Patent Publication Number: US-7913352-B2

Title: Dust collector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This application claims the entire benefit of Japanese Patent Application Number 2008-294678 filed on Nov. 18, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to a dust collector which can be used in combination with a power tool. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A dust collector known in the art (for example, see JP 3-60256 B) has a main body having an air intake unit formed with a motor-driven intake fan, and a tank having an opening formed at an upper side thereof, which is sealed off from outside with the main body provided over the tank. The tank has an inlet to which a hose or the like may be attached, through which outside air is sucked into the tank by the action of rotating the intake fan. The outside air thus sucked into the tank is filtered by a filter provided between the main body and the opening of the tank, so that dust or the like can be caught and stored in the tank. As well known in the art, this type of dust collector may be used in combination of a power tool, such as a circular saw; that is, with a hose having one end attached to the inlet of the tank and the other end connected to the power tool, the dust collector is driven while the power tool is being operated, so that chips or the like produced by the power tool can be directly collected. 
     When the dust collector is used in combination with the power tool as described above, the dust collector may also be utilized to temporarily place the power tool thereon when the operation of the power tool is suspended. On this occasion, the power tool is typically placed on an upper side of the main body of the dust collector. However, the upper side of the main body is usually provided with a carrying handle for enhanced portability, as in the dust collector illustrated in JP 3-60256 B, and thus has depressions and projections thereon. Similarly, the power tool may have depressions and projections; for example a circular saw typically has a safety cover protruding down from a base. Accordingly, the power tool would not be stably placed on the main body of the dust collector, and could possibly drop from the dust collector. 
     Thus, there is a need to provide a dust collector of which a main body has an upper side on which a power tool can be temporarily placed in a stable state and thus provide an improved usability. 
     The present invention has been made in an attempt to eliminate the above disadvantages, and illustrative, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention may overcome the above disadvantages and other disadvantages not described above. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     In a first aspect of the present invention, a hook is provided in a housing of a main body of a dust collector. The hook is capable of being manually operated to change a position thereof to one of a retracted position and a pull-out position. The hook in the retracted position is completely embedded in a profile of the housing, and the hook in the pull-out position projects sideward from the housing with a hooked end portion thereof oriented upward. 
     In a second aspect according to the configuration described above in the first aspect, a plurality of ribs which extend parallel to one another in an upward and downward direction when the hook is in the pull-out position may optionally be provided on an inner surface of the hooked end portion facing toward the housing. 
     In a third aspect according to the configurations described above in the first and the second aspects, an additional feature for more effectively preventing the power tool temporarily placed on the dust collector from dropping may optionally be provided. More specifically, in the third aspect, for example, the hooked end portion of the hook may have a length such that the hooked end portion is higher than an upper surface of the housing when the hook is in the pull-out position. 
     In a fourth aspect according to the configurations described above in any one of the first to the third aspect, an additional feature for facilitating the operation of the hook may optionally be provided. More specifically, in the fourth aspect, for example, the housing may be shaped like a box with a flat upper surface, and the hook may have a plate member bent into a shape like a letter L, wherein the plate member has a lower end joined to the main body at a lower portion of a side wall of the housing in a manner that permits the plate member to tilt downward and upward. The hook is of being operated to rotate between the retracted position and the pull-out position. 
     The following advantageous effects may be expected by implementing the present invention in such a way as described above. 
     According to the configuration as described in the first aspect, a power tool can be temporarily placed on an upper surface of the main body of the dust collector in a stable state. Therefore, the usability can be increased. Moreover, since the hook can be used to hold accessories such as a hose or a cord, etc., it is also convenient for storing such accessories. 
     According to the additional feature as described in the second aspect, further advantage may be obtained in addition to that of the first aspect; that is, the hook is reinforced by the ribs, so that the durability of the hook can be increased, and prevention of slipping or dropping of the hose or other accessories held at the inner surface of the hooked end portion of the hook may be expected. 
     According to the additional feature as described in the third aspect, further advantage may be obtained in addition to that of the first or the second aspect; that is, setting the height (length) of the hooked end portion of the hook appropriately as defined in the third aspect makes it possible to support a power tool in a position with its outer side tilting upward to some extent, such that the potential risk of that the power tool temporarily placed thereon slips off and drops down outside from the main body of the dust collector can be reduced. 
     According to the additional feature as described in the fourth aspect, further advantage may be obtained in addition to that of any one of the first to the third aspect; that is, the operation for moving (rotating) the hook between the retracted position and the pull-out position can be performed with increased ease. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above aspect, other advantages and further features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail illustrative, non-limiting embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a vertical sectional view of a dust collector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the dust collector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a main body of the dust collector with a hook in a retracted position; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the main body of the dust collector with the hook in a pull-out position; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevation view of the main body of the dust collector illustrated with a circular saw placed temporarily thereon; 
         FIG. 6  is an elevation view of the main body of the dust collector illustrated with a circular saw placed temporarily thereon in a position different from that shown in  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the main body of the dust collector illustrated with a hose held in the hook. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a dust collector  1  principally includes a tank  2 , and a main body  3  disposed over the tank  2 . The tank  2  has an opening formed at an upper side thereof, and an inlet (not shown) formed in a side wall thereof protrusively from the side wall outward. The main body  3  has a cowling  4  as one example of a housing, and an air intake unit  5  housed in the cowling  4 . The main body  3  further has a tank cover  6 , which is configured to seal off the opening of the tank  2  and to support the air intake unit  5  of the main body  3 . The air intake unit  5  is disposed in the center of the opening of the tank  2 , supported and suspended by the tank cover  6 . The air intake unit  5  includes a motor  7 , and intake fans  8  which can be driven by the motor  7  to rotate. The tank cover  6  has intake holes  9  provided just beneath the intake fans  8  at the bottom of the air intake unit  5 . Denoted by reference numeral  10  is an air passage formed inside the main body  3  and communicating with the air intake unit  5 . Denoted by reference numeral  11  is a cloth filter shaped like a bag and configured to be held between the tank cover  6  and the opening of the tank  2  and to intercept dust or the like, which would otherwise flow from the inlet to the air intake unit  5  while causing air to pass therethrough. Denoted by reference numeral  12  are casters provided at the bottom of the tank  2 . 
     The cowling  4  is shaped like a box with a flat upper surface; at a side surface thereof, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a rotary switch  13  for an operation selector with a dial, an interlock power socket  14  with a cap, and other components are provided. To the interlock power socket  14 , a power cord of a power tool may be connected. At the center of an upper surface of the cowling  4 , a U-shaped handle  15  is provided with both end thereof rotatably joined to the cowling  4 . The handle  15  is configured to be rotatable between a retracted position (as indicated by solid lines in  FIG. 1 ) and a pull-out position (as indicated by dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ). The handle  15  in the retracted position is fitted in a recess  16  formed in the cowling  4  without projecting from the cowling  4 ; on this account, the recess  16  is contoured to fit the profile of the handle  15 . The handle  15  in the pull-out position stands at the center of the upper surface of the cowling  4 . 
     The main body  3  further has a hook  17  provided on a different side of the cowling  4  from the side of which the recess  16  is formed. The hook  17  is a plate member bent into a shape like a letter L, having a lower plate  18  and an upper plate  19 . The lower plate  18  has an outer surface curved to conform with the shape of the side surface of the cowling  4 . The upper plate  19  extends contiguously from an upper edge of the lower plate  18  in a direction perpendicular to the lower plate so as to form a hooked end portion, and has a flat outer surface, which conforms with the shape of the upper surface of the cowling  4 . On the inner surfaces of the lower plate  18  and the upper plate  19 , a plurality of ribs  20  are provided being parallel to one another along the inner surfaces of the both plates  18  and  19  at predetermined intervals. 
     At an outer surface of the cowling  4 , a trimmed portion  21  is provided which has a shape corresponding to that of the hook  17 . On two opposed outer sides of a lower end portion of the lower plate  18 , pins  22  are provided. On two opposed inside walls of the trimmed portion  21  (at the lower portion of the side wall of the housing), holding holes  23  for the pins  22  are provided. Accordingly, with the pins  22  fitted in the holding holes  23 , respectively, the hook  17  is rendered rotatable between a retracted position (as indicated by solid lines in  FIG. 1 ; see also  FIG. 3 ) and a pull-out position (as indicated by dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ; see also  FIG. 4 ). Here, the retracted position is the position in which the hook  17  is tilted toward the cowling  4  and completely stored in the trimmed portion, while the pull-out position is the position in which the hook  17  projects sideward from the cowling  4  with the upper plate  19  oriented upward. In this pull-out position, upper end faces of the upper plate  19  and the ribs  20  are positioned parallel to the upper surface of the cowling  4 , and kept slightly higher than that of the upper surface of the cowling  4 . 
     Denoted by reference numeral  24  is a finger notch which is a recessed portion formed at the center of the inner edge of the upper plate  19  and configured to allow a finger to be inserted therein so that the operation of rotating the hook  17  from the retracted position to the pull-out position can be performed with increased ease. 
     At the bottom of the recess  16  for receiving the handle  15  and at the bottom of the trimmed portion  21  for receiving the hook  17 , mounting screws  25  are provided, respectively, to mount the cowling  4  to the air intake unit  5  and the tank cover  6  by which the intake unit  5  is supported. These mounting screws  25  are arranged in such positions that they are hidden under the handle  15  and the hook  17  in their retracted positions while the mounting screws  25  are accessibly uncovered when the handle  15  and the hook  17  are in their pull-out positions. Therefore, when the cowling  4  needs to be removed for a repair of the air intake unit  5 , the mounting screws  25  can easily be uncovered and unfastened; thus, the handle  15  and the hook  17  would not impair its easy serviceability. 
     With the dust collector  1  configured as described above, in operation, when the rotary switch  13  is turned ON and the motor  7  starts driving the intake fans  8  to rotate, outside air is sucked through a hose or the like attached to the inlet of the tank  2  into the tank  2 , and passes through the filter  11 ; thereafter, the air having passed through the filter  11  is forwarded through the intake holes  9  to the air passage  10  inside the cowling  4 , and then discharged through an air outlet (not shown) provided in the cowling  4  to the outside. During this suction process, any dust or dirt in the sucked air is caught in the filter  11 , and stored in the tank  2 . Therefore, when the hose attached to the inlet of the tank  2  is connected to a power tool such as a circular saw, chips produced during the use of the power tool can be directly collected through the hose without being scattered. The hook  17  may be stored in the retracted position when the dust collector  1  is in operation, so that the hook  17  is completely embedded in the trimmed portion  21  without projecting from the cowling  4  as described above, thus would never obstruct the operation. 
     In cases for example where a circular saw  30  is connected to the dust collector  1  and put into operation, when an operator suspends the operation and wishes to temporarily put the circular saw  30  down, the hook  17  may be pulled out into the pull-out position so that the circular saw  30  can be placed on the dust collector  1  with a base  31  put on the upper surface of the cowling  4  and on the end face of the upper plate  19 . At that time, a safety cover  32  covering a saw blade which protrudes down below the base  31  fits in a space between the upper plate  19  of the hook  17  and the cowling  4 . In this way, the circular saw  30  can be temporarily placed on the upper side of the main body  3 . In particular, since the upper plate  19  protrudes upward beyond the upper surface of the cowling  4 , the base  31  is tilted with its upper plate  19  side lifted up to some extent, and thus the potential risk of that the circular saw  30  drops from the outside edge of the main body  3  is reduced. However, depending upon the type of the circular saw  30 , the circular saw  30  may be placed with the safety cover  32  put close to the cowling  4  and the majority portion of the base  31  may be laid on the upper surface of the cowling  4 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     On the other hand, the hook  17  may serve any purpose other than that of temporarily placing a circular saw or other power tool thereon; for example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , an end portion of the hose  33 , or other accessories such as a nozzle may be held between the upper plate  19  of the hook  17  and the cowling  4 . In this way, the end portion of the hose  33  wound around the periphery of the dust collector  1  with its end opposite to the end portion being retained attached to the inlet of the dust collector  1  can be held by the hook  17 , so that the hose  33  can be prevented from being untied and spread out. In particular, when the hose  33  is held by the hook  17 , the ribs  20  of the upper plate  19  engage with the bellows of the hose  33  so as to prevent a slip of the hose  33 ; thus, the hose  33  is held with high degree of reliability. It is to be understood that accessorial components which can be held by the hook  17  are not limited to the hose; for example, the power cord(s) for the dust collector  1  and/or the power tool may be looped and tied up so as to be held in the hook  17 . 
     As described above, in the dust collector  1  according to the present embodiment, the hook  17  capable of being manually operated to change a position thereof to one of the retracted position in which the hook  17  is completely embedded in the profile of the cowling  4  and the pull-out position in which the hook  17  projects sideward from the cowling  4  with the upper plate  19  oriented upward is provided in the cowling  4  of the main body  3 . Therefore, the power tool can be temporarily placed on the upper side of the main body  3  in a stable state, and thus the usability can be improved. Moreover, the hook  17  can be used to hold a hose or a cord, etc. Furthermore, the hook  17  in the retracted position provides a storage space inside, such that accessories can be stored therein, which is highly convenient and useful. 
     In this embodiment, particularly, the ribs  20  which extend parallel to one another in an upward and downward direction when the hook  17  is in the pull-out position are provided on the inner surface of upper plate  19  facing toward the cowling  4 . Therefore, the hook  17  is reinforced by the ribs  20 , so that the durability of the hook  17  is increased, and prevention of slipping or dropping of the hose  33  or other accessories may be expected. 
     Moreover, in this embodiment, the upper plate  19  of the hook  17  is configured to have a length such that the upper plate  19  is higher than the upper surface of the cowling  4  when the hook  17  is in the pull-out position. In this configuration, the circular saw  30  can be supported in a position with its outer side tilting upward to some extent, and thus the potential risk of that the circular saw  30  temporarily placed thereon slips off and drops down outside from the main body  3  can be reduced. 
     Further in this embodiment, the cowling  4  is shaped like a box with a flat upper surface, and the hook  17  has a plate member bent into a shape like a letter L, wherein the plate member has a lower end joined to the main body  3  at a lower portion of the side wall of the cowling  4  in a manner that permits the plate member to tilt downward and upward. The hook  17  is capable of being operated to rotate between the retracted position and the pull-out position. Therefore, the operation for moving (rotating) the hook  17  between the retracted position and the pull-out position can be performed with increased ease. 
     The hook may be designed differently from the specific configuration illustrated above; for example, the ribs may be omitted while the thickness of the hook may be increased, instead; and the pins may be provided at the cowling side and fitted in the holding holes provided in the hook. Although the hook is shaped like a letter L composed of the lower and the upper plates in the above-described embodiment, a pair of L-shaped bars may be provided of which midpoints are connected by a bar to form the shape of a letter H. As long as a power tool can be stably supported by the hook in the pull-out position, the configuration of the hook is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but may be modified according to the shape of the housing or the like. Although a single hook is provided in the above-described embodiment, a plurality of hooks may be provided.