(19)Fresh off Patent
(45) Week of Oct 5, 2026 No. 5 3,852 lapsed 197 picks
Tools & Hardware · lapsed Sep 2, 2026

Drill/screwdriver with a single collar that sets speed, clutch and hammer

A handheld electric drill/driver where a single rotatable collar sets modes: multiple clutch torque settings for screw driving, a drilling mode that disables the clutch, and a hammer (impact) mode. The collar has icons visible through a transparent housing window so the operator can see the selected mode. Intended users are tradespeople and DIYers who switch between drilling, screw-driving and hammering tasks.

Sheet 1 of the patent drawingsSheet 2 of the patent drawingsSheet 3 of the patent drawings

(57) What the patent covered

The independent claim covered an electric hand tool with a motor, gearbox, and a clutch made of two components pressed together by a spring; a single adjustable member (a rotatable collar with icons under a transparent housing window) that can be moved through positions 1..N to vary the clutch spring force for screw-driving modes, an Nth position that disables the clutch for drilling, and additional positions (in dependent claims) to engage a hammer/impact mechanism; the clutch uses a thrust plate with tangs to transmit spring force to the clutch component.

The distinctive part: A single rotatable collar that simultaneously adjusts clutch torque settings, selects the low/high gearbox speed for screw-driving versus drilling, and engages hammer mode, with visual icons under a transparent window.

Novelty 3/5. At filing time multi-mode drill/drivers with two-speed gearboxes, clutches and hammer functions were common; the patent’s novelty was combining those mode changes under one collar and linking gearbox, clutch and impact engagement to that one control.

Making it

injection-molded plastic housing and collar, stamped/machined steel gearbox/clutch parts, coil spring assembly, sub-assembly of gearbox and clutch, final hand assembly and torque calibration

Materials: stamped or machined steel clutch and thrust plate, coil spring (steel), injection-molded ABS or nylon housing and collar, transparent polycarbonate window

Manufacturability 4/5. Uses standard power-tool parts and processes (molded plastics, stamped/machined metal gears and clutch parts); requires careful assembly and calibration of the clutch spring and thrust-plate/tang interface but no exotic tooling.

Is anyone buying?

We haven't run a demand check on this one yet. Shoppers would likely search for drill driver mode change collar, single-ring drill mode selector, 2-speed clutch hammer drill; the links on the right open those searches.

Who buys it: tradespeople and DIYers who switch between drilling, screwdriving and hammering

Before you make it

We didn't find any related continuation or divisional patents still in force, although that doesn't rule out design patents, trademarks or unrelated patents covering the same product.

Patent has lapsed; practical risks are typical product issues, accurate torque calibration, durability of the tang/thrust-plate interface, and crowded market with many similar mode-selector designs.

Owners occasionally revive lapsed patents (about 1.5% are), and this page is a research lead rather than legal advice, so get a freedom-to-operate opinion before you manufacture anything.

Claim 1, as granted

1. A manually operable electrically powered tool, comprising: an electric motor disposed in a housing; a drive train disposed between the motor and a tool spindle, comprising: a gearbox coupled to the motor; a clutch for interrupting drive from the motor to the spindle when a predetermined torque is applied to the spindle, wherein the clutch comprises two components urged together by a spring such that a first component is held in a stationary position relative to a second component when a torque force applied to the spindle is less than a threshold spring force; an adjustment member for setting different modes of operation, the adjustment member being coupled to the clutch, the adjustment member being moveable between a first and Nth position such that, when the adjustment member is in the range of positions between the first and N−1 positions the tool is operable in a screw driving mode and the spring force applied to the clutch components can be varied, and, when the adjustment member is in the Nth position the tool is operable in a drilling mode and the clutch is inoperable; wherein the adjustment member comprises a rotatable collar with icons arranged on a surface thereof; wherein the housing includes a transparent portion which overlaps at least a portion of the surface on which the icons are arranged; wherein the adjustment member comprises a first circumferential portion and a second circumferential portion, the second circumferential portion being located closer to the motor than the first circumferential portion; and wherein the icons are arranged on the second circumferential portion.