Patent ID: 7506876

Claim:
A quick-change system for changing a collet or bit on a tool having a tool body and a spindle for a tool drive shaft, comprising: an input ring gear to be attached to the body of the tool, a sun gear proximate the input ring gear which is to be selectively latched to or unlatched from the tool body, wherein an annular space is defined between respective facing parts of the sun gear and the input ring gear, an output ring gear proximate the sun gear and the input ring gear and having splines that are engageable and disengageable with a collet nut holding a collet or bit for the tool when the two are moved relative to each other a given axial distance, a set of planetary gears arranged in the annular space defined between the respective facing parts of the sun gear and the input ring gear, each planetary gear having a first gear portion at one end thereof meshing between the sun gear and the input ring gear and a second gear portion at an opposite end thereof for meshing with the output ring gear, and a collet nut for holding a collet or bit, wherein when the sun gear is latched to the tool body, the output ring gear and the collet nut are disengaged so as to allow the collet nut to rotate with the tool's spindle during operation of the tool, and wherein when the sun gear is unlatched from the tool body for changing the tool's collet or bit, the unlatched sun gear can rotate freely and is spring biased to cause the collet nut and output ring gear to move relative to each other the given axial distance to bring the output ring gear into engagement with the splines of the collet nut such that torquing the sun gear loosens or tightens the collet nut to release or clamp the bit, respectively.