Patent Publication Number: US-2006005679-A1

Title: Table assembly for miter saws

Description:
REFERENCE TO CROSS-RELATED APPLICATION  
      The present application derives priority under 35 USC 119(e) from U.S. Patent Application No. 60/586,268, filed Jul. 8, 2004. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to a table assembly for a miter saw and more specifically to a table assembly for a combination table/miter saw.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Typical miter saws have a table that is rotatable relative to a base assembly. It is an object of the invention to provide a rotatable table assembly that can support a workpiece used on both sides of the table assembly in a combination table/miter saw.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with the present invention, an improved table assembly is employed. The power tool has a base assembly, a fixed table supported by the base assembly, a rotatable table rotatably disposed on the fixed table, and a saw assembly supported by the rotatable table, wherein one of the fixed and rotatable tables has a lip and the other of the fixed and rotatable tables has a flange overlapping the lip, the lip being disposed between the flange and a plate disposed on the other of the fixed and rotatable tables.  
      Additional features and benefits of the present invention are described, and will be apparent from, the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention according to the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a combination table/miter saw according to the invention, whereas  FIGS. 1A-1B  are side views of the combination table/miter saw in the miter saw and table saw modes, respectively;  
       FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the table assembly according to the invention when the combination table/miter saw is in the table saw mode shown in  FIG. 1B ;  
       FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view along line A-A of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of a first embodiment of a wear pad assembly according to the invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of a second embodiment of a wear pad assembly according to the invention;  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a wear pad according to the invention, where  FIG. 6A  is a bottom plan view and  FIG. 6B  is a side view along line B-B of  FIG. 6A ; and  
       FIG. 7  is a partial perspective of the wear pad of  FIG. 6  during use. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The invention is now described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals designate like parts. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a combination table/miter saw  100  may include a base assembly  10 , a table assembly  11  supported by base assembly  10 , and a saw assembly  20  supported by the table assembly  11 . Saw assembly  20  may include a trunnion  21  disposed on the table assembly  11 , a pivotable arm  22  pivotably attached to trunnion  21 , a motor  24  supported by the arm  22  and driving a blade  23 . Arm  22  also supports upper blade guard  27 , which covers an upper part of blade  23 . Lower blade guard  25  is pivotally attached to upper blade guard  27 . An auxiliary blade guard  26  may be pivotably connected to lower blade guard  25 .  
      Preferably, table assembly  11  is pivotally attached to base assembly  10  via joint  15  so that, when the table assembly  11  is in the orientation of  FIG. 1A , the saw assembly  20  can act as a miter saw, i.e., saw assembly  20  can be pivoted downwardly towards table assembly  11  to cut a workpiece placed on table assembly  11 .  
      On the other hand, when table assembly  11  is rotated via joint  15  to the orientation of  FIG. 1B , the saw  100  acts as a table saw, i.e., saw assembly  20  will be supported by and disposed underneath the table assembly  11 . In such orientation, blade  23  extends through the table assembly  11 , so that a user can dispose a workpiece on table assembly  11  and push it towards blade  23  for cutting.  
      Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the invention described below can be applicable to non-combined miter saws.  
      Preferably, base assembly  10  has at least one wheel  13  thereon.  
      Base assembly  10  may also support four leg assemblies  30 . Preferably leg assemblies  30  are pivotally attached to base assembly  10 .  
      Because the saw  100  can be used as either a table saw or a miter saw, it is preferable to provide a table assembly  11  which can support a workpiece on both sides of table assembly  11 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , table assembly  11  comprises a fixed table  16  which is connected to joint  15 , and a rotatable table  17  rotatably disposed on fixed table  16 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that saw assembly  20  will be preferably disposed on rotatable  17  so that saw assembly  20  can be mitered when in the miter saw mode.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2-3 , fixed table  16  may have a lip  16 L. In turn, rotatable  17  may have a flange  17 F. Flange  17 F may rest on lip  16 L when saw  100  is in miter saw mode.  
      At least one plate  41  may be attached to the underside of rotatable table  17 , for sandwiching lip  16 L between plate  41  and flange  17 L. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that plate  41  will on rest lip  16 L when saw  100  is in table saw mode.  
      Plate  41  is preferably part of a wear pad assembly  40 . Rotatable table  17  may have at least two and preferably three wear pad assemblies  40 .  
      A first embodiment of wear pad assembly  40  is shown in  FIG. 4 . Persons skilled in the art will understand that  FIG. 4  does not show plate  41 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 6 - 7 , wear pad assembly  40  includes a wear pad  42 . Wear pad  42  may be made of plastic and is preferably resilient.  
      Wear pad  42  may have a body  42 B and attachment flanges  42 A connected to body  42 B. The attachment flanges  42 A preferably have holes  42 AH for receiving a screw therethrough for fixing the body  42  to rotatable table  17 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that such fixing screw may be the same screw used to attach plate  41  to rotatable table  17 . Alternatively, holes  42 AH may receive a screw boss  17 B therethrough, which in turn is threadingly engaged to said fixing screw.  
      Body  42 B may have a pad surface  42 BP which contacts the vertical wall of lip  16 L to lower friction between fixed and rotatable tables  16 ,  17 . Similarly, body  42 B may have a flange  42 F which may contact a horizontal wall of lip  16 L to lower friction between fixed and rotatable tables  16 ,  17 .  
      Body  42 B may have a slot  42 S between pad surface  42 BP and flange  42 F. Slot  42 S preferably allows the pad surface  42 BP and flange  42 F to independently contact the vertical and horizontal walls of lip  16 L, respectively.  
      Body  42 B may have scraping flanges  42 BS extending forwardly at each end of pad surface  42 BP. Furthermore, flange  42 F may have scraping flanges  42 FS extending vertically at each end of flange  42 F. Preferably, scraping flanges  42 BS and  42 FS contact lip  16 L. Scraping flanges  42 BS preferably contact the vertical wall of lip  16 L (see  FIG. 4 ), whereas scraping flanges  42 FS preferably contact the horizontal wall of lip  16 L (see  FIG. 7 ). Such scraping flanges  42 BS,  42 FS preferably push dust off lip  16 L when rotatable table  17  is moved relative to fixed table  16 , i.e., when saw assembly  20  is mitered. With such arrangement, dust disposed between fixed and rotatable tables  16 ,  17  is removed to minimize binding therebetween.  
      A second embodiment of wear pad assembly  40  is shown in  FIG. 5 , where like numerals refer to like parts. The teachings of the previous embodiment are hereby incorporated in whole by reference. The main difference between the first and second embodiments of wear pad assembly  40  is that an adjustment means is provided for taking up clearances between fixed and rotatable tables  16 ,  17 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , a cam  43  may be provided on rotatable table  17 . The position of cam  43  can be fixed by tightening a screw  44 . Rotatable table  17  may have two ribs  46  for defining a channel. An adjustment shoe  45  may be disposed between ribs  46  for movement along the channel. Adjustment shoe  45  is disposed between body  42 B and cam  43 .  
      With such arrangement, when cam  43  is rotated, adjustment shoe  45  is moved towards body  42 B, moving body  42 B towards lip  16 L. Such adjustment effectively changes the diameter of rotatable table  17 , removing any clearances between fixed and rotatable tables  16 ,  17 . Such lack of clearance improves miter accuracy.  
      Persons skilled in the art will recognize that cam  43  may be disposed to contact body  42 B without adjustment shoe  45 . However, adjustment shoe  45  distributes the pressure unto body  42 B, increasing the life of wear pad  42 .  
      Persons skilled in the art will recognize that it is preferable to have three wear pad assemblies  40  on rotatable table  17 , where two of such assemblies are of the first embodiment and the remaining assembly is of the second embodiment.  
      Persons skilled in the art may recognize other additions or alternatives to the means disclosed herein. For example, lip  16 L and flange  17 F may be disposed on rotatable and fixed tables  17 ,  16 , respectively. Similarly, wear pad assemblies  40  may be provided on fixed table  16  or on both fixed and rotatable tables  16 ,  17 . However, all these additions and/or alterations are considered to be equivalents of the present invention.