Power tool and beam location device

• US 20050115724A1
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taymac Corporation (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Marcus J. Shotey
• Inventors: Shotey, Marcus J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 173/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A power tool having a location sensor for identifying beams or studs behind a wall. Wherein the location sensor is moveably attached to the power tool between advanced and retracted position such that when the center portion of the stud is located, the power tool work implement, whether it be a drill, nail, screwdriver or the like is located to engage a central portion of a hidden beam.

Claims

1. A hand-held power drill comprising:

an adjustable receptacle, adaptable to receive a work implement, the receptacle having a centerline defining the center of the receptacle and extending the length of the receptacle; and

a covered object location sensor having a central sensor portion configured to locate the presence of a covered object, the sensor moveably coupled to the power drill between an advanced and a retracted position such that in the advanced position the covered object location sensor central sensor portion is configured to align with a covered object located behind a cover near the adjustable receptacle, and the receptacle centerline can be visually aligned in substantially the same plane as the central sensor portion.

2. The hand-held power drill of claim 1, further comprising a slide mechanism for moving the location sensor between the advanced and a retracted position.

3. The hand-held power drill of claim 1, wherein the location sensor may be disengageably secured at various locations between the advanced and retracted position.

4. The hand-held power drill of claim 3, wherein the location sensor is adapted to be disengaged from the power drill.

5. The hand-held power drill of claim 2, wherein the slide mechanism has a detent, said detent being a plurality of indents and a ball biased to extent into the selected indents.

6. The hand-held power drill of claim 5, wherein the resistance to disengaging the ball from a selected indent may be overcome by pressing the location sensor against a wall while the power drill is being operated.

7. The invention of claim 2, wherein the sensor is biased toward the advanced position.

8. A hand-held power drill comprising:

a handle;

a switch for activating the power drill;

an adjustable receptacle, adapted to receive a work implement substantially centrally located in the receptacle, the receptacle having a centerline which substantially conforms with the center of the work implement when in the receptacle;

a covered object location sensor adapted to identify a target area toward the center of the covered object;

the sensor disengagably coupled to the power drill such that the sensor can be moved between an advanced position near a distal end of the work implement and a retracted position away from the distal end of the work implement.

9. The power drill of claim 8, wherein the sensor has a sensor face toward an end of the sensor and the sensor is moveably secured to the power drill for movement between the advanced and the retracted position;

the tool having a body and a handle wherein the body has a front end in which is located the front receptacle and wherein the sensor face extends at least up to the front end of the tool when in its advanced position.

10. The power drill of claim 9, wherein the sensor face extends at least 1.5 inches beyond the front end of the tool when in its advanced position.

11. The power drill of claim 10, wherein the sensor is slidably secured to the tool.

12. The power drill of claim 8, wherein a slide mechanism for securing the sensor to the tool has a plurality of disengagable stops for partially restraining the movement of the sensor at predetermined positions between the advanced and retracted positions.

13. The power drill of claim 8, wherein the sensor is completely disengagable from the power drill such that it can be used separately from the power drill.

14. The invention of claim 12, wherein the slide mechanism has a detent, the detent being a plurality of indents and a ball based to extend into the selected indents.

15. A method of operating a power drill with a covered object location sensor coupled thereto to direct a work implement in the power drill into a covered object, the method comprising:

providing a power drill with a detachable covered object location sensor coupled thereto;

moving the covered object location sensor from its retracted position to engage the surface covering the covered object;

moving the sensor along the surface covering to locate the covered object;

identifying a target area toward the center of the covered object when the sensor is located over the target;

aligning the work implement with the target area while activating the tool;

advancing the work implement through the surface covering into the target area; and

moving the covered object location sensor to its retracted position.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein moving the sensor to its retracted position comprises simultaneously sliding the sensor toward a retracted position while advancing the work implement.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the advancing step includes pushing the drill toward the surface covering while the sensor is in contact with the surface covering thereby advancing the work implement and retracting the sensor with one motion.