Saw height adjustment mechanism having a flexible shaft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10695847-B2
Application number	US-201815948725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2018
Priority date	Apr 9, 2018
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A table saw includes a table assembly having a top surface, a cutting assembly, and an adjustment assembly. The cutting assembly is arranged below the table assembly and is movable relative to the top surface. The adjustment assembly is operably connected to the cutting assembly and includes an input member, an output member, and a flexible shaft. The output member is operably connected to the cutting assembly and is configured such that rotation of the output member causes the cutting assembly to move relative to the table top surface. The flexible shaft has a nonlinear central axis, a first end operably connected to the input member, and a second end operably connected to the output member. The flexible shaft is configured such that rotation of the input member causes rotation of the first and second ends, and rotation of the second end causes rotation of the output member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A table saw, comprising:
a table assembly having a table top surface that defines a blade opening;
a cutting assembly arranged below the table assembly and configured to be movable relative to the table top surface, the cutting assembly including a motor; and
a height adjustment assembly operably connected to the cutting assembly, the height adjustment assembly comprising:
an input member;
an output member operably connected to the cutting assembly and configured such that rotation of the output member causes the cutting assembly to move relative to the table top surface; and
a flexible shaft having a nonlinear central axis, a first end operably connected to the input member, and a second end operably connected to the output member, the flexible shaft configured such that rotation of the input member causes rotation of the first end and the second end of the flexible shaft, and rotation of the second end of the flexible shaft causes rotation of the output member,
wherein the input member is arranged near the table top surface and above the output member and the motor.

2. The table saw of claim 1 , wherein:
rotation of the input member causes rotation of the first end of the flexible shaft about a first rotational axis; and
rotation of flexible shaft causes rotation of the second end of the flexible shaft about a second rotational axis.

3. The table saw of claim 2 , wherein the first rotational axis is oblique to the second rotational axis.

4. The table saw of claim 2 , wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis do not intersect.

5. The table saw of claim 2 , further comprising:
a bevel adjustment member configured to adjust a bevel angle of the cutting assembly, wherein the first rotational axis is spaced apart from the bevel adjustment member.

6. The table saw of claim 2 , further comprising:
a base frame defining an enclosure space in which the cutting assembly is arranged,
wherein the input member protrudes outside of the enclosure space.

7. The table saw of claim 6 , wherein the height adjustment assembly includes an adjustment wheel operably connected to the input member and located outside of the enclosure space, the height adjustment wheel configured for manual operation to rotate the input member.

8. The table saw of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the flexible shaft is fixedly attached to the input member and the second end is fixedly attached to the output member.

9. The table saw of claim 1 , wherein the cutting assembly includes a translation member operably connected to the output member and configured to convert the rotation of the output member into translational movement of the cutting assembly.

10. The table saw of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexible shaft includes:
a central wire extending from the first end to the second end of the flexible shaft;
at least one first plurality of coils wound around the central wire in a first winding direction; and
at least one second plurality of coils wound around the at least one first plurality of coils in a second winding direction.

11. The table saw of claim 10 , wherein:
the at least one first plurality of coils is right-hand wound, and the at least one second plurality of coils is left-hand wound;
rotation of the flexible shaft causes the at least one first plurality of coils to generate a clamping force on the primary central wire; and
rotation of the flexible shaft causes the at least one second plurality of coils to generate a clamping force on the at least one first plurality of coils.

12. The table saw of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexible shaft includes a first plurality of coils; and
the first plurality of coils includes:
a first plurality of clamping coils wound at a first end region of the flexible shaft and having a first inner coil diameter;
a second plurality of clamping coils wound at a second end region of the flexible shaft and having a second inner coil diameter; and
a plurality of elongated coils wound between the first plurality of clamping coils and the second plurality of clamping coils, the plurality of elongated coils having a third inner coil diameter that is greater than the first and second inner coil diameters.

13. A height adjustment assembly for a table saw, comprising:
an input member;
an output member operably connected to a cutting assembly of the table saw and configured such that rotation of the output member causes the cutting assembly to move relative to a table top surface of the table saw; and
a flexible shaft having a nonlinear central axis, a first end operably connected to the input member, and a second end operably connected to the output member, the flexible shaft configured such that rotation of the input member causes rotation of the first end and the second end of the flexible shaft, and rotation of the second end of the flexible shaft causes rotation of the output member,
wherein the input member is arranged near the table top surface and above the output member and a motor of the cutting assembly.

14. The height adjustment assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
rotation of the input member causes rotation of the first end of the flexible shaft about a first rotational axis; and
rotation of flexible shaft causes rotation of the second end of the flexible shaft about a second rotational axis that is not parallel to the first rotational axis.

15. The height adjustment assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first rotational axis is oblique to the second rotational axis.

16. The height adjustment assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis do not intersect.

17. The height adjustment assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a bevel adjustment member configured to adjust a bevel angle of the cutting assembly, wherein the first rotational axis is spaced apart from the bevel adjustment member.

18. The height adjustment assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
the flexible shaft includes:
a central wire extending from the first end to the second end of the flexible shaft;
at least one first plurality of coils wound around the central wire in a first winding direction; and
at least one second plurality of coils wound around the at least one first plurality of coils in a second winding direction.

19. The height adjustment assembly of claim 18 , wherein:
rotation of the flexible shaft causes the at least one first plurality of coils to generate a clamping force on the primary central wire; and
rotation of the flexible shaft causes the at least one second plurality of coils to generate a clamping force on the at least one first plurality of coils.

20. A method for adjusting a height of a cutting assembly of a table saw, comprising:
rotating an input member of a height adjustment assembly of the table saw so as to cause rotation of a first end and a second end of a flexible shaft of the height adjustment assembly, the flexible shaft having a nonlinear central axis, the first end operably connected to the input member;
rotating an output member, which is operably connected to the second end of the flexible shaft, via the rotation of the second end of the flexible shaft, wherein the input member is arranged near the table top surface and above the output member and a motor of the cutting assembly; and
moving the cutting assembly, which is operably connected to the output member, relative to a table top surface of the table saw via the rotation of the output member.

Assignees

• Bosch Tool Corp
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Laliberte Eric R

Classifications

• B27B5/02

  characterised by a special purpose only · CPC title

• F16C1/06

  with guiding sheathing, tube or box (F16C1/04 takes precedence; guiding sheathings F16C1/26) · CPC title

• F16C2322/34

  Sawing machines · CPC title

• B23D45/068 Primary

  the saw blade being adjustable according to depth or angle of cut (B23D45/061, B23D45/065 take precedence) · CPC title

• B27B5/243

  the saw blade being arranged underneath the work-table (the circular saw blade arranged underneath a stationary work-table for sawing material in general B23D45/06) · CPC title