Power tools

• US 6,536,536 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dʼascenzo, David S., Stephen F Gass
• Original Assignee: Dʼascenzo, David S., Stephen F Gass
• Inventors: Gass, Stephen F., DʼAscenzo, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US09/615,388
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 279/62, 279/902, 279/150, 173/216, 173/217, 173/213, 173/2, 173/176, 173/20, 173/171
• US Class Current: 173/2
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2260/128 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/123 with locking arrangements locking arrangements for chucks with simultaneously-acting jaws moving radially actuated by one or more spiral grooves B23B31/16041
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 45/008 Gear boxes, clutches, bearings, feeding mechanisms or like equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 49/008 Attached to the nose of the drilling machines
• CPC Class Codes: B23G 1/18 Machines with one working spindle
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/00 Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00; for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/006; Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose machines B23P19/06
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0064 Means for adjusting screwing depth
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/147 specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/001 Gearings, speed selectors, clutches or the like specially adapted for rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/003 Stops for limiting depth in rotary hand tools for drilling tools: B23B49/003
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/021 with guiding devices guiding devices for hand tools on stands or supports B25H1/0078
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/0092 by optical means

Abstract

An electrically powered hand tool is disclosed. The tool includes a motor, a power source, a work element and a controller. Various alternative features, embodiments and operative configurations are disclosed.

Claims

1. An electrically powered hand tool, comprising:

a body;

a work element;

a motor adapted to drive the work element;

a power source adapted to deliver power to the motor;

a user input; and

an electronic controller electrically connected to the power source and the motor to regulate the flow of power from the power source to the motor and adapted to receive a signal from the user input, wherein the electronic controller includes a selectively actuable security mode in which no power is delivered to the motor, and further wherein the security mode, once actuated, is deactivated by manipulating the user input in a predetermined pattern that is not readily apparent from examination of the power tool.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the user input includes a rotatable member.

3. The tool of claim 2, wherein the controller includes at least one feedback sensor adapted to communicate the rotational position of the rotatable member to the controller.

4. The tool of claim 2, wherein the rotatable member includes a chuck.

5. The tool of claim 4, wherein the predetermined pattern includes a predetermined sequence of clockwise and counterclockwise rotations of the chuck.

6. The tool of claim 4, wherein a first one of a portion of the body adjacent the chuck and the chuck includes a sequence of indicia and a second one of a portion of the body adjacent the chuck and the chuck includes a pointer selectively positionable to correspond with a selected one of the sequence of the indicia.

7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the controller includes at least one feedback sensor adapted to communicate the rotational position of the chuck to the controller.

8. The tool of claim 2, wherein the rotatable member is adapted to be rotated by the motor in at least a first rotatatable speed setting and a second rotatable speed setting that is higher that the first rotatable speed setting, and further wherein the controller is adapted to prevent rotation of the rotatable member at the first rotatable speed setting upon actuation of the security mode.

9. The tool of claim 8, wherein the first rotatable speed setting includes a range of user-selectable speeds.

10. The tool of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to automatically actuate the security mode upon the elapsing of a predetermined sequential period.

11. The tool of claim 10, wherein the sequential period includes a predetermined time period.

12. The tool of claim 10, wherein the work element is a rotatable work element and the sequential period includes a predetermined number of rotations of the work element.

13. The tool of claim 10, wherein the sequential period includes a predetermined number of actuations of the user input.

14. The tool of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to automatically actuate the security mode upon actuation of the user input.

15. The tool of claim 1, wherein the user input includes at least one user-manipulable button.

16. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool further includes a feedback mechanism adapted to notify a user that the security mode is actuated.

17. The tool of claim 1, wherein the body includes a security indicia adapted to visually indicate that the tool includes the security mode.

18. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of a drill, a screwdriver, a saw, a router and a sander.

19. The tool of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a memory portion adapted to store a passcode value corresponding to the predetermined pattern.

20. The tool of claim 19, wherein the tool includes a controller power source in addition to the power source adapted to deliver power to the motor.

21. The tool of claim 1, wherein the body includes a security screen adapted to display information to a user.

22. The tool of claim 21, wherein the information includes an indicator corresponding to whether the security mode is actuated.

23. The tool of claim 21, wherein the security screen includes a mechanism for inputting the predetermined pattern.

24. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool includes a body within which the motor is housed, and the power source is selectively mountable to the body and includes a battery.

25. The tool of claim 24, wherein the controller is adapted to automatically actuate the security mode upon at least one of disconnection and reconnection of the power source from the tool.

26. The tool of claim 24, wherein the work element includes a chuck and the motor is adapted to rotate the chuck.