Router

• US 20040194854A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Holly, Jeffrey S., Berg, Christopher, Hessenberger, Jeffrey C., Thorson, Troy, McDonald, Randy, Borchardt, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 6,991,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 144/136.95
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/003 Stops for limiting depth in rotary hand tools for drilling tools: B23B49/003
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/006 Storage means specially adapted for one specific hand apparatus, e.g. an electric drill
• CPC Class Codes: B27C 5/02 Machines with table
• 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.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/307952 Linear adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/308176 with position indicator or limit means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/30924 Cutter turning about vertical axis

Abstract

A power tool, such as, for example a router. In some aspects, a router includes a base, a housing and a hand grip attachable to one of the base and the housing, and the hand grip may be contoured to fit a hand of an operator and may be at least partially formed of an elastomeric material. In some aspects, a router includes a housing and a hand grip connected to the housing. In some aspects, a router is operable above a workpiece and under a table. In some aspects, a router includes a base, a motor housing and an adjustment mechanism supported by at least one of the base and the motor housing for adjusting the position of the motor housing relative to the base. In some aspects, a case for a router includes a base plate operable to support a router with a bit attached to the router.

Claims

1. A router comprising:

a base having a base plate, the base plate defining an adjustment aperture;

a motor housing movable relative to the base along a first axis;

an adjustment shaft positioned substantially parallel to the first axis and rotatable to move the housing relative to the base, the adjustment shaft having a proximal end toward the base plate and a first portion away from the base plate, the adjustment aperture being aligned with the proximal end of the adjustment shaft and allowing insertion of an adjustment tool through the adjustment aperture to engage the proximal end of the adjustment shaft to allow an operator to rotate the adjustment shaft; and

an actuator coupled to the first portion of the adjustment shaft and rotatable relative to the housing to allow an operator to manually rotate the adjustment shaft.

2. The router of claim 1, wherein the router is supportable on an underside of a support member.

3. The router of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the adjustment shaft has a configuration, and wherein the adjustment tool has a configuration complementary to the configuration of the proximal end.

4. The router of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the adjustment shaft has a surface, and wherein the adjustment tool has a surface complementary to the surface of the proximal end.

5. The router of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the adjustment shaft has a polygonal surface, and wherein the adjustment tool has a polygonal surface complementary to the polygonal surface of the proximal end.

6. The router of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the adjustment shaft has a hexagonal surface, and wherein the adjustment tool has a hexagonal surface complementary to the polygonal surface of the proximal end.

7. The router of claim 1, wherein the actuator is an adjustment knob.

8. The router of claim 1, wherein the router is a fixed base router.

9. The router of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment column at least partially defined by and integrally formed with at least one of the base and the motor housing, the adjustment column being aligned with the adjustment aperture.

10. The router of claim 9, wherein the adjustment column is defined by one of the base and the motor housing.

11. The router of claim 9, wherein the adjustment column is defined by the base.

12. The router of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the adjustment shaft is positioned in the adjustment column.

13. The router of claim 12, wherein the adjustment shaft is positioned in the adjustment column.

14. The router of claim 12, wherein the proximal end of the adjustment shaft is positioned in the adjustment column.

15. The router of claim 1, wherein the adjustment shaft is at least partially threaded.

16. The router of claim 15, wherein at least one of the base and the housing includes a threaded member.

17. The router of claim 16, wherein threads of the adjustment shaft are engageable with the threaded member to adjust the position of the motor housing relative to the base.

18. A router supportable by a support member, the support member having a top surface on which a workpiece is supportable, the router being supportable below the support member on an underside of the support member, the router comprising:

a base engageable with the support member below the support member and having a base aperture defined therethrough;

a motor housing movably supported by the base;

a motor supported by the motor housing and operable to drive a tool element;

an adjustment mechanism supported by at least one of the base and the motor housing for adjusting the position of the motor housing relative to the base and for adjusting the depth of cut of the tool element, the adjustment mechanism having a first shaft integrally connected with one of the base and the motor housing and rotatable about an axis, the first shaft having a first portion engageable by an operator to rotate the shaft and a second portion aligned with the base aperture and positioned above the first portion when the router is supported below the support member; and

a second shaft having an actuator portion engageable by an operator and an engaging portion engageable with the second portion of the first shaft, the engaging portion being insertable through the base aperture from above the underside of the support member to engage the second portion of the first shaft.

19. The router of claim 18, wherein the second portion of the first shaft has a configuration, and wherein the engaging portion of the second shaft has a configuration complementary to the configuration of the second portion of the first shaft.

20. The router of claim 18, wherein the second portion of the first shaft has a surface, and wherein the engaging portion of the second shaft has a surface complementary to the surface of the second portion of the first shaft.

21. The router of claim 18, wherein the second portion of the first shaft has a polygonal surface, and wherein the engaging portion of the second shaft has a polygonal surface complementary to the polygonal surface of the second portion of the first shaft.

22. The router of claim 18, wherein the second portion of the first shaft has a hexagonal surface, and wherein the engaging portion of the second shaft has a hexagonal surface complementary to the hexagonal surface of the second portion of the first shaft.

23. The router of claim 18, further comprising an actuator coupled to the first portion of the first shaft and rotatable relative to the housing to allow an operator to manually rotate the first shaft.

24. The router of claim 23, wherein the actuator is an adjustment knob.

25. The router of claim 18, further comprising an adjustment column at least partially defined by and integrally formed with at least one of the base and the motor housing, the adjustment column being aligned with the base aperture.

26. The router of claim 25, wherein the adjustment column is defined by the base.

27. The router of claim 25, wherein at least a portion of the first shaft is positioned in the adjustment column.

28. The router of claim 27, wherein the second portion of the first shaft is positioned in the adjustment column.

29. A combination comprising:

a support member having an upper surface for supporting a workpiece and a lower surface; and

a router including

a base having a base aperture defined therein,

a motor housing supported by the base,

a motor supported by the motor housing and operable to drive a tool element,

an adjustment mechanism supported by at least one of the base and the motor housing for adjusting the position of the motor housing relative to the base and for adjusting the depth of cut of the tool element, the adjustment mechanism including a first shaft integral with one of the base and the motor housing, rotatable about an axis, and aligned with the base aperture, the first shaft having a first portion engageable by an operator to rotate the first shaft and a second portion, and

a second shaft having an actuator portion engageable by an operator and an engaging portion;

wherein the combination has a first orientation in which the router is supported on the workpiece, the workpiece being supported on the upper surface, and a second orientation in which the router is supported below the lower surface of the support member, the support member defining a first aperture from the upper surface to the lower surface through which the tool element is insertable to engage the workpiece and defining a second aperture from the upper surface to the lower surface aligned with the base aperture, the engaging portion of the second shaft being insertable through the second aperture and the base aperture to engage the second portion of the first shaft.

30. The combination of claim 29, wherein the second portion of the first shaft has a configuration, and wherein the engaging portion of the second shaft has a configuration complementary to the configuration of the second portion of the first shaft.

31. The combination of claim 29, wherein the second portion of the first shaft has a polygonal surface, and wherein the engaging portion of the second shaft has a polygonal surface complementary to the polygonal surface of the second portion of the first shaft.

32. The combination of claim 29, further comprising an actuator coupled to the first portion of the first shaft and rotatable relative to the housing to allow an operator to manually rotate the first shaft.

33. The combination of claim 32, wherein the actuator is an adjustment knob.

34. The combination of claim 29, further comprising an adjustment column at least partially defined by and integrally formed with at least one of the base and the motor housing, the adjustment column being aligned with the base aperture.

35. The combination of claim 34, wherein the adjustment column is defined by the base.

36. The combination of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the first shaft is positioned in the adjustment column.

37. The combination of claim 29, wherein the second portion of the first shaft is positioned in the column.

38. The combination of claim 29, wherein the router is supported on the lower surface of the support member.

39. The combination of claim 29, wherein the base is supported on the lower surface of the support member.

40. The combination of claim 29, wherein the router is a fixed base router.

41. A method of manufacturing a router, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a base defining a base aperture therethrough;

providing a motor housing;

providing a motor operable to drive a tool element;

providing an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the motor housing relative to the base and for adjusting the depth of cut of the tool element, the adjustment mechanism including a first shaft and a second shaft, the first shaft being rotatable about an axis and aligned with the base aperture, the first shaft having a first portion engageable by an operator to rotate the first shaft and a second portion, the second shaft having an actuator portion engageable by an operator and an engaging portion engageable with the second portion of the first shaft;

connecting the motor to the motor housing;

connecting the motor housing to the base such that the motor housing is movable relative to the base; and

integrally connecting the adjustment mechanism to at least one of the base and the motor housing such that the motor housing is adjustably movable relative to the base.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the acts of providing an actuator and connecting the adjustment knob to the first portion of the first shaft and rotatable relative to the housing to allow an operator to manually rotate the first shaft.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising the acts of:

providing a support member;

supporting the router below the support member; and

engaging the engaging portion of the second shaft with the second portion of the first shaft.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the router is a fixed base router.

45. The method of claim 41, further comprising the acts of providing an adjustment column at least partially defined by and integrally formed with at least one of the base and the motor housing, the adjustment column being aligned with the base aperture.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the act of providing an adjustment column includes the act of providing an adjustment column defined by the base.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising the act of positioning at least a portion of the first shaft in the adjustment column.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the act of positioning at least a portion of the first shaft in the adjustment column includes the act of positioning the second portion of the first shaft in the adjustment column.

49. A method of operating a router, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a router including a base defining a base aperture, a motor housing supported by the base, a motor supported by the motor housing and operable to drive a tool element, and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the motor housing relative to the base and for adjusting the cutting depth of the tool element, the adjustment mechanism including a first shaft integral with one of the base and the motor housing, rotatable about an axis, and aligned with the base aperture, the first shaft having a first portion and a second portion, the adjustment mechanism including a second shaft having an actuator portion and an engaging portion; and

performing one of a first depth adjusting act and a second depth adjusting act to adjust a cutting depth of the tool element, the first depth adjusting act including

rotating the first portion of the first shaft in one of a first direction to increase the cutting depth of the tool element and a second direction to decrease the cutting depth of the tool element;

the second adjusting act including the acts of

grasping the actuator portion of the second shaft,

inserting the engaging portion of the second shaft into the base aperture,

engaging the second portion of the first shaft with the engaging portion of the second shaft, and

rotating the second portion of the first shaft with the second shaft in one of the first direction to increase the cutting depth of the tool element and the second direction to decrease the cutting depth of the tool element.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising providing an adjustment knob coupled to the first portion of the first shaft.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the first adjusting act includes the act of rotating the adjustment knob in one of the first direction and the second direction.