Keyless Chuck with Dual-Sleeve Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chucks for drills and power drivers lack a reliable and efficient mechanism for adjusting to tools of varying diameters or polygonal cross-sections, often requiring complex configurations and key-based operation.
Innovation Solution
A keyless chuck design featuring a cylindrical body with a nose and tail section, including a rotatable drive shaft, movable jaws, and a dual-sleeve system with locking teeth, allowing for manual or motor-driven adjustment without the need for keys, enabling secure gripping and easy release of tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional keyed chuck mechanism is used, then the chuck can securely grip tools of varying diameters, but the operation becomes complex and requires keys for adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the key mechanism from the chuck system entirely. The keyed adjustment mechanism is extracted and replaced with a keyless manual operation system where the chuck body itself is rotated directly by hand to adjust jaw position, eliminating the need for separate keys while maintaining secure gripping capability
Solution Approach 2:
The chuck is designed to be self-adjusting through manual rotation of the chuck body. The operator's hand directly rotates the chuck body, which through internal threading and jaw mechanisms, automatically adjusts the jaw positions to grip the tool. The system serves itself without requiring external keys or complex adjustment mechanisms
2Ease of operation
If a keyless manual operation system is implemented, then the ease of operation is improved, but the mechanism for adjusting to varying tool diameters becomes less reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic adjustment system where the chuck body can be rotated manually to change jaw positions. The internal mechanism includes movable jaws that respond dynamically to the rotation of the chuck body through threaded engagement, allowing continuous adjustment across a range of tool diameters while maintaining secure grip through the same rotational motion
Solution Approach 2:
The chuck body serves multiple functions: it is both the rotating element for manual operation and the mechanism that drives jaw adjustment. The same rotational motion that opens the chuck also closes and secures the jaws, providing a universal operation method for both tool insertion and secure gripping across various diameters
3Reliability
If complex configurations are used to achieve reliable tool gripping, then the secure gripping is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the chuck into distinct functional components: the chuck body, movable jaws, and internal threading mechanisms. Each component has a specific function, and their coordinated operation achieves reliable tool gripping without requiring an overly complex integrated mechanism. The segmentation allows for simpler individual parts that work together effectively
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a key inserted into a mechanism to drive adjustment, the patent inverts the approach by having the chuck body itself be the driving element. The rotation of the chuck body directly drives the jaw adjustment through internal threads, reversing the traditional key-in-keyway mechanism and simplifying the overall configuration while maintaining reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A chuck for use with a driver having a rotatable drive shaft, the chuck including a body having a nose section and a tail section, the tail section being configured to rotate with the drive shaft and the nose section having an axial bore. A plurality of jaws is movably disposed with respect to the body and in communication with the axial bore. A first sleeve is rotatably mounted to the body in operative communication with the jaws so that rotation of the sleeve moves the jaws either toward a longitudinal center axis of the axial bore or away from the longitudinal center axis. A second sleeve is rotatably mounted to the body and is movable between a first position in which the second sleeve is rotatably fixed to the body and a second position in which the second sleeve is rotatable about the body. The second sleeve moves in a direction transverse to the longitudinal center axis of the axial bore when moving between the first position and the second position.