Electrostatic discharge system for power tool

Abstract

A power tool includes a housing, a motor disposed in the housing, a transfer conduit at least partially disposed within the housing, and a printed circuit board. The fan is driven by the motor to move the dust along the transfer duct. The electrostatic discharge mechanism extends from an interior of the housing to an exterior of the housing and is configured to dissipate electrostatic charges from the printed circuit board.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 519,720, filed on August 15, 2023, and is incorporated by reference thereto. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to power tools and, more particularly, to dust collection assemblies for use with power tools. Background Art

[0004] Dust collection assemblies are often used in conjunction with hand-held drilling tools such as rotary hammers to collect dust and other debris during drilling operations to prevent dust and other debris from accumulating on site. Such dust collection assemblies can be connected to the rotary hammer to position the suction port of the dust collector near the drill bit attached to the rotary hammer. Such dust collection assemblies can also include an onboard dust container in which dust and other debris accumulates. Such dust containers are often removable from the dust collection assembly to facilitate disposal of accumulated dust and debris. Summary of the invention

[0005] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an electric tool comprising: a housing including a handle and a drive unit housing; a motor disposed in the drive unit housing; an output chuck configured to receive a tool bit driven by the motor to perform a machining operation; a conveying duct at least partially disposed in the housing; a fan driven by the motor to cause an airflow for conveying dust and debris generated during the machining operation through the conveying duct, thereby generating static charge on the conveying duct; and a conductor at least partially exposed along the outside of the housing to transmit the static charge generated during the machining operation.

[0006] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an electric tool comprising: a housing comprising a first housing and a second housing; a motor disposed in the second housing; an output portion configured to receive a tool head driven by the motor to perform a machining operation; a transfer pipe at least partially disposed in the housing; a fan driven by the motor and directing static charge to the transfer pipe; and an electrostatic discharge system configured to transfer charge generated at a first section of the electrostatic discharge system to a second section of the electrostatic discharge system.

[0007] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an electric tool comprising a housing, a motor disposed in the housing, an output channel configured to receive a tool head driven by the motor to perform a machining operation, a transfer duct at least partially disposed in the housing, a fan driven by the motor and directing static charge onto the transfer duct, a printed circuit board disposed in the housing, and an electrostatic discharge mechanism extending from the interior of the housing to the exterior of the housing, wherein the electrostatic discharge mechanism is configured to prevent charge accumulation on the printed circuit board.

[0008] In some examples, the power tool includes a conductor extending between the transmission pipe and the handle, and the conductor is exposed at the handle. In some examples, the conductor includes a first conductor connected to the handle, a second conductor connected to the transmission pipe, and a third conductor extending between the first conductor and the second conductor. In some examples, the third conductor is a wire extending into at least one of the handle and the drive unit housing and extending to the vicinity of one of the printed circuit board, the motor, and the battery receptacle. In some examples, the first conductor is a wire having a first portion connected to the inside of the handle and a second portion connected to the outside of the handle. In some examples, the second conductor is a metal plate shaped to follow the outer contour of the transmission pipe. In some examples, the power tool further includes an impact mechanism, which is configured to be driven by the output shaft of the motor, and wherein the impact mechanism is configured to apply an axial impact to the tool head so that the machining operation includes a hammering operation. In some examples, the fan is mounted to the output shaft of the motor, and the transmission pipe has an opening adjacent to the output chuck. In some examples, the transfer duct is disposed within the drive unit housing portion, and the power tool further includes a dust box removably coupled to the drive unit housing portion for storing dust and debris transferred through the transfer duct.

[0009] In some examples, the electrostatic discharge system further includes a wire, and the wire extends between the first section of the electrostatic discharge system and the second section of the electrostatic discharge system. In some examples, the transmission duct extends between the output portion and the second housing. In some examples, the power tool further includes a dust box housing in the second housing, and the fan is installed between the motor and the dust box housing. In some examples, the electrostatic discharge system includes a metal wire extending between the first housing portion and the second housing portion. In some examples, the electrostatic discharge system further includes a first conductor and a second conductor. In some examples, the first end of the wire is electrically connected to the first conductor, and the second end of the wire is electrically connected to the second conductor. In some examples, the power tool further includes a printed circuit board disposed in the housing. In some examples, the fan includes a first set of blades and a second set of blades, the first set of blades being configured to generate a first airflow to cool the printed circuit board, and the second set of blades being configured to generate a second airflow that causes the airflow to pass through the housing. In some examples, the power tool further includes a battery receptacle, the battery receptacle including an outer surface and one or more battery terminals. In some examples, one or more battery terminals are disposed on the outer surface of the battery receptacle.

[0010] In some examples, the conveying duct is disposed in the housing, and the power tool further includes a dust box, which is removably connected to the housing for storing dust and debris conveyed by the conveying duct. In some examples, the electrostatic discharge mechanism includes a wire, and the wire includes a first part, a second part, and a third part. In some examples, the first part and the third part of the wire are disposed in the housing. In some examples, the second part extends between the inside of the handle portion of the housing to the outer surface of the handle portion of the housing. In some examples, the second part of the wire extends from the first end to the second end along the outer surface of the handle portion of the housing, so that the first end is close to the battery receptacle of the power tool, and the second end is close to the transmission housing of the power tool. In some examples, the second part of the wire extends along the outer surface of the handle portion of the housing, so that the second part of the wire extends in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the handle portion. In some embodiments, the conveying duct is configured to move between an extended state and a contracted state.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a power tool includes a housing including a handle and a drive unit housing. A motor may be disposed within the drive unit housing. An output chuck may be configured to receive a tool head driven by the motor to perform a machining operation. A conveying conduit may be at least partially disposed within the housing. A fan may be driven by the motor to cause an airflow for conveying dust and debris generated during the machining operation through the conveying conduit. A conductor may be at least partially exposed along an outer side of the housing to transmit static charge generated by the fan on the conveying conduit during the machining operation.

[0012] In some examples, the delivery conduit can be located within the drive unit housing, and the conductor can extend between the delivery conduit and the handle. The conductor can be exposed at the handle. The conductor can include a first conductor coupled to the handle, a second conductor coupled to the delivery conduit, and a third conductor extending between the first conductor and the second conductor. The third conductor can be a wire extending into at least one of the handle, the drive unit housing, and the battery receptacle. The first conductor can be a wire having a first portion coupled to the interior of the handle and a second portion coupled to the exterior of the handle. The second conductor can be a metal plate shaped to follow the outer contour of the delivery conduit.

[0013] In some examples, the power tool may further include an impact mechanism configured to be driven by the output shaft of the motor to apply an axial impact to the tool head so that the machining operation includes a hammering operation. The fan may be mounted to the output shaft of the motor, and wherein the delivery duct has an opening adjacent to the output chuck. The delivery duct may be disposed within the drive unit housing. In some cases, the power tool may further include a dust box removably coupled to the drive unit housing for storing dust and debris delivered through the delivery duct.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a power tool may include a housing assembly, a motor disposed within the housing assembly to power a machining operation performed using a tool head, a transfer conduit disposed within the housing assembly, and a fan disposed within the housing assembly to induce an electrostatic charge on the transfer conduit. An electrostatic discharge system may be electrically connected to the transfer conduit at a first section of the electrostatic discharge system and configured to transfer the charge generated at the first section to a second section of the electrostatic discharge system and to the exterior of the housing assembly.

[0015] In some examples, the electrostatic discharge system may include a wire extending between a first section of the electrostatic discharge system and a second section of the electrostatic discharge system within the housing assembly to electrically connect the first section and the second section of the electrostatic discharge system. The power tool may further include an output portion configured to receive a tool head, and the motor may be disposed in a drive unit housing spaced apart from the output portion. The transfer duct may extend between the output portion and the drive unit housing. The power tool may further include a dust box housing, and a fan may be mounted between the motor and the dust box housing.

[0016] In some examples, the transfer conduit can be located within a first housing section of the housing assembly, and the housing assembly can further include a second housing section. The electrostatic discharge system can include a wire extending between the first housing and the second housing. The electrostatic discharge system can further include a first conductor and a second conductor. The first end of the wire can be electrically connected to the first conductor within the first housing of the housing assembly, and the second end of the wire can be electrically connected to the second conductor within the second housing of the housing assembly.

[0017] In some examples, the power tool may further include a printed circuit board disposed within the housing assembly. The fan may include a first set of blades and a second set of blades, the first set of blades being arranged to generate a first airflow for cooling the printed circuit board, and the second set of blades being arranged to generate a second airflow for conveying dust through the conveying duct. The power tool may further include a battery receptacle, the battery receptacle including an outer surface and one or more battery terminals. The one or more battery terminals may be disposed on an outer surface of the battery receptacle.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electric tool may include a housing, a motor disposed within the housing, and a conveying duct disposed at least partially within the housing. A fan may be driven by the motor to move dust along the conveying duct. A printed circuit board may be disposed within the housing and configured to control the operation of the motor. An electrostatic discharge mechanism may extend within the interior of the housing, the electrostatic discharge mechanism being configured to dissipate static charge from the conveying duct away from the printed circuit board.

[0019] In some examples, the transfer conduit can be disposed entirely within the housing. The power tool can further include a dust box removably coupled to the housing for storing dust and debris received through the transfer conduit. The electrostatic discharge mechanism can include a wire extending between an interior of the handle portion of the housing and an exterior surface of the handle portion of the housing.

[0020] Before explaining any embodiments of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or shown in the following drawings. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. Moreover, it should be understood that the words and terms used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered as limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 1A is a first side perspective view of a power tool including a dust collection assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A A second side perspective view of the power tool.

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of the power tool taken along line 2-2.

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1A A plan view of a part of a power tool.

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 1A A perspective view of another part of the power tool.

[0027] Figure 5A yes Figure 1A A top perspective view of a power tool with the depth setting mechanism in a first position.

[0028] Figure 5B yes Figure 1A A top perspective view of the power tool with the depth setting mechanism in the second position.

[0029] Figure 6 yes Figure 1A A plan view of a part of a power tool.

[0030] Figure 7 is used for Figure 1A A perspective view of a portion of a handle housing of a power tool.

[0031] Figure 8 is used for Figure 1A A perspective view of a portion of a drive unit housing of a power tool. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The disclosed embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, of the disclosed embodiments are shown. In fact, several different embodiments may be provided, and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0033] As used herein, "about," "approximately," "substantially," and "significantly" will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art and will vary to some extent in the context in which they are used. If the use of a term is unclear to one of ordinary skill in the art in the context in which the term is used, "about" and "approximately" will mean plus or minus <10% of the particular term, while "substantially" and "significantly" will mean plus or minus >10% of the particular term.

[0034] Also as used herein, unless otherwise defined or limited, ordinal numbers are used herein for ease of reference, generally based on the order in which specific components are presented in the relevant portions of the present disclosure. In this regard, for example, names such as "first," "second," and the like generally indicate only the order in which the relevant components are introduced for discussion, and generally do not indicate or require a particular spatial arrangement, priority or order of function or structure.

[0035] The disclosed power tools will be described with reference to an exemplary rotary hammer. However, it should be understood that any one or more of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosed rotary hammer may be incorporated into alternative forms of power tools, such as hammer drills, hammer chisels, breaker hammers, etc. Further, it should be understood that one or more of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosed power tools may be used outside the context of a rotary hammer and may be used more generally in mechanisms that impart both rotational motion and axial impact to a tool head.

[0036] According to aspects of the present disclosure, a power tool may include a dust removal system coupled to a housing of the power tool to extract dust and debris products during power tool operation (e.g., drilling, chiseling, etc.). The dust removal system generates suction via a fan that is operably connected to a motor to suck dust from a work surface and transport the dust to a container for collection. Accordingly, the dust removal system may include a duct or the like to transport dust from the work surface to the container. As dust travels along the duct, electrostatic charge (e.g., static charge) may accumulate on the duct, where it may be spread throughout the tool. In particular, the static charge may migrate to printed circuit boards, sensors, and other sensitive electronic components.

[0037] In order to provide protection against the accumulation of static charge, the power tool may include an electrostatic dissipation system (e.g., a discharge system or a grounding system) to prevent static charge from accumulating on the power tool. The discharge system is configured to electrically ground the tool to dissipate any static charge to a ground body (e.g., a charge sink such as the ground, a work surface, a support structure, an operator, etc.). In general, the discharge system may include one or more conductors connected between one or more components of the dust removal system (e.g., a duct, a dust container, etc.) and a terminal located outside the housing to contact the ground body. As a specific example, the discharge system may include a first conductor connected to the duct, a second conductor connected to the handle of the power tool, and a third conductor connected between the first conductor and the second conductor. At least a portion of the second conductor is disposed on the outside of the handle (e.g., the outside of the housing) to define a terminal of the discharge system. The third conductor may be a flexible wire configured to contact other components of the power tool (e.g., a housing, a gear box, etc.). When the ground body (e.g., the operator's hand) contacts the terminal, the static charge accumulated on the power tool can flow from the first conductor along the third conductor to the second conductor, where the static charge is discharged to the ground body. It should be understood that one or more of the first conductor, the second conductor, and the third conductor may be different sections of the same conductor, or may be different conductors that may be coupled together. Accordingly, more or fewer conductors may be used.

[0038] Figure 1A and Figure 1B A power tool 10 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the power tool 10 is a rotary hammer. The power tool 10 includes a dust collection assembly 14 integrated into the body of the tool. In other embodiments, one or more parts of the dust collection assembly 14 may be implemented as separate elements separate from the power tool 10, or may be positioned outside the power tool 10. As should be understood, the integration of the dust collection assembly 14 in the power tool 10 may allow the number of components for the operation of the power tool 10 and the dust collection assembly 14 to be reduced. For example, in some embodiments, the dust collection assembly 14 and the power tool 10 may share certain components. Therefore, integration may reduce the overall size, weight, and cost of the tool system. The profile of the tool system is also more compact, allowing the user to more easily manipulate and hold the tool system. It should be understood that the various features and embodiments described in the present disclosure may be mixed or interchanged into different combinations of features and embodiments. In other words, the specific combination of features disclosed herein is not intended to be limiting, but merely to illustrate exemplary embodiments.

[0039] The power tool 10 includes a housing 18 that is configured to house the operating components of the power tool 10 therein. The housing 18 can define different sections or regions, each of which can be a separate housing portion that is connected to form the housing 18 as a housing assembly, or together to form a unitary housing. For purposes of discussion, the unitary housing may include multiple housings having a clamshell-type structure, the multiple housings forming one or more sections of the unitary housing, wherein each half of the clamshell is a single component. Each housing section may correspond to a component that is received therein or forms a particular structure of the power tool 10. For example, the housing 18 includes a drive unit housing 22, a transmission housing 26, a handle housing 30, a battery receptacle 34, and a dust box housing 38. In some examples, the drive unit housing 22, the transmission housing 26, the handle housing 30, the battery receptacle 34, and the dust box housing 38 can be considered to be housing sections of the unitary housing. Reference Figure 1B and Figure 2 , the drive unit housing 22 houses a drive unit 42 configured to generate or produce torque. The drive unit housing 22 defines a vent 46 that allows air to flow into and out of the housing 18. In some embodiments, the drive unit housing 22 is formed of clamshell halves that can be coupled together (e.g., via fasteners, snap-fit ​​connections, etc.). The transmission housing 26 houses a transmission 50 (e.g., a transmission assembly) and an impact mechanism 54, the transmission being configured to receive torque from the drive unit 42 and rotationally drive a tool head 52 ( Figure 4 ), the impact mechanism is configured to receive torque from the transmission device 50 and apply impact to the tool head 52 ( Figure 4 The handle housing 30 is configured to be grasped by a user to control and operate the power tool 10 .

[0040] In some embodiments, the technology disclosed herein can be particularly advantageously used with an impact mechanism 54 configured as in the illustrated example. However, in other examples, other impact mechanisms can be used, including other devices known in the art that convert torque received from a motor into an impact on (or with) a tool head.

[0041] In some examples, the handle housing 30 can be a separate component that is movably connected to the rest of the housing 18, which can be formed integrally with each other (e.g., in a clamshell configuration). The handle can be moved to minimize vibrations transmitted to the operator. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the handle housing 30 is movably connected to the transmission housing 26 via an elastic member 58 at the first end 30a of the handle housing 30. The elastic member 58 is configured to allow the handle housing 30 to move relative to the transmission housing 26 while also sealing the handle housing 30 from contaminants. In some embodiments, the elastic member 58 is replaced by a different vibration absorbing member. In some embodiments, the elastic member 58 is used in combination with another damping member, such as a spring or an elastic bushing, or another type of damping element, such as a buffer, a shock absorber, etc. In the illustrated embodiment, a spring 59 is disposed in an inner cavity formed between the handle housing 30 and the transmission housing 26. The spring 59 is configured to absorb and / or damp the vibrations between the transmission housing 26 and the handle housing 30 by moving between an extended state and a compressed state. To this end, the resilient member 58 is configured to move between the extended state and the compressed state as the spring 59 moves between the extended state and the compressed state. In some embodiments, multiple damping members are included, such as multiple springs. In some embodiments, the damping members are arranged differently relative to the transmission housing 26 and the handle housing 30. In some embodiments, no vibration absorbing member is included. In some embodiments, the damping member (one or more) can be an elastic bushing, a buffer, a shock absorber, etc.

[0042] The battery receptacle 34 is located at the second end 30b of the handle housing 30 opposite to the first end 30a. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery receptacle 34 is integrally formed with the drive unit housing 22 and the handle housing 30. As described above, in some embodiments, the battery receptacle 34 is implemented as a separate component separated from one or both of the drive unit housing 22 and the handle housing 30. In some embodiments, each of the drive unit housing 22, the handle housing 30 and the battery receptacle 34 includes a clamshell half connected together via a fastener. In some embodiments, the drive unit housing 22, the handle housing 30 and / or the battery receptacle 34 are integral bodies. The battery receptacle 34 is configured to receive a battery 62, which provides power to the drive unit 42 to generate or generate torque. The dust box housing 38 is located near the drive unit housing 22 and is configured to store dust and debris collected by the dust collection assembly 14. The dust box housing 38 is located between the drive unit housing 22 and the battery receptacle 34.

[0043] refer to Figure 210, the power tool 10 has a forward end or front end 10a, a rearward end or rear end 10b, a top end or uppermost end 10c, and a bottom end or lowermost end 10d. In this way, the drive unit housing 22 is positioned at the front end 10a of the power tool 10 and is positioned between the transmission housing 26 and the dust box housing 38 (e.g., in an up-down direction). The transmission housing 26 is positioned above the drive unit housing 22 at the front and uppermost section of the power tool 10. The transmission housing 26 extends between the drive unit housing 22 and the handle housing 30. The handle housing 30 is positioned behind the transmission housing 26 and above the battery receptacle 34 (e.g., at the rear and uppermost section of the power tool 10). The battery receptacle 34 is positioned below the handle housing 30 at the rear and bottom section of the power tool 10. The battery receptacle 34 extends between the handle housing 30 and the dust box housing 38. In some embodiments, the battery receptacle 34 extends between the handle housing 30 and the drive unit housing 22. In some embodiments, the battery receptacle 34 includes a battery terminal 35 or multiple battery terminals located outside the battery receptacle 34. When the battery 62 is received in the battery receptacle 34, the battery terminal 35 provides an electrical connection with the battery 62. The dust box housing 38 is positioned below the drive unit housing 22 at the front and bottom sections of the power tool 10. In some embodiments, the dust box housing 38 extends between the drive box housing 38 and the battery receptacle 34. In some embodiments, the dust box housing 38 is only connected to the drive unit housing 22. The following disclosure includes references to directional positions such as front, rear, top, and bottom positions. As such, any reference to directional positions is relative to Figure 2 The directions indicated in the signs are made.

[0044] In some examples, a power tool may include one or more printed circuit board assemblies ("PCBs") to control the operation of the power tool. Figure 2 and Figure 3, the drive unit 42 includes a first PCB 65 and a second PCB 66. The first PCB 65 is disposed in the drive unit housing 22 and is configured to control the operation of the motor 70 based on input from a user (e.g., operation of the trigger 78). The PCB 65 can be used as an electronic controller to control the current supplied from the battery 62 to the motor 70. The second PCB 66 is positioned within the drive unit housing 22 and adjacent to the battery receptacle 34. The second PCB 66 is configured as a sensor board that includes one or more sensors to detect operating parameters of the motor 70. In the example shown, the second PCB 66 includes a plurality of Hall sensors 67 that are in communication with the first PCB 65 and are configured to detect the rotational position of the motor 70. In other examples, other types of sensors may be used, such as speed sensors, torque sensors, etc., which may be used to detect other operating parameters of the motor 70. In some embodiments, the PCB 66 is located between the fan shroud 73 and the motor 70.

[0045] The motor 70 is a brushless direct current ("BLDC") motor and is configured to rotate under the control of the PCB 66 in response to a user input (e.g., actuation of the trigger 78). In some embodiments, the motor 70 is another type of direct current (DC) motor, an alternating current (AC) motor, or any other motor type. The motor 70 includes an output shaft 82 that can rotate about a drive axis A1. The fan 74 can be mounted to the output shaft 82 at the bottom end of the output shaft 82 (e.g., the end of the output shaft 82 that is closest to the body of the motor 70 and farthest from the transmission housing 26). The fan shroud 73 surrounds the fan 74 and can help isolate any dust and debris moved by the fan 74 from the rest of the power tool 10 by directing the dust or debris into the dust box housing 38. The fan 74 includes a first set of blades 86 and a second set of blades 90. The first set of blades 86 is located between the motor 70 and the second set of blades 90. The second group of blades 90 is located above the suction port 94 defined in the drive unit housing 22 (for example, the second group of blades 90 is located between the suction port 94 and the transmission housing 26). In the illustrated embodiment, the fan 74 includes a partition wall 98 that basically separates the first group of blades 86 and the second group of blades 90. The first group of blades 86 is configured to produce the first airflow P1, especially for cooling PCB 66 and motor 70. The second group of blades 90 is configured to produce the second airflow P2, for guiding airflow through the dust collection assembly 14, as will be described in further detail. In the illustrated embodiment, the first airflow P1 and the second airflow P2 can be kept basically separated from each other by the partition wall 98. In other embodiments, the fan 74 may not include the partition wall 98.

[0046] like Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the transmission device 50 includes a bevel gear 102 and an intermediate shaft 106, which defines a longitudinal direction ( Figure 2 ) extends from the intermediate shaft 106. In some embodiments, the transmission axis A2 is defined along the length of the intermediate shaft 106 between the first end and the second end of the intermediate shaft 106. In some embodiments, a retainer and a peggear, a worm gear, a spur gear, or a different gear is used instead of or in combination with the bevel gear 102. The transmission axis A2 is substantially perpendicular to the drive axis A1. In some embodiments, both the intermediate shaft 106 and the corresponding transmission axis A2 are at an acute angle relative to the drive axis A1. The bevel gear 102 includes an input bevel gear 110 and an output bevel gear 114. The input bevel gear 110 is mounted to the output shaft 82 of the drive unit 42 so as to rotate around the drive axis A1 with the output shaft 82. The output bevel gear 114 is supported by the housing 18 and is oriented substantially perpendicular to the input bevel gear 110 so as to convert the rotation from the drive unit 42 about the drive axis A1 into the rotation about the transmission axis A2. Intermediate shaft 106 is also supported by housing 18 and extends through output bevel gear 114 such that intermediate shaft 106 is configured to rotate with output bevel gear 114. Intermediate shaft 106 includes at least one pinion gear 118 located at an end of intermediate shaft 106 opposite output bevel gear 114.

[0047] The impact mechanism 54 includes a hammer 122 and a spindle 126 that defines an impact axis A3 extending in a front-to-rear direction. In some embodiments, the impact axis A3 of the spindle is substantially perpendicular (e.g., within about 15 degrees of perpendicularity) to the drive axis A1 and substantially parallel to the transmission axis A2. In other embodiments, the impact axis A3 may be oriented differently, for example, such that the impact axis A3 is substantially parallel (e.g., within about 15 degrees of parallelism) to the drive axis A1 and substantially perpendicular to the transmission axis A2. The hammer 122 is reciprocated by the motor 70 (via the transmission 50) to apply an axial impact to the tool head 52. The hammer 122 is coupled to the intermediate shaft 106 of the transmission 50 so that the rotation of the intermediate shaft 106 affects the spindle of the hammer 122 to vibrate at periodic intervals (e.g., to produce reciprocating linear motion). In particular, the hammer 122 reciprocates in a direction extending along the impact axis A3. The spindle 126 is rotated by the motor 70 (via the transmission 50) to rotate the tool head. The main shaft 126 includes a drive gear 130 coupled thereto that meshes with the pinion gear 118 of the intermediate shaft 106 such that the intermediate shaft 106 is configured to drive the main shaft 126 to rotate via engagement between the pinion gear 118 on the intermediate shaft 106 and an anvil gear 130 on the main shaft 126 .

[0048] Continue to refer Figure 2 and Figure 4, the power tool 10 includes an output chuck 134 that extends through the transmission housing 26 at the front end 10a of the power tool 10. The output chuck 134 is configured to receive a tool head 52. In the illustrated embodiment, the output chuck 134 includes a ball detent mechanism 138 for retaining the tool head 52. In some embodiments, other retaining mechanisms, such as a keyless chuck, a keyed chuck, and / or a hybrid chuck, are used instead of or in combination with the output chuck 134 including the ball detent mechanism 138. When the tool head 52 is received in the output chuck 134, the tool head 52 extends along the impact axis A3 and is configured to rotate about the impact axis. In this way, the impact axis A3 may also be referred to as the output axis A3. In other embodiments, the output chuck 134 may include different features for retaining the tool head 52. The output chuck 134 is engaged with the spindle 126 so that when the tool head 52 is coupled to the output chuck 134, the rotation from the transmission 50 and the axial impact from the impact mechanism 54 can be transmitted to the tool head 52. In this way, the drive unit 42 is configured to rotationally drive the tool head 52 through the transmission 50 and the spindle 126 to perform a drilling operation, and is configured to generate an axial impact on the tool head 52 through the transmission 50 and the impact mechanism 54 to perform a hammering operation. In some embodiments, the power tool 10 includes a mode selection actuator that is engaged with the transmission 50 and the impact mechanism 54 for placing the power tool 10 in a hammer-only mode, a drilling-only mode, or a hammering and drilling mode.

[0049] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the spindle 126 is disposed within the output chuck 134 and between the tool head 52 and the spindle 126. In some embodiments, the transmission 50 transmits torque from the motor 70 to the spindle 126, thereby rotating the spindle 126 when the motor 70 is activated. Disposed within the spindle is an anvil 140 disposed between the distal end of the spindle 126 and the spindle 126. In some embodiments, the distal end of the anvil 140 disposed closest to the tool head 52 serves as an impact surface to generate an axial impact on the tool head 52. The transmission housing 26 (e.g., a gear box) may also include a striker 141, a piston 142, and a yoke 143. In some embodiments, the hammer 122 drives the piston 142 to reciprocate in response to the rotation of the intermediate shaft 106.

[0050] Figure 2 and Figure 4The impact mechanism 54 of the power tool 10 is shown. The impact mechanism 54 is configured to apply repeated axial impacts to the tool head 52. The impact mechanism 54 can generate impact energy by an oscillating mechanism (e.g., a hammer 122) that converts the rotary motion of the motor 70 into reciprocating linear motion. The impact mechanism (e.g., an oscillating mechanism) can be driven by the motor 70. In some cases, the impact mechanism can be driven by the transmission 50 (e.g., receiving input from the transmission), or it can be driven by a separate drive system. The impact mechanism may include an oscillating mechanism that is configured to convert the rotary motion of the motor 70 into reciprocating linear motion that is used to transmit repeated (axial) impacts to the tool head 52. The oscillating mechanism can be configured as, for example, a cam follower, a crank slider, a swash plate, or another type of system configured to generate reciprocating linear motion from a rotary input. In this case, the hammer 122 is part of a swing bearing assembly that causes the rotary motion of the intermediate shaft 106 to generate a reciprocating motion of the hammer 122, which reciprocating motion causes the piston 142 to reciprocate within the main shaft 126. More specifically, the swing motion of the hammer 122 is transmitted to the reciprocating motion of the piston 142 to drive the piston 142 to reciprocate. For example, the hammer 122 is movably coupled to a yoke 143 that drives the linear reciprocating motion of the piston 142. In some embodiments, the yoke 143 is disposed between the hammer 122 and the piston 142. In some embodiments, the piston 142 is disposed between the yoke 143 and the striker 141. In some embodiments, the striker 141 is disposed between the anvil 140 and the distal end of the piston 142 closest to the yoke 143. In some embodiments, the anvil 140 is disposed between the striker 141 and the tool head 52.

[0051] Continue to refer Figure 2 , the piston 142 is hollow and defines an internal chamber in which the striker 141 is movably received. An air spring is stretched between the piston 142 and the striker 141. When the piston 142 reciprocates within the spindle 126, the piston 142 and the striker 141 can move relative to each other. For example, when the piston 142 moves toward the anvil 140, the air pocket is compressed, and when the piston 142 moves away from the anvil 140, the air pocket expands. This expansion and contraction of the air pocket causes a change in pressure in the air pocket, which causes the reciprocating motion of the striker 141.

[0052] Additional references Figure 2 and Figure 4 The anvil 140 is configured to apply an axial impact to the tool head 52 in response to the reciprocating motion of the piston 142 and the striker 141 .

[0053] In operation, when the tool head 52 is connected to the output chuck 134 and pressed down against the workpiece, the tool head 52 (via the anvil 140) pushes the striker 141 toward the piston 142 to obtain the "impact" position of the striker 141. During operation of the power tool 10, the piston 142 reciprocates within the spindle 126 to pull the striker 141 away from the anvil 140 and then accelerate it toward the anvil 140 for impact.

[0054] like Figure 2 As shown, the dust collection assembly 14 includes a dust duct 144, a depth setting mechanism 146, a dust delivery duct 150, and a filter 154. The dust collection assembly 14 is configured to perform a suction operation during a drilling and / or hammering operation. In particular, dust and debris may be generated during the drilling and / or hammering operation, and the dust collection assembly 14 is configured to suck the dust and debris away from the work surface and into the dust box housing 38, as will be described in more detail.

[0055] The dust duct 144 extends from the output chuck 134 so that the tool head 52 ( Figure 4 ) can extend through the dust duct 144. In the illustrated embodiment, the dust duct 144 is formed of a flexible material, such as a fabric (e.g., nylon) or a flexible plastic, which is compressible to move between an extended state and a contracted state. In some examples, a biasing element can be provided to bias the dust duct 144 away from the output chuck 134 in the extended state. In the illustrated example, the biasing element is configured as a spring 158 and is positioned in the dust duct 144 and biases the dust duct 144 away from the output chuck 134 in the extended state. During drilling and / or hammering operations, the spring 158 and therefore the dust duct 144 can be compressed against the work surface to move the dust duct 144 toward the contracted state. In other embodiments, the dust duct 144 can be a rigid duct or a telescopic duct.

[0056] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 5A and Figure 5B The depth setting mechanism 146 includes a guide rail 162 and an adjustment knob 166. The guide rail 162 has a first end 162a located at the transmission housing 26 and a second end 162b located at the front end of the dust duct 144. The guide rail 162 is configured to slide along a groove 170 formed in the transmission housing 26 when the dust duct 144 moves between the extended state and the retracted state. The adjustment knob 166 is positioned in the groove 170 and is configured to set the tool head 52 ( Figure 4) into the work surface. That is, as the dust duct 144 moves between the extended state and the retracted state, the first end 162a of the guide rail 162 can move rearward until the first end 162a of the guide rail 162 strikes or engages the adjustment knob 166, such that the adjustment knob 166 inhibits further rearward movement of the guide rail 162 (e.g., away from the extended state). Thus, if a relatively small drilling hole is desired, the adjustment knob 166 can be positioned adjacent to the first end 162A of the guide rail 162 (e.g., such as Figure 5A As shown) is placed so that the tool head 52 ( Figure 4 ) is inserted into the work surface to inhibit the rearward movement of the guide rail 162. If a relatively large bore is desired, the adjustment knob 166 can be moved along the groove 170 to a position further away from the first end 162a of the guide rail 162 (e.g., as shown in FIG. Figure 5B As shown), the dust duct 144 can move to the retracted state before the first end 162a of the guide rail 162 reaches the adjustment knob 166.

[0057] refer to Figure 2 , the dust delivery duct 150 includes an inlet 174 and an outlet 178. The inlet 174 defines an opening adjacent to the output chuck 134. In particular, the inlet 174 is substantially located between the output chuck 134 and the dust duct 144. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet 174 surrounds a portion of the output chuck 134 so that the tool head 52 ( Figure 4 ) is configured to extend at least partially through the inlet 174 of the dust delivery duct 150. The outlet 178 is located at the intersection between the drive unit housing 22 and the dust box housing 38. In this way, the dust delivery duct 150 defines a path between the inlet 174 and the outlet 178 for the airflow including dust and debris to travel from the dust duct 144 to the dust box housing 38. In the illustrated embodiment, reference Figure 2 and 8 The dust conveying duct 150 has an outer contour defined by a first portion 150a extending in a rearward direction (e.g., toward the handle housing 30), a second portion 150b extending in a rearward and downward (e.g., diagonal) direction (e.g., toward the handle housing 30 and the dust box housing 38), and a third portion 150c extending in a downward direction (e.g., toward the dust box housing 38).

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, the filter 154 is located below or at the suction port 94 in the drive unit housing 22. In this way, the filter 154 is positioned below the second set of blades 90 so that the second set of blades 90 introduces the second airflow P2 into the dust duct 144, through the dust transfer duct 150, to the dust box housing 38, through the filter 154, and from the vent 46 ( Figure 1B ) out. When the second airflow P2 passes through the filter 154, dust and debris are separated from the second airflow P2. The separated dust and debris can then be stored in the dust box housing 38 until the dust box housing 38 is cleaned. In particular, the dust box housing 38 can be removably coupled to the drive unit housing 22 so that the dust box housing 38 can be removed to clean dust and debris from the dust box housing 38.

[0059] In some examples, the handle housing 30 includes an electrostatic discharge mechanism (e.g., a conductor) configured to collect and contain electrostatic discharge until it is grounded. In some embodiments, the component is configured to be contacted by a user so that contact with the user grounds the electrostatic discharge. In some embodiments, the electrostatic discharge mechanism is configured to ground the electrostatic discharge using a ground port, cable, or another form of transmitting or dissipating the electrostatic discharge. Figure 6-8 In the illustrated embodiment, the power tool 10 further includes an electrostatic discharge system 182 located in the housing 18 of the power tool 10. In particular, the electrostatic discharge system 182 includes a conductor 184, which includes a first conductor 186 located in the handle housing 30, a second conductor 190 located in the drive unit housing 22, and a third conductor 194 (e.g., a wire) extending between the first conductor 186 and the second conductor 190. In the illustrated example, the wire 194 can be a flexible or rigid elongated conductor, such as a braided or solid core wire, a bus bar, or another type of conductor known in the art. The first conductor 186 is configured to dissipate static charge to the user when the user's hand grasps the handle housing 30, the second conductor 190 is configured to localize or concentrate static charge generated during drilling and / or hammering operations and drawn through the dust conveying duct 150, and the wire 194 extends between the first conductor 186 and the second conductor 190 to transfer static charge from the second conductor 190 to the first conductor 186. In particular, a first end 194a of the wire 194 is electrically connected to the first conductor 186, and a second end 194b of the wire is electrically connected to the second conductor 190. In some embodiments, the wire 194 is replaced by or used in conjunction with a different conductor, such as a metal sheet, a rod, a conductive polymer (e.g., a polymer with a conductive additive), or other conductor, etc.

[0060] exist Figure 7In the illustrated embodiment shown, the first conductor 186 is a metal wire having a first portion 186a coupled to the housing 18 within the interior of the handle housing 30, a second portion 186b extending from the first portion 186a to the exterior of the housing 18, and a third portion 186c extending from the second portion 186b into the interior of the handle housing 30 and coupled to the housing 18. Each of the first portion 186a and the third portion 186c is coupled to the housing 18 at a post extending from at least one of the clamshell halves of the housing 18. The second portion 186b extends between the holes 200 in the handle housing 30 and along the outer surface of the handle housing 30. In particular, the second portion 186b extends along the frontmost outer surface of the handle housing 30 (e.g., the surface of the handle housing 30 facing the drive unit housing 22) so that a hand of a user grasping the handle housing 30 contacts the first conductor 186. When the first conductor 186 contacts the user's hand, static charges generated during a machining operation can be grounded, and thus accidental and undesirable shocks can be prevented. In some embodiments, the second portion 186b extends along the rearmost outer surface of the handle housing 30 (e.g., the surface of the handle housing 30 facing away from the drive unit housing 22), wraps around the handle housing 30, or is otherwise disposed on the outer surface of the handle housing 30 such that the second portion 186b is configured to be contacted by a user's hand or other grounding mechanism during use.

[0061] Reference Figure 8 , the second conductor 190 is a plate coupled to the dust conveying duct 150 of the dust collection assembly 14. In some embodiments, the second conductor 190 is a metal plate. The second conductor 190 is shaped to follow the outer contour or profile of the dust conveying duct 150. In other words, the second conductor 190 can extend along the outer contour of the dust conveying duct 150 (e.g., substantially parallel to or seated on the outer contour). In this way, the second conductor 190 includes a first portion 190a extending in a rearward direction (e.g., toward the handle housing 30), a second portion 190b extending in a rearward and downward (e.g., diagonal) direction (e.g., toward the handle housing 30 and the dust box housing 38), and a third portion 190c extending in a downward direction (e.g., toward the dust box housing 38). The second conductor 190 can attract static charge from dust and debris generated during drilling and / or hammering operations and sucked through the dust conveying duct 150. The wire 194 then transmits the static charge from the second conductor 190 to the first conductor 186. In the illustrated embodiment, the wire 194 can extend through the drive unit housing 22 around the perimeter of the motor 70 to reach the first conductor 186 in the handle housing 30. In other embodiments, the wire 194 can extend through the drive unit housing 22 around the perimeter of the fan shroud 73.

[0062] The electrostatic discharge system 182 advantageously prevents the accumulation of static charge in and / or on the housing 18 of the power tool 10. In particular, the electrostatic discharge system 182 can direct the accumulation of static electricity away from the PCB 66 or can dissipate the static charge that has accumulated on the PCB 66. The electrostatic discharge system 182 can similarly direct the accumulation of static electricity away from other electronic components or dissipate the static charge that has accumulated on other electronic components, including the motor 70, the battery 62, the sensors of the power tool 10, and the like. For example, without the electrostatic discharge system 182, dust and debris may move through the dust conveying duct 150 and carry the charge into the power tool 10. Without providing a means for dissipating the static charge, the static charge may migrate to any of the printed circuit boards in the power tool 10 or the handle housing 30. Thus, once the user grasps the handle housing 30 to operate the power tool 10, the static charge may be grounded through the user's hand, causing the user to feel an undesirable shock. Therefore, the electrostatic discharge system 182 improves the comfort and ease of use of the power tool 10.

[0063] Although the disclosure 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 disclosure described. Various features of the disclosure are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An electric tool, comprising: A housing, the housing comprising a handle and a drive unit housing; a motor, the motor being disposed in the drive unit housing; an output chuck configured to receive a tool head driven by the motor to perform a machining operation; a delivery conduit, the delivery conduit being at least partially disposed within the housing; a fan driven by the motor to cause an airflow for conveying dust and debris generated during machining operations through the conveying duct; as well as A conductor is at least partially exposed along an exterior side of the housing to transmit static charge generated by the fan on the conveying duct during the machining operation.

2. The electric tool according to claim 1, wherein: The delivery conduit is located within the drive unit housing, and the conductor extends between the delivery conduit and the handle, where the conductor is exposed.

3. The electric tool according to claim 2, wherein: The conductors include a first conductor coupled to the handle, a second conductor coupled to the delivery tube, and a third conductor extending between the first conductor and the second conductor.

4. The electric tool according to claim 3, wherein: The third conductor is a wire extending into at least one of the handle, the drive unit housing, and a battery receptacle.

5. The electric tool according to claim 3, wherein: The first conductor is a wire having a first portion coupled to an interior of the handle and a second portion coupled to an exterior of the handle.

6. The electric tool according to claim 3, wherein: The second conductor is a metal plate shaped to follow the outer contour of the conveying pipe.

7. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising an impact mechanism configured to be driven by an output shaft of the motor to apply an axial impact to the tool head so that the machining operation comprises a hammering operation.

8. The electric tool according to claim 1, wherein: The fan is mounted to an output shaft of the motor, and wherein the transfer duct has an opening adjacent the output cartridge.

9. The electric tool according to claim 1, wherein: The conveying conduit is disposed within the drive unit housing, and The electric tool further comprises a dust box which is removably connected to the drive unit housing and is used to store dust and debris conveyed through the conveying duct.

10. An electric tool comprising: Shell assembly; a motor disposed within the housing assembly to provide power for machining operations performed with the tool head; a conveying pipeline, wherein the conveying pipeline is disposed in the housing assembly; a fan disposed within the housing assembly to induce a static charge on the conveying conduit; as well as An electrostatic discharge system is in electrical communication with the transfer conduit at a first section of the electrostatic discharge system and is configured to transfer charge generated at the first section to a second section of the electrostatic discharge system to the exterior of the housing assembly.

11. The electric tool according to claim 10, wherein: The electrostatic discharge system includes a wire extending within the housing assembly between the first section of the electrostatic discharge system and the second section of the electrostatic discharge system to electrically connect the first section and the second section of the electrostatic discharge system.

12. The electric tool according to claim 10, further comprising: an output portion configured to receive the tool head; wherein the motor is disposed in a drive unit housing spaced apart from the output portion; and Therein, the conveying conduit extends between the output portion and the drive unit housing.

13. The electric tool according to claim 10, further comprising a dust box housing, wherein: The fan is installed between the motor and the dust box housing.

14. The electric tool according to claim 10, wherein: The transfer conduit is located within a first housing section of the housing assembly, and the housing assembly further includes a second housing section; and The electrostatic discharge system includes a wire extending between the first shell and the second shell.

15. The electric power tool according to claim 14, wherein: The electrostatic discharge system further comprises a first conductor and a second conductor, wherein the first end of the wire is electrically connected to the first conductor in the first housing of the housing assembly, and The second end of the wire is electrically connected to the second conductor in the second shell of the shell assembly.

16. The power tool according to claim 10, further comprising a printed circuit board disposed in the housing assembly, in, The fan includes a first set of blades arranged to generate a first airflow to cool the printed circuit board and a second set of blades arranged to generate a second airflow to transport dust through the transport duct.

17. The power tool of claim 10, further comprising a battery receptacle, the battery receptacle comprising an outer surface and one or more battery terminals, wherein: The one or more battery terminals are disposed on the outer surface of the battery receptacle.

18. An electric tool comprising: case; a motor, wherein the motor is disposed in the housing; a delivery conduit, the delivery conduit being at least partially disposed within the housing; a fan driven by the motor to move dust along the conveying duct; a printed circuit board disposed within the housing and configured to control operation of the motor; as well as An electrostatic discharge mechanism extends within the interior of the housing, the electrostatic discharge mechanism being configured to dissipate static charge from the transfer conduit away from the printed circuit board.

19. The electric tool according to claim 18, wherein: The conveying conduit is completely disposed within the housing, and Wherein, the power tool further includes a dust box, which is removably connected to the housing and is used to store dust and debris received through the conveying duct.

20. The electric power tool according to claim 18, wherein: The electrostatic discharge mechanism includes a wire extending between an interior of a handle portion of the housing to an exterior surface of the handle portion of the housing.

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