ROUTER
First Claim
1. A bit retaining system for retaining a bit in a rotary tool, the system comprising:
- a collet assembly including;
a spindle operable to rotate about a spindle axis, the spindle comprising an internal channel and having a threaded external surface,a collet operable to receive a shank of the rotary tool bit disposed within the collet internal channel, wherein the collet is configured to move axially with respect to the spindle,a collet nut in threaded engagement with the external thread of the spindle, the collet nut restricting the axial movement of the collet with respect to the spindle, wherein the collet nut comprises a plurality of gear teeth that define a collet gear; and
a control assembly comprising;
a control gear,a displaceable gear engaged with the control gear, wherein the displaceable gear is configured to move from a first gear position, in which the displaceable gear is disengaged from the collet gear, to a second gear position, in which the displaceable gear engages the collet gear,wherein, when the displaceable gear is in its second position, a rotary force applied to the control gear causes a corresponding rotation in the collet gear to axially drive the collet nut axially along the spindle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bit retaining system for a rotary tool or device such as a router is disclosed. The bit retaining system may include a collet assembly and a control assembly. The collet assembly may include a spindle, a collet adapted to receive the bit, and a collet nut. The collet assembly may further include a collet gear mounted on the collet nut and/or a spindle gear mounted on the spindle. The control assembly selectively engages the collet assembly to drive the collet nut and/or secure the spindle in a fixed position, preventing its rotation. In operation, a hand tool is utilized to engage the control assembly. This configuration enables a user to capture and release the rotary tool bit using one hand.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A bit retaining system for retaining a bit in a rotary tool, the system comprising:
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a collet assembly including; a spindle operable to rotate about a spindle axis, the spindle comprising an internal channel and having a threaded external surface, a collet operable to receive a shank of the rotary tool bit disposed within the collet internal channel, wherein the collet is configured to move axially with respect to the spindle, a collet nut in threaded engagement with the external thread of the spindle, the collet nut restricting the axial movement of the collet with respect to the spindle, wherein the collet nut comprises a plurality of gear teeth that define a collet gear; and a control assembly comprising; a control gear, a displaceable gear engaged with the control gear, wherein the displaceable gear is configured to move from a first gear position, in which the displaceable gear is disengaged from the collet gear, to a second gear position, in which the displaceable gear engages the collet gear, wherein, when the displaceable gear is in its second position, a rotary force applied to the control gear causes a corresponding rotation in the collet gear to axially drive the collet nut axially along the spindle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15)
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9. A bit retaining assembly for a rotary tool, the assembly comprising:
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a collet assembly including; a spindle configured to rotate about a spindle axis, the spindle defining an interior spindle channel, a collet slidably mounted within the interior spindle channel, the collet defining a collet bore operable to receive a bit for a rotary tool, a collet nut mounted on the spindle such that the collet nut is axially displaceable along the spindle, wherein the collet nut includes a collet gear comprising a plurality of gear teeth; and a control assembly operable to selectively engage the collet gear to axially displace the collet nut along the spindle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 13, 14)
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12. The bit retaining assembly of 10, wherein rotation of the control gear generates a corresponding rotation in the collet nut.
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16. A rotary device operable to rotate a cutting tool, the rotary device comprising:
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a motor housing containing a motor; a rotating shaft in communication with the motor; a collet assembly in communication with the rotating shaft, the collet assembly comprising; a spindle operable to rotate about a spindle axis, the spindle comprising an internal channel and having a threaded external surface, a collet operable to receive a shank of the rotary tool bit disposed within the collet internal channel, wherein the collet is configured to move axially with respect to the spindle, a collet nut in threaded engagement with the external thread of the spindle, the collet nut restricting the axial movement of the collet with respect to the spindle, wherein the collet nut comprises a plurality of gear teeth that define a collet gear; and a control assembly comprising; a control gear, a displaceable gear engaged with the control gear, wherein the displaceable gear is configured to move from a first gear position, in which the displaceable gear is disengaged from the collet gear, to a second gear position, in which the displaceable gear engages the collet gear, wherein, when the displaceable gear is in its second position, a rotary force applied to the control gear causes a corresponding rotation in the collet gear to axially drive the collet nut axially along the spindle. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of coupling a cutting tool bit to a rotary device utilizing one hand, the method comprising:
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(a) obtaining a rotary device comprising; a collet assembly including; a spindle configured to rotate about a spindle axis, the spindle defining an interior spindle channel, a collet slidably mounted within the interior spindle channel, the collet defining a collet bore operable to receive a bit for a rotary tool, a collet nut mounted on the spindle such that the collet nut is axially displaceable along the spindle, and a control assembly operable to selectively displace the collet nut along the spindle axis; and (b) engaging a hand tool with a control assembly to simultaneous prevent the rotation of the spindle about its spindle axis and displace the collet nut with respect to the spindle along the spindle axis.
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- 19. A method of coupling a cutting tool bit to a rotary device having a spindle configured to rotate about a spindle axis, the method comprising axially inserting a hand operated tool operable to provide torque along an axis that is generally parallel to the spindle axis, wherein the hand operated tool is controlled utilizing a single hand.
Specification