Line-of-sight blower nozzle directs airflow to clear dust from power tool alignment features
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power tools face challenges in effectively clearing dust and debris from the alignment features during cutting operations, as the airflow paths are often limited or not specifically directed, obscuring the cut line and alignment components.
Innovation Solution
A power tool design featuring a motor housing with a nozzle that directs airflow intersecting alignment openings, utilizing a duct arrangement to enhance airflow volume and focus, ensuring clearance of dust and debris from the cutting path and alignment features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a separate blower is used to clear dust from the cutting path, then dust clearance effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the dust clearance function with the motor cooling airflow system. The motor housing cavity and fan-driven airflow are merged to serve dual purposes: cooling the motor and clearing dust from the cutting path and alignment features. This eliminates the need for a separate blower device.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor housing cavity and airflow system are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously. The same airflow that cools the motor is directed through nozzles to clear dust from alignment openings and the cutting path, making the system universal and eliminating redundant components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If airflow is directed toward the cutting path, then dust clearance is improved, but alignment feature visibility deteriorates due to limited or misdirected airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple nozzles positioned at different locations on the motor housing, each directing airflow to specific areas. One nozzle targets the cutting path while another specifically targets the alignment openings, ensuring localized dust clearance without compromising visibility of alignment features.
Solution Approach 2:
The airflow system is segmented into multiple nozzles with different orientations and target areas. This segmentation allows independent optimization of dust clearance at the cutting path and visibility maintenance at alignment features, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a wide, directed airflow that effectively clears dust and debris from alignment features, maintaining operator visibility of the cut line and improving cutting accuracy by ensuring alignment components remain unobstructed.
Implementation Method 1
The motor drives a fan in a fan housing 22 that draws ambient air into the motor housing 20 through inlet openings, such as openings 24 in the side of the fan housing and/or openings 25 in the lateral face of the housing. The fan is operable to draw the ambient air through the cavity and over the motor to cool the motor.
Implementation Method 2
A nozzle is defined in the motor housing that is configured to direct airflow from the cavity of the motor housing in an airflow line of action intersecting the at least one alignment opening.
Data Source
AI summary
A power tool has a cutting element driven by a motor assembly, the motor assembly driving a fan for flowing air over the motor assembly. The power tool includes a foot plate configured to be supported on a workpiece, the foot plate defining an opening through which the cutting element extends, and at least one alignment opening arranged relative to the cutting element opening to allow the operator to visualize the cut line of the cut created by the cutting element. A motor housing is provided that supports the motor assembly on the foot plate, in which the motor housing defines a cavity substantially enclosing the motor assembly and arranged to receive airflow from the fan. A nozzle is defined in the motor housing that is configured to direct airflow from the cavity of the motor housing in an airflow line of action intersecting the at least one alignment opening.