Power tools having wire guides for lights

• US 6,886,961 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Original Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Inventors: Hara, Akihito, Utsuno, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/142,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20020172035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 362/226, 362/109, 362/119, 362/120, 814/88
• US Class Current: 362/652
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/021 with guiding devices guiding devices for hand tools on stands or supports B25H1/0078
• CPC Class Codes: B27C 5/10 Portable hand-operated wood-milling machines; Routers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/306608 End mill [e.g., router, etc.]

Abstract

Power tools (1) may include an electric motor (11) disposed within a housing (5). A lighting device (20) may be mounted on the housing and may serve to illuminate the area around a tool bit and/or a portion of a workpiece (W) that will be machined by the tool bit. An electric light (23) may be connected to a power source circuit (11a) via an electric line that includes electric wires (25). In order to facilitate the wiring operation, a wire guide (22, 122) preferably supports or retains at least a portion of the electric line. The wire guide may be mounted on the housing such that the wire guide extends along an inner surface or an outer surface of the housing. In the alternative, the electric line may be disposed within a recess (31) defined within an inner surface or an outer surface of the housing. In either case, the electrical line can be easily wired or installed and the electric line preferably does not interfere with machining operations during operation of the power tool.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a housing having a housing wall,

an electric motor disposed within the housing,

a power source circuit disposed within the housing, the power source circuit being arranged and constructed to connect to a source of current,

a light connected to the power source circuit via an electric line, the light being mounted on or within the housing in a manner that will illuminate a tool bit and/or an area of

a workpiece that will be machined by the power tool,

a wire guide retaining at least a portion of the electric line, the wire guide extending along and proximal to an inner surface or an outer surface of the housing wall

wherein the housing comprises at least a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the power tool further comprising a connector that connects the electric line to the power source circuit, the connector having a male connector element and a female connector element, one of which is connected to the electric line and the other of which is connected to the power source circuit, wherein the male connector element and the female connector element are arranged and constructed to be connected to each other when the first housing portion is being coupled to the second housing portion.

2. A power tool as in claim 1, further comprising a light base coupled to the light and the wire guide.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a housing,

a motor disposed within the housing,

a light mounted on or within the housing in a manner so as to illuminate at least a portion of a workpiece being machined by a tool attached to the apparatus or an area proximal to the tool,

a power source circuit disposed on or within the housing, an electric line connecting the light to the power source circuit,

means for retaining at least a portion of the electric line along and proximal to an inner surface or an outer surface of the housing

wherein the retaining means further comprises a connector that is arranged and constructed to detachably and electrically connect the electric line to the power source circuit,

wherein the connector comprises a pair of connector elements that are electrically and mechanically connected to each other, one of the connector elements being connected to the electric line and being fixed in position relative to the retaining means, and the other of the connector elements being connected to the power source circuit and being fixed in position relative to the housing, and

wherein the housing comprises a plurality of separable housing elements, and the pair of connector elements is arranged and constructed to automatically connect at the same time that the housing elements are joined to form the housing.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3, further comprising a light base disposed within the housing, wherein the light is coupled to the light base.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the light base is formed integrally with the retaining means and the retaining means is disposed along the inner surface of the housing.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the retaining means comprises a wire guide having at least one clamp for retaining the electric line.

7. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the light base is formed separately from the retaining means, and wherein the retaining means is disposed along the outer surface of the housing.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the retaining means further includes a first connector and a second connector, the first connector detachably and electrically connecting the electric line to the power source circuit, and the second connector detachably and electrically connecting the electric line and the light.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the first connector comprises a pair of first connector elements that are electrically and mechanically connected to each other, one of the first connector elements being connected to the electric line and being fixed in position relative to the retaining means, and the other of the first connector elements being connected to the power source circuit and being fixed in position relative to the housing.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the second connector comprises a pair of second connector elements that are electrically and mechanically connected to each other, one of the second connector elements being connected to the electric line and being fixed in position relative to the retaining means, and the other of the second connector elements being connected to the light and being fixed in position relative to the light base.

11. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the retaining means comprises a wire-receiving recess defined within the housing and a wire guide fitted within the wire-receiving recess.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the wire receiving recess is defined within the outer surface of the housing.

13. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the retaining means comprises a wire-receiving recess defined within the housing, the electric line being disposed within the wire-receiving recess, and a cover enclosing the electric line within the wire-receiving recess.

14. An apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the wire receiving recess is defined within the outer surface of the housing.

15. A power tool comprising:

a housing having a housing wall,

an electric motor disposed within the housing,

a power source circuit disposed within the housing, the power source circuit being

arranged and constructed to connect to a source of current,

a light connected to the power source circuit via an electric line, the light being mounted on or within the housing in a manner that will illuminate a tool bit or an area of a workpiece that will be machined by the power tool,

a wire guide retaining at least a portion of the electric line, the wire guide extending along and proximal to an inner surface of the housing wall; and

a light base coupled to the light and the wire guide;

the wire guide having a first end fixed to the light base and a second end configured as a free end, the second end opposing to the light and having a connector element for electrically connecting the wire to the power source circuit.

16. A power tool comprising:

a housing having a housing wall,

an electric motor disposed within the housing,

a power source circuit disposed within the housing, the power source circuit being arranged and constructed to connect to a source of current,

a light connected to the power source circuit via an electric line, the light being mounted on or within the housing in a manner that will illuminate a tool bit or an area of a workpiece that will be machined by the power tool,

a wire guide retaining at least a portion of the electric line, the wire guide extending along and proximal to an outer surface of the housing wall; and

a light base coupled to the light and the wire guide;

the wire guide having a joint portion, the joint portion extending from the outside to the inside of the housing wall and joined to the light base, and the electric line being connected to the light via the joint portion.

17. A power tool as in claim 16, wherein the electric line extends through the joint portion and is detachably and electrically connected to the light.