Router

• US 6,725,892 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2001
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Thorson, Troy, McDonald, Randy, Borchardt, Dale, Holly, Jeffrey S., Berg, Christopher, Hessenberger, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ostrager, Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): SELF, SHELLEY M
• Application Number:
  US09/927,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 990 Days
• Field of Search: 144/136.95, 144/154.5, 144/136.8, 814/92, 814/88, 814/89, 716/9, 173/170, D 8/67, D 8/69, 409/182, 409/181
• 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 router including a base for supporting the router on a work piece surface, a motor housing supported by the base, and a motor supported by the housing and operable to drive a tool element. The router also includes a hand grip attachable to one of the base and the housing. The hand grip may be contoured to fit a hand of an operator and may be at least partially formed of an elastomeric material. The router may also include a fixing assembly for fixing the housing in a position relative to the base, the fixing assembly including a clamping member for applying a clamping force to the housing to fix the housing in a position relative to the base, and an actuator for moving the clamping member. The router may also include an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the housing relative to the base, the adjustment mechanism including a coarse adjustment assembly for making relatively large changes in the position of the housing, and a fine adjustment assembly for making relatively small changes to the position of the housing. The adjustment mechanism may be operated when the router is supported in an inverted position below a work table. A router case having a removable molded base plate may be provided to support the router on a surface.

Claims

1. A router comprising:

a base for supporting the router on a work piece surface;

a motor housing supported by the base;

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

a hand grip attachable to and surrounding and contiguous to at least a portion of one of the base and the housing, the hand grip being contoured to fit a hand of an operator, the hand grip being graspable by the operator to control movement of the router on the work piece surface.

2. The router as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hand grip is at least partially formed from an elastomeric material.

3. The router as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a handle member connected to the base and graspable by the operator to control movement of the router on the work piece surface.

4. The router as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a strap connected to one of the base and the housing, the hand grip and the strap cooperating to form an opening in which the operator'"'"'s hand is positionable.

5. The router as set forth in claim 4 wherein the strap is adjustable to adjust the size of the opening and to retain the operator'"'"'s hand on the hand grip.

6. The router as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one of the base and the housing has an outer surface, and wherein the hand grip has an inner surface complementary to and engageable with the outer surface to support the hand grip on the one of the base and the housing.

7. The router as set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing defines an axis, and wherein the hand grip includes an upper limit portion extending radially-outwardly from the axis and providing an upper limit for the hand of the operator.

8. The router as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hand grip is attached to the base.

9. The router as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hand grip includes ridge portions to provide improved gripping for an operator.

26. The router as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one of the base and the housing is graspable through the hand grip by an operator to control movement of the router on the work piece surface.

27. The router as set forth in claim 6 wherein the hand grip has an outer surface graspable by the hand of the operator.

28. The router as set forth in claim 7 wherein the upper limit portion extends circumferentially around at least a portion of the one of the base and the housing.

29. The router as set forth in claim 28 wherein the upper limit portion is configured to be engageable with a thumb and an upper finger of the hand of the operator when the operator grasps the hand grip.

10. A router comprising:

a base for supporting the router on a work piece surface;

a motor housing supported by the base;

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

a hand grip contiguous to one of the base and the housing and attachable to one of the base and the housing, the hand grip being at least partially formed of an elastomeric material, the one of the base and the housing being graspable through the hand grip by an operator to control movement of the router on the work piece surface.

11. The router as set forth in claim 10 wherein the hand grip is contoured to fit a hand of the operator.

12. The router as set forth in claim 10 wherein the hand grip is connected to the base.

13. The router as set forth in claim 10 and further comprising a handle member connected to the base and graspable by the operator to control movement of the router on the work piece surface.

14. The router as set forth in claim 10 and further comprising a strap connected to one of the base and the housing, the hand grip and the strap cooperating to form an opening in which the operator'"'"'s hand is positionable.

15. The router as set forth in claim 14 wherein the strap is adjustable to adjust the size of the opening and to retain the operator'"'"'s hand on the hand grip.

16. The router as set forth in claim 10 wherein the one of the base and the housing has an outer surface, and wherein the hand grip has an inner surface complementary to and engageable with the outer surface to support the hand grip on the one of the base and the housing.

17. The router as set forth in claim 10 wherein the housing defines an axis, and wherein the hand grip includes an upper limit portion extending radially-outward from the axis and providing an upper limit for the hand of the operator.

30. The router as set forth in claim 10 wherein the hand grip surrounds at least a portion of the one of the base and the housing.

31. The router as set forth in claim 16 wherein the hand grip has an outer surface graspable by the hand of the operator.

18. A router comprising:

a base for supporting the router on a work piece surface, the base including a base outer surface;

a motor housing supported by the base for movement along an axis to a position relative to the base, the housing including a housing outer surface;

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

a hand grip contiguous to, connectable to and surrounding at least a portion of one of the base outer surface and the housing outer surface, the hand grip having a generally arcuate horizontal cross section.

19. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the housing has a generally cylindrical housing outer surface, and wherein the hand grip is connectable to the housing outer surface.

20. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hand grip includes an elastomeric gripping surface.

21. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hand grip includes a contoured gripping surface.

22. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hand grip extends at least 180°

around the outer surface of the housing.

23. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hand grip extends at least 240°

around the outer surface of the housing.

24. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hand grip extends at least 300°

around the outer surface of the housing.

32. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hand grip has an outer surface graspable by the hand of the operator.

33. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the one of the base and the housing is graspable through the hand grip by an operator to control movement of the router on the work piece surface.

34. The router as claim 18 wherein the hand grip extends at least 180°

around the outer surface of the base.

35. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hand grip extends at least 240°

around the outer surface of the base.

36. The router as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hand grip extends at least 300°

around the outer surface of the base.

25. A grip for a router, the router including a base, a housing supported by the base, and a motor supported by the housing and operable to drive a tool element, the grip comprising:

a hand grip contiguous to one of the base and the housing and member attachable to one of the base and the housing, the grip including

a generally convex first surface engageable by a hand of an operator, and

a generally concave second surface attachable to and surrounding at least a portion of the one of the base and the housing.