Articulating drill with integrated circuit board and method of operation

• US 8,561,717 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch Tool Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Pozgay, David, Krondorfer, Harald, Freese, John B., DeCicco, John, Oberheim, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/669,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20130056235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 188/166, 188/171, 267/137, 451/344, 451/359, 2271751-1821, 227119-139, 173/39, 173/29, 173/141, 173213-222, 173164-171
• US Class Current: 173/217
• 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 23/14 Arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers couplings for transmitting rotation or clutches F16D; devices for measuring torque per se G01L
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/061 enclosing a continuously variable impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/29 using pulse modulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/937 Hand tool

Abstract

The present invention is an articulating hand power tool with a main housing having a longitudinal axis, a head portion rotatably engaged with the main housing for placement at a plurality of angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the main housing, an integrated circuit board located within the main housing and at least one controller accessible from outside of the main housing for controlling the integrated circuit board.

Claims

1. An articulating hand power tool comprising:

a main housing having a longitudinal axis;

a head portion rotatably engaged with the main housing so as to rotate within a plane which includes the longitudinal axis and configured for placement at a plurality of angles with respect to the longitudinal axis;

a motor within the main housing;

an integrated circuit board located within the main housing and extending along the longitudinal axis; and

a plurality of controllers accessible from outside of the main housing for controlling the integrated circuit board, each of the plurality of controllers offset from each of the other of the plurality of controllers along the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the plurality of controllers lies within the plane and wherein the plurality of controllers comprise

a reversing button;

a trigger switch; and

a clutch control.

2. The articulating hand power tool of claim 1, wherein:

the integrated circuit board includes a linear potentiometer; and

the clutch control is operably connected to the linear potentiometer.

3. The articulating hand power tool of claim 1, wherein:

the integrated circuit board includes a light sensor; and

the trigger switch is configured to vary the amount of light received by the light sensor.

4. The articulating hand power tool of claim 1, wherein:

the integrated circuit board includes a linear potentiometer, a light sensor, and a slide switch;

the clutch control is operably connected to the linear potentiometer;

the trigger switch is configured to vary the amount of light received by the light sensor; and

the reversing button is operably connected to the slide switch.

5. The articulating hand power tool of claim 4, wherein:

the integrated circuit board includes an inwardly facing side and an outwardly facing side;

each of the plurality of controllers is located outwardly from the outwardly facing side; and

the linear potentiometer, the light sensor, and the slide switch are located on the outwardly facing side.

6. The articulating hand power tool of claim 5, wherein the integrated circuit board is substantially flat.

7. The articulating hand power tool of claim 1, wherein:

the integrated circuit board includes an inwardly facing side and an outwardly facing side;

each of the plurality of controllers is located outwardly from the outwardly facing side;

the integrated circuit board includes a light sensor, and a slide switch; and

the slide switch extends further outwardly from the outwardly facing side than the light sensor.

8. The articulating hand power tool of claim 7, wherein:

the trigger switch is pivotally connected to the main housing at a lower portion of the trigger switch; and

an upper portion of the trigger switch is located directly beneath a finger platform.

9. The articulating hand power tool of claim 8, wherein the trigger reversing button is operably connected to the slide switch and slidable within the finger platform.

10. The articulating hand power tool of claim 9, wherein:

the integrated circuit board includes a linear potentiometer; and

the clutch control is operably connected to the linear potentiometer.

11. The articulating hand power tool of claim 8, wherein the integrated circuit board is substantially flat.