Paddle assembly on a compact sander

A sander comprising:

• a housing including a first convex upper surface;
• a power supply coupled to the housing;
• a motor disposed within the housing, the motor powered by the power supply and operable to drive an output member;
• a switch in electrical communication with the power supply and operable to selectively power the motor;
• and
• a switch actuation mechanism pivotably coupled to the housing and operable to actuate the switch, the switch actuation mechanism including a second convex upper surface;
• wherein the output member is a sanding platen;
• wherein the housing expends from a proximal end to a distal end, and wherein the switch is disposed in the distal end of the housing and the switch actuation mechanism is pivotably coupled to a hinge member disposed in the proximal end of the housing;
• and
• wherein, when the sander is placed on a flat horizontal surface, the motor is located entirely between the switch and the hinge member.

A sander comprising:

• a housing extending from a proximal end to a distal end, the housing including a first convex upper surface having a surface area;
• a power supply coupled to the distal end of the housing;
• a motor disposed within the housing, the motor powered by the power supply and operable to drive an output member;
• a switch in communication with the power supply and operable to selectively power the motor;
• a switch actuation mechanism pivotably coupled to the proximal end of the housing via a hinge member and operable to actuate the switch, the switch actuation mechanism including a second convex upper surface having a surface area and a concave lower surface disposed adjacent to the first convex upper surface of the housing, such that the switch actuation mechanism is a substantially dome-shaped member and the concave lower surface of the switch actuation mechanism wraps around the first convex upper surface of the housing;
• wherein, when the sander is placed on a flat horizontal surface, the motor is located entirely between the switch and the hinge member.