SKATE BLADE SHARPENING SYSTEM
A skate blade sharpening system used to sharpen the blades of ice skates. The skate sharpener can include a housing that includes an elongated slot for receiving the blade of an ice skate for sharpening, and clamp jaws for retaining the skate. The housing can include at least one slot cover to engage the skate blade. Engagement of the skate blade can be sensed by a controller to enable sharpening operations to proceed. The skate blade sharpening system can automatically operate a grinding wheel and move the rotating grinding wheel back and forth along the lower face of the skate blade a desired number of times to sharpen the skate blade.
1 - 75 . (canceled)
76 . A method of aligning a skate blade grinding system, the method comprising:
positioning an alignment component on a motor arm of a skate blade grinding system, wherein the motor arm is coupled to a carriage, wherein the carriage is configured to move within a housing of the skate blade grinding system;
initiating an alignment operation of the skate blade grinding system;
in response to initiation of the alignment operation, moving the carriage to a first position relative to a skate blade clamping mechanism, the skate blade clamping mechanism comprising a first jaw and a second jaw; and
operating an adjustment mechanism to position the alignment component such that the alignment component is brought into an alignment position relative to the first jaw and the second jaw.
77 . The method of claim 76 , wherein moving the carriage to position the alignment component in the first position is performed automatically by the skate blade grinding system.
78 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the alignment operation is initiated via a user interface of the skate blade grinding system.
79 . The method of claim 76 , further comprising illuminating the housing with at least one light during the alignment operation.
80 . The method of claim 76 , wherein operating the adjustment mechanism is a manual operation performed by a user.
81 . The method of claim 76 , wherein operating the adjustment mechanism to position the alignment component further comprises adjusting a position of the alignment component until a reference feature of the alignment component aligns with an alignment feature.
82 . The method of claim 76 , wherein in the alignment position, a centerline of the alignment component is aligned with a sharpening centerline between the first jaw and the second jaw.
83 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the alignment component is a grinding wheel.
84 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are configured such that the alignment component is visible within the housing when the carriage is in the first position.
85 . The method of claim 84 , wherein the first jaw and the second jaw comprising endward clamping portions and forming a central open area between the endward clamping portions, wherein the alignment component is visible through the central open area when the alignment component is in the first position.
86 . A skate blade grinding system comprising:
a skate blade clamping mechanism configured to secure a skate blade, the skate blade clamping mechanism comprising a first jaw and a second jaw;
a carriage configured to move relative to the skate blade clamping mechanism;
a grinding motor;
a motor arm comprising a mounting location, wherein the grinding motor is configured to rotate an alignment component coupled to the mounting location, wherein the motor arm is coupled to the carriage;
an adjustment mechanism configured to position the alignment component such that the alignment component is brought into an alignment position relative to the skate blade clamping mechanism; and
a controller configured to control operation of components of the skate blade grinding system, wherein the controller is further configured with computer-readable instructions that configure the skate blade grinding system to:
initiate an alignment operation; and
automatically move the carriage to a first position relative to a skate blade clamping mechanism.
87 . The skate blade grinding system of claim 86 , wherein the alignment component is a grinding wheel.
88 . The skate blade grinding system of claim 86 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the alignment operation is initiated via the user interface.
89 . The skate blade grinding system of claim 86 , further comprising at least one lighting component configured to illuminate an interior of a housing of the skate blade grinding system during the alignment operation.
90 . The skate blade grinding system of claim 86 , wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are configured such that the alignment component is visible when the carriage is in the first position.
91 . The skate blade grinding system of claim 90 , wherein the first jaw and the second jaw further comprise endward clamping portions that form a central open area between the endward clamping portions, wherein first and second jaw are configured such that the alignment component is visible through the central open area when the carriage is in the first position.
92 . The skate blade grinding system of claim 86 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to be manually adjusted by a user.
93 . The skate blade grinding system of claim 86 , wherein in the alignment position, a centerline of the alignment component is aligned with a sharpening centerline between the first jaw and the second jaw.
94 . The skate blade grinding system of claim 86 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to move the alignment component transversely.