Air tool with integrated generator and light ring assembly

An air tool having a working end and comprising:

• A. a tool housing;
• B. a compressed air inlet;
• C. an integrated air motor and electrical generator, for powering the tool and positioned within the housing and including:
• 1. a shaft mounted on a bearing, for rotation within the housing;
• 2. a rotor body having a circumferential surface and two axial ends, the rotor body being attached to the shaft;
• 3. a plurality of vanes connected to the rotor body;
• 4. a plurality of magnetic elements disposed within one of the two axial ends of the rotor body;
• 5. an air cylinder made of a nonmagnetic material and surrounding the plurality of vanes;
• and
• 6. a stator positioned within the housing axially aligned with the rotor body, wherein the stator interacts with the magnetic elements to generate electricity when the rotor body is rotated by the compressed air;
• D. a battery charging circuit and a battery connected to the stator;
• and
• E. an indicating circuit connected to the battery charging circuit for indicating a battery charge condition, a battery discharge condition, and a low lubrication condition.

An air tool having a working end and comprising:

• A. a tool housing;
• B. a compressed air inlet;
• C. an integrated air motor and electrical generator, for powering the tool and positioned within the housing and including:
• 1. a shaft mounted on a bearing, for rotation within the housing;
• 2. a rotor body having a circumferential surface and two axial ends, the rotor body being attached to the shaft;
• 3. a plurality of vanes connected to the rotor body;
• 4. a plurality of magnetic elements disposed within one of said two axial ends of the rotor body;
• 5. an air cylinder made of a nonmagnetic material and surrounding the plurality of vanes;
• and
• 6. a stator positioned within the housing axially aligned with the rotor body, on a side of the rotor body opposite the working end of the air tool and between the compressed air inlet and the rotor body such that compressed air flows across the stator, wherein the stator interacts with the magnetic elements to generate electricity when the rotor body is rotated by the compressed air;
• D. a battery charging circuit and a battery connected to the stator;
• and
• E. an indicating circuit connected to the battery charging circuit for indicating a battery charge condition, a battery discharge condition, and a low lubrication condition.

An air tool, having a working end and comprising:

• A. a tool housing;
• B. a compressed air inlet;
• C. an integrated air motor and electrical generator, for powering the tool and positioned within the housing and including:
• 1. a shaft mounted on a bearing, for rotation within the housing;
• 2. a rotor body attached to the shaft;
• 3. a plurality of vanes connected to the rotor body;
• 4. a plurality of magnetic elements disposed in the rotor body;
• and
• 5. a stator positioned within the housing axially aligned with the rotor body, on a side of the rotor body opposite the working end of the air tool and between the compressed air inlet and the rotor body such that compressed air flows across the stator, wherein the stator interacts with the magnetic elements to generate electricity when the rotor body is rotated by the compressed air;
• and
• D. a light ring assembly attached to the tool housing to provide light at the working end of the tool;
• wherein the light ring assembly includes:
• a generally cylindrical retainer ring having open ends and connected to the tool housing;
• an annular lens disposed in the retainer ring at an end furthest from the tool housing;
• an annular reflector having a plurality of openings formed therein and disposed adjacent the lens;
• and
• an annular ring having a plurality of lamps that are inserted in the openings of the annular reflector wherein the lamps are electrically connected to the stator.

An air tool having a working end and comprising:

• A. a tool housing;
• B. a compressed air inlet;
• C. an integrated air motor and electrical generator, for powering the tool and positioned within the housing and including:
• 1. a shaft mounted on a bearing, for rotation within the housing;
• 2. a rotor body attached to the shaft;
• 3. a plurality of vanes connected to the rotor body;
• 4. a plurality of magnetic elements disposed in the rotor body;
• and
• 5. a stator positioned within the housing axially aligned with the rotor body, on a side of the rotor body opposite the working end of the air tool and between the compressed air inlet and the rotor body such that compressed air flows across the stator, wherein the stator interacts with the magnetic elements to generate electricity when the rotor body is rotated by the compressed air;
• and
• D. a light ring assembly attached to the tool housing to provide light at the working end of the tool;
• wherein the light ring assembly includes:
• a lamp electrically connected to the stator;
• and
• a plurality of optical fibers having first ends optically coupled to the lamp and second ends that terminate in a circular array at the working end of the tool.

An air tool having a working end and comprising:

• A. a tool housing;
• B. a compressed air inlet;
• C. an integrated air motor and electrical generator, for powering the tool and positioned within the housing and including:
• 1. a shaft mounted on a bearing, for rotation within the housing;
• 2. a rotor body attached to the shaft;
• 3. a plurality of vanes connected to the rotor body;
• 4. a plurality of magnetic elements disposed in the rotor body;
• and
• 5. a stator positioned within the housing axially aligned with the rotor body, on a side of the rotor body opposite the working end of the air tool and between the compressed air inlet and the rotor body such that compressed air flows across the stator, wherein the stator interacts with the magnetic elements to generate electricity when the rotor body is rotated by the compressed air;
• and
• D. a light ring assembly attached to the tool housing to provide light at the working end of the tool;
• wherein the light ring assembly includes:
• a generally cylindrical retainer ring having open ends and connected to the tool housing;
• a drill chuck having a transparent cover and connected to the shaft at the working end of the tool;
• an annular reflector having a plurality of openings formed therein and disposed adjacent the drill chuck;
• and
• an annular ring having a plurality of lamps that are inserted in the openings of the annular reflector wherein the lamps are electrically connected to the stator;
• wherein the transparent cover of the drill chuck directs light from the lamps to a working surface.

An air tool having a working end and comprising:

• A. a tool housing;
• B. a compressed air inlet;
• C. an integrated air motor and electrical generator, for powering the tool and positioned within the housing and including:
• 1. a shaft mounted on a bearing, for rotation within the housing;
• 2. a rotor body having a circumferential surface and two axial ends, the rotor body being attached to the shaft;
• 3. a plurality of vanes connected to the rotor body;
• 4. a plurality of magnetic elements disposed within one of the two axial ends of the rotor body;
• 5. an air cylinder made of a nonmagnetic material and surrounding the plurality of vanes;
• and
• 6. a stator positioned within the housing axially aligned with the rotor body, on a side of the rotor body opposite the working end of the air tool and between the compressed air inlet and the rotor body such that compressed air flows across the stator, wherein the stator interacts with the magnetic elements to generate electricity when the rotor body is rotated by the compressed air;
• D. a battery charging circuit and a battery connected to the stator;
• E. an indicating circuit connected to the battery charging circuit for indicating a battery charge condition, a battery discharge condition, and a low lubrication condition;
• and
• F. a light ring assembly attached to the tool housing to provide light at the working end of the tool.

An air tool having a working end and comprising:

• A. a tool housing;
• B. a compressed air inlet;
• C. an integrated air motor and electrical generator, for powering the tool and positioned within the housing and including:
• 1. a shaft mounted on a bearing, for rotation within the housing;
• 2. a rotor body having a circumferential surface and two axial ends, the rotor being attached to the shaft;
• 3. a plurality of vanes connected to the rotor body;
• 4. a plurality of magnetic elements disposed within one of the two axial ends of the rotor body wherein the magnetic elements are made of a compound that includes neodymium, iron and boron;
• 5. an air cylinder made of nonmagnetic material and surrounding the plurality of vanes;
• and
• 6. a stator positioned within the housing axially aligned with the rotor body, on a side of the rotor body opposite the working end of the air tool and between the compressed air inlet and the rotor body such that compressed air flows across the stator, wherein the stator interacts with the magnetic elements to generate electricity when the rotor body is rotated by the compressed air;
• D. a battery charging circuit and a battery connected to the stator;
• E. an indicating circuit connected to the battery charging circuit for indicating a battery charge condition, a battery discharge condition, and a low lubrication condition;
• and
• F. a light ring assembly attached to the tool housing to provide light at the working end of the tool;
• G. wherein the stator includes a plurality of poles and a plurality of coils mounted on respective poles wherein the poles are positioned equidistant from each other, a number of the is the same as a number of the magnetic elements and the poles are mounted in facing relationship to the magnetic elements so that axes of the poles are collinear with axes of respective magnetic elements;
• and
• H. wherein the poles are made of one of a material comprising 49.4 percent cobalt, 1.94 percent vanadium, with the balance iron, and Alloy 4750.

An illuminating apparatus for a power tool having a spindle and a tool housing, comprising:

• a housing having first and second ends;
• a lens disposed at the first end of the housing;
• a lamp disposed behind the lens;
• a reflector surrounding the lamp and including a coil connected to the lamp;
• and
• a rotor including a magnetic element wherein the rotor is attachable to the spindle and is disposed adjacent the coil whereby rotation of the rotor induces electromotive force in the coil;
• wherein the second end of the housing includes a retaining ring for attachment to the tool housing.

A air tool having a working end and comprising:

• A. a tool housing;
• B. a compressed air inlet;
• and
• C. an integrated air motor and electrical generator, for powering the tool and positioned within the housing and including:
• 1. a shaft mounted on a bearing, for rotation within the housing;
• 2. a rotor body attached to the shaft;
• 3. a plurality of vanes connected to the rotor body;
• 4. a plurality of magnetic elements disposed in the rotor body;
• and
• 5. a stator positioned within the housing axially aligned with the rotor body, on a side of the rotor body opposite the working end of the air tool and between the compressed air inlet and the rotor body such that compressed air flows across the stator, wherein the stator interacts with the magnetic elements to generate electricity when the rotor body is rotated by the compressed air;
• and
• D. a light ring assembly attached to the tool housing to provide light at the working end of the tool;
• wherein the light ring assembly includes:
• a lamp located external to the tool housing;
• and
• a plurality of optical fibers having first ends optically coupled to the lamp and second ends that terminate in a circular array at the working end of the tool.