Mechanical assembly for a power tool

Abstract

A mechanical assembly for a power tool, and a power tool incorporating the mechanical assembly are provided. The mechanical assembly includes (i) a first member having a first axis and a first engagement portion inclined relative to the first axis, (ii) a second member having a second axis and a second engagement portion inclined relative to the second axis, wherein the first and second engagement portions engage each other by movement of the first and second members relative to each other in the direction of at least one of the axes; and wherein the first member is a ring gear and the second member is a central gear and the first and second engagement portions engage and disengage each other by movement of the second member within a space defined within the first member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mechanical assembly for a power tool, the mechanical assembly including:
 a first member having a first axis and a first engagement portion inclined relative to the first axis;   a second member having a second axis and a second engagement portion inclined relative to the second axis;   wherein the first and second engagement portions engage each other by movement of the first and second members relative to each other in the direction of at least one of the axes   
     
     
         2 . The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second axes extend in the same direction and the first and second engagement portions engage each other by movement of the first and second members relative to each other in the direction of at least one of the axes. 
     
     
         3 . The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first engagement portion is conical and the second engagement portion is conical. 
     
     
         4 . The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first engagement portion includes elongated splines for mating with elongated recesses of the second engagement portion and the second engagement portion includes elongated splines for mating with elongated recesses of the first engagement portion, wherein each spline and recess is elongated in a direction converging with the axis off the member with which the spline or recess is associated. 
     
     
         5 . The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first member is a ring gear and the second member is a central gear and the first and second engagement portions engage and disengage each other by movement of the second member within a space defined within the first member. 
     
     
         6 . The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first member is rotatable relative to the first axis and the second member is not rotatable relative to the second axis so that when the first and second engagement portions are in engagement the first member is prevented from rotating relative to the first axis. 
     
     
         7 . The mechanical assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first member is connected to a first thread in engagement with a second thread so that when the first member is prevented from rotating relative to the first axis, rotation of the second thread relative to the first member results in rotation of the first and second threads relative to each other and movement of the second thread in a linear path that is angularly displaced relative to the first axis. 
     
     
         8 . The mechanical assembly of claim wherein the mechanical assembly is incorporated in a power tool. 
     
     
         9 . The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the mechanical assembly forms part of a chuck of a power drill. 
     
     
         10 . The mechanical assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the mechanical assembly is operable for providing adjustment and drive modes for the chuck. 
     
     
         11 . A power tool including:
 a power tool body;   a rotatable driven member being operable for releasably gripping a working element, the driven member having a drive mode in which rotation of the driven member drives the working element relative to the power tool body and an adjustment mode in which rotation of the driven member causes the driven member to either grip the working element or release the working element or both; and   an assembly for adjusting the driven member between the modes including a first member having a first axis and a first engagement portion inclined relative to the first axis and a second member having a second axis and a second engagement portion inclined relative to the second axis,   wherein the first and second engagement portions engage each other by movement of the first and second members relative to each other in the direction of at least one of the axes; and   wherein engagement between the first and second engagement portions adjusts the driven member to the adjustment mode and disengagement between the first and second engagement portions adjusts the driven member to the drive mode.   
     
     
         12 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second axes extend in the same direction and the first and second engagement portions engage and disengage each other by movement of the first and second members relative to each other in the direction of the axes. 
     
     
         13 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein the first engagement portion is conical and the second engagement portion is conical. 
     
     
         14 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein the first engagement portion includes elongated splines for mating with elongated recesses of the second engagement portion and the second engagement portion includes elongated splines for mating with elongated recesses of the first engagement portion, wherein each spline and recess is elongated in a direction converging with the axis of the member with which the spline or recess is associated. 
     
     
         15 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein the first member is a ring gear and the second member is a central gear and the first and second engagement portions engage and disengage each other by movement of the second member within a space defined within the first member. 
     
     
         16 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein the first member is rotatable relative to the first axis and the second member is not rotatable relative to the second axis so that when the first and second engagement portions are in engagement the first member is prevented from rotating relative to the first axis. 
     
     
         17 . The power tool of  claim 16 , wherein the driven member includes a jaw member for releasably gripping the working element, the first member including a first thread and the jaw member including a second thread in engagement with the first thread so that when the first member is prevented from rotating relative to the first axis, rotation of the jaw member relative to the first member caused by rotation of the driven member results in rotation of the first and second threads relative to each other and movement of the jaw member in a linear path that is angularly displaced relative to the first axis. 
     
     
         18 . The power tool of  claim 11 , further including an actuator member for moving the first and second members relative to each other in the direction of at least one of the first and second axes. 
     
     
         19 . The power tool of  claim 18 , wherein the actuator member is movable between a first setting in which the actuator member biases the first and second members towards each other to cause engagement between the first and second engagement portions and a second setting in which the actuator member biases the first and second members away from each other to cause disengagement between the first and second engagement portions.