Diamond impregnated polishing pad with diamond pucks

Abstract

An abrasive pad for use on hard surfaces is described. The pad includes a fibrous, non-woven body with an abrasive coating containing diamond particles applied to a first side thereof. A plurality of diamond-impregnated abrasive elements is affixed to the first side. One or more of the abrasive elements are located near an outer edge of the first side of the pad. A resilient reinforcing material is applied to the outer edge of the pad to resist compression of the pad and to maintain adjacent abrasive elements parallel to a surface being worked on. The abrasive elements at least partially recess into the pad body and enable simultaneous contact of the abrasive elements and the pad with the surface being worked on. Thereby, multiple surface-preparation steps, e.g. polishing and burnishing, are completed simultaneously reducing surface-preparation time and eliminating separate surface-preparation steps.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An abrasive pad comprising:
 a pad body having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a circumferential face extending between the perimeters of the first and second surfaces;   a plurality of abrasive elements affixed to the second surface of the pad body, at least one of the abrasive elements being located proximate to the perimeter of the second surface; and   a reinforcing material applied to the circumferential face, the reinforcing material reinforcing the pad body against compression at the circumferential face and proximate to the at least one abrasive element, and the reinforcing material maintaining a working face of the at least one abrasive element substantially parallel to a surface being worked on.   
     
     
         2 . The abrasive pad of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an abrasive coating applied to at least a portion of the second surface.   
     
     
         3 . The abrasive pad of  claim 2 , wherein the abrasive coating includes one or more of diamonds and diamond particles. 
     
     
         4 . The abrasive pad of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of abrasive elements includes one or more of diamonds and diamond particles coated thereon or impregnated therein. 
     
     
         5 . The abrasive pad of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of abrasive elements have a low profile with a thickness of approximately 0.2 millimeters to about five millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The abrasive pad of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of abrasive elements at least partially recess into the pad body and the plurality of abrasive elements and the second surface of the pad body simultaneously contact and abrade the surface being worked on. 
     
     
         7 . The abrasive pad of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is resilient. 
     
     
         8 . The abrasive pad of  claim 8 , wherein the reinforcing material comprises one or more layers of one or more of a resin, glue, rubber, or plastic. 
     
     
         9 . The abrasive pad of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is applied to the entire circumferential face. 
     
     
         10 . The abrasive pad of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is applied to the circumferential face at locations proximate to one or more of the plurality of abrasive elements. 
     
     
         11 . A combination polishing and burnishing pad for use on hard surfaces, the pad comprising:
 a pad body having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a circumferential face extending between the perimeters of the first and second surfaces;   a diamond impregnated coating applied to at least a portion of the second surface and configured for burnishing a hard surface; and   a plurality of low-profile abrasive elements affixed to the second surface of the pad body and configured for polishing the hard surface, the abrasive elements at least partially recessing into the pad to provide simultaneous contact of the plurality of abrasive elements and the coating on the second surface with the hard surface to simultaneously polish and burnish the hard surface.   
     
     
         12 . The combination polishing and burnishing pad of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a reinforcing material applied to the circumferential face, the reinforcing material reinforcing the pad body against compression at the circumferential face, and the reinforcing material maintaining a working face of the at least one abrasive element substantially parallel to a surface being worked on.   
     
     
         13 . The combination polishing and burnishing pad of  claim 12 , wherein the reinforcing material is applied to the entire circumferential face. 
     
     
         14 . The combination polishing and burnishing pad of  claim 12 , wherein the reinforcing material is applied to the circumferential face at locations proximate to one or more of the plurality of abrasive elements. 
     
     
         15 . An abrasive pad for use on hard surfaces, the pad comprising:
 a pad body of a fibrous, non-woven material having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a circumferential surface extending between the perimeters of the first and second surfaces;   a diamond impregnated coating applied to the second surface, the coating having a first grit;   a plurality of abrasive elements coupled to the working surface, the abrasive elements having diamond particles impregnated therein and having a second grit that is more coarse than the first grit; and   a reinforcing material applied to at least a portion of the circumferential surface proximate to an abrasive element of the plurality of abrasive elements, the reinforcing material reinforcing the pad body against compression proximate to the edge face.   
     
     
         16 . The abrasive pad of  claim 15 , wherein the reinforcing material maintains the at least one abrasive element substantially parallel to a surface being worked on. 
     
     
         17 . The abrasive pad of  claim 15 , wherein the pad body is compressible to enable at least partial conformance to an uneven surface being worked on. 
     
     
         18 . The abrasive pad of  claim 17 , wherein the reinforcing material is applied to the entire circumferential surface. 
     
     
         19 . The abrasive pad of  claim 15 , wherein the coating on the second surface is configured for burnishing, the abrasive elements are configured for polishing, and the pad enables a burnished finish to be achieved without the use of separate polishing and burnishing pads. 
     
     
         20 . An abrasive pad comprising:
 a pad body having a working surface; and   a plurality of abrasive elements affixed to said working surface, each of said abrasive elements having at least three sides wherein at least two of said sides converge toward each other as they extend toward a center of said pad body.   
     
     
         21 . The abrasive pad as in  claim 20  wherein said abrasive element has a curved side positioned proximate an outer periphery of said abrasive pad and having a radius of curvature similar to a radius of curvature of said abrasive pad. 
     
     
         22 . An abrasive pad comprising:
 a fibrous pad body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface with an abrasive coating applied to at least a portion of the second surface; said abrasive coating including a plurality of particles of an abrasive material having a first grit;   a plurality of abrasive elements affixed to the second surface of the pad body; said abrasive element including a plurality of particles of the abrasive material having a second grit embedded therein; and   wherein the first grit is different than the second grit.   
     
     
         23 . The abrasive pad as in  claim 22  wherein the abrasive material comprises diamond particles. 
     
     
         24 . The abrasive pad as in  claim 22  wherein the first grit is greater than the second grit. 
     
     
         25 . The abrasive pad as in  claim 24  wherein the first grit is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 times greater than the second grit. 
     
     
         26 . The abrasive pad as in  claim 22  wherein the first grit is less than the second grit. 
     
     
         27 . The abrasive pad as in  claim 26  wherein the second grit is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 times greater than the first grit.