Planetary sanding head with variable diameters

Abstract

A planetary disk style rotary sander is provided that includes a plurality of planetary-style sanding head units attached to the sander. The sanding head units described herein preferably have multiple diameters. As a result, some of the head units may be located closer to the center of the sander than others.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotary sander including a sanding head, the sanding head comprising:
 at least one first head unit located at a first distance from a center of the sanding head; and   at least one second head unit located at a second distance from the center of the sanding head.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary sander of  claim 1 , wherein the sanding head includes two first head units at the first distance from the center of the sanding head. 
     
     
         3 . The rotary sander of  claim 1 , wherein the sanding head includes two second head units at the second distance from the center of the sanding head. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary sander of  claim 1 , wherein sanding head includes an at least one third head unit located at a third distance from the center of the sanding head. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary sander of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first head unit and the at least one second head unit are each independently rotatable. 
     
     
         6 . The rotary sander of  claim 1 , wherein the first distance is less than 10 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The rotary sander of  claim 1 , wherein the second distance is at least 10 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The rotary sander of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first head unit and the at least one second head unit are circular in shape. 
     
     
         9 . A rotary sander for sanding a surface, the rotary sander comprising:
 a sanding head having a first circumference and a second circumference;   at least one first head unit attached to the sanding head at the first circumference; and   at least one second head unit attached to the sanding head at the second circumference.   
     
     
         10 . The rotary sander of  claim 9 , wherein the sanding head includes two first head units attached to the sanding head at the first circumference. 
     
     
         11 . The rotary sander of  claim 9 , wherein the sanding head includes two second head units attached to the sanding head at the second circumference. 
     
     
         12 . The rotary sander of  claim 9 , wherein the sanding head includes three first head units attached to the sanding head at the first circumference. 
     
     
         13 . The rotary sander of  claim 9 , wherein the sanding head includes three second head units attached to the sanding head at the second circumference. 
     
     
         14 . The rotary sander of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one first head unit and the at least one second head unit are each independently rotatable. 
     
     
         15 . The rotary sander of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one first head unit and the at least one second head unit are circular in shape. 
     
     
         16 . A rotary sander for sanding a surface, the rotary sander comprising:
 a sanding head;   two or more first head units attached to the sanding head;   two or more second head units attached to the sanding head;   wherein the two or more first head units lie in a first circumference; and   wherein the two or more second head units lie in a second circumference that is concentric relative to the first circumference.   
     
     
         17 . The rotary sander of  claim 16 , wherein the sanding head includes three first head units attached to the sanding head at the first circumference. 
     
     
         18 . The rotary sander of  claim 16 , wherein the sanding head includes three second head units attached to the sanding head at the second circumference. 
     
     
         19 . The rotary sander of  claim 16 , wherein the two or more first head units and the two or more second head units are each independently rotatable. 
     
     
         20 . The rotary sander of  claim 16 , wherein the two or more first head units and the two or more second head units are circular in shape.