Hybrid impact tool

1. A method comprising:

providing a power tool with a transmission, a rotary impact mechanism and an output spindle, the rotary impact mechanism having a hammer and an anvil and being disposed between the transmission and the output spindle;

operating the power tool in a torsional impact mode in which rotary power is transmitted from the transmission to the hammer and the hammer cyclically disengages and re-engages the anvil; and

pushing the output spindle toward the transmission while operating the power tool to engage a clutch, wherein engagement of the clutch causes rotary power to be transmitted from the transmission to the anvil such that the anvil is driven regardless of whether or not the hammer is engaged to the anvil.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotary impact mechanism includes first and second spindles that are arranged coaxially with one another.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the hammer is received into the first spindle.

4. A power tool comprising:

a motor;

a transmission receiving rotary power from the motor, the transmission having a transmission output member;

a rotary impact mechanism having a first spindle, a second spindle, a hammer and an anvil, the second spindle being disposed coaxially with the first spindle, the hammer being drivingly coupled to the second spindle; and

means for selectively coupling the first and second spindles with the anvil and the transmission output member, wherein coupling of the first spindle with the anvil and the transmission output member directly drives the anvil and wherein coupling of the second spindle with the anvil and the transmission output member drives the anvil through the hammer.

5. The power tool of claim 4 , wherein the anvil is coupled for rotation with the first spindle.

6. The power tool of claim 5 , wherein the coupling means includes a mode collar that is selectively coupled to at least one of the first and second spindles.

7. The power tool of claim 6 , wherein the mode collar is axially movable between a first position, in which the mode collar couples the first spindle to the transmission output member, and a second position in which the mode collar couples the second spindle to the transmission output member.

8. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the mode collar has a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth that are axially spaced apart from the first set of teeth, and wherein the first set of teeth are selectively engagable with the first spindle and the second set of teeth are selectively engagable with the second spindle.

9. The power tool of claim 8 , wherein the first set of teeth are engaged to teeth formed on the transmission output member.

10. The power tool of claim 9 , wherein a clutch is disposed between the transmission output member and the first spindle, wherein the first spindle is biased away from the transmission output member but is axially movable into an override position in which the first spindle is coupled to the transmission output member through the clutch when the mode collar is in the second position.

11. The power tool of claim 10 , wherein the clutch is a friction clutch.

12. The power tool of claim 6 , wherein the mode collar is integrally formed with the transmission output member.

13. The power tool of claim 12 , wherein the mode collar includes a set of teeth that are meshingly engaged to a mating set of teeth formed on the second spindle.

14. The power tool of claim 13 , wherein a clutch is disposed between the transmission output member and the first spindle, wherein the first spindle is biased away from the transmission output member but is axially movable into an override position in which the first spindle is coupled to the transmission output member through the clutch.

15. The power tool of claim 4 , wherein the second spindle is disposed about the first spindle.

16. The power tool of claim 4 , wherein the first spindle is coupled for rotation with at least one of the transmission output member and the second spindle.

17. The power tool of claim 16 , wherein a clutch member is coupled for rotation with the anvil and wherein at least one of the first spindle and the clutch member is axially movable to permit the clutch member and the first spindle to be selectively engaged to one another.

18. The power tool of claim 17 , wherein an end of the first spindle opposite the transmission output member includes a set of clutch teeth that are configured to engage a set of mating clutch teeth on the clutch member.

19. The power tool of claim 16 , wherein the hammer is received into the first spindle.

20. A power tool comprising:

a motor;

a transmission receiving rotary power from the motor, the transmission having a transmission output member;

a rotary impact mechanism having a first spindle, a second spindle, a hammer and an anvil, the first spindle being coupled for rotation with the anvil, the second spindle being disposed coaxially about the first spindle, the hammer being drivingly coupled to the second spindle; and

a mode collar for selectively coupling the first and second spindles with the anvil and the transmission output member, wherein the mode collar is axially movable between a first position, in which the mode collar couples the first spindle to the transmission output member to drive the anvil, and a second position in which the mode collar couples the second spindle to the transmission output member to drive the anvil through the hammer, wherein the mode collar has a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth that are axially spaced apart from the first set of teeth, wherein the first set of teeth are engaged to teeth formed on the transmission output member and selectively engagable with the first spindle, and wherein the second set of teeth are selectively engagable with the second spindle;

wherein a friction clutch is disposed between the transmission output member and the first spindle, wherein the first spindle is biased away from the transmission output member but is axially movable into an override position in which the first spindle is coupled to the transmission output member through the clutch when the mode collar is in the second position.