Modified power tool

A modified power tool which includes a housing, a motive source disposed at least partially within the housing, a rigid and curved extension extending from the housing, a flexible shaft extending through the extension, and a connector assembly which includes a shaft and a connector extending from the shaft.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to a modified power tool and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a power tool having a rigid and curved extension.

2. Background Art

Power tools and attachments for power tools have been known in the art for years and are the subject of numerous patents, including: U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,215 entitled “Curved surgical tool driver,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,808 entitled “Wall fishing apparatus,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,188 entitled “Guide for angled and curved drilling,” and U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,349 entitled “Curved extension drill”—all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety including the references cited therein.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,215 appears to disclose a surgical tool driver that has a driven end connectable to a rotary drive source and a driving end connectable to a surgical tool. A shaft assembly there between includes a hollow outer shaft and a flexible drive shaft for transmitting rotary power from the driven end to the driving end. The shaft assembly is curved for bypassing anatomical features in a patient.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,808 appears to disclose a wall fishing apparatus having a flexible guide tube with prongs or other work-engaging means at one end. The prongs may be stabbed into an obstruction in a hollow wall to set the position of a throughhole and to hold the tubular guide in a fixed position against the torsional, or other, forces of a drill or other cutting tool used to cut the hole. The drill may be rotated by means of a flexible shaft running within the guide tube.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,188 appears to disclose a drilling tool for drilling a curved hole. The tool includes a curved guide tube for positioning the tube in drilling position against a wall and a flexible shaft extending through the guide tube having a drill bit on the end thereof adjacent the outlet end of the tube and a shank on the opposite end engaged in a drill tool chuck. Operation of the drill tool rotates the drill bit and the tube guides and directs the bit to drill a curved or angled hole. The drill bit can be a spade bit, a spiral bit or a ball mill.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,349 appears to disclose boring devices and has reference to a curved extension drill for boring holes in otherwise inaccessible places, such as in plates between inner and outer wall surfaces when installing electrical wiring or plumbing.

While the above-identified patents do appear to provide power tools and/or attachments for power tools, their configurations remain non-desirous and/or problematic inasmuch as, among other things, none of the above-identified attachments disclose a modified power tool that includes a rigid and curved extension.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a modified power tool, which, among other things, remedies the aforementioned detriments and/or complications associated with the use of the above-identified, conventional attachments and/or power tooling.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and described herein in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings with like reference characters.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly toFIGS. 1 and 2collectively, shown therein is power tool10. Power tool10is shown as generally comprising die grinder assembly12, rigid and curved extension, hereinafter referred to as extension14, flexible shaft16, and collet assembly18. It will be understood that extension14may be adapted to connect to various types of power tools10. For the purposes of brevity, only power tool10(e.g., pneumatic die grinder) illustrated inFIGS. 1-6will be discussed in detail.

Die grinder assembly12preferably includes housing20that encloses motive source22such as an air motor for rotating output shaft24. In one embodiment, die grinder assembly12includes port26for interfacing with an air supply hose of a compressor (not shown). Air communicated from the compressor via the air supply hose drives the air motor and in turn rotates output shaft24. Die grinder assembly12also comprises actuator28for controlling the operation of die grinder assembly12. When actuator28is depressed, it contacts button30allowing air to flow from the air supply hose through port26to operate motive source22. Die grinder assembly12may also include collar32for joining die grinder assembly12to extension14as will be discussed below. As the construction and operation of pneumatic power tools is well known in the art, specific details regarding of the operation functionality of various parts of die grinder assembly12will not be addressed in any further detail.

It will be understood that output shaft24is preferably constructed to receive and retain first end34of flexible shaft16. In one embodiment, output shaft24includes end36is sized to receive and retain first end34of flexible shaft16. In one embodiment, end36is substantially square in shape and first end34of flexible shaft16is substantially square shaped and sized to fit within end36. Although both first end34of flexible shaft16and end36of output shaft24have been disclosed as having substantially square shapes, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many other shapes or methods (e.g., welding, crimping, etc.) for joining flexible shaft16to output shaft24could be utilized in accordance with the present invention.

In one embodiment, extension14is preferably a rigid and curved tubular member having threaded collar38and conical transition40transitioning to an elongated body portion. Extension14is preferably fabricated from a strong and rigid material such as a metal, metallic alloy, plastic, resin, composite, and the like. Extension14is sized to enclose and permit flexible shaft16to rotate therein. Extension14is provided to increase the operative length of power tool10and to allow power tool10to be utilized for applications where traditional power tools are unsuitable (e.g., curved workpieces). Although power tool10may be utilized for virtually any pertinent application, power tool10having extension14is useful in certain locations, for example, within aircraft engine parts (e.g., turbo charger housings), wings, or fuselages.

Threaded collar38of extension14is constructed to interface with collar32of die grinder assembly12to releaseably secure extension14to die grinder assembly12. It will be understood that the relatively larger diameter of threaded collar38interfacing with collar32provides a robust connection of extension14to die grinder assembly12. Therefore, a relatively large amount of force may be applied to an accessory attached to extension14in contrast to a typical attachment utilized with standard power tools which only connects to the power tool via a small shaft inserted into the chuck of the standard power tool. Large forces applied to standard attachments can result in failure at the connection point between the attachment and the power tool.

It will be understood that extension14may have any number of shapes and/or lengths depending on the particular application for power tool10. That is, the shape of the curvature of extension14may depend in part upon the shape of the workpiece (not shown). For example, the act of grinding within a turbo fan housing may require extension14having a greater degree of curvature than grinding within a vehicle exhaust pipe which is substantially straight. Therefore, the shape of extension14may be governed by application specific requirements. Although not shown, the curvature of extension14may deviate from a curvature plane such that at least a portion of extension14is helical.

Flexible shaft16extending between die grinder assembly12and collet assembly18may include any number of commonly utilized flexible shafts that would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art with the present disclosure before them. As stated previously, flexible shaft16includes first end34and second end42. Flexible shaft16is provided to transfer rotational forces from output shaft24of die grinder assembly12to collet assembly18. Second end42of flexible shaft16is fabricated to interface with collet assembly18as will be discussed in greater detail below.

Referring now toFIG. 3, collet assembly18, also known as a connector assembly, is shown as generally comprising shaft44(seeFIG. 1), one or more bearings46, and collet48. Shaft44is provided with end50fabricated to receive and retain second end42of flexible shaft16. In one embodiment, shaft44is provided with a substantially square shaped slot (not shown) which is sized to receive and retain second end42of flexible shaft16which is substantially square in shape.

Bearings46are sized to be slidably received over shaft44. In one embodiment, collet assembly18includes two bearings46. It will be understood that the utilization of two or more bearings46reduces eccentric rotation of shaft44of collet assembly18which can lead to damage of collet assembly18and/or extension14.

Collet assembly18may include retaining clip54(seeFIG. 2) and bushing56for retaining bearings46on shaft44. Additionally, collet assembly18may also include second clip58for rotatably supporting collet assembly18on a terminal end of extension14. In one embodiment, second clip58is provided for interfacing with groove60fabricated into the inner surface of extension14. When second clip58is inserted into groove60of extension14, second clip58releaseably secures collet assembly18to extension14.

Collet48is shown disposed on the end of shaft44opposite end50. Collet48is provided to releaseably receive and retain accessory62(seeFIG. 1) such as a grinder, sanding pad, drill bit, drive shaft, or the like. It will be understood that other connectors for joining accessories, for example, a chuck, which would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art are also likewise contemplated for use in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now toFIG. 4, it will be understood that because the curved shape of extension14can position accessory62in locations inaccessible to typical power tools, for example, locations out of the visual field of the operator, power tool10may include an optical device such as borehole camera64. Borehole camera64may be releaseably or securely connected to power tool10proximate accessory62to provide remote visual surveillance of accessory62.

Borehole camera64can assist an operator in making various types of operational adjustments, for example, changes in the location of accessory62or the speed of rotation of accessory62. While an optical device such as borehole camera64has been disclosed, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many other types of optical devices such as cameras, mirrors, reflectors, and the like, may likewise be utilized in accordance with the present invention. Moreover, as the installation and utilization of borehole cameras64and other optical devices are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art, a detailed discussion of the installation and utilization of borehole cameras or other optical devices will be omitted for the purposes of brevity.

Referring now toFIGS. 5A-6collectively, shown therein is an alternative embodiment of power tool10having extension66. In accordance with the present invention, extension66is shown as comprising a plurality of tubular segments, hereinafter referred to as segments68. Each of the segments68includes angled ends70and72such that segments68have a substantially trapezoidal configuration.

In one embodiment, segments68include dovetail tongue74and groove76for releaseably connecting adjacent segments68. More specifically, dovetail tongue74is disposed on angled end70and groove76is disposed on angled end72. Although not shown, segments68may include a plurality of grooves for releaseably connecting adjacent segments68together in a variety of configurations depending upon how adjacent segments68are selectively positioned relative to one another.

It will be understood that angled ends70and72allow adjacent segments68to be connected together in a variety of configurations to vary the curvature of extension66between a substantially linear configuration (FIG. 5A) and a variety of substantially curved configurations (seeFIG. 5Bfor one non-limiting curved configuration) based upon the slope of the angle of angled ends70and72.

For example, when segments68are selectively positioned in alternating fashion, for example, when long portion80of segments68A and68C are disposed upwardly and short portion82of segment68B is disposed upwardly, segments68A-68C are oriented in a substantially linear configuration.

In contrast, when segments68are selectively positioned uniformly, for example, when long portion80of segments68A-68C are disposed upwardly, segments68A-68C are oriented in a substantially curved configuration.

To secure adjacent segments68together, each segment includes threaded cavity84, set screw86, and passage88. Threaded cavity84is disposed on angled end70and set screw86extends from the opposite end (i.e., angled end72) with passage88extending between threaded cavity84and set screw86. Passage88is designed to permit an external drive member (i.e., drill, hex key, etc.) to interface with set screw86such that rotation of the external drive member rotates set screw86to extend or retract set screw86from angled end72depending on the clockwise and/or counterclockwise rotation of the external drive member.

To lock adjacent segments68, set screw86is rotated via the external drive member until the end of set screw86is positioned substantially flush or partially retracted into angled end72to allow dovetail tongue74of one segment68to be inserted into groove76of an adjacent segment68. Next, set screw86is axially aligned with one threaded cavity84of the adjacent segment68. After alignment, the external drive member rotates set screw86to thread set screw86into threaded cavity84of the adjacent segment68.

Additionally, segments68may include one or more additional threaded cavities (not shown) for receiving set screw86of an adjacent segment68such that when adjacent segments68are rotated relative to one another, adjacent segments68can be locked together in a variety of configurations to change the angle of curvature of extension66. Set screw86of one segment68is axially aligned with one of the one or more additional threaded cavities of an adjacent segment68. Set screw86is then rotated to extend and thread set screw86into one of the one or more additional threaded cavities of an adjacent segment68.

The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto and those skilled in the art having the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.