IP Library Granted Patent US 12,599,972
Granted Patent B2
US 12,599,972 · App. 17/401,723 · Granted Apr 14, 2026

Chuck with slip protection

Inventors: Jichun Zhou (Suzhou, CN); Tingwei Zeng (Suzhou, CN); Michael C. Goodson (Belton, SC)
Assignees: JACOBS CHUCK MANUFACTURING (SUZHOU) COMPANY LTD.; APEX BRANDS, INC.
B23B31/1238B23B31/123B23B2231/38B23B2260/008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,599,972
App. No.
17/401,723
Granted
Apr 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A chuck is provided for use with a powered driver having a rotatable drive shaft. The chuck includes a plurality of jaws movably disposed in passageways of a cylindrical body, a nut rotatably mounted about the body and in communication with the jaws such that rotation of the nut in a closing direction moves the jaws toward each other and rotation of the nut in an opening direction moves the jaws away from each other, and a sleeve rotatably mounted about the body. The sleeve is in communication with the nut such that rotation of the sleeve rotationally drives the nut. The chuck also including a biasing element disposed between the nut an at least a portion of the sleeve configured to bias the sleeve toward a neutral position. The biasing element limits an inertial force of the sleeve applied to the nut during operation of the powered driver.

Claims (35)

1 . A chuck for use with a powered driver having a rotatable drive shaft, the chuck comprising:

a body comprising a nose section and a tail section, the tail section being configured to rotate with the rotatable drive shaft and the nose section comprising an axial bore, the body further comprising a plurality of passageways that intersect with the axial bore;

a plurality of jaws movably disposed in the plurality of passageways;

a nut rotatably mounted about the body and in operative communication with the plurality of jaws such that rotation of the nut in a closing direction moves each jaw in the plurality of jaws toward an axis of the axial bore to tighten the plurality of jaws and rotation of the nut in an opening direction moves each jaw of the plurality of jaws away from the axis of the axial bore to loosen the plurality of jaws;

a sleeve rotatably mounted about the body, wherein the sleeve is in operative communication with a drive dog configured to engage with an engagement edge of the nut during manual rotation of the sleeve to cause rotation of the nut; and

a biasing element configured to bias the drive dog in a direction away from the engagement edge of the nut to form a gap between the drive dog and the engagement edge, the biasing element being further configured to absorb at least a portion of an inertial force of the sleeve and also prevent direct contact between the drive dog and the engagement edge, caused by a change in rotation speed of the sleeve, that would urge the drive dog toward the engagement edge to close the gap.

2 . The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element is disposed in the gap between the drive dog and the engagement edge of the nut.

3 . The chuck of claim 1 further comprising a second biasing element configured to bias the drive dog in a second direction away from a second engagement edge of the nut.

4 . The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, wherein the outer sleeve is configured to transfer rotational force to the inner sleeve, and the inner sleeve is configured to transfer the rotational force to the nut, and wherein the drive dog is disposed on the inner sleeve.

5 . The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element comprises a spring.

6 . The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element comprises a wave spring.

7 . The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element comprises a coil spring.

8 . The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element comprises a resilient cushion.

9 . A chuck for use with a powered driver having a rotatable drive shaft, the chuck comprising:

a body comprising an axial bore and a plurality of passageways that intersect with the axial bore;

a plurality of jaws movably disposed in the plurality of passageways;

a nut in operative communication with the plurality of jaws such that movement of the nut in a closing direction tightens the plurality of jaws and movement of the nut in an opening direction loosens the plurality of jaws;

a sleeve in operative communication with a drive dog configured to drive the nut during manual rotation of the sleeve to cause rotation of the nut; and

a biasing element configured to bias the drive dog in a direction away from an engagement edge of the nut to form a gap between the drive dog and the engagement edge, the biasing element being further configured to absorb at least a portion of an inertial force of the sleeve and also prevent direct contact between the drive dog and the engagement edge, caused by a change in rotation speed of the sleeve, that would urge the drive dog toward the engagement edge of the nut to close the gap.

10 . The chuck of claim 9 , wherein the biasing element is disposed in the gap between the drive dog and the engagement edge of the nut.

11 . The chuck of claim 9 further comprising a second biasing element configured to bias the drive dog in a second direction away from a second engagement edge of the nut.

12 . The chuck of claim 9 , wherein the sleeve comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, wherein the outer sleeve is configured to transfer rotational force to the inner sleeve, and the inner sleeve is configured to transfer the rotational force to the nut, and wherein the drive dog is disposed on the inner sleeve.

13 . The chuck of claim 9 , wherein the biasing element comprises a spring.

14 . The chuck of claim 9 , wherein the biasing element comprises a wave spring.

15 . The chuck of claim 9 , wherein the biasing element comprises a coil spring.

16 . The chuck of claim 9 , wherein the biasing element comprises a resilient cushion.

17 . A chuck for use with a powered driver having a rotatable drive shaft, the chuck comprising:

a body comprising a nose section and a tail section, the tail section being configured to rotate with the rotatable drive shaft and the nose section comprising an axial bore, the body further comprising a plurality of passageways that intersect with the axial bore;

a plurality of jaws movably disposed in the plurality of passageways;

a nut rotatably mounted about the body and in operative communication with the jaws such that rotation of the nut in a closing direction moves the jaws toward an axis of the axial bore and rotation of the nut in an opening direction moves the jaws away from the axis of the axial bore;

a sleeve rotatably mounted about the body, the sleeve comprising an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, wherein the inner sleeve comprises a protrusion and the inner sleeve is configured to transfer rotational force applied to the outer sleeve to the nut, wherein the inner sleeve comprises a drive dog configured to engage with an engagement edge of the nut during manual rotation of the outer sleeve to cause rotation of the nut, wherein the outer sleeve comprises a tab configured to rotate toward the protrusion of the inner sleeve during manual rotation of the outer sleeve; and

a biasing element configured to bias the tab in a direction away from the protrusion to form a gap between the tab and the protrusion, the biasing element being further configured to absorb at least a portion of an inertial force of the outer sleeve caused by a change in rotation speed of the outer sleeve that would urge the tab toward the protrusion and close the gap.

18 . The chuck of claim 17 , wherein the biasing element is disposed in the gap between the tab and the protrusion.

19 . The chuck of claim 17 , wherein the biasing element comprises a spring.

20 . The chuck of claim 17 , wherein the biasing element comprises a wave spring, a coil spring, or a resilient cushion.

Assignments (15)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2026
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 075612/0935 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2026
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 075613/0150 →
NEW SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073377/0567 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVAL OF PATENT NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 442. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECOND LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073077/0584 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NO. 11203070 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 58991 FRAME 556. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0327 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NOS. 7444851 AND 11203070 WHICH WERE INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0477 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 556. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068769/0309 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068791/0141 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 442. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068753/0687 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT. NO. 11191173 WAS INCORRCTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66631 FRAME: 791. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 067884/0469 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 3, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067310/0054 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 066631/0791 →
SECOND LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058991/0442 →
FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058991/0556 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 18, 2021
From: ZHOU, JICHUN; ZENG, TINGWEI; GOODSON, MICHAEL C.
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057209/0687 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16340218
Related Publication 20210370414A1 · Dec 2, 2021
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