Power tool with interchangeable tool head
First Claim
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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;
wherein the mounting hub comprises a cylindrical structure; 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.
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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.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A power tool comprising:
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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; wherein the mounting hub comprises a cylindrical structure; 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A power tool comprising:
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a tool body at least partly formed by a pair of clam shell housing members, the clam shell housing members defining a cavity; a drive system housed in the cavity, the drive system having a pneumatic motor and an intermediate output member that is driven by the pneumatic motor; and a tool head configured to perform work on a workpiece, the tool head having a tool head housing and an intermediate 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 mount aperture that receives the mount, wherein the tool head is selectively interlocked to the tool body when the mount is inserted into the mount aperture, and wherein the intermediate input member is matingly engaged with the intermediate output member when the tool head is interlocked to the tool body; and wherein the clam shell housing members cooperate to define a first handle with a portion that is configured to be gripped by a hand of a user of the power tool, wherein the intermediate output member is rotatable about a rotational axis, and wherein the first handle has 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. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A power tool comprising:
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a tool body housing that defines 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 an input member that is matingly engageable 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 groove and a retainer, the at least one groove being formed in one of the tool head and the tool body housing, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing, the retainer being received into the at least one groove to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body housing; wherein the tool head includes an attachment hub and wherein the tool body housing includes a mount aperture into which the attachment hub is received; and wherein a forward surface of the attachment hub is substantially flush with a forward surface of the input member; and wherein the output member includes a plurality of male splines and the input member comprises a plurality of female splines that receive the male splines. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A power tool comprising:
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a tool body housing that defines 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 an input member that is matingly engageable 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 groove and a retainer, the at least one groove being formed in one of the tool head and the tool body housing, the retainer being movably coupled to the other one of the tool head and the tool body housing, the retainer being received into the at least one groove to fixedly but removably couple the tool head to the tool body housing; wherein the tool head includes an attachment hub and wherein the tool body housing includes a mount aperture into which the attachment hub is received; and wherein one of the tool body housing and the tool head comprises a projection and the other of the tool body housing and the tool head comprises a pocket that receives the projection; wherein the projection and pocket are spaced apart from the attachment hub and the mount aperture; wherein the pocket has a rectangular cross-section; and wherein the retainer comprises a wire member and a push button, the wire member being housed in the tool body housing and having a pair of opposite engagement arms that extend into the mount aperture, the push button being coupled to the wire member and slidable between a first position and a second position; wherein the engagement arms are received into the at least one groove to inhibit movement of the tool head along a rotational axis of the output member in a direction away from the tool body housing; and 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 tool head to be withdrawn from the tool body housing along the rotational axis.
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27. A power tool comprising:
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a tool body at least partly formed by a pair of clam shell housing members, the clam shell housing members defining a cavity; a drive system housed in the cavity, the drive system having a motor and an intermediate output member that is driven by the motor; and a first tool head configured to perform work on a workpiece, the first tool head having a first tool head housing and an intermediate input member; wherein one of the tool body and the first tool head housing defines a mount, wherein the other one of the tool body and the first tool head housing defines a mount aperture that receives the mount, wherein the first tool head is selectively interlocked to the tool body when the mount is inserted into the mount aperture, and wherein the intermediate input member is matingly engaged with the intermediate output member when the first tool head is interlocked to the tool body; wherein the first tool head can be engaged to the tool body housing in at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations and wherein a connection system secures the first tool head to the tool body housing in each of the at least two pre-defined and distinct orientations; wherein the connection system is configured so that the first tool head can be secured to the tool body housing in a tool-free manner; and wherein one of the intermediate output member and the intermediate input member includes a plurality of male splines and the other of the intermediate output member and the intermediate input member comprises a plurality of female splines that receive the male splines. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification