the vertex where the right side of the carrier body outer surface meets the leading face).
In an embodiment, the carrier body is sized such that an integral number of like carrier bodies can be supported by and fully cover (within manufacturing or mechanical tolerances) the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel body.
In an embodiment, the carrier body is sized such that 18 like carrier bodies can be supported by and fully cover the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel body. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the carrier body may be sized such that fewer carrier bodies (e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17) or more carrier bodies (e.g. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, ..., n-1, n with n being an integer) can be supported by and are required to fully cover the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel body.
The carrier body is typically of a metal such as steel or aluminium but may, however, also be made of a compound material, such as fiber reinforced plastic, carbon fiber material or the likes. The carrier body outer surface is typically manufactured so that the grinding pad can be glued or otherwise be affixed thereto.
The one or more (and preferably a plurality of) mounting points may be threaded apertures for receiving respective bolts that are integral with or securable to the grinding wheel body.
In an embodiment, the carrier body outer surface has a leading edge that is a geodesic (though other shapes are possible). As a result, the leading edge of a grinding pad mounted on the carrier body would encounter a large flat workpiece at a uniformly oblique angle. In an example, the carrier body outer surface has a trailing edge that is also a geodesic.
In an embodiment, an edge between the carrier body outer surface and one of the first and second carrier body outer faces meets the leading edge at an acute angle of more than 45 degrees, and preferably more than 60 degrees.
In an embodiment, the carrier body outer surface constitutes a curved non-rectangular parallelogram. Thus, the leading edge of a grinding pad mounted on the carrier body encounters the workpiece obliquely, and plural identical examples of the carrier body can be exclusively employed, such that any one of the carrier bodies mounted on the grinding wheel body can be readily substituted with another when necessary or desired.
In an embodiment, the leading and trailing edges of the carrier body are mutually skewed.
In another embodiment, the carrier body outer surface constitutes a curved isosceles trapezium with leading and trailingedges (the legs of the curved isosceles trapezium) being oblique to the direction of rotation by the same magnitude in opposite directions. Thus, the leading edge of a grinding pad mounted on the carrier body would encounter the workpiece obliquely but in alternate directions; in some cases, plural identical examples of the carrier body can be employed but arranged with alternating and opposite orientations, such that any one of the carrier bodies can be substituted with another when necessary or desired, or - if the carrier body is not designed to be reversible - two sets of examples of the carrier body (identical in each set but with the carrier bodies of one set being different from those of the other) can be employed, such that any one of the carrier bodies can be substituted when necessary or desired with another from the same set.
The carrier body may be of uniform thickness, but in an embodiment, the carrier body is of non-uniform thickness. For example, the carrier body may be thicker at its second outer face than at its first outer face, whether progressively or in stepwise fashion. This may be effected by providing a rebate along the edge of the carrier body outer surface at the first outer face (such as to complement and receive by a flange or ridge provided on the grinding pad inner surface with at or adjacent to the grinding pad first outer face).
This may improve the adhesion of the carrier body to a grinding pad or the resistance of a grinding pad to inadvertent dislodgement from the carrier body when in use.
In an embodiment, the carrier body inner surface includes at least one longitudinal alignment flange, or recess, configured to be received by corresponding one or more (preferably substantially complementary) alignment rebates, or recesses, respectively, in an outer circumferential surface of the body, to resist lateral displacement of the carrier body. In an example, the outer circumferential surface of the body includes one or more continuous rebates or recesses extending circumferentially in the outer circumferential surface (and hence constituting grooves), whereby the carrier body is locatable at any point along the one or more continuous rebates or recesses.
In an embodiment, the carrier body inner surface includes a single longitudinal alignment flange for locating in a corresponding rebate or recess of the outer circumferential surface of the body. In an example, the single longitudinal alignment flange is located centrally between the outer edges.
In an embodiment, the carrier body inner surface includes at least one longitudinal alignment rebate or recess configured to receive corresponding one or more (preferably substantially complementary) alignment flanges provided on an outer circumferential surface of the body, to resist lateral displacement of the carrier body.
According to a third aspect, the invention provides a grinding wheel, comprising:

a grinding wheel body having an outer circumferential surface; and
a plurality of grinding wheel carrier bodies according to the second aspect, each mounted or mountable on the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel body, the carrier bodies sized relative to the grinding wheel body such that the carrier bodies fully cover (within manufacturing or mechanical tolerances) the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel body.

In an embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel body has one or more alignment rebates or recesses configured to receive one or more corresponding (and preferably substantially complementary) longitudinal alignment flanges provided on the carrier body inner surfaces, such that the carrier bodies are locatable on the grinding wheel body with the alignment flanges located in the alignment rebates or recesses.
In another embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel body has one or more alignment flanges configured to be received by one or more corresponding (and preferably substantially complementary) longitudinal alignment rebates or recesses provided in the carrier body inner surfaces, such that the carrier bodies are locatable on the grinding wheel body with the alignment flanges located in the alignment rebates or recesses.
In an embodiment, the one or more alignment rebates or recesses are continuous recesses, wherein the carrier body is locatable at any point along the one or more continuous recesses.
In an embodiment, the outer circumferential surface has a single alignment rebate or recess, or a single alignment flange, such as located centrally between outer edges of the outer circumferential surface.
In an embodiment, the carrier bodies are provided with respective grinding pads.
It should be noted that any of the various individual features of each of the above aspects of the invention, and any of the various individual features of the embodiments described herein including in the claims, can be combined as suitable and desired.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that the invention may be more clearly ascertained, embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a grinding wheel according to an embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic partially exploded perspective view of the grinding wheel of figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic view of the grinding wheel body of the grinding wheel of figure 1;
Figure 4A is a schematic perspective view of a carrier body of the grinding wheel of figure 1, provided with a grinding pad;
Figure 4B is a schematic perspective view of a carrier body of the grinding wheel of figure 1;
Figure 5A is a schematic elevational view of the grinding wheel of figure 1;
Figure 5B is a schematic side view of the grinding wheel of figure 1;
Figure 5C is a schematic side view (comparable to the view of figure 5B) of a grinding wheel according to a variation of the embodiment of figure 1;
Figures 6A and 6B are elevational and side views of the grinding wheel body of the grinding wheel of figure 1;
Figures 7A and 7B are views of the carrier body (with grinding pad) of the grinding wheel body of the grinding wheel of figure 1, with-respectively-the first outer face and trailing face in elevation;
Figures 8A and 8B are schematic plan views of the carrier body of the grinding wheel of figure 1;
Figures 9A and 9B are schematic cross-sectional views of the carrier body through lines A-A and B-B respectively in figure 8B; and
Figures 10A and 10B are schematic views of carrier body 14, with-respectively—the trailing face and second outer face in elevation and partial ghost.

Detailed description

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a grinding wheel 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Grinding wheel 10 is configured to be mounted on the spindle of a grinding machine.
Grinding wheel 10 includes a steel grinding wheel body 12 and a plurality of carrier bodies 14 detachably mounted on grinding wheel body 12, such as with bolts (not shown). In this view, bolt holes 14 for facilitating the mounting of carrier bodies 14 to grinding wheel body 12 are shown in ghost. As discussed below in further detail, carrier bodies 14 are also of steel or aluminium, and are configured to support respective grinding pads 16 (which, in this example, are glued to the respective carrier bodies 14).
In this embodiment, the carrier bodies 14 are identical and interchangeable, which facilitates their replacement when required or desired. In this embodiment, grinding wheel 10 includes 18 carrier bodies 14, which are sized relative to the size of grinding wheel body 12 so that they fully cover (within manufacturing or mechanical tolerances) the outer circumferential surface of grinding wheel body 12.
Grinding wheel 10 may optionally include two covers, only one of which-cover 18-is visible in this view; these covers serve to exclude dust and other foreign matter from entering grinding wheel body 12. These covers are mounted to grinding wheel body 12 by any suitable attachment mechanism, such as screws or bolts (not shown). In this view, six countersunk apertures 20 in cover 18 are depicted, for receiving such screws or bolts.
Figure 2 is a schematic partially exploded perspective view of grinding wheel 10 of figure 1. As is more apparent in this view, the outer surfaces of carrier bodies 14 are not curved rectangles (i.e. a rectangles projected onto a curved surface), but rather are curved non-rectangular parallelograms. The effect of this shape is that, in use, the junction between any two carrier bodies 14 (or, more strictly, between any two grinding pads 16 mounted on respective carrier bodies 14) generally encounters the workpiece obliquely, which has been found to provide a smoother result in some applications.
Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of grinding wheel body 12 of grinding wheel 10 of figure 1. Grinding wheel body 12 includes an outer drum 30 and an inner drum 32, defining respectively an outer circumferential surface 34 and an inner circumferential surface 36. Inner drum 32 is configured to be mounted on the spindle of a grinding machine, while inner drum 32 supports outer drum 30 with a plurality of radial ribs 38 extending from inner drum 32 to outer drum 30. Radial ribs 38 define a corresponding plurality of inter-rib compartments 40 (each bounded by a pair of ribs 38, inner drum 32 supports outer drum 30); compartments 40 serve to lighten grinding wheel 12, and to facilitate the cooling of carrier bodies 14 (and hence of grinding pads 16).
Outer drum 30 includes a central continuous rebate or groove 42 in outer circumferential surface 34 for receiving respective alignment flanges provided on the carrier bodies inner surfaces.
The first and second outer portions 44a and 44b of outer circumferential surface 34, flanking groove 42, are provided with bolt holes 46 for receiving bolts (not shown) for securing carrier bodies 14 to grinding wheel body 12. Corresponding and suitably aligned bolt holes 48 are provided in inner drum 32. In this example, grinding wheel body 12 has four bolt holes 46 in outer drum 30 for each carrier body 14, and correspondingly four bolt holes 48 for each carrier body 14 in inner drum 32.
It will be seen that the bolt holes 46 in first outer portion 44a of outer circumferential surface 34 are offset with respect to the bolt holes 46 in second outer portion 44b. This is because the outer surfaces of carrier bodies 14 are, as discussed above, curved non-rectangular parallelograms. For example, the four exemplary bolt holes 46 identified with reference numerals in this figure are for mounting a particular carrier body 14, even though those in first outer portion 44a appear advanced compared with those in second outer portion 44b (if grinding wheel body is regarded as rotating in the direction of arrows 50).
Figure 4A is a schematic perspective view of a carrier body 14 of grinding wheel 10 of figure 1, with a grinding pad 16, while figure 4B is a schematic perspective view of carrier body 14 without grinding pad 16. Referring to these figures, carrier body 14 includes an outer surface 60 configured to carry grinding pad 16, an inner surface (not visible in these views), a leading face (not visible in these views), a trailing face 64, a first outer face (not visible in these views but indicated at 66) and a second outer face 68. Similarly, grinding pad 16 includes an outer surface 70, an inner surface (not visible in these views), a leading face (not visible in these views), a trailing face 74, a first outer face (not visible in these views but indicated at 76) and a second outer face 78.
The inner surface of carrier body 14 is provided with a flange 80 that, when carrier body 14 is mounted on grinding wheel body 12, is received by complementary groove 42-to resist undesired displacement of carrier body 14. Even disregarding flange 80, however, carrier body 14 is not of uniform thickness. It is thicker at second outer face 68 than at first outer face 66, owing to the provision of a rebate 82 at the edge between outer surface 60 and first outer face 66. Similarly, grinding pad 16 is of non-uniform thickness, being thicker at first outer face 76 than at second outer face 78-owing to the provision of a stepped flange or ridge 84 at the edge between outer surface 70 and first outer face 76. Flange or ridge 84 of grinding pad 16 is complementary in form to rebate 82 of carrier body 14.
Figure 5A is a schematic elevational view of grinding wheel 10 of figure 1, illustrating the relative dimensions of its components. It will be noted that, in this example, grinding wheel 10-including carrier bodies 14 and grinding pads 16-has an overall diameter of 500 mm, with inner drum 32 has an inner diameter of 304.8 mm. Figure 5B is a schematic side view of grinding wheel 10: in this example, the total width of grinding wheel 10 is 120 mm, with flange or ridge 84 constituting 5 mm of that width.
Figure 5C is a schematic side view comparable to that of figure 5B of a grinding wheel 10' according to a variation of the embodiment of figure 1. In this variation, the outer surfaces of grinding pads 16' constitute curved isosceles trapeziums. As a consequence, the leading and trailing edges of the outer surfaces of grinding pads 16' still encounter a workpiece obliquely, but with alternating orientations. The carrier bodies of grinding wheel 10' likewise have outer surfaces that constitute curved isosceles trapeziums and-as in grinding wheel 10 of figure 1- the inner surfaces of grinding pads 16' complement the outer surfaces of the carrier bodies of grinding wheel 10'.
Figures 6A and 6B are elevational and side views of grinding wheel body 12 of grinding wheel 10 of figure 1, indicating the particular dimensions of this example.
Figures 7A and 7B are views of carrier body 14 with grinding pad 16, showing-respectively-first outer face 66 and trailing face 64 in elevation. The skewed nature of carrier body 14 is especially apparent from these figures: in figure 7A, first outer face 66 is in the plane of the page, but the leading face 62 of carrier body 14 is visible (as is a leading face 86 of flange 80). Likewise, first outer face 76 of grinding pad 16 is in the plane of the page, but the leading face 72 of grinding pad 16 is visible. In figure 7B, a lower edge 88 of leading face 62 is visible, rather than being entirely obscured by trailing face 64.
Figures 8A and 8B are schematic plan views of carrier body 14, with exemplary dimensions shown. The latter view is in partial ghost, so includes mounting points in the form of tapped bores 92 (in this example, four tapped bores), for receiving securing bolts that bolt carrier body 14 to grinding wheel body 12. It will be noted that bores 92 are not parallel, owing to the curved form of carrier body 14.
Figures 9A and 9B are schematic cross-sectional views of carrier body 14, through lines A-A and B-B respectively in figure 8B, in each case passing through a pair of tapped bores 92.
Figures 10A and 10B are schematic views of carrier body 14, showing-respectively-trailing face 64 and second outer face 68 in elevation and partial ghost.
It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, in particular it will be apparent that certain features of embodiments of the invention can be employed to form further embodiments.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the prior art forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art in any country.
In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

A grinding pad (16; 16'), comprising:
a grinding pad outer surface (70) for contacting and grinding a workpiece;

a grinding pad inner surface configured for attachment to a grinding wheel (10);

leading and trailing faces (72, 74); and

first and second outer faces (76, 78);

wherein the leading and trailing faces (72, 74) of the grinding pad (16; 16') are configured such that the leading and trailing faces (72, 74) are oblique to a direction of rotation of a grinding wheel (10) when the grinding pad (16; 16') is mounted on the grinding wheel (10), and the grinding pad (16; 16') is of non-uniform thickness;

characterized in that

the grinding pad (16; 16') is thicker at its first outer face (76) than at its second outer face (78).
A grinding pad (16; 16') as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grinding pad outer surface (70) has a leading edge and/or a trailing edge that is a geodesic.
A grinding pad (16; 16') as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, wherein the grinding pad outer surface (70) constitutes a curved non-rectangular parallelogram, or the grinding pad outer surface (70) constitutes a curved isosceles trapezium.
A grinding pad (16; 16') as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the grinding pad (16; 16') is sized such that an integral number of like grinding pads (16; 16') can be supported by and fully cover an outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel (10).
A grinding pad as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the leading and trailing edges of the grinding pad (16; 16') are mutually skewed.
A grinding wheel carrier body (14), comprising:
a carrier body outer surface (60) configured to carry a grinding pad (16; 16');

a carrier body inner surface with one or more mounting points (92) for detachably mounting the carrier body on an outer circumferential surface of a grinding wheel body;

leading and trailing faces (62, 64); and

first and second outer faces (66, 68);

characterized in that

the leading and trailing faces (62, 64) of the carrier body (14) are configured such that the leading and trailing faces (62, 64) are oblique to a direction of rotation of a grinding wheel (10) when the carrier body is mounted on the grinding wheel body (12).
A grinding wheel carrier body (14) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the carrier body (14) is sized such that an integral number of like carrier bodies (14) can be supported by and fully cover an outer circumferential surface (34) of the grinding wheel body (12).
A grinding wheel carrier body (14) as claimed in either claim 6 or 7, wherein the carrier body outer surface (60) constitutes a curved non-rectangular parallelogram with the leading and trailing edges of the carrier body (14) being mutually skewed, or the carrier body outer surface (60) constitutes a curved isosceles trapezium.
A grinding wheel carrier body (14) as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the carrier body is thicker at its first outer face than at its second outer face, or is otherwise of non-uniform thickness.
A grinding wheel carrier body (14) as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the carrier body inner surface includes at least one longitudinal alignment flange (80) configured to be received by corresponding one or more alignment rebates or recesses (42) in an outer circumferential surface (34) of the grinding wheel body (12).
A grinding wheel (10), comprising:
a grinding wheel body (12) having an outer circumferential surface (34); and

a plurality of grinding wheel carrier bodies (14) according to any one of claims 6 to 10, each mounted or mountable on the outer circumferential surface (34) of the grinding wheel body (12), the carrier bodies (14) sized relative to the grinding wheel body (12) such that the carrier bodies (14) fully cover the outer circumferential surface (34) of the grinding wheel body (12).
A grinding wheel (10) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the outer circumferential surface (34) of the grinding wheel body (12) has one or more alignment rebates or recesses (42) configured to receive one or more corresponding longitudinal alignment flanges (80) provided on the carrier body inner surfaces, such that the carrier bodies (14) are locatable on the grinding wheel body (12) with the alignment flanges (80) located in the alignment rebates or recesses (42).
A grinding wheel (10) as claimed in either claim 11 or 12, wherein the carrier bodies (14) are provided with respective grinding pads (16; 16').