VARIABLE SPEED TOOL AND VARIABLE SPEED CONTROL METHOD

• US 20090277658A1
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Positec Power Tools Company Limited (Positec Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Positec Power Tools Company Limited (Positec Group Limited)
• Inventors: Chen, Chengzhong
• Granted Patent: US 7,900,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 173/183
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 45/008 Gear boxes, clutches, bearings, feeding mechanisms or like equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/008 with automatic change-over from high speed-low torque mode to low speed-high torque mode
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/141 Mechanical overload release couplings
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/001 Gearings, speed selectors, clutches or the like specially adapted for rotary tools

Abstract

The present invention has disclosed a variable speed tool and a variable speed control method. The tool includes a switch; a gearbox housing; a motor; an outputting shaft; a multistage transmitting gear train and a gearshift ring which are mated with the motor and the outputting shaft, the gearshift ring having inner teeth; a gearshift fork mated with the gearshift ring; a tension spring arranged between the gearbox housing and the gearshift fork; and a torque sensing ring provided with a sliding groove in which the gearshift fork is movably disposed. When the load of the outputting shaft has reached to a predetermined value, the torque sensing ring makes the gearshift fork move axially in the sliding groove under the action of the tension spring, thus bringing the gearshift ring to move axially. The variable speed tool of the present invention may automatically adjust the rotating speed and the torque of the outputting shaft according to a variation of the load torque.

Claims

1. A variable speed tool comprising:

a switch;

a gearbox housing;

a motor;

an outputting shaft;

a multistage transmitting gear train and a gearshift ring coupled to the motor and the outputting shaft; and

a torque sensing ring, which is driven to rotate by the multistage transmitting gear train; and

wherein the variable speed tool further comprises a gearshift fork coupled to the gearshift ring and a first spring member which drives the gearshift fork in an axial direction of the gearshift ring, a second spring member being arranged between the torque sensing ring and the housing, one of the torque sensing ring and the gearshift fork forming a sliding groove and the other one forming a guiding portion movably received in the sliding groove, whereby when a load of the outputting shaft reaches a predetermined value, the torque sensing ring overcomes a spring force of the second spring member and rotates so that the gearshift fork is driven by the first spring member to take axial movement thereby moving the gearshift ring between a first position and a second position.

2. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding groove comprises at least an arc groove, an axial groove, and an oblique groove connecting the arc groove and the axial groove, the arc groove, the axial groove, and the oblique groove forming a continuous path.

3. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the sliding groove is defined in an outer circumferential surface of the torque sensing ring, the sliding groove having two axial surfaces and two side surfaces, one of the axial surfaces having a middle portion that protrudes inward to form a projecting portion that comprises a topside and two lateral sides, a pair of sliding levers being respectively disposed at opposite ends of the sliding groove, the sliding lever comprising a main body of a right-angled triangular shape or a right-angled trapezoidal shape, the arc groove being delimited between a straight side of the main body, together with the topside of the projecting portion, and the other one of the axial surfaces, the axial groove being delimited between another straight side of the main body and the side surface of the sliding groove, the oblique groove being delimited between a hypotenuse of the main body and the respective lateral side of the projecting portion.

4. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sliding lever has an end that is free and an opposite end rotatably connected to the sliding groove, the sliding lever comprising a connecting portion radially extending downward from the main body, a third spring member being arranged between the connecting portion and the sliding groove, the sliding lever being acted upon by the third spring element to have the hypotenuse of the main body abutting against the respective lateral side of the projecting portion, one of the straight sides of the main body and the topside of the projecting portion together forming a continuous surface of the arc groove.

5. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 4, wherein the third spring member is a torque spring having an end connected to the sliding lever and an opposite end connected to the sliding groove.

6. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 4, wherein a first inner toothed ring has an inner circumferential surface forming a first arc groove and two through holes that extend through the sliding groove and the first arc groove, the connecting portion forming a groove, the connecting portion of the sliding lever extending through the respective through hole, the third spring member being a metal spring received in the first arc groove and engaging the groove of the sliding lever.

7. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein the oblique groove has a bottom that gradually ascends from an end connecting the axial groove to an opposite end connecting the arc groove to make an end surface of the oblique groove higher than a bottom of the arc groove, one of the straight sides of the main body, the end surface of the oblique groove, and the topside of the projecting portion together forming a continuous end surface of the arc groove.

8. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first spring member comprises a tension spring having an end connected to the gearbox housing and an opposite end connected to the gearshift fork.

9. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first spring member comprises a compression spring.

10. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second spring member comprises a pair of tension springs arranged on an outer circumference of the torque sensing ring, the tension springs having an end connected to the torque sensing ring and an opposite end connected to the gearbox housing.

11. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the torque sensing ring forms a second arc groove in an outer circumferential surface thereof for receiving the second spring member, the second spring member comprising a compression spring having opposite ends respectively set against opposite end surfaces of the second arc groove.

12. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the multistage transmitting gear train comprises at least a first planetary frame, a first planetary gear set, a first inner toothed ring formed on an inner circumferential surface of the torque sensing ring, a second planetary frame, and a second planetary gear set, the gearbox housing comprising a first connecting member, the gearshift ring comprising inner teeth formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof and a second connecting member formed an outer circumferential surface, the first connecting member being detachably engageable with the second connecting member.

13. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 12, wherein in the first position, the inner teeth of the gearshift ring engage the first planetary frame and the second planetary gear set, and in the second position, the inner teeth of the gearshift ring disengages from the first planetary frame and engages the second planetary gear set and the second connecting member of the gearshift ring and the first connecting member of the gearbox housing mate each other.

14. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first connecting member comprises a plurality of grooves and the second connecting member comprises a plurality protruding portions corresponding to the grooves.

15. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the torque sensing ring forms two axially-extending first holes in a front surface thereof the torque sensing ring, the gearbox housing forming a second axial hole and a third hole in communication with the second hole, the second hole receiving a compression spring and a positioning latch therein, the positioning latch comprising a main body axially extending rearward along the second hole and two supporting feet extending through the third hole and projecting out of the first gearbox housing, the supporting feet being detachably coupled to the switch.

16. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the gearshift fork and the gearshift ring are coupled to each other by a C-shaped metal ring, the metal ring being fixedly coupled to the gearshift fork, the gearshift ring having an outer circumference forming an annular groove that receives the metal ring and is rotatable with respect to the metal ring.

17. A variable speed tool comprising:

a housing;

a power source;

a power source switch;

an outputting shaft; and

a multistage transmitting gear train coupled to the power source and the outputting shaft; and

the variable speed tool further comprising;

a torque sensing device coupled to the multistage transmitting gear train, the torque sensing device having an axis of rotation and rotatable between a first angle and a second angle in response to a load torque of the outputting shaft, and

a gearshift device coupled to the torque sensing device, the gearshift device being movable between a first axial position and a second axial position, the multistage transmitting gear train have different output torque when the gearshift device is in the first axial position and the second axial position;

wherein one of the torque sensing device and the gearshift device forms a sliding groove and the other forms a guiding portion movably received in the sliding groove;

when variation of the load torque of the outputting shaft is within a range not exceeding a predetermined value, the torque sensing device is allowed to rotate within a range from the initial first angle and not exceeding the second angle so as to maintain the gearshift device in the first axial position where the multistage transmitting gear train provides a first outputting torque; and

when the load torque of the outputting shaft increases to the predetermined value, the torque sensing device rotates to the second angle and causes the gearshift device to move to the second axial position, whereby the multistage transmitting gear train changes from the first outputting torque to a second outputting torque and maintains the second outputting torque until the load torque varies from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value.

18. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 17, wherein the torque sensing device comprises a torque sensing ring that is rotatable about a center of rotation, the torque sensing ring having an outer circumference forming an arc receiving groove disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the torque sensing ring for receiving a second spring member therein.

19. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second spring member received in the arc receiving groove of the torque sensing ring comprises a pair of tension springs, the tension springs having an end pivoted to an end surface of the arc receiving groove and an opposite end pivoted to the housing.

20. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second spring member received in the arc receiving groove of the torque sensing ring comprises a compression spring, the compression spring having opposite ends respectively abutting against opposite ends of the arc receiving groove.

21. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 19 or 20, wherein the sliding groove is formed in the torque sensing ring and the guiding portion is formed on the gearshift device.

22. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 21, wherein the sliding groove is formed in an outer circumferential surface of the torque sensing ring, the sliding groove having two axial surfaces and two side surfaces, one of the axial surfaces having a middle portion that protrudes inward to form a projecting portion that comprises a topside and two lateral sides, a pair of sliding levers being respectively disposed at opposite ends of the sliding groove and each comprising a main body of a right-angled triangular shape or a right-angled trapezoidal shape, the arc groove being delimited between a straight side of the main body, together with the topside of the projecting portion, and the other one of the axial surfaces, the axial groove being delimited between another straight side of the main body and the side surface of the sliding groove, the oblique groove being delimited between a hypotenuse of the main body and the respective lateral side of the projecting portion.

23. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 22, wherein the guiding portion of the gearshift device is located in the arc groove to maintain the gearshift device in the first axial position and make the variable speed tool output a first torque when the torque sensing ring rotates between the initial first angle and not exceeding the second angle.

24. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 23, wherein the gearshift device comprises a gearshift fork and a gearshift ring, the guiding portion being formed on the gearshift fork, the movement of guiding portion within the sliding groove causing the gearshift fork to drive the gearshift ring to move between the first axial position and the second axial position.

25. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 24, wherein the gearshift device further comprises a first spring member, the first spring member being a tension spring having an end connected to the gearshift ring and an end connected to the housing.

26. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 25, wherein the guiding portion of the gearshift fork moves to the second axial position along the axial groove as being acted upon by the first spring member to make the variable speed tool output a second torque when the torque sensing ring rotates to the second angle.

27. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 26, wherein speed variable tool further comprises a positioning device, which, when the torque sensing ring rotates to the second angle, positions the torque sensing ring, making the torque sensing ring stopped from rotating to allow the variable speed tool to continuously output the second torque.

28. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 27, wherein the positioning device comprises a first hole formed in the torque sensing ring and a positioning latch with a compression spring disposed in a second hole of the housing.

29. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 28, wherein the first hole of the torque sensing ring is aligned with the second hole of the housing to allow the positioning latch received in the second hole to insert into the first hole of the torque sensing ring when the torque sensing ring rotates to the second angle.

30. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 29, wherein the variable speed tool further comprises a positioning releasing device used to release the positioning of the torque sensing ring.

31. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 30, wherein the positioning releasing device is a push switch, which drives the positioning latch to disengage from the first hole of the torque sensing ring so as to allow the torque sensing ring to return to the first angle under the action of the second spring member when an operator presses the pressing switch.

32. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 31, wherein when the torque sensing ring return restores to the first angle, the guiding portion of the gearshift device moves along the oblique groove to return the gearshift device to the first axial position.

33. The variable speed tool comprising:

a power source;

a housing;

a switch;

an outputting shaft; and

a multistage transmitting gear train coupled to the power source and the outputting shaft; and

the variable speed tool comprising;

a torque sensing device coupled to the multistage transmitting gear train, the torque sensing device having a center of rotation and being rotatable between first and second angular positions according to a load torque of the outputting shaft, and

a gearshift device coupled to the torque sensing device, the gearshift device being movable between a first axial position and a second axial position, whereby when the gearshift device is at the first axial position and the second axial position, the multistage transmitting gear train shows different output characteristics;

wherein a positioning device is provided for coupling to the torque sensing device, and when the torque sensing device rotates to the predetermined second angular position, the positioning device prevents the torque sensing device from rotating in response to variation of torque of the outputting shaft.

34. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 33, wherein the variable speed tool further comprises a positioning releasing device for releasing the positioning device of the torque sensing ring to return the torque sensing device to the original first angular position.

35. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 34, wherein the torque sensing device has a front end surface and the positioning device comprises a first hole defined in the front end surface of the torque sensing device, a second hole defined in a corresponding axial position of the housing and a third hole in communication with the second hole, and a compression spring and a positioning latch received in the second hole and the third hole, the positioning latch comprising a main body axially extending in a direction toward the first hole defined in the front end surface of the torque sensing device along the second hole, the positioning releasing device comprising a supporting foot, which is integrally connected to the positioning latch and extends outward through the third hole, and the switch, the supporting foot being detachably pivoted to the switch.

36. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 35, wherein the compression spring of the positioning device exerts an axial force on the positioning latch to make a front end of the positioning latch continuously abutting against the front end surface of the torque sensing device.

37. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 36, wherein the torque sensing device comprises a torque sensing ring forming a groove in an outer surface thereof for receiving a second spring member, the second spring member comprising a pair of tension springs, and wherein when torque of the outputting shaft is zero, the two tension springs reaches a balance of force applied thereto and the torque sensing ring is located at the original first angular position, and when the torque of the outputting shaft is larger than zero and smaller than a predetermined value, the torque sensing ring rotates between an initial first angle and not exceeding a predetermined second angle.

38. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 37, wherein the first hole defined in the front end surface of the torque sensing ring is set at the predetermined second angular position and wherein when an output torque of the outputting shaft reaches the predetermined value, the torque sensing ring rotates to the second angular position to make the main body of the positioning latch insert into the first hole to prevent the torque sensing ring from changing rotation angle in response to variation of torque of the outputting shaft.

39. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 38, wherein the switch comprises a push switch for opening or closing the power source, and wherein the push switch, when pressed, disengages from the supporting foot of the positioning releasing device to allow the positioning latch to insert into the first hole of the torque sensing ring and the push switch, when released, engages and drives the supporting foot of the positioning releasing device to make the positioning latch disengaging from the first hole of the torque sensing ring and allowing the torque sensing ring to return to the original first angular position under the action of the tension springs.

40. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 39, wherein the gearshift device comprises a gearshift fork and a gearshift ring coupled to each other and wherein one of the torque sensing ring and the gearshift fork forms a sliding groove and the other forms a guiding portion slidable in the sliding groove.

41. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 40, wherein the sliding groove is defined in an outer circumferential surface of the torque sensing ring, the sliding groove having two axial surfaces and two side surfaces, one of the axial surfaces having a middle portion that protrudes inward to form a projecting portion that comprises a topside and two lateral sides, a pair of sliding levers being respectively disposed at opposite ends of the sliding groove and each comprising a main body of a right-angled triangular shape or a right-angled trapezoidal shape, the arc groove being delimited between a straight side of the main body, together with the topside of the projecting portion, and the other one of the axial surfaces, the axial groove being delimited between another straight side of the main body and the side surface of the sliding groove, the oblique groove being delimited between a hypotenuse of the main body and the respective lateral side of the projecting portion.

42. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 41, wherein the guiding portion of the gearshift device moves back and forth in the arc groove and the gearshift device maintains at the first axial position when the torque sensing ring rotates between the first angle and the second angle.

43. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 42, wherein a first spring member is arranged between the gearshift ring and the housing, the first spring member comprising a tension spring that drives the gearshift ring to move toward the second axial position.

44. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 43, wherein the guiding portion of the gearshift device disengages from the arc groove and slides in the axial groove when the torque sensing ring rotates to the second angle, so as to make the gearshift ring moving from the first axial position to the second axial position under the action of the first spring member, and wherein the main body of the positioning latch engages the first hole of the torque sensing ring to position the torque sensing ring when the torque sensing ring rotates to the second angle.

45. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 44, wherein when the push switch is released, the positioning latch is driven to disengage from the first hole of the torque sensing ring to make the torque sensing ring return from the second angle to the original first angle under the action of the second spring member and the guiding portion of the gearshift device slides in the oblique groove to make the gearshift ring moving from the first axial position to the second axial position.

46. The variable speed tool as claimed in claim 45, wherein a third spring member is mounted to the sliding lever to maintain a normally closed position of the oblique groove when the guiding portion does not slide therein.

47. A variable speed control method for a variable speed tool applied for controlling the variable speed tool to change speed between a first outputting rotating speed and a second outputting rotating speed, wherein the variable speed tool comprises a power source, a housing, an outputting shaft, a multistage transmitting gear train coupled to the power source and the outputting shaft, a torque sensing device coupled to the multistage transmitting gear train and having an axis of rotation, and a gearshift device coupled to the torque sensing device, the gearshift device being movable between a first axial position and a second axial position, the outputting shaft providing a first output rotating speed and a second output rotating speed that are different when the gearshift device is located at the first axial position and the second axial position respectively, the variable speed control method comprising the following steps:

(1) sensing an outputting torque of the outputting shaft by the torque sensing device;

(2) converting a variation of the outputting torque so sensed into a rotation angle of the torque sensing device;

(3) maintaining the gearshift device at the first axial position to have outputting shaft providing the first output rotating speed when the rotation angle of the torque sensing device is between a first angle and a second angle; and

(4) moving the gearshift device to the second axial position to have the outputting shaft providing the second output rotating speed when the rotation angle of the torque sensing device reaches the second angle.

48. The variable speed control method as claimed in claim 47 further comprising a positioning step for positioning the torque sensing device at the second angle, when the rotation angle of the torque sensing device reaches the second angle, so as to set the gearshift device at the second axial position and allow the outputting shaft to continuously provide the second output rotating speed.

49. The variable speed control method as claimed in claim 48 further comprising a positioning releasing step for releasing the torque sensing device from being positioned at the second angle, when the torque of the outputting shaft becomes zero, so as to return the gearshift device back to the first axial position and allow the outputting shaft to provide the first output rotating speed.

50. The variable speed control method as claimed in claim 49, wherein the first output rotating speed is larger than the second output rotating speed.