Impact-absorbing tethering attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10136722-B1
Application number	US-201816037086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 17, 2018
Priority date	Nov 2, 2015
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A power tool is provided with a housing and a tethering attachment assembly attached to the housing and adapted to facilitate connection of a lanyard to the power tool. The tethering attachment assembly includes a substantially U-shaped hook portion including a coil element comprising metallic material that substantially resiliently retains its state with application of force up to a limit, and is permanently plastically deformable upon application of force exceeding the limit, and two extended portions extending from ends of the coil element and attached to the housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power tool comprising:
a housing; and
a tethering attachment assembly attached to the housing and adapted to facilitate connection of a lanyard to the power tool, the tethering attachment assembly comprising:
a U-shaped hook portion including a coil element comprising metallic material that elastically retains its state with application of force up to a limit, and is permanently plastically deformable upon application of force exceeding the limit; and
two extended portions extending from ends of the coil element and attached to the housing.

2. The power tool of claim 1 , further comprising two posts attached to the extended portions, wherein the two posts are attached to the housing.

3. The power tool of claim 2 , wherein the tethering attachment assembly further comprising two rivets that pivotably attach the extended portions to the posts.

4. The power tool of claim 2 , wherein the extended portions wrap around portions of the rivets.

5. The power tool of claim 2 , wherein the housing defines a pair of elongated slots for receiving the posts therein.

6. The power tool of claim 5 , wherein the posts are removeably received within the elongated slots of the housing and secured therein via fasteners.

7. The power tool of claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve tubularly disposed around the coil element to substantially cover the coil element.

8. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the tethering attachment assembly further comprises a secondary sleeve covering the extended portions.

9. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the sleeve comprises a webbing.

10. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the sleeve is configured to tear when the coil element is deformed to expose the coil element.

11. The power tool of claim 7 , further comprising a motor disposed within the housing for driving an output spindle.

12. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the housing is elongated and the tethering attachment assembly is mounted to an end of the housing opposite the output spindle.

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Cirincione Ii Robert J
• Copeland Jr Earnest N
• Jiang Xiating
• Wang Donghua

Classifications

• A45F2005/006

  comprising a suspension strap or lanyard · CPC title

• B25H3/00

  Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments (containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; {nail dispensers B25C3/00}) · CPC title

• A45F5/00 Primary

  Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping · CPC title

• B25F5/02 Primary

  Construction of casings, bodies or handles {(B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence)} · CPC title

• A45F2200/0575

  Human Necessities · mapped topic