Patent Publication Number: US-10315338-B2

Title: Foldable water tray for tile cutter

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to tile cutter technology, and more particularly, to a foldable water tray used in a tile cutter. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Since tiles are brittle, regular cutting tools cannot be used for cutting tiles. For cutting tiles, a specially designed tile cutter must be used. When operating a tile cutter to cut a tile, it is necessary to spray water over the tile being cut. Although spraying water over the tile being cut can, on the one hand, cool the temperature of the cutter blade, on the other hand, the spraying of water wets dust to stop dust from flying in the air, avoiding the user from excessive inhalation of dust which causes discomfort. 
     In order to prevent water from splashing during the cutting operation, a water retaining shell can be provided at the back side relative to the cutter blade. However, according to the conventional design, this water retaining shell is not collapsible, and thus, when the tile cutter is not used, the water retaining shell still occupies a large amount of storage space. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been developed in view of the above circumstances. It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a foldable water tray for a tile cutter, which is collapsible and able to be accommodated to save space when not used. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a foldable water tray comprises a water tank, a first tray and a second tray. The water tank contains therein a water chamber. The first tray is mounted at one end of the water tank, and movable relative to the water tank between an application position where the first tray is disposed outside the water chamber and a storage position where the first tray is disposed inside the water chamber. Further, the first tray comprises a first water retaining surface. The second tray is pivotally connected to the first tray, and biasable relative to the first tray between an extended position and a collapsed position. The second tray comprises a second water retaining surface. When the second tray is disposed in the extended position, the second water retaining surface defines with the first water retaining surface of the first tray a predetermined contained angle so that the first tray and the second tray can jointly provide a water retaining effect. When the second tray is disposed in the collapsed position, the second water retaining surface of the second tray covers the first water retaining surface of the first tray so that the second tray can be moved with the first tray between the application position and the storage position. 
     Preferably, the first tray further comprises at least one slot cut through the first water retaining surface, and at least one elastic protruding portion located at the first water retaining surface and respectively disposed to face toward the at least one slot. Preferably, the second tray further comprises at least one bearing protrusion located at a bottom side thereof opposite to the second water retaining surface and adapted for abutment against the at least one elastic protruding portion of the first tray to support the second tray in the extended position. The elastic design of the at least one elastic protruding portion of the first tray can create a certain space for allowing the second tray to be biased downwards so that the workpiece can be smoothly cut regardless of the interference of the second tray. 
     Preferably, the water tank comprises a first stop flange located in the water chamber. Preferably, the first tray further comprises a second stop flange located at one end thereof for engagement with the first stop flange of the water to hold the first tray in the application position and preventing separation of the first tray from the water tank. 
     Preferably, the first water retaining surface of the first tray slopes downwards toward the water chamber of the water tank so that the first water retaining surface of the first tray can effectively guide water into the water chamber of the water tank. 
     Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an oblique top elevational view of a tile cutter equipped with a foldable water tray in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of a part of the tile cutter shown in  FIG. 1 , illustrating the first tray in the application position and the second tray in the extended position. 
         FIG. 3  is an oblique top elevational view of a part of the present invention, illustrating the first tray and the second tray coupled together. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a part of the present invention, illustrating the bearing protrusions of the second tray abutted against the elastic protruding portions of the first tray. 
         FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 3 , illustrating the second tray in the collapsed position. 
         FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 2 , illustrating the first tray in the application position and the second tray in the collapsed position. 
         FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7 , illustrating the first tray in the storage position. 
         FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 1 , illustrating the first tray in the storage position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the tile cutter, referenced by  10  generally comprises a stand  12 , a sawing device  14 , and a worktable  16 . Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the invention provides a foldable water tray  20  for use in the tile cutter  10 . The foldable water tray  20  comprises a water tank  30 , a first tray  40  and a second tray  50 . The stand  12  is mounted at a bottom side of the water tank  30 . The sawing device  14  is disposed at one lateral side relative to the water tank  30  above the elevation of the water tank  30 . The worktable  16  is slidably mounted on two parallel rails  18  at a front side relative to the sawing device  14  so that the worktable  16  can be moved back and forth relative to the sawing device  14 . Since some of the features of the tile cutter  10  is of the known art, in order to save space, some of the detailed structures and operating principle of the tile cutter  10  are not discussed in detail. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the water tank  30  comprises a water chamber  32 , an opening  34  located at one end thereof in communication with the water chamber  32 , two first stop flanges  36  respectively located at respective top edges of two opposite inner sidewalls thereof, and two first positioning protrusions  38  respectively disposed above the first stop flanges  36 . 
     The first tray  40  is mounted in the opening  34  of the water tank  30 , and movable relative to the water tank  30  between an application position P 1  outside the water chamber  32  (see  FIG. 2 ) and a storage position P 2  inside the water chamber  32  (see  FIG. 8 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the first tray  40  comprises a grip  41  located at an outer end thereof for operation by the user to move the first tray  40  between the application position P 1  and the storage position P 2 , a first water retaining surface  42  sloping downwards toward the water chamber  32  of the water tank  30  for guiding water toward the inside of the water chamber  32  of the water tank  30 , three slots  43  cut through the first water retaining surface  42  and transversely arranged in line near the outer end that is equipped with the grip  41 , three elastic protruding portions  44  respectively disposed to face toward the three slots  43 , and a second stop flange  45  extended along one end of the first water retaining surface  42  remote from the grip  41  and curved downwards for engaging the first stop flanges  36  of the water tank  30  to hold the first tray  40  in the application position P 1  shown in  FIG. 2  and to prohibit separation of the first tray  40  from the water tank  30 . Referring to  FIG. 3  again, the first tray  40  further comprises two second positioning protrusions  46  and two third positioning protrusions  47  respectively located at two opposite lateral sides thereof. When the first tray  40  is in the application position P 1  shown in  FIG. 2 , the second positioning portions  46  of the first tray  40  are respectively forced into engagement of the respective first positioning protrusions  38  of the water tank  30 . When the first tray  40  is in the storage position P 2  shown in  FIG. 8 , the third positioning portions  47  of the first tray  40  are respectively forced into engagement of the respective first positioning protrusions  38  of the water tank  30 . Thus, the user needs to overcome the engagement force between the first positioning protrusions  38  and the second positioning portions  46  so as to further push the first tray  40  inwardly to the storage position P 2 . Similarly, the user needs to overcome the engagement force between the first positioning protrusions  38  and the third positioning portions  47  so as to pull the first tray  40  outwardly to the application position Pl. Subject to the design of the second positioning portions  46  and the third positioning portions  47 , the first tray  40  can be held in the application position P 1  or the storage position P 2  positively, and will not be accidentally pulled outwards or pushed inwards. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the protrusions  46  and  47  may have a height for passing by the first positioning protrusion  38  and/or the first positioning protrusion or the first tray  40  are flexible. 
     The second tray  50  comprises a second water retaining surface  51 , and a bearing protrusion  52  located at a bottom side thereof opposite to the second water retaining surface  51  (see  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 ). Further, the second tray  50  has one end thereof pivotally connected to the first tray  40  near the grip  41  by two pivot pins  53 , and thus, the second tray  50  can be biased relative to the first tray  40  between an extended position P 3  and a collapsed position P 4 . When the second tray  50  is in the extended position P 3 , the bearing protrusion  52  of the second tray  50  is abutted against the elastic protruding portions  44  of the first tray  40  (see  FIG. 5 ), and thus, a predetermined contained angle (for example, between 90-175 degrees, and preferably between 120-135 degrees) is defined between the second water retaining surface  51  of the second tray  50  and the first water retaining surface  42  of the first tray  40 . When the second tray  50  is in the collapsed position P 4 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , the second water retaining surface  51  of the second tray  50  covers the first water retaining surface  42  of the first tray  40 , allowing the second tray  50  to be carried by the first tray  40  between the application position P 1  and the storage position P 2 . 
     In actual operation, the grip  41  of the first tray  40  is operable to pull the first tray  40  from the storage position P 2  shown in  FIG. 8  to the application position P 1  shown in  FIG. 7 , and then the second tray  50  is able to be turned upwards from the collapsed position P 4  shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  to the extended position P 3  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . At this time, the user can control a water supply device (not shown) to spray water over the workpiece under the cutting operation. 
     In the process of spraying water over the workpiece, the first water retaining surface  42  of the first tray  40  and the second water retaining surface  51  of the second tray  50  are used to prevent or minimize water splashing from the tile cutter, as shown in  FIG. 2 , where the water drops that are retained by the first water retaining surface  42  of the first tray  40  can flow along the first water retaining surface  42  of the first tray  40  to the inside of the water chamber  32  of the water tank  30 , and the water drops that are retained by the second water retaining surface  51  of the second tray  50  can flow along the second water retaining surface  51  of the second tray  50  to the first water retaining surface  42  of the first tray  40  and then to the inside of the water chamber  32  of the water tank  30 . Thus, the water sprayed from the water supply device can be recycled and reused. 
     After the water spraying process is ended, the second tray  50  is able to be turned downwardly from the extended position P 3  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  to the collapsed position P 4  shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , and then the grip  41  of the first tray  40  is operable to push the first tray  40  inwardly from the application position P 1  shown in  FIG. 7  to the storage position P 2  shown in  FIG. 8 , enabling the first tray  40  and the second tray  50  to be received inside the water chamber  32  of the water tank  30 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , and thus, the first tray  40  and the second tray  50  are able to be positioned to accommodate a saving of space. 
     Additionally, when cutting a long workpiece that touches the second tray  50  during the cutting operation, the elastic design of the elastic protruding portions  44  of the first tray  40  can create a certain space for allowing the second tray  50  to be biased downwards so that the workpiece can be smoothly cut regardless of the interference of the second tray  50 . 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.