Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.

Panasonic Electric Works Power Tools Co., Ltd.

Masao Yamamoto

Kazuto Toyama

Koichi Hashimoto

Hiroshi Miyazaki

Kenichiro Inagaki

Hiroyuki Tsubakimoto

Atsumasa Kubota

Fumiaki Sekino

Naotake Tanaka

Tomio Yamada

Yosuke Ishida

Kunihiko Tatsu

Masao Torigoe

Toru Murakita

Syoichi Hongo

A changeover operation device, for changing over the positions of at least two components to establish three or more speed modes in a speed changer mechanism accommodated within a housing having an opening, includes operation handles arranged in a corresponding relationship with the components. Each of the operation handles is movable between two specified positions along a specified operation direction to change over the positions of the components. The operation handles are continuously arranged within the opening of the housing, one of the operation handles being partially overlapped with the other.

Changeover operation device

A vibrating drill/driver includes a motor for driving a spindle about the longitudinal axis thereof, a switching handle supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, a clutch mechanism for varying a working torque in dependence on rotation of the switching handle, a switching ring having a recess and capable of rotating together with the switching handle, and a switching plate having a tip for engagement in the recess. A vibrating cam mechanism is provided to be operable to undergo a slidable engagement to provide a vibration for the spindle in an axial direction thereof when the tip of the switching plate is engaged in the recess of the switching ring. With the above-described construction, the rotation of the switching handle in one direction causes the vibrating drill/driver to be set in one of a clutch mode, a vibrating mode, and a drilling mode in this order.

Electrically operated vibrating drill/driver

A portable motor powered device capable of operating on a cordless battery pack as well as a corded power pack, yet enabling to reduce the size and weight of the corded power pack to be truly compatible with the corded battery pack in size and weight. The device has a housing accommodating therein a DC motor as a power source. The cordless battery pack is detachably connected to the housing and has a battery which supplies a low DC voltage for operating the DC motor. The corded power pack is detachably connected to the housing and supplies a high DC voltage for operating the DC motor. The corded power pack includes a power cord adapted to be connected to receive an AC source voltage and a converter for converting the AC source voltage into the high DC voltage. The DC motor has a rotor provided with first and second windings which are selectively connected to receive low and high DC voltages respectively from the cordless battery pack and the corded power pack. Thus, the corded power pack can be designed to supply the high DC voltage directly converted from the AC voltage source and therefore dispense with a step-down transformer of bulky and heavy nature.

Portable motor powered device

A depth adjuster for a rotary tool such as a screwdriver having a tool bit projecting through a nose provided at the front end of the rotary tool. The depth adjustor comprises a locator sleeve mounted on the nose to project on the front end of the tool in such a manner as to surround the tool bit. The locator sleeve has an internal thread engaged with an external thread on the nose so as to be axially movable relative to the nose and the tool bit as the sleeve rotates about the nose. A lock ring is fitted on the nose to be rotatively fixed but axially movable relative thereto. The lock ring is biased towards the locator sleeve by a spring for locking engagement into the locator sleeve so as to rotatively fix the locator sleeve around the nose, whereby retaining the locator sleeve at a desired axial position relative to the nose. The engagement between the lock ring and the sleeve is such that, when the locator sleeve is forced to rotate about the nose, the lock ring moves axially rearwardly against the spring bias to disengage the locator sleeve from the lock ring, thereby permitting the locator sleeve to rotate freely from the lock ring for adjustment of an axial position of the sleeve relative to the nose. The spring is supported between the lock ring and a rear end of the locator sleeve so that the spring is received and concealed within the locator sleeve together with the lock ring.

Depth adjuster for rotary tools such as screwdrivers

Growing community of inventors

Yasu, Japan

Masao Yamamoto