Claims
- 1. A depth guide for a hand-held power tool, comprising:
a depth guide base; a depth guide shaft attached to the depth guide base; and an automatic locking and release mechanism coupled to the depth guide shaft comprising an automatic locking mechanism for automatically locking the depth guide shaft into a locked position when the depth guide shaft is moved into a desired position and a release switch coupled to the automatic locking mechanism to release the depth guide shaft from the locked position when the release switch is actuated.
- 2. The depth guide of claim 1, wherein the automatic locking and release mechanism is mounted in a hand-held power tool handle and the depth guide shaft extends from the hand-held power tool handle.
- 3. The depth guide of claim 2, wherein the hand-held power tool handle is attachable to and detachable from a hand-held power tool.
- 4. The depth guide of claim 1, wherein the depth guide shaft extends perpendicularly from the depth guide base.
- 5. The depth guide of claim 1, further comprising means for biasing the depth guide shaft into an extended position when the depth guide shaft is released from the locked position.
- 6. The depth guide of claim 5, wherein the means for biasing the depth guide shaft into the extended position includes a spring coupled to the depth guide shaft.
- 7. The depth guide of claim 1, wherein the automatic locking mechanism includes a mechanism for automatically locking the depth guide shaft into a locked position by preventing movement of the depth guide shaft in an extending direction while allowing movement of the depth guide shaft in a retracting direction.
- 8. The depth guide of claim 7, wherein the automatic locking and release mechanism comprises a locking plate having an aperture through which the depth guide shaft extends.
- 9. The depth guide of claim 8, further comprising a locking plate release element which engages the locking plate and is attached to the release switch.
- 10. The depth guide of claim 8, wherein friction between the walls of the locking plate aperture and the depth guide shaft locks the depth guide shaft in the desired position.
- 11. The depth guide of claim 8, wherein the locking plate is inclined relative to the depth guide shaft when the depth guide shaft is in the locked position.
- 12. The depth guide of claim 7, wherein the automatic locking mechanism includes a locking pin mounted in a slot formed at an angle to the depth guide shaft and positioned adjacent to a flattened portion of the depth guide shaft such that the locking pin is moved in the slot away from the flattened portion of the depth guide shaft when the depth guide shaft is moved in a retracting direction, to allow movement of the depth guide shaft in the retracting direction, and biased in the slot against the flattened portion of the depth guide shaft, to prevent movement of the depth guide shaft in the extending direction when the shaft is attempted to be moved in an extending direction.
- 13. The depth guide of claim 12, wherein the locking pin is mounted in a slot formed in a bushing mounted around the depth guide shaft.
- 14. The depth guide of claim 12, wherein the locking pin is biased against the flattened portion of the depth guide shaft in the slot by a locking pin spring coupled to the locking pin.
- 15. The depth guide of claim 14, further comprising a linkage coupling the locking pin spring to the locking pin.
- 16. The depth guide of claim 12, wherein the release switch is mechanically coupled to the locking pin such that the locking pin is moved in the slot against the bias away from the flattened portion of the depth guide shaft in response to actuation of the release switch, to allow movement of the depth guide shaft in the extending direction.
- 17. The depth guide of claim 16, further comprising a lever coupled to the release switch and a linkage coupling the lever to the locking pin, such that movement of the release switch moves the lever and the linkage to couple movement of the release switch to the locking pin.
- 18. The depth guide of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable depth adjustment mechanism to prevent movement of the depth adjustment shaft in a retracting direction beyond a selected amount.
- 19. The depth guide of claim 1, further comprising a carrier mounted within a handle of a power tool for receiving the depth guide shaft.
- 20. The depth guide of claim 1, further comprising depth gradations marked on the depth guide shaft.
- 21. The depth guide of claim 1, further comprising an edge guide.
- 22. The depth guide of claim 21, wherein the edge guide includes a shaft for insertion in an opening in the depth guide base.
- 23. A depth guide for a hand-held power tool, comprising:
a hand-held power tool handle; a depth guide base; and a depth guide shaft attached to the depth guide base and mounted in the hand-held power tool handle such that the depth guide shaft extends from the hand-held power tool handle.
- 24. The depth guide of claim 23, wherein the hand-held power tool handle is attachable to and detachable from a hand-held power tool.
- 25. The depth guide of claim 23, wherein the depth guide shaft extends perpendicularly from the depth guide base.
- 26. The depth guide of claim 23, wherein the depth guide shaft is mounted for sliding movement in the hand-held power tool handle, and comprising additionally a depth guide shaft locking mechanism mounted in the hand-held power tool handle and coupled to the depth guide shaft, whereby the depth guide shaft is lockable into a desired locked position.
- 27. The depth guide of claim 26, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking plate including an aperture through which the depth guide shaft extends.
- 28. The depth guide of claim 27, further comprising a locking plate release element which engages the locking plate and is coupled to a release switch.
- 29. The depth guide of claim 27, wherein the locking plate is inclined relative to the depth guide shaft when the depth guide shaft is in the locked position.
- 30. The depth guide of claim 27, wherein the aperture in the locking plate is configured for allowing sliding movement of the depth guide shaft when the locking plate is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the depth guide shaft.
- 31. The depth guide of claim 23, further comprising a carrier within a power tool handle for receiving the depth guide shaft.
- 32. The depth guide of claim 23, further comprising at least one bushing mounted in the hand-held power tool handle and around the depth guide shaft whereby the depth guide shaft is supported for sliding movement in the hand held power tool handle.
- 33. The depth guide of claim 26, wherein the depth guide shaft locking mechanism includes an automatic locking mechanism for automatically locking the depth guide shaft into a locked position when the depth guide shaft is moved into a desired position and a release switch coupled to the automatic locking mechanism to release the depth guide shaft from the locked position when the release switch is actuated.
- 34. The depth guide of claim 26, further comprising means for biasing the depth guide shaft into an extended position when the depth guide shaft is released from the locked position.
- 35. The depth guide of claim 34, wherein the means for biasing the depth guide shaft into the extended position includes a spring coupled to the depth guide shaft.
- 36. The depth guide of claim 23, further comprising a depth adjustment mechanism whereby movement of the depth guide shaft in a retracting direction beyond a selected amount is prevented.
- 37. The depth guide of claim 36, wherein the depth adjustment mechanism includes an adjustable depth adjustment screw mounted in the hand-held power tool handle and extending therefrom and a depth adjustment stop positioned to contact the depth adjustment screw when the depth guide shaft is moved in a retracting direction thereby to prevent movement of the depth guide shaft in a retracting direction beyond a selected amount.
- 38. The depth guide of claim 37, wherein the depth adjustment stop is moveably mounted around the depth guide shaft and extends radially therefrom such that a plurality of stop positions on the depth adjustment stop are individually moveable into alignment with the depth adjustment screw, and comprising additionally a height adjustment mechanism attached to the depth adjustment stop in at least one of the stop positions.
- 39. The depth guide of claim 38, wherein the height adjustment mechanism includes a screw threaded into an aperture formed in at least one of the stop positions.
- 40. The depth guide of claim 24, further comprising depth gradations marked on the depth guide shaft.
- 41. The depth guide of claim 23, further comprising a dust collector.
- 42. The depth guide of claim 23, further comprising an edge guide attached to the depth guide base.
- 43. A depth guide for a hand-held power tool, comprising:
a handle for a hand-held power tool; a depth guide base; a depth guide shaft attached to the depth guide base and mounted in the hand-held power tool handle such that the depth guide shaft extends from the hand-held power tool handle; and a depth guide shaft locking mechanism contained within the handle for automatically locking the depth guide shaft in a locked position.
- 44. The depth guide of claim 43, wherein the handle is removably attached to a hand-held power tool.
- 45. The depth guide of claim 43, wherein the handle includes a cam lock for securing the handle to a hand-held power tool.
- 46. The depth guide of claim 43, wherein the depth guide base extends perpendicularly from the depth guide shaft.
- 47. The depth guide of claim 43, further comprising a carrier included in the handle for receiving the depth guide shaft.
- 48. The depth guide of claim 47, wherein the carrier is integrally formed in the handle.
- 49. The depth guide of claim 43, wherein the locking mechanism locks the depth guide shaft in a locked position when the depth guide shaft is moved to a desired position.
- 50. The depth guide of claim 43, further comprising a release switch coupled to the locking mechanism for releasing the depth guide shaft from the locked position when the release switch is actuated.
- 51. The depth guide of claim 43, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking plate.
- 52. The depth guide of claim 51, wherein the locking plate comprises an extension for engaging a locking plate release element coupled to a release switch.
- 53. The depth guide of claim 51, wherein the locking plate comprises an aperture through which the depth guide shaft extends.
- 54. The depth guide of claim 53, wherein the walls of the locking plate aperture contact the depth guide shaft in the locked position.
- 55. The depth guide of claim 51, wherein the depth guide shaft may slide freely when the locking plate is substantially perpendicular to the depth guide shaft.
- 56. The depth guide of claim 51, wherein the locking plate is inclined in relation to the depth guide shaft in the locked position.
- 57. The depth guide of claim 43, further comprising a depth guide stop.
- 58. The depth guide of claim 57, wherein the depth guide stop comprises a rotating member having a plurality of posts, the posts having differing heights.
- 59. The depth guide of claim 57, further comprising a depth adjustment screw for engaging the depth guide stop.
- 60. The depth guide of claim 43, further comprising at least one spring for biasing the handle in an extended direction.
- 61. The depth guide of claim 59, wherein the depth guide shaft includes a hollow center portion and the spring extends through the hollow center portion and couples with a pin in the depth guide shaft.
- 62. The depth guide of claim 43, further comprising on edge guide attached to the depth guide base.
- 63. The depth guide of claim 43, further comprising a dust collector attached to the depth guide base.
- 64. An automatic-locking depth guide for a hand-held power tool, comprising:
a handle for a hand-held power tool; a release switch coupled to the handle; a depth guide base; a depth guide shaft attached to the depth guide base and mounted in the hand-held power tool handle such that the depth guide shaft extends from the hand-held power tool handle; and a depth guide locking mechanism contained within the handle, the locking mechanism including a locking plate, the locking plate comprising an aperture through which the depth guide shaft extends and an extension for engaging a release element coupled to the release switch.
- 65. The depth guide of claim 64, wherein the handle is removably attached to a hand-held power tool.
- 66. The depth guide of claim 64, wherein the handle includes a cam lock for securing the handle to a hand-held power tool.
- 67. The depth guide of claim 64, wherein the depth guide base extends perpendicularly from the depth guide shaft.
- 68. The depth guide of claim 64, further comprising a carrier included in the handle for receiving the depth guide shaft.
- 69. The depth guide of claim 68, wherein the carrier is integrally formed in the handle.
- 70. The depth guide of claim 64, wherein the locking mechanism locks the depth guide shaft in a locked position when the depth guide shaft is moved to a desired position.
- 71. The depth guide of claim 70 wherein the release switch releases the depth guide shaft from the locked position when actuated.
- 72. The depth guide of claim 64, wherein the walls of the locking plate aperture engage the depth guide shaft when the depth guide is in a locked position.
- 73. The depth guide of claim 64, wherein the depth guide shaft may slide freely when the locking plate is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the depth guide shaft.
- 74. The depth guide of claim 64, wherein the locking plate is inclined in relation to the depth guide shaft when the depth guide is in a locked position.
- 75. The depth guide of claim 64, further comprising a depth guide stop.
- 76. The depth guide of claim 75, wherein the depth guide stop comprises a rotating member having a plurality of posts, the posts having differing heights.
- 77. The depth guide of claim 76, further comprising a depth adjustment screw for engaging the depth guide stop.
- 78. The depth guide of claim 65, further comprising at least one spring for biasing the handle in an extended direction.
- 79. The depth guide of claim 78, wherein the depth guide shaft includes a hollow center portion and the spring extends through the hollow center portion and couples with a pin in the depth guide shaft.
- 80. The depth guide of claim 64, further comprising on edge guide attached to the depth guide base.
- 81. The depth guide of claim 64, further comprising a dust collector attached to the depth guide base.
- 82. A hand-held power tool, comprising:
a motor housing for containing a hand-held power tool motor; and a depth guide attached to the motor housing, the depth guide configured for automatically locking the position of the depth guide when the depth guide is moved to a desired position.
- 83. The hand-held power tool of claim 82, wherein the depth guide is removably attached to the motor housing.
- 84. The hand-held power tool of claim 82, wherein the depth guide is removably attached to the motor housing by a screw fastener.
- 85. The hand-held power tool of claim 82, further comprising a release switch for releasing the depth guide from a locked position.
- 86. The hand-held power tool of claim 82, wherein the depth guide comprises a depth guide base and a depth guide shaft attached to the depth guide base.
- 87. The hand-held power tool of claim 86, further comprising a carrier for receiving the depth guide shaft.
- 88. The hand-held power tool of claim 86, further comprising a locking plate, the locking plate comprising an aperture through which the depth guide shaft may extend.
- 89. The hand-held power tool of claim 88, wherein the depth guide shaft may travel freely through the aperture when the plane of the locking plate is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the depth guide shaft.
- 90. The hand-held power tool of claim 88, wherein the walls of the locking plate aperture engage the depth guide shaft to lock the depth guide in a desired position.
- 91. The hand-held power tool of claim 88, wherein the walls of the locking plate aperture engage the depth guide shaft when the plane of the locking plate is inclined relative to the axis of the depth guide shaft.
- 92. The hand-held power tool of claim 88, further comprising a torsion spring for biasing the locking plate in an inclined position relative to the axis of the depth guide shaft.
- 93. The hand-held power tool of claim 88, wherein the locking plate further comprises an extension, the extension coupled to a release switch for releasing the depth guide from a locked position.
- 94. The hand-held power tool of claim 82, further comprising at least one of an edge guide, a dust collector, and a depth guide stop.
- 95. The hand-held power tool of claim 82, further comprising an edge guide configured to provide a circular cutting path for a hand-held cutting tool.
- 96. The hand-held power tool of claim 95, wherein the edge guide comprises a pin extending from the edge guide surface for providing a center point about which the edge guide and the hand-held cutting tool may rotate.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/613889, filed Jul. 11, 2000.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US01/21782 |
7/11/2001 |
WO |
|