JP7853545B2 - Circular saw - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a circular saw having a dust collection box.

Patent Document 1 below discloses a circular saw equipped with a dust collection box.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-68073

With circular saws equipped with a dust collection box, it can be difficult to determine the amount of dust accumulated, especially in dark environments. Furthermore, if the dust collection box becomes full due to continuous operation, dust may backflow from the inlet.

The present invention aims to provide a circular saw that makes it easy to recognize the dust collection status of the dust collection box.

One aspect of the present invention is a circular saw. This circular saw is
Motor and,
A housing for the motor,
A base located below the motor and connected to the housing,
A circular saw blade rotated by the aforementioned motor with the left-right axis ,
A saw cover that covers at least a portion of the circular saw blade,
A transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force of the motor to the circular saw blade,
A gear case housing the aforementioned transmission mechanism,
A dust collection box connected to the saw cover and configured to collect chips generated by the cutting process,
A part of the dust collection box, comprising a translucent wall that allows light to pass from the outside to the inside of the dust collection box,
The dust collection box includes an illumination member that irradiates light from outside the dust collection box toward the light-transmitting wall,
The dust collection box has an upper part that is located above the gear case and to one side in the left-right direction above the lighting member.
The upper part has a left side portion facing to the left and a right side portion facing to the right.
The left and right side portions are translucent.
The lighting member is capable of illuminating the inside of the dust collection box through the light-transmitting wall by irradiating light toward one side in the left-right direction, and the irradiation range is such that it passes through the inside of the upper part.
The worker can see the interior of the upper part from either the left side or the right side .

This invention may also be described as "working equipment," "power tools," "electrical machinery," etc., and such descriptions are also valid embodiments of the invention.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a circular saw that makes it easy to recognize the dust collection status of the dust collection box.

A right side view of the circular saw 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Right side view of circular saw 1 with the dust collection box 11 removed. Plan view of circular saw 1. Front view of circular saw 1. Cross-sectional view along line A-A in Figure 3. Cross-sectional view along line B-B in Figure 1. (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 1. (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Figure 1. Figure 7(B) is a partially enlarged view showing the illumination range of the light emitted by the lighting component 31 for the dust collection box. A perspective view of the assembled state of the gear case 7, saw cover 8, dust collection box 11, dust cover 17, and retaining member 20 of the circular saw 1. Figure 9 shows an exploded perspective view of the unit. A right side view of a circular saw 1A according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the following, identical or equivalent components, parts, etc., shown in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted where appropriate. The embodiments are illustrative and not limiting to the invention. Not all features or combinations thereof described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention.

Figures 1 to 10 relate to a circular saw 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 1, 3, and 4 define the mutually orthogonal front-to-back, up-and-down, and left-to-right directions in the circular saw 1. The left-to-right direction is perpendicular to the side surface of the circular saw blade 10. The front-to-back direction is parallel to the bottom surface of the base 2 and the side surface of the circular saw blade 10. The left-to-right direction is defined relative to an operator looking forward.

The circular saw 1 has a base 2. The base 2 is a roughly rectangular metal plate, such as aluminum. The longitudinal direction of the base 2 is parallel to the cutting direction (front-to-back direction). The bottom surface of the base 2 is the sliding surface with the workpiece. The cutting direction is forward. That is, the circular saw 1 operates in a forward direction.

The circular saw 1 has a motor housing 3. The motor housing 3 is, for example, a resin molded body with a two-part structure (front and rear) fixed and integrated together by screws or the like. The motor housing 3 is connected and fixed to the gear case 7 by screws or the like, and is located to the left of the gear case 7. As shown in Figure 5, the motor housing 3 houses the motor 45, etc.

The circular saw 1 has a handle housing 4. The handle housing 4 is, for example, a two-part resin molded body, fixed and integrated together by screws or the like. The handle housing 4 is connected and fixed to the gear case 7 by screws or the like, and is located to the left of the gear case 7. The grip portion of the handle housing 4 extends in the front-rear direction above the motor housing 3.

A battery pack 5 is detachably mounted on the lower rear end of the handle housing 4. The circular saw 1 operates using the power from the battery pack 5.

As shown in Figure 2, the circular saw 1 has a trigger switch 6 on the grip portion of the handle housing 4. The trigger switch 6 is a switch used by the operator to control the operation and stopping of the motor 45.

The circular saw 1 has a gear case 7. The gear case 7 is made of a metal such as aluminum, and houses the transmission mechanism 49 described later. The gear case 7 is integrated with the motor housing 3 and the handle housing 4, and constitutes the main body housing of the circular saw 1.

The gear case 7 is connected to the base 2 via a rotational support mechanism 41 and a tilting support mechanism 42. The gear case 7 is supported by the rotational support mechanism 41 so as to be able to swing vertically relative to the base 2. The cutting depth can be adjusted by swinging the gear case 7. The gear case 7 is supported by the tilting support mechanism 42 so as to be able to tilt to at least one side in the left-right direction relative to the base 2. Tilting the gear case 7 enables bevel cutting.

The gear case 7 has an opening 7a. The opening 7a is a through-hole that penetrates the upper wall portion of the gear case 7, perpendicular to the left-right direction, in the left-right direction. The opening 7a is located above the portion of the gear case 7 that houses the transmission mechanism 49. As shown in Figure 8, the opening 7a is located above the upper end of the circular saw blade 10. The opening 7a is located below the lower ends of the inlet 14 and outlet 15 of the dust collection box 11, which will be described later.

The circular saw 1 has a saw cover 8. The saw cover 8 is also called an inner cover. The saw cover 8 is a translucent material, such as a resin molded body. For example, the saw cover 8 is made of colorless, transparent polycarbonate. The saw cover 8 is connected and fixed to the gear case 7 by screws or the like, and is located to the right of the gear case 7. The saw cover 8 covers at least a portion of the circular saw blade 10, for example, the upper half. The saw cover 8 has a discharge section 8A (discharge hole) for discharging chips (machined wood fragments) generated by processing to the outside of the saw cover 8, and a ventilation section 8B (ventilation hole) for allowing air from the outside to flow into the inside of the saw cover 8. The discharge section 8A is a hole formed through the saw cover 8. The ventilation section 8B is also a hole formed through the saw cover 8.

The circular saw 1 has a protective cover 9. The protective cover 9 is, for example, a molded resin body. The protective cover 9 is rotatably mounted relative to the gear case 7 and covers at least a portion of the circular saw blade 10, for example, the lower part, in an openable and closable manner. The protective cover 9 is biased by a biasing means (not shown) in the counterclockwise direction in Figure 1, towards a position that covers the lower part of the circular saw blade 10, as shown in Figure 1.

The circular saw 1 has a circular saw blade 10. As shown in Figure 5, the circular saw blade 10 is driven by a motor 45 via a transmission mechanism 49. The circular saw blade 10 is configured to rotate about an axis A2 extending in the left-right direction.

As shown in Figure 5, the circular saw 1 has a motor 45, a fan 47, and an inverter board 48 within the motor housing 3. In this example, the motor 45 is an inner-rotor type brushless motor.

The fan 47 is directly connected to the motor shaft 46 at the right side of the motor body 45 (the part of the motor 45 excluding the motor shaft 46) and rotates together with the motor 45. The fan 47 is an axial flow fan that generates airflow to the right. The motor shaft 46 is configured to rotate around an axis A1 extending in the left-right direction.

The inverter board 48 mounts the switching elements for driving the motor 45. The inverter board 48 is held to the left of the motor 45's body, in a position perpendicular to the left-right direction.

The circular saw 1 has a transmission mechanism 49 inside the gear case 7. The transmission mechanism 49 is a reduction mechanism that reduces the rotation of the motor 45 and transmits it to the circular saw blade 10.

The circular saw 1 has a dust collection box 11. The dust collection box 11 is also called a dust box. The dust collection box 11 has, for example, a two-part structure; specifically, the left dust collection box 12 and the right dust collection box 13 are fixed and integrated together by screws or the like.

The left dust collection box 12 and the right dust collection box 13 are made of a translucent material, such as a resin molded body, and are made of, for example, colored transparent polycarbonate. The left dust collection box 12 and the right dust collection box 13 may also be colorless and transparent.

The dust collection box 11 has a translucent wall on its left side, including at least a portion facing the opening 7a of the gear case 7 (the portion facing the dust collection box lighting member 31 through the opening 7a), which allows light to pass from the outside to the inside. The dust collection box 11 also has a visibility wall on its right side (the side opposite to where the dust collection box lighting member 31 is located), which allows the inside to be seen from the outside.

The dust collection box 11 is detachably connected (attached) to the saw cover 8 and positioned above the saw cover 8. The dust collection box 11 is secured to the saw cover 8 by a latch 18, as shown in Figure 1. By rotating the latch 18 clockwise in Figure 1, the lock is released, and the dust collection box 11 can be removed from the saw cover 8.

The dust collection box 11 is configured to collect chips (dust) generated by the cutting process. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the dust collection box 11 has an inlet 14, an outlet 15, and a chip collection section 16.

The chip storage section 16 is a space (dust collection chamber) for storing collected chips, and is a space that extends in the front-to-back and up-and-down directions (especially in the front-to-back direction). The inlet section 14 has an inlet 14A, an inlet passage 14B, and an inlet outlet 14C. The discharge section 15 has a discharge outlet 15A, a discharge passage 15B, and a discharge inlet 15C. The inlet section 14 and the discharge section 15 are located in the front upper part of the chip storage section 16. The inlet 14A is a portion that opens downwards, facing the discharge section 8A. The inlet 14C is a portion that opens rearward, facing the chip storage section 16. The inlet passage 14B is a passage (space) that connects the inlet 14A and the inlet 14C. The discharge outlet 15A is a portion that opens downwards, facing the ventilation section 8B. The discharge inlet 15C is a portion that opens to the rear, facing the chip storage section 16. The discharge passage 15B is a passage (space) connecting the discharge outlet 15A and the discharge inlet 15C. The chips are configured to move to the chip storage section 16 by passing through the inlet 14A, the inlet passage 14B, and the inlet outlet 14C in that order. The air inside the chip storage section 16 is configured to move to the ventilation section 8B by passing through the discharge inlet 15C, the discharge passage 15B, and the discharge outlet 15A in that order. As described above, the inlet 14 is a portion that serves as a passage for sending chips sent from the discharge section 8A to the chip storage section 16. The discharge 15 is a portion that serves as a passage for sending air inside the chip storage section 16 to the ventilation section 8B. The chip storage section 16 is a portion that extends rearward and downward from the inlet outlet 14C (and discharge inlet 15C). The inlet 14 and outlet 15 are aligned horizontally, with the inlet 14 located to the right of the outlet 15.

The chips generated by the cutting process using the rotating circular saw blade 10 are lifted upwards along with the air by the force of the blade's rotation and collected in the chip collection section 16. Figure 1 shows a simplified diagram of the airflow within the dust collection box 11 using a dashed line. The chips enter the chip collection section 16 along with the air. The air exits through the discharge section 15 and is exhausted outside the dust collection box 11, but because the chips have a higher specific gravity than air, they remain within the chip collection section 16.

A dust cover 17 is provided at the rear opening of the dust collection box 11, allowing it to be opened and closed. The dust cover 17 is locked in the closed position by a hook portion 17a. By pushing up the hook portion 17a, the lock is released, allowing the dust cover 17 to rotate upward and be opened. In this state, metal chips from the metal chip collection section 16 can be discharged from the rear opening of the dust collection box 11. The rear end of the dust cover 17 has a hose attachment port (not shown) to which a hose for a dust collector can be connected, and it is closed with a cap 19 made of rubber or the like, allowing it to be opened and closed.

As shown in Figures 1, 7(B), 8, and 10, the circular saw 1 has a lighting element 31 for the dust collection box. The lighting element 31 for the dust collection box is, for example, a chip LED, and it emits light from the left side of the dust collection box 11 toward the lower part (transparent wall) of the left side of the dust collection box 11 (the left side of the chip collection section 16).

As shown in Figure 8, the lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is held with its light-emitting surface facing diagonally upwards to the right, and faces the opening 7a of the gear case 7 from the left. The lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is located to the left of the saw cover 8. The lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is located below the lower end positions of the inlet 14 and outlet 15 (the vertical position shown as H1 in Figure 8). In the front-to-back direction, the lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is located within the range of the chip collection section 16, preferably towards the front (near the front end) of the range.

The light emitted by the dust collection box lighting member 31 passes through the opening 7a, the top of the saw cover 8, and the lower part of the left side of the dust collection box 11 (transparent wall), enters the dust collection box 11 (inside the chip storage section 16), and exits the dust collection box 11 through the right side (visibility wall). Figure 8 shows a simplified illustration of the illumination range of the light emitted by the dust collection box lighting member 31 (hereinafter referred to as the "illumination range").

The illumination range is approximately 120 degrees around the optical axis of the dust collection box lighting element 31. However, due to its positional relationship with the opening 7a of the gear case 7, approximately 30 degrees of the illumination range, as seen in the cross-section of Figure 8, is blocked by a portion of the gear case 7 (the upper part of the opening 7a). This cuts off light coming from a direction close to directly upwards (such as the light rays indicated by the dashed arrows in Figure 8), preventing the light emitted from the dust collection box lighting element 31 from directly reaching the eyes of an operator viewing the dust collection box 11 from above, thereby reducing glare.

The illumination range covers the lower end of the chip collection section 16, as seen in the cross-section of Figure 8. Therefore, it is easy to visually detect the initial accumulation of chips within the chip collection section 16.

The lighting element 31 for the dust collection box is positioned below the lower end of the inlet/outlet 14C (and outlet/discharge inlet 15C) (H1 in Figure 8). Therefore, when metal chips accumulate to a height lower than this lower end, as shown by H2 in Figure 8, the illuminated area is covered by the chips. The worker can recognize that the light emitted by the lighting element 31 is obscured by the chips in the chip storage section 16, indicating the need to discard the chips in the chip storage section 16.

The irradiation range includes the vicinity of the inlet/outlet 14C (and outlet/inlet 15C). Therefore, it is easy to anticipate when chips are likely to accumulate near the outlet/inlet 15C within the chip collection section 16. When chips accumulate near the outlet/inlet 15C, backflow of chips from the outlet section 15 to the dust collection box 11 is likely to occur. However, because the operator can easily anticipate when chips are likely to accumulate near the outlet/inlet 15C, they can discard the chips in the dust collection box 11 in advance, thereby suppressing backflow.

As shown in Figure 10, the circular saw 1 has a work lighting element 35. The work lighting element 35 is, for example, a chip LED, which illuminates the cutting edge of the circular saw blade 10 and the work area of the workpiece.

The lighting for the dust collection box 31 and the work lighting for the work area 35 can be switched on and off individually or collectively by operating the switch panel 40 provided on the handle housing 4.

As shown in Figures 3, 4, 7(B), and 8-10, the circular saw 1 has a holding member 20. The holding member 20 is a member that holds the dust collection box lighting member 31 and the work lighting member 35, as well as the first wiring 32, second wiring 36, and third wiring 38 for supplying power to them. The first wiring 32, second wiring 36, and third wiring 38 connect the dust collection box lighting member 31 and the work lighting member 35 in series between the output terminals of a lighting power supply (not shown) that generates power for driving the lighting using the power from the battery pack 5.

The first wiring 32 electrically connects the positive (or negative) terminal of the lighting power supply to the dust collection box lighting element 31. The second wiring 36 electrically connects the negative (or positive) terminal of the lighting power supply to the work lighting element 35. The third wiring 38 electrically connects the dust collection box lighting element 31 and the work lighting element 35. Note that the connection configuration of the dust collection box lighting element 31 and the work lighting element 35 may be parallel connection.

The retaining member 20 is connected and fixed to the gear case 7 by screws or the like, and is located to the left of the gear case 7. Alternatively, the retaining member 20 is sandwiched between the gear case 7 and the handle housing 4 from both the left and right directions.

The retaining member 20 has, for example, a two-part structure, specifically, a left retaining member 21 and a right retaining member 22 that are fixed and integrated with each other by screws or the like. The left retaining member 21 and the right retaining member 22 are, for example, resin molded bodies made of polycarbonate.

The left retaining member 21 has a left base portion 23, a left first extension portion 25, and a left second extension portion 27. The right retaining member 22 has a right base portion 24, a right first extension portion 26, and a right second extension portion 28.

The left base portion 23 and the right base portion 24 are combined to form the base portion of the retaining member 20 (hereinafter referred to as "base portion"). The base portion is provided with a wiring opening 29 and an exhaust port 30.

The wiring opening 29 opens to the left and is used to pass the first wiring 32 and the second wiring 36 through the base. That is, the base accommodates a portion of each of the first wiring 32 and the second wiring 36.

The exhaust port 30 opens forward and functions as an exhaust port for the airflow generated by the fan 47. That is, the airflow generated by the fan 47 cools the motor 45, enters the base via the wiring opening 29, flows through the base towards the exhaust port 30, and is exhausted to the outside through the exhaust port 30. The exhaust port 30 is also shown in Figure 4. In this way, the holding member 20 also functions as a flow guide that guides the exhaust of the cooling air from the motor 45. This enables exhaust in the appropriate direction.

The left first extension portion 25 and the right first extension portion 26 are combined to form the first extension portion of the retaining member 20 (hereinafter referred to as the "first extension portion"). The first extension portion extends upward from the base and bends in an L-shape to extend backward. The first extension portion accommodates the remaining portion of the first wiring 32 (the portion extending from the base) and a portion of the third wiring 38.

The right first extension 26 has a dust collection box lighting holder housing 26a at its tip. The dust collection box lighting holder housing 26a opens to the right, communicating with the opening 7a of the gear case 7. The right end of the dust collection box lighting holder housing 26a fits into the opening 7a and is positioned relative to the gear case 7. The circular saw 1 has a dust collection box lighting holder 33, which acts as a holder member, within the dust collection box lighting holder housing 26a, facing the opening 7a. The dust collection box lighting holder 33 holds the dust collection box lighting member 31. That is, the dust collection box lighting member 31 is held in the opening 7a.

The left second extension portion 27 and the right second extension portion 28 are combined to form the second extension portion of the retaining member 20 (hereinafter referred to as the "second extension portion"). The second extension portion extends downward from the base and accommodates the other part of the second wiring 36 (the portion extending from the base) and the other part of the third wiring 38 (the portion extending from the first extension portion). That is, the third wiring 38 extends across both the first and second extension portions.

The left second extension 27 has a work light holder housing 27a at its tip, which opens to the right. The circular saw 1 has a work light holder 37 within the work light holder housing 27a. The work light holder 37 holds the work light component 35.

The retaining member 20 is held in the gear case 7. That is, the dust collection box lighting member 31 and the work lighting member 35 are held in the gear case 7.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.

(1) The circular saw 1 has a lighting member 31 for the dust collection box that irradiates light toward the translucent wall of the dust collection box 11. Therefore, even in the dark, the inside of the dust collection box 11 is easy to see, improving work efficiency. Also, because the inside of the dust collection box 11 is easy to see, it becomes easier to know when it is time to discard the chips inside the dust collection box 11, which prevents excessive accumulation of chips inside the dust collection box 11 and prevents backflow of chips that would result from excessive accumulation. In particular, since the lighting member 31 for the dust collection box 11 (chip storage section 16) extends in the front-to-back direction, the entire chip storage section 16 is easy to see. If the chip storage section 16 were to be illuminated from either the front or back direction, it may be difficult to see the entire section depending on the height of the accumulated chips. For example, if metal chips accumulate concentrated in the rear portion of the chip collection section 16, forming a pile, illuminating the chip collection section 16 from the rear may cause the front portion to be obscured by the pile, making visibility difficult. In this embodiment, however, it is possible to clearly see the inside of the dust collection box 11.

(2) When viewed in the direction of the rotation axis (axis A2) of the circular saw blade 10, the lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is positioned to overlap with the chip storage section 16. This prevents direct viewing of the lighting member 31 when viewing the dust collection box 11 from the right side, and allows for optimal illumination of the inside of the chip storage section 16, thereby improving the workability for checking the inside of the dust collection box 11. In terms of preventing direct viewing of the light, the lighting member 31 for the dust collection box may also be positioned to overlap with the inlet 14 (or outlet 15), but for checking the inside of the chip storage section 16, it is better for it to overlap with the chip storage section 16 along axis A2 (left-right direction). Furthermore, the lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is configured to be positioned behind the inlet 14 (inlet inlet 14C), which is located in front of the chip storage section 16, or behind the outlet 15 (or outlet inlet 15C). Therefore, by reducing the amount of light illuminating the inlet 14 (or outlet 15), where internal inspection is less necessary, while increasing the amount of light illuminating the chip collection section 16, work efficiency is improved. Furthermore, the lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is configured to illuminate the vicinity of the discharge inlet 15C (or inlet/outlet 14C) of the dust collection box 11. Specifically, the lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is positioned opposite the left side of the front half of the chip collection section 16. Therefore, the operator can recognize in advance when chips are likely to accumulate near the discharge section 15 within the chip collection section 16 and dispose of the chips in the dust collection box 11, thereby suppressing backflow.

(3) The lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is positioned below the lower end position (H1 in Figure 8) of the inlet 14 and outlet of the dust collection box 11. Therefore, when chips accumulate to a height lower than this lower end position, as shown in Figure 8 (H2), the illuminated area is covered by the chips. The worker can recognize the need to discard the chips in the chip storage section 16 when the light emitted by the lighting member 31 becomes invisible due to the chips in the chip storage section 16. Due to the dust collection structure, chips tend to accumulate from the rear to the front of the chip storage section. However, as described above, by positioning the lighting member 31 so as to face the front half of the chip storage section 16, it is possible to prevent the light from becoming invisible prematurely. Therefore, it is possible to recognize the need to discard the chips only after sufficient dust collection has been completed, thereby improving work efficiency.

(4) The lighting component 31 for the dust collection box remains attached to the gear case 7 even when the dust collection box 11 is removed, thus suppressing positional displacement associated with the attachment and detachment of the dust collection box 11. Furthermore, compared to the case where it is attached to the saw cover 8, the lighting component 31 for the dust collection box is already held in place when the saw cover 8 is attached to the gear case 7, making assembly easier.

(5) Because the holding member 20 that holds the dust collection box lighting member 31 is held by the gear case 7, assembly is easier compared to a configuration in which the holding member 20 is sandwiched between a split housing. Furthermore, because the top and bottom of the dust collection box lighting member 31 are covered with metal parts, impacts are less likely to be transmitted to the dust collection box lighting member 31 (the gear case 7 is less likely to deform), thus suppressing damage and deformation of the dust collection box lighting member 31.

(6) At least a portion of the right side of the dust collection box 11 (the side opposite to where the dust collection box lighting element 31 is located) is a viewing wall that allows the interior to be seen from the outside. Therefore, the worker can also see the inside of the dust collection box 11 from the right. When viewed from the right, the light from the dust collection box lighting element 31 is blocked at the height of the metal chips inside the dust collection box 11, making it easy to determine the height of the metal chips accumulated inside the dust collection box 11. Furthermore, checking from the right is done from a direction intersecting the work direction (forward direction), making it easier to check and improving work efficiency compared to checking from the work direction.

(7) Since the dust collection box lighting member 31 and the work lighting member 35 are held by a single holding member 20, the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed.

(8) The light emitted from the dust collection box lighting element 31 is directed onto the dust collection box 11 via the saw cover 8 that covers the opening 7a of the gear case 7. Therefore, the dust collection box lighting element 31 is not exposed to the outside, thus preventing damage. Furthermore, some of the light emitted from the dust collection box lighting element 31 that is directed upward is blocked by the gear case 7. This reduces glare when viewing the dust collection box 11 from directly above.

Figure 11 is a right side view of a circular saw 1A according to another embodiment of the present invention. The circular saw 1A is a modified version of the circular saw 1 described above, in which the dust collection box 11 is replaced with a dust collection box 11A. The dust collection box 11A differs from the dust collection box 11 described above in that it has a light-shielding section 53 on its right side, and is otherwise identical.

In this example, the light-shielding section 53 is a multiple vertically elongated rectangular shape arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-to-back direction. The lighting member 31 for the dust collection box is located within the front-to-back arrangement range of the light-shielding section 53.

The light-shielding portion 53 may be, for example, a painted portion coated with colored paint, or a light-shielding seal. Alternatively, the right side of the dust collection box 11A may display the manufacturer's or brand's logo, which may serve as the light-shielding portion 53.

The light-shielding portion 53 prevents direct viewing of the light source portion of the dust collection box lighting component 31 when viewing the inside of the dust collection box 11A from the side (right), thereby improving work efficiency. This effect is more pronounced by positioning one of the light-shielding portions 53 at the same location as the dust collection box lighting component 31 in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, this effect is more pronounced by ensuring that the range of the light-shielding portion 53 in the vertical direction includes the dust collection box lighting component 31.

By arranging the light-shielding sections 53 intermittently in the front-to-back direction, the height of the chips inside the dust collection box 11A can be visually observed through the gaps between adjacent light-shielding sections 53.

Since the light-shielding section 53 is located below the upper end of the front wall of the chip storage section 16 (the lower end of the inlet/outlet 14C and outlet/discharge inlet 15C), the upper surface position of the chips is easily visible when the chip storage section is nearly full.

The light-shielding section 53 can be easily manufactured by applying paint or other treatment to a portion of the dust collection box 11A, which is molded entirely from transparent resin. This is easier to produce and more cost-effective compared to a configuration where a partially transparent window is formed in a dust collection box molded entirely from opaque resin.

The present invention has been described above using embodiments as examples. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible to each component and processing step within the scope described in the claims. The following describes some modifications.

At least one of the lighting component 31 for the dust collection box and the lighting component 35 for the work area may have its directivity enhanced by a lens or the like. The circular saw of the present invention is not limited to a cordless type powered by a battery pack, but may also be a corded type powered by an external AC power source.

1...Circular saw, 2...Base, 3...Motor housing, 4...Handle housing, 5...Battery pack, 6...Trigger switch, 7...Gear case, 7a...Opening (through hole), 8...Saw cover (inner cover), 9...Protective cover, 10...Circular saw blade, 11, 11A...Dust collection box (dust box), 12...Left dust collection box, 13...Right dust collection box, 14...Inlet, 14A...Inlet inlet, 14B...Inlet passage, 14C...Inlet outlet, 15...Discharge section, 15A...Discharge outlet, 15B...Discharge passage, 15C...Discharge inlet, 16...Chip storage section (dust collection chamber), 17...Dust cover, 17a...Hook section, 18...Latch, 19...Cap, 20...Retaining member, 21...Left retaining member, 22... Right holding member, 23... Left base, 24... Right base, 25... Left first extension, 26... Right first extension, 26a... Dust collection box lighting holder housing, 27... Left second extension, 27a... Work lighting holder housing, 28... Right second extension, 29... Wiring opening, 30... Exhaust port, 31... Dust collection box lighting component, 32... First wiring, 33... Dust collection box lighting holder, 35... Work lighting component, 36... Second wiring, 37... Work lighting holder, 38... Third wiring, 39... Connector, 40... Switch panel, 41... Rotation support mechanism, 42... Tilt support mechanism, 45... Motor, 46... Motor shaft, 47... Fan, 48... Inverter board, 49... Transmission mechanism (reduction mechanism), 53... Light shielding section.

Claims (17)

Motor and,
A housing for the motor,
A base located below the motor and connected to the housing,
A circular saw blade rotated by the aforementioned motor with the left-right axis,
A saw cover that covers at least a portion of the circular saw blade,
A transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force of the motor to the circular saw blade,
A gear case housing the aforementioned transmission mechanism,
A dust collection box connected to the saw cover and configured to collect chips generated by the cutting process,
A part of the dust collection box, comprising a translucent wall that allows light to pass from the outside to the inside of the dust collection box,
The dust collection box includes an illumination member that irradiates light from outside the dust collection box toward the light-transmitting wall,
The dust collection box has an upper part that is located above the gear case and to one side in the left-right direction above the lighting member.
The upper part has a left side portion facing to the left and a right side portion facing to the right.
The left and right side portions are translucent.
The lighting member is capable of illuminating the inside of the dust collection box through the light-transmitting wall by irradiating light toward one side in the left-right direction, and the irradiation range is such that it passes through the inside of the upper part.
A circular saw in which the operator can see the interior of the upper part from either the left side or the right side. It is a circular saw that works in a forward direction.
The dust collection box has an inlet through which the metal chips pass,
The circular saw according to claim 1, wherein the lighting member is located behind the inlet. The dust collection box has a chip storage section for storing the chips,
The circular saw according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lighting member is positioned to overlap with the chip collection section when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis of the circular saw blade. The circular saw according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lighting member is held in the gear case. The dust collection box has an inlet through which the metal chips pass, and an outlet that discharges the air inside the dust collection box to the outside of the dust collection box.
The circular saw according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the lighting member is configured to illuminate the vicinity of the discharge section. The circular saw according to claim 5, wherein the lighting member is located below the lower end position of the inlet or the lower end position of the outlet. The circular saw according to claim 4, wherein an opening is formed in the gear case, the lighting member is held by a holder member, and the holder member is held in the opening. The dust collection box is detachably attached to the upper side of the saw cover.
The circular saw according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lighting member is provided on one side of the saw cover in the left-right direction. The circular saw according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the dust collection box is provided with a viewing wall on the side opposite to the side where the lighting element is located, allowing the interior to be seen from the outside. A circular saw according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , comprising a work lighting member for illuminating the work area. The aforementioned lighting component and the aforementioned work lighting component are each supplied with power from the power source by first wiring and second wiring, respectively.
The circular saw according to claim 10 , wherein the first wiring and the second wiring are held by a holding member. The circular saw according to claim 11, wherein the holding member has a base portion that accommodates a portion of the first wiring and a portion of the second wiring, a first extension portion that extends from the base portion and accommodates the other portion of the first wiring, and a second extension portion that extends from the base portion and accommodates the other portion of the second wiring. The circular saw according to claim 4 or 7, wherein the saw cover is attached to the right side of the gear case, and the lighting member irradiates light onto the translucent wall through the saw cover. The circular saw according to any one of claims 1 to 13 , wherein the lighting member is located above the upper end position of the circular saw blade. The circular saw according to claim 1, wherein the optical axis of the lighting member is inclined upward with respect to one side in the left- right direction. The circular saw according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the light emitted by the lighting element is blocked by a non-transparent material, thereby reducing the amount of light traveling upward within the upper part. The circular saw according to claim 16 , wherein the non-transparent member is part of the gear case.