Patent Application
20120074635
The present invention generally relates to attachments for power rotary hand tools.
Small rotary hand-held power tools have been marketed for many years for use in carrying out tasks relating to building and repairing objects, as well as general woodworking and metal working tasks by hobbyists as well as commercial artisans. Such small rotary hand tools generally have a motor unit with a rotary output shaft that extends from a nose portion of the tool housing. The nose portion is usually configured to enable various types of attachments to be mounted which act to either limit or guide the movement of a working tool implement that is being used in the power tool for grinding, carving, sawing, sanding and/or polishing. Such attachments often significantly improve the accuracy and effectiveness of working tool implements that are available for use in such rotary hand tools.
Embodiments of the present invention comprise a platform attachment for use with a power hand tool which has a housing with a front nose portion with a rotary output shaft extending therefrom, and a tool holding mechanism on the output shaft for holding a tool, the attachment comprising a mounting component configured to be removably attached to the hand tool, the mounting component having a central opening generally aligned with the output shaft through which a tool mounted in the tool holding mechanism can extend, a platform component adjustably attached to the mounting component, the platform component having a base portion and a platform portion, the base portion being adjustably attached to the mounting component, the platform portion having an outer generally planar main surface that is perpendicular to the axis and having an opening through which a tool can extend, and a generally planar secondary surface that extends downwardly from the main surface at a predetermined angle relative to the axis, both of the surfaces being configured to selectively provide support for objects that are being worked on by a tool, and a mechanism for releasably locking the platform component on the mounting component.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a platform attachment that is intended for use with small powered hand tools that artisans and hobbyists use to perform various tasks such as cutting and carve designs in wood and other materials, sanding and polishing work pieces, grinding metal for purposes of sharpening knifes, chisels or other tools. Moreover, such attachments may also be used with a spiral saw tool implement to cut openings in materials such as drywall or plywood, for example.
There are many different kinds of working tool implements that can be used with such power tools, including those that have a generally cylindrical shape with a center shaft for attachment to an output shaft of the tool, with the outer surface of the cylindrical tool implement having sandpaper, or other material applied for the purpose of performing the intended task. Since the cylindrical portion may have varying lengths in its axial direction, the attachment main support surface adjacent to the tool implement, which surface is preferably oriented perpendicular to the output shaft, is desirably adjustable so that the main support surface upon which a work piece or the like would rest would be at the proper elevation relative to the working implement itself.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention achieves this goal as well as provides a secondary support surface that is oriented at an angle relative to the main support surface.
Turning now to the drawings, and particularly
Referring to
More particularly, the screw head 20 has an enlarged handle 26 that is preferably formed around a threaded bolt 28 that engages the nut 22 and a compression spring 30 is preferably provided to bear upon a slightly recessed flat surface 32 in the platform 18 as well as against an annular shoulder 34 located on the handle 26, with the spring 30 providing resistance to the screw head so that it will not easily loosen due to vibration caused by operation of the hand tool 12.
The mounting component 16 has a cylindrical opening 40, the lower portion of which is threaded at 42 as shown in
As best shown in
The platform portion 52 is shown to be integrally formed with the base portion 50 and it has a flat main support surface 60 with a central opening 62 through which a tool implement can pass and the surface 60 interfaces with an angled secondary surface 64 which is preferably at an angle of about 45° to the surface 60, although the secondary surface may be formed at a different angle.
The platform attachment 10 is preferably made of a plastic or plastic-like material, with some metal components as has been described. The general thickness of the walls of the various components, including the platform portion 52 is approximately ⅛″, so as to be strong, but relatively lightweight. Two support struts 66 are formed between the base portion 50 and the front as well as the back of the platform portion 52 which contribute to the overall strength of the platform component 18.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that other modifications, substitutions and alternatives are apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
