Oscillating tool

• US 10,124,461 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuehne, Brent A., Sergyeyenko, Oleksiy, Covell, Kevin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gates, Eric A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Su, Chwen-Wei
• Application Number:
  US15/452,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20170173754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/10 characterised by the retaining or gripping devices or their immediate operating means
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/19 moving parallel to the axis of the chuck B23B31/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 23/04 with oscillating grinding tools; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 45/006 Quick mount and release means for disc-like wheels, e.g. on power tools
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 19/006 with oscillating saw blades; Hand saws with oscillating saw blades
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 5/32 Devices for securing circular saw blades to the saw spindle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/18 Pivoted jaw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/33 Member applies axial force component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/3451 Nonseparable or built-in
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7045 Arcuately oscillating tool carried on single pivot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9457 Joint or connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9464 For rotary tool

Abstract

A clamp arrangement for securing an accessory to an oscillating power tool can include a clamp assembly including a first clamp member that moves relative to the accessory between a closed position wherein the clamp assembly retains the accessory and an open position wherein the first clamp is offset from the accessory permitting removal of the first accessory from the clamp assembly. The clamp assembly can further comprise a second clamp member having a first portion that opposes the first clamp member and cooperates with the first clamp member to clamp the accessory between the first and second clamp members. An attachment plate can carry the clamp assembly. The attachment plate can have a first mating detail formed thereon that is configured to selectively and removably mate with a complementary second mating detail on the power tool in an assembled position.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a housing;

a motor mounted in the housing;

an output member driven by the motor;

a spindle coupled to the output member and driven by the motor, through the output member, in an oscillating motion;

a clamp assembly coupled to the spindle and configured to retain an accessory, the clamp assembly including a first clamping member that moves between a clamped position wherein the clamp assembly retains the accessory in a clamped condition with a clamping force for holding the accessory during operation of the power tool and an unclamped position permitting removal of the accessory from the clamp assembly while the first clamping member remains coupled to the power tool, the clamp assembly further comprising a second clamping member that cooperates with the first clamping member to clamp the accessory in the clamp assembly; and

an actuator operable to cause the first clamping member to move from the clamped position to the unclamped position;

wherein the spindle includes a spindle axis, and the spindle axis is arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the motor;

wherein the actuator is configured such that operation of the actuator alone can effect the movement of the first clamping member from the clamped position to the unclamped position;

wherein the clamp assembly is configured such that the accessory can be clamped by the clamp assembly in a plurality of rotational positions including at least a first rotational position, a second rotational position, third rotational position, and a fourth rotational position;

wherein the first rotational position is spaced ninety degrees from the second rotational position, ninety degrees from the fourth rotational position, and one-hundred and eighty degrees from the third rotational position;

wherein the fourth rotational position is spaced ninety degrees from the third rotational position and one-hundred and eighty degrees from the second rotational position; and

wherein the actuator comprises a lever which is rotatable about an axis.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the lever is rotatable about an axis which is perpendicular to the spindle axis.

3. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the lever is biased by a first biasing member and the first clamping member is biased by a second biasing member.

4. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the first clamping member is biased by a biasing member.

5. The power tool of claim 4, wherein the biasing member is located around the spindle.

6. The power tool of claim 5, wherein the biasing member is held at an upper end by a cylindrical member which extends outwardly from the spindle.

7. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the biasing member is in a compressed state when the first clamping member is in the open position and the biasing member is in an expanded state when the first clamping member is in the clamped position.

8. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the second clamping member includes a plurality of mounting features which rotationally locate the accessory in one of the plurality of rotational positions;

and

wherein there are at least six mounting features.

9. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising a pivot axle which holds the lever;

and

wherein the lever is rotatable about the pivot axle.

10. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the first clamping member includes a contact surface which contacts the accessory;

and

wherein the second clamping member extends below the contact surface at least when the first clamping member is in the clamped position.

11. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the first clamping member includes a first contact surface which contacts a first surface of the accessory and the second clamping member includes a second contact surface that contacts a second surface of the accessory, different than the first surface of the accessory, wherein the second surface of the accessory is below the first surface of the accessory when the first clamping member is in the clamped position.

12. The power tool of claim 1, wherein both of the first clamping member and the second clamping member are outside of the housing.

13. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the second clamping member includes a plurality of protrusions.

14. The power tool of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the spindle is located within the housing;

and

wherein at least a portion of the second clamping member is located outside of the housing.

15. The power tool of claim 14, wherein a majority of the spindle is located within the housing.

16. The power tool of claim 15, wherein the second clamping member comprises a plurality of protrusions, and at least one of the plurality of protrusions is located outside of the housing.

17. The power tool of claim 14, wherein the second clamping member comprises a clamping surface configured to contact the accessory, and wherein at least part of the clamping surface is outside of the housing.

18. The power tool of claim 17, further comprising a bearing supporting the spindle;

and

wherein the bearing is located inside the housing.

19. The power tool of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the first clamping member is outside of the housing.

20. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the spindle has a first end, and a second end opposite the first;

wherein the output member is connected to the spindle at a location closer to the first end than the second end; and

wherein the clamp assembly is located closer to the second end than the first end.

21. The power tool of claim 20, wherein the output member is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the motor.

22. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the spindle has a generally cylindrical outside diameter.

23. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the spindle has a first portion with a first circular cross section;

wherein the spindle has a second portion with a second circular cross section; and

wherein the second circular cross section has a larger diameter than the first circular cross section.

24. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the spindle has a first section with a first diameter, a second section with a second diameter, and a tapered section between the first section and the second section.

25. A power tool comprising:

a housing;

a motor mounted in the housing;

an output member driven by the motor;

a spindle coupled to the output member and driven by the motor, through the output member, in an oscillating motion;

a clamp assembly driven in the oscillating motion and configured to retain an accessory, the clamp assembly including a first clamp member and a second clamp member;

the first clamp member being movable between a clamped position in which the clamp assembly retains the accessory in a clamped condition with a clamping force for holding the accessory during operation of the power tool and an unclamped position permitting removal of the accessory from the clamp assembly by a user while the first clamp member remains coupled to the power tool;

the second clamp member cooperating with the first clamp member so as to clamp the accessory in the clamp assembly; and

an actuator movable from a first position to a second position, wherein movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position causes the first clamp member to move from the clamped position to the unclamped position;

wherein the clamp assembly is configured such that the accessory can be clamped by the clamp assembly in a plurality of distinct rotational positions;

wherein the actuator comprises a lever which is rotatable about a lever rotation axis;

wherein the spindle has an upper end and a lower end and the clamping assembly is located at the lower end;

wherein the output member is coupled to the spindle closer to the upper end of the spindle than the lower end of the spindle; and

wherein the spindle extends along a spindle axis, and the oscillating motion occurs around the spindle axis.

26. The power tool of claim 25, wherein the first clamp member includes a first contact surface which contacts a first surface of the accessory and the second clamp member includes a second contact surface that contacts a second surface of the accessory, different than the first surface of the accessory, wherein the second surface of the accessory is below the first surface of the accessory when the first clamp member is in the clamped position.

27. The power tool of claim 25, wherein an axis of the spindle is arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the motor.

28. The power tool of claim 25, wherein, when the actuator is in the second position, the first clamp member is prevented from clamping the accessory with the clamping force.

29. The power tool of claim 28, wherein the actuator moving from the second position to the first position allows the first clamp member to clamp the accessory with the clamping force.

30. The power tool of claim 25, wherein the first clamp member includes at least six mounting features which cooperate to locate the accessory in one of a plurality of distinct rotational positions.

31. The power tool of claim 25, wherein the spindle axis is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the motor;

and

wherein the lever rotation axis is perpendicular to the spindle axis.

32. A power tool comprising:

a housing;

a motor mounted in the housing;

an output member driven by the motor;

a spindle coupled to the output member and driven by the motor, through the output member, in an oscillating motion;

a clamp assembly coupled to the spindle and configured to retain an accessory, the clamp assembly including a first clamping member that moves between a clamped position wherein the clamp assembly retains the accessory in a clamped condition with a clamping force for holding the accessory during operation of the power tool and an unclamped position permitting removal of the accessory from the clamp assembly while the first clamping member remains coupled to the power tool, the clamp assembly further comprising a second clamping member that cooperates with the first clamping member to clamp the accessory in the clamp assembly; and

an actuator operable to cause the first clamping member to move from the clamped position to the unclamped position;

wherein the spindle extends along a spindle axis, and the spindle axis is arranged transverse to a longitudinal axis of the motor;

wherein the actuator is configured such that operation of the actuator alone can effect the movement of the first clamping member from the clamped position to the unclamped position;

wherein the clamp assembly is configured such that the accessory can be clamped by the clamp assembly in a plurality of rotational positions including at least a first rotational position, a second rotational position, a third rotational position, and a fourth rotational position;

wherein the first rotational position is spaced ninety degrees from the second rotational position, ninety degrees from the fourth rotational position, and one-hundred and eighty degrees from the third rotational position;

wherein the fourth rotational position is spaced ninety degrees from the third rotational position and one-hundred and eighty degrees from the second rotational position;

wherein the actuator comprises a lever which is rotatable about a lever rotation axis;

wherein the spindle has a first end, and a second end opposite the first;

wherein the output member is connected to the spindle at a location closer to the first end than the second end;

wherein the clamp assembly is located closer to the second end than the first end;

wherein the second clamp member includes a plurality of protrusions for locating the accessory in the plurality of rotational positions;

wherein the second clamping member comprises a clamping surface configured to contact the accessory;

wherein the clamping surface is outside of the housing;

wherein at least a portion of the spindle is located inside the housing; and

wherein the location at which the output member is connected to the spindle is located inside the housing.

33. The power tool of claim 32, wherein the lever rotation axis is transverse to the spindle axis.