Power tool guard

• US 8,701,793 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Demain Technology Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Demain Technology Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Van der Linde, Benjamin Luke, Connor, Paul Francis, Scrimshaw, David Leigh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nash, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US13/330,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20120236545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 173/20, 173/171, 173/18, 173/170, 173/221
• US Class Current: 173/171
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2260/12 Stops depth controls B23B2260/0482
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/001 Protection against entering of chips or dust
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/1238 Jaws movement actuated by a nut with conical screw-thread
• 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: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence

Abstract

A power tool including a power tool body, a rotatable driven member operable for releasably gripping a working element and having a front end and a rear end, the driven member extending from the rear end, located proximally and connected to the power tool body, and terminating at the front end. The power tool has a drive mode in which rotation of the driven member drives the working element and an adjustment mode in which rotation of the driven member causes the driven member to either grip the working element or release the working element or both. The power tool also includes a guard extending over the driven member from the power tool body and terminating adjacent to the front end of the driven member, wherein at least in the power tool drive mode the front end of driven member does not extend beyond the guard.

Claims

1. Power tool including:

a power tool body;

a rotatable driven member being operable for releasably gripping a working element and having a front end and a rear end, the driven member extending from the rear end, located proximally and connected to the power tool body, and terminating at the front end;

the power tool having a drive mode in which rotation of the driven member drives the working element relative to the power tool body and an adjustment mode in which rotation of the driven member causes the driven member to one of grip the working element and release the working element;

a guard connected to the power tool body extending over the driven member from the power tool body, wherein at least in the power tool drive mode the driven member rotates independently of the guard, the front end of the driven member does not extend beyond the guard and the guard can be gripped by a user when the power tool is operated in the drive mode.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the guard has a surface for gripping the power tool between the front end of the driven member and the power tool body.

3. The power tool of claim 2, wherein the gripping surface is at least partially formed out of a resilient material.

4. The power tool of claim 3, wherein a majority of the gripping surface is formed out of a resilient material.

5. The power tool of claim 3, wherein the resilient material is a soft material.

6. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the guard terminates adjacent and forward of the front end of the driven member in the power tool drive mode.

7. The power tool of claim 1, further including a resilient member mounted to the guard adjacent the front end of the driven member, wherein at least in the power tool drive mode the front end of driven member does not extend beyond the resilient member for preventing the guard from leaving an impression on a work piece.

8. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the resilient member is mounted to the guard adjacent and forward of the front end of the driven member.

9. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the driven member drives movement of the working element by substantially moving relative to an axis of the driven member and the guard is substantially axially aligned with the axis of the driven member.

10. The power tool claim 1, wherein the guard is rotatable relative to the body of the power tool for adjusting the amount of torque supplied to the driven member.

11. The power tool of claim 10, wherein the amount of torque supplied to the driven member is adjusted by a torque controller that is actuable to different torque settings by the rotation of the guard.

12. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the torque controller is a mechanical torque controller.

13. The power tool of claim 10, wherein the guard includes a graduated indicator for different amounts of torque.

14. The power tool of claim 10, wherein the body includes a graduated indicator for different amounts of torque.

15. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the guard is substantially cylindrical and tapers from a larger diameter at the power tool body and to a smaller diameter opening adjacent the front end of the driven member.

16. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the guard is integral with the power tool body.

17. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the guard is detachable from the power tool body to reveal the driven member.

18. The power tool of claim 1, further including a light source mounted to the guard adjacent the front end of the driven member for providing light on a work area for the working element.

19. The power tool of claim 18, wherein the light source is detachable from the guard.

20. The power tool of claim 1, further including a bearing mounted between the guard and the driven member forward of the rear end of the driven member.

21. The power tool of claim 1, further including a bushing mounted between he guard and the driven member forward of the rear end of the driven member.

22. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the power tool is a power drill and the driven member is a chuck with gripping jaws adapted to grip the working element.

23. A power tool including:

a power tool body;

a rotatable driven member being operable for releasably gripping a working element and having a front end and a rear end, the driven member extending from the rear end, located proximally and connected to the power tool body, and terminating at the front end;

the power tool having a drive mode in which rotation of the driven member drives the working element relative to the power tool body and an adjustment mode in which the driven member one of grips the working element and releases the working element;

a guard extending over the driven member from the power tool body, and having a surface for gripping the power tool between the front end of the driven member and the power tool body, wherein at least in the power tool drive mode the drive member rotates independently of the guard, the front end of the driven member does not extend beyond the guard and the guard can be gripped by a user when the power tool is operated in the drive mode.

24. The power tool of claim 23, wherein the gripping surface is at least partially formed out of a resilient material.

25. The power tool of claim 23, wherein the gripping surface is at least partially formed out of a resilient polymer.

26. The power tool of claim 23, wherein a majority of the gripping surface is formed out of a resilient material.

27. The power tool of claim 23, wherein the resilient material is a soft material.

28. The power tool of claim 23, wherein the gripping surface is shaped to provide additional grip.