Multiple Blade Sharpening Apparatus and Method

Abstract

The competitive and technological evolution of sports with ice skates such as ice hockey, speed skating, and figure skating as well as the conditioning and training of these athletes places increased demands on their equipment. Amongst these are the ability to vary the blade profile at different points to increase speed, agility, acceleration, etc according to the sport and the athlete's personal preferences. In many instances matching left and right blades is also important. In contrast in amateur sports where users access retail skate sharpening services speed or service and cost of service is important. A system and method are taught for simultaneously profiling both blades of user for increasing speed and reducing cost in retail environments whilst aligning there profiles in more professional applications. The method further allows for profiles to vary in cross-section along the length of the blade.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing a first grinding wheel having a first profile demountably attached to a first spindle operably engaged to a first drive system and forming a predetermined portion of a first grinding sub-assembly;   providing a second grinding wheel having a second profile demountably attached to a second spindle operably engaged to a second drive system and forming a predetermined portion of a second grinding sub-assembly;   providing a first stage comprising a first mount for accepting a first blade and a second mount for accepting a second blade, the first stage, first mount and second mount configured to place the first blade in a predetermined relationship to the first grinding wheel and the second blade in a predetermined relationship to the second grinding wheel;   operating the first and second drive systems to rotate the first and second grinding wheels;   moving the first stage in predetermined pattern relative to the first and second grinding sub-assemblies to simultaneously profile the first and second blades with the first profile and second profiles respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a controller interfaced to the first stage to control the first stage in order to execute the predetermined pattern. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein,
 the predetermined pattern comprises a first predetermined sequence of motions along the length of the blade and a second predetermined sequence of motions across the width of the blade. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein,
 each of the first and second grinding wheels are at least one of a thickness at least that of the respective blade and with an edge profile the complementary of the intended respective profile to be applied to the respective blade and substantially thinner than the thickness of the respective blade. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein,
 the resulting profile on each of the first and second blades varies in a predetermined manner along the length of the respective blades. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein,
 the resulting profile on each of the first and second blades varies in a predetermined manner across the width of the respective blades. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein,
 the resulting profile on each of the first and second blades varies in a predetermined manner across the width of the respective blades, the predetermined manner being determined in dependence upon at least one of position along the length of the respective blade, the sport for which the blades are intended, and a characteristic of the player for whom the respective blades are intended. 
 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 providing a first grinding wheel having a first profile demountably attached to a first spindle operably engaged to a first drive system and forming a predetermined portion of a first grinding sub-assembly;   providing a second grinding wheel having a second profile demountably attached to a second spindle operably engaged to a second drive system and forming a predetermined portion of a second grinding sub-assembly;   providing a first stage comprising a first mount for accepting a first blade and a second mount for accepting a second blade, the first stage, first mount and second mount configured to place the first blade in a predetermined relationship to the first grinding wheel and the second blade in a predetermined relationship to the second grinding wheel;   operating the first and second drive systems to rotate the first and second grinding wheels;   moving the first grinding sub-assembly in a predetermined pattern relative to the first stage to apply the first profile to the first blade; and   moving the second grinding sub-assembly in a predetermined pattern relative to the first stage to apply the second profile to the second blade.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8  further comprising:
 a controller interfaced to the first stage to control the first stage in order to execute the predetermined pattern. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein,
 the predetermined pattern comprises a first predetermined sequence of motions along the length of the blade and a second predetermined sequence of motions across the width of the blade. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein,
 each of the first and second grinding wheels are at least one of a thickness at least that of the respective blade and with an edge profile the complementary of the intended respective profile to be applied to the respective blade and substantially thinner than the thickness of the respective blade. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein,
 the resulting profile on each of the first and second blades varies in a predetermined manner along the length of the respective blades. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein,
 the resulting profile on each of the first and second blades varies in a predetermined manner across the width of the respective blades. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein,
 the resulting profile on each of the first and second blades varies in a predetermined manner across the width of the respective blades, the predetermined manner being determined in dependence upon at least one of position along the length of the respective blade, the sport for which the blades are intended, and a characteristic of the player for whom the respective blades are intended. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 providing mounts for a pair of ice skate blades, each mount being capable of motion in at least two directions selected from the group comprising lateral, transverse, vertical, roll, pith and yaw;   grinding a first profile longitudinally along a first predetermined portion of each ice skate blade primarily for gliding upon an ice surface, the first profile having an edge at each end of the profile and ground with a first tool having a width substantially less than that of the lateral width of the first profile and having a first predetermined tool profile; and   forming a second profile formed longitudinally along a second predetermined portion of the ice skate blade primarily for edging into the surface, the second profile having an edge at each end of the profile and ground with a second tool having a width substantially less than that of the lateral width of the second profile and having a second predetermined tool profile; wherein   the first and second profiles share a common edge.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein;
 the first profile is selected from the group comprising circular arc, flat bottom circular arc and flat bottom vee (V); and 
 the second profile is selected from the group comprising circular arc, flat bottom circular arc and flat bottom vee (V) omitting the profile selected for the first profile. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein;
 the resulting profiles on each of the first and second blades varies in a predetermined manner across the surface of the respective blades. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein,
 the predetermined manner is determined in dependence upon at least one of position on the surface of the respective blade, the sport for which the blades are intended, and a characteristic of the player for whom the respective blades are intended. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein;the resulting profiles on each of the first and second blades are mirror images of one another with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ice skate blades. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein;
 each of the mounts for the pair of skates are controlled independently of one another in a manner so as to facilitate grinding of the profiles on the first and second blades with a reduced separation between the mounts than if the pair of mounts executed the same motions together.