IP Library Granted Patent US 11,660,682
Granted Patent B2
US 11,660,682 · App. 17/616,476 · Granted May 30, 2023

Chuck with locking clutch

Inventor: Jichun Zhou (Suzhou, CN)
Assignees: APEX BRANDS, INC.; JACOBS CHUCK MANUFACTUIRNG (SUZHOU) COMPANY, LTD.
B23B31/1238B23B31/123B23B2231/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,660,682
App. No.
17/616,476
Granted
May 30, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A chuck ( 10 ) is provided that includes a plurality of jaws ( 20 ) and a body ( 30 ) configured to rotate with a drive spindle of a power driver. The chuck ( 10 ) may also include a nut ( 80 ) comprising nut teeth ( 82 ). The nut ( 80 ) may be operably coupled to the jaws ( 20 ) and configured to move the jaws ( 20 ) relative to the body ( 30 ) in the opening or closing direction. The chuck ( 10 ) may also include a clutch ( 100 ) comprising clutch teeth ( 102 ). The clutch ( 100 ) may be configured to move between a working position and a jaw actuating position. In the working position, the clutch teeth ( 102 ) may be engaged with the nut teeth ( 82 ) to prevent movement of the nut ( 80 ) relative to the body ( 30 ), and, in the jaw actuating position, the clutch teeth ( 102 ) need not be engaged with the nut teeth ( 82 ) and the nut ( 80 ) may be free to move relative to the body ( 30 ).

Claims (48)

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

a plurality of jaws, each jaw including jaw threading;

a body configured to rotate with the drive spindle, wherein the plurality of jaws are configured to rotate with the body about a center axis of the chuck, wherein the plurality of jaws are also configured to move relative to the body in an opening or closing direction;

a nut operably coupled with the jaw threading of the jaws such that rotation of the nut relative to the body moves the jaws relative to the body in the opening or closing direction, the nut further comprising nut teeth;

a clutch including clutch teeth, the clutch being operably coupled to the body such that the clutch rotates with the body, wherein the clutch is configured to move between a working position and a jaw actuating position;

a location spring comprising a protrusion;

a jaw actuating position recess; and

a working position recess;

wherein, in the working position, the clutch teeth are engaged with the nut teeth to prevent rotation of the nut relative to the body;

wherein, in the jaw actuating position, the clutch teeth are not engaged with the nut teeth and the nut is rotatable about the body;

wherein the clutch is configured to slide into the working position where the protrusion engages with the working recess to hold the clutch in the working position; and

wherein the clutch is configured to slide into the jaw actuating position where the protrusion engages with the jaw actuating position recess to hold the clutch in the jaw actuating position;

wherein the protrusion extends radially away from the center axis of the chuck and is biased toward the jaw actuating position recess or the working position recess.

2. The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the clutch is configured to move between the working position and the jaw actuating position by sliding axially relative to the body.

3. The chuck of claim 1 , wherein the nut teeth are disposed on a forward facing surface of the nut and the clutch teeth are disposed on a rearward facing surface of the clutch.

4. The chuck of claim 1 further comprising a press spring that biases the clutch towards the working position.

5. The chuck of claim 1 further comprising a pull ring affixed to the clutch such that the pull ring slides axially with the clutch relative to the central axis, wherein the pull ring is configured to provide a user interface to permit manual movement of the pull ring and the clutch between the working position and the jaw actuation position by a user.

6. The chuck of claim 1 further comprising a connect socket;

wherein the connect socket comprises an external forward connection interface that engages an inner surface of a rear cavity of the body such that the connect socket rotates with the body;

wherein the connect socket comprises a rear connection interface configured to engage with the drive spindle such that the connect socket rotates with the drive spindle.

7. The chuck of claim 6 , wherein the connect socket further comprises a forward socket cavity comprising an inner connection interface, the inner connection interface being configured to receive a rear portion of the working bit and hold the working bit in a central location during jaw actuation.

8. A chuck comprising:

a plurality of jaws;

a body configured to rotate with a drive spindle of a power driver, wherein the plurality of jaws are configured to rotate with the body about a center axis of the chuck, wherein the plurality of jaws are also configured to move relative to the body in an opening or closing direction;

a nut comprising nut teeth, the nut being operably coupled to the jaws and configured to move the jaws relative to the body in the opening or closing direction;

a clutch including clutch teeth, the clutch being configured to move between a working position and a jaw actuating position;

a location spring comprising a protrusion;

a jaw actuating position recess; and

a working position recess;

wherein the clutch is configured to slide into the working position where the clutch teeth are engaged with the nut teeth to prevent movement of the nut relative to the body and the protrusion engages with the working position recess to hold the clutch in the working position;

wherein the clutch is configured to slide into the jaw actuating position where the clutch teeth are not engaged with the nut teeth, the nut is free to move relative to the body, and the protrusion engages with the jaw actuating position recess to hold the clutch in the jaw actuating position;

wherein the protrusion extends radially away from the center axis of the chuck and is biased toward the jaw actuating position recess or the working position recess.

9. The chuck of claim 8 , wherein the clutch is configured to move between the working position and the jaw actuating position by sliding axially relative to the body.

10. The chuck of claim 8 wherein the protrusion is moveable radially relative to the center axis of the chuck.

11. The chuck of claim 8 further comprising a connect socket;

wherein the connect socket comprises an external forward connection interface that engages an inner surface of a rear cavity of the body such that the connect socket rotates with the body;

wherein the connect socket comprises a rear connection interface configured to engage with the drive spindle such that the connect socket rotates with the drive spindle.

12. The chuck of claim 11 , wherein the connect socket further comprises a forward socket cavity comprising an inner connection interface, the inner connection interface being configured to receive a rear portion of the working bit and hold the working bit in a central location during jaw actuation.

13. The chuck of claim 8 , wherein the nut teeth are disposed on a forward facing surface of the nut and the clutch teeth are disposed on a rearward facing surface of the clutch.

14. A chuck comprising:

a plurality of jaws;

a body configured to rotate with a drive spindle of a power driver, wherein the plurality of jaws are configured to rotate with the body about a center axis of the chuck, wherein the plurality of jaws are also configured to move relative to the body in an opening or closing direction;

a nut comprising nut teeth, the nut being operably coupled to the jaws and configured to move the jaws relative to the body in the opening or closing direction; and

a clutch including clutch teeth, the clutch being movable by a user between a working position and a jaw actuating position, the clutch comprising a working position recess and a jaw actuation recess;

a protrusion extending and biased in a radial direction away from the center axis of the chuck;

wherein the clutch is configured to, in response to a user sliding the clutch into the working position, engage the clutch teeth with the nut teeth to prevent movement of the nut relative to the body and move the working position recess into engagement with the protrusion to maintain the clutch in the working position, and

wherein the clutch is further configured to, in response to the user sliding the clutch into the jaw actuating position, disengage the clutch teeth from the nut teeth to permit the nut to move relative to the body and move the plurality of the jaws in the opening or closing direction to move the jaw actuating position recess into engagement with the protrusion to maintain the clutch in the jaw actuating position.

15. The chuck of claim 14 , wherein the clutch is configured to move between the working position and the jaw actuating position by sliding axially relative to the body.

Assignments (8)
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 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 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 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 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Apr 20, 2023
From: ZHOU, JICHUN
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.; JACOBS CHUCK MANUFACTURING (SUZHOU) COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063384/0961 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 8, 2021
From: ZHOU, JICHUN
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058332/0405 →