Quick change arbor, hole cutter, and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE46103-E
Application number	US-201514614701-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2008
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An arbor for quick change and standard hole cutters, wherein each hole cutter includes a central aperture and at least one drive pin aperture. The arbor comprises an arbor body including an end portion engageable within the central aperture, a drive shank opposite the end portion for engaging a power tool, and an aperture for receiving a pilot bit. The arbor further comprises a drive pin plate and/or collar having at least one drive pin receivable in a corresponding drive pin aperture of the hole saw for drivingly engaging the hole saw. The arbor, in at least one embodiment, further comprises a pilot bit mechanism for engaging and releasing a quick change or standard pilot bit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An arbor for a hole cutter including an outer surface defining a threaded aperture, and a drive member aperture spaced radially relative to the threaded aperture, the arbor comprising:
an axially-elongated arbor body including a drive shank on one end thereof, a threaded portion on an opposite end thereof relative to the drive shank that is engageable with the threaded aperture on the hole cutter, and an inner axially-extending bearing surface located between the drive shank and the threaded portion, wherein the arbor body defines a first width along the inner axially-extending bearing surface;
an axially-elongated collar including a proximal end and a distal end, a manually engageable surface extending axially between the proximal and distal ends and defining a reduced width in comparison to the proximal and distal ends, and a drive member extending axially from the distal end of the collar, wherein the collar is slidably mounted on the arbor body and movable between (i) an engaged position with the distal end of the collar adjacent to the threaded portion for engaging the drive member with the drive member aperture of a hole cutter threadedly attached to the threaded portion of the arbor body, and (ii) a disengaged position with the distal end of the collar axially spaced relative to the threaded portion of the arbor body, wherein the collar includes an outer axially-extending bearing surface that slidably contacts the inner axially-extending bearing surface of the arbor when moving the collar between the engaged and disengaged positions, and the inner axially-extending bearing surface defines a length that is at least about 1¼ times the first width of the arbor body; and
a retaining member mounted on the collar and movable between (i) a first position holding the collar in the engaged position, and (ii) a second position allowing axial movement of the collar from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

2. An arbor as defined in claim 1 , wherein the axially-extending bearing surface defines a length that is at least about 1½ times the first width of the arbor body.

3. An arbor as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first width is defined by an outer diameter of the arbor body.

4. An arbor as defined in claim 1 , wherein the arbor body defines a pair of inner axially-extending bearing surfaces angularly spaced relative to each other, and a pair of inner curvilinear axially-extending bearing surfaces angularly spaced relative to each other between inner axially-extending bearing surfaces, and the collar defines a pair of outer axially-extending bearing surfaces angularly spaced relative to each other, and a pair of outer curvilinear axially-extending bearing surfaces angularly spaced relative to each other between outer axially-extending bearing surfaces, wherein the pair of inner axially-extending bearing surfaces slidably engage the pair of outer axially-extending bearing surfaces, and the pair of inner curvilinear axially-extending bearing surfaces slidably engage the pair of outer curvilinear axially-extending bearing surfaces, when moving the collar between the engaged and disengaged positions.

5. An arbor as defined in claim 4 , wherein the pair of inner axially-extending bearing surfaces are located on substantially opposite sides of the arbor body relative to each other, and the pair of outer axially-extending bearing surfaces are located on substantially opposite sides of the collar relative to each other.

6. An arbor as defined in claim 5 , wherein the pair of inner axially-extending bearing surfaces are substantially flat, and the pair of outer axially-extending bearing surfaces are substantially flat.

7. An arbor as defined in claim 6 , wherein each curvilinear axially-extending bearing surface is defined by a diameter of the collar or arbor body, respectively.

8. An arbor as defined in claim 6 , wherein the outer axially-extending bearing surfaces are shorter than the inner axially-extending bearing surfaces.

9. An arbor as defined in claim 8 , wherein the collar defines a pair of axially-extending recessed surfaces located on substantially opposite sides of the collar relative to each other, and each recessed surface extends between a respective outer axially-extending bearing surface and the proximal end of the collar.

10. An arbor as defined in claim 9 , wherein the collar further defines a pair of first stop surfaces, each first stop surface is formed between an axially-extending recessed surface and respective outer axially-extending bearing surface, the arbor body defines a pair of second stop surfaces, each second stop surface is formed at a proximal end of a respective inner axially-extending bearing surface, and first and second stop surfaces engage each other in the disengaged position to prevent further proximal axial movement of the collar.

11. An arbor as defined in claim 10 , wherein the second stop surfaces are defined by respective lips formed on the arbor body, and the lips and recessed surfaces form bearing surfaces that slidably contact each other when moving the collar between the engaged and disengaged positions.

12. An arbor as defined in claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is a ball located on one of the collar and arbor, and a corresponding detent located on the other of the collar and the arbor, and wherein the ball is received within the detent in the first position to hold the collar in the engaged position.

13. An arbor as defined in claim 12 , further comprising a spring that biases the ball into the first position.

14. An arbor as defined in claim 13 , wherein the spring and ball are mounted adjacent to the distal end of the collar, and the detent is formed on the arbor body proximal to the threaded portion.

15. An arbor as defined in claim 1 , wherein the collar defines a proximal rim at the proximal end of the collar, a distal rim at the distal end of the collar, and an annular manually engageable surface extending between the proximal and distal rims.

16. An arbor as defined in claim 15 , wherein at least one of the proximal and distal rims is defined by a first diameter, and the manually engageable surface is defined by a second diameter less than the first diameter.

17. An arbor as defined in claim 16 , wherein the second diameter is within the range of about 70% to about 95% of the first diameter.

18. An arbor as defined in claim 17 , wherein the second diameter is within the range of about 80% to about 90% of the first diameter.

19. An arbor as defined in claim 17 , wherein both the proximal and distal rims are substantially defined by the first diameter.

20. An arbor as defined in claim 17 , wherein the manually engageable surface defines an axial length, and the proximal and distal rims each define an axial length, and the axial length of the manually engageable surface is greater than the axial length of each of the proximal and distal rims.

21. An arbor as defined in claim 20 , wherein the axial length of the manually engageable surface is about 30% to about 60% greater than the axial length of each of the proximal and distal rims.

22. An arbor for a hole cutter including an outer surface defining a threaded aperture, and a drive aperture spaced radially relative to the threaded aperture, the arbor comprising:
an axially-elongated arbor body including first means on one end thereof for rotatably driving the arbor body, second means on an opposite end thereof relative to the first means for threadedly engaging

Assignees

• Irwin Ind Tool Co

Inventors

• Novak Joseph Thomas
• Pangerc James E

Classifications

• B23B51/0473 Primary

  Details about the connection between the driven shaft and the tubular cutting part; Arbors · CPC title

• Y10T408/8957

  and having stepped cutting edges · CPC title

• Y10T408/95

  with tool-retaining means · CPC title

• Y10T408/895

  Having axial, core-receiving central portion · CPC title

• Y10T408/03

  Processes · CPC title