Patent ID: 7942617

Claim:
A control mechanism for a rotary hand tool having a generally cylindrical housing in which a drive motor is located, the housing having a generally tapered nose portion at an end from which a motor output shaft extends and a grip portion around which an operator can wrap a hand during operation of the tool and within which portion the motor is housed, said control mechanism being a part of the tool and located substantially within the housing thereof and comprising: an electrical control circuit contained entirely within said housing, said circuit controlling the application of power to and the operation of the motor, including supplying current to the motor; and a light touch electrical switch having at least two electrical switch contacts that are configured to be placed in at least a first position wherein said electrical switch contacts are closed circuited and a second position wherein said electrical switch contacts are open circuited, said electrical switch being coupled to said electrical control circuit for selectively enabling or disabling said control circuit to turn the motor on and off, wherein said motor current does not flow through said electrical switch contacts when said switch contacts are in either said first or second positions; wherein said electrical switch is disposed on the tapered nose portion of the rotary hand tool such that an operator can actuate said electrical switch without altering the operator's grip on the tool.