Skate blade sharpening system

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for a skate sharpening system comprising an operative unit and a base, the operative unit comprising a central body, the central body comprising a skate receiving slot, a skate clamp being positioned adjacent to the skate receiving slot such that a skate can be secured within the skate receiving slot for a sharpening operation, the operative unit further comprising a grinding unit, the grinding unit being configured to translate along a length of the slot such that the grinding unit can conduct the sharpening operation on the skate that is secured within the skate receiving slot, the operative unit being positioned over at least a portion of the base, the base comprising a swarf-receiving cavity, the operative unit and the base being pivotably connected.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A skate blade sharpening system comprising:
 a clamp configured to retain a skate blade in a sharpening position, a centerline of the sharpening position having a first predetermined location;   a motor-driven rotating shaft, the shaft having a wheel-mounting location at which a grinding wheel is mounted to rotate with the shaft and contact the skate blade in the sharpening position during a sharpening operation; and   an adjustment mechanism comprising:
 an alignment shaft; 
 a bushing positioned on a longitudinal portion of the alignment shaft; 
 a compression mechanism applying pressure to the bushing, wherein the pressure is applied to the alignment shaft, wherein the pressure is configured to substantially eliminate unintentional rotational movement of the alignment shaft; and 
 an adjustment member configured to rotate the alignment shaft, wherein rotation of the alignment shaft is configured to vary a position of the grinding wheel relative to the centerline of the sharpening position. 
   
     
     
         20 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 19 , wherein the bushing is a threaded bushing and the threaded bushing is threaded onto a threaded portion of the alignment shaft or the bushing is a through hole bushing positioned on an unthreaded portion of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         21 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 19 , wherein the bushing is a threaded bushing threaded onto a threaded portion of the alignment shaft and the adjustment mechanism further comprises a through hole bushing, and wherein the alignment shaft comprises an unthreaded portion, wherein the through hole bushing is positioned on the unthreaded portion of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         22 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 20 , wherein the through hole bushing is reamed and has an interference fit with the unthreaded portion of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         23 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 19 , wherein the alignment shaft comprises a detent portion having a plurality of detents circumferentially disposed about a circumference of the alignment shaft, wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a spring pin configured to ride within a detent. 
     
     
         24 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 23 , wherein manipulation of the adjustment member is configured to move the alignment shaft relative to the spring pin such that the movement of each detent past the spring pin results in at least one of an auditory or tactile indication of movement and a defined amount of linear movement of the grinding wheel. 
     
     
         25 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 24 , wherein the defined amount of linear movement is between 0.005 and 0.04 of a mm per detent. 
     
     
         26 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 19 , wherein the bushing is formed from a polymer. 
     
     
         27 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 19 , wherein the adjustment member is adjustable by a user, wherein a diameter of the adjustment member is greater than a diameter of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         28 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 19 , further comprising a controller configured to control a motor, wherein the adjustment member is adjustable by the motor. 
     
     
         29 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 20 , wherein the threaded bushing includes tabs extending radially from a body of the bushing to prevent rotation of the threaded bushing during rotation of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         30 . The skate blade sharpening system of  claim 19 , wherein the pressure on the bushing is sufficient to substantially prevent hysteresis based on movement of the alignment shaft not caused by intentional movement of the adjustment member. 
     
     
         31 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A method of sharpening a skate blade with a skate sharpening system comprising:
 securing the skate blade in a sharpening position in the skate sharpening system with a clamp;   rotating an alignment shaft via an adjustment member to change a position of a grinding wheel relative to a centerline of the sharpening position;   applying pressure to the alignment shaft via a compression mechanism, wherein the pressure is configured to substantially eliminate unintentional rotational movement of the alignment shaft; and   sharpening the skate blade by rotating the grinding wheel and contacting the skate blade with the grinding wheel.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the grinding wheel is mounted to a motor-driven rotating shaft at a wheel mounting location, the motor-driven rotating shaft causing the rotating of the grinding wheel. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the adjustment member is manually adjustable by a user of the skate sharpening system, and wherein adjusting the adjustment member causes the rotating of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising controlling a motor via a controller of the skate sharpening system to adjust the adjustment member, wherein adjusting the adjustment member causes the rotating of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising manipulating the adjustment member to produce at least one of an auditory or tactile indication of movement, wherein manipulating the adjustment member causes the rotating of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the alignment shaft comprises a detent portion having a plurality of detents circumferentially disposed about a circumference of the alignment shaft, wherein a spring pin is configured to ride within a detent, and wherein the at least one of the auditory or tactile indication of movement is caused by movement of each detent past the spring pin. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein applying pressure to the alignment shaft comprises applying pressure to a bushing positioned on a longitudinal portion of the alignment shaft. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the bushing is a threaded bushing and the threaded bushing is threaded onto a threaded portion of the alignment shaft or the bushing is a through hole bushing positioned on an unthreaded portion of the alignment shaft.