Reciprocating saw

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11919097-B2
Application number	US-201916589672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2019
Priority date	Jul 23, 2009
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

A reciprocating saw includes a housing assembly and a motor positioned within the housing assembly. The motor includes a pinion. A drive mechanism is positioned within the housing assembly and includes a gear driven by the pinion, a hub coupled to the gear, a spindle, and a connecting rod. A clutch assembly is coupled to the drive mechanism to selectively transmit drive force form the gear to the hub. The clutch assembly includes a first disk coupled to the gear, a second disk coupled to the hub, a biasing member, and a threaded fastener. The biasing member is positioned between the hub and the gear to bias the first and second disks into frictional engagement. The threaded fastener extends through the gear and threadably engages the hub to couple the hub to the gear. Tightening the threaded fastener pulls the hub toward the gear to preload the biasing member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reciprocating saw comprising:
a housing assembly including a housing neck portion and a casing, the housing neck portion defining an aperture and a recess adjacent the aperture, the casing at least partially covering the aperture;
a motor positioned within the housing assembly, the motor including a pinion;
a drive mechanism positioned within the housing assembly, the drive mechanism including a gear coupled to and driven by the pinion, a hub coupled to the gear for rotation with the gear about an axis, a spindle reciprocatable relative to the housing assembly, and a connecting rod extending between the hub and the spindle to transmit rotation of the hub into reciprocation of the spindle; and
a clutch assembly coupled to the drive mechanism to selectively transmit a drive force from the gear to the hub, the clutch assembly including
a first disk coupled to the gear,
a second disk coupled to the hub,
a biasing member positioned between the hub and the first disk to bias the first and second disks into frictional engagement with each other, and
a threaded fastener having a threaded portion and a head, the threaded fastener extending through the gear and threadably engaging the hub to couple the hub to the gear, wherein tightening the threaded fastener pulls the hub toward the gear to preload the biasing member;

wherein the first disk, the second disk, and the biasing member are positioned within an opening in the gear, and wherein the biasing member biases the first and second disks into the opening; and
wherein the recess of the housing neck portion receives the threaded portion of the threaded fastener, and wherein the head of the fastener is disposed along the axis beyond the recess in a direction toward the casing.

2. The reciprocating saw of claim 1 , wherein the hub abuts an inner face of the opening when the threaded fastener is tightened such that the biasing member is preloaded up to a predetermined amount.

3. The reciprocating saw of claim 2 , wherein the biasing member is preloaded up to 175 in·lbs.

4. The reciprocating saw of claim 2 , wherein once the hub abuts the inner face of the opening, the threaded fastener is tightened to between 180 in·lbs and 225 in·lbs to secure the gear and the hub together.

5. The reciprocating saw of claim 1 , wherein the first disk includes a plurality of radially-outwardly projecting splines that engage the gear to couple the first disk to the gear.

6. The reciprocating saw of claim 5 , wherein the second disk includes a plurality of radially-inwardly projecting splines that engage the hub to couple the second disk to the hub.

7. The reciprocating saw of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member includes a Belleville washer.

8. The reciprocating saw of claim 1 , wherein the clutch assembly allows relative movement between the gear and the hub to absorb potential impacts on the drive mechanism.

9. A drive mechanism for a reciprocating saw, the drive mechanism comprising:
a motor including a pinion;
a gear coupled to and driven by the pinion;
a hub coupled to the gear for rotation with the gear;
a spindle reciprocatable relative to the motor;
a connecting rod extending between the hub and the spindle to transmit rotation of the hub into reciprocation of the spindle; and
a clutch assembly coupled between the gear and the hub to selectively transmit a drive force from the gear to the hub, the clutch assembly including
a first disk coupled to the gear,
a second disk coupled to the hub,
a biasing member positioned between the hub and the gear and in direct physical contact with the hub to bias the first and second disks into frictional engagement with each other,
a threaded fastener having a threaded portion and a head that defines a shoulder, the threaded fastener extending through the gear and threadably engaging the hub to couple the hub to the gear, wherein tightening the threaded fastener pulls the hub toward the gear to preload the biasing member, and
a bushing positioned about the threaded portion of the threaded fastener and between the shoulder and the hub;

wherein the bushing includes a first end that contacts the shoulder and a second end that contacts the hub.

10. The drive mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the gear defines an opening, and wherein the hub, the first disk, the second disk, and the biasing member are positioned within the opening.

11. The drive mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the hub abuts an inner face of the opening when the threaded fastener is tightened such that the biasing member is preloaded up to a predetermined amount.

12. The drive mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the biasing member is preloaded up to 175 in·lbs.

13. The drive mechanism of claim 11 , wherein once the hub abuts the inner face of the opening, the threaded fastener is tightened to between 180 in·lbs and 225 in·lbs to secure the gear and the hub together.

14. The drive mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the first disk includes a plurality of radially-outwardly projecting splines that engage the gear to couple the first disk to the gear.

15. The drive mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the second disk includes a plurality of radially-inwardly projecting splines that engage the hub to couple the second disk to the hub.

16. The drive mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the biasing member includes a Belleville washer.

17. The drive mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the clutch assembly allows relative movement between the gear and the hub to absorb potential impacts on the drive mechanism.

18. A reciprocating saw comprising:
a housing assembly including a housing neck portion and a casing, the housing neck portion defining an aperture and a recess adjacent the aperture, the casing at least partially covering the aperture;
a motor positioned within the housing assembly, the motor including a pinion;
a drive mechanism positioned within the housing assembly, the drive mechanism including a gear coupled to and driven by the pinion, a hub coupled to the gear for rotation with the gear about an axis, a spindle reciprocatable relative to the housing assembly, and a connecting rod extending between the hub and the spindle to transmit rotation of the hub into reciprocation of the spindle; and
a clutch assembly coupled to the drive mechanism to selectively transmit a drive force from the gear to the hub, the clutch assembly including
a first disk coupled to the gear,
a second disk coupled to the hub,
a biasing member positioned between the hub and the first disk to bias the first and second disks into frictional engagement with each other,
a threaded fastener having a threaded portion and a head that defines a shoulder, the threaded fastener extending through the gear and threadably engaging the hub to couple the hub to the gear, wherein tightening the threaded fastener pulls the hub toward the gear to preload the biasing member, and
a bushing positioned about the threaded portion of the threaded fastener and between the shoulder and the hub;

wherein the recess of the housing neck portion receives the threaded portion and the bushing, and wherein the head is disposed along the axis beyond the recess in a direction toward the casing.

19. The reciprocating saw of claim 18 , wherein the bushing extends through the gear.

20. The reciprocating saw of claim 19 , wherein the bushing extends through the aperture.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Wattenbach Brian
• Holly Jeffrey
• Ludy Benjamin
• Neitzell Roger D
• Bednar Thomas R

Classifications

• F16J15/3232

  having two or more lips · CPC title

• B23Q11/04

  Arrangements preventing overload of tools, e.g. restricting load · CPC title

• B23Q11/0035

  by adding or adjusting a mass, e.g. counterweights · CPC title

• B23D49/10

  Hand-held or hand-operated sawing devices with straight saw blades · CPC title

• B23D51/161 Primary

  with dynamic balancing · CPC title