Plunge router and kit

• US 7,900,661 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Thorson, Troy C., Weber, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SELF, SHELLEY M
• Application Number:
  US12/194,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20090050236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 144/136.95, 144/154.5, 409/182, 409/206, 409/210, 409/218
• US Class Current: 144/136.95
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 16/001 Stops, cams, or holders therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/003 Stops for limiting depth in rotary hand tools for drilling tools: B23B49/003
• 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

A plunge router and kit are provided. In some aspects, a kit includes a first router base, a second router base, a motor assembly, and a depth adjustment mechanism at least partially supported by the motor assembly. The motor assembly is interchangeably supported by the first and second router bases. The depth adjustment mechanism adjusts a depth of cut of a tool element relative to the router base on which it is supported. The motor assembly may also be inserted into and supported by the first and second router bases along a substantially linear path. In other aspects, a depth of cut of a plunge router is finely adjustable. The depth of cut may also be coarsely adjustable.

Claims

1. A kit comprising:

a fixed router base;

a plunge router base separate from the fixed router base;

a motor assembly interchangeably supported by the fixed router base and the plunge router base, the motor assembly including a motor for driving a tool element and a motor housing supporting the motor; and

a depth adjustment mechanism including a depth adjustment shaft at least partially supported by the motor assembly and a depth stop rod supported by the plunge router base;

wherein the depth adjustment shaft cooperates with the fixed router base when the motor assembly is supported by the fixed router base to adjust a depth of cut of the tool element relative to the fixed router base, and wherein the depth adjustment shaft cooperates with the plunge router base when the motor assembly is supported by the plunge router base to adjust a position of the depth stop rod relative to the plunge router base in response to rotation of the depth adjustment shaft.

2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the fixed router base includes a first channel and the plunge router base includes a second channel, at least a portion of the depth adjustment mechanism being insertable into the first channel of the fixed router base when the motor assembly is supported by the fixed router base and being insertable into the second channel of the plunge router base when the motor assembly is supported by the plunge router base.

3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the depth adjustment mechanism further comprises an actuator, and wherein movement of the actuator when the motor assembly is supported by the fixed router base adjusts a depth of cut of the tool element relative to the fixed router base and wherein movement of the actuator when the motor assembly is supported by the plunge router base adjusts a depth of cut of the tool element relative to the plunge router base.

4. The kit of claim 1, wherein the motor assembly is insertable into and removable from the fixed router base and the plunge router base along a substantially linear path.

5. The kit of claim 1, wherein the motor assembly is insertable into and supported by the fixed router base and the plunge router base by moving the motor assembly substantially straight into the respective fixed router base and the plunge router base, and wherein the motor assembly is removable from the fixed router base and the plunge router base by pulling the motor assembly substantially straight out from the fixed router base and the plunge router base.

6. The kit of claim 1, wherein the depth adjustment mechanism includes an actuator coupled to the depth adjustment shaft and movable to finely adjust the depth stop rod relative to the plunge router base to finely adjust the depth of cut of the tool element.

7. The kit of claim 6, wherein the actuator is supported by the motor assembly.

8. The kit of claim 6, wherein the depth stop rod includes a plurality of teeth, wherein the depth adjustment shaft includes a first end coupled to the actuator and a second end, and wherein the depth adjustment mechanism further comprises

a first gear having an inner surface engageable with the second end of the depth adjustment shaft, and an outer surface having a plurality of teeth;

a second gear including a plurality of teeth engaging the teeth of the first gear, and at least one thread engaging at least a portion of the teeth of the depth stop rod;

a bracket supporting the second gear, the bracket and the second gear being movable between a first position, in which the thread on the second gear engages the teeth of the depth stop rod, and a second position, in which the thread on the second gear does not engage the teeth of the depth stop rod; and

a biasing member biasing the bracket and the second gear toward the first position.

9. The kit of claim 8, wherein the actuator is rotatable, wherein rotation of the actuator rotates the depth adjustment shaft, the first gear, and the second gear, which moves the depth stop rod relative to the plunge router base, when the bracket and the second gear are in the first position, and wherein rotation of the actuator does not move the depth stop rod relative to the plunge router base when the bracket and the second gear are in the second position.

10. A kit comprising:

a first router base;

a second router base separate from the first router base;

a motor assembly interchangeably supported by the first router base and the second router base, the motor assembly including a motor for driving a tool element and a motor housing supporting the motor; and

a depth adjustment mechanism at least partially supported by the motor assembly;

wherein the depth adjustment mechanism cooperates with the first router base when the motor assembly is supported by the first router base to adjust a depth of cut of the tool element relative to the first router base and cooperates with the second router base when the motor assembly is supported by the second router base to adjust a depth of cut of the tool element relative to the second router base;

wherein at least one of the first and second router bases is a plunge router base, wherein the depth adjustment mechanism includes

a depth stop rod having a plurality of teeth;

an actuator movable to finely adjust the depth stop rod relative to the plunge router base to finely adjust the depth of cut of the tool element;

a depth adjustment shaft having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the actuator;

a first gear having an inner surface engageable with the second end of the depth adjustment shaft, and an outer surface having a plurality of teeth;

a second gear including a plurality of teeth engaging the teeth of the first gear, and at least one thread engaging at least a portion of the teeth of the depth stop rod;

a bracket supporting the second gear, the bracket and the second gear being movable between a first position, in which the thread on the second gear engages the teeth of the depth stop rod, and a second position, in which the thread on the second gear does not engage the teeth of the depth stop rod; and

a biasing member biasing the bracket and the second gear toward the first position.

11. A plunge router comprising:

a base;

a motor assembly supported by the base, the motor assembly including a motor for driving a tool element and a motor housing for supporting the motor;

a depth adjustment mechanism supported by at least one of the base and the motor assembly, the depth adjustment mechanism including

a depth stop rod having a plurality of teeth;

an actuator movable to finely adjust the depth stop rod along a linear path, relative to the base, to finely adjust the depth of cut of the tool element;

a depth adjustment shaft having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the actuator;

a first gear having an inner surface engageable with the second end of the depth adjustment shaft, and an outer surface having a plurality of teeth;

a second gear including a plurality of teeth engaging the teeth of the first gear, and at least one thread engaging at least a portion of the teeth of the depth stop rod;

a bracket supporting the second gear, the bracket and the second gear being movable between a first position, in which the thread on the second gear engages the teeth of the depth stop rod, and a second position, in which the thread on the second gear does not engage the teeth of the depth stop rod; and

a biasing member biasing the bracket and the second gear toward the first position.

12. The plunge router of claim 11, wherein the actuator is supported by the motor housing and the depth stop rod is supported by the base.

13. The plunge router of claim 11, wherein the depth adjustment mechanism further comprises a depth adjustment shaft having a first end coupled to the actuator and a second end coupled to the transmission, wherein rotation of the actuator rotates the depth adjustment shaft, which causes the depth stop rod to move relative to the base.

14. The plunge router of claim 11, wherein the actuator is rotatable, wherein rotation of the actuator rotates the depth adjustment shaft, the first gear, and the second gear, which moves the depth stop rod relative to the base, when the bracket and the second gear are in the first position, and wherein rotation of the actuator does not move the depth stop rod relative to the base when the bracket and the second gear are in the second position.

15. The plunge router of claim 11, wherein the actuator is a first actuator, wherein the depth adjustment mechanism further includes a second actuator coupled to the bracket, and wherein the second actuator is movable, against the bias of the biasing member, to disengage the second gear and the depth stop rod to coarsely adjust the depth of cut of the tool element.

16. The plunge router of claim 11, wherein the actuator is a first actuator, and wherein the depth adjustment mechanism further includes a second actuator movable to coarsely adjust the depth of cut of the tool element.

17. The plunge router of claim 16, wherein the first actuator is supported by the motor assembly and the second actuator is supported by the base.

18. The plunge router of claim 16, wherein the first actuator is rotatable and the second actuator is moved linearly.

19. The plunge router of claim 11, further comprising a depth stop supported by and movable relative to the base, the depth stop including a plurality of top surfaces positioned at different levels relative to one another, the depth stop being movable to selectively align one of the plurality of top surfaces with the depth stop rod such that the depth stop rod engages the one of the plurality of top surfaces aligned with the depth stop rod when the plunge router is plunged downward.