Rotating tool base with modular heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11845174-B2
Application number	US-202218016068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2022
Priority date	Aug 3, 2021
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A rotating power tool assembly includes a rotating power base and a modular drive head. The rotating power base may be configured to rotate a spindle, and the modular drive head may be configured to be detachably coupled to the rotating power base. The modular drive head may comprise a torque control clutch, a working tip, and a torque value indicia. The torque control clutch may be non-adjustably structured to implement a torque limiting slip event that prevents the working tip from further rotation, despite continued rotation of the spindle, in response to the working tip being subjected to torque in excess of a discrete torque value. The torque value indicia may be externally visible and may comprise a visible characteristic that correlates to the discrete torque value.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A rotating power tool assembly comprising:
a rotating power base configured to rotate a spindle in response to actuation of a control switch; and
a modular drive head configured to be detachably coupled to the rotating power base, the modular drive head comprising a torque control clutch, a working tip, and a torque value indicia;
wherein the torque control clutch comprises an input drive that is configured to be detachably coupled to the spindle and an output drive operably coupled to the working tip, wherein the input drive is operably coupled to the output drive to selectably rotate the output drive in response to rotation of the input drive;
wherein the torque control clutch is non-adjustably structured to implement a torque limiting slip event that prevents the output drive from further rotation, despite continued rotation of the input drive, in response to the output drive being subjected to torque in excess of a discrete torque value;
wherein the torque value indicia is externally visible and the torque value indicia comprises a visible characteristic that correlates to the discrete torque value;
wherein the modular drive head further comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock the modular drive head to the rotating power base, without use of a separate key, to prevent removal of the modular drive head from the rotating power base by an unauthorized user, wherein the separate key is required to unlock the modular drive head from the rotating power base to permit removal of the modular drive head from the rotating power base after being unlocked by an authorized user in possession of the separate key.

2. The rotating power tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the visible characteristic of the torque value indicia is a color.

3. The rotating power tool assembly of claim 2 , wherein the torque value indicia comprises differing light reflective features configured to cause the torque value indicia to visibly gleam or glimmer by reflecting light that is the color of the torque value indicia.

4. The rotating power tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the torque value indicia comprises a ring that extends around a circumference of the modular drive head to be viewable from any side.

5. The rotating power tool assembly of claim 4 , wherein a width of the ring is greater than 0.25 inches to increase visibility of the ring from a distance and comprises light reflective features to increase visibility of the visible characteristic of the torque value indicia.

6. The rotating power tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the modular drive head further comprises speed reduction gearing configured to reduce a rotational speed of the working tip relative to the spindle.

7. A rotating power tool assembly comprising:
a rotating power base configured to rotate a spindle in response to actuation of a control switch; and
a modular drive head configured to be detachably coupled to the rotating power base, the modular drive head comprising a torque control clutch, a working tip, and a torque value indicia;
wherein the torque control clutch comprises an input drive that is configured to be detachably coupled to the spindle and an output drive operably coupled to the working tip, wherein the input drive is operably coupled to the output drive to selectably rotate the output drive in response to rotation of the input drive;
wherein the torque control clutch is non-adjustably structured to implement a torque limiting slip event that prevents the output drive from further rotation, despite continued rotation of the input drive, in response to the output drive being subjected to torque in excess of a discrete torque value;
wherein the torque value indicia is externally visible and the torque value indicia comprises a visible characteristic that correlates to the discrete torque value;
wherein the rotating power base further comprises a control circuitry;
wherein the modular drive head further comprises a torque control sensor configured to detect an occurrence of the torque limiting slip event and provide a communication indicating the occurrence of the torque limiting slip event to the control circuitry;
wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
receive the communication indicating the occurrence of the torque limiting slip event; and
in response to receiving the communication and maintained actuation of the control switch, interrupt power delivery to a motor driving the spindle to stop rotational movement of the spindle.

8. The rotating power tool assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second modular drive head configured to be detachably coupled to the rotating power base, the second modular drive head comprising a second torque control clutch, a second working tip, and a second torque value indicia;
wherein the second torque control clutch comprises a second input drive that is configured to be detachably coupled to the spindle and a second output drive operably coupled to the second working tip, wherein the second input drive is operably coupled to the second output drive to selectably rotate the second output drive in response to rotation of the second input drive;
wherein the second torque control clutch is permanently and non-adjustably structured to implement a second torque limiting slip event that prevents the second output drive from further rotation, despite continued rotation of the second input drive, in response to the second output drive being subjected to a second discrete torque value;
wherein the second torque value indicia is externally visible and the second torque value indicia comprises a second visible characteristic that correlates to the second discrete torque value;
wherein the second discrete torque value is different from the discrete toque value and the second visible characteristic is visibly different from the visible characteristic.

9. A rotating power tool accessory system comprising:
a first modular drive head configured to be detachably coupled to a rotating power base, the first modular drive head comprising a first torque control clutch, a first torque value indicia, and a locking mechanism; and
a second modular drive head configured to be detachably coupled to the rotating power base, the second modular drive head comprising a second torque control clutch and a second torque value indicia;
wherein the first torque control clutch is configured to prevent rotation of a first working tip of the first modular drive head in response to the first working tip being subjected to a first discrete torque value, the first torque value indicia comprising a first visible characteristic that correlates to the first discrete torque value;
wherein the second torque control clutch is configured to prevent rotation of a second working tip of the second modular drive head in response to the second working tip being subjected to a second discrete torque value, the second torque value indicia comprising a second visible characteristic that correlates to the second discrete torque value;
wherein the second discrete torque value is different from the first discrete toque value and the second visible characteristic is visibly different from the first visible characteristic;
wherein the locking mechanism is configured to lock the first modular drive head to the rotating power base, without use of a separate key, to prevent removal of the first modular drive head from the rotating power base by an unauthorized user, wherein the separate key is required to unlock the modular drive head from the rotating power base to permit removal of the modular drive head from the rotating power base after being unlocked by an authorized user in possession of the separate key.

10. The rot

Assignees

• Apex Brands Inc

Inventors

• Reitz De Swardt Rolf
• Fiumefreddo John

Classifications

• B25F5/001 Primary

  Gearings, speed selectors, clutches or the like specially adapted for rotary tools · CPC title

• B25F3/00

  Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor · CPC title

• B25B23/141 Primary

  Mechanical overload release couplings · CPC title

• F16D7/04

  of the ratchet type (similar gearings based on repeated accumulation and delivery of inertia-energy F16H33/08; {overload clutches of the ratchet type F16D43/202}) · CPC title

• B25B21/00

  Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; (details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00; {for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/006}); Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose (machines B23P19/06) · CPC title