One handed plunge base for a router

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9403221-B2
Application number	US-201414210554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A plunge base for a power tool includes a base plate having a generally flat bottom surface and defining an opening through which a router bit of a router supported by the plunge base extends to engage a workpiece. A carriage support extends vertically upward from the base plate on one side of the opening. A router carriage is slidably retained on the carriage support. The router carriage is slidable toward and away from the base plate between a first position and a second position and is configured to releasably secure a router thereto the router aligned with the opening in the base. A plunge lock mechanism is configured to retain the router carriage at any position between and including the first position and the second position in relation to the carriage support.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plunge base for a router, the plunge base comprising:
a base plate including a generally flat bottom surface and defining an opening through which a router bit of a router supported by the plunge base extends to engage a workpiece;
a carriage support extending vertically upward from the base plate on one side of the opening;
a router carriage slidably retained on the carriage support, the router carriage being slidable toward and away from the base plate between a first position and a second position, the router carriage including a collar portion defining an open-ended passage through which a body of a router is extended when the router is supported by the router carriage, the collar portion being configured to retain the router in the open-ended passage with the router aligned with the opening in the base plate;
a plunge lock mechanism configured to retain the router carriage at any position between and including the first position and the second position in relation to the carriage support; and
a depth stop mechanism defining a depth limit and configured to prevent movement of the router carriage toward the base plate past the depth limit,
wherein the carriage support includes at least one guide post that extends upwardly from the base plate on one side of the opening,
wherein the router carriage includes a slide portion that is slidably retained on the guide posts and a router retaining portion that extends from the slide portion over the opening in the base plate, the router retaining portion being configured to releasably secure the router thereto, and
wherein the at least one guide post includes a biasing spring located between the slide portion of the router carriage and the base plate for biasing the router carriage toward the first position, and
wherein the plunge lock mechanism includes an electromagnet and a switch, the electromagnet incorporated into the slide portion adjacent the at least one guide post, the switch being located on the exterior of the slide portion and configured to control power to the electromagnet, the electromagnet being configured to magnetically attach to the at least one guide post in response to being power on by the switch.

2. The plunge base of claim 1 , wherein the carriage support includes two guide posts that each extend upwardly from the base plate on one side of the opening.

3. The plunge base of claim 1 , wherein the slide portion of the router carriage includes a gripping portion that protrudes from the slide portion on a side opposite from the router retaining portion.

4. The plunge base of claim 1 , wherein the plunge lock mechanism includes a fastening mechanism and a lever, the fastening mechanism being incorporated into the slide portion and configured to be moved into and out of engagement with the at least one guidepost by the lever, the lever being located exterior to the slide portion adjacent to the gripping portion for access by an operator of the plunge base.

5. The plunge base of claim 1 , further comprising:
a carriage positioning system configured to controllably move the router carriage between the first position and the second position in relation to the at least one guide post; and
an actuator configured to operate the carriage positioning system.

6. The plunge base of claim 5 , wherein the carriage positioning system comprises a rack and pinion system including a linear gear located on the at least one guide post and a pinion gear rotatably supported by the router carriage in position to engage the linear gear,
wherein the actuator comprises a dial attached to the pinion gear which allows the pinion gear to be manually rotated by an operator, and
wherein rotation of the pinion gear in relation to the linear gear causes the router carriage to move up or down the at least one guide post depending on a direction of rotation of the dial.

7. The plunge base of claim 6 , wherein the pinion gear is attached to a shaft and the dial is coupled to the shaft by a planetary gear system, the planetary gear system being configured to rotate the shaft in response to rotation of the dial.

8. The plunge base of claim 7 , wherein the dial includes a micro wheel that is rotatable with respect to the dial and secured to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the pinion gear directly without rotating the dial, the micro wheel being used to make finer-grained position adjustments than the dial.

9. The plunge base of claim 7 , wherein the dial includes a push button mechanism which couples the dial to the shaft in a first position for rotating the pinion gear directly via the shaft and which couples the dial to the planetary gear system in a second position such that the shaft is rotated by the planetary gear system when the dial is rotated.

10. A plunge base for a router, the plunge base comprising:
a base plate including a generally flat bottom surface and defining an opening through which a router bit of a router supported by the plunge base extends to engage a workpiece;
a carriage support extending vertically upward from the base plate on one side of the opening;
a router carriage slidably retained on the carriage support, the router carriage being slidable toward and away from the base plate between a first position and a second position and being configured to releasably secure a router thereto for sliding movement therewith with the router aligned with the opening in the base;
a plunge lock mechanism configured to retain the router carriage at any position between and including the first position and the second position in relation to the carriage support; and
a depth stop mechanism defining a depth limit and configured to prevent movement of the router carriage toward the base plate past the depth limit,
wherein the carriage support includes at least one guide post that extends upwardly from the base plate on one side of the opening,
wherein the router carriage includes a slide portion that is slidably retained on the guide posts and a router retaining portion that extends from the slide portion over the opening in the base plate, the router retaining portion being configured to releasably secure the router thereto,
wherein the at least one guide post includes a biasing spring located between the slide portion of the router carriage and the base plate for biasing the router carriage toward the first position, and
wherein the plunge lock mechanism includes an electromagnet and a switch, the electromagnet incorporated into the slide portion adjacent the at least one guide post, the switch being located on the exterior of the slide portion and configured to control power to the electromagnet, the electromagnet being configured to magnetically attach to the at least one guide post in response to being power on by the switch.

11. A plunge base for a router, the plunge base comprising:
a base plate including a generally flat bottom surface and defining an opening through which a router bit of a router supported by the plunge base extends to engage a workpiece;
a carriage support extending vertically upward from the base plate on one side of the opening;
a router carriage slidably retained on the carriage support, the router carriage being slidable toward and away from the base plate between a first position and a second position and being configured to releasably secure a router thereto for sliding movement therewith with the router aligned with the opening in the base;
a plunge lock mechanism configured to retain the router carriage at any position between and including the first position and the second position in relation to the carriage support; and
a depth stop mechanism defining a depth limit and con

Assignees

• Bosch Tool Corp
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Reinwald Ruben
• Pozgay David

Classifications

• Y10T409/306608

  End mill [e.g., router, etc.] · CPC title

• B27C5/10 Primary

  Portable hand-operated wood-milling machines; Routers · CPC title

• B23C1/20 Primary

  Portable devices or machines (details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00); Hand-driven devices or machines · CPC title

• Y10T409/30784

  including means to adustably position cutter · CPC title

• B23C2255/12

  Depth stops · CPC title