Abstract:
A chuck includes a chuck body extending along a longitudinal axis, the chuck body including a plurality of slots each arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. A plurality of jaws each includes a first engagement portion, a jaw end, and a drive end. Each of the jaws is disposed within one of the plurality of slots and is movable between a close position and an open position. A biasing member is coupled to the plurality of jaws and is operable to bias the plurality of jaws toward the close position and a rotating assembly is selectively engageable with the plurality of jaws such that when engaged, the plurality of jaws are movable in response to rotation of the rotating assembly.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of prior-filed, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/440,542, filed Apr. 5, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,283,625, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/472,057, filed on Apr. 5, 2011, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/509,779 filed on Jul. 20, 2011. The entire contents of each of these documents are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an auto sizing chuck for use with a drill or other tool. More specifically, the invention relates to a chuck that automatically adjusts to the size of the tool inserted into the chuck. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In one embodiment, the invention provides a chuck that is adjustable between a closed or minimum open position and a maximum open position without rotation of the chuck. The chuck includes a plurality of threaded jaws and a threaded rotating assembly that is selectively engageable with the jaws. When the jaws and the rotating assembly are disengaged, the jaws are free to move between the minimum open position and the maximum open position. When the jaws and the rotating assembly are engaged, the rotating assembly must be rotated to tighten the jaws. 
         [0004]    In one construction, the invention provides a chuck for a power tool. The chuck includes a chuck body extending along a longitudinal axis, the chuck body including a plurality of slots each arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. A plurality of jaws each includes a first engagement portion, a jaw end, and a drive end. Each of the jaws is disposed within one of the plurality of slots and is movable between a close position and an open position. A biasing member is coupled to the plurality of jaws and is operable to bias the plurality of jaws toward the close position and a rotating assembly is selectively engageable with the plurality of jaws such that when engaged, the plurality of jaws are movable in response to rotation of the rotating assembly. 
         [0005]    In another construction, the invention provides a chuck for a power tool. The chuck includes a chuck body extending along a longitudinal axis, the chuck body including a plurality of slots each arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis and a plurality of jaws each including a first engagement portion, a jaw end, and a drive end, each of the jaws disposed within one of the plurality of slots and movable between a close position and an open position. A biasing member is coupled to the plurality of jaws and is operable to bias the plurality of jaws toward the close position and a rotating assembly is coupled to the chuck body and includes a second engagement portion. The rotating assembly is rotatable with respect to the chuck body between a disengaged position, an engaged position, and a tightened position, wherein the first engagement portions and the second engagement portion are disengaged when the rotating assembly is in the disengaged position such that the plurality of jaws are movable along the longitudinal axis independent of the rotating assembly and wherein the first engagement portions and the second engagement portion are engaged when the rotating assembly is in the engaged position such that the plurality of jaws are movable along the axis in response to rotation of the rotating assembly, and wherein rotation of the rotating assembly from the engaged position to the tightened position moves the plurality of jaws toward the close position. 
         [0006]    In yet another construction, the invention provides a method of engaging a tool in a chuck. The method includes movably positioning a plurality of jaws within a chuck body, the jaws movable between a close position and an open position, disengaging a rotating assembly from the plurality of jaws, and moving the jaws to the close position in response to the disengagement of the rotating assembly from the plurality of jaws. The method also includes pushing the jaws toward the open position until the tool can be positioned within the jaws, biasing the jaws toward the close position such that the jaws lightly hold the tool in a desired position, and rotating the rotating assembly to engage the rotating assembly and the plurality of jaws. The method also includes further rotating the rotating assembly to force the jaws toward the close position to firmly hold the tool in the desired position and maintaining the position of the rotating assembly to hold the plurality of jaws in the desired position. 
         [0007]    Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a broken away view of an auto sizing chuck in a first position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a section view of the chuck of  FIG. 1  in a second position; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a bottom cover; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a chuck body; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the chuck body of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a section view of the chuck body of  FIG. 4  taken along a plane through the longitudinal axis of the chuck body; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a guide sleeve; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a jaw; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a sleeve; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a collar; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a split ring; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a broken away view of another auto sizing chuck in a first position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an auto sizing chuck  10  that is capable of quickly receiving many different tools having different diameters. The chuck  10  includes a bottom cover  15 , a chuck body  20 , a sliding assembly  25 , and a rotating assembly  30 . The bottom cover  15 , illustrated in  FIG. 3  includes a cup-shaped member having an aperture  35  formed in a bottommost surface  40 . The aperture  35  is threaded to receive the chuck body  20  to fixedly attach the bottom cover  15  to the chuck body  20 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 4-6  illustrate the chuck body  20  which includes a shaft portion  45 , a collar portion  50 , and a head portion  55 . The shaft portion  45  extends along a longitudinal axis  60  and includes external threads  65  arranged to threadably engage the threaded aperture  35  of the bottom cover  15  to attach the bottom cover  15  to the chuck body  20 . The collar portion  50  and the head portion  55  cooperate to define a slot  70  therebetween. The slot  70  includes a tapered surface  75  that extends a portion of the way between the collar portion  50  and the head portion  55 . 
         [0023]    In the illustrated construction, three jaw apertures  80  extend through the collar portion  50  and into the head portion  55 . Each of the apertures  80  is spaced about  120  degrees from the adjacent two apertures  80  and is angled at about  15  degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis  60 . As one of ordinary skill in the art will realize, additional apertures  80  or fewer apertures  80  could be used if desired. In addition, different angular spacing and a different angle with respect to the longitudinal axis  60  could be employed if desired. 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates the interior of the chuck body  20  which includes a threaded bore  85  and a central bore  90  extending from the threaded bore  85 . The threaded bore  85  includes threads that are sized and arranged to attach the chuck  10  to a power tool or other device for use. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the three jaw apertures  80  extend through the collar portion  50  and into the central bore  90  within the head portion  55 . 
         [0025]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the sliding assembly  25  includes a guide sleeve  95 , three jaws  100 , three jaw pins  105 , and a biasing member  110 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the biasing member  110  includes a compression spring disposed between the guide sleeve  95  and the bottom cover  15  and arranged to bias the guide sleeve  95  away from the bottom cover  15 . It should be noted that the invention is described as including three jaws  100  and three jaw pins  105 . However, other constructions may use fewer jaws  100  or more jaws  100 , thereby requiring fewer or more jaw pins  105 . Thus, the invention should not be limited to constructions that employ only three jaws  100 . 
         [0026]    The guide sleeve  95 , illustrated in  FIG. 7  includes a cylindrical portion  115  and a collar  120  disposed at one end of the cylindrical portion  115 . A bore  125  extends through the cylindrical portion  115  and is sized to allow the guide sleeve  95  to slide along the shaft portion  45  of the chuck body  20 . The collar portion  120  extends around one end of the cylindrical portion  115  and provides a surface that engages one end of the biasing member  110 . Three apertures  127  extend radially into the collar  120  and are sized to receive the jaw pins  105 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 8  illustrates one of the jaws  100 . Each jaw  100  includes a body  130  that extends along a jaw axis  135  and includes an engaging surface  140  at one end and a pin aperture  145  near the opposite end. The pin aperture  145  is sized to receive the jaw pin  105  such that the jaw  100  is free to slide along the jaw pin  105 . The engaging surface  140  is angled with respect to the jaw axis  135  at an angle that is about equal to the angle of the jaw apertures  80  with respect to the longitudinal axis  60 . Thus, in the illustrated construction, the engaging surface  140  is angled at about  15  degrees with respect to the jaw axis  135 . This arrangement assures that the engaging surface  140  remains substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis  60  at all positions. A guide surface  150  is formed opposite the engaging surface  140  and is contoured to engage the central bore  90  of the chuck body  20  to guide the movement of the jaw  100  along the longitudinal axis  60 . A recessed surface  155  extends from the guide surface  150  to the second end of the jaw  100  and includes a threaded portion  160 . 
         [0028]    The rotating assembly  30  includes a split ring  165 , a collar  170 , and a sleeve  175  that rotate together about the longitudinal axis  60 . The sleeve  175 , illustrated in  FIG. 9  includes a first cylindrical wall  180  and a second smaller diameter cylindrical wall  185  that cooperate to form a hollow tube-like member. The smaller diameter cylindrical wall  185  is sized to fit within the bottom cover  15  and engages the cover  15  such that the sleeve  175  is rotatable with respect to the bottom cover  15  but is not movable along the longitudinal axis  60  with respect to the bottom cover  15 . In another construction, the bottom cover  15  and the sleeve  175  are fixedly attached to one another such that both components rotate in unison about the longitudinal axis  60 . 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the collar  170  includes a cylindrical outer wall  190  sized to fit within the first cylindrical wall  180  of the sleeve  175  to couple the sleeve  175  and the collar  170  for rotation. The collar  170  also includes an interior surface  195  that is sized and shaped to inhibit radial movement of the split ring  165  and to hold the split ring  165  in its operating position. In some constructions, the collar  170  includes two or more key members (not shown) that extend along an axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis  60 . 
         [0030]    Turning to  FIG. 11 , the split ring  165  is illustrated as a single unitary component. However, the split ring  165  is preferably formed from two identical or similar half rings that when put together define the complete split ring  165 . The split ring  165  includes two cylindrical wall portions  200  that are separated by gaps  205  and that extend from a second cylindrical portion  210 . In some constructions, two or more key slots  215  are formed in the cylindrical wall portions  200 . A tapered bore defines the innermost surface  220  of the second cylindrical portion  210 . The innermost surface  220  is angled such that it is substantially parallel to the jaw aperture  80  when sectioned through the longitudinal axis  60  and the jaw axes  135 . The innermost surface  220  includes threads that are arranged to engage the threads of each of the three jaws  100 . In addition, the second cylindrical portion  210  includes three jaw recesses  225  that extend radially outward from the innermost surface  220  and that are sized to receive the jaws  100 . 
         [0031]    To assemble the chuck  10 , the jaws  100  are positioned within the jaw apertures  80  of the chuck body  20 . The guide sleeve  95  is slid onto the chuck body  20  and the jaw pins  105  are slid through the pin apertures  145  in each of the jaws  100  and into their respective guide sleeve apertures  127 . The two halves of the split ring  165  are positioned within the slot  70  between the collar portion  50  and the head portion  55  of the chuck body  20 . The collar  170  is then slid over the head portion  55  of the chuck body  20  and into position such that the interior surface  195  of the collar  170  holds the split ring  165  together. In constructions that include key members on the collar  170 , the key members are aligned with the key slots  215  in the split ring  165  to fixedly tie the collar  170  and the split ring  165  for rotation. The sleeve  175  is then attached to the collar  170  and the biasing member  110  is positioned such that one end engages the guide sleeve  95 . The bottom cover  15  is then threaded onto the chuck body  20  to compress the biasing member  110  and complete the assembly of the chuck  10 . 
         [0032]    In operation, the biasing member  110  biases the sliding assembly  25  upward such that the jaws  100  are in their closed or smallest size position (the close position), as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . To insert a bit or other tool, the user first rotates the rotating assembly  30  via the collar  170  and the sleeve  175  to a free moving position. In this position, the recesses  225  of the split ring  165  are aligned with the jaws  100  such that the threads of the jaws  100  are disengaged from the threads of the split ring  165 . With the threads disengaged, the only resistance to downward movement of the jaws  100  (i.e., toward the open position) is provided by the biasing member  110 . Thus, the user pushes the jaws  100  downward such that the jaws  100  are free to open and receive the tool being inserted. Once the tool is inserted, the biasing member  110  biases the jaws  100  upward slightly and the central bore  90  guides the jaws  100  inward slightly to lightly squeeze the tool. The user then rotates the rotating assembly  30  to rotate the split ring  165 . As the split ring  165  rotates, the tapered threads of the split ring  165  engage the threads of the jaws  100 . The thread pitch is arranged such that further rotation of the rotating assembly  30  forces the jaws  100  upward and inward (i.e., toward the close position) to firmly hold the tool in place. Thus, a user is able to quickly insert a tool into the chuck  10  with very little rotation of the rotating assembly  30 . To remove the tool, the user simply rotates the rotating assembly  30 , in the opposite direction, to the free moving position to disengage the threads of the split ring  165  from the threads of the jaws  100 . The user then simply pulls the tool from the chuck  10 . With the tool removed, the biasing member  110  biases the jaws  100  to their closed or smallest size position. 
         [0033]      FIG. 12  illustrates another auto sizing chuck  10   a  that is similar to the auto sizing chuck  10  of  FIG. 1 . The auto sizing chuck  10   a  includes a plurality of pins  105  that each engages a jaw  100   a  and a guide sleeve  95   a.  Rather than orient the pins  105  so that they are normal to the direction of movement of the guide sleeve  95 ,  95   a  as they are oriented in  FIG. 1 , the pins  105  in  FIG. 12  are oriented so that they are approximately normal to the jaw  100   a  that the pin  105  engages. This arrangement assures that the jaws  100   a  do not apply an uneven load to the pins  105  during movement, as such a load could cause binding or sticking during auto sizing operation.