Power tool

• US 6,206,107 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2000
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wadge, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALVE, JAMES P
• Application Number:
  US09/139,231
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 173/217, 173/216, 173/29, 173/170, 451/461, 310/47, 310/50, 408/20, 464/177, 464/901, 429/97
• US Class Current: 173/217
• 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 29/50 Convertible metal working machine

Abstract

A power tool (10) includes a motor (22) mounted there within. The motor has an output (20) for engagement with an input of an attachment member (32) presented thereto. The coupling between the motor output (20) and the attachment member (32) is by a snap-fit coupling achieved by way of resiliently biased arms (56) within the tool engaging with an annular recess (54) formed on the attachment member (32).

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a tool body having a housing and a motor mounted in said housing, said motor including a rotary output;

a removable tool head; and

a retention mechanism for releasably securing said removable head to said tool housing, said retention mechanism including first and second arms, said first and second arms movable between a first position and a second position such that in said first position said first and second arms are oriented substantially parallel to one another and define an opening having a first dimension for retaining a portion of said tool head and in said second position said opening defined between said first and second arms has a second, larger dimension for receiving and removing said portion of said removable tool head from said tool housing, wherein the tool body defines an aperture providing access to the rotary output and further wherein the first and second arms are disposed within the aperture and the rotary output is disposed between the first and second arms.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein said first and second arms are normally biased to said first position.

3. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the tool body includes a plate member defining a circular opening providing access to the rotary output and the tool head includes a generally cylindrical portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the circular opening, the cylindrical portion received within said circular opening when said tool head is releasably attached to said tool housing.

4. The power tool of claim 3, wherein said first and second arms are located behind said plate member.

5. The power tool of claim 1, wherein said tool body further includes a manually operated button for moving said first and second arms between said first and second positions, said button movable in a direction substantially parallel to said first and second arms when said first and second arms are in said first position.

6. The power tool of claim 1, wherein said tool head includes a cylindrical extension having a circumferential groove, said circumferential groove receiving said first and second arms when said tool head is attached to said tool body.

7. The power tool of claim 1, wherein said cylindrical extension has a diameter greater than said first dimension.

8. The power tool of claim 1, wherein said tool head includes a drive mechanism, said drive mechanism including an input member disposed within said cylindrical extension for rotatably coupling with said rotary output.

9. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the portion of the removable tool head comprises a spigot.

10. The power tool of claim 9, wherein the retention mechanism defines a generally rectangular, closed configuration.

11. The power tool of claim 9, wherein the first and second arms are part of a continuous element with a closed configuration.

12. The power tool of claim 9, wherein introduction of the spigot between the pair of arms enlarges the opening from the first dimension to the second dimension.

13. The power tool of claim 12, wherein the spigot defines a spigot opening for receiving the rotary output.

14. A power tool comprising:

at least one attachment member; and

a body portion having a housing defining a handle and a motor mounted within the housing, the motor arranged to drive an output spindle of the tool, the body portion further defining an opening around the output spindle which opening accepts the at least one attachment member, the body portion including an engagement means within the opening and selectively engageable with a spigot formed on the attachment member, the engagement means movable between a first position to couple with the spigot and a second engagement position uncoupled from the spigot, the spigot defining an annular recess selectively cooperable with the engagement means to hold the at least one attachment member in engagement with the body portion, wherein the engagement means is normally biased to said first position to provide an opening of a first dimension to selectively retain the at least one attachment member one attachment member in engagement with the body portion.

15. The power tool of claim 14, wherein the annular recess is selectively cooperable with the first engagement means to hold the at least one attachment member in non-movable, non-rotational engagement with the body portion.

16. The power tool of claim 14, wherein the engagement means defines an opening a second, larger dimension for receiving the spigot within the opening.

17. The power tool of claim 16, wherein the first engagement means includes a manually operable release member for enlarging the opening from the first dimension to the second dimension.

18. The power tool of claim 14, wherein the engagement means includes a plurality of arms.

19. The power tool of claim 14, wherein the spigot includes a tapered leading edge.

20. The power tool of claim 14, wherein said engagement means includes a pair of arms which are normally substantially parallel and define the first dimension.

21. The power tool of claim 20, wherein introduction of the spigot between the pair of arms enlarges the opening from the first dimension to the second dimension.

22. The power tool of claim 20, wherein the output spindle is disposed between the pair of arms.

23. The power tool of claim 22, wherein the spigot defines a spigot opening for receiving the output spindle.

24. The power tool of claim 14, wherein said engagement means defines a generally rectangular, closed configuration.