US 11,913,545 B2
Power tool with compliant shifting mechanism
Joseph Patrick Kelleher, Parkville, MD (US); Louis Marvin Vasiliades, Baltimore, MD (US); and Matthew Ronald Miller, Sewickley, PA (US)
Assigned to Black & Decker Inc., New Britain, CT (US)
Filed by Black & Decker Inc., New Britain, CT (US)
Filed on Jan. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/648,063.
Application 17/648,063 is a continuation of application No. 15/982,802, filed on May 17, 2018, granted, now 11,261,964.
Prior Publication US 2022/0136600 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. F16H 63/00 (2006.01); F16H 63/04 (2006.01); B23B 45/00 (2006.01); F16H 63/30 (2006.01); B25F 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 63/04 (2013.01) [B23B 45/008 (2013.01); B25F 5/001 (2013.01); F16H 2063/3089 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A compliant shifting mechanism for a power tool, comprising:
a selector rotatable about a first axis, wherein the selector is configured to be rotated by a user;
a first shift plate rotatable about the first axis in response to rotation of the selector about the axis;
a second shift plate rotatable about the first axis in response to rotation of the first shift plate about the axis;
a shift member moveable in response to rotation of the second shift plate about the first axis to cause a transmission of the power tool to shift between at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation;
a first torsion spring coupled to the first shift plate; and
a second torsion spring coupled to the second shift plate,
wherein, in response to rotation of the selector in a first rotational direction, the first torsion spring is configured to bias the first shift plate in the first rotational direction to provide shifting compliance in the first rotational direction, and, in response to rotation of the selector in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, the second torsion spring is configured to bias the second shift plate in the second rotational direction to provide shifting compliance in the second rotational direction;
wherein the first torsion spring is spaced axially from the second torsion spring along the first axis;
wherein the first torsion spring is also coupled to the selector and biases the first shift plate in the first rotational direction relative to the selector upon rotation of the selector.