Skate blade sharpening system
A skate blade alignment system used to align a skate blade sharpening system. The skate alignment system can align a grinding wheel for sharpening a skate blade secured within the skate blade sharpening system. A controller can enable alignment operations and control an alignment process.
1. A method of aligning a grinding component in a skate blade sharpening system, the method comprising:
positioning a reference feature within a retention mechanism of the skate blade sharpening system;
providing an alignment component on a motor-driven component, wherein the motor-driven component is movable within a housing of the skate blade sharpening system by an adjustment mechanism;
analyzing, by a controller, positions of the reference feature and the alignment component; and
automatically operating, by the controller, the adjustment mechanism based on the analysis to position the motor-driven component such that the alignment component is brought into an alignment position with the reference feature.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first visual reference feature is positioned at a defined distance from a centerline of the retention mechanism.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alignment component is positioned at a defined distance from a centerline of a grinding portion of a grinding component when the grinding component is mounted on a mounting location of the motor-driven component.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the centerline of the alignment component is a grinding component.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the alignment position aligns a centerline of the grinding component with a centerline of the skate blade.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a position of the reference feature and the alignment component.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a grinding component is configured to be removably mounted on a mounting location of the motor-driven component without adjusting the alignment of the motor-driven component.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference feature is a flag-like structure.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alignment component is coupled to the motor-driven component.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the alignment component comprises an arbor, and the arbor is coupled to the motor-driven component.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alignment component comprises a notch recessed in the alignment component.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alignment component has a noncircular shape.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alignment component is a grinding component coupled to the motor-driven component.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the grinding component comprises an alignment portion and a grinding portion, wherein the grinding portion comprises an abrasive outer layer and a notch recessed in the alignment portion.
15. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning the motor-driven component in an alignment position within the housing of the skate blade sharpening system prior to alignment.
16. A skate blade sharpening system comprising:
a housing comprising a retention mechanism configured to secure a skate blade;
a motor-driven component configured to be movable within the housing of the skate blade sharpening system relative to the retention mechanism;
an alignment component positioned on the motor-driven component;
an adjustment mechanism configured to position the motor-driven component; and
a controller configured to:
control the operation of the adjustment mechanism;
analyze positions of a reference feature and the alignment component; and
operate the adjustment mechanism based on the analysis to position the motor-driven component such that the alignment component is brought into an alignment position with the reference feature.
17. The skate blade sharpening system of claim 16 , wherein the alignment component is a grinding component mounted on a mounting location on the motor-driven component.
18. The skate blade sharpening system of claim 16 further comprising a machine vision apparatus configured to determine positions of the reference feature and the alignment component.
19. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining positions of the reference feature and the alignment component.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the positions are determined by a machine vision apparatus.