Tool sharpener with adjustable support guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9333612-B2
Application number	US-201414290613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2014
Priority date	May 29, 2014
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

Apparatus for sharpening a cutting tool. In some embodiments, a tool sharpener is provided with a flexible abrasive medium having an abrasive surface and arranged along a planar extent. A guide assembly has a guide frame, a cam surface, and a pivotal guide member. A guide surface on the guide member extends at a selected angle with respect to the planar extent of the medium to support a first side of the tool during presentation of a second side and cutting edge of the tool against the abrasive surface along the planar extent. A cam follower contactingly engages the cam surface to establish the selected angle. A biasing mechanism applies a biasing force to urge the guide surface to pivot toward the planar extent to maintain the cam follower in contact with the cam surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool sharpener for sharpening a cutting tool having a first side, an opposing second side and a cutting edge therebetween, the tool sharpener comprising:
a flexible abrasive medium having an abrasive surface and extending along a neutral plane to form a planar extent;
a guide assembly adjacent the planar extent of the medium, comprising:
a guide frame;
a cam surface selectively rotatable with respect to the guide frame;
a guide member pivotally mounted to the guide frame, the guide member having a guide surface extending along a guide plane at a selected angle with respect to the planar extent of the medium to support the first side of the tool during presentation of the second side and the cutting edge of the tool against the abrasive surface of the medium along the planar extent, the guide member further having a cam follower which contactingly engages the cam surface to establish the selected angle in relation to the selected position of the cam surface;
a biasing mechanism which applies a biasing force to urge the guide surface to pivot toward the planar extent to maintain the cam follower in contact with the cam surface; and
a user activated knob coupled to the cam surface and configured to be rotated by a user to set the selected angle of the guide surface.

2. The tool sharpener of claim 1 , wherein the guide surface is a first guide surface and the guide member further comprises a second guide surface in facing relation to the first guide surface and a base surface between the first and second guide surfaces to form a generally v-shaped channel to accommodate insertion of the tool therein.

3. The tool sharpener of claim 2 , wherein the base surface is a stationary edge guide surface configured to contactingly support the cutting edge during said presentation of the cutting edge against the abrasive surface.

4. The tool sharpener of claim 1 , wherein the guide frame comprises a limit surface maintained in a fixed position adjacent the planar extent of the abrasive medium and arranged in a facing relation to the guide surface of the guide member, wherein the limit surface is separated from the guide surface by a variable distance determined in relation to the selected angle of the guide surface, and wherein the limit surface is configured to contactingly support the first side of the tool to reduce contact between the first side of the tool and the abrasive surface along the planar extent of the medium.

5. The tool sharpener of claim 4 , wherein the guide surface is a first guide surface and the guide member further comprises a second guide surface in facing relation to the first guide surface and separated therefrom by a fixed distance, wherein at a first selected angle the variable distance is less than the fixed distance and at a second, greater selected angle the variable distance is greater than the fixed distance.

6. The tool sharpener of claim 5 , wherein the limit surface is nominally aligned with the second guide surface at a selected angle of about 20 degrees.

7. The tool sharpener of claim 1 , wherein the flexible abrasive medium is an endless abrasive belt routed along a belt path supported by at least one roller to form the planar extent.

8. The tool sharpener of claim 7 , wherein the belt path further comprises a second planar extent of the belt, the cam surface is a first cam surface, the guide member is a first guide member, the guide surface is a first guide surface and the cam follower is a first cam follower, and wherein the tool sharpener further comprises:
a second cam surface connected to the first cam surface for concurrent movement therewith with respect to the guide frame; and
a second guide member pivotally mounted to the guide frame, the second guide member having a second guide surface extending along a second guide plane at the selected angle with respect to the second planar extent of the belt to support the second side of the tool during presentation of the first side and the cutting edge of the tool against the abrasive surface of the belt along the second planar extent, the second guide member further having a second cam follower which contactingly engages the second cam surface to establish the selected angle in relation to the selected position of the second cam surface;
wherein the biasing mechanism is connected between the first and second guide members to apply a second biasing force to urge the second guide surface toward the second planar extent to maintain the second cam follower in contact with the second cam surface.

9. The tool sharpener of claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second cam surfaces are connected to a user activated knob rotatable by a user to establish the selected angle.

10. The tool sharpener of claim 8 , wherein the biasing mechanism is a coiled spring having a first end connected to a first leg portion of the first guide member and a second end connected to a second leg portion of the second guide member.

11. The tool sharpener of claim 10 , wherein the first guide member pivots about a first pivot point, the second guide member pivots about a second pivot point, and wherein the first and second pivot points are respectively located between the coiled spring and the respective first and second cam followers.

12. The tool sharpener of claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable edge guide adjacent the guide member having a roller member which rotates about an edge guide roller axis orthogonal to the planar extent of the abrasive medium, the roller member configured to support via rolling contact the cutting edge of the tool during presentation thereof against the abrasive surface.

13. A tool sharpener for sharpening a cutting tool having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a cutting edge between the first and second sides and a top edge opposite the cutting edge, the tool sharpener comprising:
a base structure which encloses an electric motor;
an endless abrasive belt coupled to the electric motor for rotational movement along a belt path routed over at least one roller to provide a planar extent of the abrasive belt, the endless abrasive belt having an outer abrasive surface;
a guide assembly adjacent the planar extent of the belt, comprising:
a guide frame;
a cam surface selectively positionable with respect to the guide frame;
a guide member pivotally mounted to the guide frame, the guide member having a guide surface extending along a guide plane at a selected angle with respect to the planar extent of the belt to support the first side of the tool during presentation of the second side and the cutting edge of the tool against the abrasive surface of the belt along the planar extent, the guide member further having a cam follower which contactingly engages the cam surface to establish the selected angle in relation to the selected position of the cam surface; and
a biasing mechanism which applies a biasing force to urge the guide surface to pivot toward the planar extent to maintain the cam follower in contact with the cam surface.

14. The tool sharpener of claim 13 , wherein the guide frame comprises a limit surface maintained in a fixed position adjacent the planar extent of the belt and arranged in a facing relation to the guide surface of the guide member, wherein the limit surface is separated from the guide surface by a variable distance determined in relation to the selected angle of the guide surface, and wherein the limit surface is configured to contactingly support the first side of the tool to reduce contact between the first side of the tool and the abrasive surface along the planar extent of the belt.

Assignees

• Darex Llc
• Darex Llc

Inventors

• Dovel Daniel T

Classifications

• B24B23/06

  with abrasive belts, e.g. with endless travelling belts; Accessories therefor · CPC title

• B24B3/36 Primary

  of cutting blades (B24B3/58 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B24B23/005

  Auxiliary devices used in connection with portable grinding machines, e.g. holders · CPC title