Lighted power tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9644837-B2
Application number	US-201514681167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2010
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A power tool includes a tool body including a motor having an output member that drives an accessory. A chuck is coupled for rotation with the output member relative to the tool body and configured to retain the accessory. The chuck has a chuck body that defines at least one light pipe formed therethrough. A light source disposed on a light ring coupled to the tool body and includes at least one light. Each at least one light source aligns with each of the at least one light pipe intermittently during rotation of the chuck.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power tool comprising:
a tool body including a motor having an output member that drives an accessory;
a chuck coupled for rotation with the output member relative to the tool body and configured to retain the accessory;
at least one bore and at least one light pipe extending through the chuck, each of the at least one light pipe inserted into one of the at least one bore to transmit light through the chuck; and
at least one light source disposed on a light ring coupled to the tool body,
wherein each at least one light source aligns with each of the at least one light pipe intermittently during rotation of the chuck.

2. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one light sources comprises an LED.

3. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a plurality of light sources and the at least one light pipe comprises a plurality of light pipes.

4. The power tool of claim 3 , wherein a number of light sources differs from the number of light pipes.

5. The power tool of claim 4 wherein the plurality of light pipes comprise three light pipes and the plurality of light sources comprise four light sources.

6. The power tool of claim 5 , wherein the three light pipes are equally spaced around the chuck and the four light sources are equally spaced around the light ring, such that one light pipe aligns with one light source for every 30 degrees of rotation of the chuck.

7. The power tool of claim 3 , wherein the light sources are spaced at a first set of angles around the light ring and the light pipes are spaced at a different second set of angles around the chuck.

8. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the light pipes are spaced at 120 degree intervals around the chuck and the light sources are spaced at 90 degree intervals around the light ring.

9. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the light ring is fixedly mounted to the chuck and includes a secondary winding that receives power from a primary winding fixedly coupled to the tool body to power the at least one light source.

10. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the light ring is fixedly mounted to the tool body to remain stationary relative to rotation of the chuck.

11. A power tool comprising:
a tool body including a motor having an output member that drives an accessory;
a chuck coupled for rotation with the output member relative to the tool body and configured to retain the accessory;
a first quantity of bores and light, pipes extending through the chuck, each light pipe inserted into one of the bores to transmit light through the chuck, the light pipes fixedly coupled to the chuck for rotation with the chuck; and
a second quantity of light sources disposed on a light ring that is coupled to the tool body,
wherein a second quantity differs from the first quantity.

12. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein each of the light sources comprises an LED.

13. The power tool of claim 11 wherein the first quantity of light pipes comprise three light pipes and the second quantity of light sources comprise four light sources.

14. The power tool of claim 13 , wherein the three light pipes are equally spaced around the chuck body and the four light sources are equally spaced around the light ring, such that one light pipe aligns with one light source for every 30 degrees of rotation of the chuck.

15. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the light sources are equally spaced at a first set of angles around the light ring and the light pipes are equally spaced at a different second set of angles around the chuck.

16. The power tool of claim 15 , wherein the light pipes are spaced at 120 degree intervals around the chuck and the light sources are spaced at 90 degree intervals around the light ring.

17. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the light, ring is fixedly mounted to the tool body to remain stationary relative to rotation of the chuck.

18. A power tool comprising:
a tool body including a motor having an output member that drives an accessory;
a chuck coupled for rotation with the output member relative to the tool body and configured to retain the accessory;
a plurality of bores and light pipes extending through the chuck, each light pipe inserted into one of the bores to transmit light through the chuck, the light pipes fixedly coupled to the chuck for rotation with the chuck, the light pipes equally spaced at a first angular interval around the chuck; and
a plurality of light sources disposed on a light ring that is coupled to the tool body, the light sources equally spaced at a second angular interval around the light ring, wherein the second angular interval is different from the first angular interval.

19. The power tool of claim 18 , wherein the light pipes are spaced at 120 degree intervals around the chuck and the light sources are spaced at 90 degree intervals around the light ring.

20. The power tool of claim 18 , wherein each light source aligns with each of the light pipes intermittently during rotation of the chuck.

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Vanko John C
• Gottesman Tal
• Puzio Daniel
• Forster Michael K
• Cox John D
• Kelleher Joseph P
• Garber Stuart
• Zellerhoff Joerg
• Norona Joao
• Gehret Robert S
• Eshleman Scott
• Osborne Stephen P
• Friedman Brian E
• Usselman Robert A
• Nosov Anatoliy
• Doyle Michael C

Classifications

• F21Y2101/00

  Point-like light sources · CPC title

• G02B6/0008

  the light being emitted at the end of the fibre · CPC title

• F21V7/0091

  using total internal reflection · CPC title

• G02B6/0096

  the lights guides being of the hollow type · CPC title

• B25F5/021

  with guiding devices (guiding devices for hand tools on stands or supports B25H1/0078) · CPC title