Guide Foot for an Oscillating Power Tool

Abstract

A guide member for an oscillating power tool includes an attachment portion configured to be removably attached to a housing of the power tool and a guide portion that extends from the attachment portion. The guide portion includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a guide surface. When the attachment portion is attached to the housing of the power tool, the guide portion is configured to extend beyond the housing in a first direction to position the leading edge portion a predetermined distance apart from the oscillation axis, the predetermined distance being greater than a distance that an accessory tool attached to the power tool extends.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power tool comprising:
 a housing including a nose portion;   a motor supported within the housing;   an oscillating drive assembly coupled to the motor and configured to be driven to oscillate by the motor;   a tool holder secured to the oscillating drive assembly and configured to removably retain an accessory tool so that the accessory tool is oscillated about an oscillation axis by the oscillating drive assembly, the tool holder being located exterior to the nose portion of the housing, the accessory tool including an outer edge portion and being configured to extend beyond the nose portion of the housing in at least a first direction that is perpendicular to the oscillation axis to position the outer edge portion a first distance from the oscillation axis; and   a guide member attached to the housing, the guide member including a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion, and a guide surface that extends between the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion;   wherein the guide member is configured to extend beyond the nose portion of the housing in the first direction to position the leading edge portion a second distance apart from the oscillation axis.   
     
     
         2 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the guide surface is configured to be placed in contact with a surface of a workpiece, the guide surface defining a guide plane that is substantially parallel to the oscillation axis. 
     
     
         3 . The power tool of  claim 2 , wherein the guide member is removably attached to the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The power tool of  claim 3 , wherein the guide member is configured to have a snap fit engagement with the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The power tool of  claim 3 , wherein the guide member includes a collar portion that is pivotably attached to the nose portion of the housing for pivotal movement about the oscillation axis. 
     
     
         6 . The power tool of  claim 3 , wherein the guide member includes a housing attachment portion and a guide portion, the housing attachment portion being pivotably attached to the guide portion and being configured to be removably attached to the housing, the guide portion including the leading edge portion, the trailing edge portion, and the guide surface,
 wherein the housing attachment portion is configured to pivot between a first position and a second position in relation to the guide portion,   wherein, in the first position, the oscillation axis is a first distance from the guide plane, and   wherein, in the second position, the oscillation axis is a second distance from the guide plane.   
     
     
         7 . The power tool of  claim 6 , wherein the housing attachment portion is pivotably attached to the guide portion proximate the leading edge portion. 
     
     
         8 . The power tool of  claim 3 , wherein the guide member is configured to be removably attached at a first position on a first lateral side of the nose portion of the housing and at a second position on second lateral side of the nose portion that is opposite from the first lateral side,
 wherein the guide surface faces away from the housing when the guide member is attached at both the first position and the second position, and   wherein the guide plane is parallel to the oscillation axis when the guide member is attached at both the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         9 . A power tool comprising:
 a housing including a nose portion;   a motor supported within the housing;   an oscillating drive assembly coupled to the motor and configured to be driven to oscillate by the motor;   a tool holder secured to the oscillating drive assembly and configured to removably retain an accessory tool so that the accessory tool is oscillated about an oscillation axis by the oscillating drive assembly, the tool holder being located exterior to the nose portion of the housing, the accessory tool including an outer edge portion and being configured to extend beyond the nose portion of the housing in at least a first direction that is perpendicular to the oscillation axis to position the outer edge portion a first distance from the oscillation axis; and   a guide member attached to the housing, the guide member including a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion, and a guide surface that extends between the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion,   wherein the guide member is configured to extend beyond the nose portion of the housing in the first direction to position the leading edge portion a second distance apart from the oscillation axis,   wherein the accessory tool defines an oscillation plane in which a working portion of the accessory tool is configured to oscillate, the oscillation plane being perpendicular to the oscillation axis,   wherein the guide member defines a cutout portion between the leading and trailing edge portions that is configured to allow at least a portion of the accessory tool to extend therethrough when the accessory tool is retained by the tool holder,   wherein the oscillation plane and at least one of the leading and trailing edge portions of the guide member is intersected by the oscillation plane.   
     
     
         10 . The power tool of  claim 9 , wherein the guide member includes a movable portion, the movable portion including the leading edge portion and at least a portion of the guide surface,
 wherein the movable portion is configured to move between a first position and a second position in relation to the housing, and   wherein the leading edge portion of the guide member is located at a first position in relation to the nose portion of the housing in the first position and located at a second position in relation to the nose portion of the housing in the second position.   
     
     
         11 . The power tool of  claim 10 , wherein the movable portion is configured to pivot with respect to the nose portion of the housing between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         12 . The power tool of  claim 10 , wherein the movable portion is configured to translate with respect to the nose portion of the housing between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         13 . A guide member for a power tool, the power tool including a housing, a motor supported within the housing, an oscillating drive assembly coupled to the motor and configured to be driven to oscillate by the motor, and a tool holder secured to the oscillating drive assembly and configured to removably retain an accessory tool, the guide member, the accessory tool including an outer edge portion and being configured to extend beyond the nose portion of the housing in at least a first direction that is perpendicular to the oscillation axis to position the outer edge portion a first distance from the oscillation axis, the guide member comprising:
 an attachment portion configured to be removably attached to the housing of the power tool;   a guide portion that extends from the attachment portion, the guide portion including a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a guide surface,   wherein, when the attachment portion is attached to the housing of the power tool, the guide portion is configured to extend beyond the housing in the first direction to position the leading edge portion a second distance apart from the oscillation axis.   
     
     
         14 . The guide member of  claim 13 , wherein the guide surface is configured to be placed in contact with a surface of a workpiece, the guide surface defining a guide plane that is substantially parallel to the oscillation axis. 
     
     
         15 . The guide member of  claim 13 , wherein the guide portion is movably attached to the housing attachment portion, and
 wherein the guide portion is configured to move between a first position and a second position in relation to the attachment portion.   
     
     
         16 . The guide member of  claim 13 , wherein the attachment portion is pivotably attached to the guide portion. 
     
     
         17 . The guide member of  claim 13 , wherein the oscillation axis is spaced a third distance apart from the guide plane when the guide portion is at the first position, and
 wherein the oscillation axis is spaced a fourth distance apart from the guide plane when the guide portion is at the second position, the fourth distance being different than the third distance.