Power tool with interchangeable tool head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724799-B2
Application number	US-201414254440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2014
Priority date	Aug 20, 2008
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A power tool that includes a tool body housing, a drive system, a tool head and a connection system. The drive system is housed in the tool body housing. The tool head, which is configured to perform work on a work piece, includes a tool head housing and an input member that is driven by the drive system when the tool head is coupled to the tool body housing. The tool head can be engaged to the tool body housing in at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations. The connection system secures the tool head to the tool body housing in each of the at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power tool comprising:
a tool body housing at least partly formed by a pair of clam shell housing members, the tool body housing defining a cavity;
a drive system housed in the cavity, the drive system having an output member;
a tool head that is configured to perform work on a work piece, the tool head including a tool head housing and an input member, the input member that is matingly engagable to the output member to drivingly couple the output member of the drive system to the input member of the tool head when the tool head is coupled to the tool body housing; and
a connection system having at least one recess and a retainer, the at least one recess being formed in one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being received into the at least one recess to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body housing;
wherein the tool head can be engaged to the tool body housing in at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations and wherein the connection system secures the tool head to the tool body housing in each of the at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations;
wherein one of the tool head and the tool body housing includes a mounting hub and wherein the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing includes a recess into which the mounting hub is received;
wherein the mounting hub comprises a cylindrical structure; and
wherein one or more nubs is formed on the periphery of the mounting hub, the one or more nubs being configured to be received in notches formed in the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing.

2. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the one of the tool head and the tool body housing includes a plurality of legs that interlock to the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing.

3. The power tool of claim 2 , wherein the legs are received into pockets formed into the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing.

4. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the mounting hub comprises a cylindrical structure.

5. A power tool comprising:
a tool body at least partly formed by a pair of clam shell housing members, the clam shell housing members defining a cavity;
a drive system housed in the cavity, the drive system having a pneumatic motor and an intermediate output member that is driven by the pneumatic motor; and
a tool head configured to perform work on a workpiece, the tool head having a tool head housing and an intermediate input member;
wherein one of the tool body and the tool head housing defines a mount, wherein the other one of the tool body and the tool head housing defines a mount aperture that receives the mount, wherein the tool head is selectively interlocked to the tool body when the mount is inserted into the mount aperture, and wherein the intermediate input member is matingly engaged with the intermediate output member when the tool head is interlocked to the tool body; and
wherein the clam shell housing members cooperate to define a first handle with a portion that is configured to be gripped by a hand of a user of the power tool, wherein the intermediate output member is rotatable about a rotational axis, and wherein the first handle has a first longitudinal axis that is aligned to a predetermined angle relative to the rotational axis, the predetermined angle being sized so that the longitudinal axis is closer to being parallel to the rotational axis than being perpendicular to the rotational axis.

6. The power tool of claim 5 , wherein one of the tool body and the tool head housing further comprises a plurality of rails and wherein the other one of the tool body and the tool head housing defines a plurality of rail cavities that receive the rails when the mount is inserted into the mount aperture.

7. The power tool of claim 5 , wherein the mount aperture defines a hub cavity and a plurality of rail cavities, and wherein the mount defines a cylindrical hub and a plurality of rails, the cylindrical hub extending longitudinally along the rotational axis and being configured to be received into the hub cavity, the rails being disposed about the cylindrical hub and extending parallel to the rotational axis, the rails being configured to be received into the rail cavities when the cylindrical hub is received into the hub cavity.

8. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein at least one recess is formed in one of the tool head housing and the tool body, wherein a retainer is movably coupled to the other one of the tool head housing and the tool body, the retainer being received into the at least one recess to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body.

9. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the rails are integrally and unitarily formed with the cylindrical hub.

10. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the rails number four in quantity.

11. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the rail cavities are disposed symmetrically about the hub cavity.

12. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the rail cavities intersect the hub cavity.

13. The power tool of claim 5 , further comprising a connection system having at least one recess and a retainer, the at least one recess being formed in one of the tool head housing and the tool body, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head housing and the tool body, the retainer being received into the at least one recess to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body.

14. A power tool comprising:
a tool body housing that defines a cavity;
a drive system housed in the cavity, the drive system having an output member;
a tool head that is configured to perform work on a work piece, the tool head including an input member that is matingly engageable to the output member to drivingly couple the output member of the drive system to the input member of the tool head when the tool head is coupled to the tool body housing; and
a connection system having at least one groove and a retainer, the at least one groove being formed in one of the tool head and the tool body housing, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing, the retainer being received into the at least one groove to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body housing;
wherein the tool head includes an attachment hub and wherein the tool body housing includes a mount aperture into which the attachment hub is received; and
wherein a forward surface of the attachment hub is substantially flush with a forward surface of the input member; and
wherein the output member includes a plurality of male splines and the input member comprises a plurality of female splines that receive the male splines.

15. The power tool of claim 14 , wherein the retainer comprises a wire member, the wire member is housed in the tool body housing and has a pair of opposite engagement arms that extend into the mount aperture, a push button being coupled to the wire member and slidable between a first position and a second position.

16. The power tool of claim 15 , wherein the engagement arms are received into the at least one groove to inhibit movement of the tool head along a rotational axis of the output member in a direction away from the tool body housing, the input member being drivingly coupled to the output member for rotation therewith.

17. The power tool of claim 16 , wherein the wire member biases the push button into the first position and wherein movement of th

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• King Wade C
• Coleman Micah A
• Walker Andrew
• Mcroberts Jason
• Bean Frederick R
• Murray Christopher J
• Desantis Frank A

Classifications

• Y10T29/4987

  Elastic joining of parts · CPC title

• B24B49/00

  Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or work; Arrangements of indicating or measuring equipment, e.g. for indicating the start of the grinding operation (B24B33/06, B24B37/005 take precedence; if applicable to other machine tools, B23Q15/00 - B23Q17/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• B24B41/04 Primary

  Headstocks; Working-spindles; Features relating thereto · CPC title

• B24B23/04

  with oscillating grinding tools; Accessories therefor · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title