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US 11,713,210 B2Granted
Drive structure for tape or chalk reels
AssigneeApex Brands, Inc.
InventorCecil Mckinley Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive assembly for a tool with a rotatable crank and a reel may include a carrier operably coupled to the reel, a stress relief plate interposed between the carrier and the crank and configured to operably couple the carrier to the crank, and mating surfaces disposed on the carrier, the stress relief plate, and the crank in a stacked arrangement to distribute stresses and increase maximum torque capacity of the drive assembly.
Claims18
A tool comprising:
- a housing having an aperture;
- a reel assembly disposed in the housing and having a reel, the reel being configured to receive a flexible and extendible media wound onto the reel and capable of being extended through the aperture;
- and
- a retraction assembly comprising a rotatable crank, the retraction assembly being configured to interface with the reel to enable the flexible and extendible media, after extension from the housing, to be wound onto the reel responsive to rotation of the crank;
- a drive assembly configured to operably couple the reel to the crank via a stress relief plate disposed between mating surfaces of the drive assembly,
- wherein the drive assembly comprises a carrier operably coupled to the reel,
- wherein the stress relief plate is interposed between the carrier and the crank, and
- wherein the carrier is operably coupled to the reel via a gear assembly.
5 more elements
A tool comprising:
- a housing having an aperture;
- a reel assembly disposed in the housing and having a reel, the reel being configured to receive a flexible and extendible media wound onto the reel and capable of being extended through the aperture;
- and
- a retraction assembly comprising a rotatable crank, the retraction assembly being configured to interface with the reel to enable the flexible and extendible media, after extension from the housing, to be wound onto the reel responsive to rotation of the crank;
- a drive assembly configured to operably couple the reel to the crank via a stress relief plate disposed between mating surfaces of the drive assembly,
- wherein the drive assembly comprises a carrier operably coupled to the reel,
- wherein the stress relief plate is interposed between the carrier and the crank, and
- wherein the carrier extends through a portion of the reel to engage the stress relief plate on an opposite side of the reel relative to the carrier.
5 more elements
A tool comprising:
- a housing having an aperture;
- a reel assembly disposed in the housing and having a reel, the reel being configured to receive a flexible and extendible media wound onto the reel and capable of being extended through the aperture;
- and
- a retraction assembly comprising a rotatable crank, the retraction assembly being configured to interface with the reel to enable the flexible and extendible media, after extension from the housing, to be wound onto the reel responsive to rotation of the crank;
- a drive assembly configured to operably couple the reel to the crank via a stress relief plate disposed between mating surfaces of the drive assembly,
- wherein the drive assembly comprises a carrier operably coupled to the reel,
- wherein the stress relief plate is interposed between the carrier and the crank,
- wherein the mating surfaces include a drive protrusion and a drive receiver each formed at the stress relief plate,
- wherein the mating surfaces further include a driving member at one of the crank or the carrier and a driven member at the other of the crank or the carrier, and
- wherein the driving member is operably coupled to the drive receiver, and the drive protrusion is operably coupled to the driven member.
7 more elements
A drive assembly for a tool with a rotatable crank and a reel, the drive assembly comprising:
- a carrier operably coupled to the reel;
- a stress relief plate interposed between the carrier and the crank and configured to operably couple the carrier to the crank;
- and
- mating surfaces disposed on the carrier, the stress relief plate, and the crank in a stacked arrangement to distribute stresses and increase maximum torque capacity of the drive assembly.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.