Drive guide
AssigneeMilwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
InventorsJames J. Van Essen, Jacob A. Krabbe, Michael J. Zimmermann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive guide connectable to a power tool includes a shank, a barrel, and a sleeve. The shank includes a tool coupling portion and a barrel coupling portion. The barrel is coupled to the barrel coupling portion of the shank. The barrel includes a bit coupling portion configured to couple to a tool bit. The barrel also includes a depth indicium disposed on a surface of the barrel. The sleeve is disposed concentrically about and slidable along the barrel. An edge of the sleeve provides a visual indicator to determine depth based on the depth indicium.
Claims21
A drive guide connectable to a power tool, the drive guide comprising:
- a shank including a tool coupling portion and a barrel coupling portion;
- a barrel coupled to the barrel coupling portion of the shank, the barrel including a bit coupling portion configured to couple to a tool bit, the barrel also including a depth indicium disposed on a surface of the barrel;
- and
- a sleeve disposed concentrically about and slidable along the barrel;
- wherein an edge of the sleeve provides a visual indicator to determine depth based on the depth indicium;
- and
- wherein the barrel includes three depth indicia that are circumferentially aligned and circumferentially spaced about the barrel.
A drive guide connectable to a power tool, the drive guide comprising:
- a shank including a tool coupling portion and a barrel coupling portion;
- a barrel coupled to the barrel coupling portion of the shank, the barrel including a bit coupling portion, the barrel also including a set of axially aligned and axially spaced depth indicia;
- and
- a sleeve disposed concentrically about and slidable along the barrel, the sleeve including an indicator disposed adjacent an end of the sleeve that receives the barrel;
- wherein the indicator of the sleeve provides a visual indication of depth based on the set of axially aligned and axially spaced depth indicia.
A method for operating a drive guide coupled to a power tool, the drive guide including a shank having a tool coupling portion and a bit coupling portion, a barrel coupled to the bit coupling portion and having a bit receiving portion and a depth indicium, and a sleeve disposed concentrically about and slidable along the barrel, the method comprising:
- coupling the shank to the power tool;
- inserting a fastener into the barrel through a first axial end of the sleeve;
- driving the fastener, by the power tool and the drive guide, into a workpiece;
- moving the sleeve, by contacting the workpiece, axially along the barrel as the fastener is driven into the workpiece;
- and
- stopping driving the fastener when an edge of a second axial end of the sleeve opposite the first axial end is axially aligned with the depth indicium
- wherein the depth indicium is laser etched in the barrel.
A drive guide connectable to a power tool, the drive guide comprising:
- a shank including a tool coupling portion and a barrel coupling portion;
- a barrel coupled to the barrel coupling portion of the shank, the barrel including a bit coupling portion configured to couple to a tool bit, the barrel also including a depth indicium disposed on a surface of the barrel;
- and
- a sleeve disposed concentrically about and slidable along the barrel;
- wherein an edge of the sleeve provides a visual indicator to determine depth based on the depth indicium;
- and
- wherein the depth indicium is one of a set of depth indicia, and wherein the set of depth indicia includes a plurality of axially aligned and axially spaced markers.
A drive guide connectable to a power tool, the drive guide comprising:
- a shank including a tool coupling portion and a barrel coupling portion;
- a barrel coupled to the barrel coupling portion of the shank, the barrel including a bit coupling portion configured to couple to a tool bit, the barrel also including a depth indicium disposed on a surface of the barrel;
- and
- a sleeve disposed concentrically about and slidable along the barrel;
- wherein an edge of the sleeve provides a visual indicator to determine depth based on the depth indicium;
- and
- wherein the barrel includes a plurality of sets of depth indicia, and wherein each set of depth indicia includes a plurality of axially aligned and axially spaced markers.
A drive guide connectable to a power tool, the drive guide comprising:
- a shank including a tool coupling portion and a barrel coupling portion;
- a barrel coupled to the barrel coupling portion of the shank, the barrel including a bit coupling portion configured to couple to a tool bit, the barrel also including a depth indicium disposed on a surface of the barrel;
- and
- a sleeve disposed concentrically about and slidable along the barrel;
- wherein an edge of the sleeve provides a visual indicator to determine depth based on the depth indicium;
- and
- wherein the depth indicium is laser etched into the barrel.
A drive guide connectable to a power tool, the drive guide comprising:
- a shank including a tool coupling portion and a barrel coupling portion;
- a barrel coupled to the barrel coupling portion of the shank, the barrel including a bit coupling portion configured to couple to a tool bit, the barrel also including a depth indicium disposed on a surface of the barrel;
- and
- a sleeve disposed concentrically about and slidable along the barrel;
- wherein an edge of the sleeve provides a visual indicator to determine depth based on the depth indicium;
- wherein the sleeve includes an indicator disposed adjacent the edge of the sleeve;
- and
- wherein the indicator on the sleeve has a distinct design from the depth indicium on the barrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.