Abstract:
A jigsaw includes a housing containing a motor activated by a trigger assembly. A shoe member is pivotally connected to the housing of the jigsaw and establishes an angle therebetween. The jigsaw includes a keel assembly includes a blade member that generally extends from the housing beyond the shoe member. The keel assembly remains generally in line with the housing as the angle between the shoe member and the housing varies. The jigsaw also includes a latch assembly capable of retaining and releasing the keel assembly from the housing.

Description:
FIELD 
     The present teachings relate to a jigsaw and more particularly relate to an adjustable and removable keel attachment that can remain in line with a housing of the jigsaw, while a shoe member is pivoted relative to the housing. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Typically, a keel blade can be attached to a jigsaw to provide a relatively more accurate straight cut through a piece of sheet material than a jigsaw without the keel blade. The keel blade is traditionally attached to and removed from a housing of the jigsaw using tools and multiple fasteners, which can be a relatively complex process. In some instances, the keel blade needs to be uncoupled from the housing to perform a bevel cut. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present teachings generally include a jigsaw that includes a housing containing a motor activated by a trigger assembly. A shoe member is pivotally connected to the housing and establishes an angle therebetween. The jigsaw includes a keel assembly that includes a blade member that generally extends from the housing beyond the shoe member. The keel assembly remains generally in line with the housing as the angle between the shoe member and the housing varies. The jigsaw also includes a latch assembly capable of retaining and releasing the keel assembly from the housing. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a jigsaw having a keel assembly attached to a housing of the jigsaw in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded assembly view of the keel assembly including a lower carrier assembly that can be repositioned relative to a blade member of the keel assembly to provide support for a rear edge of a cutting blade in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a front connection portion of the keel assembly and a front connection portion of the housing to where the front connection portion of the keel assembly is retained when the keel assembly is coupled to the housing in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional side view of a rear connection portion of the keel assembly that can connect to and pivot about a rear connection portion of the housing in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 3  and shows the lower carrier assembly disposed at a different position relative to an upper carrier assembly in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of a latch assembly in the front connection portion of the jigsaw housing that can be pressed or otherwise retracted to release a front connection portion of the keel assembly so that the keel assembly can be uncoupled from the housing in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial front view of a jigsaw having a keel assembly disposed at various angles relative to a shoe member to establish various cutting angles in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 8  is a simplified partial cross-sectional side view of a blade guide mechanism showing one of the two guide members that extend from an upper carrier assembly so as to terminate in a position that almost touches the sides of the cutting blade in accordance with a further aspect of the present teachings. 
         FIG. 9  is a simplified partial cross-sectional top view of the cutting blade and its position relative to hardened ends of the guide members of  FIG. 8  in accordance with the present teachings. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present teachings, their application or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
     Moreover, certain terminology can be used for the purpose of reference only and do not limit the present teachings. For example, terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “above” and “below” can refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. Terms such as “front,” “back,” “rear” and “side” can describe the orientation of portions of the component, function, system, etc. within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which can be made more clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component, function, system, etc. under discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms “first,” “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures, systems and/or methods do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a jigsaw  10  generally includes a housing  12  that can be formed of two half shells  14 ,  16 . The housing  12  can contain a motor  18 . When activated by a trigger assembly  20 , the motor  18  can provide a reciprocating and/or pendulum motion to a cutting blade holder  22  on the end of a reciprocating shaft to drive a cutting blade  24  at one or more cutting angles  26  ( FIG. 7 ). A control member  28  on a side of the housing  12  can control a rate of the reciprocation and/or a magnitude of the pendulum motion of the cutting blade holder  22  on the reciprocating shaft and thus the cutting blade  24 . 
     A shoe member  30  can be coupled to a bottom  32  of the housing  12  in such a way as to permit the shoe member  30  to pivot relative to the housing  12 . As the shoe member  30  pivots relative to the housing  12 , the cutting blade holder  22 , the cutting blade  24 , etc., can be orientated at various angles (i.e., one or more of the cutting angles  26  ( FIG. 7 )) relative to the shoe member  30 . A bottom surface  34  of the shoe member  30  can abut a workpiece  36 , which can be wood, plastic, metal, other suitable materials and one or more combinations thereof and can be in the form of pipe, sheet material, stock material, other suitable forms and/or materials and one or more combinations thereof. The shoe member  30  can be pivoted relative to the housing  12  to adjust the cutting angle  26  ( FIG. 7 ) of the jigsaw  10 , e.g., at a forty-five degree cutting angle. 
     As the shoe member  30  is moved relative to the housing  12 , an angle indicator wheel  38  can be rotatably coupled to the shoe member  30  and can indicate the cutting angle  26  of the jigsaw  10 . Further, a locking mechanism  40  can include a bevel lever  42  that can be adjusted between an unlocked condition and a locked condition, as shown in  FIG. 1 . In the unlocked condition the locking mechanism  40  can permit the shoe member  30  to pivot relative to the housing  12 . In the locked condition, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the locking mechanism  40  can prevent the shoe member  30  from pivoting relative to the housing  12 . The cutting angle  26  ( FIG. 7 ) to which the shoe member  30  can be pivoted relative to the housing  12 , when the locking mechanism  40  is in the unlocked condition, can be indicated by the angle indicator wheel  38 . 
     A dust extraction port  44  can be formed on a rear portion  46  of the shoe member  30  such that a vacuum source  48  can be connected with various suitable connections to the dust extraction port  44 . A dust extraction airflow  50  can be extracted from a cutting area  52 . From the cutting area  52 , the dust extraction airflow  50  can move through an airflow pathway formed in the shoe member  30  and directed out of the dust extraction port  44 . 
     The jigsaw  10  can include a laser module  80 . The laser module  80  can project a laser light  82  and can produce a laser light pattern  84 . The laser light pattern  84  can produce, for example, a sequence of dashes and/or dots beyond a front side  86  of the cutting blade  24  and can highlight a path of the cutting blade  24  through the workpiece  36 . 
     The jigsaw  10  can also include a keel assembly  100  that can provide additional straight-line accuracy when cutting a straight line in the workpiece  36  (e.g., can help avoid wandering of the jigsaw cutting path). The keel assembly  100  can be pivoted with the housing  12  when the shoe member  30  is moved at an angle (i.e., the one or more cutting angles  26  ( FIG. 7 )) relative to the housing  12 . In this regard, the shoe member  30  can be pivoted relative to the housing  12  but the keel assembly  100  can remain generally in line with the housing  12  so as to provide, for example, a straight bevel cut through the workpiece  36 , i.e., the cutting angle is not perpendicular to the workpiece  36  but the cutting path through the workpiece  36  is straight. 
     The keel assembly  100  can be connected to the bottom  32  of the housing  12 . The shoe member  30  can extend from the housing  12  beyond the shoe member  30  and distally outward (i.e., downward) from the bottom  32  of the jigsaw  10 . The keel assembly  100  can include a keel blade member  102  to which a lower guide assembly  104  can be attached. The lower guide assembly  104  can be spaced at various predetermined distances from an upper guide assembly  106  that extends from the housing  12 . By adjusting the lower guide assembly  104  relative to the upper guide assembly  106 , the distance between the assemblies  104 ,  106  can be adjusted to accommodate workpieces having different thicknesses. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the keel assembly  100  can also include a front connection portion  108  that can have a flange  110  in which an aperture  112  can be formed. The keel assembly  100  can further include a rear connection portion  114  that can define a lip  116 . A rear connection portion  118  in the housing  12  can accept the lip  116  of the rear connection portion  114 . In this regard, the rear connection portion  114  of the keel assembly  100  can be received by the rear connection portion  118  of the housing  12  so that the lip  116  can pivot about the rear connection portion  118  of the housing  12 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the keel assembly  100  can swing upwards so as to position the front connection portion  108  of the keel assembly  100  into engagement with a front connection portion  120  of the housing  12 . The keel assembly  100  can also swing downwards when uncoupled from the housing  12  (illustrated in phantom line). When connecting the keel assembly  100  to the housing  12 , the aperture  112  formed in the flange  110  can be accepted by a latch assembly  122  in the front connection portion  120  of the housing  12 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the latch assembly  122  can include an actuator member  124  that can be pushed, retracted or the like. In one example, pushing the actuator member  124  into the latch assembly  122  can move a post  126  so as to move the post  126  out of the aperture  112  in the flange  110  of the front connection portion  108  of the keel assembly  100 . By way of the above example, the actuator member can be pushed by one or more fingers, thumbs, etc. of the user. With reference to  FIG. 3 , with the front connection portion  108  no longer held by the latch assembly  122 , the keel assembly  100  can swing downward about the lip  116  that can be held in the rear connection portion  118 . As such, the keel assembly  100  can be uncoupled from the housing  12  via a hand operation and therefore no tools are required to do so. 
     In another example, pressing the actuator member  124  can release a bias on the post  126  so that the post  126  can move (e.g., retract) when the keel assembly  100  is pulled away from the housing  12 . Notwithstanding the specific mechanism that can move the post  126 , when the actuator member  124  is in the extended position (e.g., not pressed by a user), the post  126  can be held by the aperture  112  formed in the front connection portion  108  of the keel assembly  100  to secure the keel assembly  100  to the housing  12 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 7 , the keel assembly  100  can be secured to the housing  12  and the keel assembly  100  can remain in-line with the housing  12 , while the jigsaw  10  is moved relative to the shoe member  30  to establish the various cutting angles  26 . The one or more cutting angles  26  of the cutting blade  24  ( FIG. 1 ) of the jigsaw  10  are illustrated such that the cutting angle  26  (illustrated in solid line) is positioned at a zero degree cutting angle, i.e., a perpendicular cutting angle relative to the shoe member  30 . 
     In further aspects, a cutting angle  130  (shown in phantom line) can be positioned at about positive fifteen degrees, while a cutting angle  132  (shown in phantom line) can be positioned at about negative thirty degrees. A cutting angle  134  (shown in phantom line) can be positioned at about positive forty five degrees. It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that various cutting angles can be implemented including, but not limited to, those cutting angles illustrated in  FIG. 7 . In one aspect, the keel assembly  100  can be removed from the housing  12  regardless and at any of the cutting angles implemented. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 , the keel blade member  102  can define a channel  150  in which the lower carrier assembly  104  can move to adjust the distance between the lower carrier assembly  104  and the upper carrier assembly  106 . The lower carrier assembly  104  can include an adjuster mechanism  152 . The adjuster mechanism  152  can include an adjuster member  154  that can be retracted against the bias of a spring  156 . By moving the adjuster member  154 , a plug member  158  having a cam surface  160  can move out of alignment with an edge  162  of the channel  150  formed in the keel blade member  102 . When the cam surface  160  is moved out of alignment with the edge  162 , the lower carrier assembly  104  can be moved between positions  164  relative to the keel blade member  102   
     In one aspect, the positions  164  can include a top position  166 , as shown in  FIG. 5  and a lower position  168 , as shown in  FIG. 3  and again illustrated in phantom line in  FIG. 5 . By way of the above example, the different positions  164  of the lower carrier assembly  104  can be configured to accommodate varying lengths  170  of the cutting blade  24  for certain applications. In turn, the different positions  164  of the lower carrier assembly  104  can be implemented to accommodate differently sized workpieces. 
     In another aspect, the plug member  158  can have a circular cam surface  172  that can be received by one of the pockets  174  formed from the edge  162  of the channel  150 . While three pockets  174 , i.e., a first pocket  176 , a second pocket  178 , a third pocket  180  are illustrated, it will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that varying amounts of the pockets  174  can be defined in the channel  150  in the keel blade member  102  and can be associated with the positions  164  of the lower carrier assembly  104 . 
     By moving the cam surface  160  out of contact with the edge  162  of the channel  150  formed in the keel blade member  102 , the lower carrier assembly  104  can be moved relative to the keel blade member  102  to one of the selected positions  164 . At one of the selected positions  164 , the adjuster member  154  can be moved to an extended condition so that the cam surface  160  of the plug member  158  can again come into contact with the edge  162  of the channel  150  and thus hold the lower carrier assembly  104  in the selected position. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the lower carrier assembly  104  can include a pair of arm members  182  that can be fastened together with the keel blade member  102  in between the arm members  182 . Each of the arm members  182  can include one or more apertures. For example, a rear aperture  184 , a middle aperture  186  and a front aperture  188  can be formed on each of the arm members  182 . The rear aperture  184  can accept a fastener  190  that can also be inserted into a groove  192  formed in the keel blade member  102 . As the lower carrier assembly  104  is moved relative to the keel blade member  102 , the fastener  190  can travel in the groove  192 . 
     One of the middle apertures  186  can be an oversized aperture (relative to other apertures)  194  on one of the arm members  182  so as to accept the plug member  158 . The opposed middle aperture  186  on the opposite arm member  182  can accept a portion of the adjuster member  154 . In this arrangement, the adjuster member  154  can be inserted through the spring  156  that can be disposed between a surface  196  of one of the arm members  182  and a head  198  of the adjuster member  154 . The adjuster member  154  can couple to the plug member  158  (e.g., with mechanical threads) to secure the spring  156  between the head  198  and the surface  196 . The front aperture  188  can accept a fastener  200  that can rotatably hold a rolling member  202  between each of the arm members  182 . The rolling member  202  can be configured with a groove  204  to accept a rear edge  206  ( FIG. 3 ) of the cutting blade  24 . 
     The keel assembly  100  can further include a keel block  230  that can attach to the keel blade member  102 . The keel blade member  102  can define a first protrusion  232  and a second protrusion  234 . The first protrusion  232  can include an aperture  236  while the second protrusion  234  can include a second aperture  238 . A portion of the keel blade member  102 , including the protrusions  232 ,  234  can be accepted within a groove  240  (shown in broken line) formed within the keel block  230 . Fasteners  242  can be passed through apertures  244  formed in the keel block  230  and the apertures  236 ,  238  formed in the keel blade member  102  near the keel blade member  102  to the keel block  230 . In turn, the keel block  230  can connect to the housing  12 , as partially shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , an upper carrier assembly  300  can include a rolling member  302  or other suitable member that can abut a rear (i.e., non-cutting) edge  206  of the cutting blade  24  of the jigsaw  10  in accordance with further aspects of the present teachings. From the upper carrier assembly  300 , two guide members  306  can extend and can terminate at a position that almost touches a side  308  of the cutting blade  24 . At ends  310  of each of the guide members  306 , a hardened portion  312  can be positioned so that when the cutting blade  24  contacts the guide members  306 , the cutting blade  24  can contact the hardened portions  312 . Each of the hardened portions  312  can be harder than the material of which the guide members  306  are comprised. 
     When the jigsaw  10  is cutting in a straight line and there is generally no twist imparted on the cutting blade  24 , the sides  38  of the cutting blade  24  will not touch the hardened portions  312  of the guide members  306 . In other instances, the cutting blade  24  can cut through a workpiece and twist can be imparted on the cutting blade  24  such that the twist of the blade can force the sides  308  of the cutting blade  24  into the hardened portions  312  of the guide members  306 . In one example, twisting of the cutting blade  24  can be due to the cutting blade  24  following a grain of wood especially in wet (green) wood. 
     It may be shown that keeping the guide members  306  and especially the hardened portions  312  in close proximity to the sides  308  of the cutting blade  24  can reduce the twisting of the cutting blade  24  and reduce deviations from a straight cutting line. As such, the ends  310  of the guide members  306  can be kept close enough to the cutting blade  24  to reduce the twist of the cutting blade  24  because the cutting blade  24  can be prevented from twisting (or twisting to such a degree) due to the hardened portions  312  that can at least partially obstruct the sides  308  of the twisting cutting blade  24 . 
     It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that twisting can be due to forces between the cutting blade  24  and the workpiece  36  and not otherwise due to an optionally implemented scrolling functionality that can impart a twist on the cutting blade  24  to, among other things, make it relatively easier to turn the cutting blade in decorative cutting with the jigsaw. 
     While specific aspects have been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes can be made and equivalents can be substituted for elements and components thereof without departing from the scope of the present teachings, as defined in the claims. Furthermore, the mixing and matching of features, elements, components and/or functions between various aspects of the present teachings are expressly contemplated herein so that one skilled in the art will appreciate from the present teachings that features, elements, components and/or functions of one aspect of the present teachings can be incorporated into another aspect, as appropriate, unless described otherwise above. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, configuration or material to the present teachings without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present teachings not be limited to the particular aspects illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present teachings, but that the scope of the present teachings include many aspects and examples following within the foregoing description and the appended claims.