Power tool with interchangeable tool head

• US 8,821,220 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: King, Wade C., Coleman, Micah A., Walker, Andrew, McRoberts, Jason, Bean, Frederick R., Murray, Christopher J., DeSantis, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RACHUBA, MAURINA T
• Application Number:
  US14/037,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20140024301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 451/357
• US Class Current: 451/357
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 23/03 the tool being driven in a combined movement
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 23/04 with oscillating grinding tools; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 41/04 Headstocks; Working-spindles; Features relating thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 45/006 Quick mount and release means for disc-like wheels, e.g. on power tools
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/00 Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or work; Arrangements of indicating or measuring equipment, e.g. for indicating the start of the grinding operation B24B33/06, B24B37/005 take precedence; if applicable to other machine tools, B23Q15/00 - B23Q17/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4987 Elastic joining of parts

Abstract

A power tool that includes a tool body housing, a drive system, a tool head and a connection system. The drive system is housed in the tool body housing. The tool head, which is configured to perform work on a work piece, includes a tool head housing and an input member that is driven by the drive system when the tool head is coupled to the tool body housing. The tool head can be engaged to the tool body housing in at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations. The connection system secures the tool head to the tool body housing in each of the at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a tool body housing at least partly formed by a pair of clam shell housing members, the tool body housing defining a cavity;

a drive system housed in the cavity, the drive system having an output member;

a tool head that is configured to perform work on a work piece, the tool head including a tool head housing and an input member, the input member that is matingly engagable to the output member to drivingly couple the output member of the drive system to the input member of the tool head when the tool head is coupled to the tool body housing; and

a connection system having at least one recess and a retainer, the at least one recess being formed in one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being received into the at least one recess to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body housing;

wherein the tool head can be engaged to the tool body housing in at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations and wherein the connection system secures the tool head to the tool body housing in each of the at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations, wherein one of the tool head and the tool body housing includes a mounting hub and wherein the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing includes a recess into which the mounting hub is received, and wherein one or more nubs is formed on the periphery of the mounting hub, the one or more nubs being configured to be received in notches formed in the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the one of the tool head and the tool body housing includes a plurality of legs that interlock to the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing.

3. The power tool of claim 2, wherein the legs are received into pockets formed into the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing.

4. The power tool of claim 2, wherein the legs are formed of a resilient material.

5. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the mounting hub comprises a cylindrical structure.

6. A power tool comprising:

a tool body housing at least partly formed by a pair of clam shell housing members, the tool body housing defining a cavity;

a drive system housed in the cavity, the drive system having an output member;

a tool head that is configured to perform work on a work piece, the tool head including a tool head housing and an input member, the input member that is matingly engagable to the output member to drivingly couple the output member of the drive system to the input member of the tool head when the tool head is coupled to the tool body housing; and

a connection system having at least one recess and a retainer, the at least one recess being formed in one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being received into the at least one recess to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body housing;

wherein the tool head can be engaged to the tool body housing in at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations and wherein the connection system secures the tool head to the tool body housing in each of the at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations, and wherein the retainer comprises a member that is formed of wire.

7. A power tool comprising:

a tool body having a tool body housing and a drive system, the drive system comprising a motor and an output member driven by the motor;

a tool head that is configured to perform work on a work piece, the tool head including a tool head housing and an input member that is engagable to the output member such that the input and output members co-rotate about a rotational axis,

wherein one of the tool body housing and the tool head housing defines a hub cavity and a plurality of rail cavities, and wherein the other one of the tool body housing and the tool head housing defines a cylindrical hub and a plurality of rails, the cylindrical hub extending longitudinally along the rotational axis and being configured to be received into the hub cavity, the rails being disposed about the cylindrical hub and extending parallel to the rotational axis, the rails being configured to be received into the rail cavities, the input member being matingly engaged to the output member to drivingly couple the drive system to the tool head when the cylindrical hub is received into the hub cavity and the rails are received into the rail cavities; and

a connection system having at least one recess and a retainer, the at least one recess being formed in one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being received into the at least one recess to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body.

8. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the rails are integrally and unitarily formed with the cylindrical hub.

9. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the rails number four in quantity.

10. The power tool of claim 7, wherein a quantity of rail cavities is greater than a quantity of rails.

11. The power tool of claim 7, further comprising a connection system having at least one recess and a retainer, the at least one recess being formed in one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head housing and the tool body housing, the retainer being received into the at least one recess to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body.

12. The power tool of claim 11, wherein the retainer comprises a member that is formed of wire.

13. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the rail cavities are disposed symmetrically about the hub cavity.

14. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the rail cavities intersect the hub cavity.

15. A power tool comprising:

a tool body having a tool body housing and a drive system, the tool body housing defining a cavity and having a first handle with a portion that is configured to be gripped by a hand of a user of the power tool, the drive system comprising a motor and an output member driven by the motor, the output member being rotatable about a rotational axis, the first handle having a first longitudinal axis that is aligned to a predetermined angle relative to the rotational axis, the predetermined angle being sized so that the longitudinal axis is closer to being parallel to the rotational axis than being perpendicular to the rotational axis; and

a tool head that is configured to perform work on a work piece, the tool head including a tool head housing and an input member, wherein one of the tool body and the tool head housing defines a mount, wherein the other one of the tool body and the tool head housing defines a mating mount with a mount aperture that receives the mount, the input member being matingly engagable to the output member to drivingly couple the drive system to the tool head when the mount is inserted into the mount aperture; and

a connection system having at least one recess and a retainer, the at least one recess being formed in one of the mount and the mating mount, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the mount and the mating mount, the retainer being received into the at least one recess to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body.

16. The power tool of claim 15, wherein the tool body housing further includes a second handle having a second longitudinal axis that is aligned perpendicular to the rotational axis.

17. The power tool of claim 15, wherein the retainer comprises a member that is formed of wire.

18. The power tool of claim 15, wherein the one of the tool body and the tool housing further comprises a plurality of rails and wherein the other one of the tool body and the tool housing defines a plurality of rail cavities that receive the rails when the mount is inserted into the mount aperture.

19. The power tool of claim 18, wherein the tool head can be engaged to the tool body housing in at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations and wherein the connection system secures the tool head to the tool body housing in each of the at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations.

20. A power tool system comprising:

a tool body having a body housing, a motor, an intermediate output member and a coupler, the body housing defining a tool head aperture and a pocket that is spaced apart from the tool head aperture, the motor being received in the body housing and driving the intermediate output member for rotation about an axis, the coupler comprising a wire member and a push button, the wire member being housed in the body housing and having a pair of opposite engagement arms that extend into the tool head aperture, the push button being coupled to the wire member and slidable between a first position and a second position;

a tool head having a head housing, an intermediate input member, an output member, the head housing including an attachment hub and a tongue that is spaced apart from and fixedly coupled to the attachment hub, the attachment hub having a generally cylindrical projection with at least one recess formed thereon, the attachment hub being received into the tool head aperture , the tongue being received in the pocket, both the attachment hub and the tongue being non-rotatably engaged directly to the body housing, the engagement arms being received into the at least one recess to inhibit movement of the head housing along the axis in a direction away from the body housing, the intermediate input member being coupled to the intermediate output member for rotation therewith, the output member being drivingly coupled to the intermediate input member;

wherein the wire member biases the push button into the first position and wherein movement of the push button into the second position spreads the engagement arms apart from one another to permit the head housing to be withdrawn from the body housing along the axis.

21. The power tool of claim 20, wherein one of the tool head and the body housing includes a plurality of legs that interlock to the other one of the tool head and the body housing.

22. The power tool of claim 21, wherein the legs are received into pockets formed into the other one of the tool head and the body housing.

23. The power tool of claim 21, wherein the legs are formed of a resilient material.

24. The power tool of claim 20, wherein one of the body housing and the head housing further comprises a plurality of rails and wherein the other one of the body housing and the head housing defines a plurality of rail cavities that receive the rails when the attachment hub is inserted into the tool head aperture.

25. The power tool of claim 24, wherein the tool head can be engaged to the body housing in at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations and wherein the coupler secures the tool head to the body housing in each of the at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations.

26. The power tool of claim 20, wherein one or more nubs is formed on the periphery of one of the attachment hub and the tool head aperture, the one or more nubs being configured to be received in notches formed in the other one of the attachment hub and the tool head aperture.