Patent Publication Number: US-2006005682-A1

Title: Support assembly for benchtop tools

Description:
REFERENCE TO CROSS-RELATED APPLICATION  
      The present application derives priority under 35 USC § 119(e) from U.S. Patent Application No. 60/586,482, filed Jul. 7, 2004. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to a support assembly for benchtop tools and more specifically to a folding support assembly for table and/or miter saws.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Benchtop tools, such as table saws, miter saws, etc., tend to be big and bulky. Therefore, they may be difficult to transport from jobsite to jobsite, as well as around the jobsite. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an enhanced support assembly to assist in such transportation.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with the present invention, an improved support assembly is employed. The power tool has a base assembly, a table supported by the base assembly, a saw assembly supported by the table, a first leg pivotally connected to the base assembly, and a locking mechanism for fixing the position of the first leg relative to the base assembly, wherein the base assembly has at least one channel for receiving the first leg when the first leg is locked.  
      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  is a side view of a miter saw with a support assembly according to the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a table saw with a support assembly according to the invention;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a first embodiment of the support assembly; and  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a second embodiment of the support assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The invention is now described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals designate like parts. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a miter saw may include a base assembly  10 , a table  11  supported by base assembly  10 , and a saw assembly  20  supported by the table  11 . Saw assembly  20  may include a trunnion  21  disposed on the table  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 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that saw assembly  20  can be pivoted downwardly towards table  11  to cut a workpiece placed on table  11 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , a table saw may include a base assembly  10 , a table  11  supported by base assembly  10 , and a saw assembly  20  supported by and disposed underneath the table  11 . Saw assembly  20  includes a blade  23  extending through the table  11 , so that a user can dispose a workpiece on table  11  and push it towards blade  23  for cutting.  
      Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the power tool shown in  FIGS. 1-2  may be the same power tool, i.e., a combination table and miter saw. Such power tool may have table  11  pivotally attached to base assembly  10  via joint  15  so that, when the table  11  is in one orientation, the saw assembly  20  can act as a miter saw, and when the table  11  is rotated via joint  15  to the other orientation, the power tool can act as a table saw. Nonetheless, persons skilled in the art will recognize that the invention described below can be applicable to non-combined miter saws and non-combined table saws, as well as to other tools.  
      Preferably, base assembly  10  has at least one wheel  13  thereon.  
      Base assembly  10  may also support four leg assemblies  30 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , two leg assemblies  30  may be disposed on the base assembly  10  near wheel(s)  13 , whereas two other leg assemblies  30  may be disposed on the base assembly  10  away from wheel(s)  13 .  
      Preferably leg assemblies  30  are pivotally attached to base assembly  10 .  FIG. 3  shows a first embodiment of leg assembly  30 . Leg assembly  30  may include a leg  31  which may be disposed against base assembly  10  and is preferably hollow, a bracket  32  disposed on leg  31 , and a bolt  33  which extends through bracket  32 , leg  31 , and base assembly  10 .  
      A knob  34  may threadingly engage bolt  33  on the other side of base assembly  10 , locking the leg  31  in the desired position. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that it is preferable to provide a key  33 K on bolt  33  that can engage a keyed hole on bracket  32  or leg  31  (see, e.g., hole  32 H in  FIG. 4 ), to prevent rotation of bolt  33  when knob  34  is rotated.  
      An alternate leg assembly  30  is shown in  FIG. 4 , where like numerals refer to like parts. The main difference is that bolt  33  is inserted into one side of base assembly  10 , extends on the other side through leg  31 , bracket  32 , and threadingly engages knob  34 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that key  33 K on bolt  33  preferably engages a keyed hole on base assembly  10  to prevent rotation of bolt  33  when knob  34  is rotated.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 3-4 , base assembly  10  preferably has at least one groove or channel  10 C which receives leg  31  therein when leg  31  is locked by the rotation of knob  34 . Such channel  10 C maintains leg  31  in place. Preferably, base assembly  10  has multiple channels  10 C to provide for multiple positions of leg  31  relative to base assembly  10 .  
      With such arrangement, all legs  31  can be disposed downwardly (as shown in solid lines in  FIGS. 1-2 ) for use of the power tool in an elevated position.  
      Similarly, all legs  31  can be folded into base assembly  10 . In such position, the user can place the power tool on the ground and use it in a lowered position. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the base assembly  10  may have feet  12  to support the power tool on the ground. Preferably feet  12  are made of rubber or any other non-slip material.  
      Alternatively, the user may fold legs  31  away from wheel(s)  13 , so that the legs  31  closest to wheel(s)  13  are within base assembly  10 , whereas the legs  31  farthest from wheel(s)  13  extend beyond base assembly  10 . In such position, a user can use the legs  31  extending beyond base assembly  10  as handles. The user can then lift such legs so that wheel(s)  13  contact the ground and the power tool can be moved in a manner similar to a wheel barrow.  
      Legs  31  may also be folded so that all legs  31  extend beyond base assembly  10 . In this manner, two users can each lift a pair of legs  31  and carry the power tool in a manner similar to a stretcher.  
      Persons skilled in the art can see the different positions of legs  31  (other than the downwardly-extending position) in broken lines on  FIGS. 1-2 .  
      Persons skilled in the art may recognize other additions or alternatives to the means disclosed herein. However, all these additions and/or alterations are considered to be equivalents of the present invention.