# US 11,440,173 B2 · Rotary power tool including transmission housing bushing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,173 B2 - Document ID: US11440173B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/477,762 - Filed: 2021-09-17 - Published: 2022-01-13 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-30 - Assignees: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation - Applicants: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation - Inventors: Ryan A. Dedrickson; Ian Allen Duncan; Tian Yu; Jian Wei Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440173B2 ## CPC - B25D 16/006: {Mode changers; Mechanisms connected thereto} - B25D 11/106: {cam member and cam follower having the same shape (B25D11/104 takes precedence)} - B25D 16/003: {Clutches specially adapted therefor} - B25B 21/026: {Impact clutches} - B25D 17/04: Handles; Handle mountings - B25D 2216/0023: Tools having a percussion-and-rotation mode - B25D 2216/0038: Tools having a rotation-only mode - B25D 2216/0084: Mode-changing mechanisms - B25D 2250/005: Adjustable tool components; Adjustable parameters - B25D 2250/095: Electric motors - B25D 2250/121: Housing details - B25D 2250/165: Overload clutches, torque limiters - B25D 2250/221: Sensors - B25D 2250/265: Trigger mechanism in handle - B25D 2250/321: Use of balls - B25D 2250/331: Use of bearings - B25D 2250/335: Supports therefor - B25D: PERCUSSIVE TOOLS {(percussive machines for forging B21J; hand-held drilling machines, in general B23B45/00, for wood B27C3/08; drilling machines, used for mining or quarrying, with reciprocating tool which is turned intermittently when out of contact with the working face E21B1/00)} - B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING ## Abstract A rotary power tool comprises a drive mechanism including an electric motor and a transmission, a housing enclosing at least a portion of the drive mechanism, a spindle rotatable in response to receiving torque from the drive mechanism, a first ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle, a second ratchet rotationally fixed to the housing, a sleeve bushing on an interior of the housing, and a bearing arranged between the spindle and the sleeve bushing and rotatably supporting the spindle. The bearing has an outer race. The spindle is movable relative to the housing in response to contact with a workpiece, causing the first and second ratchets to engage and the spindle to reciprocate while rotating. The outer race of the bearing moves along the sleeve bushing during reciprocation of the spindle when the first ratchet and second ratchet are engaged. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary power tool comprising: a drive mechanism including an electric motor and a transmission; a housing enclosing at least a portion of the drive mechanism; a spindle rotatable in response to receiving torque from the drive mechanism; a first ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle; a second ratchet rotationally fixed to the housing; a sleeve bushing supported by the housing; and a bearing arranged between the spindle and the sleeve bushing and rotatably supporting the spindle, the bearing having an outer race, wherein the spindle is movable relative the housing in response to contact with a workpiece, causing the first and second ratchets to engage and the spindle to reciprocate while rotating, and wherein the outer race of the bearing moves along the sleeve bushing during reciprocation of the spindle when the first ratchet and second ratchet are engaged. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary power tool of claim 1, wherein the first ratchet and the bearing are set within a cavity defined within the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rotary power tool of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an annular portion, wherein the sleeve bushing is supported by the annular portion, and wherein the spindle is movable relative to the annular portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary power tool of claim 1, wherein the housing is at least partially formed of aluminum. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotary power tool of claim 1, wherein the sleeve bushing is press fit with the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotary power tool of claim 1, wherein the sleeve bushing is shrink fit with the housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rotary power tool of claim 1, further comprising a hammer lockout mechanism adjustable between a first mode and a second mode, the hammer lockout mechanism including an aperture in the housing and a detent radially movable within the aperture between a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein, in the first mode, the detent is moveable from the locking position to the unlocking position, such that the spindle is movable relative to the housing in response to contact with a workpiece, causing the first and second ratchets to engage, and wherein, in the second mode, the detent is prevented from moving from the locking position to the unlocking position, such that the spindle is blocked by the detent from moving relative to the housing in response to contact with a workpiece and a gap is maintained between the first and second ratchets. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The rotary power tool of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the sleeve bushing is arranged in front of the aperture, such that no portion of the sleeve bushing intersects the aperture. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rotary power tool of claim 1, wherein the sleeve bushing is formed of a first material and the housing is formed of second material that is softer than the first material. ### Claim 10 A rotary power tool comprising: a drive mechanism including an electric motor and a transmission; a housing enclosing at least a portion of the drive mechanism, the housing including an annular portion; a spindle rotatable in response to receiving torque from the drive mechanism; a first ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle; a second ratchet rotationally fixed to the housing; a sleeve bushing supported by the annular portion of the housing; and a bearing arranged between the spindle and the sleeve bushing and rotatably supporting the spindle, the bearing having an outer race, wherein the spindle is movable relative to the annular portion the housing in response to contact with a workpiece, causing the first and second ratchets to engage and the spindle to reciprocate while rotating, and wherein the outer race of the bearing moves along the sleeve bushing during reciprocation of the spindle when the first ratchet and second ratchet are engaged. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The rotary power tool of claim 10, wherein the sleeve bushing formed of steel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The rotary power tool of claim 11, wherein the housing is at least partially formed of aluminum. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The rotary power tool of claim 10, wherein the first ratchet and the bearing are set within a cavity defined within the annular portion of the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The rotary power tool of claim 10, wherein the sleeve bushing is press fit within the annular portion of the housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The rotary power tool of claim 10, wherein the sleeve bushing is formed of a first material and the housing is formed of second material that is softer than the first material. ### Claim 16 A rotary power tool comprising: a drive mechanism including an electric motor and a transmission; a housing enclosing at least a portion of the drive mechanism; a spindle rotatable in response to receiving torque from the drive mechanism; a first ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle; a second ratchet rotationally fixed to the housing; a sleeve bushing supported by the housing; a bearing arranged between the spindle and the sleeve bushing and rotatably supporting the spindle, the bearing having an outer race, wherein the outer race of the bearing moves along the sleeve bushing during reciprocation of the spindle when the first ratchet and second ratchet are engaged; and a hammer lockout mechanism adjustable between a first mode and a second mode, the hammer lockout mechanism including at least one aperture, and a radially movable detent disposed in the at least one aperture, the detent moveable between a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein in the locking position of the detent, the spindle is prevented from moving relative to the housing in response to contact with a workpiece, and a gap is maintained between the first and second ratchets. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The rotary power tool of claim 16, wherein the sleeve bushing is press fit with the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The rotary power tool of claim 16, wherein the sleeve bushing is formed of a first material and the housing is formed of second material that is softer than the first material, and wherein the aperture in the housing is defined by the second material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The rotary power tool of claim 16, wherein the first ratchet and the bearing are set within a cavity defined within the housing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The rotary power tool of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the sleeve bushing is arranged in front of the aperture, such that no portion of the sleeve bushing intersects the aperture.