Abstract: An impact tool includes a housing that includes a motor housing portion, a front housing portion coupled to the motor housing portion, and a D-shaped handle portion extending from the motor housing portion in a direction opposite the front housing portion. The impact tool includes an electric motor supported in the motor housing portion, a battery pack supported by the housing for providing power to the motor, and a drive assembly for converting a continuous torque input from the motor to consecutive rotational impacts upon a workpiece capable of developing at least 1,700 ft-lbs of fastening torque.

Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center (TDC) position to a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position for driving a fastener into a workpiece and a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position. A rotary lifter is engageable with the driver blade and configured to receive torque from the drive unit for returning the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position. The lifter has a body, a drive pin coupled to the body, and a roller positioned on the drive pin. The roller includes an engagement section configured to receive an end portion of a tooth of the driver blade. The lifter includes a means for aligning the engagement section with the end portion of the tooth on the driver blade to facilitate meshing between the end portion and the roller.

Abstract: A rotary impact tool includes a motor housing, an electric motor supported in the motor housing, and a drive assembly for converting a continuous torque input from the motor to consecutive rotational impacts upon a workpiece. The drive assembly includes an anvil including an anvil lug and a hammer that is both rotationally and axially movable relative to the anvil. The hammer includes a hammer lug for imparting the consecutive rotational impacts upon the anvil lug. The rotary impact tool further comprises a printed circuit board assembly including a sensor that is configured to detect rotation of the anvil. The printed circuit board assembly is spaced from the anvil to define an axial gap therebetween.

Abstract: Position sensing related to a component within a power tool. The component within the power tool is, for example, a hammer of an impact mechanism and can include one or more sensible features that allow a controller of the power tool to precisely determine the position, speed, and acceleration of the component. One or more sensors can be used to determine the rotational position of the hammer and the axial position of the hammer. The rotational position of the hammer can then be used to calculate, for example, rotational speed and acceleration of the hammer. With precise determinations of the rotational and axial position of the hammer, the controller of the power tool is able to precisely time the impact between the hammer and the anvil to optimize the impact between the hammer and the anvil (e.g., to maximize energy transfer between the hammer and the anvil).

Abstract: An impact tool includes a housing including a motor housing portion and a front housing coupled to the motor housing portion, a motor supported within the motor housing portion, a battery pack supported by the housing for providing power to the motor, and a drive assembly supported within the housing and configured to convert continuous torque from the motor to consecutive rotational impacts upon a workpiece capable of developing at least 1,700 ft-lbs of fastening torque. The drive assembly includes a camshaft driven by the motor for rotation about an axis, an anvil extending from the front housing, and a hammer configured to reciprocate along a travel portion of the camshaft between a rearmost position and a forwardmost position to deliver rotational impacts to the anvil in response to rotation of the camshaft.

Abstract: A bolt tensioning tool includes a housing, an electric motor positioned within the housing, a tensioning assembly connectable to a bolt for applying tension thereto, and a bolt tension monitoring system. The bolt has a threaded portion and a surface. The bolt tension monitoring system includes a transmitter, a receiver, a sensor housing, and a controller. The sensor housing has an inner wall defining a recess that receives the surface of the bolt. The controller determines a dimension of the bold during a tensioning operation and determines the tension in the bolt based on the dimension. The bolt tension monitoring system monitors the tension of the bolt during a tensioning operation. The tension assembly applies tension to the bolt during the tensioning operation.

Abstract: A trigger assembly for a power tool includes a housing, a moveable plunger extending from a surface of the housing, the movable plunger includes a first end disposed externally from the housing and a second end disposed internally within the housing. The trigger assembly further includes a trigger shoe coupled to the first end of the moveable plunger, and an arm including a first side that is moveably connected to the second end of the moveably plunger and a second side that is coupled to a magnet. The trigger assembly also includes a sensor configured to sense a magnetic field of the magnet. Movement of the trigger shoe rotates the magnet, and alters the magnetic field sensed by the sensor.

Abstract: A trigger assembly for a power tool includes a housing, a moveable plunger extending from a surface of the housing, the movable plunger includes a first end disposed externally from the housing and a second end disposed internally within the housing. The trigger assembly further includes a trigger shoe coupled to the first end of the moveable plunger, and an arm including a first side that is moveably connected to the second end of the moveably plunger and a second side that is coupled to a magnet. The trigger assembly also includes a sensor configured to sense a magnetic field of the magnet. Movement of the trigger shoe rotates the magnet, and alters the magnetic field sensed by the sensor.

Abstract: An impact tool includes a housing, a motor supported within the housing and having a motor shaft, a drive assembly configured to convert a continuous rotational input from the motor shaft to consecutive rotational impacts upon a workpiece, the drive assembly including a camshaft having a front portion and a rear portion defining a carrier, the rear portion being closer to the motor than the front portion, a thrust bearing engageable with the rear portion of the camshaft, and a gear assembly coupled between the motor shaft and the drive assembly. The gear assembly includes a ring gear and a plurality of planet gears meshed with the ring gear. Each of the plurality of planet gears is coupled to the carrier of the camshaft, and the ring gear rotationally and radially supports the rear portion of the camshaft via the plurality of planet gears.

Abstract: An impact tool includes a housing, a motor supported within the housing, an anvil extending from the housing, and a drive assembly configured to convert a continuous rotational input from the motor to intermittent applications of torque to the anvil. The anvil includes a body rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a driving end portion configured to receive a tool element over a distal end thereof, and a bore extending through the driving end portion of the anvil in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. The driving end portion includes a groove located between the bore and the distal end. The groove includes a curved portion converging toward the distal end and is configured to receive a friction ring such that the friction ring follows a contour of the groove.

Abstract: A power tool includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, a motor directly mounted between the housing portions with an output shaft defining an axis, and a gear assembly supported within the housing and including a ring gear directly supported by the housing portions, a pinion gear coupled for co-rotation with the output shaft, and planet gears meshed with the pinion gear and the ring gear. The power tool also includes a drive assembly operably coupled to the gear assembly with a camshaft, an anvil, a hammer configured to reciprocate along the camshaft to impart rotational impacts to the anvil, and a spring biasing the hammer towards the anvil. The ring gear includes lugs engaged with the first housing portion and the second housing portion to rotationally constrain the ring gear.

Abstract: A power tool includes a housing with a motor housing portion and a handle portion extending from the motor housing portion, a motor supported within the motor housing portion, a drive assembly operatively coupled to the motor, the drive assembly producing vibrations during operation of the power tool, a battery receptacle located within the handle portion, a battery at least partially insertable into the battery receptacle along a battery axis, the battery configured to provide power to the motor, and a vibration mitigation system configured to reduce transmission of the vibrations produced by the drive assembly to the battery.

Abstract: A powered ratchet tool includes a housing with a battery receptacle, a motor within the housing with an output spindle driven about a first axis, a battery configured to be coupled to the battery receptacle to power the motor, a head pivotably coupled to the housing and configured to pivot with respect to the housing about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and between a plurality of discrete orientations, the head including a ratchet mechanism driven by the output spindle and an output drive coupled to the ratchet mechanism and configured to rotate about an output drive axis, and a locking mechanism moveable between a first position, in which the head is locked in one of the plurality of discrete orientations with respect to the housing, and a second position, in which the head freely pivots between the plurality of discrete orientations about the second axis.

Abstract: An impact tool includes a housing, an electric motor supported within the housing and having a motor shaft, and a drive assembly configured to convert a continuous rotational input from the motor shaft to consecutive rotational impacts upon a workpiece. The drive assembly includes a camshaft having front and rear portions. A gear assembly is coupled between the motor shaft and the drive assembly, the gear assembly including a ring gear that is rotationally and radially fixed relative to the housing and a plurality of planet gears meshed with the ring gear. Each of the plurality of planet gears is coupled to the rear portion of the camshaft, and a line of action of a radial load exerted by the rear portion of the camshaft on the housing passes through one of the plurality of planet gears and the ring gear.

Abstract: A power tool includes a housing defining a grip portion, a motor having a motor drive shaft, a drive assembly coupled to the motor drive shaft and driven by the motor, an output assembly coupled to the drive assembly and having an output member that receives torque from the drive assembly, causing the output member to rotate about an axis, and a transducer assembly disposed between the grip portion and the output assembly to measure the amount of torque applied through the output member, when the motor is deactivated, in response to the power tool being manually rotated about the axis.

Abstract: A trigger assembly, for use with a power tool having an electric motor, includes a trigger, a conductor coupled for movement with the trigger, and a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has an inductive sensor thereon responsive to relative movement between the conductor and the inductive sensor caused by movement of the trigger. An output of the inductive sensor is used to activate the electric motor.

Abstract: An impact tool includes a housing extending along a longitudinal axis. The housing includes a motor housing portion, a first handle extending from the motor housing portion, and a front housing coupled to the motor housing portion opposite the first handle. The impact tool also includes a motor supported within the motor housing portion, an anvil extending from the front housing, an impact mechanism supported within the front housing, and an auxiliary handle assembly. The auxiliary handle assembly includes a mount, an auxiliary handle coupled to the mount and spaced from the first handle, and an adjustment mechanism. Loosening the adjustment mechanism permits rotation of the auxiliary handle assembly about the longitudinal axis relative to the housing, and tightening the adjustment mechanism secures the auxiliary handle assembly in a selected rotational position.

Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade and a drive unit having an output shaft for providing torque to move the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position. A rotary lifter is engageable with the driver blade and configured to receive torque from the output shaft of the drive unit in a first rotational direction for returning the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position. A kickout arrangement is defined between the lifter and the output shaft and configured to permit limited movement of the lifter relative to the output shaft between a first position and a second position. The kickout arrangement having a curvilinear slot defined in the rotary lifter in which a portion of the output shaft is received. Movement of the rotary lifter from the first position toward the second position causes the slot to move relative to the output shaft, while the output shaft remains within the slot.

Abstract: A trigger assembly, for use with a power tool having an electric motor, includes a trigger, a conductor coupled for movement with the trigger, and a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has an inductive sensor thereon responsive to relative movement between the conductor and the inductive sensor caused by movement of the trigger. An output of the inductive sensor is used to activate the electric motor.

Abstract: A rotary impact tool includes a housing, an electric motor, and a drive assembly for converting a continuous torque input from the motor to consecutive rotational impacts upon a workpiece. An anvil has a bore defining a hexagonal cross-sectional shape and having a nominal width of 7/16 inches. A hammer is rotationally and axially movable relative to the anvil for imparting the consecutive rotational impacts upon the anvil. A spring biases the hammer in an axial direction toward the anvil. A battery pack has a nominal voltage of at least 18 Volts and a nominal capacity of at least 5 Ah. The rotary impact tool has an overall weight including the battery pack that is less than or equal to 7.5 pounds. A second performance ratio of the rotary impact tool, defined as (?a x RPMno-load/Inertiahammer) x (1/216,000,000) is greater than 2.