Drill adapter for a power screwdriver

• US 20050191139A1
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft (Hilti Martin Family Trust)
• Original Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft (Hilti Martin Family Trust)
• Inventors: Bader, Thomas, Hofbrucker, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 408/239.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/007 Attachments for drilling apparatus for screw or nut setting or loosening
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 3/00 Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/3418 for particular tool or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/957 Tool adapter

Abstract

A drill adapter for a power screwdriver and including a locking device for releasably securing the drill adapter (28) on the support region (66) of the screwdriver (4) and having a push-on sleeve (30) supportable on the support region (66) and at least one engagement member (52) for releasably securing the push-on sleeve (30) on the support region, and an element for actuating the drive clutch (10) of the screwdriver (4) via the tool spindle (12) and projecting into a receiving space (38), which is partially limited by the push-on sleeve (30) and is open at one side, and having an axial stop (46) for engaging the tool spindle (12), with the at least one engagement member (52) projecting, in its locking position, beyond an inner surface (70) of the push-on sleeve (30) for establishing an axial formlocking connection between the push-on sleeve (30) and the support region (66) of the screwdriver (4) and which provides for actuation of the drive clutch (10) with actuating element.

Claims

1. A drill adapter (28) for a power screwdriver (4) having a tool spindle (12), a drive clutch (10) for transmitting torque to the tool spindle (12), and a substantially cylindrical support region (66) provided at a tool-side end of the screwdriver (4) for supporting the drill adapter (28), the drill adapter (28) comprising:

a locking device for releasably securing the drill adapter (28) on the support region (66) of the screwdriver (4) including a push-on sleeve (30) supportable on the support region (66) of the screwdriver (4) and attachment means having a locking position in which the drill adapter (28) is secured on the support region (66), and a release position in which the drill adapter (28) can be mounted on or dismounted from the support region (66), the attachment means having at least one engagement member (52) supported in the push-on sleeve (30);

a drill chuch (32) for receiving a drilling tool and rotatable relative to the locking device;

torque transmitting means for drivingly connecting the drill chuck (32) with the tool spindle (12) of the screwdriver (4); and

means for actuating the drive clutch (10) via the tool spindle (12), the actuating means projecting into a receiving space (38), which is partially limited by the push-on sleeve (30) and is open at one side, and having an axial stop (46) for contacting the tool spindle (12), the at least one engagement member (52) projecting, in a locking position of the attachment means, beyond an inner surface (70) of the push-on sleeve (30) for establishing an axial formlocking connection between the push-on sleeve (30) and the support region (66) of the screwdriver (4) and which provides for actuation of the drive clutch (10) with actuation means.

2. A drill adapter according to claim 1, wherein the actuating means and the torque transmitting means are formed as a one-piece element in form of a drive rod (34).

3. A drill adapter according to claim 2, wherein the drive rod (34) has a threaded end forming the torque transmitting means and screwable into a threaded opening provided in the drill chuck (32), and a shank (42) forming the actuating means, having a polygon cross-section, and insertable in a bit receptacle (24) of the tool spindle (12) of the screwdriver (4).

4. A drill adapter according to claim 3, wherein the shank (42) has an axially extending stop element (44) having a cross-section which is smaller than the polygon cross-section of the shank (42) and a free end of which forms the axial stop (46).

5. A drill adapter according to claim 3, wherein the drive rod (34) comprises a transverse step (80) provided between the threaded end and the shank and forming the axial stop (46′

).

6. A drill adapter according to claim 1, wherein the push-on sleeve (30) has at least one transverse opening (48) in which the at least one engagement member (52) is located and which has a length smaller than a length of the at least one engagement member (52) in a direction toward the transverse opening.

7. A drill adapter according to claim 6, wherein the attachment means comprises an adjusting body (58) dispeaceable over an outer side (50) of the push-on sleeve (30) parallel thereto, and spring means for preloading the adjusting body (58) to a locking position thereof in which the adjusting body (58) overlies the at least one transverse opening (48).

8. A drill adapter according to claim 7, wherein the adjusting body (58) is formed by a ring-shaped body displaceable over the push-on sleeve (30) and having an annular surface (62) limiting an inner cone engageable with the at least one engagement member (52), and wherein the spring means comprises an axial spring (64) located between the ring-shaped body and the push-on sleeve (30) and displaceable over the push-on sleeve (30).

9. A drill adapter according to claim 2, wherein the at least one engagement member (52) is formed as a ball.

10. A drill adapter-power screwdriver assembly (2) comprising:

a power screwdriver including;

a tool spindle (12);

a drive clutch (10) for transmitting torque to the tool spindle (12), and

a substantially cylindrical support region (66); and

a drill adapter (28) including;

a locking device for releasably securing the drill adapter (28) on the support region (66) of the screwdriver (4) including a push-on sleeve (30) supportable on the support region (66) of the screwdriver (4) and attachment means having a locking position in which the drill adapter (28) is secured on the support region (66), and a release position in which the drill adapter (28) can be mounted on or dismounted from the support region (66), the attachment means having at least one engagement member (52) supported in the push-on sleeve (30),

a drill chuch (32) for receiving a drilling tool and rotatable relative to the locking device,

torque transmitting means for drivingly connecting the drill chuch (32) with the tool spindle (12) of the screwdriver (4), and

means for actuating the drive clutch (10) via the tool spindle (12), the actuating means projecting into a receiving space (38), which is partially limited by the push-on sleeve (30) and is open at one side, and having an axial stop (46) for engaging the tool spindle (12), the at least one engagement member (52) projecting, in a locking position of the attachment means, beyond an inner surface (70) of the push-on sleeve (30) for establishing an axial formlocking connection between the push-on sleeve (30) and the support region (66) of the screwdriver (4) and which provides for actuation of the drive clutch (10) with actuation means,

wherein the tool spindle (12) has a counter-stop (25) cooperating with the axial stop (46) of the actuating means,

wherein the support region (66) has engagement means for partially receiving the engagement member (52) projecting from the inner surface (70) of the push-on sleeve (30), and

wherein an axial distance (a) between the counter-stop and a center of the partially receiving engagement means in an undisplaced position of the tool spindle (12) is greater than the axial distance (b) between the axial stop (46) of the actuating means and a center of the engagement member (52).

11. A drill adapter-power screwdriver assembly according to claim 10, wherein the axial distance (a) between the counter-stop and the partially receiving engagement means is about by from 3 mm to 7 mm greater than the axial distance between the axial stop (46) and the at least one engagement member (52).

12. A drive adapter-power screwdriver assembly according to claim 10, wherein the partially receiving engagement means is formed by an annular groove (76) generally used for mounting of a depth stop, and wherein a diameter of the at least one engagement member is adapted to a cross-section of the annular groove (76).

13. A drive adapter-power screwdriver assembly according to claim 10, wherein the drive spindle (12) comprises a bit receptacle (24), and wherein the drill adapter comprises a drive rod (34) having a threaded end forming the torque transmitting means and screwable into a threaded opening provided in the drill chuck (32), and a shank (42) forming the actuating means and having a cross-section dimensions and a shape of which is adapted to a receiving cross-section of the bit receptacle (24).