Soldering tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11110533-B2
Application number	US-201715794069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2017
Priority date	Oct 26, 2016
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A soldering tool includes a housing having a handle portion defining a first longitudinal axis, and a head portion coupled to the handle portion and defining a second axis. The soldering tool further includes a heating element coupled to the head portion for movement therewith. The head portion is movable relative to the handle portion between a first orientation in which the second axis is coaxial with the first axis, and a second orientation in which the second axis is non-coaxial with the first axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A soldering tool comprising:
a housing including
a handle portion defining a first axis, and
a head portion coupled to the handle portion and defining a second axis, the head portion movable relative to the handle portion between a first orientation in which the second axis is coaxial with the first axis, and a second orientation in which the second axis is non-coaxial with the first axis;

a heating element coupled to the head portion for movement therewith; and
a locking mechanism for selectively and alternatively locking the head portion with respect to the handle portion in the first orientation or second orientation; and
a mounting portion to couple the heating element to the head portion, the mounting portion including a first mounting side that is spaced from the second axis by a distance,
wherein the handle portion includes a first handle side that is spaced from the first axis by the distance, such that when the head portion is in the first orientation or the second orientation, the soldering tool is supportable on a surface by a combination of the first mounting side and the first handle side while the heating element is parallel to the surface and spaced from the surface by the distance.

2. The soldering tool of claim 1 , wherein the head portion is movable relative to the handle portion between the first orientation, the second orientation, and a third orientation that is different from the second orientation and in which the second axis is non-coaxial with the first axis.

3. The soldering tool of claim 2 , wherein in the second orientation, the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis and in the third orientation, the first axis defines an acute angle with respect to the second axis.

4. The soldering tool of claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion includes a second mounting side that is perpendicular to the first mounting side and spaced from the second axis by a second distance, and the handle portion includes a second handle side that is perpendicular to the first handle side and spaced from the first axis by the second distance, such that when the head portion is in the first orientation, the soldering tool is supportable on the surface by a combination of the second mounting side and the second handle side while the heating element is parallel to the surface and spaced from the surface by the second distance.

5. The soldering tool of claim 4 , wherein the mounting portion includes a third mounting side that is parallel to and opposite the first mounting side and spaced from the second axis by the distance, and the handle portion includes a third handle side that is parallel to and opposite the first handle side and spaced from the first axis by the distance, such that when the head portion is in the first orientation, the second orientation, or the third orientation, the soldering tool is supportable on the surface by a combination of the third mounting side and the third handle side while the heating element is parallel to the surface and spaced from the surface by the distance.

6. The soldering tool of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a push button aperture defined by a wall in the housing, the wall having a detent, and wherein the locking mechanism includes a push button member having a body defining a plurality of recesses sized to receive the detent.

7. The soldering tool of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a push button member having a detent and a push button aperture defined by a wall in the housing, the wall defining a plurality of recesses sized to receive the detent.

8. The soldering tool of claim 7 , wherein the head portion is pivotable relative to the handle portion about a pivot axis defined by the push button member and push button aperture.

9. The soldering tool of claim 8 , wherein the housing includes a spring seating surface within the push button aperture and the locking mechanism further includes a compression spring within the push button aperture and between the push button member and the spring seating surface, the compression spring biasing the push button member into a locking position in which the detent is engaged with one of the plurality of recesses to lock the head portion into the first orientation or the second orientation with respect to the handle portion.

10. The soldering tool of claim 9 , wherein the push button member is depressible against the bias of the compression spring into an unlocking position in which the detent is disengaged from the plurality of recesses to permit relative rotation between the head portion and the handle portion about the pivot axis.

11. The soldering tool of claim 10 , wherein the head portion includes the wall defining the plurality of recesses.

12. The soldering tool of claim 10 , wherein the handle portion includes the wall defining the plurality of recesses.

13. The soldering tool of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a visual indicator with a light source, and wherein the visual indicator provides a first visual indication when the soldering tool is powered on, a second visual indication when the heating element has been heated to a desired temperature, and a third visual indication when the soldering tool has been powered off and the heating element is still hot.

14. The soldering tool of claim 1 , further comprising a work light to illuminate a workpiece during operation of the soldering tool.

15. The soldering tool of claim 1 , further comprising a controller and a power switch assembly on the housing, the power switch assembly including a sliding mechanical actuator, an electrical switch electrically connected to the controller, and a switch actuating member extending from the mechanical actuator, wherein the sliding mechanical actuator is slideable between a first position in which the switch actuating member does not actuate the electrical switch so that power is not provided to the heating element, and a second position in which the switch actuating member actuates the electrical switch so that power is provided to the heating element.

16. The soldering tool of claim 15 , further comprising an actuator spring that biases the sliding mechanical actuator towards the first position, and wherein the housing defines a first locking aperture and the sliding mechanical actuator includes an actuator detent, and wherein when the sliding mechanical actuator is in the second position, the sliding mechanical actuator is depressible toward the housing, such that the actuator detent is received in the first locking aperture to retain the sliding mechanical actuator in a third position in which the sliding mechanical actuator is locked-on and the switch actuating member actuates the electrical switch so that power is provided to the heating element.

17. The soldering tool of claim 16 , wherein the sliding mechanical actuator includes a projection and the housing defines a second locking aperture, and wherein when the sliding mechanical actuator is locked-on in the third position, the projection is received in the second locking aperture.

18. The soldering tool of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a battery attachment portion, and wherein the soldering tool further comprises a power tool battery pack removably coupled to the battery attachment portion to provide power to heat the heating element, the power tool battery pack also being connectable to other power tools to provide power thereto.

19. The soldering tool of claim 18 , further comprising a controller, and wherein the housing includes a batte

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Mantes Jonathan M
• Dorman Justin D
• Lee Tin Pak
• Yu Siu Kwong
• Harvey Kyle

Classifications

• B23K3/0346

  Handles · CPC title

• B23K3/0361

  Couplings between the handle and the heating element housing · CPC title

• B23K3/033

  comprising means for controlling or selecting the temperature or power · CPC title

• B23K3/027

  Holders for soldering irons · CPC title

• B23K3/0323 Primary

  Battery-powered soldering irons · CPC title