Accessories for oscillating power tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10265778-B2
Application number	US-201715406940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2017
Priority date	Jan 16, 2017
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

An accessory for coupling to an oscillating power tool includes a working end portion and an attachment portion. The working end portion defines and extends along a working axis. The attachment portion is coupled to the working end portion and includes a top wall, a bottom wall spaced apart from the top wall, and a peripheral wall extending from the top wall to the bottom wall at least partially around the top wall to form at least a portion of a polygonal shape. A generally U-shaped opening is defined in the top wall, extends along an attachment axis at an angle to the working axis, has a central portion at a center of the attachment portion, and is open to a gap in the peripheral wall. A plurality of radial openings is defined in the top wall and arranged between the U-shaped opening and the peripheral wall. The peripheral wall, the U-shaped opening, and the plurality of radial openings are configured to couple the attachment portion to at least two different configurations of accessory attachment mechanisms on different oscillating power tools.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory for coupling to an attachment mechanism of an oscillating power tool, the accessory comprising:
a working end portion defining and extending along a working axis and configured to perform an operation on a workpiece; and
an attachment portion coupled to the working end portion, the attachment portion including: (a) a top wall; (b) a bottom wall spaced apart from the top wall; (c) a peripheral wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, partially around the top wall, to form at least a portion of a polygonal shape with a gap in the peripheral wall; (d) a generally U-shaped opening defined in the top wall, the U-shaped opening extending along an attachment axis at an angle to the working axis, having a central portion at a center of the attachment portion, and open to the gap in the peripheral wall; and (e) a plurality of radial openings defined in the top wall and arranged between the U-shaped opening and the peripheral wall,
wherein the peripheral wall, the U-shaped opening, and the plurality of radial openings are configured to couple the attachment portion to at least two different configurations of accessory attachment mechanisms on different brands of oscillating power tools.

2. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the radial openings extend in a direction radially outward from the central portion.

3. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of radial openings are spaced equiangularly in a circumferential direction around the central portion.

4. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of radial openings includes a first plurality of radial openings in communication with the central portion of the U-shaped opening and a second plurality of radial openings not in communication with the U-shaped opening.

5. The accessory of claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of radial openings includes a first radial arm slot extending from the central portion along the working axis, a second radial arm slot extending from the central opening at approximately 90° from the working axis, and a third radial arm slot extending from the central opening at approximately 180° from the working axis.

6. The accessory of claim 5 , wherein the second plurality of radial openings includes a first pair of radial openings spaced radially from the central portion and between the first and second radial arm slots, and a second pair of radial openings spaced radially from the central portion and between the second and third radial arm slots.

7. The accessory of claim 6 , wherein the second plurality of openings further includes a third pair of radial openings spaced radially from the central portion between the first radial arm slot and the U-shaped opening.

8. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the attachment axis is at an obtuse angle to the working axis.

9. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the obtuse angle is between approximately 120 degrees and approximately 150 degrees.

10. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral wall comprises a plurality of sidewalls that form the at least a portion of the polygonal shape.

11. The accessory of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls form at least a portion of a star shape, with adjacent sidewalls joined to form outer vertices and inner vertices of the at least a portion of the star shape.

12. The accessory of claim 11 , wherein each of outer vertices is aligned with one of the radial openings.

13. The accessory of claim 11 , wherein the portion of a star shape comprises a portion of a 12-pointed star.

14. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein each sidewall is inclined inward from the bottom wall toward the top wall at an angle.

15. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein each sidewall is substantially perpendicular to the top wall and to the bottom wall.

16. An accessory configured to be coupled to a first attachment mechanism of a first oscillating power tool that includes a central projection and plurality of circumferentially spaced projections radially outward from the central projection, and configured to be coupled to a second attachment mechanism of a second oscillating power tool having two opposed legs that are radially expandable along a tool axis and a circumferential wall having an internal polygonal shape, the accessory comprising:
a working portion defining and extending along a working axis and configured to perform an operation on a workpiece; and
an attachment portion coupled to the working portion, the attachment portion including: (a) a top wall; (b) a bottom wall spaced apart from the bottom wall; (c) a peripheral wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall and partially around the top wall to form at least a portion a polygonal shape with a gap in the peripheral wall, where the polygonal shape of the peripheral wall corresponds to the polygonal shape of the second attachment mechanism; (d) a generally U-shaped opening defined in the top wall, the U-shaped opening extending along an attachment axis at an obtuse angle to the working axis, having a central portion at a center of the attachment portion, and open to the gap in the peripheral wall; and (e) a plurality of radial openings defined in the top wall and arranged between the U-shaped opening and the peripheral wall,
wherein the obtuse angle and the radial openings are arranged so that the U-shaped opening receives the central projection and at least a portion of the radial openings receive at least a portion of the projections when the attachment portion is coupled to the first oscillating power tool, and
wherein the obtuse angle and the peripheral wall are arranged so that both of the opposed legs of the second oscillating power tool engage at least a portion of the top wall and the circumferential wall engages the peripheral wall when the attachment portion is retained in the second oscillating power tool with the working axis aligned with or perpendicular to the tool axis.

17. The accessory of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of radial openings includes a first plurality of radial openings in communication with the central portion of the U-shaped opening and a second plurality of radial openings not in communication with the U-shaped opening.

18. The accessory of claim 16 , wherein the peripheral wall comprises a plurality of sidewalls that form a portion of a star shape, with adjacent sidewalls joined to form outer vertices and inner vertices of the portion of the star shape.

19. The accessory of claim 16 , wherein the U-shaped opening and the plurality of radial openings are arranged so that the attachment portion can be coupled to a third attachment mechanism of a third oscillating power tool.

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Kaye Jr Thomas R
• Nohr Bradley J

Classifications

• B26D7/2621 Primary

  for circular cutters · CPC title

• B24B23/04

  with oscillating grinding tools; Accessories therefor · CPC title

• B27B19/006

  with oscillating saw blades; Hand saws with oscillating saw blades · CPC title

• B23B31/10 Primary

  characterised by the retaining or gripping devices or their immediate operating means · CPC title

• B23D61/006

  Oscillating saw blades · CPC title