Quick release hole saw

A quick release hole saw assembly, comprising:

• a cylindrical cutting blade consisting essentially of a cylindrical side wall having a fully open distal end having a cutting edge and a fully open proximal end having a plurality of engagement slots in the cylindrical side wall;
• a drive shaft configured to receive a guide drill;
• a drive disk non-rotateably connected to the drive shaft and configured to mate with the proximal end of the cylindrical side wall of the cylindrical cutting blade;
• and
• a plurality of projections pivoting about pivot pins and attached to and extending radially outward from the drive disk and configured to reversibly engage with the plurality of engagement slots in the cylindrical side wall to transmit torque from the drive disk to the cylindrical cutting blade;
• wherein the plurality of projections comprise drive latches configured to be pivotally mounted to a pivot point on the drive disk and to pivotally and reversibly extend radially from the drive disk and engage with the engagement slots in the cylindrical side wall;
• wherein the plurality of engagement slots have internal side walls and the projections have external side walls, wherein the internal side walls of the plurality of engagement slots and external side walls of the projections have an angle of 90 degrees or less such that when torque is applied to the cylindrical cutting blade by the drive disk the projections are maintained in engagement with the engagement slots.

A quick release hole saw assembly, comprising:

• a cylindrical cutting blade consisting essentially of a cylindrical side wall having a fully open distal end having a cutting edge and a fully open proximal end having a plurality of engagement slots in the cylindrical side wall;
• a drive shaft configured to receive a guide drill;
• a drive disk non-rotateably connected to the drive shaft and configured to mate with the proximal end of the cylindrical side wall of the cylindrical cutting blade;
• and
• a plurality of projections pivoting about pivot pins and attached to and extending radially outward from the drive disk and configured to reversibly engage with the plurality of engagement slots in the cylindrical side wall to transmit torque from the drive disk to the cylindrical cutting blade;
• wherein the plurality of projections comprise drive latches configured to be pivotally mounted to a pivot point on the drive disk and to pivotally and reversibly extend radially from the drive disk and engage with the engagement slots in the cylindrical side wall;
• wherein each drive latch further comprises a second end with a latch configured to engage with a spring-actuated drive collar disposed about the drive shaft, wherein the spring actuated drive collar is biased to press the latch distally forward and pivotally cause the drive latch to engage with one of the plurality of engagement slots inside the cylindrical side wall;
• wherein the spring-actuated drive collar has a channel inside the drive collar that engages a second end of the drive latch, wherein axial movement of the drive collar about the drive shaft away from the drive disk causes the drive latch to pivot and the first end of the drive latch to disengage from the cylindrical cutting blade apertures, thereby releasing the cylindrical cutting blade from the drive disk.