Power tool, battery, charger and method of operating the same

• US 7,814,816 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Alberti, Daniel J., Hunkins, Todd, Jungmann, Richard H., Jordan, Kenneth R., Uehlein-Procter, Nancy, Sara, John III, Zick, Jonathan A., Scott, John S., Bublitz, Scott, Mergener, Matthew J., Phillips, Michael, Meyer, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas; David B
• Application Number:
  US11/940,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20090031865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 81/571.3, 173/216, 173/217
• US Class Current: 81/57.13
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power tool includes a housing assembly having a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis. The first housing portion supports a motor. The second housing portion includes a chuck for supporting a tool element. The power tool also includes a gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation relative to at least one of the first and second housing portions about the pivot axis. The gear is operable to transfer drive force from the motor to the tool element.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a housing assembly including a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis, the first housing portion supporting a motor, the second housing portion including a chuck for supporting a tool element;

a first gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation relative to at least one of the first and second housing portions about the pivot axis, the first gear being operable to transfer drive force from the motor to the tool element;

a second gear coupled to a shaft extending from the first housing portion, the shaft being rotatably coupled to the motor, the second gear engaging the first gear to transfer drive force from the motor to the first gear;

a third gear supported substantially within the second housing portion and coupled to the chuck, the third gear engaging the first gear to transfer drive force from the first gear to the chuck; and

an actuator extending through the housing assembly from an interior side to an exterior side, the actuator movable along the pivot axis between a first actuator position and a second actuator position to affect operation of the power tool, the first actuator position corresponding to a first operating condition of the power tool and the second actuator position corresponding to a second operating condition of the power tool different than the first operating condition.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the second housing portion is pivotable to a first position, in which a longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is generally coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the first housing portion, and to a second position, in which the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

3. The power tool of claim 2, wherein, in the second position, the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

4. The power tool of claim 2, wherein, in the second position, the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is at a substantially right angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

5. The power tool of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first gear, the second gear, and the third gear is a bevel gear.

6. The power tool of claim 1 wherein the second gear and the third gear are spaced apart from each other.

7. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising a battery at least partially supported in the first housing portion and operable to selectively provide power to the motor.

8. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the first housing portion has a first length measured along the first longitudinal axis and the second housing portion has a second length measured along the second longitudinal axis that is less than the first length.

9. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the power tool is a screwdriver.

10. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the motor rotates the shaft in a forward rotational direction when the actuator is in the first actuator position and the motor rotates the shaft in a reverse rotational direction when the actuator is in the second actuator position.

11. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the first housing portion sandwiches a portion of the second housing portion to couple the first housing portion to the second housing portion.

12. A power tool comprising:

a housing assembly including a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis, the second housing portion supporting a tool element;

a motor positioned substantially within the first housing portion;

a first gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation about the pivot axis;

a second gear coupled to the motor, the second gear engaging the first gear to transfer drive force from the motor to the first gear;

a third gear positioned substantially within the second housing portion and being engageable with the first gear to transfer drive force from the first gear to the tool element; and

an actuator extending through the housing assembly from an interior side to an exterior side, the actuator movable along the pivot axis between a first actuator position and a second actuator position to affect operation of the power tool, the first actuator position corresponding to a first operating condition of the power tool and the second actuator position corresponding to a second operating condition of the power tool different than the first operating condition.

13. The power tool of claim 12, wherein the second housing portion is pivotable relative to the first housing portion about the pivot axis to a first position, in which a longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is generally inline with a longitudinal axis of the first housing portion, and to a second position, in which the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

14. The power tool of claim 12, wherein the power tool is a screwdriver, the first gear is a first bevel gear, the second gear is a second bevel gear, and the third gear is a third bevel gear, and further comprising:

a battery at least partially supported on the first housing portion and configured to selectively provide power to the motor; and

a switch assembly at least partially supported on the first housing portion and operable to connect the motor to the battery;

wherein the first housing portion defines a first longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis and the second housing portion defines a second longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis, the second bevel gear being rotatable about the first axis and the third bevel gear being rotatable about the second axis;

wherein the second housing portion is pivotable relative to the first housing portion about the pivot axis to a first position, in which the second axis is generally coaxial with the first axis, and to a second position, in which the second axis is angled relative to the first axis; and

wherein the first housing portion has a first length measured along the first longitudinal axis and the second housing portion has a second length measured along the second longitudinal axis that is less than the first length.

15. The power tool of claim 12, wherein the motor rotates the tool element in a forward rotational direction when the actuator is in the first actuator position and the motor rotates the tool element in a reverse rotational direction when the actuator is in the second actuator position.

16. A method of operating a power tool, the power tool including a housing assembly having a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis, the first housing portion supporting a motor operable to drive a tool element supported by the second housing portion, the power tool also including an actuator extending through the housing assembly from an interior side to an exterior side, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a first gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation relative to the housing assembly about the pivot axis, a second gear coupled to the motor and engaging the first gear, and a third gear coupled to the tool element and engaging the first gear;

moving the actuator along the pivot axis between a first actuator position and a second actuator position to affect operation of the power tool, the first actuator position corresponding to a first operating condition of the power tool and the second actuator position corresponding to a second operating condition of the power tool different than the first operating condition;

pivoting the second housing portion relative to the first housing portion to a pivoted position; and

rotating the first gear, the second gear, and the third gear with the motor to transmit drive force from the motor to the tool element while in the pivoted position.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein pivoting the second housing portion to the pivoted position includes pivoting the second housing portion relative to the first housing portion to a position in which a longitudinal axis of the second housing portion is generally inline with a longitudinal axis of the first housing portion.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the actuator is in the first actuator position, rotating the first gear, the second gear, and the third gear with the motor includes rotating the first gear, the second gear, and the third gear in a forward rotational direction;

and

wherein, when the actuator is in the second position, rotating the first gear, the second gear, and the third gear with the motor includes rotating the first gear, the second gear, and the third gear in a reverse rotational direction.