Table saw fence with tension adjustment cam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11312036-B2
Application number	US-201916715049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 16, 2019
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A fence assembly of a saw device includes a fence, a slide mechanism coupled to one end of the fence, and a tensioning mechanism coupled to the other end of the fence. The fence assembly includes a handle that is supported on the slide mechanism via a cam. The handle is rotatable relative to the cam between a first position in which the fence assembly is fixed relative to the rails, and a second position in which the fence assembly is movable relative to the rails. The fence assembly includes a tension member that is coupled at one end to the handle and at the other end to the tensioning mechanism. The cam is rotatable relative to the slide mechanism about a cam rotational axis, and rotation of the cam relative to the cam rotational axis provides an adjustment of a tension force applied by the tension member.

First claim

I claim:

1. A fence assembly that is configured to guide a workpiece with respect to a blade of a saw device and is supported for translation along rails relative to a work surface of the saw device, the fence assembly comprising:
a fence including a fence first end, and a fence second end that is opposed to the fence first end;
a slide mechanism coupled to the fence first end and supported on a first one of the rails;
a tensioning mechanism coupled to the fence second end and supported on a second one of the rails;
a handle that is supported on the slide mechanism via a cam, the handle being rotatable relative to the cam between a first position in which the fence assembly is fixed relative to the rails, and a second position in which the fence assembly is movable relative to the rails;
a tension member, the tension member including a first end that is coupled to the handle, the tension member including a second end that is opposed to the first end and coupled to the tensioning mechanism; and
a fence tension adjustment mechanism that is configured to adjust a tension force of the tension member, the fence tension adjustment mechanism including
the cam, the cam including an outer bearing surface that is rotatably supported on a housing of the slide mechanism, and an inner bearing surface that rotatably supports the handle, where the inner bearing surface is positioned eccentrically with respect to the outer bearing surface; and
an adjustment screw that is coupled to the cam and engages the housing, the adjustment screw configured to adjust a rotational orientation of the cam relative to the housing,

wherein
the cam is rotatable relative to the slide mechanism about a cam rotational axis, and rotation of the cam relative to the cam rotational axis provides an adjustment of a tension force applied by the tension member.

2. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the tension member is coupled to the handle via a pivot pin,
rotation of the cam relative to the cam rotational axis changes a position of the pivot pin relative to the fence first end, and
a change in the position of the pivot pin relative to the fence first end changes a tension force applied by the tension member to the tensioning mechanism.

3. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the handle is rotatable relative to the cam about a handle rotational axis, and
the cam rotational axis is parallel to, and spaced apart from, the handle rotational axis.

4. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the tension member has a first end that is connected to the handle via a pivot pin that defines a tension member connection axis,
the handle is rotatable relative to the cam about a handle rotational axis, and
the handle rotational axis is parallel to, and spaced apart from, the tension member connection axis.

5. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle is rotatable between the first position in which the tension member is under a first tension force and the slide mechanism and the tensioning mechanism are fixed relative to the rails, and the second position in which the tension member is under a second tension force and the front and rear housings are movable relative to the rails, where the second tension force is less than the first tension force.

6. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tension member is a rod.

7. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cam includes
an outer bearing surface that is rotatably supported on a housing of the slide mechanism, and
an inner bearing surface that rotatably supports the handle, where the inner bearing surface is positioned eccentrically with respect to the outer bearing surface.

8. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the cam is rotatable relative to the housing between a cam first rotational orientation in which the tension member has a first tension force and a cam second rotational orientation in which the tension member has a second tension force, and the first tension force is greater than the second tension force.

9. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the adjustment screw is configured to secure the cam to the housing in a desired cam rotational orientation.

10. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the adjustment screw rotates the cam relative to the front housing between a cam first rotational orientation in which a tension member connection axis is a first distance from an end of the fence, and a cam second rotational orientation in which the tension member connection axis is a second distance from the end of the fence,
the first distance is different from the second distance, and
the amount of tension provided in the tension member corresponds to a distance of the tension member connection axis from the end of the fence.

11. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein
when the handle is in the first position, the handle obstructs access to the adjustment screw and when the handle is in the second position, the handle does not obstruct access to the adjustment screw.

12. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the cam comprises a first annular member and a second annular member,
and
the second annular member is keyed to the first annular member so as to rotate in concert with the first annular member.

13. The fence assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cam comprises a first annular member and a second annular member,
the first annular member includes
a first inner edge,
a first outer edge that surrounds the first inner edge,
a first handle-facing surface that extends between the first outer edge and the first inner edge, and
a first protrusion that protrudes from the first handle-facing surface, and

the second annular member includes
a second inner edge,
a second outer edge that surrounds the second inner edge,
a second handle-facing surface that extends between the second outer edge and the second inner edge, and
a second protrusion that protrudes from the second handle-facing surface, the second protrusion including a groove that receives, and engages with, the first protrusion.

14. The fence assembly of claim 13 , wherein an adjustment screw is coupled to the cam and engages the slide mechanism, the adjustment screw configured to adjust a rotational orientation of the cam relative to the slide mechanism.

15. The fence assembly of claim 13 , wherein
the handle comprises a cylindrical axle that protrudes bilaterally from a first end of the handle,
the first annular member is disposed on one side of the handle with a first portion of the axle supported on the first inner edge, and
the second annular member is disposed on another side of the handle with a second portion of the axle supported on the second inner edge.

16. A saw device including a fence assembly that is supported relative to a work surface of the saw device via a first rail and a second rail of the saw device, the fence assembly comprising:
a fence;
a slide mechanism disposed on a first end of the fence, the slide mechanism including a housing configured to engage with the first rail;
a tensioning mechanism disposed on a second end of the fence, the tensioning mechanism configured to engage with the second rail;
a handle that is supported on the slide mechanism, the handle being movable relative to the slide mechanism between a first position and a second position;
a tension member, the tension member including a first end that is coupled to the handle and a second end that is coupled to the tensioning mechanism; and
a fence tension adjustment mechanism that is configured to adjust a tension force of the tension member,

wh

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert
• Bosch Tool Corp

Inventors

• Shiel William

Classifications

• B27B27/02 Primary

  arranged laterally and parallel with respect to the plane of the saw blade · CPC title

• B27B27/10

  Devices for moving or adjusting the guide fences or stops · CPC title

• B23D47/00 Primary

  Sawing machines or sawing devices working with circular saw blades, characterised only by constructional features of particular parts (constructional features of these parts per se B23Q; details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00) · CPC title