Patent Publication Number: US-6904635-B2

Title: Saw-mounted deburring product

Description:
The invention is a deburring product that is mounted to a saw and, when in use, has an orientation that allows deburring after cutting without reorientation of the saw. When using a saw to cut an object, the object often requires deburring to remove ragged bits of material left by the saw. By mounting the deburring product to the saw, the deburring product is easily accessible to the cut object after cutting. Furthermore, the position and orientation of the deburring product enable a person to cut and debur while minimizing possibly harmful, repetitive hand and arm motions. 

   
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the deburring product. 
       FIG. 2  is a view across line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the deburring product. 
       FIG. 4  is a view across line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the deburring product. 
       FIG. 6  is a view across line  6 — 6  of FIG.  5 . 
   

   Cutting conduit, pipe, and other objects in the field is a regular practice for electricians and various tradespeople. After cutting, a cut object is often left with burrs around the periphery of the cut surface. The burrs can cause damage to electric wires, injury to a person handling the cut object, and impede assembly of the cut object with other fittings. In order to prevent these problems, the burrs are often removed using specialized deburring tools and other implements, such as pliers. 
   A typical method for cutting objects in the field involves a person gripping the object in one hand and cutting the object using a saw gripped in their other hand. The deburring product is mounted rigidly to the saw so that the deburring product is easily accessible to the cut object after cutting. The deburring product is oriented so that the cut object, after cutting, is substantially in the requisite position for deburring. Only the small translation of the cut object from the cutting position to the deburring position is required to facilitate deburring. Because of its convenient mounting position and unique orientation, cutting and deburring with the deburring product can be accomplished using minimal motion of the hands and limbs. 
   The deburring product in use is mounted rigidly to a saw. The saw has a handle and a blade. Some types of saws may not have distinctly defined handles, such as small circular saws that can be held by placing a hand around the motor housing. The handle, here and throughout, is defined as the part of the saw that is gripped by the hand when the saw is in use. 
   The saw is adapted to cut substantially in a cutting plane. Relative motion between the blade and the cut object removes material from the cut object. The motion of the blade as it moves through the cut object defines the cutting plane. The saw has a long axis that is in the cutting plane. The saw has a normal axis that is in the cutting plane and is orthogonal to the long axis. The saw has a lateral axis that is orthogonal to both the long axis and the normal axis. In  FIG. 1 , for example, the long axis  71  is in the cutting plane, the normal axis  73  is in the cutting plane and orthogonal to the long axis  71 , and the lateral axis  72  is orthogonal to the long axis  71  and the normal axis  73 . 
   The deburring product can be mounted to various types of saws, including manual and motor-driven saws. Motor-driven saws include reciprocating and circular saws where the motor moves the saw blade in a cutting motion with respect to the saw handle. 
   The saw can be a hacksaw as shown in FIG.  1 . The hacksaw has a frame  81 , a blade  82 , and a handle  83 . In use the blade  82  moves in a reciprocating motion along the long axis  71 . As the blade reciprocates along the long axis, each pass removes material from a cut object  91  substantially in the direction of the normal axis  73 . In use the blade moves through the cut object substantially along the normal axis and perpendicular to the long axis. The long axis and the normal axis are in the cutting plane. 
   In some saws the blade position can be changed from the ordinary position to enable cutting in confined spaces and around obstructions. For example, in  FIG. 1  the blade  82  is shown in the ordinary position. However, the blade can be rotated with respect to the frame  81  to provide additional clearance when cutting a conduit that is close to the ceiling. The cutting plane, here and throughout, is defined by the ordinary position of the saw blade. 
   The saw can be a circular saw. The circular saw has a circular blade that rotates with respect to the handle. In use, as the circular blade rotates, the blade motion removes material from the cut object substantially tangentially to circular blade periphery. In use the circular blade moves through the cut object substantially in a cutting plane. 
   The circular saw has a long axis that is in the cutting plane. The circular saw has a normal axis that is in the cutting plane and orthogonal to the long axis. The circular saw has a lateral axis that is orthogonal to both the long axis and the normal axis. 
   Alternatively, the saw can be a motor-driven reciprocating saw. The motor-driven reciprocating saw can have a blade that moves in a reciprocating motion along a long axis with respect to the saw handle. Each pass of the blade removes material from a cut object substantially in the direction of a normal axis. The normal axis is orthogonal to the long axis. Both the long axis and the normal axis are in a cutting plane. The saw has a lateral axis that is orthogonal to both the long axis and the normal axis. 
   In use the deburring product moves with the saw handle. This is especially important when the blade moves independently of the handle, such as when the saw is motor-driven. The deburring action is performed using hand motions and requires the deburring product to be moved by hand rather than by a motor. 
   The deburring product comprises a deburring implement. The deburring implement is adapted to debur a periphery that is formed by the saw blade moving in the cutting plane through the cut object. The periphery is substantially in a cut plane. The periphery can be around the object outer surface. When the object is hollow, such as a pipe and a conduit, the periphery can be around the inner surface. 
   The deburring implement has a deburring axis that is substantially perpendicular to the cut plane. To debur a cut object, the periphery is placed in contact with the deburring implement. The cut object can be rotated about an axis parallel to the deburring axis to remove the burrs. Alternatively, the deburring implement can be rotated about an axis parallel to the deburring axis. Alternatively, the deburring implement and the cut object can be simultaneously counter-rotated about an axis parallel to the deburring axis. 
   The deburring implement can be an inside deburrer. The inside deburrer is adapted to deburring an inner periphery of a hollow cut object. 
   The deburring implement can be an outside deburrer. The outside deburrer is adapted to debur an outer periphery of a cut object. 
   The deburring implement can have both an inside deburring component for deburring an inner periphery, and an outside deburring component for deburring an outer periphery. 
   A deburring implement that is an inside deburrer is shown in FIG.  1 . The inside deburrer  11  can have an inside plurality of inside edges, such as the inside edge  12 . The inside edges  12  are positioned around a deburring axis  72  and the inside edges are facing outwards from the deburring axis 
   The inside deburrer  11  has inside edges inclined towards the deburring axis. This position and inclination facilitates deburring cut objects with various inside diameters. The inside edges can be positioned in various patterns around the deburring axis, such as patterns that facilitate deburring non-circular cut objects. The inside deburrer can have additional edges that provide various functions such as clearing deburred fragments from the inside deburrer. 
   The inside edges can be straight as shown in FIG.  1 . Alternatively, the inside edges can have various shapes such as curved, angled, stepped, and combinations thereof. The inside edges can be inclined as shown in FIG.  1 . Alternatively, the inside edges can be inclined at various angles with respect to the deburring axis. The inside edges can be formed or machined into the surface of the deburring implement. The inside edges can be removable and replaceable. The inside edges can comprise abrasive particles. 
   A deburring implement that is an outside deburrer is shown in FIG.  1 . The outside deburrer  21  can have an outside plurality of outside edges, such as the outside edge  22 . The outside edges are positioned around a deburring axis  74  and are facing inwards to the deburring axis. The outside deburrer  21  has outside edges inclined towards the deburring axis. This position and inclination facilitates deburring cut objects with various outside diameters. The outside edges can be positioned in various patterns around the deburring axis, such as patterns that facilitate deburring non-circular cut objects. The outside deburrer can have additional edges that provide various functions such as clearing deburred fragments from the outside deburrer. 
   The outside edges can be straight as shown in FIG.  1 . The outside edges can have various shapes such as curved, angled, stepped, and combinations thereof. The outside edges can be inclined as shown in FIG.  1 . Alternatively, the outside edges can be inclined at various angles with respect to the deburring axis. The outside edges can be formed or machined into the surface of the deburring implement. The outside edges can be removable and replaceable. The outside edges can comprise abrasive particles. 
   A deburring implement comprising an inside deburring component  11 A and an outside deburring component  21 A is shown in FIG.  3 . Inside deburrers and inside deburring components can have similar inside edge characteristics. Inside deburrers can be interchangeable with inside deburring components. Outside deburrers and outside deburring components can have similar outside edge characteristics. Outside deburrers can be interchangeable with outside deburring components. 
   Inside deburrers and inside deburring components can have various numbers of inside edges such as two, three, four, or more inside edges. In  FIG. 3 , the inside deburring component  11 A has eight inside edges  12 A regularly arranged in four groups of two edges each. The four groups are equally, circularly spaced. With this inside edge arrangement, the cut object can be deburred by holding the cut surface in contact with the inside edges and rotating the cut object around the deburring axis less than one quarter revolution with respect to the inside deburring component. In  FIG. 1  the inside deburrer  11  has ten inside edges  12  regularly arranged in five groups of two edges each. The five groups are equally, circularly spaced. Inside deburrers and inside deburring components can have inside edges in various arrangements, such as irregular, symmetric, asymmetric and combinations thereof. 
   Outside deburrers and outside deburring components can have various numbers of outside edges such as two, three, four, or more outside edges. In  FIG. 3 , the outside deburring component  21 A has eight outside edges  22 A regularly arranged in four groups of two edges each. The four groups are equally, circularly spaced. In  FIG. 1 , the outside deburrer  21  has ten outside edges  22  regularly arranged in five groups of two edges each. The five groups are equally, circularly spaced. Outside deburrers and outside deburring components can have outside edges in various arrangements, such as irregular, symmetric, asymmetric and combinations thereof. 
   The largest circular distance between any two adjacent inside edges determines the amount of rotation required to debur the cut object. An inside deburrer and an inside deburring component with fewer inside edges can require a greater rotation to achieve deburring. An inside deburrer and an inside deburring component with irregular inside edge spacing can require greater rotation to achieve deburring. In use, inside deburrers and inside deburring components requiring less rotation to debur can cause less physical stress and fewer repetitive motion injuries than inside deburrers and inside deburring components requiring more rotation to debur. Similarly, the number and spacing of the outside edges of outside deburrers and outside deburring components can affect the rotation required for deburring. 
   In use the saw cuts through a cut object such as  91  and  91 A substantially along the cutting plane. The saw forms a periphery  93 A around the cut object that is substantially in a cut plane. In this example, the cut object  91 A is hollow and the periphery  93 A is around the inner surface. During cutting and immediately after cutting, before the cut object is moved away from the saw, the cut plane containing the periphery  93 A is parallel to the cutting plane of the saw and perpendicular to the deburring axis of the deburring implement. In this example, the deburring implement is the inside deburrer  11  with the deburring axis  72 . To remove the burrs from the periphery  93 A, the cut object is moved to the deburring implement while keeping the cut plane parallel to the cutting plane. When positioned for deburring, a circular cut object will contact the deburring implement along a deburring plane  75  that is substantially parallel to the cutting plane. 
   The cut object  91  has an object axis  92 . The cut object  91 A has an object axis  92 A. In use the deburring axis  72  is substantially parallel to the object axis  92 A of the cut object  91 A during cutting and during deburring. The transition of the cut object from the cutting position to the deburring position requires only the small translation from the blade to the deburring implement. The person can transport the cut object from the cutting position to the deburring position with minimal flexion and minimal rotation of hands, wrists, and elbows. 
   The deburring product can be mounted rigidly to the saw via various mounting methods, such as standard fasteners and specialized mounting means. Mounting rigidly requires the deburring product be fixed in place and rotation with respect to the handle. 
   The deburring implement can be mounted rigidly to the saw by being mounted to a mounting fixture that is mounted to the saw. 
   The mounting fixture can comprise an inside mounting component. An inside deburring component can be mounted rigidly to the saw by being mounted to the inside mounting component that is mounted to the saw. 
   The mounting fixture can comprise an outside mounting component. An outside deburring component can be mounted rigidly to the saw by being mounted to the outside mounting component that is mounted to the saw. 
   The inside mounting component and the outside mounting component can be separate and interchangeable. 
   Other mounting means such as welding, adhesive-bonding, rivets and combinations thereof can be used provided they meet the requirements of mounting the deburring product rigidly to the saw with a deburring axis of the deburring implement perpendicular to the cutting plane and with the deburring implement moving with the handle. 
   In  FIG. 1 , the outside deburrer  21  is mounted via a threaded fastener  62  passing through the outside deburrer substantially along the deburring axis  74 . The threaded fastener engages a tapped hole  24  in the saw frame  81 . Similarly, the inside deburrer  11  is mounted via a threaded fastener  61 . Alternatively, threaded fasteners can penetrate through-holes in the saw frame and then engage nuts to rigidly clamp on the saw frame. The deburring implement can be mounted via various off-the-shelf and specialty fasteners. 
   Alternatively, in FIG.  5  and  FIG. 6 , the inside deburrer  11 B having inside edges  12 B, is mounted to a bracket fixture  51  that mounts rigidly to the saw frame  81 . The inside deburrer is mounted to the bracket fixture via a setscrew  53  that engages a bracket tapped hole and a deburrer tapped hole  13 B. The bracket fixture is penetrated by a bracket mounting screw  52  that engages a mounting tapped hole  14 B in the inside deburrer. When the bracket mounting screw is tightened it rigidly mounts the bracket fixture to the saw frame by clamping the bracket fixture to the frame. 
   Alternatively, in FIG.  3  and  FIG. 4 , the inside deburring component  11 A and the outside deburring component  21 A are mounted to a dual fixture  31 . The outside deburring component  21 A is seated in the outside rabbet  32 . The outside fastener  62 A passes through the outside deburring component  21 A and engages the dual outside tapped hole  34 . Similarly, the inside deburring component  11 A is seated in the inside rabbet  33 . The inside fastener  61 A passes through the inside deburring component  11 A and engages the dual inside tapped hole. A dual fixture setscrew  35  engages the rear tapped hole  36  and rigidly mounts the dual fixture to the saw frame by capturing the frame within the dual fixture. 
   The deburring product can be manufactured using various processes such as machining, forming, casting, fabricating, and combinations thereof. In  FIG. 3  the inside deburring component  11 A and outside deburring component  21 A are machined from solid metal stock. In  FIG. 1  the inside deburrer  11  and outside deburrer  21  are formed from sheet metal stock. The deburring implement, mounting fixture, saw, and combinations thereof can be manufactured as a single unit. The deburring implement, mounting fixture, saw, and combinations thereof can be manufactured as multiple units in combinations not described here. 
   The deburring product can be a kit comprising deburring implement and a mounting fixture for rigidly mounting the deburring implement to a hacksaw frame. The mounting fixture orients the deburring implement so that a deburring axis is substantially perpendicular to the cutting plane.