Chuck with locking clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660682-B2
Application number	US-201917616476-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

A chuck (10) is provided that includes a plurality of jaws (20) and a body (30) configured to rotate with a drive spindle of a power driver. The chuck (10) may also include a nut (80) comprising nut teeth (82). The nut (80) may be operably coupled to the jaws (20) and configured to move the jaws (20) relative to the body (30) in the opening or closing direction. The chuck (10) may also include a clutch (100) comprising clutch teeth (102). The clutch (100) may be configured to move between a working position and a jaw actuating position. In the working position, the clutch teeth (102) may be engaged with the nut teeth (82) to prevent movement of the nut (80) relative to the body (30), and, in the jaw actuating position, the clutch teeth (102) need not be engaged with the nut teeth (82) and the nut (80) may be free to move relative to the body (30).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chuck for use with a power driver having a rotatable drive spindle, the chuck comprising:
a plurality of jaws, each jaw including jaw threading;
a body configured to rotate with the drive spindle, wherein the plurality of jaws are configured to rotate with the body about a center axis of the chuck, wherein the plurality of jaws are also configured to move relative to the body in an opening or closing direction;
a nut operably coupled with the jaw threading of the jaws such that rotation of the nut relative to the body moves the jaws relative to the body in the opening or closing direction, the nut further comprising nut teeth;
a clutch including clutch teeth, the clutch being operably coupled to the body such that the clutch rotates with the body, wherein the clutch is configured to move between a working position and a jaw actuating position;
a location spring comprising a protrusion;
a jaw actuating position recess; and
a working position recess;
wherein, in the working position, the clutch teeth are engaged with the nut teeth to prevent rotation of the nut relative to the body;
wherein, in the jaw actuating position, the clutch teeth are not engaged with the nut teeth and the nut is rotatable about the body;
wherein the clutch is configured to slide into the working position where the protrusion engages with the working recess to hold the clutch in the working position; and
wherein the clutch is configured to slide into the jaw actuating position where the protrusion engages with the jaw actuating position recess to hold the clutch in the jaw actuating position;
wherein the protrusion extends radially away from the center axis of the chuck and is biased toward the jaw actuating position recess or the working position recess.

2. The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the clutch is configured to move between the working position and the jaw actuating position by sliding axially relative to the body.

3. The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the nut teeth are disposed on a forward facing surface of the nut and the clutch teeth are disposed on a rearward facing surface of the clutch.

4. The chuck of claim 1 further comprising a press spring that biases the clutch towards the working position.

5. The chuck of claim 1 further comprising a pull ring affixed to the clutch such that the pull ring slides axially with the clutch relative to the central axis, wherein the pull ring is configured to provide a user interface to permit manual movement of the pull ring and the clutch between the working position and the jaw actuation position by a user.

6. The chuck of claim 1 further comprising a connect socket;
wherein the connect socket comprises an external forward connection interface that engages an inner surface of a rear cavity of the body such that the connect socket rotates with the body;
wherein the connect socket comprises a rear connection interface configured to engage with the drive spindle such that the connect socket rotates with the drive spindle.

7. The chuck of claim 6 , wherein the connect socket further comprises a forward socket cavity comprising an inner connection interface, the inner connection interface being configured to receive a rear portion of the working bit and hold the working bit in a central location during jaw actuation.

8. A chuck comprising:
a plurality of jaws;
a body configured to rotate with a drive spindle of a power driver, wherein the plurality of jaws are configured to rotate with the body about a center axis of the chuck, wherein the plurality of jaws are also configured to move relative to the body in an opening or closing direction;
a nut comprising nut teeth, the nut being operably coupled to the jaws and configured to move the jaws relative to the body in the opening or closing direction;
a clutch including clutch teeth, the clutch being configured to move between a working position and a jaw actuating position;
a location spring comprising a protrusion;
a jaw actuating position recess; and
a working position recess;
wherein the clutch is configured to slide into the working position where the clutch teeth are engaged with the nut teeth to prevent movement of the nut relative to the body and the protrusion engages with the working position recess to hold the clutch in the working position;
wherein the clutch is configured to slide into the jaw actuating position where the clutch teeth are not engaged with the nut teeth, the nut is free to move relative to the body, and the protrusion engages with the jaw actuating position recess to hold the clutch in the jaw actuating position;
wherein the protrusion extends radially away from the center axis of the chuck and is biased toward the jaw actuating position recess or the working position recess.

9. The chuck of claim 8 , wherein the clutch is configured to move between the working position and the jaw actuating position by sliding axially relative to the body.

10. The chuck of claim 8 wherein the protrusion is moveable radially relative to the center axis of the chuck.

11. The chuck of claim 8 further comprising a connect socket;
wherein the connect socket comprises an external forward connection interface that engages an inner surface of a rear cavity of the body such that the connect socket rotates with the body;
wherein the connect socket comprises a rear connection interface configured to engage with the drive spindle such that the connect socket rotates with the drive spindle.

12. The chuck of claim 11 , wherein the connect socket further comprises a forward socket cavity comprising an inner connection interface, the inner connection interface being configured to receive a rear portion of the working bit and hold the working bit in a central location during jaw actuation.

13. The chuck of claim 8 , wherein the nut teeth are disposed on a forward facing surface of the nut and the clutch teeth are disposed on a rearward facing surface of the clutch.

14. A chuck comprising:
a plurality of jaws;
a body configured to rotate with a drive spindle of a power driver, wherein the plurality of jaws are configured to rotate with the body about a center axis of the chuck, wherein the plurality of jaws are also configured to move relative to the body in an opening or closing direction;
a nut comprising nut teeth, the nut being operably coupled to the jaws and configured to move the jaws relative to the body in the opening or closing direction; and
a clutch including clutch teeth, the clutch being movable by a user between a working position and a jaw actuating position, the clutch comprising a working position recess and a jaw actuation recess;
a protrusion extending and biased in a radial direction away from the center axis of the chuck;
wherein the clutch is configured to, in response to a user sliding the clutch into the working position, engage the clutch teeth with the nut teeth to prevent movement of the nut relative to the body and move the working position recess into engagement with the protrusion to maintain the clutch in the working position, and
wherein the clutch is further configured to, in response to the user sliding the clutch into the jaw actuating position, disengage the clutch teeth from the nut teeth to permit the nut to move relative to the body and move the plurality of the jaws in the opening or closing direction to move the jaw actuating position recess into engagement with the protrusion to maintain the clutch in the jaw actuating position.

15. The chuck of claim 14 , wherein the clutch is configured to move between the working position and the jaw actuating positi

Assignees

• Jacobs Chuck Manufactuirng Suzhou Company Ltd
• Apex Brands Inc

Inventors

• Zhou Jichun

Classifications

• B23B2231/38

  Keyless chucks for hand tools · CPC title

• B23B31/123 Primary

  with locking arrangements (locking arrangements for chucks with simultaneously-acting jaws moving radially actuated by one or more spiral grooves B23B31/16041) · CPC title

• B23B31/1238 Primary

  Jaws movement actuated by a nut with conical screw-thread · CPC title