Controlled pivot impact tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9539715-B2
Application number	US-201414157506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2014
Priority date	Jan 16, 2014
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

Illustrative embodiments of controlled pivot impact tools are disclosed. In at least one illustrative embodiment, an impact tool may comprise a hammer configured to rotate about a first axis and to pivot about a second axis different from the first axis, where the hammer includes a cam groove formed in an outer surface of the hammer, an actuator coupled to the cam groove of the hammer and configured to pivot the hammer about the second axis between a disengaged position and an engaged position based on a position of the actuator along the cam groove, and an anvil configured to rotate about the first axis in response to being impacted by the hammer when the hammer is in the engaged position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An impact tool comprising:
a hammer configured to rotate about a first axis and to pivot about a second axis different from the first axis, the hammer including a cam groove formed in an outer surface of the hammer;
an actuator coupled to the cam groove of the hammer and configured to pivot the hammer about the second axis between a disengaged position and an engaged position based on a position of the actuator along the cam groove; and
an anvil configured to rotate about the first axis in response to being impacted by the hammer when the hammer is in the engaged position; further comprising a controller configured to:
sense a rotational speed of the hammer about the first axis; and
cause the actuator to pivot the hammer from the disengaged position, in which the hammer rotates about the first axis without impacting the anvil, to the engaged position, in which the hammer impacts the anvil, in response to the rotational speed of the hammer achieving a threshold rotational speed.

2. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the actuator to pivot the hammer from the engaged position to the disengaged position in response to the hammer impacting the anvil.

3. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
sense a rotational position of the hammer about the first axis;
sense a rotational position of the anvil about the first axis; and
determine when to cause the actuator to pivot the hammer based on the rotational position of the hammer relative to the rotational position of the anvil.

4. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a mechanical trigger configured to cause the actuator to pivot the hammer based on a force applied to the mechanical trigger in response to rotation of the hammer.

5. The impact tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hammer frame supporting the hammer for rotation therewith about the first axis;
a pivot pin coupled to a first side of the hammer frame, the pivot pin being disposed along the second axis, wherein the hammer includes a pivot groove formed in the outer surface of the hammer opposite the cam groove, the pivot pin being received in the pivot groove of the hammer; and
a motor operably coupled to the hammer frame and configured to drive rotation of the hammer frame.

6. The impact tool of claim 5 , wherein the pivot pin of the hammer frame is configured to rotate about the first axis when rotation of the hammer frame is driven by the motor.

7. The impact tool of claim 5 , wherein:
the hammer frame includes a channel defined in a second side of the hammer frame opposite the first side; and
the actuator is received in the channel.

8. An impact tool comprising:
a hammer configured to rotate about a first axis and to pivot about a second axis between a first position and a second position, the second axis being parallel to and spaced apart from the first axis, the hammer having a void formed therein; and
an anvil disposed within the void of the hammer and configured to rotate about the first axis in response to being impacted by the hammer,
wherein the hammer is configured to impact the anvil while in the first position and to rotate freely about the anvil while in the second position; wherein:
the hammer is configured to impact the anvil while in the first position when rotating about the first axis in a clockwise direction; and
the hammer is further configured to pivot about the second axis between the second position and a third position and to impact the anvil while in the third position when rotating about the first axis in a counterclockwise direction.

9. The impact tool of claim 8 , wherein:
the anvil comprises a cylindrical body and a lug extending outward from the cylindrical body; and
the hammer comprises first and second impact jaws extending into the void formed in the hammer, the first impact jaw being configured to impact the lug of the anvil while the hammer is in the first position and the second impact jaw being configured to impact the lug of the anvil while the hammer is in the third position.

10. The impact tool of claim 8 , further comprising an actuator coupled to the hammer and configured to pivot the hammer about the second axis between the first, second, and third positions.

11. The impact tool of claim 10 , wherein:
the hammer includes a cam groove formed in an outer surface of the hammer; and
the actuator comprises a ball bearing that is received in and moves along the cam groove formed in the hammer.

12. The impact tool of claim 11 , wherein the cam groove formed in the hammer is V-shaped with first and second sections that meet at a vertex, such that the ball bearing of the actuator is positioned at the vertex of the cam groove when the hammer is in the second position, the ball bearing of the actuator is positioned along the first section of the cam groove when the hammer is in the first position, and the ball bearing of the actuator is positioned along the second section of the cam groove when the hammer is in the third position.

13. An impact tool comprising:
a hammer configured to rotate about a first axis and to pivot about a second axis, the second axis being parallel to and spaced apart from the first axis, the hammer having a void formed therein;
an anvil disposed within the void of the hammer and configured to rotate about the first axis when impacted by the hammer; and
an actuator positioned along a third axis that is parallel to and spaced apart from both the first axis and the second axis, wherein the actuator engages the hammer such that movement of the actuator along the third axis causes the hammer to pivot about the second axis.

14. The impact tool of claim 13 , wherein the actuator engages a cam groove formed in an outer surface of the hammer and is configured to pivot the hammer about the second axis between a disengaged position and an engaged position.

15. The impact tool of claim 14 , further comprising a spring biasing the actuator along the third axis toward a first position in which the hammer is in the engaged position.

16. The impact tool of claim 15 , further comprising an air motor configured to divert a motive fluid to the actuator to overcome a biasing force of the spring to move the actuator along the third axis toward a second position and thereby pivot the hammer to the disengaged position.

17. The impact tool of claim 16 , further comprising a hammer frame supporting the hammer for rotation therewith about the first axis, wherein the hammer frame includes a channel defined therein along the third axis and the actuator is received in the channel.

18. The impact tool of claim 16 , wherein:
the air motor comprises a rotor operably coupled to the hammer frame to drive rotation of the hammer frame; and
an air passage is defined in the rotor and the hammer frame, the air passage being configured to divert the motive fluid to the channel defined in the hammer frame to move the actuator along the third axis.

Assignees

• Ingersoll-Rand Company

Inventors

• Mcclung Mark T

Classifications

• B25B21/026 Primary

  Impact clutches · CPC title

• B25D9/06 Primary

  Means for driving the impulse member · CPC title