Referring to
The cutting head 10 is preferably embodied as a conventional cutting head comprising a main housing 11 and a cutting blade 12 rotatably mounted at the main housing 11 for cutting the work piece 70 on the cutting table 20.
The table sliding arrangement 40 is for guiding the cutting table 20 to slide on the supporting frame 30, and comprises two sliding tracks 41, a plurality of sliding wheels 42, and a plurality of alignment wheels 43.
The two sliding tracks 41 are spacedly provided at the supporting frame 30, wherein each of the sliding tracks 41 has an upper surface defining a top sliding channel 411 therealong and an inner side surface defining a side sliding channel 412 therealong.
The plurality of sliding wheels 42 is rotatably, horizontally and spacedly mounted underneath the cutting table 20 to slide along the side sliding channels 412 of the sliding tracks 41 respectively, wherein the cutting table 20 is slidably engaged with the two side sliding channels 412 of the sliding tracks 41 to prevent the cutting table 20 from being flipped over when the cutting table 20 is slid on the supporting frame 30.
The plurality of alignment wheels 43 is spacedly, vertically and rotatably mounted underneath the cutting table 20 to slide along the top sliding channels 411 of the sliding tracks 41 respectively so as to ensure an alignment of the cutting table 20 to slide on the supporting frame 30.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the table sliding arrangement 40 further comprises a sliding runner 44 received in the top sliding channel 411 of the sliding tracks 41 for engaging with the sliding wheels 42 in such a manner that when the sliding wheels 42 slide on the sliding tracks 41, the sliding runners 44 prevent direct physical contact between the sliding tracks 41 and the sliding wheels 42 so as to minimize collateral damage of the sliding wheels 42 and the sliding tracks 41.
Each of the alignment wheels 43 has a central portion 431 and two side rim portions 432 having a diameter larger than a diameter of the central portion 431 to define a guiding groove 433 between the central portion 431 and the side rim portions 432 for slidably engaging with the respective sliding runners 44 received in the top sliding channel 411, and so for ensuring the alignment of the cutting table 20 with respect to the sliding tracks 41 when the cutting table 20 slides on the supporting frame 30.
Each of the sliding tracks 41 has a sliding groove 413 indently formed along the side sliding channel 412 and arranged in such a manner that the sliding wheels 42 are slidably engaged with the sliding grooves 413 to slide along the side sliding channel 412 respectively so as to prevent an unwanted sideward movement of the cutting table 20 when the cutting table 20 slides on the supporting frame 30.
Each of the sliding runners 44 has a convex outer surface 441 which is arrange to physically contact with the corresponding sliding wheels 42 at an inner surface of the side rim portions 432 and an outer surface of the central portion 431 for maximizing a contact surface area between the sliding runner 44 and the respective sliding wheels 42 in order to minimize collateral damage between the sliding wheels 42 and the sliding runners 44. In other words, the sliding wheels 42 will be kept in good condition for prolonged usage of the power saw machine of the present invention.
In order to stabilize the sliding movement of the cutting table 20, a width of each of the guiding grooves 433 is merely slightly larger than a width of the convex outer surface 441 of the corresponding sliding runners 44 so that when the sliding wheels 42 are engaged with the sliding runners 44 respectively, a collateral movement between the sliding wheels 42 are substantially restricted by the width of the guiding grooves 433 so as to stabilize the sliding movement of the cutting table 20.
It is important to point out at this stage that since the sliding wheels 42 are horizontally and rotatably engaged with the corresponding side sliding channel 412, when the cutting table 20 slides on the supporting frame 30, two outer sides of the sliding wheels 42 will effectively restrict a flipping tendency of the cutting table 20 so as to prevent it from flipping over during a typical cutting process.
Referring to
The cutting table 20 has an outer portion and an inner portion having a length longer than a length of the outer portion, the alignment wheels 43 and the sliding wheels 42 are rotatably positioned at the inner portion of the cutting table 20 in such a manner that the outer portion of the cutting table 20 is adapted to suspendedly slide out of the supporting frame 30 in a stable manner so as to maximize a sliding distance of the cutting table 20 with respect to the supporting frame 30.
Moreover, the cutting table 20 has a cutting platform 21 adapted for supporting the work piece thereon, and four sidewalls 22 (two longitudinal sidewalls and two transverse sidewalls) downwardly and integrally extended from four side edges of the cutting platform 21 to form the cutting table 20, wherein the sliding wheels 42 and the alignment wheels 43 are rotatably mounted on the longitudinal sidewalls 221 for slidably engaging with the corresponding sliding tracks 41.
Each of the sliding tracks 41 further comprises a sliding stopper 414 provided at an outer end of the side sliding channel 412 to stop the sliding wheels 42 sliding out of the side sliding channel 412 so as to allow the outer portion of the cutting table 20 to be stably slid out of the supporting frame 30.
Referring to
Alternatively, the base mounting portion 442 of each of the sliding runners 44 can be embodied as having an elongated cross section, wherein a connecting pin is required for affixing the base mounting portion 442 with the side sliding channel 412 of the corresponding sliding track 41.
Finally, it is important to stress that the number of sliding wheels 42 and the alignment wheels 43 can be varied as forming different alternatives without violating the spirit of the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. For example, there may only be sliding wheels 42 rotatably mounted on the sliding tracks 41.
Referring to
According to the first alternative mode, each of the sliding tracks 41 ′ further comprises a side sliding runner 47′, having a side convex surface 471, detachably mounted along the respective side sliding channel 412 ′ such that the sliding wheels 42 ′ are traveling along the side convex surfaces 471 ′ of the side sliding runners 47 ′ respectively to enhance the cutting table 20 smoothly sliding on the supporting frame 30.
Each of the sliding tracks 41 ′ further has an elongated side receiving groove 415 ′ formed along the side sliding channel 412′, wherein each of the side sliding runners 47′, which is identical to the sliding runner 44, has a head engaging portion 472 ′ defining the side convex surface 471 ′ and a base mounting portion 473 ′ detachably receiving along the side receiving groove 415 ′ of the respective side sliding track 41 ′ so as to guide the sliding wheels 42 ′ traveling along the side sliding channels 412′.
As a result, each of the sliding wheels 42 ′ has a central portion 421 ′ and two side rim portions 422 ′ having a diameter larger than a diameter of the central portion 421 ′ to define a guiding groove 423 ′ between the central portion 421 ′ and the side rim portions 422 ′ for slidably engaging with the side sliding runners 47 ′ received in the side sliding channel 412′.
Referring to 6 of the drawings, a second alternative mode of the power saw machine according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The second alternative mode is similar to the preferred embodiment except the table sliding arrangement 40″.
According to the second alternative mode, the table sliding arrangement 40″ comprises two sliding tracks 41″ and a plurality of supporting wheels 48″. The two sliding tracks 41″ are spacedly provided at the supporting frame 30, wherein each of the sliding tracks 41 ″ defines an inclined sliding channel 411 ″ therealong.
The supporting wheels 48″ are rotatably, inclinedly, and spacedly mounted underneath the cutting table 20″ to slide along the sliding channels 411″ of the sliding tracks 41 ″ respectively, wherein each of the supporting wheels 48″ is arranged to provide a supporting force which contains a horizontal vector component and a vertical vector components for supporting the cutting table 20″ to slide on the supporting frame 30, in such a manner that the horizontal vector component of the supporting force is adapted to prevent the cutting table 20″ from being flipped over when the cutting table 20″ is sliding on the sliding tracks 41″, and that the vertical vector component of the supporting force is adapted to ensure a proper alignment of the cutting table 20″ when the cutting table 20″ is sliding on the sliding tracks 41″.
Thus, it is important to point out that according to the second alternative mode of the present invention, the sliding wheels 42 and the alignment wheels 43 provide the horizontal vector component and the vertical vector component of the supporting force respectively so that the cutting table 20″ can be slidably supported by the supporting frame 30. In other words, the sliding wheels 42 and the alignment wheels 43 also provide the necessary supporting force of the supporting wheels 48″. The preferred embodiment and the second alternative mode therefore have the same inventive spirit and subject matter. In order to inclinedly mount the supporting wheels 48″ for engaging with the sliding tracks 41″, the table sliding arrangement 40″ further comprises an inclined supporters 49″ provided underneath the cutting table 20″, wherein the inclined supporter 49″ has a vertical supporting portion 491″ downwardly extended from the cutting table 20″, and an inclined supporting portion 492″ inclinedly and upwardly extended from the vertical supporting portion 491″, wherein each of the supporting wheels 48″ is rotatably supported on the inclined supporting portion 492″of the inclined supporter 49″ for inclinedly engaging with the sliding track 41″.
Accordingly, each of the sliding tracks 41″ further has a top neck portion 412″ inclinedly extended therefrom, wherein the sliding channel 411″ is formed on the top neck portion 412″ for substantially aligning with the corresponding supporting wheels 48″. As a result, each of the supporting wheels 48″, being inclined at a predetermined angle, is adapted to slidably engage with the sliding channel 411″ for slidably engaging the cutting table 20″ with the sliding tracks 41″.
Moreover, the table sliding arrangement 40″ further comprises a sliding runner 44″ provided at the sliding channel 411″ of the sliding tracks 41″ for engaging with the supporting wheels 48″ in such a manner that when the supporting wheels 48″ slides on the sliding tracks 41″, the sliding runners 44″ prevent direct physical contact between the sliding tracks 41″ and the supporting wheels 48″ so as to minimize collateral damage of the supporting wheels 48″ and the sliding tracks 41″.
Each of the supporting wheels 48″, as in the case of the alignment wheels 43 and the sliding wheels 42, has a central portion 481″ and two side rim portions 482″ having a diameter larger than a diameter of the central portion 481″ to define a guiding groove 483″ between the central portion 481″ and the side rim portions 482″ for slidably engaging with the respective sliding runners 44″ received in the sliding channel 411″, and so for ensuring the supporting of the cutting table 20″ with respect to the sliding tracks 41″ when the cutting table 20″ slides on the supporting frame 30.
As in the preferred embodiment, each of the sliding runners 44″ has a convex outer surface 441″ which is arrange to physically contact with the corresponding supporting wheels 48″ at an inner surface of the side rim portions 482″ and an outer surface of the central portion 481″ for maximizing a contact surface area between the sliding runner 44″ and the respective supporting wheels 48″ in order to minimize collateral damage between the supporting wheels 48″ and the sliding runners 44″. In other words, the supporting wheels 48″ will be kept in good condition for prolonged usage of the power saw machine of the present invention.
In order to stabilize the sliding movement of the cutting table 20″, a width of each of the guiding grooves 483″ is merely slightly larger than a width of the convex outer surface 441″ of the corresponding sliding runners 44″ so that when the supporting wheels 48″ are engaged with the sliding runners 44″ respectively, a collateral movement between the supporting wheels 48″ are substantially restricted by the width of the guiding grooves 483″ so as to stabilize the sliding movement of the cutting table 20″.
Each of the sliding tracks 41″ further has two runner slots 413″ indently and spacedly formed thereon, and a top protruding portion 414″ integrally and upwardly protruded from a position between the two spacedly apart runner slots 413″, wherein the sliding runner 44″, being elongated in shape, has a head engaging portion 443″ overlappedly mounted onto the protruding portion 414″ of the respective sliding track 41″, and two base mounting portions 442″ securely mounted in the two runner slots 413″ respectively so as to securely mount the sliding runner 44″ to the sliding track 41″. As a result, the head engaging portion 443″ is adapted to slidably engage with the supporting wheels 48″.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that the preferred embodiment and its alternatives may be combined to further form a number of different alternative modes of the present invention without departing the spirits thereof. For example, the sliding runners 44″ and the sliding tracks 41″ as disclosed in the second alternative mode may be used in conjunction with the alignment wheels 43 or the sliding wheels 42 as mentioned in the preferred embodiment.
One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.
It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. Its embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.