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US 12,728,468 B1Granted
Circular saw blade inspection device
OwnerJason Schofield, Frank T. Robertsinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device and method for inspecting circular saw blades and measuring certain physical qualities of circular saw blades is provided. The device includes a holder for mounting a circular saw blade onto the device, a distance indicator for indicating relative movement of the saw blade when mounted, and opposing electromagnets for inducing movement of portions of the saw blade to measure tension in the blade.
Claims18
A device comprising:
- a holder configured to removably secure a saw blade to the holder, wherein the holder is further configured to rotate about an axis of rotation such that the saw blade is rotatable about the axis of rotation when the saw blade is secured to the holder, wherein the saw blade has a central bore opening, wherein a center of the central bore opening defines the axis of rotation when the saw blade is secured to the holder;
- two opposing electromagnets each mounted in a position adjacent to a surface of the saw blade on a same side of the saw blade when the saw blade is secured to the holder, wherein the two opposing electromagnets are disposed adjacent to respective portions of the surface of the saw blade that are disposed on opposing sides of the central bore opening when the saw blade is secured to the holder, wherein the two opposing electromagnets are disposed at an angle of about 180 degrees from each other relative to the axis of rotation such that the two opposing electromagnets are linearly aligned with each other along a line that intersects the axis of rotation;
- and
- a distance indicator mounted in a position adjacent to the surface of the saw blade and configured to indicate variations of distance of the surface of the saw blade relative to the distance indicator when the saw blade is secured to the holder,
- wherein the two opposing electromagnets are each mounted in a position relative to the surface of the saw blade such that there is a gap between each of the two opposing electromagnets and the surface of the saw blade when an electric current to each of the two opposing electromagnets is turned off with the saw blade secured to the holder, wherein the two opposing electromagnets are configured to cause the surface of the saw blade to contact both of the two opposing electromagnets when the electric current to each of the two opposing electromagnets is turned on to induce a magnetic field, and
- wherein the two opposing electromagnets are further configured to cause the saw blade to flex when the electric current is turned on to induce a magnetic field, thereby causing surface deflections of the surface of the saw blade, and wherein the distance indicator is further configured to measure the surface deflections.
3 more elements
A method of measuring tension of a circular saw blade, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a device comprising:
- a holder configured to removably secure a saw blade to the holder, wherein the holder is further configured to rotate about an axis of rotation such that the saw blade is rotatable about the axis of rotation when the saw blade is secured to the holder, wherein the saw blade has a central bore opening, wherein a center of the central bore opening defines the axis of rotation when the saw blade is secured to the holder,
- two opposing electromagnets each mounted in a position adjacent to a surface of the saw blade on a same side of the saw blade when the saw blade is secured to the holder, wherein the two opposing electromagnets are disposed adjacent to respective portions of the surface of the saw blade that are disposed on opposing sides of the central bore opening when the saw blade is secured to the holder, wherein the two opposing electromagnets are disposed at an angle of about 180 degrees from each other relative to the axis of rotation such that the two opposing electromagnets are linearly aligned with each other along a line that intersects the axis of rotation, and
- a distance indicator mounted in a position adjacent to the surface of the saw blade and configured to indicate variations of distance of the surface of the saw blade relative to the distance indicator when the saw blade is secured to the holder,
- wherein the two opposing electromagnets are each mounted in a position relative to the surface of the saw blade such that there is a gap between each of the two opposing electromagnets and the surface of the saw blade when an electric current to each of the two opposing electromagnets is turned off with the saw blade secured to the holder, wherein the two opposing electromagnets are configured to cause the surface of the saw blade to contact both of the two opposing electromagnets when the electric current to each of the two opposing electromagnets is turned on to induce a magnetic field,
- wherein the two opposing electromagnets are further configured to cause the saw blade to flex when the electric current is turned on to induce a magnetic field, thereby causing surface deflections of the surface of the saw blade, and wherein the distance indicator is further configured to measure the surface deflections;
- deactivating the two opposing electromagnets;
- removably securing the saw blade to the holder such that there is a gap between each of the two opposing electromagnets and the surface of the saw blade;
- activating the two opposing electromagnets by supplying an electric current to each of the two opposing electromagnets to induce a magnetic field, thereby causing the saw blade to flex due to opposing first portions of the saw blade being magnetically drawn toward and contacting each of the two opposing electromagnets to cause surface deflections of the surface of the saw blade;
- and
- using the distance indicator, measuring the surface deflections by measuring a relative distance differential of a second portion of the saw blade relative to a first position of the second portion in which the two opposing electromagnets are deactivated and a second position of the second portion in which the two opposing electromagnets are activated.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.