Light for a power tool and method of illuminating a workpiece

• US 8,827,483 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dixon, Eva J., Krout, Daniel L., Kusmierski, Robert G., Osborne, Stephen P., Miller, Amanda, Delcamp, Jeffrey, Robertson, Corey G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Y My Quach
• Application Number:
  US13/616,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20130003359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 362/109, 362/119, 362/120
• US Class Current: 362/119
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/021 with guiding devices guiding devices for hand tools on stands or supports B25H1/0078

Abstract

A power tool including a end effector rotatable with respect to the housing, a collar rotatable with respect to the housing, a printed circuit board (PCB) rotatably fixed with respect to the housing, and a light element operatively connected to the PCB and adjacent to the end effector and in a recess of the collar and located to illuminate a workpiece machined by the power tool. A method of providing light for a workpiece being machined by a power tool including locating lighting elements around a spindle of a power tool, aligning the lighting elements to shine light on a workpiece being machined by the power tool, operatively connecting the lighting elements to a PCB, containing and supporting the PCB with a guide, supporting wires configured to provide power to the PCB with the guide, locating the lighting elements, PCB and guide in a rotatable collar, and preventing the lighting elements, PCB and guide from rotating when the collar rotates.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a housing;

a tool holder rotatable with respect to the housing;

a collar rotatably coupled to the housing to select at least one of a clutch setting, a drive setting, a drill setting, and a hammer setting of the power tool, the collar having a rear end adjacent the housing and a front end adjacent the tool holder;

a light unit received within the collar, the light unit having a support member and at least one lighting element coupled to the support member and adjacent to the front end of the collar and adjacent to the tool holder, the lighting element configured to illuminate a workpiece machined by the power tool, wherein the light unit is non-rotatably fixed to the housing.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a first rotational stop that engages with a second rotational stop on the housing to align the support member with the housing.

3. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the light unit further comprises a transparent member disposed in front of the at least one lighting element.

4. The power tool of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the support member has a generally annular shape, and the at least one lighting element comprises a plurality of lighting elements arranged in a ring-shaped pattern.

5. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the light unit further comprises a guide extending from the support member and guiding a conductor to provide power to the at least one lighting element.

6. The power tool of claim 5, wherein the guide includes a channel and the conductor comprises at least one wire disposed in the channel.

7. A power tool comprising:

a housing;

a tool holder rotatable with respect to the housing;

an opaque collar rotatably coupled to the housing to adjust an operational setting of the power tool, the collar having a rear end adjacent the housing and a front end adjacent the tool holder;

a light unit received within the collar, the light unit having a support member and at least one lighting element coupled to the support member and adjacent the tool holder, the lighting element configured to illuminate a workpiece machined by the power tool, wherein the light unit is non-rotatably fixed to the housing.

8. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the support member comprises a first rotational stop that engages with a second rotational stop on the housing to align the support member with the housing.

9. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the light unit further comprises a transparent member disposed in front of the at least one lighting element.

10. The power tool of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the support member has a generally annular shape, and the at least one lighting element comprises a plurality of lighting elements arranged in a ring-shaped pattern.

11. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the light unit further comprises a guide extending from the support member and guiding a conductor to provide power to the at least one lighting element.

12. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the collar is configured to select at least one of a clutch setting, a drive setting, a drill setting, and a hammer setting of the power tool.

13. A power tool comprising:

a housing;

a handle extending downward from the housing;

a switch coupled to the handle;

a chin region just above the switch and just below the housing;

an end effector rotatable with respect to the housing;

a collar coupled to the housing and having a rear end adjacent the housing and a front end adjacent the end effector;

a light unit received within the collar, the light unit having at least one lighting element configured to illuminate a workpiece machined by the power tool, and a guide that guides a conductor to the lighting element, through the chin region, to provide power to the lighting element.

14. The power tool of claim 13, wherein the light unit is rotationally fixed relative to the housing.

15. The power tool of claim 14, wherein the support comprises a first rotational stop that engages with a second rotational stop on the housing to align the support with the housing.

16. The power tool of claim 13, wherein the light unit further comprises a transparent member disposed in front of the at least one lighting element.

17. The power tool of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the support member has a generally annular shape, and the at least one lighting element comprises a plurality of lighting elements arranged in a ring-shaped pattern.

18. The power tool of claim 13, wherein the collar is configured to select at least one of a clutch setting, a drive setting, a drill setting, and a hammer setting of the power tool.