Patent ID: 11913545
Assignee: BLACK & DECKER, INC.
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  F | IPC B  F

Claim 11:
12. A compliant shifting mechanism for a power tool, comprising:
a selector rotatable about a first axis, wherein the selector is configured to be rotated by a user;
a first shift plate rotatable about the first axis in response to rotation of the selector;
a second shift plate rotatable about the first axis in response to rotation of the first shift plate;
a shift member moveable in response to rotation of the second shift plate about the first axis to cause a transmission of the power tool to shift between at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation;
a first torsion spring coupled to the first shift plate and the second shift plate and configured to bias at least one of the first shift plate or the second shift plate in a first rotational direction;
a second torsion spring coupled to the first shift plate and the second shift plate and configured to bias at least one of the first shift plate or the second shift plate in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction; and
wherein, in response to rotation of the selector in the first rotational direction, the first torsion spring provides shifting compliance in the first rotational direction and, in response to rotation of the selector in the second rotational direction to shift to the second mode of operation, the second torsion spring provides shifting compliance in the second rotational direction;
wherein, in response to movement of the selector in the first rotational direction while movement of the shift member is physically restricted, the selector and the first shift plate are rotated in the first rotational direction, the second shift plate remains stationary, the first torsion spring is in a neutral state, and the second torsion spring is an biased state, and, in response to removal of the physical restriction on the shift member, the second shift plate is rotated in the first rotational direction by biasing force of the second torsion spring to cause movement of the shift member; and
wherein, in response to movement of the selector in the second rotational direction while movement of the shift member is physically restricted, the selector and the first shift plate are rotated in the second rotational direction, the second shift plate remains stationary, the second torsion spring is in a neutral state, and the first torsion spring is an biased state, and, in response to removal of the physical restriction on the shift member, the second shift plate is rotated in the second rotational direction by biasing force of the first torsion spring to cause movement of the shift member.