Black Decker Inc.

Emhart Inc.

Stephen A Debelius

Daniel Puzio

Robert S Gehret

Warren A Ceroll

Craig Alan Schell

James B Watson

Richard J Heavel

Gabriel E Concari

Daniele C Brotto

Michael Kenneth Forster

Rodney D Milbourne

Qiang J Zhang

David C Tomayko

Robert Alan Berry

Aris C Cleanthous

Frank J O'Hara

Kenneth David Long

Cheryl Scalzo Jenner

Kevin D Brewer

Charles E Yocum

Beverly Kivett

Michael D Zalobsky

Christopher M Brock

Cheryl Jenner

A flexible sensor is disposed in a power tool. The flexible sensor has an electrical resistance that varies based on a radius of curvature of the flexible sensor. A trigger partially disposed in the power tool, operates to apply a bending force at an engagement point on the flexible sensor to bend the flexible sensor and alter the radius of curvature. A controller outputs an electrical signal to the power tool based on the electrical resistance to control a function of the power tool.

Trigger assembly including a flexible bend sensor

A power driver may include a housing, a tool chuck and a power take off mechanism. The tool chuck may have an input shaft mounted for rotation on the housing. The input shaft may support chuck jaws. A chuck actuating shaft may be mounted for rotation on the input shaft. The power take off mechanism may be connected to the tool chuck. The power take off mechanism may be adjustable into a DRILL DRIVE MODE to rotationally drive the input shaft and the chuck actuating shaft together as a unit, and a CHUCK MODE to rotationally drive the chuck actuating shaft relative to the input shaft. The power take off mechanism may be internal of the housing. The power take off mechanism in the CHUCK MODE may rotationally fix the input shaft to the housing.

Tool chuck with power take off and dead spindle features

A power driver may include a housing, a tool chuck and a power take off mechanism. The tool chuck may have an input shaft mounted for rotation on the housing. The input shaft may support jaws. A chuck actuating shaft may be mounted for rotation on the input shaft. The power take off mechanism may be connected to the tool chuck. The power take off mechanism may be adjustable into a DRILL DRIVE MODE to rotationally drive the input shaft and the chuck actuating shaft together as a unit, and a CHUCK MODE to rotationally drive the chuck actuating shaft relative to the input shaft. The power take off mechanism may include a shift ring that is movable axially to achieve the various operational modes. During such axial movement, the shift ring may be rotationally locked to the housing and/or transmission components via compliant grounding mechanisms.

Dead spindle PTO with compliant grounding mechanism

A chuck for a drill/driver. The chuck can include an input shaft having a cavity, a chuck actuating shaft and a chuck actuating screw. The chuck actuating shaft can be received in the cavity and can be rotatable about a chuck axis. The chuck actuating shaft can have a threaded aperture. The chuck actuating screw can have a threaded portion that is threadably engaged to the threaded aperture. The jaws can be received in the cavity and can engage the input shaft. The jaws can be coupled to the chuck actuating screw such that rotation of the chuck actuating shaft relative to the chuck actuating screw translates the jaws so that the jaws converge toward or diverge from the chuck axis. The chuck further includes a device coupled to at least one of the chuck actuating screw, the chuck actuating shaft and the input shaft for limiting elastic elongation of the chuck actuating screw in an axial direction when the jaws are positioned in a fully opened condition.

Power tool with power-take-off driven pusher-type chuck having device for reducing tension in pusher screw

A hammer drill/driver with a motor having an output member, a planetary transmission, a clutch assembly and a clutch bypass. The planetary transmission, which includes a ring gear, receives rotary power from the output member and produces a rotary output. The clutch assembly has a clutch profile, which is coupled to the ring gear, and a first pin assembly having a first follower, a first pin member and a first spring that biases the first follower into contact with the clutch profile. The clutch bypass has a bypass profile, which is coupled to the ring gear, and second pin assembly having a second follower, a second pin member, a second spring, which biases the second follower away from the bypass profile, and a third spring, which biases the second follower away from the second pin member. A method for operation of a hammer drill/driver is also provided.

Hammer drill with a mode changeover mechanism

An anvil adapted to be received within an impact wrench comprises a round body and a square head. The square head is formed at an end of the round body. A tapered ramp extends from the round body to the square head. A radius is formed in the tapered ramp. The radius is defined by a removal of material in the tapered ramp.

Impact wrench having an improved anvil to square driver transition

An armature shaft for a motor of a power tool has a shaft with two ends. A commutator is on the shaft. At least one bearing is on the shaft adjacent the commutator end of the shaft. The bearing has a central bore sized to balance the shaft during rotation. Also, a central bore in the bearing has an enlarged diameter portion. A retainer is fixed on the shaft to retain the bearing on the shaft. The retainer is positioned within the enlarged bore portion of the bearing.

Armature shaft retainer

A drill,for driving a bit,into a workpiece,includes an assembled anvil,and spindle,, which are mounted for rotation together and for axial movement together within a drill housing,. A planet carrier,is driven by a motor,and, in turn rotatingly drives the anvil,and the spindle,. A chuck,is attached to a forward end of the spindle,for rotation and axial movement therewith. A plurality of rollers,are mounted in nests,of a roller cage,, are maintained in parallel with an axis of the drill,, and the anvil,. The rollers,, which are included in an automatic spindle lock,, can be wedged between a fixed surface,of the drill housing,and a movable surface,of the anvil for automatically locking the spindle,with the housing. Following withdrawal of the bit,from the workpiece,, an automatic brake,provides facility for braking the spindle,. When the planet carrier,ceases to be driven, the anvil,and the spindle,are in a coasting mode relative to the slowing speed of the planet carrier,. An automatic drag system,provides a drag between the coasting anvil,and the planet carrier,to bring the coasting speed of the anvil generally in line with the slowing speed of the planet carrier.

Power driven rotary device

An impact stapler (100) includes an actuator mechanism (110) comprising a firing lever (180) pivotally mounted on a stapler housing (102) and operable by an operating lever (160) for raising a striker (112) against the bias of an actuator spring (240). The firing lever (180) has a front tip (190) which is positioned to engage a tab (272) on the striker (112) when the operating lever (160) is actuated to raise the striker (112) and which is shifted laterally to disengage the front tip (190) from the tab (272) to release the striker (112) for actuation by the actuator spring (240) after the striker (112) is raised. The impact stapler (100) includes a resilient finger (292) for shifting the firing lever (180) laterally to a rest position with the front tip (190) underneath the tab (272) on the striker (112). A stop (295) engages the firing lever (180 ) in its rest position to limit the bending of the resilient finger (292) and to locate the front tip (190) in a predetermined lateral position relative to the tab (272) on the striker (112).

Manually operated fastening device

A molded-plastic retaining member is mounted within the gear case or other internal housing member of a power tool and is keyed thereto. Screws pass through openings in the gear case cover and are received axially in respective bosses formed within the retaining member, thereby securing the gear case cover to the gear case. The gear case cover is formed with an internal hub, and locating ribs on the retaining member radially engage the hub to prevent the retaining member from disengaging the gear case, as the gear case cover is secured to the retaining member. Preferably, the retaining member comprises a partially-formed resilient ring which is molded from a suitable plastic material and is deformable during the assembly operation. Additionally, the internal hub on the gear case cover is provided with a bearing boss, and a bearing is mounted therein for journaling the rear portion of the output spindle. The assembly of the gear case and the gear case cover, and the components therein, are thereafter enclosed by a 'clam-shell' outer housing.

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Phoenix, MD, United States of America

Stephen A Debelius