Auto sizing chuck

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9283625-B2
Application number	US-201213440542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2012
Priority date	Apr 5, 2011
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A chuck includes a chuck body extending along a longitudinal axis, the chuck body including a plurality of slots each arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. A plurality of jaws each includes a first engagement portion, a jaw end, and a drive end. Each of the jaws is disposed within one of the plurality of slots and is movable between a close position and an open position. A biasing member is coupled to the plurality of jaws and is operable to bias the plurality of jaws toward the close position and a rotating assembly is selectively engageable with the plurality of jaws such that when engaged, the plurality of jaws are movable in response to rotation of the rotating assembly.

First claim

We claim:

1. A chuck for a power tool, the chuck comprising:
a chuck body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an attachment end and a tool receiving end, the chuck body including a plurality of slots each arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis;
a plurality of jaws each including a first engagement portion, a jaw end, and a drive end, each of the jaws disposed within one of the plurality of slots and movable between a close position and an open position, the plurality of jaws and the chuck body cooperating to radially define a biasing space disposed radially between the drive ends of the jaws and the chuck body;
a biasing member coupled to the plurality of jaws and operable to bias the plurality of jaws toward the close position, the biasing member including a guide sleeve and a spring disposed radially within the biasing space; and
a cap separate from the chuck body and coupled to the attachment end of the chuck body;
a rotating assembly selectively engageable with the plurality of jaws such that when engaged, the plurality of jaws are movable in response to rotation of the rotating assembly.

2. The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the rotating assembly includes a second engagement portion selectively engageable with each of the plurality of jaws.

3. The chuck of claim 2 , wherein the first engagement portion includes threads formed on a surface of each of the jaws.

4. The chuck of claim 3 , wherein the second engagement portion includes threads adapted to engage the threads of the jaws.

5. The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the guide sleeve is coupled to each of the plurality of jaws and is movable axially along the longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of jaws moving along a jaw axis that is oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis in response to movement of the guide sleeve.

6. The chuck of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of pins, each pin fixedly attached to the guide sleeve and movably attached to one of the plurality of jaws such that the jaw moves along the pin as it moves between the close position and the open position.

7. The chuck of claim 6 , wherein each of the pins defines a longitudinal pin axis and each of the longitudinal pin axes is substantially normal to the longitudinal axis.

8. The chuck of claim 6 , wherein each of the pins defines a longitudinal pin axis and each of the longitudinal pin axes is substantially normal to the jaw axis of the jaw to which the pin attaches.

9. The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the chuck body includes a plurality of jaw receiving surfaces and each of the plurality of jaws includes a guide surface engaged with one of the jaw receiving surfaces to guide movement of the jaw along a jaw axis that is oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis.

10. A chuck for a power tool, the chuck comprising:
a chuck body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining an attachment end and a tool receiving end, the chuck body including a plurality of slots each arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis and a cylindrical guide surface having an outer diameter;
a cap separate from the chuck body and coupled to the attachment end of the chuck body;
a plurality of jaws each including a first engagement portion, a jaw end, and a drive end, the drive end defining an inside diameter, each of the jaws disposed within one of the plurality of slots and movable between a close position and an open position;
a biasing member coupled to the plurality of jaws and operable to bias the plurality of jaws toward the close position, the biasing member including a guide sleeve that movably engages the cylindrical guide surface and a spring, each of the guide sleeve and the spring positioned radially between the outer diameter and the inside diameter; and
a rotating assembly coupled to the chuck body and including a second engagement portion, the rotating assembly rotatable with respect to the chuck body between a disengaged position, an engaged position, and a tightened position, wherein the first engagement portions and the second engagement portion are disengaged when the rotating assembly is in the disengaged position such that the plurality of jaws are movable along the longitudinal axis independent of the rotating assembly and wherein the first engagement portions and the second engagement portion are engaged when the rotating assembly is in the engaged position such that the plurality of jaws are movable along the axis in response to rotation of the rotating assembly, and wherein rotation of the rotating assembly from the engaged position to the tightened position moves the plurality of jaws toward the close position.

11. The chuck of claim 10 , wherein the first engagement portion includes threads formed on a surface of each of the jaws.

12. The chuck of claim 11 , wherein the second engagement portion includes threads adapted to engage the threads of the jaws.

13. The chuck of claim 10 , wherein the guide sleeve is coupled to each of the plurality of jaws and is movable axially along the longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of jaws moving along a jaw axis that is oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis in response to movement of the guide sleeve.

14. The chuck of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of pins, each pin fixedly attached to the guide sleeve and movably attached to one of the plurality of jaws such that the jaw moves along the pin as it moves between the close position and the open position.

15. The chuck of claim 14 , wherein each of the pins defines a longitudinal pin axis and each of the longitudinal pin axes is substantially normal to the longitudinal axis.

16. The chuck of claim 14 , wherein each of the pins defines a longitudinal pin axis and each of the longitudinal pin axes is substantially normal to the jaw axis of the jaw to which the pin attaches.

17. The chuck of claim 10 , wherein the chuck body includes a plurality of jaw receiving surfaces and each of the plurality of jaws includes a guide surface engaged with one of the jaw receiving surfaces to guide movement of the jaw along a jaw axis that is oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Assignees

• Thorson Troy C
• Holly Jeffrey
• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Thorson Troy C
• Holly Jeffrey

Classifications

• B23B31/1238 Primary

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

• Y10T279/17615

  Obliquely guided reciprocating jaws · CPC title

• Y10T279/32

  Means to prevent jaw loosening · CPC title

• B23B2260/136

  Springs · CPC title