Patent Application
20080043459
These and other objects advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the figures, in which:
Referring to
Referring to
A forward indicator 26 is located at the rear end of head assembly 14. Forward indicator 26 comprises a relatively low intensity light emitting diode source and lights up upon depression of the upper end of switch 17 in the direction indicated by arrow 18. Forward indicator 26 is located at the rear end of head assembly 14. Reverse indicator 28 comprises a relatively low intensity light emitting diode source or other light emitting device and lights up upon depression of the lower end of switch 17 in the direction indicated by arrow 22.
Head assembly 14 houses a motor (not illustrated) which is coupled by switch 17 and battery connection contacts to a battery pack 30. The electrical connections between switch 17, the battery connection contacts on battery pack 30 and the remainder of handle portion 12, and battery pack 30 are of conventional design. Also in a manner conventional to the prior art, a battery on-off switch 32 is coupled to battery pack 30 and a workpiece illuminating light 34 located on head assembly 14. When on-off switch 32 is operated, it turns on or shuts off light 34. Light 34 may be a light emitting diode or other solid-state light emitting device and, in accordance with the preferred embodiment, light 34 emits light with an intensity greater than that of indicators 26-28, in order to provide sufficient illumination to a workpiece which is being drilled, screwed, or otherwise acted upon by the inventive tool 10.
Tool 10 is provided with a conventional clutch mechanism, housed in head assembly 14, not illustrated. This clutch mechanism is adjusted in a conventional manner by a rotatable collar 36, which is a calibrated with markings 38, in this case the numerals one through five, as illustrated in
The clutch mechanism drives chuck 40, which may be a chuck of any conventional design. The particular chuck illustrated is a hex-socket chuck. Alternatively, a multiple finger gripping chuck of the type manufactured by Jacobs may be employed. Alternatively, self-tightening chucks may also be employed.
Handle portion 12 is provided with a boot 42. Boot 42 is made of a relatively rigid rubbery material and engages the bottom of handle portion 12 by friction and or locking structure such as a depressed area 44 on the base of handle 12 and a mating raised stud 46 in boot 42, as is illustrated most clearly in
Strap 16 may be made of a length of extruded polyvinyl chloride polymer plastic secured in a socket 48 associated with a locking hook 50.
Boot 42 may be slid from handle portion 12 by sliding in the direction of arrow 52, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
When it is desired to recharge battery pack 30, the battery pack is removed from the tool as described above. After the pack has been removed, rotatingly mounted male electrical current prongs 60 are rotated in the direction of arrow 62 from a stowed position to an intermediate position illustrated in
Prongs 60 may then be inserted into an ordinary house current socket and the battery charged. Initially, if a battery is uncharged, red light 66 is lit. When half charge is achieved, yellow light 68 only is illuminated. Finally, when full charge is achieved, only green light 70 is illuminated. Battery pack 30 may then be replaced into tool 10 and continue to power operation of tool 10.
Alternatively, as illustrated in
Power is coupled from battery pack 30 by a pair of electrical contacts 80 and 82 which mate with contacts 84 and 86 on the tool body, as illustrated most clearly in
While an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described, it is, of course, understood that various modifications may be made from the illustrated embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is limited and defined only by the following claims.
