Abstract:
A drive train for supplying power to a power tool may include, a motor, a motor shaft, a rotational coupling mechanism connected to the motor shaft, and a drive shaft connected to the rotational coupling mechanism that forms the shape of a “U.” A pair of enmeshed bevel gears transfers the motion from the motor shaft to an orthogonal tool bit. The drive train may also include a hammering device that transfers a rotational impacting motion to the tool bit. A hand power tool for driving a screw may include a tool shell with an integrally formed vertical handle, a rotational recess formed into the tool shell opposite the handle, and a tool chuck within the rotational recess that drives a screw. The tool may incorporate the drive train as described above. The tool may include a mechanism for locking the tool chuck in a particular position.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/459,871 entitled “Combination Impact Driver and Ninety Degree Driver” and filed on 20 Dec. 2010 for Christopher Mattson, Robert Campbell, Clark Davis, David Olligschlager, Brad Solomon, and Samuel Wilding. The aforementioned application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to hand power tools and more particularly relates to a drive train for supplying power to a powered hand tool. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Impact drivers are rotary tools that incorporate a rotational impacting motion to drive a screw into a medium. Ninety degree drivers have swiveling heads that allow a user to drive a screw into a medium in tight spaces. Often times a project requires the use of both drivers. Providing a drive train that powers both an impact driver and a ninety degree driver, would therefore provide advantages that are lacking in currently available drivers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available drive trains. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a drive train that supplies power to a combined impact driver and ninety degree driver that overcomes many of the shortcomings in the art. 
     As described below, a drive train for supplying power to a power tool may include, a motor that supplies electrical power, a motor shaft connected to the motor, a rotational coupling mechanism that is connected perpendicular to the motor shaft, and a drive shaft that is connected perpendicular to the rotational coupling mechanism. In one embodiment, the drive train forms the shape of a “U.” A pair of enmeshed bevel gears may transfer the motion from the motor shaft to an orthogonal tool bit. The drive train may also include a hammering device that transfers a rotational impacting motion to the tool bit. 
     Additionally, as described below, a hand power tool for driving a screw into a medium may include, a tool shell having an aperture with an integrally formed vertical handle, a rotational recess formed into a portion of the tool shell opposite the handle, and a rotating tool chuck located within the rotational recess that drives a screw into a medium. In one example, the power tool may incorporate the drive train as described herein. The hand power tool may also include a mechanism for selectively rotating the tool chuck and locking it in a particular position. 
     The present invention provides a variety of advantages. It should be noted that references to features, advantages, or similar language within this specification does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
     The aforementioned features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To enable the advantages of the invention to be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is detailed side view illustration of one embodiment of a drive train of the present invention suitable for a powered hand tool; 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed side view illustration of one embodiment of a powered hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a detailed sectional side view illustration of one embodiment of a powered hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view illustration of one embodiment of a powered hand tool of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view illustration of one embodiment of a tool chuck assembly of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
       FIG. 1  is detailed side view illustration of one embodiment of a drive train for a powered hand tool  100  of the present invention. As depicted, the drive train  100  includes a motor  110  with an attached motor shaft  112 , a rotational coupling mechanism  120 , a drive shaft  130 , a pair of bevel gears  140 ,  150 , a tool chuck assembly  160  with a tool chuck  162 , a locking mechanism  170 , a speed controller  180 , and a battery  190 . 
     The drive train  100  may include a motor  110  which converts electrical power into rotational motion. In certain embodiments the motor  110  may be a reversible motor capable of providing rotational motion in either a clockwise or a counter clockwise direction. The electrical power may be supplied to the motor  110  by a battery  190  electrically coupled to the motor through the battery board  192 . The motor  110  may be attached to a rotational coupling mechanism  120  through a motor shaft  112 . According to one embodiment, the rotational coupling mechanism  120  is positioned perpendicular to the motor  110 . Examples of rotational coupling mechanisms  120  include, but are not limited to, a gear set, a belt, a chain, and a sun gear. A drive shaft  130  may be mechanically coupled to the rotational coupling mechanism  120  opposite the motor shaft  112 . According to one example, the drive shaft  130  may be positioned perpendicular to the rotational coupling mechanism  120 . In this example, the drive shaft  130  is parallel to the motor shaft. 
     The drive train also may include a first bevel gear  140  coupled to the drive shaft  130 . A second bevel gear  150 , orthogonally enmeshed with the first bevel gear  140 , may convert the rotational motion from a generally vertical axis to a generally horizontal axis. In one embodiment, the drive train  100  may also include a hammering device  132 . The hammering device  132  converts a portion of the rotational motion supplied by the motor  110  into a rotational impacting motion. This rotational impacting motion is similarly converted from a generally vertical axis to a generally horizontal axis through the bevel gears  140 ,  150 , which are housed in the tool chuck assembly  160 . The tool chuck assembly  160  may house a tool chuck  162  that is mechanically coupled to the second bevel gear  150 . The tool chuck  162  may be configured to receive a tool bit. 
     According to one embodiment the tool chuck assembly  160  is configured to rotate about a generally vertical axis. For example, the second bevel gear  150  and the tool chuck  162  may rotate along with the tool chuck assembly  160  and the second bevel gear  150  may be continually enmeshed with the first bevel gear  140  such that tool chuck  162  is rotationally coupled to the drive shaft  130  at all times. 
     In one embodiment where the tool chuck assembly  160  is configured to rotate, the drive train may include a locking mechanism  170  that maintains the tool chuck assembly  160  in a selected position. The locking mechanism  170  may include a spring-loaded shaft  172  that locks the tool chuck assembly  160  in a selected position. A trigger  174  coupled to the spring-loaded shaft  172  may allow a user to disengage the spring-loaded shaft  172  from the tool chuck assembly  160  such that it may be freely rotated. 
     The drive train  100  may include a speed controller  180  which allows a user to activate the motor  110 . In one example, the speed controller  180  may include a speed board  184  that completes an electric circuit between the battery  190  and the motor  110  when the spring  182  is compressed. When the spring  182  is not compressed, no power is supplied. Moreover, the drive train  100  may include a battery  190  that supplies electric power to the motor  110  through the battery board  192 . While in the depicted view the battery  190  is located below the rotational coupling mechanism  120 , the battery  190  may be located at any position along the drive train  100 . 
       FIG. 2  is a detailed side view illustrations of one embodiment of a powered hand tool  200  of the present invention. As depicted the hand tool  200  may include, a tool shell  210  with an integrally formed handle  212 , a rotational recess  214  disposed within the tool shell  210  opposite the handle  212 , the tool chuck assembly  160  with the tool chuck  162 , the speed controller, and the trigger  174 . 
     In one embodiment the hand tool  200  includes a tool shell  210  that has an aperture at its center. The handle  212  may be integrally formed into one side of the tool shell  210 . The speed controller  180  may be positioned within the aperture, on the same side of the tool shell  210  as the handle  212 , which would allow a user to change the speed of the motor (not shown) while gripping the handle  212 . The trigger  174  may also be placed within the aperture such that it could be easily engaged and allow the tool chuck assembly  160  to freely rotate. 
     The power tool  200  may also include a rotational recess  214  integrally formed into the tool shell  210 . According to one embodiment, the rotational recess  214  is positioned on a side of the tool shell  210  opposite the handle  212 . In this example, a user may exert force on the handle  212 , which transfers through the tool shell  210  directly to the tool chuck assembly  160  and tool chuck  162  which are housed in the rotational recess  214 . This improves the driving force of the power tool  200 . In this example, the rotational recess  214  may be disposed near a top portion of the tool shell  210 . 
       FIG. 2   a  is a detailed sectional side view illustration of one embodiment of a powered hand tool  200  of the present invention. As depicted, the hand tool  200  includes the motor  110  and motor shaft  112 , rotational coupling mechanism  120 , drive shaft  130 , hammering device  132 , tool chuck assembly  160  with the tool chuck  162 , locking mechanism  170 , and speed controller  180  as described in  FIG. 1 , disposed within the tool shell  210 . In this embodiment, the battery (not shown) is disposed within the tool shell  210 . 
     According to one embodiment the motor  110  and motor shaft  112  are disposed within the tool shell  210  on the same side as the handle  212 . The drive shaft  130  and bevel gears  140 ,  150  may be positioned within the tool shell  210  on a side opposite the motor  110  and motor shaft  112 . 
     According to another embodiment, the battery  190  is disposed within the tool shell on the same side as the handle  214 . In this embodiment the motor  110 , motor shaft,  112 , drive shaft  130  and bevel gears  140 ,  150  are positioned within the tool shell  210  on a side opposite the battery  190 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side view illustration of one embodiment of a powered hand tool  300  of the present invention. As depicted the hand tool  300  may include a tool shell  310  with an integrally formed handle  312 , and the tool chuck assembly  160  with the tool chuck. In one embodiment the hand tool  300  includes a tool shell  310  that has an aperture at its center. A handle  312  may be integrally formed into one side of the tool shell  310 . The speed controller (not shown) may be positioned within the aperture on the same side of the tool shell  310  as the handle, which would allow a user to easily change the speed of the motor (not shown) while gripping the handle  312 . The trigger (not shown) may also be placed within the aperture such that it could be engaged and allow the tool chuck assembly  160  to freely rotate. 
     The power tool  300  may also include the tool chuck assembly  160  with the tool chuck  162  positioned vertical to the tool shell  310  on a side opposite the handle  312 . Similar to the power tool in  FIG. 2 , aligning the chuck assembly  160  and handle  312  in this fashion allows the power tool  300  greater driving force 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view illustration of one embodiment of a tool chuck assembly  160  of the present invention. As depicted, the tool chuck assembly  160  may include the drive shaft  130 , the first bevel gear  140 , the second bevel gear  150 , and the tool chuck  162 . The tool chuck assembly  160  may also include a locking mechanism  170  that allows a user to disengage the tool chuck assembly  160  such that it may freely rotate. In this example, the locking mechanism  170  may include a spring-loaded shaft  172  that interacts with a number of indentations  478  that are positioned along the outside surface of the tool chuck assembly  160 . As the trigger  174  is activated, a spring  476  may be compressed which disengages the spring-loaded shaft  172  from the indentations  478 . In this configuration, the tool chuck assembly  160  may freely rotate about a generally vertical axis. 
     The present invention provides an improved hand power tool and drive train. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.