Blade for oscillating power tool

Abstract

A blade for an oscillating power tool is provided. The blade comprises an elongate body secured to the attachment section, where the elongate body is divided into two or more resiliently flexible tongue-shaped portions, each tongue-shaped portion comprising a cutting portion remote from the attachment section. The elongated body may optionally be attached with a depth stop device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a blade for an oscillating power tool, and in particular to a blade for an oscillating multi-tool tool. Background Art

[0002] Oscillating power tools have an output shaft that oscillates at high speed about an axis to which a blade can be attached, wherein an oscillating multi-tool tool is configured to be used with different types of accessories. Oscillating multi-tool tools can be used for a variety of different tasks, such as sanding, cutting, grinding, polishing, and grout removal. Utility Model Content

[0003] According to the utility model, a blade for an oscillating power tool is provided, the blade comprising an elongated body fixed to an attachment section, the attachment section being generally attachable to the oscillating power tool, wherein the elongated body is divided into two or more elastically flexible tongue-shaped portions, each tongue-shaped portion comprising a cutting portion away from the attachment section. The blade suitable for use with an oscillating power tool including an oscillating multi-tool can remove grout, silicone or other filling materials from, for example, a channel between adjacent tiles, bricks or boards.

[0004] The tongue portions are preferably arranged in a common plane so as to be coplanar when the blades are not in use and are independently flexibly movable to lie in different planes when the blades are in use and return to a coplanar rest position when the blades are not in use.

[0005] Preferably, the elongate body has a longitudinal length extending from the attachment section to the outer edge of the cutting portion, and each tongue portion has a length of between 30% and 80% of the longitudinal length.

[0006] The elongate body is desirably between 0.5mm and 3mm thick and is preferably made from carbon steel, which aids flexibility and enables movement of the tongue portions relative to each other.

[0007] The elongated body may comprise at least one slit, with the tongue being arranged on each side of the slit. If desired, a plurality of slits may be provided, wherein for example two slits may be provided to produce three tongues, or three slits may be provided to divide the elongated body into four tongues.

[0008] Preferably, the cutting portion includes a circular arc portion, and may include an abrasive material such as particles of tungsten carbide or diamond.

[0009] The elongate body may have attached thereto a depth stop for limiting the penetration depth of the blade, which depth stop is particularly useful when the intention is to remove material to a partial depth rather than completely remove the material.

[0010] Preferably, the depth stop means is fixed to at least two tongue portions.

[0011] According to another aspect of the utility model, a method for using an oscillating power tool is provided, the oscillating power tool being attached with a blade having two or more elastically flexible tongue-shaped portions as described above, the method comprising: starting the power tool to oscillate the blade, inserting the oscillating blade into a groove filled with material, and twisting the power tool so that at least two of the tongue-shaped portions engage with the opposite walls of the groove. This causes the two or more tongue-shaped portions to deflect to extend at least partially laterally across the groove rather than causing the tongue-shaped portions to extend only linearly along the groove. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an oscillating power tool with a blade;

[0014] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a blade according to the utility model;

[0015] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a blade according to the utility model;

[0016] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a blade with an optional depth stop; and

[0017] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for describing the use of the blade. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Figure 1 An oscillating power tool 10, such as an oscillating multi-tool tool, is shown in FIG. 1 and includes an attachment mechanism 12 for releasably securing various accessories to an oscillating spindle 14 driven by a motor 16. A blade 20 is shown connected to the attachment mechanism 12.

[0019] The blade 20 is Figure 2 The first embodiment shown includes an elongated body 22 and an attachment section or tang 24 configured to be secured to the attachment mechanism 12. The elongated body 22 is generally T-shaped and includes an elongated portion 26 and a cutting portion 28 shaped as a circular segment and located at an upper end of the elongated portion 26 distal from the attachment section 24. The cutting portion 28 extends beyond the side of the elongated portion 26 and includes an outer curved cutting edge 30 on which an abrasive material such as particles 31 of tungsten carbide or diamond is typically deposited, see Figure 3.

[0020] The cutting portion 28 is divided centrally into two tongue sections 32, 34 by a slit 36 ​​extending from the outer curved cutting edge 30 towards the attachment section 24, the slit 36 ​​reaching about two thirds of the way down the elongated body 22, and thus about two thirds of the way down the longitudinal length of the elongated body 22. The tongue sections 32, 34 are resiliently flexible and are in a position to move when at rest. Figure 2 As shown coplanar, being able to flex independently to lie temporarily in different planes and then return to their resting positions. The elongate body 22 is typically made of 1 mm thick carbon steel with the elongate portion 26 being approximately 20 mm wide and the cutting portion 28 being approximately 75 mm wide.

[0021] The attachment section 24 is formed with a plurality of apertures 40 , 42 configured in a pattern that enables securement to the attachment mechanism 12 of the oscillating tool 10 .

[0022] Figure 3 and Figure 4 , a second embodiment of the blade 20 is shown in which three resiliently flexible tongues 44, 46, 48 are created by dividing the elongated body 22 into three parts by two angled slits 50, 52. The outer tongues 44, 48 generally correspond in shape to the tongues of the first embodiment, while the central tongue 46 is generally triangular in shape. The three apertures 54 formed in each of the outer tongues 44, 48 are configured to receive an optional depth stop 55 that limits the distance to which the blade 20 can be inserted into the material.

[0023] like Figure 4 As shown, the depth stop device 55 includes a pair of spacer elements 56, each spacer element 56 includes a central metal pin 58 extending through the tongue portion, and a pair of polyurethane cylinders 60, 60' are mounted on the central metal pin 58, and these cylinders are respectively arranged on the upper surface and the lower surface of each tongue portion. Figure 2 The first embodiment shown may also be used with such a depth stop arrangement.The apertures 54 are arranged on an angled line to allow the blade 20 to be inserted to different depths depending on which aperture the spacing element 56 is positioned in.

[0024] The depth stop 55 ensures consistency in the depth of insertion of the blade into the channel so that a consistent depth of grout, silicone, mortar or other filling material can be removed during operation of the tool 10. Each spacing element 56 is positioned in an aperture corresponding to the desired insertion depth, which is the distance from the aperture to the outer curved cutting edge 30. If the user wishes to partially remove material to a depth of, for example, 2 mm, an aperture positioned 2 mm below the outer curved cutting edge 30 of the blade will be selected. In use, the cylindrical member 60, 60' will follow along a hard surface associated with the filled channel, such as a tile adjacent to the grout-filled channel, and thereby prevent the oscillating blade from descending too far into the channel. By using such a depth stop 55, material is removed to a consistent depth, thereby ensuring that the substrate beneath the material is not damaged, and the application of replacement filling material is simplified because the old material is removed to a consistent depth.

[0025] The use of the blade 20 for removing grout or other filling material will now be explained using FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 5, when the tool 10 is used to at least partially remove a substance 62 from a filled channel 64, the tool 10 is activated and the oscillating blade 20 is inserted into the channel 64. Typically, the width of the channel 64 for grout between tiles is about 3 mm, and the width of the channel 64 for mortar joints between bricks is about 10 mm. Figure 5A , the blade 20 is swung in the direction of arrow A so that it is generally parallel to the length of the channel 64. The user applies a gentle rotational motion or twisting motion to the tool 10 until the outer edge 66, 68 of each tongue portion 32, 34, and therefore the outer edge of the separated outer curved cutting edge 30, engages the opposite channel edge and flexes in opposite directions. This causes the outer curved cutting edge 30 to extend in a lateral direction across the channel 64, rather than just extending linearly in the longitudinal direction of the channel 64. This lateral deflection of the tongue portion allows the outer curved cutting edge 30 to contact the material across the channel, rather than just along the longitudinal length of the channel. In this way, material in the channel, such as grout in the gaps between tiles, can be removed all at once along the channel. This is an improvement over prior art blades for removing grout, in which it is necessary to pass continuously up and down the channel, adjusting the lateral position of the blade in the channel each time, to remove all of the grout.

[0026] In such Figure 3 and Figure 4 A similar process occurs during use of the illustrated blade, with the outer tongues 44 , 48 flexing as they engage the outer edges of the channel 64 , and the central tongue 46 also flexing to extend at least partially laterally across the channel 64 .

[0027] The size of the blade 20 can be adjusted according to the desired use, wherein a wider blade is used for wider joints, such as those that may be encountered when laying boards or bricks. For wider blades, and as shown in the second embodiment, it is preferred that a plurality of slits are formed in the cutting portion 28 to increase the number of tongue-like portions. Thus, for example, two slits may be used to provide three tongue-like portions, or three slits may be used to provide four tongue-like portions.

[0028] The blade 20 may be formed as separate attachment and cutting portions, wherein these portions are typically secured together by welding or other types of permanent securing means, such as rivets. Alternatively, the blade 20 may be formed as a single piece.

Claims

1. A blade for an oscillating power tool, the blade comprising an elongated body fixed to an attachment section, wherein: The elongated body is divided into two or more resiliently flexible tongue-shaped portions, each tongue-shaped portion including a cutting portion remote from the attachment section, the cutting portion including a rounded portion.

2. The blade according to claim 1, wherein: The tongue portions are arranged in a common plane.

3. The blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The elongated body has a longitudinal length extending from the attachment section to an outer edge of the cutting portion, and each tongue portion has a length between 30% and 80% of the longitudinal length.

4. The blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The thickness of the elongated body is between 0.5 mm and 3 mm.

5. The blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The elongated body includes at least one slit, with one of the tongue portions being disposed on each side of the slit.

6. The blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The elongated body includes two slits to provide three tongue portions.

7. The blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The elongate body includes three slits to provide four tongue portions.

8. The blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The cutting portion includes an abrasive material.

9. The blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The blade is formed from carbon steel.

10. The blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: A depth stop is attached to the elongated body.

11. The blade according to claim 10, wherein: The depth stop is fixed to at least two tongue portions.

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