US-12617115-B2 - Knockout tools

Abstract

Power-driven knockout tools are provided, including knockout tool accessory devices for power-driven tools. A plurality of different die sets can be coupled to the knockout tools, for forming openings through rigid plate or sheet material. The knockout tool portion of the tools may include a transmission that provides for sufficient speed reduction and corresponding increase in output torque from an input speed/torque associated with a rotary force input to the transmission to an output speed and an output torque for the pulling of a punch portion of the die set through the rigid sheet or plate material.

Inventors

• Jose Henrique Waechter
• Andre Felipe Breternitz de Souza
• Marco LOURENCO

Assignees

• BLACK & DECKER INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20241126

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A knockout tool comprising: a housing; a transmission received in the housing; an input shaft at least partially received in the housing and configured to transmit an input torque to the transmission; a driving member at least partially received in the housing and configured to be rotatably driven about a first axis by the transmission, the driving member including a threaded first portion and a second portion proximate the threaded first portion; and a driven member at least partially received in the housing and configured to be axially moveable along a second axis, the driven member including a coupling portion configured to be coupled to a punch of a die set and a threaded portion engageable with the threaded first portion; wherein, during operation, in response to rotation of the input shaft in a first direction, the threaded first portion is rotatably driven by the transmission to engage the threaded portion such that rotation of the driving member about the first axis causes axial movement of the driven member and the punch in a first axial direction along the second axis to form a hole in a workpiece; and wherein, in response to further rotation of the input shaft, the threaded portion is positioned proximate the second portion causing the threaded first portion and the threaded portion to disengage such that further rotation of the driving member about the first axis does not cause axial movement of the driven member along the second axis.
2. 2 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the driving member or the driven member includes an unthreaded portion.
3. 3 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , further comprising a spring that biases at least one of the threaded first portion and the threaded portion toward being in engagement with each other.
4. 4 . The knockout tool of claim 3 , wherein, in response to disengagement of the threaded first portion and the threaded portion, rotation of the input shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction and a biasing force of the spring cause the threaded first portion and the threaded portion to re-engage.
5. 5 . The knockout tool of claim 3 , wherein the spring is positioned between an end portion of the driven member and a bearing coupling the driving member to the transmission, wherein the spring exerts a biasing force on the driven member that urges re-engagement of the threaded first portion of the driving member with the threaded portion of the driven member.
6. 6 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , wherein the transmission includes a gear assembly including a plurality of gears to provide a speed reduction and torque increase from the input shaft to the driving member.
7. 7 . The knockout tool of claim 6 , wherein the gear assembly includes at least one planetary gear set configured to transmit torque from the input shaft to an output member of the at least one planetary gear set.
8. 8 . The knockout tool of claim 7 , wherein the gear assembly further includes a first spur gear configured to be driven by the output member of the at least one planetary gear set and a second spur gear configured to be driven by the first spur gear.
9. 9 . The knockout tool of claim 6 , wherein the gear assembly includes: an input spur gear; an intermediate spur gear mounted on an intermediate shaft and in meshed engagement with the input spur gear, and configured to rotate in response to rotation of the input spur gear; a worm gear formed on an outer portion of the intermediate shaft and configured to rotate together with the intermediate spur gear and the intermediate shaft; and an output gear in meshed engagement with the worm gear and configured to rotate in response to rotation of the worm gear.
10. 10 . The knockout tool of claim 6 , wherein the gear assembly includes: an input bevel gear; an output bevel gear in meshed engagement with the input bevel gear, wherein the output bevel gear is configured to rotate in response to rotation of the input bevel gear; at least one planetary gear set configured to transmit torque in response to rotation of the output bevel gear; an input spur gear configured to rotate in response to rotation of an output member of the at least one planetary gear set; and an output spur gear in meshed engagement with the input spur gear and configured to rotate in response to rotation of the input spur gear.
11. 11 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , further comprising: a punch of a die set coupleable to the driven member and movable axially along the second axis with the driven member.
12. 12 . The knockout tool of claim 6 , wherein a speed reduction ratio of the transmission is between 500:1 and 1500:1.
13. 13 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , wherein the knockout tool is configured to generate at least 50 kN of axial pulling force at the driven member.
14. 14 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the housing is between 352 cm 3 and 1220 cm 3 .
15. 15 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an axial pulling force at the driven member to a volume of the housing is between 0.03 kN/cm 3 and 0.15 kN/cm 3 .
16. 16 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , wherein the input shaft is configured to be driven by an output tool holder of a separate rotary power tool.
17. 17 . The knockout tool of claim 16 , further comprising a brace assembly configured to support the housing relative to the rotary power tool, the brace assembly including an arm configured to be removeably attached to athe power tool and a collar coupled to the arm and configured to be coupled to the housing.
18. 18 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor received in the housing and configured to rotatably drive the input shaft.
19. 19 . The knockout tool of claim 18 , further comprising a handle coupled to the housing and a battery configured to provide power to the electric motor.
20. 20 . The knockout tool of claim 1 , wherein the transmission includes a planetary gear set; wherein the housing includes: opposing front and rear sides; a handle portion; a motor and transmission portion located above the handle portion that contains a motor and the planetary gear set; and a punch portion located above the motor and transmission portion that contains the driving member and the driven member; wherein the motor includes a shaft that rotates about a third axis, wherein the second axis and the third axis are offset and parallel and each extend between the front and rear sides of the housing.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63/603,455, filed on Nov. 28, 2023, and entitled “Knockout Accessory for Power Tool,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. FIELD This relates to knockout tools including power-driven knockout tools and knockout accessories for power-driven tools, e.g., rotary power tools such as drills, drill/drivers, or impact drivers. BACKGROUND A knockout tool or punch can be used to form openings or holes in metal sheet material or plate material. The use of manual tools to form openings in metal material may be difficult and/or time consuming, and may not produce a clean, precise opening. Powered cutting tools such as, for example, hole saws, jig saws, and the like may be similarly difficult and/or time consuming to use, and still not produce a clean, precise opening. Specialized hand or manual tools, and specialized power-driven tools, that are specifically designed for forming or punching openings through metal sheet material and/or metal plate material may be relatively large, costly, and cumbersome to operate, particularly in installation environments in which access to the workpiece poses a challenge. SUMMARY In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an accessory device for a power tool, the accessory device including: a housing; a transmission received in the housing; an input shaft at least partially received in the housing and configured to be coupled to a power tool to transmit torque from the power tool to the transmission; a driving member at least partially received in the housing and configured to be rotatably driven about a first axis by the transmission, the driving member including a first threaded portion; a driven member at least partially received in the housing and configured to be axially moveable along a second axis, the driven member including a coupling portion configured to be coupled to a punch of a die set and a second threaded portion engageable with the first threaded portion, wherein, during operation, in response to rotation of the input shaft in a first direction, the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion are engaged such that rotation of the driving member about the first axis causes axial movement of the driven member and the punch in a first axial direction along the second axis to form a hole in a workpiece, and wherein, in response to continued rotation of the input shaft, the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion disengage such that further rotation of the driving member about the first axis does not cause axial movement of the driven member along the second axis. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an accessory device, wherein at least one of the driving member or the driven member includes an unthreaded portion. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an accessory device, further including a biasing member that biases the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion toward being in engagement with each other. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an accessory device, wherein, in response to disengagement of the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion, rotation of the input shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction and a biasing force of the biasing member cause the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion to re-engage. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an accessory device, wherein the driven member includes a first cavity that contains the second threaded portion that selectively engages the first threaded portion of the driving member; and a second cavity configured to couple the punch to the driven member. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an accessory device, wherein the driving member is configured to rotate in a second rotational direction in response to a rotary force in the second rotational direction output by the transmission, the first threaded portion of the driving member is configured to re-engage the second threaded portion of the driven member in response to rotation of the driven member in the second rotational direction, and the driven member is configured to move in a second axial direction in response to rotation of the driving member in the second rotational direction and re-engagement of the first threaded portion of the driving member with the second threaded portion of the driven member. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an accessory device, wherein the biasing member is positioned between an end portion of the driven member and a bearing coupling the driving member to the transmission, wherein the biasing member exerts a biasing force on the driven member that urges re-engagement of the first threaded portion of the driving member with the second threaded portion of the driven