Power tool

• US 7,367,760 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi KOKI Company Limited (Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Onose, Akira, Uchida, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross; Dana
• Application Number:
  US11/438,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20060269377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 409/181, 409/182, 409/204, 409/206, 409/185, 409/214, 409/210, 409/218, 144/136.95, 144/154.5, 811/211, 811/772, 81D/IG.5, 408/112, 408/241.S
• US Class Current: 409/182
• 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 409/308176 with position indicator or limit means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/308624 with limit means to aid in positioning of cutter bit or work [e.g., gauge, stop, etc.]

Abstract

A power tool has a base, a main unit, a cutter, a bolt, an engagement member, and a unit. The base has a sliding surface slidable on a workpiece, another surface opposite to the sliding surface, and an opening in the base. The main unit is movable in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface. The cutter is driven by a electric motor in the main unit to protrude through the opening from the sliding surface during an operation. The bolt extends in the first direction on the first side, a first male thread, and one end supported by the base. The bolt is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The engagement member has a first female thread threadably engaged with the male thread. The engagement member is movable between an engaged position with the boot and a disengaged position therewith. The unit maintains the engagement member at the disengaged position in a second direction. The rotation of the bolt causes the first male thread portion to thread with respect to the first male thread portion, thereby moving the main unit in the first direction and adjusting a distance of the main unit to the sliding surface.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a base having a sliding surface slidable on a workpiece, another surface opposite to the sliding surface, and an opening provided through the base to extend from the sliding surface to the another surface;

a main unit supported on the base to oppose the another surface, and movable in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface, the main unit including an electric motor; and

a cutter driven by the electric motor, the cutter being capable of protruding through the opening and out from the sliding surface when the main unit is moved in the first direction toward the base;

a bolt having a longitudinal axis and extending in the first direction, the bolt having a male thread portion useable to effect positional adjustment of the main unit in the first direction, the bolt having one end supported by the base on the another surface, the bolt being rotatable about the longitudinal axis;

an engagement member related with the main unit, and having a female thread portion threadably engage-able with the male thread portion and useable to effect positional adjustment of the main unit in the first direction, the engagement member being movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the engaged position being a position at which the male thread portion is engaged with the female thread portion, the disengaged position being another position at which the male thread portion is disengaged with the female thread portion; and

a unit for maintaining the engagement member at the disengaged position.

2. The power tool as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a female drive thread portion provided in the main unit, useable to effect engagement/disengagement movement of the engagement member,

wherein the unit comprises a drive member abutable on the engagement member in a second direction, the drive member having a male drive thread portion on an outer circumferential surface thereof useable to effect engagement/disengagement movement of the engagement member, the male drive thread portion being threadably engaged with the female drive thread portion, and

the engagement member is moved between the engaged position and the disengaged position by moving the male drive thread portion with respect to the female drive thread portion.

3. The power tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein a moving direction of the drive member by moving the male drive thread portion with respect to the female drive thread portion is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and

the engagement member is moved between the engaged position and the disengaged position in conjunction with threading of the drive member with respect to the female drive thread portion.

4. The power tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the engagement member has a outer circumferential surface and a projecting portion protruding therefrom in the second direction, the projecting portion having a longitudinal axis, a circumferential surface, and an abutment member provided on a distal end thereof, the abutment member having a flange shape, and

the drive member is positioned on the circumferential surface of the projecting portion between the abutment member and the outer circumferential surface of the engagement member, the drive member being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the projecting portion and contactable with the abutment member and the outer circumferential surface of the engagement member.

5. The power tool as claimed in claim 2, comprising an elastic member for urging the engagement member in the second direction, from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

6. The power tool as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive member is movable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bolt by threading and moving the male drive thread portion with respect to the female drive thread portion,

the drive member contacts and presses the engagement member toward the disengaged position when the drive member threads and moves toward the bolt, and

the engagement member is urged to move toward the engaged position by the elastic member when the drive member threads away from the bolt.

7. The power tool as claimed in claim 2, comprising:

an operation member configured to be rotatable for transferring a rotating force to the drive member to thread and move the drive member; and

a restricting unit for restricting an angular position of the operation member, the restricting unit restricting rotation of the operation member when the engagement member is in one of the engaged position and the disengaged position.

8. The power tool as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drive member has a rotation axis,

the operation member comprises a lever member having a projection extending in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the drive member,

the restricting unit is provided in a part of the main unit covered by pivot of the lever member, and

the projection is pivoted to abut on the restricting unit, thereby restricting the pivot of the lever member.

9. The power tool as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lever member and the drive member are coupled to each other by a coupling portion so that the lever member is rotatable with respect to the drive member, the coupling portion comprises a fastening member for restricting rotation of the lever member with respect to the drive member, thereby fastening the lever member to the drive member.

10. A power tool comprising:

a base having a sliding surface slidable on a workpiece, another surface opposite to the sliding surface, and an opening through the base extending from the sliding surface to the another surface;

a main unit supported on the base to oppose the another surface, and movable in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface, the main unit including an electric motor; and

a cutter driven by the electric motor, the cutter being configured to protrude through the opening and out the sliding surface when the main unit is moved toward the base;

a bolt having a longitudinal axis and extending in the first direction, the bolt having a male thread portion useable to effect positional adjustment of the main unit in the first direction, the bolt having one end supported by the base on the another surface, the bolt being rotatable about the longitudinal axis; and

an engagement member provided in the main unit and having a female thread portion threadably engage-able with the male thread and useable to effect positional adjustment of the main unit in the first direction, the engagement member being movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the engaged position being a position at which the male thread portion is engaged with the female thread portion, the disengaged position being another position at which the male thread portion is disengaged with the female thread portion,

wherein rotation of the bolt causes the male thread portion to thread with respect to the female thread portion when the engagement member is at the engaged position, thereby moving the main unit in the first direction and adjusting a distance of the main unit with respect to the sliding surface, and wherein the engaged member is maintained at the disengaged position without any external force when the engaged member is at the disengaged position.