Power tool

Abstract

A power tool having a housing assembly and a drive component that is housed in the housing assembly. The housing assembly has a first housing component, a second housing component, at least one set of mating conically-shaped features, and at least one fastener. Each set of mating conically-shaped features includes a first cone portion and a second cone portion. The first cone portion of each set of mating conically-shaped features is coupled to the first housing component and has a frusto-conically-shaped exterior surface. The second cone portion of each set of mating conically-shaped features is coupled to the second housing component and has a frusto-conically-shaped interior surface that is engaged with the frusto-conically-shaped exterior surface of an associated first cone portion. Each fastener is received through an associated pair of the first and second cone portions and is threadably engaged to one of the first and second housing components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power tool comprising:
 a housing assembly having a first housing component, a second housing component, at least one set of mating conically-shaped features, and at least one fastener, each set of mating conically-shaped features including a first cone portion and a second cone portion, the first cone portion of each set of mating conically-shaped features being coupled to the first housing component and having a frusto-conically-shaped exterior surface, the second cone portion of each set of mating conically-shaped features being coupled to the second housing component and having a frusto-conically-shaped interior surface that is engaged with the frusto-conically-shaped exterior surface of an associated first cone portion, each fastener being received through an associated pair of the first and second cone portions and being threadably engaged to one of the first and second housing components; and   a drive component that comprises at least one of a motor, a transmission and a clutch, the drive component being housed in the housing assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein each fastener is threaded into the first housing component. 
     
     
         3 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing component includes a pair of housing shells that are fastened together. 
     
     
         4 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein each first cone portion has a first axial end face that abuts a second axial end face of an associated one of the second cone portions. 
     
     
         5 . The power tool of  claim 4 , wherein each first cone portion as a portion that is deformed by a corresponding one of the second cone portions. 
     
     
         6 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the sets of mating conically-shaped features are located on the first and second housing components so as to align the first and second housing components about a rotational axis of the drive component. 
     
     
         7 . A power tool comprising:
 a motor;   an output spindle   a transmission that is configured to transmit power between the motor and the output spindle; and   a housing assembly into which the motor, the output spindle and the transmission are received, the housing assembly having a first housing component, a second housing component and a plurality of threaded fasteners, the first housing component having a plurality of first cone portions and a first axial end face, the second housing component having a plurality of second cone portions and a second axial end face, each of the threaded fasteners being received through an associated pair of the first and second cone portions and applying a clamping force that maintains the first and second axial end faces in abutment with one another, the first and second cone portions being configured to orient the first and second housing components to a common axis.   
     
     
         8 . The power tool of  claim 7 , wherein the first cone portions are received into the second cone portions. 
     
     
         9 . The power tool of  claim 8 , wherein the threaded fasteners exert a clamping force that deforms the first cone portions. 
     
     
         10 . The power tool of  claim 7 , wherein the first housing component includes a pair of housing shells that are fastened together. 
     
     
         11 . A power tool comprising:
 a motor having an output shaft;   a transmission driven by the output shaft of the motor;   an output spindle in driving engagement with the transmission;   a handle housing formed of a pair of handle shells, the handle housing defining a housing cavity into which the motor is received, each of the handle shells defining a first axial end face and having a frusto-conical protrusion extending from the first axial end face, the frusta-conical protrusions being aligned about axes that are parallel to the output shaft;   a gear case defining a case cavity, a second axial end face and a plurality of fastener apertures, the transmission being received into the case cavity, the second axial end face being abutted against the first axial end faces, the fastener apertures having a frusta-conical portion into which the frusta-conical protrusions are matingly received to thereby align the fastener apertures to the axes of the frusta-conical protrusions; and   a plurality of fasteners received through the fastener apertures and threadaby engaged to the handle housing to fixedly but removably couple the gear case to the handle housing.   
     
     
         12 . The power tool of  claim 11 , further comprising a torque clutch for limiting power transmitted from the transmission to the output spindle. 
     
     
         13 . The power tool of  claim 12 , wherein the torque clutch is housed in the gear case. 
     
     
         14 . The power tool of  claim 13 , further comprising a hammer mechanism having first and second hammer cams, the first hammer cam being axially movably mounted in the gear case, the second hammer cam being fixedly coupled to the output spindle. 
     
     
         15 . The power tool of  claim 14 , further comprising a rotary cam housed in the gear case, the rotary cam being configured to coordinate axial movement of the first cam in the gear case. 
     
     
         16 . The power tool of  claim 13 , further comprising a clutch lock-out member that is axially movably mounted to the gear case, the clutch lock-out member being movable in the gear case between a first position, in which the clutch lock-out member does not affect operation of the torque clutch, and a second position in which the clutch lock-out member overrides the torque clutch so that the torque clutch does not limit power transmitted from the transmission to the output spindle. 
     
     
         17 . The power tool of  claim 16 , further comprising a hammer mechanism having first and second hammer cams, the first hammer cam being axially movably mounted in the gear case, the second hammer cam being fixedly coupled to the output spindle. 
     
     
         18 . The power tool of  claim 17 , further comprising a rotary cam housed in the gear case, the rotary cam being configured to coordinate axial movement of the first cam in the gear case. 
     
     
         19 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein the transmission is a multi-speed transmission. 
     
     
         20 . The power tool of  claim 19 , wherein the multi-speed transmission is operable in at least three overall gear ratios.