Patents by Inventor William A. Elger

William A. Elger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11826892
    Abstract: A hammer drill includes a housing, a first ratchet fixed to the housing, a spindle rotatably supported by the housing about an axis, and a second ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle. The second ratchet is engageable with the first ratchet in response to rearward displacement of the spindle to impart a hammering action on the spindle. The hammer drill further includes a thrust bearing having an arm extending away from the axis, and a selector ring having a post extending toward the arm. The selector ring is rotatable between a first position in which the post is engageable with the arm to limit the rearward displacement of the spindle and prevent engagement of the first and second ratchets, and a second position in which the post is misaligned with the arm to permit the rearward displacement of the spindle and engagement of the first and second ratchets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventor: William A. Elger
  • Publication number: 20230061923
    Abstract: A power tool including a housing, a controller within the housing, and a brushless motor within the housing and controlled by the controller. The brushless motor including a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The stator assembly defines a stator envelope in an axial direction extending between axial ends of stator end caps of the stator assembly. The brushless motor further includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that extends in the axial direction and that receives a shaft, and a position sensor board assembly including position sensors and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to the controller. The rotor assembly and the position sensor board assembly are provided at least partially within the stator envelope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Patent number: 11496022
    Abstract: A power tool including a housing, a controller within the housing, and a brushless motor within the housing and controlled by the controller. The brushless motor including a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The stator assembly defines a stator envelope in an axial direction extending between axial ends of stator end caps of the stator assembly. The brushless motor further includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that extends in the axial direction and that receives a shaft, and a position sensor board assembly including position sensors and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to the controller. The rotor assembly and the position sensor board assembly are provided at least partially within the stator envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Publication number: 20220250224
    Abstract: A hammer drill includes a housing, a first ratchet fixed to the housing, a spindle rotatably supported by the housing about an axis, and a second ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle. The second ratchet is engageable with the first ratchet in response to rearward displacement of the spindle to impart a hammering action on the spindle. The hammer drill further includes a thrust bearing having an arm extending away from the axis, and a selector ring having a post extending toward the arm. The selector ring is rotatable between a first position in which the post is engageable with the arm to limit the rearward displacement of the spindle and prevent engagement of the first and second ratchets, and a second position in which the post is misaligned with the arm to permit the rearward displacement of the spindle and engagement of the first and second ratchets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventor: William A. Elger
  • Patent number: 11345009
    Abstract: A hammer drill includes a housing, a first ratchet fixed to the housing, a spindle rotatably supported by the housing about an axis, and a second ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle. The second ratchet is engageable with the first ratchet in response to rearward displacement of the spindle to impart a hammering action on the spindle. The hammer drill further includes a thrust bearing having an arm extending away from the axis, and a selector ring having a post extending toward the arm. The selector ring is rotatable between a first position in which the post is engageable with the arm to limit the rearward displacement of the spindle and prevent engagement of the first and second ratchets, and a second position in which the post is misaligned with the arm to permit the rearward displacement of the spindle and engagement of the first and second ratchets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventor: William A. Elger
  • Patent number: 10931167
    Abstract: A power tool including a housing, a controller within the housing, and a brushless motor within the housing and controlled by the controller. The brushless motor includes a stator assembly, a rotor core, and a rotor enclosure. The stator assembly includes a stator core having stator laminations defining a stack length in an axial direction. The rotor enclosure includes a front end cap provided on a first side of the rotor core having a front bearing holder; and a rear end cap provided on a second side of the rotor core. The brushless motor further includes a fan, a front bearing, and a rear bearing. The front bearing holder and the fan define a bearing-to-fan length in the axial direction between axial ends of the front bearing holder and the fan, wherein a difference between the bearing-to-fan length and the stack length is less than 23.5 millimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Publication number: 20210008704
    Abstract: A hammer drill includes a housing, a first ratchet fixed to the housing, a spindle rotatably supported by the housing about an axis, and a second ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle. The second ratchet is engageable with the first ratchet in response to rearward displacement of the spindle to impart a hammering action on the spindle. The hammer drill further includes a thrust bearing having an arm extending away from the axis, and a selector ring having a post extending toward the arm. The selector ring is rotatable between a first position in which the post is engageable with the arm to limit the rearward displacement of the spindle and prevent engagement of the first and second ratchets, and a second position in which the post is misaligned with the arm to permit the rearward displacement of the spindle and engagement of the first and second ratchets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventor: William A. Elger
  • Patent number: 10888986
    Abstract: A hammer drill includes a housing, a first ratchet fixed to the housing, a spindle rotatably supported by the housing about an axis, and a second ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle. The second ratchet is engageable with the first ratchet in response to rearward displacement of the spindle to impart a hammering action on the spindle. The hammer drill further includes a thrust bearing having an arm extending away from the axis, and a selector ring having a post extending toward the arm. The selector ring is rotatable between a first position in which the post is engageable with the arm to limit the rearward displacement of the spindle and prevent engagement of the first and second ratchets, and a second position in which the post is misaligned with the arm to permit the rearward displacement of the spindle and engagement of the first and second ratchets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventor: William A. Elger
  • Publication number: 20200412202
    Abstract: A power tool including a housing, a controller within the housing, and a brushless motor within the housing and controlled by the controller. The brushless motor including a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The stator assembly defines a stator envelope in an axial direction extending between axial ends of stator end caps of the stator assembly. The brushless motor further includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that extends in the axial direction and that receives a shaft, and a position sensor board assembly including position sensors and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to the controller. The rotor assembly and the position sensor board assembly are provided at least partially within the stator envelope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Publication number: 20200280243
    Abstract: A power tool including a housing, a controller within the housing, and a brushless motor within the housing and controlled by the controller. The brushless motor includes a stator assembly, a rotor core, and a rotor enclosure. The stator assembly includes a stator core having stator laminations defining a stack length in an axial direction. The rotor enclosure includes a front end cap provided on a first side of the rotor core having a front bearing holder; and a rear end cap provided on a second side of the rotor core. The brushless motor further includes a fan, a front bearing, and a rear bearing. The front bearing holder and the fan define a bearing-to-fan length in the axial direction between axial ends of the front bearing holder and the fan, wherein a difference between the bearing-to-fan length and the stack length is less than 23.5 millimeters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Patent number: 10673305
    Abstract: A power tool including a housing, a controller within the housing, and a brushless motor within the housing and controlled by the controller. The brushless motor including a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The stator assembly defines a stator envelope in an axial direction extending between axial ends of stator end caps of the stator assembly. The brushless motor further includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that extends in the axial direction and that receives a shaft, and a position sensor board assembly including position sensors and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to the controller. The rotor assembly and the position sensor board assembly are provided at least partially within the stator envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Patent number: 10632551
    Abstract: A shoe for a band saw, the shoe having a body including a generally C-shaped member defined by a substantially planar portion for engaging a workpiece and a pair of rails extending transversely therefrom and wrapping such that the body includes a generally T-shaped receptacle for slidably receiving a correspondingly-shaped member. The substantially planar portion includes apertures aligned linearly. A biased detent feature has a holding force with a magnitude sufficient to hold the body when the detent feature is seated in one of the apertures. The body is moveable linearly, relative to the detent feature, in the direction of alignment of the apertures between engaged and non-engaged positions. The body is moveable out of the engaged position in the direction by application of a disengaging force in the direction acting to move the body with respect to the detent feature and acting to overcome the holding force in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew T. Bertsch, Steven F. Thiel, William A. Elger, Melissa M. Marineau
  • Publication number: 20190356197
    Abstract: A power tool including a housing, a controller within the housing, and a brushless motor within the housing and controlled by the controller. The brushless motor including a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The stator assembly defines a stator envelope in an axial direction extending between axial ends of stator end caps of the stator assembly. The brushless motor further includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that extends in the axial direction and that receives a shaft, and a position sensor board assembly including position sensors and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to the controller. The rotor assembly and the position sensor board assembly are provided at least partially within the stator envelope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Patent number: 10432065
    Abstract: A brushless direct current motor for a power tool. The motor includes a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The motor also includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that receives an output shaft. The rotor assembly also includes a rotor end cap on a first side of the rotor core having a bearing holder and defining a channel, wherein the channel is open on a side of the rotor end cap facing the rotor core. The motor further includes a bearing provided in the bearing holder that couples the rotor end cap to the output shaft and a position sensor board assembly provided in the channel of the rotor end cap and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to a motor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Publication number: 20190143428
    Abstract: A shoe for a band saw, the shoe having a body including a generally C-shaped member defined by a substantially planar portion for engaging a workpiece and a pair of rails extending transversely therefrom and wrapping such that the body includes a generally T-shaped receptacle for slidably receiving a correspondingly-shaped member. The substantially planar portion includes apertures aligned linearly. A biased detent feature has a holding force with a magnitude sufficient to hold the body when the detent feature is seated in one of the apertures. The body is moveable linearly, relative to the detent feature, in the direction of alignment of the apertures between engaged and non-engaged positions. The body is moveable out of the engaged position in the direction by application of a disengaging force in the direction acting to move the body with respect to the detent feature and acting to overcome the holding force in the engaged position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Matthew T. Bertsch, Steven F. Thiel, William A. Elger, Melissa M. Marineau
  • Publication number: 20190140516
    Abstract: A brushless direct current motor for a power tool. The motor includes a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The motor also includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that receives an output shaft. The rotor assembly also includes a rotor end cap on a first side of the rotor core having a bearing holder and defining a channel, wherein the channel is open on a side of the rotor end cap facing the rotor core. The motor further includes a bearing provided in the bearing holder that couples the rotor end cap to the output shaft and a position sensor board assembly provided in the channel of the rotor end cap and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to a motor controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Patent number: 10205365
    Abstract: A brushless direct current motor for a power tool. The motor includes a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The motor also includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that receives an output shaft. The rotor assembly also includes a rotor end cap on a first side of the rotor core having a bearing holder and defining a channel, wherein the channel is open on a side of the rotor end cap facing the rotor core. The motor further includes a bearing provided in the bearing holder that couples the rotor end cap to the output shaft and a position sensor board assembly provided in the channel of the rotor end cap and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to a motor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beyerl, Keith Boulanger, Alex Huber, William A. Elger, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Patent number: 10183349
    Abstract: A band saw includes a first wheel and a second wheel for supporting a continuous band saw blade, a motor operable to drive at least one of the first and second wheels, a housing supporting the first wheel and the second wheel, a shoe for engaging a workpiece, the shoe including a first detent feature. The band saw also includes a second detent feature cooperating with the first detent feature to hold the shoe with respect to the housing. The shoe is moveable with respect to the housing between an engaged position and a non-engaged position. The shoe is moveable out of the engaged position by application of a force acting to move the shoe with respect to the housing sufficient to overcome cooperation between the first and second detent features in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew T. Bertsch, Steven F. Thiel, William A. Elger, Melissa M. Marineau
  • Publication number: 20180141200
    Abstract: A hammer drill includes a housing, a first ratchet fixed to the housing, a spindle rotatably supported by the housing about an axis, and a second ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle. The second ratchet is engageable with the first ratchet in response to rearward displacement of the spindle to impart a hammering action on the spindle. The hammer drill further includes a thrust bearing having an arm extending away from the axis, and a selector ring having a post extending toward the arm. The selector ring is rotatable between a first position in which the post is engageable with the arm to limit the rearward displacement of the spindle and prevent engagement of the first and second ratchets, and a second position in which the post is misaligned with the arm to permit the rearward displacement of the spindle and engagement of the first and second ratchets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventor: William A. Elger
  • Patent number: 9908228
    Abstract: A hammer drill includes a housing, a first ratchet fixed to the housing, a spindle rotatably supported by the housing about an axis, and a second ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle. The second ratchet is engageable with the first ratchet in response to rearward displacement of the spindle to impart a hammering action on the spindle. The hammer drill further includes a thrust bearing having an arm extending away from the axis, and a selector ring having a post extending toward the arm. The selector ring is rotatable between a first position in which the post is engageable with the arm to limit the rearward displacement of the spindle and prevent engagement of the first and second ratchets, and a second position in which the post is misaligned with the arm to permit the rearward displacement of the spindle and engagement of the first and second ratchets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventor: William A. Elger