Abrasive cleaning and honing device and method of honing concrete surfaces

Abstract

A cleaning element ( 36 ) for a rotating disc cleaning pad 32 to hone a cement floor surface. Each cleaning element has a flat flexible abrasive surface ( 39 ) that is transversely positioned to the direction of motion to provide flex during cleaning of a cement floor surface.

1 . An abrasive cleaning device for cleaning and honing a concrete surface comprising: 
 a rotatable disc shaped housing for rotation about a central axis;    a plurality of cleaning strips having a front abrasive face with a width and length extending downward from said disc shaped housing;    said cleaning strips mounted to said housing such that the front abrasive face is aligned substantially transverse to the normal rotatable direction of motion of said housing;    said cleaning strips having a substrate and an abrasive material at the surface of said cleaning strips and secured to said substrate; and    the length of said cleaning strips being substantially greater than its thickness to provide flexibility of said cleaning strips to allow some strips to flex over high spots in said concrete surface.    
   
   
       2 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material being hard abrasive particles being embedded in said substrate; and    said substrate being a plastic matrix.    
   
   
       3 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 said plastic matrix being a high temperature plastic.    
   
   
       4 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 said cleaning strips having its front abrasive faces substantially radially aligned with the center of said pad and transverse to the normal rotational motion of said housing.    
   
   
       5 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 3  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material embedded only in a distal end section of said bristle; and    a proximate mounting section being devoid of said abrasive material.    
   
   
       6 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material being only on a distal end of said front abrasive face with said proximate end and said other faces being devoid of said abrasive material.    
   
   
       7 . An abrasive bristle comprising: 
 a plastic matrix,    an abrasive material embedded in a distal end section of said bristle; and    a proximate mounting section of said bristle being devoid of said abrasive material.    
   
   
       8 . An abrasive bristle as defined in  claim 7  further comprising: 
 said distal end with said abrasive extending toward said proximate mounting section with said abrasive ending at a point where said flexibility degrades a sufficient amount and said point being used as a wear indicator.    
   
   
       9 . An abrasive bristle as defined in  claim 8  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material being only on a distal end of a front abrasive face with said proximate end and other faces being devoid of said abrasive material.    
   
   
       10 . An abrasive bristle as defined in  claim 7  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material comprising diamond particles.    
   
   
       11 . An abrasive bristle element comprising: 
 a plastic matrix; and    an abrasive material at opposing distal ends of said bristle element;    said middle section being a mounting section to a support base;    said middle section being free of said abrasive material.    
   
   
       12 . An abrasive bristle element as defined in  claim 11  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material being embedded in said matrix;    
   
   
       13 . An abrasive bristle element as defined in  claim 11  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material being coated on said opposing ends.    
   
   
       14 . An abrasive bristle element as defined in  claim 13  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material having a brazed connection on said opposing ends.    
   
   
       15 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 14  further comprising: 
 said front abrasive faces being substantially flat and said abrasive material being coated on only said front abrasive faces with said other faces being devoid of abrasive material.    
   
   
       16 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 15  further comprising; 
 said cleaning strips in cross-section having a major axis and a minor axis with said major axis positioned to be transverse to the normal motion of said housing.    
   
   
       17 . An abrasive cleaning device for cleaning and honing concrete surfaces comprising: 
 a disc shaped housing for rotation about a center axis;    a plurality of cleaning strips having a substrate with a mounting end mounted to said housing and a distal end with abrasive particles at the surface of said substrate and secured to said substrate for honing concrete surfaces and releasable from said distal end as said abrasive particles rounds out to provide exposure of another abrasive particle for honing said concrete surface;    the length of said cleaning strips being substantially greater than its thickness to provide flexibility of said cleaning strips; and    said cleaning strips in cross-section having a major axis and a minor axis with one of said axes positioned to be transverse to the normal motion of said housing.    
   
   
       18 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 17  further comprising: 
 said major axis being positioned transversely to the normal motion of said housing.    
   
   
       19 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 18  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material at the surface of only the front abrasive face with other faces being devoid of abrasive material; and    said front abrasive faces being substantially flat.    
   
   
       20 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 19  further comprising: 
 said abrasive material comprising diamond particles having a brazed connection with said substrate.    
   
   
       21 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 18  further comprising: 
 said cleaning strips having a major and minor axis greater than ⅛ inch such that it is larger than the diameter of cement pores.    
   
   
       22 . An abrasive cleaning device for a concrete surface comprising: 
 a brush with a plurality of resiliently flexible bristles having a major and minor axis larger than the pores of said concrete;    said brush having a scrub working surface with abrasive particles affixed thereto;    said brush having a flat edge at its distal end to scrape away dirt and residue; and    said brush providing a replenished scrub working surface as worn abrasive particles abrade from the scrub working surface and as the scrub working surface abrades away for honing the concrete surface.    
   
   
       23 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 22  further comprising: 
 said scrub working surface being substantially flat and substantially transverse to the normal direction of motion of said cleaning device.    
   
   
       24 . An abrasive cleaning device as defined in  claim 23  further comprising: 
 said abrasive particles affixed only at said scrub working surface with other faces of said bristles being devoid of abrasive particles.    
   
   
       25 . A method of claiming a polished concrete surface comprising: 
 moving a plurality of cleaning strips having a front abrasive face aligned substantially transverse to the direction of movement; and    said cleaning strips flexing to accommodate high and low spots of the concrete surface.    
   
   
       26 . A method as defined in  claim 25  further comprising: 
 said cleaning strip being a flexible substrate with said abrasive face having a plurality of abrasive particle secured thereon across said face.