Power tool accessory with brace

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9701032-B2
Application number	US-201414338577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2014
Priority date	Jul 23, 2014
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A power tool accessory (e.g., a shear accessory) includes an accessory housing, an input shaft, a working tool, and a brace. The input shaft is driven by a power tool and drives the working tool. The brace rigidly connects the accessory housing to a power tool housing. The brace includes a collar coupled to the accessory housing, a clamp assembly that may be rigidly connected to the power tool housing, and an arm assembly connecting the collar to the clamp assembly. The collar allows selective rotation of the accessory housing relative to the collar while the brace rigidly couples the accessory housing to the power tool housing. The arm assembly may have a single arm. The clamp assembly may be coupled to a base of a handle of the power tool with arm assembly at an angle to a working axis of the power tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power tool accessory for use with a power tool having a tool housing and end effector coupled to the tool housing, the power tool accessory comprising:
an accessory housing;
an input shaft coupled to the accessory housing and configured to be coupled to and driven by the end effector;
a working tool coupled to the accessory housing and configured to be driven by the input shaft;
a brace including a collar coupled to the accessory housing, a clamp assembly configured to be rigidly connected to the power tool housing, and an arm assembly connecting the collar to the clamp assembly, wherein
the collar is configured to allow selective rotation of the accessory housing relative to the collar while the brace rigidly couples the accessory housing to the power tool housing.

2. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the collar includes a locking element having a locked configuration in which the accessory housing is rigidly fixed to the collar and an unlocked configuration in which the accessory housing is rotatable relative to the collar.

3. The power tool accessory of claim 2 , wherein the locking element comprises a rotatable knob with a threaded stem that is configured to releasably engage the accessory housing.

4. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the collar includes a frictional engaging member configured to retain the accessory housing in a desired rotational position relative to the collar and to allow the accessory housing to be rotated relative to the collar upon application of a sufficient rotational torque to the accessory housing.

5. The power tool accessory of claim 4 , wherein the frictional engaging member comprises an elastomeric ring disposed between the collar and the accessory housing.

6. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the arm assembly comprises a first arm portion pivotally coupled to the collar and a second arm portion coupled to the clamp assembly, wherein one of the first arm portion and the second arm portion is adjustable relative to the other of the first arm portion and the second arm portion to adjust a length of the arm assembly.

7. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the clamp assembly includes a bracket configured to be removably coupled to a base of a handle of the power tool.

8. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the clamp assembly includes a first leg configured to face a first side of the base, a second leg configured to face a second side of the base, and a threaded member configured to draw the legs toward one another.

9. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the clamp assembly comprises one of a U-shaped brace, a cup-shaped bracket, and a hook shaped bracket, which are configured to be removably coupled to the power tool housing.

10. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the working tool comprises shearing blades, wherein at least one of the blades moves in a scissor manner to cut a workpiece.

11. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the arm assembly is configured to rotate relative to the collar to a storage position wherein the arm assembly extends along the accessory housing.

12. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , further comprising:
first and second cutting shears at least partially extending from the accessory housing;
a transmission connected to the input shaft and to at least one of the first and second cutting shears, the transmission configured to convert rotational motion of the input shaft to shearing motion of the at least one of the first and second cutting shears; and
a plate coupled to an exterior wall of the accessory housing adjacent to the first and second cutting shears, the plate being harder than the accessory housing.

13. The power tool accessory of claim 12 , wherein the accessory housing has a first sidewall and the cutting shears are curved toward the first sidewall and the plate wraps at least partially around the first sidewall.

14. The power tool accessory of claim 13 , wherein the plate comprises a metal material and the accessory housing comprises a plastic material.

15. The power tool accessory of claim 1 , wherein the arm assembly comprises a single arm first that has a first arm portion pivotally coupled to the collar and a second arm portion coupled to the clamp assembly, and
wherein the clamp assembly is configured to be coupled to a base of a handle of the power tool that is away from the tool housing, with the single arm at an angle to a working axis of the input shaft so that the brace rigidly couples the accessory housing to the power tool housing.

16. The power tool accessory of claim 15 , wherein one of the first arm portion and the second arm portion is adjustable relative to the other of the first arm portion and the second arm portion to adjust a length of the single arm.

17. The power tool accessory of claim 16 , wherein the one of the first arm portion and the second arm portion telescopes relative to the other of the first arm portion and the second arm portion.

18. The power tool accessory of claim 16 , wherein the first arm portion is pivotally coupled to the accessory housing by a collar that is pivotally coupled to the first arm portion and that is coupled to a rear end portion of the accessory housing.

19. The power tool accessory of claim 16 , wherein the working tool comprises shearing blades, wherein at least one of the blades moves in a scissor manner cut a workpiece.

20. The power tool accessory of claim 15 , wherein the clamp assembly includes a bracket configured to be removably coupled to the base.

21. The power tool accessory of claim 20 , wherein the clamp assembly includes a threaded fastener configured to be received in a threaded opening in the base of the tool housing.

22. The power tool accessory of claim 15 , wherein the clamp assembly includes a first leg configured to face a first side of the base, a second leg configured to face a second side of the base, and a threaded member configured to draw the legs toward one another.

23. The power tool accessory of claim 22 , wherein at least one of the first leg and the second leg includes at least one of ridges, protrusions, and a spike.

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Moss Darren B
• Santamarina Aland
• Peters Michael P

Classifications

• B25F3/00

  Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor · CPC title

• B23D29/02

  Hand-operated metal-shearing devices · CPC title

• B23D29/005

  for cutting sheets · CPC title

• B26B15/00 Primary

  Hand-held shears with motor-driven blades · CPC title