POWER TOOL, BATTERY, CHARGER AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20090031865A1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zick, Jonathan A., Scott, John S., Bublitz, Scott, Alberti, Daniel J., Mergener, Matthew J., Phillips, Michael, Meyer, Gary D., Hunkins, Todd, Jungmann, Richard H., Jordan, Kenneth R., Uehlein-Procter, Nancy, Sara, John III
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 81/57.110
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power tool includes a housing assembly having a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis. The first housing portion supports a motor. The second housing portion includes a chuck for supporting a tool element. The power tool also includes a gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation relative to at least one of the first and second housing portions about the pivot axis. The gear is operable to transfer drive force from the motor to the tool element.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a housing assembly including a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis, the first housing portion supporting a motor, the second housing portion including a chuck for supporting a tool element; and

a gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation relative to at least one of the first and second housing portions about the pivot axis, the gear being operable to transfer drive force from the motor to the tool element.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the second housing portion is pivotable to a first position, in which a longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is generally coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the first housing portion, and to a second position, in which the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

3. The power tool of claim 2, wherein, in the second position, the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

4. The power tool of claim 2, wherein, in the second position, the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is at a substantially right angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

5. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the gear is a first gear, and further comprising:

a second gear coupled to a shaft extending from the first housing portion, the shaft being rotatably coupled to the motor, the second gear engaging the first gear to transfer drive force from the motor to the first gear; and

a third gear supported substantially within the second housing portion and coupled to the chuck, the third gear engaging the first gear to transfer drive force from the first gear to the chuck.

6. The power tool of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first gear, the second gear, and the third gear is a bevel gear.

7. The power tool of claim 5, wherein the second gear and the third gear are spaced apart from each other.

8. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising a battery at least partially supported in the first housing portion and operable to selectively provide power to the motor.

9. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the first housing portion has a first length measured along the first longitudinal axis and the second housing portion has a second length measured along the second longitudinal axis that is less than the first length.

10. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the power tool is a screwdriver.

11. A power tool comprising:

a housing assembly including a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis, the second housing portion supporting a tool element;

a motor positioned substantially within the first housing portion;

a first gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation about the pivot axis;

a second gear coupled to the motor, the second gear engaging the first gear to transfer drive force from the motor to the first gear; and

a third gear positioned substantially within the second housing portion and being engageable with the first gear to transfer drive force from the first gear to the tool element.

12. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the second housing portion is pivotable relative to the first housing portion about the pivot axis to a first position, in which a longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is generally inline with a longitudinal axis of the first housing portion, and to a second position, in which the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

13. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the power tool is a screwdriver, the first gear is a first bevel gear, the second gear is a second bevel gear, and the third gear is a third bevel gear, and further comprising:

a battery at least partially supported on the first housing portion and configured to selectively provide power to the motor; and

a switch assembly at least partially supported on the first housing portion and operable to connect the motor to the battery;

wherein the first housing portion defines a first longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis and the second housing portion defines a second longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis, the second bevel gear being rotatable about the first axis and the third bevel gear being rotatable about the second axis;

wherein the second housing portion is pivotable relative to the first housing portion about the pivot axis to a first position, in which the second axis is generally coaxial with the first axis, and to a second position, in which the second axis is angled relative to the first axis; and

wherein the first housing portion has a first length measured along the first longitudinal axis and the second housing portion has a second length measured along the second longitudinal axis that is less than the first length.

14. A method of operating a power tool, the power tool including a housing assembly having a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis, the first housing portion supporting a motor operable to drive a tool element supported by the second housing portion, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation relative to the housing assembly about the pivot axis;

pivoting the second housing portion relative to the first housing portion to a pivoted position; and

rotating the gear with the motor to transmit drive force from the motor to the tool element while in the pivoted position.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the gear is a first gear and the power tool includes a second gear coupled to the motor and engaging the first gear and a third gear coupled to the tool element and engaging the first gear, and wherein rotating the gear includes rotating the second gear, the first gear, and the third gear with the motor to transmit drive force from the motor to the tool element.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein pivoting the second housing portion to the pivoted position includes pivoting the second housing portion relative to the first housing portion to a position in which a longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is generally inline with a longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

17. A power tool comprising:

a housing assembly including a first housing portion and a second housing portion pivotably coupled to the first housing portion, the first housing portion having a first longitudinal axis extending therethrough and the second housing portion having a second longitudinal axis extending therethrough;

a motor positioned substantially within the first housing portion;

a tool element supported by the second housing portion;

a first gear coupled to a shaft extending from the first housing portion and rotatable relative to the first housing portion about the first longitudinal axis; and

a second gear coupled to a shaft extending from the second housing portion to transmit drive force from the motor to the tool element;

wherein the second housing portion is pivotable relative to the first housing portion to a first position, in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are substantially parallel, and to a second position, in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are non-parallel.

18. The power tool of claim 17, wherein the first gear and the second gear are spaced apart from each other.

19. The power tool of claim 18, further comprising a third gear rotatable relative to the housing assembly about a third axis and engaging the first gear and the second gear to transmit drive force from the first gear to the second gear, and wherein the third axis is substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis.

20. The power tool of claim 19, wherein the second housing portion is pivotable relative to the first housing portion about the third axis.

21. The power tool of claim 17, wherein, in the first position, the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are substantially coaxial.

22. A power tool comprising:

a housing assembly including a first housing portion and a second housing portion pivotably coupled to the first housing portion;

a first gear coupled to a shaft extending from the first housing portion and rotatable relative to the first housing portion substantially within a first plane; and

a second gear supported substantially within the second housing portion and drivingly engaging the first gear, the second gear being rotatable substantially within a second plane, which is pivotable relative to the first plane.

23. The power tool of claim 22, wherein the second plane is pivotable relative to the first plane between a first position, in which the first plane and the second plane are substantially parallel, and a second position, in which the first plane and the second plane are non-parallel.

24. The power tool of claim 23, wherein, in the first position, the first plane is spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the second plane.

25. The power tool of claim 22, further comprising a third gear engaged with the first gear and the second gear, the third gear being rotatable substantially within a third plane that is substantially normal to the first plane and the second plane.