Patent Application
20100048109
The present invention generally relates to a sander with a removable platen.
Sanders typically have a platen to which an abrasive media, such as sandpaper, is attached. Sanders with removable, differently shaped platens (e.g., rectangular, square, round) are available to permit the user of the sander to change the platen to one with a shape that is best suited for a given sanding task. Such removable platens typically require one or more threaded fasteners (e.g., socket head cap screws) requiring the use of tools (e.g., alien wrenches) to remove the threaded fasteners from the sander to thereby decouple the platen from the sander.
Various tool-less coupling systems have been developed for coupling a platen to the rotating output member of a rotary grinder. Such coupling systems, however are relatively large and costly and do not support an abrasive media in an area where one element of the coupling system is received against the platen.
This section provides a general summary of some aspects of the present disclosure and is not a comprehensive listing or detailing of either the full scope of the disclosure or all of the features described therein.
In one form, the present teachings provide a tool for moving an abrasive media. The tool includes a tool body, a platen, a drive system and a retaining knob. The platen has an exterior platen surface and a knob aperture that is formed through the exterior platen surface. The drive system is housed in the tool body and configured to move the platen. The drive system includes an output member with a first threaded portion. The retaining knob is received through the knob aperture in the exterior platen surface of the platen. The retaining knob has a knob portion, which has an exterior surface, and an attachment member with a second threaded portion that is threadably coupled to the first threaded portion. The platen surface and at least a portion of the knob surface are co-planar.
In another form, the present teachings provide a method that includes: providing a tool with a tool body and a drive system, the drive system having an output member; mounting a platen to the output member; installing a retaining knob into a knob aperture in the platen; and tightening the retaining knob to the output member such that an exterior surface of the platen is co-planar with at least a portion of the retaining knob.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, its application and/or uses in any way.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. The drawings are illustrative of selected teachings of the present disclosure and do not illustrate all possible implementations. Similar or identical elements are given consistent identifying numerals throughout the various figures.
With reference to
The platen 16 is configured to be driven by the output member 38 of the transmission 34 and can include a cup 48, an exterior platen surface 50, a knob aperture 52 and a plurality of dust extraction holes 54. The cup 48 can be formed into a surface 56 opposite the exterior platen surface 50 and can be configured to receive the output member 38 of the transmission 34. The exterior platen surface 50 can be configured to a desired shape and in the example provided, is generally flat. The knob aperture 52 can include a counterbore 60 and a through-hole 62 that can be disposed generally concentric with the counterbore 60. The dust extraction holes 54 can be formed through the platen 16 at any desired location and can be disposed in any desired pattern. In the particular example provided, we employed eight evenly spaced-apart dust extraction holes 54 that were located in the counterbore 60 concentrically about the through-hole 62. The dust extraction holes 54 can be in fluid communication with the dust extraction port 28 in the tool body 12.
With reference to
The retaining knob 20 can be installed to the drive system 14 and the platen 16 such that the knob portion 70 is received in the knob aperture 52 and the attachment member 72 is received through the through-hole 62 and fixedly coupled to the output member 38 so that the knob portion 70 of the retaining knob 20 applies a compressive force to the platen 16 to secure the platen 16 to the output member 38. Accordingly, movement of the platen 16 can be effected via the drive system 14 through operation of the electric motor 32. The retaining knob 20 can be positioned such that the valleys 82 are aligned to the dust extraction holes 54. In this regard, the teeth 80 can be positioned such that they are not disposed in-line with the dust extraction holes 54.
With brief reference to
With specific reference to
If desired, at least one of a hook fastener and a loop fastener of a hook-and-loop fastener system (e.g., VELCRO®) can be applied to the exterior platen surface 50 and the at least the portion of the exterior knob surface 76. In the particular example provided, a hook fastener 120 of a hook-and-loop fastener system is applied to the exterior platen surface 50 and the at least the portion of the exterior knob surface 76, while a loop fastener 122 of the hook-and-loop fastener system is applied to a corresponding (rear) surface of the sandpaper 110. Engagement of the loop fastener 122 to the hook fastener 120 can fixedly but removably couple the sandpaper 110 to both the platen 16 and the retaining knob 20. Advantageously, connection of the sandpaper 110 to the platen 16 and the retaining knob 20 inhibits the retaining knob 20 from rotating relative to the platen 16 so as to render the connection between the platen 16 and the drive system 14 more resistant to loosening due to vibration.
It will be appreciated that the above description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or uses. While specific examples have been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the claims. Furthermore, the mixing and matching of features, elements and/or functions between various examples is expressly contemplated herein, even if not specifically shown or described, so that one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate from this disclosure that features, elements and/or functions of one example may be incorporated into another example as appropriate, unless described otherwise, above. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular examples illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the teachings of the present disclosure, but that the scope of the present disclosure will include any embodiments falling within the foregoing description and the appended claims.
