Patent Publication Number: US-2023158659-A1

Title: Side handle for power tool

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. Pat. Application No. 17/701,007 filed on Mar. 22, 2022, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. Application No. 63/165,902 filed on Mar. 25, 2021, the entire contents of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to power tools, and more particularly to side handle assemblies for use with power tools. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Power tools, such as rotary power tools (e.g., drill drivers, hammer drills, rotary hammer, etc.) are typically used with side handle assemblies to provide the operator of the tool with an additional location where the power tool can be grasped to exert leverage while the power tool is being used. Such side handle assemblies are typically clamped to a neck on the power tool along a working axis of the power tool. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides, in one aspect, a side handle assembly for a power tool. The side handle assembly comprises a handle configured to be gripped by a user, a rod coaxially coupled at a first end to the handle, the rod rotationally fixed to the handle, and a clamp coupled to the rod at a second end opposite the first end. The clamp includes a flexible band enclosing an area and having a first end and a second end, a first connection block coupled to the first end of the flexible band, the first connection block having a through bore, and a second connection block coupled to the second end of the flexible band, the second connection block having a threaded bore. The rod includes an annular shoulder abutted with the first connection block and a threaded portion received within the threaded bore of the second connection block. In response to the handle being rotated in a first direction, the second connection block is moved closer to the first connection block along the threaded portion of the rod, decreasing the area enclosed by the flexible band. In response to the handle being rotated in an opposite, second direction, the second connection block is moved away from the first connection block along the threaded portion of the rod, increasing the area enclosed by the flexible band. 
     The present invention provides, in another aspect, a side handle assembly for a power tool. The side handle assembly comprises a handle configured to be gripped by a user, a rod coaxially coupled at a first end to the handle, the rod and the handle sharing a common longitudinal axis, a mounting assembly including a first tool interface and a second tool interface, and an orientation adjustment mechanism coupling a second end of the rod to the mounting assembly. The first tool interface is moveable relative to the second tool interface to selectively apply a clamping force to the power tool to secure the side handle assembly to the power tool. The orientation adjustment mechanism is configured to selectively affix an orientation of the rod and the handle relative to the mounting assembly. 
     Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is perspective view of a hammer drill including a side handle assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the side handle assembly of  FIG.  1     
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of the side handle assembly of  FIG.  2    taken along section line 3-3. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a side handle assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view of the side handle assembly of  FIG.  4    taken along section line 5-5. 
         FIG.  6    is an enlarged side view of a mounting assembly of the side handle assembly of  FIG.  4   . 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly of  FIG.  4    taken along section line 7-7. 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of a side handle assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  9    is an enlarged perspective view of the side handle assembly of  FIG.  8    showing an orientation adjustment mechanism and a mounting mechanism. 
         FIG.  10    is a cross-sectional view of the side handle assembly of  FIG.  9    taken along section line 10-10. 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view of a side handle assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG.  12    is an enlarged perspective view of the side handle assembly of  FIG.  11    showing an orientation adjustment mechanism. 
         FIG.  13    is an enlarged perspective view of the side handle assembly of  FIG.  11    showing an orientation adjustment mechanism with a second receiver removed. 
         FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional view of the side orientation adjustment mechanism of  FIG.  12    taken along section line 14-14. 
     
    
    
     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. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a rotary power tool, such as a hammer drill  4 . The hammer drill  4  includes a housing  8 , a chuck  12 , and a clutch ring  16 . A tool bit (not shown) may be secured to the chuck  12  for co-rotation with the chuck  12  about a rotational axis Al. In the illustrated embodiment, the hammer drill  4  includes a side handle assembly  20  to provide the operator of the hammer drill  4  with an additional location (besides a rear handle) where the hammer drill  4  can be grasped to exert leverage while the hammer drill  4  is being used. The side handle assembly  20  is mounted to a neck  24  of the hammer drill  4  coaxial with the rotational axis A1, permitting the operator to grasp the hammer drill  4  with two hands at two distinct locations (at the rear handle and the side handle assembly  20 , proximate the front of the hammer drill  4 ). 
       FIG.  2    illustrates the side handle assembly  20  of  FIG.  1   . The side handle assembly  20  includes a handle  28  that is configured to be gripped by a user. A rod  32  is fixedly attached to the handle  28  so that rotation of the handle  28  results in a similar rotation of the rod  32  about a common longitudinal axis A2. In other words, the rod  32  is fixed to the handle  28  for rotation therewith. In the illustrated embodiment, a band clamp  36  is attached to the rod  32  opposite the handle  28 . The band clamp  36  includes a flexible band  40  having a first connection block  44  at a first end and a second connection block  48  at a second end. The first and second connection blocks  44 ,  48  are attached to the rod  32  in such a way that the flexible band  40  encloses a substantially circular area. As seen in  FIG.  1   , the band clamp  36  surrounds the neck  24  of the hammer drill  4  to attach the side handle assembly  20  to the hammer drill  4 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  3   , a second end of the rod  32 , where the rod  32  is attached to the band clamp  36 , includes an annular shoulder  52 , a non-threaded portion  56 , and a threaded portion  60 . Within the first connection block  44  is a through bore  64  sized to receive the non-threaded portion  56  of the second end of the rod  32 . Within the second connection block  48  is a threaded bore  68  that corresponds to the threaded portion  60  of the second end of the rod  32 . The first connection block  44  receives the non-threaded portion  56  and is abutted against the annular shoulder  52  such that the first connection block  44  is prohibited from moving along the longitudinal axis A2 toward the handle  28 . The second connection block  48  is attached to the rod  32  at the threaded portion  60 . Rotation of the handle  28 , and thus the rod  32 , about the longitudinal axis A2 results in the second connection block  48  moving along the threaded portion  60  of the rod  32 . If the handle  28  is rotated in a first direction (e.g., clockwise), the interaction of the threads on the rod  60  and the threads within the second connection block  68  result in the second connection block  48  moving toward to the first connection block  44  and the annular shoulder  52 , thereby decreasing the substantially circular area enclosed by the band clamp  36 . If the handle  28  is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction (e.g., counterclockwise), the second connection block  48  moves away from the first connection block  44 , increasing the substantially circular area enclosed by the band clamp  36 . Decreasing the area of the band clamp  36  while it surrounds the neck  24  of the hammer drill  4  results in the band clamp  36  exerting a clamping force on the neck  24  and securing the side handle assembly  20  to the hammer drill  4 . Increasing the area enclosed by the band clamp  36  removes the clamping force from the hammer drill  4  and allows the side handle assembly  20  to be removed from the hammer drill  4 . 
       FIGS.  4 - 7    illustrate a side handle assembly  20   b  according to another embodiment of the invention. The side handle assembly  20   b  is similar to the side handle of the previous embodiment, with like parts having the same reference numeral plus the letter “b”, and the following differences explained below. Rather than a band clamp attached to the second end of the rod  32   b , the side handle assembly  20   b  includes an orientation adjustment mechanism  72  and a mounting assembly  76 . The illustrated embodiment allows for the orientation of the side handle assembly  20   b  with respect to the hammer drill  4   b  to be adjusted without removing the mounting assembly  76  from the hammer drill  4 . In the illustrated embodiment, the orientation adjustment mechanism  72  includes a mated pair of face gears  80 ,  84 , each having radially extending teeth arranged about a rotational axis A3 of the respective face gear  80 ,  84 . A first face gear  80  is affixed to the second end of the rod  32   b  and a second face gear  84  is affixed to the mounting assembly  76 . With reference to  FIG.  5   , a fastener  88 , such as a bolt and wing nut, secures the first face gear  80  to the second face gear  84 . When the fastener  88  is tightened, the first face gear  80  mates with the second face gear  84 , thereby preventing relative rotation between the first face gear  80  and the second face gear  84 . In other words, tightening the fastener  88  fixes the orientation of the handle  28   b  and rod  32   b  with respect to the mounting assembly  76  by fixing the orientation of the first and second face gears  80 ,  84 . When the fastener  88  is loosened, the first face gear  80  can disengage the second face gear  84 , thereby allowing relative rotation between the first face gear  80  and the second face gear  84 . The relative rotation allows for the orientation of the side handle assembly  20   b  to be adjusted with respect to the hammer drill  4   b  without removing the mounting assembly  76  from the hammer drill  4   b . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  6 - 7   , the mounting assembly  76  includes a first tool interface  92 , a second tool interface  96 , and a clamping shaft  100 . In the illustrated embodiment, the clamping shaft  100  is illustrated as a partially threaded rod. The clamping shaft  100  includes a threaded portion  104  at one end and a knob  108  at an opposite end that defines a shoulder  110  against which the first tool interface  92  is abutted. The first tool interface  92  of the illustrated embodiment is shaped to correspond with a portion of the neck  24   b  of the hammer drill  4   b  and includes a through bore  112  located such that, when the clamping shaft  100  is inserted in the through bore  112 , the clamping shaft  100  does not interfere with the tool housing  8   b . The first tool interface  92  is abutted with the shoulder  110  of the knob  108  to limit the extent to which the first tool interface  92  can move along a longitudinal axis A4 of the clamping shaft  100  away from the second tool interface  96 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second tool interface  96  is integrally formed with the second face gear  84 . In other embodiments, the second tool interface  96  can be separately formed from the second face gear  84  and then affixed to the second face gear  84 . The second tool interface  96  is shaped such that a portion of the second tool interface  96  corresponds to a portion of the neck  24   b  of the hammer drill  4   b , thereby allowing the second tool interface  96  to grip the hammer drill  4   b  when installed. A threaded bore  116  exists within the second tool interface  96  and is sized to receive the threaded portion  104  of the clamping shaft  100  in such a way that the clamping shaft  100  does not interfere with the tool housing  8   b . As the knob  108  of the clamping shaft  100  is rotated in a first direction (e.g., clockwise), the first tool interface  92 , which is abutted against the shoulder  110  of the knob  108 , is moved toward the second tool interface  96  due to the interaction of the threaded portion  104  of the clamping shaft  100  and the threaded bore  116  within the second tool interface  96 . The resulting decreased distance between the first and second tool interfaces  92 ,  96  allows the first and second tool interfaces  92 ,  96  to engage the neck  24   b  of the hammer drill  4   b  and apply a clamping force thereto. Rotation of the knob  108  in a second direction (e.g., counterclockwise), opposite the first, separates the first and second tool interfaces  92 ,  96  and disengages the side handle assembly  20   b  from the neck  24   b  of the hammer drill  4   b . 
       FIGS.  8 - 10    illustrate a side handle assembly  20   c  according to another embodiment of the invention. The side handle assembly  20   c  is similar to the side handle of the previous embodiments, with like parts having the same reference numeral plus the letter “c”, and the following differences explained below. Rather than utilizing face gears to adjust the orientation of the handle  28   c  with respect to the hammer drill  4   c , the illustrated embodiment includes a ball and socket joint  120 . A ball  124  is affixed to the second end of the rod  32   c . A socket  128  of corresponding size is affixed to a first end of the clamping shaft  100   c  of the mounting assembly  76   c . On the outside of the socket  128  are threads  132  intended to interface with a fastener (e.g., a nut  90  that surrounds the ball and socket joint  120 . When the nut  90  is removed from the socket  128 , the ball  124  and rod  32   c  are capable of swiveling relative to the socket  128  and mounting assembly  76   c . When the nut  90  is threaded onto the socket  128 , the socket  128  is tightened around the ball  124 , thereby preventing relative motion between the ball  124  and the socket  128 . In other embodiments, the ball  124  may be coupled to the mounting assembly  76   c  and the socket  128  may be coupled to the rod  32   c . The ball  124  and the socket  128  may be integrally formed with the rod  32   c  or clamping shaft  100   c , respectively, or they may be separately formed and subsequently affixed. 
     With continued reference to  FIG.  10   , the mounting assembly  76   c  includes the clamping shaft  100   c  affixed to the socket  128 , a first tool interface  92   c , and a second tool interface  96   c . In the illustrated embodiment, the socket  128  is integrally formed at one end of the clamping shaft  100   c . At an end of the clamping shaft  100   c  opposite the socket  128  is a threaded portion  104   c . The threaded portion  104   c  is mated with a threaded bore  136  within the first tool interface  92   c . The second tool interface  96   c  is axially affixed to the clamping shaft  100   c  proximate to the socket  128 , yet the clamping shaft  100   c  is permitted to rotate relative to the second tool interface  96   c . In operation, with the ball and socket joint  120  in a locked state, rotating the handle  28   c  in a first direction (e.g., clockwise) also rotates the clamping shaft  100   c  relative to the first tool interface  92   c , moving the first tool interface  92   c  closer toward the second tool interface  96   c  and decreasing the distance between the first and second tool interfaces  92   c ,  96   c  to allow them to exert a clamping force on the neck  24   c  of the hammer drill  4   c . Rotating the handle  28   c  and clamping shaft  100   c  in an opposite direction (e.g., counterclockwise) separates the first and second tool interfaces  92   c ,  96   c , thereby allowing for the removal of the side handle assembly  20   c  from the neck  24   c  of the hammer drill  4   c . 
       FIGS.  11 - 14    illustrate a side handle assembly  20   d  according to another embodiment of the invention. The side handle assembly  20   d  is similar to the side handle of the previous embodiments, with like parts having the same reference numeral plus the letter “d”, and the following differences explained below. Rather than using face gears or a ball and socket joint, the orientation adjustment mechanism  72   d  of the illustrated embodiment utilizes a push button assembly  140  including a first receiver  144 , a second receiver  148 , a shaft  152 , and a biasing member  156 . The first receiver  144  is affixed to the second end of the rod  32   d  ( FIG.  12   ) and the second receiver  148  is affixed to the mounting assembly (not shown, but like either of the mounting assemblies of  FIGS.  4 - 10   ). The first and second receivers  144 ,  148  are shaped to interface is such a way that allows for relative rotation about a common axis of rotation A5. The axis of rotation A5 is defined as the longitudinal axis of the shaft  152 . A first end  160  of the shaft  152  in the illustrated embodiment has a noncircular cross-sectional shape ( FIG.  12   ). The shaft  152  also has a middle portion  164  with a circular cross-sectional shape ( FIG.  13   ) and a second end  168  of any shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end  160  of the shaft  152  includes a square cross-sectional shape. 
     The shaft  152  is located within the two receivers  144 ,  148  such that the first end  160  interfaces with a corresponding hole  172  in the second receiver  148  and a hole  176  in the first receiver  144  that allows the first end  160  of the shaft  152  to have multiple potential engagement orientations. In the illustrated embodiment, the hole  176  of the first receiver  144  is configured as a double-hexagon having twelve points with which the first end  160  of the shaft  152  are engageable. The shaft  152  is axially movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The engaged position prevents relative rotation of the first and second receivers  144 ,  148 , while the disengaged position allows the receivers  144 ,  148  to rotate with respect to each other by disengaging the shaft first end  160  from the hole  176  in the first receiver  144 . In the illustrated embodiment, the biasing member  156  is a compression spring. The biasing member  156  is seated between the second end of the shaft  168  and the first receiver  144  to bias the shaft  152  toward the engaged position. In operation, the shaft  152  is biased to the engaged position by the biasing member  156 , thereby preventing rotation of the first receiver  144  with respect to the second receiver  148  thus locking the orientation of the handle  28   d  with respect to the hammer drill  4   d . To alter the orientation of the handle  28   d , the shaft  152  is pressed to the disengaged position by axially displacing the shaft  152  against the direction of the biasing member  156 . In this position, the first end  160  of the shaft  152  is disengaged from the first receiver  144 , thereby allowing the receiver  144  to rotate to a new desired position. Once the desired position is reached, the biasing member  156  is again allowed to bias the shaft  152  to the engaged position, preventing further rotation of the first receiver  144 . 
     Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the invention as described. 
     Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.