Adjustable guard for angle grinder

Abstract

An angle grinder including a motor housing, a motor supported within the motor housing, a spindle, a spindle housing from which the spindle extends, and a guard coupled to the spindle housing and including a shroud surrounding the spindle and a grinding disc coupled to the spindle. An orientation of the guard is adjustable relative to the spindle housing by rotating the guard about a rotational axis of the spindle. The angle grinder also includes a locking mechanism operable between a locking state, in which the guard is rotationally immovable relative to the spindle housing, and a release state, in which the guard is rotatable about the rotational axis to adjust the orientation of the guard. The locking mechanism includes a lever configured to be pressed by a user to adjust the locking mechanism from the locking state to the release state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An angle grinder comprising:
 a motor housing;   a motor supported within the motor housing;   a spindle oriented transverse to the motor and configured to receive torque therefrom, causing the spindle to rotate;   a spindle housing from which the spindle extends;   a guard coupled to the spindle housing and including a shroud that at least partially surrounds the spindle and an attached grinding disc coupled to the spindle, an orientation of the guard being adjustable relative to the spindle housing by rotating the guard about a rotational axis of the spindle; and   a locking mechanism operable between a locking state, in which the guard is rotationally immovable relative to the spindle housing, and a release state, in which the guard is rotatable about the rotational axis to adjust the orientation of the guard,   wherein the locking mechanism includes a lever having a first actuation portion proximate a first side of the spindle housing configured to be pressed by a user to adjust the locking mechanism from the locking state to the release state, and a second actuation portion proximate a second side of the spindle housing configured to be alternately pressed by the user to adjust the locking mechanism from the locking state to the release state.   
     
     
         2 . The angle grinder of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second actuation portions are located on opposite ends of the lever. 
     
     
         3 . The angle grinder of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a spring configured to bias the lever into a first position coinciding with the locking state of the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The angle grinder of  claim 3 , wherein the spring is a first spring, and wherein the locking mechanism further includes a second spring configured to bias the lever into the first position, and wherein the first and second springs are individually compressible in response to the first and second actuation portions being pressed by the user. 
     
     
         5 . The angle grinder of  claim 3 , wherein the lever is pivotable from the first position toward a second position coinciding with the release state of the locking mechanism in response to the first actuation portion being pressed, and wherein the lever is pivotable from the first position toward a third position coinciding with the release state of the locking mechanism in response to the second actuation portion being pressed. 
     
     
         6 . The angle grinder of  claim 5 , wherein, in addition to pivoting movement, the lever also undergoes translating movement during movement from the first position toward the third position. 
     
     
         7 . The angle grinder of  claim 6 , wherein the lever includes a first slot proximate the second actuation portion and a second slot proximate the first actuation portion, and wherein the first slot has a first shape and the second slot has a different, second shape. 
     
     
         8 . The angle grinder of  claim 7 , wherein the first slot has an arcuate first shape, and wherein the second slot has an L-shaped second shape. 
     
     
         9 . The angle grinder of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first fastener extending through the first slot for securing the lever to the spindle housing; and   a second fastener extending through the second slot for securing the lever to the spindle housing.   
     
     
         10 . The angle grinder of  claim 9 , wherein the second slot has a vertical segment and an adjacent horizontal segment, and wherein the first fastener remains stationary in the first slot and the second fastener moves from one end of the vertical segment toward an opposite end of the vertical segment in response to the first actuation portion of the lever being pressed by the user. 
     
     
         11 . The angle grinder of  claim 10 , wherein the first slot has an arcuate shape, and wherein the first fastener moves from one end of the arcuate first slot toward an opposite end of the arcuate first slot in response to the second actuation portion of the lever being pressed by the user. 
     
     
         12 . The angle grinder of  claim 11 , wherein the second fastener moves within the horizontal segment of the second slot in response to the second actuation portion of the lever being pressed by the user. 
     
     
         13 . The angle grinder of  claim 1 , wherein the lever includes a detent between the first actuation portion and the second actuation portion, wherein the locking mechanism further includes a plurality of recesses formed in the guard, and wherein the detent is engaged with one of the plurality of recesses when the locking mechanism is in the locking state. 
     
     
         14 . An angle grinder comprising:
 a motor housing;   a motor supported within the motor housing;   a spindle oriented transverse to the motor and configured to receive torque therefrom, causing the spindle to rotate;   a spindle housing from which the spindle extends;   a guard coupled to the spindle housing and including a shroud that at least partially surrounds the spindle and an attached grinding disc coupled to the spindle, an orientation of the guard being adjustable relative to the spindle housing by rotating the guard about a rotational axis of the spindle; and   a locking mechanism operable between a locking state, in which the guard is rotationally immovable relative to the spindle housing, and a release state, in which the guard is rotatable about the rotational axis to adjust the orientation of the guard, wherein the locking mechanism includes
 a detent having a first surface and an opposite, second surface, 
 a first actuator proximate the first surface of the detent and a first side of the spindle housing, the first actuator configured to be pressed by a user to adjust the locking mechanism from the locking state to the release state, and 
 a second actuator proximate the second surface of the detent and an opposite, second side of the spindle housing, the second actuator configured to be alternately pressed by the user to adjust the locking mechanism from the locking state to the release state. 
   
     
     
         15 . The angle grinder of  claim 14 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a spring configured to bias the detent into a first position coinciding with the locking state of the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The angle grinder of  claim 15 , wherein the detent is linearly movable along a detent axis from the first position toward a second position coinciding with the release state of the locking mechanism in response to the first actuator being pressed, and wherein the detent is linearly movable along the detent axis from the first position toward the second position coinciding with the release state of the locking mechanism in response to the second actuator being pressed. 
     
     
         17 . The angle grinder of  claim 16 , wherein the first surface and the second surface of the detent are each obliquely oriented relative to the detent axis. 
     
     
         18 . An angle grinder comprising:
 a motor housing;   a motor supported within the motor housing;   a spindle oriented transverse to the motor and configured to receive torque therefrom, causing the spindle rotate;   a spindle housing from which the spindle extends;   a guard coupled to the spindle housing and including a shroud that at least partially surrounds the spindle and an attached grinding disc coupled to the spindle, an orientation of the guard being adjustable relative to the spindle housing by rotating the guard about a rotational axis of the spindle, the guard including a plurality of notches; and   a lever adjustable between a locking state, in which the guard is rotationally immovable relative to the spindle housing, and a release state, in which the guard is rotatable about the rotational axis to adjust the orientation of the guard, wherein the lever is rotatable about a lever axis that is parallel to the rotational axis to adjust the lever between the locking state and the release state.   
     
     
         19 . The angle grinder of  claim 18 , wherein the lever includes a detent that is engaged with one of the notches in the guard when the lever is in the locking state. 
     
     
         20 . The angle grinder of  claim 18 , wherein the lever is biased into the locking state.