Quick alignment orbital sander disc applicator

Abstract

A device for applying a sander disc to an orbital sander includes a member having alignment projections or an alignment wall for releasably holding at least one sander disc having a surface with hook or loop type fasteners such that the surface having the hook or loop type fasteners faces away from said member. The device is cooperatively engagable with the orbital sander to align the sander disc with a corresponding hook or loop type fastener surface of the orbital sander and fasten it thereto.

1 . A device for applying a sander disc to an orbital sander, wherein said sander disc includes an abrasive surface and an opposite attachment surface having hook or loop type fasteners and the orbital sander has an engagement surface having corresponding hook or loop type fasteners for engaging and holding the hook or loop type fasteners of the sander disc, the device comprising:
 a) a body having alignment means for releasably holding at least one sander disc such that the attachment surface having the hook or loop type fasteners faces away from said body, wherein said alignment means is cooperatively engagable with the orbital sander to align the sander disc with the orbital sander hook or loop engagement surface; and   b) holding means fixedly attached to the body for supporting the body.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the body has a disc contact surface for contacting the sander disc. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the holding means is a handle. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the body is fabricated from metal, wood or plastic. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the alignment means comprises at least one projection extending from said disc contact surface of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the at least one projection is cylindrical. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the at least one projection has a tapered end portion. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the at least one projection is sized and dimensioned to engage at least one aperture in the sander disc and at least one aperture in the orbital sander engagement surface having hook or loop type fasteners. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8  having a plurality of projections disposed in a patterned arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the alignment means comprises a wall extending circumferentially around the periphery of the body and defining an interior space sized and dimensioned to contain a plurality of sander discs, and the holding means comprises a stationary substrate to which the body is fixed. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the wall is cylindrical. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the wall is quadrangular. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the substrate to which the body is fixedly attached is a surface elevated above ground level. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the surface comprises the top of a table, workbench, or stand. 
     
     
         15 . A method for aligning and applying a sander disc to an orbital sander, wherein the sander disc includes an abrasive surface and an opposite attachment surface having hook or loop type fasteners and the orbital sander has an engagement surface with corresponding hook or loop type fasteners to which the sander disc is to be mounted, said method including:
 a) providing a body having alignment means for releasably holding at least one sander disc such that the attachment surface having the hook or loop type fasteners faces away from said body, wherein said alignment means is cooperatively engagable with the orbital sander to align the sander disc with the orbital sander engagement surface, wherein the body comprises a disc contact surface;   b) mounting at least one sander disc to the body such that the abrasive surface of the sander disc faces towards the disc contact surface; and   c) aligning and engaging the alignment means with the orbital sander to contact the attachment surface of the sander disc with the engagement surface of the orbital sander with force sufficient to fasten said attachment surface to the engagement surface.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the sander disc includes at least one aperture and the orbital sander engagement surface includes at least one vacuum channel, and wherein the alignment means comprises at least one projection extending from said disc contact surface of the body, said at least one projection being sized and dimensioned to be accommodated by both said aperture of the sander disc and the vacuum channel of the orbital sander,
 wherein said step of mounting the at least one sander disc to the member comprises disposing the at least one projection through the aperture of the sander disc, and 
 said aligning and engaging step comprises disposing the at least one projection through the vacuum channel so as to align the aperture of the sander disc with the vacuum channel. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of mounting the at least one sander disc comprises mounting a plurality of sander discs. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the alignment means comprises a wall extending circumferentially around the periphery of the body and defining an interior space sized and dimensioned to contain a plurality of sander discs, and said interior space being sized and dimensioned to receive the engagement surface of the orbital sander; and
 said step of mounting the at least one sander disc to the body comprises positioning the at least one sander disc within the interior space such that the abrasive surface faces toward the body and the attachment surface faces away from the body, and 
 said aligning and engaging step comprises positioning the engagement surface of the orbital sander within the interior space of the device and in contact with the attachment surface of the sander disc. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step of mounting the at least one sander disc comprises mounting a plurality of sander discs.