US 11,986,940 B2
Clutch assembly for a power tool
Brian J. Yue, Weston, MA (US); and Hugh A. Dales, Germantown, WI (US)
Assigned to MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed by MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/875,022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/226,415, filed on Jul. 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0031293 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B25F 5/00 (2006.01); F16D 43/206 (2006.01)
CPC B25F 5/001 (2013.01) [F16D 43/206 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotary power tool comprising:
a housing; and
a drive mechanism supported within the housing, the drive mechanism including
an electric motor and a transmission,
a spindle rotatable in response to receiving torque from the electric motor and the transmission, and
a clutch coupling the spindle to the electric motor and transmission, the clutch including
a plurality of rolling elements selectively coupled to an output of the transmission to receive torque from the transmission,
a plurality of pins aligned with the plurality of rolling elements,
a plurality of puck shaped clutch elements aligned with the pins and rolling elements, and
at least one biasing member configured to bias the clutch elements towards the pins and rolling elements,
wherein the plurality of rolling elements is configured to slip relative to the output of the transmission when torque from the transmission exceeds a pre-selected torque limit.