Clip-on guard assembly for tool devices

Abstract

A clip-on guard assembly for a tool guard is disclosed. The tool guard provides shielding for a tool, and the clip-on guard assembly can be detachably mounted to the tool guard to provide additional shielding coverage for the tool. The clip-on guard assembly can include a guard cover that provides shielding coverage, first and second fasteners disposed on opposite ends of the guard cover, a lever pivotably mounted to the guard cover, and a locking member configured to releasably lock the lever in place when the guard is in use. In operation, the first fastener can be fitted onto one end of the tool guard. Pivoting the lever can move the second fastener into engagement with the opposite end of the tool guard, allowing an operator to securely attach the guard cover to the tool guard, thereby providing modified shielding coverage for the tool. Pivoting the lever in the opposite direction can move the second fastener away, allowing the clip-on guard assembly to be detached from the tool guard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clip-on guard assembly for a tool guard, comprising:
 a guard cover configured to provide shielding for a tool;   first and second fasteners disposed on opposite ends of the guard cover;   a lever pivotably mounted to the guard cover, the lever operably associated with the second fastener, such that pivoting the lever moves the second fastener relative to an end of the tool guard; and   a locking member configured to releasably lock the lever in place when the lever reaches a locking position corresponding to engagement of the second fastener with the end of the tool guard, the locking member being self-activating when the lever moves into the locking position, and including an actuator configured to be manually operated by an operator to release the locking member from the locking position.   
     
     
         2 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member is configured to provide a two-step unlocking process, the two-step unlocking process comprising:
 a first step where the actuator is manually activated to disengage the locking member from a hook projecting from the guard cover, and   a second step where the lever is pivoted away from the locking position to move the second fastener out of engagement with the end of the tool guard.   
     
     
         3 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member comprises a spring mechanism that biases the locking member into engagement with a hook projecting from the guard cover upon the lever reaching the locking position. 
     
     
         4 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 3 , wherein to release the locking member from the locking position, the actuator is configured to be manually operated by an operator to overcome a bias of the spring mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot pin coupled to the guard cover, wherein the lever is pivotably mounted on the pivot pin and configured to pivot about the pivot pin. 
     
     
         6 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second fastener is configured to be moved along an outer periphery of the guard cover responsive to a pivoting of the lever. 
     
     
         7 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein attachment of the clip-on guard assembly to the tool guard converts the tool guard from a type A guard to a type B guard. 
     
     
         8 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein attachment of the clip-on guard assembly to the tool guard converts the tool guard from a configuration that covers only an upper surface and periphery of the tool to a configuration that cover approximately half of the tool on its upper and lower surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lever is configured to pivot in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the second fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second fastener is a sliding fastener that moves linearly along the guard cover when moved responsive to pivoting of the lever. 
     
     
         11 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tool is at least one of a grinding wheel, sanding disc, cutting disc, polishing wheel, wire brush, buffing wheel, or circular saw blade. 
     
     
         12 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tool guard provides shielding for at least a portion of a working edge and at least a portion of a first side surface of a dynamic working tool of the tool, and wherein the guard cover is attachable to the tool guard in:
 a first configuration, wherein the first fastener couples to a first end of the tool guard and the second fastener couples to a second end of the tool guard such that the clip-on guard assembly provides shielding for at least a portion of an opposite second side surface of the dynamic working tool; and   a second configuration, wherein the first fastener couples to the second end of the tool guard and the second fastener couples to the first end of the tool guard, such that the clip-on guard assembly does not provide shielding for the opposite second side surface of the dynamic working tool.   
     
     
         13 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the clip-on guard assembly includes an opening in the guard cover configured to align with an indicator on the tool guard, such that the indicator is visible when the clip-on guard assembly is in the second configuration and the indicator is at least partially obscured by the clip-on guard assembly when the clip-on guard assembly is in the first configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The clip-on guard assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the indicator provides a visual cue regarding a current state of the tool. 
     
     
         15 . A guard assembly, comprising:
 a tool guard configured to cover a portion of a tool; and   a clip-on guard assembly for removably attaching to the tool guard, the clip-on guard assembly comprising:
 a guard cover configured to cover a portion of the tool, 
 first and second fasteners disposed on opposite ends of the guard cover and configured to attach to first and second ends, respectively, of the tool guard, 
 a lever pivotably mounted to the guard cover, the lever operably associated with the second fastener, such that pivoting the lever moves the second fastener relative to the second end of the tool guard, and 
 a locking member configured to releasably lock the lever in place when the lever reaches a locking position corresponding to engagement of the second fastener with the second end of the tool guard, the locking member being self-activating when the lever moves into the locking position, and including an actuator configured to be manually operated by an operator to release the locking member from the locking position. 
   
     
     
         16 . The guard assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the locking member is configured to provide a two-step unlocking process, the two-step unlocking process comprising:
 a first step where the actuator is manually activated to disengage the locking member from a hook projecting from the guard cover, and   a second step where the lever is pivoted away from the locking position to move the second fastener out of engagement with the second end of the tool guard.   
     
     
         17 . The guard assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the locking member comprises a spring mechanism that biases the locking member into engagement with a hook projecting from the guard cover upon the lever reaching the locking position, and wherein to release the locking member from the locking position, the actuator is configured to be manually operated by an operator to overcome a bias of the spring mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The guard assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the tool guard provides shielding for at least a portion of a working edge and at least a portion of a first side surface of a dynamic working tool of the tool, and wherein the guard cover is attachable to the tool guard in:
 a first configuration, wherein the first fastener couples to a first end of the tool guard and the second fastener couples to a second end of the tool guard such that the clip-on guard assembly provides shielding for at least a portion of an opposite second side surface of the dynamic working tool; and   a second configuration, wherein the first fastener couples to the second end of the tool guard and the second fastener couples to the first end of the tool guard, such that the clip-on guard assembly does not provide shielding for the opposite second side surface of the dynamic working tool.   
     
     
         19 . The guard assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the clip-on guard assembly includes an opening in the guard cover configured to align with an indicator on the tool guard, such that the indicator is visible when the clip-on guard assembly is in the second configuration and the indicator is at least partially obscured by the clip-on guard assembly when the clip-on guard assembly is in the first configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The guard assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the indicator provides a visual cue regarding a current state of the tool.