Dust shroud with adjustable mounting mechanism

• US 8,137,165 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dustless Depot
• Original Assignee: DUST Collection Products LLC
• Inventors: Loveless, Michael, Loveless, Spencer
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, GEORGE BINH MINH
• Application Number:
  US12/353,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20090181605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 451/453, 451/360, 451/454, 451/455, 451/456, 451/353, 451/357, 831/00, 301/24, 301/56, 144/252.1, 144/252.2
• US Class Current: 451/456
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 55/102 with rotating tools

Abstract

A universal dust shroud includes mounting brackets held above the shroud body by springs. The brackets move radially and vertically relative to the body to accommodate different angle grinders, and allow vertical movement of the shroud body relative to the grinding disk while using the grinder to allow the user greater control over the angle grinder.

Claims

1. A dust shroud for an angle grinder comprising:

a body which encloses the top and sides of a grinding disk, and

a plurality of brackets, each of the plurality of brackets being attached to the body so as to be disposed above the body and so as to allow independent vertical movement of each of the brackets relative to the body, the brackets being attachable to an angle grinder so as to attach the shroud to the angle grinder so as to place the body around the grinding disk.

2. The dust shroud of claim 1, further comprising a compressible biasing element disposed between each bracket and the body.

3. The dust shroud of claim 2, wherein the compressible biasing element is a spring.

4. The dust shroud of claim 2, wherein the compressible biasing element is a piece of flexible tubing.

5. The dust shroud of claim 2, wherein each bracket is connected to the body by an attachment member which passes through the body, compressible biasing element, and bracket.

6. The dust shroud of claim 5, wherein the attachment member is a bolt.

7. The dust shroud of claim 5, wherein the attachment member and compressible biasing element allow for vertical movement of the bracket relative to the body.

8. The dust shroud of claim 1, further comprising a clamp configured for securing the brackets around the output shaft of an angle grinder.

9. The dust shroud of claim 8, wherein each of the brackets has a slot formed therein for receiving the clamp.

10. The dust shroud of claim 9, wherein the clamp is a band clamp.

11. A dust shroud for use with an angle grinder comprising:

a shroud body having an upper surface and a skirt extending downwardly therefrom so as to generally enclose a grinding disk, the upper surface having an opening formed in the center thereof for allowing the shaft of an angle grinder to pass therethrough, the shroud extending horizontally from a central axis;

a vacuum port attached to the shroud body, the vacuum port being in fluid communication with the interior of the shroud body; and

a plurality of brackets resiliently attached to the shroud body around said shroud body opening and extending upwardly therefrom, the plurality of brackets being attachable to an angle grinder to secure the dust shroud to the angle grinder, and wherein the plurality of brackets are movable in a direction perpendicular from said central axis so as to adjust the distance between the plurality of brackets and wherein the plurality of brackets are individually movable in a direction parallel to the central axis so as to adjust the distance between the shroud body and the plurality of brackets.

12. The shroud of claim 11, wherein the plurality of brackets are biased away from the shroud body along said direction parallel to said central axis.

13. The shroud of claim 11, wherein the shroud body comprises slots formed therein, and wherein each of the plurality of brackets is mounted in a slot and is movable along said slot to adjust the distance between the plurality of brackets.

14. The shroud of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of brackets is mounted to a slot via a bolt passing through the slot, through a biasing element, and through the bracket.

15. The shroud of claim 11, further comprising a clamp passing through the plurality of brackets and configured for securing the plurality of brackets to an angle grinder.

16. A dust shroud for an angle grinder, comprising:

a plurality of brackets attachable to an angle grinder;

a shroud body having an upper surface and a skirt extending therefrom so as to generally enclose a grinding disk;

a vacuum port attached to the shroud body and being in fluid communication with a cavity defined by the shroud body; and

wherein the plurality of brackets are resiliently attached to the shroud body so as to permit vertical movement of the shroud body relative to the plurality of brackets.

17. The shroud of claim 16, wherein the shroud body has slots formed therethrough, and wherein the plurality of brackets are each mounted to a slot to allow for adjustment of the space between the plurality of brackets to accommodate differing sizes of angle grinders.

18. The shroud of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of brackets further comprises a bolt which passes through the shroud body, through a spring, and through the bracket such that the spring biases the bracket away from the shroud body, the bolt limits the movement of the bracket away from the shroud body, and the bracket may be moved towards the shroud body against the bias of the bolt.

19. The shroud of claim 18, wherein the bolt may be adjusted to vary the maximum distance between the bracket and the shroud body.