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 . A grinding wheel for use in a skate blade sharpening system, comprising:
an abrasive outer surface configured to contact a skate blade during a sharpening operation, wherein the outer surface has a curvature formed to a defined radius of hollow;
an opening extending through a center of the grinding wheel, wherein the opening is configured for mounting the grinding wheel on the skate blade sharpening system;
a first side;
a second side including an annular recess and a sleeve disposed around the opening, wherein the annular recess is disposed between the outer surface and the sleeve; and
an electromagnetic identification tag having interface circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly with electronic circuitry of the skate blade sharpening system, wherein the electromagnetic identification tag is annular in shape and positioned within the annular recess, wherein the electromagnetic identification tag is secured within the annular recess.
2 . The grinding wheel of claim 1 , wherein the identification tag further comprises memory configured to store a usage tracking value, and the interface circuitry is configured to enable the electronic circuitry of the skate blade sharpening system to update the usage tracking value based on usage of the grinding wheel.
3 . The grinding wheel of claim 2 , wherein the identification tag further comprises memory configured to store a unique identifier associated with the grinding wheel.
4 . The grinding wheel of claim 2 , wherein the usage tracking value is used to determine usable life of the grinding wheel by the skate blade sharpening system.
5 . The grinding wheel of claim 1 , wherein the identification tag is located on the grinding wheel so as to rotate with the grinding wheel, and wherein the interface circuitry is operative to engage in wireless communication when the grinding wheel is rotating or stationary.
6 . The grinding wheel of claim 1 , wherein the grinding wheel has a diameter less than 100 mm.
7 . The grinding wheel of claim 6 , wherein the grinding wheel has a diameter of about 50 mm or less.
8 . The grinding wheel of claim 1 further comprising a graphic label identifying one or more characteristics of the grinding wheel.
9 . The grinding wheel of claim 1 , wherein the abrasive outer surface comprises a hard coating.
10 . A grinding wheel for use in a skate blade sharpening system, comprising:
an abrasive outer surface configured to contact a skate blade during a sharpening operation;
an opening extending through a center of the grinding wheel;
a first side;
a second side including a recess disposed between the outer surface and the opening; and
an electromagnetic identification tag having interface circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly with electronic circuitry of the skate blade sharpening system, wherein the electromagnetic identification tag is positioned within the recess.
11 . The grinding wheel of claim 10 , wherein the first side is configured to face a drive mechanism of the skate blade sharpening system, and the second side is configured to face outward from the skate blade sharpening system.
12 . The grinding wheel of claim 10 , wherein the recess is an annular recess, wherein the electromagnetic identification tag is annular in shape and secured within the annular recess.
13 . The grinding wheel of claim 12 further comprising an axially extending sleeve disposed around the opening, wherein the annular recess is disposed between the outer surface and the sleeve.
14 . The grinding wheel of claim 12 , wherein the electromagnetic identification tag is adhered within the annular recess.
15 . The grinding wheel of claim 14 , wherein the outer surface has a curvature formed to a defined radius of hollow.
16 . The grinding wheel of claim 10 , wherein the identification tag further comprises memory configured to store a unique identifier associated with the grinding wheel.
17 . The grinding wheel of claim 10 , wherein the identification tag further comprises memory configured to store a usage tracking value, and the interface circuitry is configured to enable the electronic circuitry of the skate blade sharpening system to update the usage tracking value based on usage of the grinding wheel.
18 . The grinding wheel of claim 17 , wherein the memory is further configured to store a unique identifier associated with the grinding wheel.
19 . The grinding wheel of claim 17 , wherein the interface circuitry is configured to enable the electronic circuitry of the skate blade sharpening system to update the usage tracking value during usage of the grinding wheel or after usage of the grinding wheel.
20 . The grinding wheel of claim 10 , wherein the identification tag is located on the grinding wheel so as to rotate with the grinding wheel, and wherein the interface circuitry is operative to engage in wireless communication when the grinding wheel is rotating or stationary.
21 . The grinding wheel of claim 10 , wherein the grinding wheel has a diameter less than 100 mm.
22 . The grinding wheel of claim 21 , wherein the grinding wheel has a diameter of about 50 mm or less.
23 . A grinding wheel for use in a skate blade sharpening system, comprising:
an abrasive outer surface configured to contact a skate blade during a sharpening operation, wherein the outer surface has a curvature formed to a defined radius of hollow;
an opening extending through a center of the grinding wheel;
a first side;
a second side; and
an electromagnetic identification tag having interface circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly with electronic circuitry of the skate blade sharpening system, wherein the identification tag is located on the grinding wheel so as to rotate with the grinding wheel, and wherein the interface circuitry is operative to engage in wireless communication as the grinding wheel rotates.
24 . The grinding wheel of claim 23 , wherein the identification tag further comprises memory configured to store a unique identifier associated with the grinding wheel.
25 . The grinding wheel of claim 23 , wherein the identification tag further comprises memory configured to store a usage tracking value, and the interface circuitry is configured to enable the electronic circuitry of the skate blade sharpening system to update the usage tracking value based on usage of the grinding wheel.