Sole assembly for an orbital sander

Abstract

A sole assembly for an orbital sander includes a sole plate and a bearing. The sole plate has a top, a bottom, two opposite ends and an integral bearing seat. The bearing seat is integrally formed on and protrudes from the top and has a top, a top opening and a bottom recess. The top opening is defined through the top of the bearing seat. The bottom recess defined co-axially with the top opening through the bottom of the sole plate. The bearing is mounted and held securely in the bottom recess to hold an eccentric shaft. Therefore, the sole assembly has a minimum number of parts, which reduces assembly time and lowers manufacturing costs.

1 . A sole assembly for an orbital sander having a motor having a shaft with an outside end and a drive shaft defined eccentrically on the outside end and having an axis, a distal end and a screw hole defined in the distal end at the axis, and the sole assembly comprising: 
 a sole plate having 
 a top;  
 a bottom;  
 two opposite ends; and  
 an integral bearing seat integrally formed on and protruding from the top and having 
 a top;  
 a top opening defined through the top of the bearing seat; and  
 a bottom recess defined coaxially with the top opening through the bottom of the sole plate;  
 
   a bearing mounted and held securely in the bottom recess of the bearing seat to hold the distal end of the drive shaft; and    two sandpaper clips mounted respectively at the ends of the sole plate.    
   
   
       2 . The sole assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sole plate further has multiple in-line protrusions formed on the top of the sole plate and arranged in two lines respectively at the ends of the sole plate; and 
 each of the sandpaper clips has a mounting bracket with multiple mounting holes aligned respectively with the protrusions of one of the lines, and each of the mounting holes receives the aligned protrusion;    whereby the sandpaper clips are fastened to the top of the sole plate by welding.    
   
   
       3 . The sole assembly as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising a washer and a fastener passing through the washer to screw into the screw hole in the drive shaft to attach the bearing to the drive shaft.