Abrasive product and method of making and using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an abrasive article having a shaped abrasive coating on a shaped backing and to a method of making and using the flexible abrasive article. The flexible abrasive article includes a backing bearing separated, shaped non-abrasive structures having a distal end spaced from the backing which are coated with a shaped abrasive coating. The method comprises providing the backing, applying to one surface of the backing a plurality of separated, shaped non-abrasive structures with distal ends, coating the distal ends with a curable composition containing abrasive particles, imparting a shaped configuration to the uncured coating and curing the coating.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An abrasive article comprising: 
 a. a backing having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface;    b. a plurality of separated shaped non-abrasive structures, each structure having an attachment end attached to said first major surface and a distal end spaced from said first major surface with said shaped structures comprising distal ends being aligned generally in the same plane; and    c. a shaped abrasive coating comprised of abrasive particles in a bond system having raised areas and depressed areas coated over at least said distal ends.    
     
     
         2 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein shaped structures viewed from above are square.  
     
     
         3 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said shaped structures viewed from above are round or hexagonal.  
     
     
         4 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said shaped structures are aligned in rows in at least one direction.  
     
     
         5 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said shaped structures are aligned in rows in two directions.  
     
     
         6 . The abrasive article of  claim 4  wherein the aligned rows of shaped structures are separated by a channel defined by the space between rows.  
     
     
         7 . The abrasive article of  claim 6  wherein said channel is free of any abrasive coating.  
     
     
         8 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said shaped structures comprise a polymeric material.  
     
     
         9 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said shaped structures are unitary with said backing.  
     
     
         10 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said shaped structures comprise a foam.  
     
     
         11 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said distal ends have a flat surface.  
     
     
         12 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said backing is a polymeric film.  
     
     
         13 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said abrasive coating comprises precisely shaped abrasive composites.  
     
     
         14 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said abrasive particles have an average particle size less than about 60 μm.  
     
     
         15 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said distal ends are spaced from said first major surface by at least about 0.05 mm.  
     
     
         16 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said distal ends are spaced from said first major surface by about 0.05 mm to about 20 mm.  
     
     
         17 . The abrasive article of  claim 1  wherein said backing is flexible.  
     
     
         18 . A method of making an abrasive article, said method comprising: 
 a. providing a backing having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface;    b. applying a plurality of separated, shaped non-abrasive structures to said first major surface, each of said structures having an attachment end attached to said first major surface and a distal end spaced from said first major surface with said shaped structures comprising distal ends aligned generally in the same plane;    c. coating at least said distal ends with a coating composition comprising abrasive particles in a curable composition which will cure to provide a bond system for the abrasive particles;    d. imparting a shaped configuration to the coating composition to provide on curing a shaped abrasive coating having raised areas and depressed areas; and    e. curing the curable composition.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said plurality of separated, shaped structures are applied by embossing said backing.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said plurality of separated, shaped structures are applied by filling cavities in a production tool with a curable composition, contacting the first major surface of the backing with the curable composition contained within the cavities in the production tool at least partially curing the curable composition and separating the production tool from the shaped structures on the backing.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said backing is flexible.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said backing comprises a polymeric film.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said shaped structures viewed from above are round.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said shaped structures viewed from above are square.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said shaped structures are aligned in rows in at least one direction.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said shaped structures are aligned in rows in two directions.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the aligned rows of shaped structures are separated by a channel defined by the space between rows.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said channel is free of any abrasive coating.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said shaped structures comprise a polymeric material  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said shaped structures comprise a foam.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said shaped structures are provided by molding a curable material having a mold cavity corresponding to the shape of the backing and the shaped structures and at least partially curing the curable composition and removing the backing having the shaped structures from the mold.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said abrasive coating is provided filling cavities of a production tool having cavities corresponding to the shaped configuration with a mixture comprising a curable binder composition containing abrasive particles, applying the mixture contained in the cavities to at least the distal ends, at least partially curing the binder composition while the production tool is in contact with the mixture and removing the production tool after said curing.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said abrasive coating is provided by filling cavities of a production tool having cavities corresponding to the shaped configuration with a mixture comprising a curable binder composition containing abrasive particles, applying the mixture contained in the cavities to at least the distal ends, removing the production tool and at least partially curing the curable composition.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the coating and imparting are accomplished by use of a rotogravure roll.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said abrasive particles have an average particle size less than about 60 μm.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said distal ends are spaced from said first major surface by at least about 0.05 mm.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said distal ends are spaced from said first major surface by about 0.05 mm to about 20 mm.  
     
     
         38 . A method of finishing a surface of a substrate, the method comprising: 
 a. contacting a surface of a workpiece with an abrasive article comprising: 
 (1) a backing having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface;  
 (2) a plurality of separated shaped non-abrasive structures, each structure having an attachment end attached to said first major surface and a distal end spaced from said first major surface with said shaped structures comprising distal ends being aligned generally in the same plane;  
 (3) a shaped abrasive coating comprised of abrasive particles in a bond system having raised areas and depressed areas coated over at least said distal ends; and  
   b. relatively moving the abrasive article and/or the workpiece to modify the surface of the workpiece.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said workpiece surface is painted.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising introducing a fluid to the contacting surface of the workpiece and the abrasive article.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said fluid is water.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said abrasive article moving is a random orbital moving.