Cutting – With product handling means – By fluid current
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-11
2003-01-28
Goodman, Charles (Department: 3724)
Cutting
With product handling means
By fluid current
C083S165000, C083S168000, C083S471000, C083S471300, C083S581000, C451S453000, C451S456000, C015S339000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06510772
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved dust collection system and, more particularly, relates to a dust collection system that more effectively collects dust or other particulate matter generated by a driven member of a cutting or abrading device and directs the matter away from a workpiece support surface of the device. The present invention also relates to devices including a driven member for cutting or abrading a workpiece of wood, metal, or another material and that incorporate the improved dust collection system of the present invention. The improved dust collection system of the present invention may be advantageously incorporated into any device having a driven cutting or abrading member that generates dust or other particulate matter on contacting a workpiece of wood, metal, or another material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A saw blade separates wooden workpieces into separate portions by removing a thin region of the workpiece to free the portions. The thickness of the region removed by the saw blade corresponds to the saw blade thickness or “kerf”. Saw blades, whether of the circular, continuous band, elongate, or bayonet type, include a series of blade teeth separated by recesses known as gullets. As the blade teeth pass through the workpiece, each tooth removes a portion of the workpiece into a fine particulate matter commonly referred to as sawdust. The sawdust collects in the gullets of the portion of the saw blade disposed within the cut in the workpiece, and the gullets transport the sawdust out of the cut, whereupon it is released into the atmosphere. If the sawdust is not efficiently conveyed out of the cut in the workpiece by the gullets, the quality of the cut is compromised. The blade teeth may, in the extreme, be unable to advance further into the workpiece and the saw blade will experience a jam. Significant effort is put into efficiently designing saw blades to quickly remove material from workpieces and effectively convey sawdust out of the cut in the workpiece.
The natural result of efficient saw blade design is the generation of significant amounts of sawdust during cutting operations. The sawdust may obscure the saw operator's view of the workpiece and also may require the operator or his assistants to spend significant time cleaning the shop or job site to remove the sawdust after completing the cutting operation. If the saw is of the portable type and is used within a living or work space such as the home or office, generation of sawdust is particularly problematic and may require a significant and immediate clean-up effort. Chop saws and miter saws, for example, commonly are used in existing homes to cut crown and other molding during renovation and remodeling. Such saws typically include quickly rotating, aggressive circular saw blades that may generate substantial volumes of dust within the home. Thus, there remains an ongoing effort to design chop saws, miter saws, and other woodworking saws, for example, with dust collection systems to minimize the dispersal of sawdust into the atmosphere.
An example, of a miter saw incorporating a known dust collection system is the Delta™ Model No. 36-210 10″ Compound Miter Saw (“the Delta Saw”). As shown in
FIG. 5
, the Delta saw
10
is of a conventional design and includes a table
12
rotatably mounted on a stationary base
14
including two side portions
16
a,
16
b.
The rotatable table
12
includes a primary workpiece support surface
18
, which is flanked by the paired secondary workpiece support surfaces
20
a
,
20
b
of the side portions
16
a
,
16
b
, respectively. A one-piece workpiece fence
24
is secured to the secondary support surfaces
20
a
,
20
b
and is disposed across the primary support surface
18
. A saw unit
26
is pivotally mounted to a pivot assembly
28
that is connected to the rotatable table
12
. Thus, as the rotatable table
12
is rotated from the 0° miter angle position shown in
FIG. 5
, the saw
10
may execute miter cuts on a workpiece disposed on the primary and secondary workpiece support surfaces
18
,
20
a
,
20
b
and against the support surfaces
30
a
and
30
b
of the one-piece workpiece fence
24
.
The saw unit
26
of the Delta saw
10
includes a cutting unit
32
within which the circular saw blade
34
rotates. A dust transmission pathway is defined within the cutting unit
32
between an inlet
36
, to the rear of the saw blade
34
, and an outlet chute
38
, which is connected to the upper surface of the cutting unit
32
. A portion of the sawdust generated by the saw blade
34
enters the inlet
36
, and the airflow generated by rotation of the circular saw blade
34
promotes passage of that portion of the sawdust through the dust transmission pathway and out the outlet chute
38
. A bag or a vacuum hose system may be attached to the outlet chute
38
to collect the sawdust. The saw may be designed so that the saw blade-generated airflow effectively transmits sawdust that enters the inlet
36
through the dust transmission pathway. Some portion of the generated sawdust, however, is not directed into the inlet
36
during the cutting operation and, instead, is dispersed onto the primary and secondary workpiece support surfaces
18
,
20
a
, and
20
b
and into the surrounding areas. The fraction of generated sawdust that enters the inlet
36
will depend on such factors as the particular design and rotational speed of the saw blade, the composition of the workpiece, the geometry of the cut, etc. It is possible that a significant fraction of the sawdust will not be directed into the inlet
36
and, instead, will be dispersed onto the miter saw
10
and its surroundings.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved system for collecting sawdust generated during cutting operations on a miter saw or chop saw. More generally, there exists a need for an improved system for collecting dust or other particulate matter, sawdust or otherwise, in devices incorporating a driven cutting or abrading member that generates dust on contacting a workpiece of wood, metal, or another material. In addition to woodworking miter and chop saws, such devices include, for example, other woodworking cutting devices, sanding devices, metalworking saws, tile cutting saws, and masonry saws.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses the foregoing need by providing an apparatus incorporating an improved dust collection system. The apparatus includes a first member having a first surface including a recess. The apparatus also includes a second member having a driven member mounted thereon. The second member of the apparatus is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the first member, wherein the driven member is closer to the first surface when the second member is in the second position than in the first position. The second member includes a dust collection system having an inlet, an outlet, and an enclosed pathway between the inlet and the outlet. At least a portion of the inlet is disposed within the recess in the first surface when the second member is in the second position.
The apparatus preferably includes a collector positioned at the inlet and which is for receiving dust or other particulate matter generated by the driven member. At least a portion of the collector is disposed within the recess in the first surface when the second member is in the second position. The driven member of the apparatus may be rotatably or otherwise movably mounted on the second member. The driven member may be, for example, a cutting member or an abrading member. As used herein, “cutting” refers to the act of either severing a workpiece into two or more distinct pieces or placing a cut in a workpiece. As used herein, “abrading” refers to the act of sanding, grinding, or otherwise wearing away a surface of a workpiece. A non-exhaustive list of possible cutting members that may incorporated in the device of the present invention includes, for example, woodworking saw
Baird Charles J.
Brickner, Jr. Louis C.
Hollinger David N.
Young Ronald E.
Delta International Machinery Corp.
Goodman Charles
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP
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