Coupler for a tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12022770-B2
Application number	US-201916280799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2019
Priority date	Mar 2, 2018
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

A shaft coupler, a tool and a method of assembling a tool. The shaft coupler may generally include substantially identical coupling members operable to couple two shaft segments of a tool. The shaft coupler may include a first coupling member including a first body having a first coupling end and an opposite first shaft end defining a first opening configured to receive a first shaft segment; and a second coupling member including a second body having a second coupling end and an opposite second shaft end defining a second opening configured to receive a second shaft segment. The first coupling member and the second coupling member may be identical. The first coupling end may be configured to engage the second coupling end to selectively couple the first coupling member to the second coupling member and, thereby, the first shaft segment to the second shaft segment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shaft coupler operable to couple two shaft segments of a tool, the shaft coupler comprising:
a first coupling member including a first body having a first coupling end and an opposite first shaft end defining a first opening configured to receive a first shaft segment; and
a second coupling member including a second body having a second coupling end and an opposite second shaft end defining a second opening configured to receive a second shaft segment;
wherein the first coupling end is configured to engage the second coupling end to selectively couple the first coupling member to the second coupling member and, thereby, the first shaft segment to the second shaft segment;
wherein each of the first coupling end and the second coupling end includes spaced apart coupling flanges and a coupling projection protruding separately from the coupling flanges, the coupling flanges of the first coupling member receiving the coupling projection of the second coupling member, and the coupling flanges of the second coupling member receiving the coupling projection of the first coupling member;
wherein each coupling flange and each coupling projection defines an aperture;
wherein a first coupling fastener extends through the aperture of one of the coupling flanges of the first coupling member and through the aperture of the associated coupling projection of the second coupling member, and a second coupling fastener extends through the aperture of one of the coupling flanges of the second coupling member and through the aperture of the associated coupling projection of the first coupling member; and
wherein each coupling projection includes a first locating surface with ribs engageable with complementary ribs on a second locating surface between the associated coupling flanges.

2. The shaft coupler of claim 1 , wherein the coupling fastener includes a bolt and a nut, and wherein the at least one coupling flange includes a recess within which the nut is rotationally fixed.

3. The shaft coupler of claim 1 , wherein the coupling flanges provide respective tapered stop surfaces for limiting insertion of each shaft segment.

4. The shaft coupler of claim 1 , wherein the assembled coupling members align the shaft segments along an axis.

5. The shaft coupler of claim 1 , wherein each of the first shaft end and the second shaft end includes spaced apart clamping flanges separated by a clamping slot.

6. The shaft coupler of claim 5 , wherein each of the first shaft end and the second shaft end includes a retaining fastener to positively retain the associated shaft segment.

7. The shaft coupler of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member are identical.

8. A tool comprising:
a shaft assembly with a first shaft segment and a separate second shaft segment;
a handle connected to the first shaft segment;
an operational member connected to the second shaft segment; and
a shaft coupler operable to selectively connect the first shaft segment and the second shaft segment, the shaft coupler including
a first coupling member including a first body having a first coupling end and an opposite first shaft end defining a first opening configured to receive the first shaft segment; and
a second coupling member including a second body having a second coupling end and an opposite second shaft end defining a second opening configured to receive the second shaft segment,
wherein the first coupling end is configured to engage the second coupling end to selectively couple the first coupling member to the second coupling member and, thereby, the first shaft segment to the second shaft segment;
wherein each of the first coupling end and the second coupling end includes a receiving portion and an insertion portion protruding separately from the receiving portion, the receiving portion of the first coupling member receiving the insertion portion of the second coupling member, and the receiving portion of the second coupling member receiving the insertion portion of the first coupling member;
wherein the receiving portion of at least one of the coupling members defines a stop surface facing toward the corresponding one of the first shaft end or the second shaft end and configured to engage the first shaft segment or the second shaft segment to limit insertion of the corresponding shaft segment into the at least one coupling member;
wherein each receiving portion comprises spaced apart coupling flanges and each insertion portion comprises a coupling projection, the coupling flanges of the first coupling member receiving the coupling projection of the second coupling member, and the coupling flanges of the second coupling member receiving the coupling projection of the first coupling member;
wherein each coupling projection includes a first locating surface with ribs engageable with complementary ribs on a second locating surface between the associated coupling flanges.

9. The tool of claim 8 , wherein a coupling fastener extends through at least one of the coupling flanges and an associated coupling projection to couple the first coupling member and the second coupling member.

10. The tool of claim 8 , wherein the operational member is a first operational member, and the tool further includes a separate third shaft segment and a second operational member connected to the third shaft segment, wherein the shaft coupler further includes a third coupling member including a third body having a third coupling end and an opposite third shaft end defining a third opening configured to receive the third shaft segment, and wherein the first coupling end is further configured to engage the third coupling end to selectively couple the first coupling member to the third coupling member and, thereby, the first shaft segment to the third shaft segment.

11. The shaft coupler of claim 8 , wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member are identical.

12. A method of assembling a tool, the tool including a shaft assembly with a first shaft segment and a separate second shaft segment, a handle connected to the first shaft segment, and an operational member connected to the second shaft segment, the method comprising:
connecting a first coupling member to the first shaft segment;
connecting a second coupling member to the second shaft segment; and
coupling the first coupling member to the second coupling member;
wherein the first coupling member includes a first body having a first coupling end and an opposite first shaft end, and wherein the second coupling member includes a second body having a second coupling end and an opposite second shaft end, wherein each coupling end includes spaced apart coupling flanges and a coupling projection protruding separately from the coupling flanges, and wherein each coupling flange and each coupling projection defines an aperture, and wherein coupling the first coupling member to the second coupling member includes
inserting the coupling projection of the second coupling member between the coupling flanges of the first coupling member,
inserting the coupling projection of the first coupling member between the coupling flanges of the second coupling member,
inserting a first coupling fastener through the aperture of one of the coupling flanges of the first coupling member and through the aperture of the associated coupling projection of the second coupling member, and
inserting a second coupling fastener through the aperture of one of the coupling flanges of the second coupling member and through the aperture of the associated coupling projection of the first coupling member;
wherein each coupling projection includes a

Assignees

• Tti Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd
• Techtronic Outdoor Products Tech Limited

Inventors

• Boyles Tyler W

Classifications

• B25G1/04 Primary

  telescopic; extensible; sectional · CPC title

• F16B7/0426

  for rods or for tubes without using the innerside thereof · CPC title

• F16B7/0406

  for rods or tubes being coaxial (F16B7/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01D34/90

  for carrying by the operator · CPC title

• A01D34/416 Primary

  Flexible line cutters · CPC title