US 12,365,076 B2
Electromagnetic actuator for power tool
Daniel Puzio, Baltimore, MD (US); Robert S. Gehret, Hampstead, MD (US); John D. Cox, Lutherville, MD (US); Robert J. Opsitos, Jr., Felton, PA (US); Robert G. Kusmierski, York, PA (US); Craig A. Schell, Street, MD (US); Michael T. Haupt, Abingdon, MD (US); and Joseph P. Kelleher, Parkville, MD (US)
Assigned to BLACK & DECKER INC., New Britain, CT (US)
Filed by BLACK & DECKER INC., New Britain, CT (US)
Filed on Jun. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/345,848.
Application 17/345,848 is a continuation of application No. 15/582,877, filed on May 1, 2017, granted, now 11,059,159.
Application 15/582,877 is a continuation of application No. 13/799,177, filed on Mar. 13, 2013, abandoned.
Application 13/799,177 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/494,325, filed on Jun. 12, 2012, granted, now 9,364,942, issued on Jun. 14, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/500,872, filed on Jun. 24, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2021/0299842 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B25F 5/00 (2006.01); B25B 21/00 (2006.01); B25B 21/02 (2006.01); B25B 23/00 (2006.01); B25B 23/147 (2006.01); H01H 36/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25F 5/001 (2013.01) [B25B 21/00 (2013.01); B25B 21/02 (2013.01); B25B 23/0035 (2013.01); B25B 23/147 (2013.01); B25B 23/1475 (2013.01); B25F 5/00 (2013.01); H01H 36/0073 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An actuator assembly for a power tool, comprising:
a positioning member remaining axially stationary along an axis;
an actuator moveable along the axis between a first position closer to the positioning member that corresponds to a first mode of operation of the power tool, and a second position further from the positioning member that corresponds to a second mode of operation of the power tool;
a first permanent magnet assembly fixed to the actuator and a second permanent magnet assembly fixed to the positioning member, wherein the first permanent magnet assembly and the second permanent magnet assembly are configured to attract each other by an attractive force when the actuator is in the first position and to repel each other by a repulsive force when the actuator is in the second position; and
an electromagnet axially stationary relative to the positioning member,
wherein when the actuator is in the first position, the electromagnet can be momentarily energized to generate a magnetic force sufficient to overcome the attractive force and move the actuator to the second position, where the actuator will be maintained in the second position after the electromagnet is deenergized due to the repulsive force, and
when the actuator is in the second position, the electromagnet can be momentarily energized to generate a magnetic force sufficient to overcome the repulsive force and move the actuator to the first position, where the actuator will be maintained in the first position after the electromagnet is deenergized due to the attractive force.