Patent ID: 7328904

Claim:
A chuck for a drill/driver, the chuck comprising: an input shaft having a cavity; a chuck actuating shaft received in the cavity and rotatable about a chuck axis, the chuck actuating shaft having an aperture with a female threaded portion; a chuck actuating screw having a male threaded portion that is threadably engaged to the female threaded portion; a plurality of jaws received in the cavity and engaging the input shaft, the jaws being coupled to the chuck actuating screw such that rotation of the chuck actuating shaft relative to the chuck actuating screw translates the jaws so that the jaws converge toward or diverge from the chuck axis; and means coupled to at least one of the chuck actuating screw, the chuck actuating shaft and the input shaft for limiting elongation of the chuck actuating screw in an axial direction when the jaws are positioned in a fully opened condition; wherein the means for limiting elastic elongation includes a first thread stop dog and a second thread stop dog, wherein contact between the first and second thread stop dogs inhibits rotation of the chuck actuating screw in a predetermined rotational direction, wherein the first thread stop dog is coupled to an annular body that is disposed about the chuck actuating screw, and wherein said annular body is rotatable relative to the chuck actuating screw.