Drill press

• US 20060104731A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chang Type Industrial Company, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyd, P. Brent, Etter, Mark A., Carroll, Craig A., Wessel, Jeffrey A., Stafford, Brent
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 408/16
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 39/00 General-purpose boring or drilling machines or devices; Sets of boring and/or drilling machines
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 45/006 Keys for operating the chucks
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/20 for indicating or measuring workpiece characteristics, e.g. contour, dimension, hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/24 using optics or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/21 with signal, indicator, illuminator or optical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/50 with product handling or receiving means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/561 Having tool-opposing, work-engaging surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/5614 Angularly adjustable surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/99 Adjustable stop
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/741 With movable or yieldable guide element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/768 Rotatable disc tool pair or tool and carrier

Abstract

A power tool control system connected with a drill press provides a system for determining operational settings for the drill press and/or structural factors of a workpiece to be operated upon by the drill press. For instance, the power tool control system may establish a visual indication of the axis of operation of the drill press upon a workpiece and/or determine the thickness, structural composition, and/or moisture content of a workpiece. The determined axis of operation and/or structural factor is utilized to determine the operational settings of the power tool.

Claims

1. A power tool control system, for use with a drill press including a work table for engaging a workpiece, comprising:

a casing including a receiver, the casing being connected with the drill press; and

a laser mount connected with a laser source for emitting a laser beam, the laser mount for being received by the receiver,

wherein the laser beam provides a measure of a structural factor of the workpiece for use in determining operational settings of the drill press.

2. The power tool control system of claim 1, wherein the casing includes a second receiver.

3. The power tool control system of claim 2, further comprising a second laser mount connected with a second laser source.

4. The power tool control system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface.

5. The power tool control system of claim 1, further comprising a bracket for connecting the casing with the drill press.

6. The power tool control system of claim 1, further comprising a casing adjustment mechanism.

7. The power tool control system of claim 1, further comprising a laser mount adjustment mechanism.

8. The power tool control system of claim 1, further comprising a laser source adjustment mechanism.

9. The power tool control system of claim 1, further comprising a laser beam adjustment mechanism.

10. A power tool control system, for use with a drill press including a work table for engaging a workpiece, comprising:

a casing including a first receiver and a second receiver, the casing being connected with the drill press;

a first laser mount connected with a first laser source for emitting a first laser beam, the first laser mount for being received by the first receiver; and

a second laser mount connected with a second laser source for emitting a second laser beam, the second laser mount for being received by the second receiver,

wherein the first and second laser beams provide a measure of a structural factor of the workpiece for use in determining operational settings of the drill press.

11. The power tool control system of claim 10, further comprising a user interface.

12. The power tool control system of claim 10, further comprising a bracket for connecting the casing with the drill press.

13. The power tool control system of claim 10, further comprising a casing adjustment mechanism.

14. The power tool control system of claim 10, further comprising a laser mount adjustment mechanism.

15. The power tool control system of claim 10, further comprising a laser source adjustment mechanism.

16. The power tool control system of claim 10, further comprising a laser beam adjustment mechanism.

17. A drill press, including a drill bit connected to a motor via a quill assembly, the drill bit for engaging a workpiece seated upon a work table of the drill press, comprising:

a bench column including a first end connected with a head assembly and a second end connected with a stabilizing stand assembly, the bench column further connected with the work table; and

a power tool control system connected with the bench column, the power tool control system connected in a position correlating with the work table,

wherein the power tool control system provides a measure of a structural factor of the workpiece for use in determining operational settings of the drill press.

18. The drill press of claim 17, further comprising a dust collection system.

19. The drill press of claim 17, further comprising an adjustable feed handle assembly.

20. The drill press of claim 17, further comprising an adjustable arm.

21. The drill press of claim 17, further comprising a table angular adjustment assembly.

22. The drill press of claim 17, wherein the work table is a milling table.

23. The drill press of claim 17, wherein the work table includes a throat plate.

24. The drill press of claim 17, wherein the work table includes a laser activated section.

25. The drill press of claim 17, further comprising a fence assembly.

26. The drill press of claim 17, further comprising a multi-depth adjustment assembly.

27. The drill press of claim 17, further comprising a stabilizing stand assembly.

28. The drill press of claim 17, further comprising an ergonomic chuck key.

29. The drill press of claim 17, wherein the power tool control system further comprises:

a casing including a receiver, the casing being connected with the drill press; and

a laser mount connected with a laser source for emitting a laser beam, the laser mount for being received by the receiver.

30. The drill press of claim 17, wherein the power tool control system further comprises:

a casing including a first receiver and a second receiver, the casing being connected with the drill press;

a first laser mount connected with a first laser source for emitting a first laser beam, the first laser mount for being received by the first receiver; and

a second laser mount connected with a second laser source for emitting a second laser beam, the second laser mount for being received by the second receiver.

31. The power tool control system of claim 17, further comprising a casing adjustment mechanism.

32. The power tool control system of claim 17, further comprising a laser mount adjustment mechanism.

33. The power tool control system of claim 17, further comprising a laser source adjustment mechanism.

34. The power tool control system of claim 17, further comprising a laser beam adjustment mechanism.

35. A power tool control system, for use with a drill press including a work table for engaging a workpiece, comprising:

means for determining the thickness of the workpiece positioned on the work table; and

means for establishing the operational settings of the power tool based on the determined thickness of the workpiece.

36. The power tool control system of claim 35, wherein the means for determining the thickness of the workpiece further comprises:

a casing including a first receiver and a second receiver, the casing being connected with the drill press;

a first laser mount connected with a first laser source for emitting a first laser beam, the first laser mount for being received by the first receiver; and

a second laser mount connected with a second laser source for emitting a second laser beam, the second laser mount for being received by the second receiver.

37. The power tool control system of claim 35, wherein the means for establishing the operational settings is a user interface communicatively coupled with the determining means.

38. A method of operating a drill press, including a work table for engaging a drill bit with a workpiece, comprising:

determining a first distance, the first distance comprising the distance of the work table from a casing connected with a laser source, the casing connected with the drill press;

positioning the workpiece upon the work table;

determining a second distance, the second distance comprising the distance from the casing including the laser source to the workpiece;

calculating the thickness of the workpiece from the determined first and second distances;

providing the established distance data to the user of the drill press;

setting the operational settings of the drill press based on the determined distance data; and

drilling through the workpiece.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of automatically setting the operational setting of the drill press based on the determined thickness.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

determining a hardness of the workpiece; and

setting the operational settings of the drill press based on the determined hardness of the workpiece.