NL2006583C2

NL2006583C2 - Miter device and method for making miter cuts in an object using said miter device.

Info

Publication number: NL2006583C2
Application number: NL2006583A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Barry Dion Gamelkoorn
Original assignee: Gamelkoorn
Priority date: 2011-04-11
Filing date: 2011-04-11
Publication date: 2012-10-12
Also published as: WO2012141582A1

Abstract

A miter device 1 for cutting an object 20 at a predetermined angle a comprises: a support frame 2 having a support surface 5 for receiving said object; two side walls 9 provided with guiding slots 21 defining said angle, to guide a saw during a sawing operation to cut the object wherein the object is present between the side walls during sawing; and a clamping device 3 moveably connected to the support frame and provided with a clamping surface 12 positioned opposite the support surface and displaceable towards the support surface to clamp the object. To clamp the object in an easy manner both side walls are part of the clamping device. In use, the user only has to push the clamping device towards the support surface. Therefore, providing the desired clamping force can be provided with one hand easily.

Description

P94303NL00

Title: Miter device and method for making miter cuts in an object using said miter device

Field of the invention

The invention relates to miter device for cutting an object at a predetermined angle.

5 Background of the invention

Miter devices are known from practice and are typically used when cutting an substantially elongate object such as a shelf or a skirting board at a predetermined angle for instance to be able to easily place two objects in an angle with respect to each other in an aesthetic manner.

10 Known miter devices usually comprise a support frame with an elongate base plate and two support walls extending substantially perpendicular from said base plate along the longitudinal edges of said base plate. The base plate defines a support surface. In the support walls one or more guiding slots are provided, which guiding slots extend in a predetermined 15 angle with respect to the support walls and/or to the base plate. In use, an object to be cut, such as an elongate piece of wood, is placed on the support surface in between said support walls. The object is fixated against the support surface and, if necessary, also against one of the support walls by means of manual force. In different words, the user of the miter device has to press the 20 object in the support frame with enough force to prevent displacement of the object with respect to the support frame during a sawing operation. Next, the user inserts a saw in the guiding slot with the predetermined angle and then cuts the object.

A disadvantage of such a known miter device is that a user has to 25 apply a lot of force to the object to be cut to prevent displacement thereof with respect to the support frame. Furthermore, due to the construction of the miter 2 device, the user has to press the object against the support frame and hold the support frame at the same time with one of his hands. This is very inconvenient and may result in painful fingers and hands. Especially, when multiple objects subsequently have to be cut, this may be unpleasant.

5 Furthermore, due to the construction of the miter device and the specific dimensions thereof, a miter device may not be suitable to use it for cutting small objects, thus with relatively small cross sectional dimensions and at the same time for cutting larger objects. Consequently, a user may need different miter devices for cutting objects of different shapes and dimensions.

10

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved miter device that at least partly overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks.

More in particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a miter device that is configured to clamp the object in an easy manner and which 15 device at the same time can be used for cutting different objects, thus of different shape and size.

Summary of the invention

Thereto, according to a first aspect of the invention, a miter device 20 for cutting an object at a predetermined angle is provided. The miter device comprises a support frame having a support surface for receiving said object and at least one first guiding slot defining said angle, to guide a saw during a sawing operation to cut the object. The miter device further comprises a clamping device that cooperates with the support frame for holding the object 25 in a desired position during sawing, wherein the support surface of the support frame defines a first clamping area, wherein the clamping device defines a second clamping area, in use positioned opposite the first clamping area, wherein the clamping device is configured such that the respective clamping areas are displaceable towards each other, at least in a direction substantially 30 orthogonal to said clamping areas, to provide a clamping force to the object.

3

Due to such a construction of the miter device, fixating the object to be cut with respect to the support frame may be easily obtained by using the clamping device. By moving the clamping device towards the support surface of the support frame, the object is prevented from displacing with respect to 5 the support frame. Due to the clamping device, the force to be transmitted to the object to be cut is distributed along the entire clamping area resulting in a clamping force suitable to hold the object tightly.

Preferably, the clamping device is configured to be displaced with respect to the support frame by means of manual force. In use, the user only 10 has to push the clamping device towards the support surface. By doing so, the object to be cut is fixated against the support surface and the support frame is fixated to the basis on with the miter device is located. Therefore, providing the desired clamping force can be provided with one hand easily.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the clamping device 15 may comprise a clamping element and at least one first side wall extending substantially perpendicular from the clamping element, wherein the second clamping area is defined by a clamping element surface, said surface extending at a side of the element facing the at least one side wall or at a side of the element facing away from the side wall.

20 Such a clamping device has a simple construction, just like the support frame. Therefore, the miter device according to the invention may be easily manufactured without high manufacturing costs.

To be able to guide the clamping device with respect to the support frame, the clamping device may be configured to cooperate with the support 25 frame, for instance with an on an inner surface of a support wall extending substantially perpendicular from the support surface of said support frame. According to a further aspect of the invention, the support wall may cooperate with the side wall of the clamping device or with an opening provided in the clamping element of the clamping device.

4

To prevent displacement of the clamping device with respect to the support frame in a substantially longitudinal direction, the support frame and the clamping device both comprise at least one positioning element, said positioning elements configured to, in use, cooperate such that during a 5 clamping operation displacement in a longitudinal direction of the clamping device with respect to the support frame is prevented. For instance, one of the positioning elements may comprise a groove and the other one of the positioning elements may comprise a protrusion, such as a ridge.

According to a further example of the positioning elements, one of 10 the support frame or the clamping element may be provided with guiding pins extending from a base plate of the support frame or from the clamping element, respectively, towards the other one of the clamping element or the base plate, wherein the other one of the clamping element or the base plate comprises openings that, in use, cooperate with the guiding pins.

15 To fixate the object to be cut in a substantially transversal direction with respect to the support frame, the support frame may be provided with a clamp that preferably is slidably arranged with respect to said frame. With such an additional clamp and the clamping operation of the support frame and the clamping device, the object to be cut is fixated in an orthogonal, 20 transversal and longitudinal direction. Consequently, undesired displacement of the object with respect to the miter device is prevented, thereby providing an accurate way of making a miter cut in an object. At the same time, the miter device has a simple construction and the object can be held in place easily manually.

25

In further elaboration of the invention, the support frame may comprise at least one longitudinal elevated area provided on the support surface, preferably extending along a longitudinal edge of said surface, wherein said elevated area in use cooperates with the side wall of the clamping 30 device to form a receiving surface for receiving the object to be cut in a 5 substantial transversal direction. When inserting the clamping device in the support frame such that the side wall of the clamping device extends towards the longitudinal elevated area, the inner surfaces, thus the surfaces facing the opposite side wall, of both the side wall and the longitudinal elevated area 5 form the receiving surface for receiving the object to be cut. The clamping device and the support surface enclose an inner space in which the object is provided. The height of the object to be cut is at least equal to the height of the elevated area together with the height of the side wall of the clamping device. The maximum height of the object to be cut depends on both the height of the 10 support wall and the height of the side wall.

In case a smaller object has to be cut, the clamping device may be used upside down. In that case the clamping area is formed by the surface of the clamping element facing away from the side wall. Thus, the side wall extends substantially upward, i.e. in a direction away from the support 15 surface. Therefore, the clamping element facing away from the at least side wall may be provided with at least one ridge, preferably extending along a longitudinal edge of said clamping element surface, adapted to cooperate with the support surface or with the at least one longitudinal elevated area provided on the support surface. The minimum height of the object to be cut is 20 in this case equal to the height of the longitudinal elevated area provided on the support surface together with the height of the ridge. Consequently, very small elongate objects such as small skirting boards may be cut as well. Furthermore, due to such a construction of the miter device, such small objects may be clamped against the support surface in an effective manner. In 25 contrary, when using a prior art miter device for cutting such small objects, the user has to hold the object against the support frame by inserting his fingers in the miter device and pressing against the object. This results in a very inconvenient grip during the sawing operation. At the same time, it is hard to clamp the object into the support frame and at the same time hold the 30 support frame tight to its underground.

6

To be able to use the miter device for cutting objects at different predetermined angles, the clamping device may comprise at least one guiding slot extending in the clamping element from a first longitudinal side towards a second, opposite longitudinal side, said guiding slot enclosing an angle 5 between said slot and a longitudinal edge of the clamping element.

In further elaboration of the invention, the angle may be adjustable. Therefore, according to another aspect of the invention, a guiding slot may be provided in a separate element that is displaceably, for instance rotatably, mounted to the clamping device and/or the support frame. With such a 10 construction, there is no need to provide multiple guiding slots in the miter device, thereby increasing the robustness of the miter device.

Preferably, the support frame comprises at least one guiding slot that is configured such that in use, the guiding slot provided in the clamping device cooperates with the guiding slot in the support frame.

15

The invention further relates to a method for making miter cuts in an object, preferably using a miter device as above described, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a miter device; 20 - placing the object to be cut in the support frame of the miter device; positioning of the clamping device with respect to the support frame such that one of the clamping element surfaces forms the second clamping area; displacing the clamping device with respect to the support frame such that the object to be cut is clamped in between the clamping areas; and 25 - sawing a miter cut in the object

Such a method provides similar effects and advantages as described with the miter device.

The aforementioned and other features and advantages of the 30 invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description 7 of certain embodiments of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings, which are meant to illustrate and not to limit the invention.

5 Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the miter device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 schematically shows a cross sectional view of the miter device according to Figure 1; 10 Fig. 3 schematically shows another cross sectional view of the miter device according the first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 schematically shows a top view of a miter device according to the invention; and

Fig. 5 schematically shows a perspective view of a second 15 embodiment of the miter device according to the invention.

It is to be noted that like parts in the different figures are provided with like reference numerals.

20 Detailed description

Referring to Figure 1, a miter device 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention is described. The miter device 1 comprises a support frame 2 and a clamping device 3. The support frame 2 comprises a substantially elongate base plate 4 defining a support surface 5 and two 25 support walls 6. The support walls 6 extend from the base plate 4, at least from and/or adjacent the longitudinal edges 7 of the base plate 4 in a direction substantially perpendicular away from said base plate 4. The support surface 5 forms a first clamping area 11.

The clamping device 3 comprises a clamping element 8 and two side 30 walls 9 extending along the longitudinal edges 10 of the clamping element 8 in 8 a direction away from the clamping element 8. The width w of the clamping device 3 substantially corresponds to the distance d between the support walls 6 of the support frame 2 such that the clamping device 3 may at least partly be received in the space between the support walls 6.

5 The clamping element 8 has two surfaces that each defines a second clamping area 12. The side walls 9 are configured to cooperate with the support frame 2, at least with an inner surface 13 of the support walls 6 thereof. The support frame 2 further may comprise two longitudinal elevated areas 14 provided on the support surface 5. These elevated areas 14 may 10 extend along the entire longitudinal edges 15 of the support surface 5 or may extend partly along said edges 15. In use, the elevated areas 14 cooperate with the side walls 9 of the clamping device 2. An elevated area 14 and the cooperating side wall 9 of the clamping device 2 together form a receiving surface 16 for receiving the object 20 to be cut in a substantially transversal 15 direction Rt.

In order to prevent displacement in a longitudinal direction R1 of the support frame 2 and the clamping device 3 during use of the miter device 1, the support frame 2 and the clamping device 3 may be both provided with a positioning element 17, 18. In the shown example of the miter device 1, the 20 clamping device 3 is provided with four ridges 17 that cooperate with four grooves 18 provided in the support walls 6 of the support frame 2. As well the ridges 17 as the grooves 18 extend in a direction Ro substantially orthogonally with respect to the clamping areas 5, 12. Also other kinds of positioning elements may be used, as long as displacement in the longitudinal direction R1 25 is prevented. To be able to fixate the object 20 to be cut in the substantially transversal direction a clamp 19 may be provided (see Figures 2 and 3). The clamp 19 may be slidably arranged on the support frame 2, for instance in the base plate 4 of the support frame.

The miter device 1 comprises at least one guiding slot 21 configured 30 for, in use, guiding a saw (not shown) to be able to make a miter cut. In the 9 shown embodiment of the miter device 1 (see Figure 1), four different guiding slots 21 are provided. The guiding slots 21a, 21b, 21c, extend in the clamping element 8 from a first longitudinal side 10 towards the second opposite longitudinal side 10. Each guiding slot 21a, 21b, 21c encloses an angle a with 5 the respective longitudinal side 10. The angle a may vary dependent on the configuration of the miter device 1. Suitable angles a may for instance be 40°, 45° or 90° with respect to the longitudinal side 10. In Figure 1 a first configuration of guiding slots 21 is shown. As is clearly visible in Figure 1, the support frame 2 may also be provided with at least one guiding slot 22. Said 10 guiding slots 22 are adapted to cooperate with the guiding slots 21 provided in the clamping element 8 and, if applicable, the side walls 9 of the clamping device 2. In Figure 4, a further configuration of guiding slots 21 in the clamping element 8 is shown. One of the guiding slots 21 comprises a guiding slot 2Id of which the angle a with respect to the longitudinal side 10 is 15 adjustable. The guiding slot 21d is provided in a separate element 24 that is rotatably mounted to the clamping element 8 and can be rotated about a rotating axis 25. The separate element 24 may be fixated at the desired angle a by means of suitable securing means (not shown). The angle may vary between 1°- 90°, and set as desired. As is further shown in Figure 4, the clamping 20 element 8 may be provided with openings 26 that provide a clear view on the object 20 that is provided in the inner space 23 of the miter device 1.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4, making a miter cut in an object 20 using a miter device 1 according to the invention is now described. In order to make a miter cut in the object 20, in this case a skirting board, the clamping 25 device 3 is removed from the support frame 2 and an object 20 is placed on the support surface 5 of the support frame 2. Since the object 20 is relatively high, in this case higher than the height h of the support walls 6 of the support frame 2, the clamping device 3 is positioned with the side walls 9 facing the support frame 2. Then, the clamping device 3 is inserted in between the 30 support walls 9 in the substantially orthogonal direction Ro with respect to the 10 clamping areas 5, 12. More specifically the ridges 17 of the clamping device 3 are positioned in the grooves 18 of the support frame 2. Then the object 20 is fixated in the substantially transversal direction Rt, in the shown embodiment in a direction from the first side wall 9 to the opposite side wall 9, by means of 5 the clamp 19. The clamp 19 may be secured in the fixating position by means of a screw or the like securing means. During fixating of the object 20, the object will end up against the receiving surface 16, formed by the inner surface of the side wall 9 and the inner surface of the longitudinal elevated area 14.

Subsequently, the user pushes the clamping device 3 towards the 10 support frame 2 such that the object 20 is clamped between both clamping areas 5, 12. At the same time, the miter device 1 is pressed tight to the basis on which the miter device 1 is placed. Then, the user can start cutting by placing the saw blade of for instance a backsaw in the desired guiding slot 21 and by drawing the saw back and forth. The guiding slot 21 guides the cut all 15 the way through so that the result is a cut that is perpendicular to the face or edge of the object 20 (depending upon the desired orientation of the cut) and at the appropriate angle a.

In case the object 20 to be cut is an elongate object with very small cross sectional dimensions, such as the skirting-board 20 shown in Figure 4, 20 the miter device 1 may be used differently than explained above with Figure 3. In this case, the clamping device 2 may be inserted in between the support walls 6 upside down. In different words, the clamping device 2 is inserted such that the clamping element 8 is positioned adjacent the support surface 5 and the side walls 9 extend in a direction away from the support surface 5. In the 25 shown example of Figure 4, the clamping element surface 8a facing away from the side walls 9 is provided with two ridges 27 that extend, at least partly, along the longitudinal edges 10 of the clamping element 8. These ridges 27 have dimensions that comply with the dimensions of the elevated areas 14, at least with the dimensions in a substantially transversal direction Rt, such that 30 in use (as shown in Figure 4), the ridge 27 and the elevated area 14 together 11 form the receiving surface 16 for receiving the object 20 in the transversal direction Rt. Fixating of the object 20 against the receiving surface 16 may be obtained with the clamp 19 as explained with Figure 3. Then, the user of the miter device 1 applies pressure to the clamping device such that the object 20 5 is clamped between the first clamping area 5 of the support frame 2 and the second clamping area 12 defined by the surface 8a of the clamping element 8 facing away from the side walls 9. With the miter device 1 according to the invention, different kinds of objects 20 of different material, size and cross sectional dimensions may be easily provided with a miter cut.

10 In Figure 5, a second embodiment of the miter device 1 according to the invention has been shown. For the sake of clarity only the elements that differ from the first embodiment will be described. For similar elements, reference is made to the above description thereof.

The miter device 1 according to the second embodiment of the 15 invention comprises a support frame 2 and a clamping device 3. The support frame 2 comprises a substantially elongate base plate 4 defining the first clamping area forming support surface 5 and a first support wall 6’ extending partly along and adjacent the longitudinal edge 7 of the base plate 4. At the opposite longitudinal edge 7’ of the support frame 2, three guiding pins 6” are 20 provided that extend in a substantially similar direction as the first support wall 6. The clamping device 3 comprises a clamping element 8 defining a second clamping area 2. In the clamping element 8, openings 28, 29 are provided for, in use, receiving the respective side wall 6’ and the guiding pins 6”. In this example, the positioning elements comprise the openings 29 and the 25 guiding pins 6”, which prevent displacement of the clamping element 8 with respect to the support frame 2.

Operation of the miter device 1 according to the second embodiment of the invention is similar as described with the first embodiment. However, the clamping device 3 is provided with a handle 30 to be able to apply the 30 clamping force to the clamping element 8 such that the object 20 is clamped 12 between the respective clamping areas 5, 12. The handle 30 prevents getting in touch with the side wall 6’ and the guiding pins 6” during the clamping operation.

5 In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment of the invention. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For instance, the support frame 2 and the clamping device 3 10 may have different dimensions, for instance the support walls 6 and the side walls 9 may have different heights dependent on the kind of objects to be clamped in the miter device 1. The miter device 1 may be manufactured out of different materials such as wood or wood like material, plastics and/or metal. The miter device 1 may also be provided with more than one clamping device 15 3, wherein each clamping device is configured to cooperate with the support frame 2. Said respective clamping devices 3 may have different dimensions such that even more kinds of objects with a larger range of dimension can be clamped in the miter device to provide the respective objects with the desired miter cuts. However, other modifications, variations and alternatives are also 20 possible. The specifications, drawings and examples are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other features or steps then those listed in a claim.

25 Furthermore, the words ‘a’ and ‘an’ shall not be construed as limited to ‘only one’, but instead are used to mean ‘at least one’, and do not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

30

Claims

Miter box for making a notch in an object (20) with a predetermined angle (a), the miter box comprising: - a support frame (2) with a support surface (5) for receiving the object; 5. at least a first guide slot (21) defining the angle to guide a saw during sawing to make a notch in the object; wherein the miter box (1) further comprises a clamping member (3) cooperating with the support frame to hold the object in a desired position during sawing, the support surface of the support frame defining a first clamping area (5), the clamping member defining a defines second clamping region (12) which, in use, is opposite the first clamping region (5), the clamping component being configured such that the respective clamping regions are movable towards each other, at least in one direction (Ro) substantially orthogonal to the clamping regions, to provide a clamping force on the article (20).

Miter box according to claim 1, wherein the clamping part (3) is configured to be displaced relative to the support frame by manual force. 20

Miter box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clamping component comprises a clamping element (8) and at least one side wall (9) extending substantially perpendicularly of the clamping element, the second clamping area (12) being defined by a clamping element surface, the surface extends on a side of the element which is directed to the at least one side wall or on a side of the element that is different from the side wall.

Miter box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamping member is configured to cooperate with the support frame, for example with an inner surface (13) of a support wall (6) extending substantially perpendicularly of the support surface of the support frame. 5

Miter box according to claim 4, wherein the support wall (6, 6 ') cooperates with the side wall (9) of the clamping component or with an opening (28) provided in the clamping element.

Miter box according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the support frame comprises at least one longitudinally raised area provided on the support surface, preferably extending along a longitudinal edge (7) of the surface, the raised area, in use, cooperating with the side wall (9) of the clamping member to form a receiving surface (16) for receiving the object (20) to be cut in a substantially transversal direction (Rt).

Miter box according to any of claims 3-6, wherein the clamping element surface, for example the surface that rejects the at least one side wall, is provided with at least one cam (27), preferably extending along a longitudinal edge (10) of the element surface adapted to cooperate with the support surface (5) or with the at least one longitudinally raised area (14) provided on the support surface.

8. Miter box according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamping part comprises at least one guide slot (21) because it extends in the clamping element from a first longitudinal side to in the direction of a second opposite longitudinal side, the guide slot being an angle (a) includes with a longitudinal edge of the clamping element.

Miter box according to claim 8, wherein the angle is adjustable.

10. Miter box according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the support frame comprises at least one guide slot (22) configured such that, in use, the guide slot (21) provided in the clamping member cooperates with the guide slot (22) in the support frame.

11. Miter box according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the support frame and the clamping element both comprise at least one positioning element (17, 18), wherein the positioning elements are configured to cooperate in use such that during a clamping operation displacement of the clamping member in a longitudinal direction (R1) relative to the support frame is prevented.

12. Miter box according to claim 11, wherein one of the positioning elements comprises a groove (18) and the other of the positioning elements comprises a cam (17).

13. Miter box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support frame is provided with a clamp (19) for fixing the object to be cut relative to the receiving surface (16).

14. Miter box according to claim 13, wherein the clamp is slidably arranged with respect to the support frame, such that it can be moved to the support wall (6) or the longitudinally raised area (14) in a substantially transversal direction (Rt).

A method of making a miter cut in an object, preferably using a miter box according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a miter box (1); - placing an object in which a notch is to be made in the support frame (2) of the miter box; - positioning the clamping part (3) relative to the support frame such that one of the clamping element surfaces forms the second clamping area (12); - displacing the clamping part relative to the support frame such that the object in which a notch is to be made is clamped between the clamping areas; and - sawing a miter cut into the object. 10

A method according to claim 15, wherein the method comprises fixing the object in which a notch is to be made relative to the support frame, preferably relative to the receiving surface (16), such that the object cannot be moved in a substantially transversal direction.