Power Tool Bit Sleeve Locking Mechanism for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power tools face challenges in maintaining compact size while ensuring operability and efficiency, particularly in the design of impact drivers and wrenches, where size increase compromises performance and usability.
Innovation Solution
The power tool design incorporates a motor, an output shaft with a locking mechanism, a bit sleeve, and an operable member that moves the bit sleeve between movement-restricting and movement-permitting positions, allowing for efficient tool attachment and detachment without increasing the axial length, thereby maintaining a compact form factor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a locking mechanism and bit sleeve are added to enable tool attachment and detachment, then operability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is nested within the bit sleeve, with the locking member's outer diameter being smaller than the bit sleeve's inner diameter. The bit sleeve surrounds the output shaft and the locking member, creating a compact nested structure that enables tool attachment/detachment without significantly increasing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The locking member is designed to be movable between a locking position (where it engages with the tool) and an unlocking position (where it disengages). The operable member enables dynamic movement of the bit sleeve between movement-restricting and movement-permitting positions, allowing the locking mechanism to transition between locked and unlocked states for efficient tool attachment and detachment
2Ease of operation
If the locking member is made movable for tool detachment, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential radial movement issues
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is designed to be movable between locking and unlocking positions, enabling tool detachment. The operable member controls the bit sleeve to move between movement-restricting and movement-permitting positions, allowing reliable transition between locked and unlocked states while maintaining operational ease
Solution Approach 2:
The bit sleeve acts as an intermediary between the operable member and the locking member. It transmits the movement command from the operable member to the locking member, controlling the locking member's radial movement. This intermediary structure ensures reliable tool attachment and detachment while maintaining locking stability during operation
Data Source
AI summary
To reduce size increase, a power tool includes a motor, an output shaft located frontward from the motor, rotatable by the motor, and having an insertion hole extending rearward from a front end of the output shaft, a bearing supporting the output shaft in a rotatable manner, a locking member supported by the output shaft and movable to a locking position for locking a tip tool placed in the insertion hole and to an unlocking position for unlocking the tip tool, a bit sleeve surrounding the output shaft, and movable to a movement-restricting position for restricting radially outward movement of the locking member and to a movement-permitting position for permitting radially outward movement of the locking member, and an operable member operable to move the bit sleeve and at least partly overlapping the bearing in an axial direction.