Abstract:
The invention is based on a hand-held power tool device equipped with a locking device. The locking device is provided for locking an output device and has at least one locking element for supporting at least one radial clamping force. According to a proposed embodiment, the locking element is provided to fasten and/or axially secure at least one component.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/951,698, filed on Nov. 22, 2010, which claims priority to and the benefit of German Patent Application No. 10 2009 054 929.3, filed on Dec. 18, 2009, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention is based on a hand-held power tool device equipped with a locking device, which is for locking an output device and has at least one locking element for supporting at least one radial clamping force. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     There is already a known hand-held power tool device, in particular for a screwdriver, equipped with a locking device, which is for locking an output device in the form of a spindle and has a locking element embodied in the form of a clamping ring for supporting radial clamping forces of clamping elements composed of rollers. 
     SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one proposed embodiment, the locking element is provided for fastening at least one component. In this connection, a “locking device” should in particular be understood to be a device that is provided to disable and/or inhibit an output device and/or a rotary motion of the output device in at least one operating state. An “output device” should in particular be understood here to be a device that is provided to transmit a driving power and that preferably has at least one output shaft that a motor drives in an operating state of the hand-held power tool. The term “radial” here should in particular be understood to be radial to a rotation axis of the rotary motion of the output device to be locked. In addition, a “clamping force” should in particular be understood to be a force that is produced by a clamping procedure as part of the locking action. Preferably, the output shaft drives a tool to rotate during operation, for example a screwdriver, a drill, a boring chisel, a milling tool, etc. The term “provided” should in particular be understood to be specially equipped and/or designed. In addition, the term “fastening” should in particular be understood to mean that in the fully assembled state of a hand-held power tool with the hand-held power tool device, the locking element is used for fastening an additional component; the additional component is fixed firmly in place with the locking element and the locking element supports a bearing force of the component. An “axial securing” should in particular be understood to mean that a bearing force of the component, in particular a transmission component, is supported by the locking element in the axial direction, i.e. particularly in the direction of a rotation axis of the output device. The locking element in this case is preferably manufactured at least partially out of a metallic material. Particularly preferably, the locking element is embodied in the form of a screw-mounting flange to which at least one component, in particular a transmission component, can be fastened and/or axially secured by means of a screw connection. 
     Through a corresponding embodiment, a component—which must have a fundamentally rugged construction—can be advantageously used to support additional bearing forces. It is advantageously possible to reduce mechanical and thermal stresses on housing parts, in particular plastic housing parts. It is also advantageously possible, by fastening an additional component to the locking element, to achieve an advantageous reinforcing of the locking element, allowing the latter to be embodied in a particularly space-saving and light-weight fashion. 
     The locking element can be composed of various components deemed suitable by the person skilled in the art, e.g. one or more annular segments, etc. It is particularly advantageous, however, for the locking element to be composed of a clamping ring that preferably extends over 360°, advantageously permitting forces to be supported. 
     If the hand-held power tool device has a housing unit in which the locking element is supported with a radial play of less than 0.1 mm and particularly advantageously, less than 0.05 mm and particularly preferably, in which the locking element is affixed without play in the radial direction, then in particular, bearing forces of the component, which is to be fastened by means of the locking element, can be supported in an advantageously determined fashion, in particular without play. 
     The locking element can be fastened in a housing unit equipped with fastening elements such as screws, clamping elements, etc. and/or can be pressed-fitted into a housing unit. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, however, the housing unit is molded around the locking element, i.e. in a manufacturing process of the housing unit, the locking element is in particular inserted into an injection mold and then a material of which the housing unit is at least partially manufactured, in particular such as plastic, is injection molded around it. Through a corresponding embodiment, it is possible to achieve an advantageously inexpensive design, particularly in that the locking element can be manufactured within broad tolerances with regard to its outer contour. 
     According to another proposed embodiment of the invention, the hand-held power tool device has a pivot bearing unit that is provided to support the output device and includes the component to be fastened, which is composed of a bearing component. The term “pivot bearing unit” here should in particular be understood to mean a unit that is provided for the rotating support of a component of the output device and in particular, has at least one slide bearing and/or rolling bearing. Through a corresponding embodiment, it is possible in particular to achieve an advantageous reinforcement of the locking element, advantageously providing savings with regard to space, in particular a length of the installation space, particularly if the bearing component and the locking element are situated in at least one common plane extending perpendicular to a rotation axis of the pivot bearing unit. The bearing component can be fastened to the locking element using various fastening elements deemed suitable by the person skilled in the art, e.g. screws, clamping elements, etc. It is particularly advantageous, however, for the hearing component to he connected to the locking element by means of a press-fitted connection, making it possible to advantageously avoid undesirable tolerances in a structurally simple fashion. In this connection, it is particularly preferable for the bearing component, e.g. a ring element, to be press-fitted into a recess of the locking element. 
     According to another proposed embodiment, the locking element is provided for axially securing at least one output shaft and/or at least one adjusting element, once again reducing stresses on housing components and enabling savings with regard to components, space, and weight. An “adjusting element” should in particular be understood to be an element that is provided for being actuated by a user and/or an actuator during an adjustment, e.g. when setting of a maximum torque, etc. 
     According to another proposed embodiment, the locking element is provided for directly supporting an output shaft. The term “directly” here should in particular be understood to mean that the locking element and the output shaft contact each other with corresponding bearing surfaces directly, i.e. without interposed components. With a corresponding embodiment, the locking element—which must have a fundamentally rugged construction—can be advantageously used to directly support a bearing force, thus permitting savings in terms of components, space, weight, and assembly complexity. 
     If the locking element in this case is manufactured out of a sintered material, particularly advantageous sliding properties can be achieved in a structurally simple fashion. 
     The embodiment according to the invention, i.e. the hand-held power tool device according to the invention, can be used in various hand-held tools deemed suitable by the person skilled in the art, e.g. in angle grinders, milling machines, power saws, power drills, impact drills, and rotary hammers. The embodiment according to the invention can be used to particular advantage in cordless devices due to the particularly advantageous possibilities for savings in terms of components, space, and weight. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a hand-held power tool equipped with a hand-held power tool device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a detail of a longitudinal section through the hand-held power tool from  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  shows a detail of a longitudinal section through an alternative hand-held power tool. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  schematically depicts a hand-held power tool embodied in the form of a cordless impact drill/screwdriver  34   a , having a drive motor  38   a  that is accommodated in a machine housing  36   a  and is able to drive an output shaft  18   a  of an output device  12   a  via a planetary gear set  40   a  that is not depicted in detail ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The output shaft  18   a  has a clamping chuck  42   a  fastened to it. The clamping chuck  42   a  has a clamping device  44   a  that can be actuated in order to fasten a tool in the rotation direction  46   a  around a rotation axis  28   a  of the output device  12   a  relative to the machine housing  36   a.    
     The hand-held power tool also has a hand-held power tool device with a locking device  10   a  for locking the output shaft  18   a  of the output device  12   a  ( FIG. 2 ). The locking device  10   a  is used to couple the output shaft  18   a  in a rotationally fixed fashion in relation to the machine housing  36   a  when the tool is being clamped and released by means of the clamping device  44   a . The locking device  10   a  is automatically opened or more precisely stated, automatically releases the output shaft  18   a , when a torque is transmitted from the drive motor  38   a  to the clamping chuck  42   a  and is automatically closed or more precisely stated, automatically immobilizes the output shaft  18   a , when a torque is transmitted from the clamping chuck  42   a  to the drive motor  38   a.    
     The locking device  10   a  includes a locking element  14   a , which is embodied in the form of a clamping ring, for supporting radial clamping forces  16   a . Inside the locking element  14   a , clamping elements  48   a  are situated between the locking element  14   a  and the output shaft  18   a  and, in order to lock the output shaft  18   a  when a torque is transmitted from the clamping chuck  42   a  to the drive motor  38   a , are moved in the circumference direction into tapering gaps, thus producing the radial clamping forces  16   a  and locking the output shaft  18   a  in the rotation direction  46   a . The clamping elements  48   a  are embodied in the form of rollers. When a torque is transmitted from the drive motor  38   a  to the clamping chuck  42   a , the clamping elements  48   a  are carried along by catch elements  50   a  of a catch device  52   a  so that the clamping elements  48   a  are prevented from jamming inside the locking element  14   a . The catch device  52   a  is embodied of one piece with a planet carrier of the planetary gear seat  40   a.    
     The locking element  14   a  is provided for fastening and axially securing components. The locking element  14   a  is affixed without play in the radial direction in a housing unit  20   a  of the machine housing  36   a , which housing unit is manufactured out of plastic; in fact, the housing unit  20   a  is molded around the locking element  14   a . The hand-held power tool device includes a pivot bearing unit  22   a  that is provided to support the output shaft  18   a  of the output device  12   a  at an end oriented toward the drive motor  38   a  and includes one of the components to be fastened, which is constituted by a bearing component  24   a . The bearing component  24   a  and the locking element  14   a  are connected to each other by means of a press-fitted connection  26   a . The bearing component  24   a  is constituted by an outer ring of a rolling bearing and is pressed-fitted into an inner circumference of the locking element  14   a . The bearing component  24   a  and the locking element  14   a  arc situated in common planes  30   a  extending perpendicular to a rotation axis  28   a  of the pivot bearing unit  22   a . The bearing component  24   a  is situated completely inside an axial region defined by the locking element  14   a.    
     During operation, an inner bearing ring  54   a  of the pivot bearing unit  22   a  serves as an axial stop element for the clamping elements  48   a , making it possible to advantageously prevent a relative movement between the clamping elements  48   a  and the inner bearing ring  54   a  and a resulting generation of heat. The inner bearing ring  54   a  is press-fitted onto the output shaft  18   a . If the output shaft  18   a  is loaded in the direction toward the clamping elements  48   a , then the inner bearing ring  54   a  is shifted slightly toward the clamping elements  48   a  in relation to the bearing component  24   a  so that the inner bearing ring  54   a  can advantageously function as a stop element. 
     The locking element  14   a  also serves to axially secure the output shaft  18   a  and an adjusting element  32   a  ( FIG. 1 ). For this purpose, a securing means, not shown, which constitutes an axial stop for the output shaft  18   a  and an axial stop for the adjusting element  32   a , is fastened to the locking element  14   a  by means of axial fastening means  56   a . The fastening means  56   a  are constituted by screws that are screwed into internal threads  58   a  of the locking element  14   a . The locking element  14   a  constitutes a screw flange. 
       FIG. 3  shows an alternative exemplary embodiment. Components, features, and functions that remain the same have essentially been provided with the same reference numerals. To differentiate between the exemplary embodiments, however, the letters a and b have been added to their respective reference numerals. The description below is essentially limited to the differences as compared to the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; with regard to components, features, and functions that remain the same, the reader is referred to the description of the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a hand-held power tool device with a locking element  14   b  that is provided for directly supporting an output shaft  18   b . The locking element  14   b  constitutes a slide bearing surface  60   b  by means of which the locking element  14   b  directly contacts the output shaft  18   b . The locking element  14   b  is manufactured out of a sintered material. Essentially, however, it is also conceivable for it to be made of any other material deemed suitable by the person skilled in the art. 
     It is also conceivable for a slide bearing  62   b  to be press-fitted into the locking element  14   b , as indicated in  FIG. 3 . 
     The foregoing relates to preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, it being understood that other variants and embodiments thereof are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, the latter being defined by the appended claims.