Vacuum enclosure for confining and removing debris produced by tool operation

Abstract

An enclosure cooperates with a vacuum source to confine and remove debris produced by operation of tools on workpieces. The enclosure comprises a housing and a work plate that defines the bottom of a work chamber in the housing and a work surface where tools and workpieces can be placed. A vacuum chamber is formed against a lower surface of the work plate, and the work plate has an extensive array of holes that place the work chamber in communication with vacuum chamber. A vacuum source coupled to the vacuum chamber draws air flows through holes in the work plate that remove debris in the work chamber. A window permits viewing of the interior of the work chamber, and an access port permits a worker to insert his hands into the work chamber to handle workpieces or operate tools.

1 . An enclosure cooperating with a vacuum source to confine and remove debris produced by operation of a tool on a workpiece, the enclosure comprising: 
 a housing;    a work plate mounted in the housing, the plate cooperating with the housing to define a work chamber above the work plate, the work plate comprising an upper work surface for supporting the tool and the workpiece;    a window attached to the housing and permitting viewing into the work chamber;    an access port attached to the housing and shaped to permit manual manipulation of the tool and the workpiece in the work chamber; and,    means cooperating with the work plate to define a vacuum chamber against a lower surface of the work plate, the vacuum chamber comprising an inlet port for coupling the vacuum chamber to the vacuum source, the work plate comprising a multiplicity of holes extending between its upper and lower surfaces that place the vacuum chamber in communication with the work chamber, the passages positioned to distribute vacuum within the vacuum chamber about the work surface.    
   
   
       2 . The enclosure of  claim 1  comprising a filter located within the vacuum chamber and shaped to enclose the inlet port against entrainment of debris from the vacuum chamber to the vacuum source.  
   
   
       3 . The enclosure of  claim 2  comprising a tray located within the vacuum chamber and positioned to collect debris entrained through the work plate into the vacuum chamber.  
   
   
       4 . The enclosure of  claim 3  in which: 
 the inlet port is formed in a bottom wall of the vacuum chamber;    the tray rests on the bottom wall and comprises an opening vertically aligned with the inlet port of the vacuum chamber; and,    the filter seats against an upper surface of the tray and surrounds surrounds the opening in the tray.    
   
   
       5 . The enclosure of  claim 4  in which: 
 the work plate is associated with means releasably supporting the work plate in a predetermined position within the vacuum chamber; and,    the filter is fastened to a bottom surface of the work plate and rests freely against the tray;    whereby, the filter is removable with the work plate to allow access to the tray.    
   
   
       6 . The enclosure of  claim 5  in which: 
 the housing comprises a parallel pair of grooves that receive opposing sides of the tray for relative sliding movement along a predetermined axis;    the housing comprises an access door positioned for sliding insertion and removal of the tray along the axis.    
   
   
       7 . The enclosure of  claim 1  in which: 
 the vacuum chamber has a bottom wall;    the inlet port of the vacuum chamber is formed in the bottom wall;    the vacuum source is located within the housing.    
   
   
       8 . The enclosure of  claim 1  in which the access port comprises: 
 an opening in the housing;    closure means for at least partially closing the opening automatically after insertion or removal of an object through the opening.    
   
   
       9 . The enclosure of  claim 9  in which the closure means comprise a flexible flap that restores elastically to rest position in which the flap is substantially coplanar with the opening and and deflects from the rest position in response to contact with an object.  
   
   
       10 . The enclosure of  claim 8  in which the closure means comprise: 
 an upper elastic flap fastened to the housing;    a lower elastic flap fastened to the housing;    each of the flaps biased by the elasticity of the flap to rest position in which the flap is substantially coplanar with the opening.