Quick-release drill chuck

• US 6,536,782 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Röhm, Günter Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Bishop, Steven C.
• Application Number:
  US10/112,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20020140185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 279/22, 279/29, 279/30, 279/71, 279/72, 279/74, 279/75, 279/76, 279/81, 279/82, 279/60-65, 279/902, 279/904-906, 279/143-145, 279/158, 408/239.R, 408/239.A, 408/240, 403/377, 403/DIG.6
• US Class Current: 279/62
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2231/38 Keyless chucks for hand tools
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/1238 Jaws movement actuated by a nut with conical screw-thread
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/12 for securing to a spindle in general B23Q3/152 takes precedence; chucks B23B31/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/17615 Obliquely guided reciprocating jaws
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/17632 Conical sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/17717 Rotary eccentric-cam sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/17752 Ball or roller jaws
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/95 with tool-retaining means

Abstract

A chuck has a body centered on an axis and formed with a rearwardly open bore adapted to fit with a drive spindle. Respective jaws are displaceable in angled guides of the body and a ring rotatable on the body has an internal screwthread meshing with the jaws for moving the jaws between their end positions on rotation of the ring. A latch element is radially displaceable on the body between a holding position projecting radially into the bore and locking the spindle therein and a freeing position clear of the bore. A sleeve is displaceable between a latched position forcing the element into the holding position and an unlatched position allowing it to move into the freeing position. A spring between the sleeve and the body urges the sleeve into the latched position. The spring is mostly forward of rear ends of the jaws in the rear-end positions thereof.

Claims

1. A chuck releasably securable to a drive spindle, the chuck comprising:

a chuck body centered on an axis and formed with a rearwardly open bore adapted to fit with the drive spindle and a plurality of forwardly open, angularly spaced, and inwardly angled guides;

respective jaws displaceable in the guides between relatively widely spaced rear end positions and relatively closely spaced front end positions;

a ring rotatable on the body and meshing with the jaws for displacement of the jaws between their positions on rotation of the ring;

a latch element radially displaceable on the body between a holding position projecting radially into the bore and locking the spindle therein and a freeing position clear of the bore and permitting the spindle to withdraw from the bore;

a latch sleeve engageable with the latch element and displaceable on the body between a latched position forcing the element into the holding position and an unlatched position allowing the element to move into the freeing position; and

a spring braced between the latch sleeve and the body and urging the latch sleeve into the latched position, the spring being mostly forward of rear ends of the jaws in the rear-end positions thereof.

2. The releasable chuck defined in claim 1 wherein the spring lies wholly forward of rear ends of the jaws in the rear-end positions thereof.

3. The releasable chuck defined in claim 1 wherein the sleeve is axially displaceable between its positions and the spring is a coil spring centered on the axis and having a rear end braced against the latch sleeve and front end braced against the chuck body.

4. The releasable chuck defined in claim 3 wherein the sleeve has a shoulder bearing on the rear end of the spring.

5. The releasable chuck defined in claim 3 wherein the chuck body is provided with a snap ring against which the front end of the spring bears.

6. The releasable chuck defined in claim 3 wherein the spring is of frustoconical shape with a taper corresponding to an angle the guides form with the axis.

7. The releasable chuck defined in claim 1 wherein the sleeve is angularly displaceable between its positions and the spring has one end braced angularly against the latch sleeve and an opposite end braced angularly against the chuck body.

8. The releasable chuck defined in claim 7 wherein there are a plurality of the springs and the sleeve and chuck body form respective angularly extending pockets receiving the springs.

9. The releasable chuck defined in claim 1 wherein the sleeve has a plastic outer part and a metallic inner part engageable with the element.

10. The releasable chuck defined in claim 1 wherein the element is a ball radially displaceable in a passage in the chuck body.

11. The releasable chuck defined in claim 10 wherein there are a plurality of the balls and passages angularly equispaced about the axis.