Patent Application
20240359300
The present invention relates to a hand tool and, more particular, to connector for use with a hand tool.
An internal-combustion engine that consumes gasoline or liquidated gasoline gas includes a plug for igniting the gasoline of liquidated gasoline gas. The plug is formed with a thread engaged with a thread formed on an internal portion of the engine. To rotate the plug relative to the engine, a handle 10 that includes a socket 11 is used.
Chinese Patent No. 2618731Y discloses a hand tool including a T-shaped handle securely connected to a socket 2. That is, T-shaped handle and the socket 2 are made in one piece. In operation, the socket 2 receives a plug. Plugs of different sizes require sockets of different sizes. Hence, plugs of different sizes require hand tools of different sizes, with each of the hand tools including a T-shaped handle. To carry such hand tools of different sizes is a heavy burden for a user physically or financially.
Chinese Patent No. 2707436Y discloses a hand tool including a socket 1, a T-shaped handle 2, a universal joint 12, a pivot 11 for connecting the universal joint 12 to the socket 1, and a pivot 13 for connecting the universal joint 12 to the T-shaped handle 2. The pivots 11 and 13 are rivets that render it difficult to disconnect the socket 1 or the T-shaped hand 2 from the universal joint 12. As mentioned above, plugs of different sizes require sockets of different sizes. Hence, plugs of different sizes require hand tools of different sizes, with each of the hand tools including a T-shaped handle. To carry such hand tools of different sizes is a heavy burden for a user physically or financially.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.
It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a convenient connector between a handle and a socket of a hand tool.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the connector includes a joint, a core, a detent, a shank and a pin. The joint includes a square rod, a lateral hole, a small axial hole, a medium axial hole and a large axial hole. The square rod extends from an end of the joint. The lateral hole is made in the square rod. The small axial hole is made in the square rod and in communication with lateral hole. The medium axial hole is in communication with the small axial hole. A first shoulder is formed between the medium and small axial holes. The large axial hole is in communication with the medium axial hole. A second shoulder is formed between the large and medium axial holes. The core is movable in the medium and small axial holes and includes a stepped lateral face formed with a deep portion and shallow portion. The detent includes an internal portion in contact with the stepped lateral face and external portion extensible out of the lateral hole. The shank includes a ball inserted in the large axial hole of the joint. The ball includes a slot. The pin is inserted in the joint so that the pin extends throughout the slot of the ball. When the ball is in a lower position in the joint, the core is in a lower position in the joint so that the deep portion of the stepped lateral face receives the internal portion of the detent to allow complete withdrawn of the external portion of the detent in the lateral hole. When the ball is in an upper position in the joint, the core is in an upper position in the joint so that the shallow portion of the stepped lateral face receives the internal portion of the detent, thereby extending the external portion of the detent out of the lateral hole.
Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.
The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of two embodiments referring to the drawings wherein:
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The handle 10 includes a head 15 at an end and a grip 16 at an opposite end. The head 15 contains a driving unit 17 switchable between two modes. In the first mode, the driving unit 17 allows the handle 10 to rotate the connector 20 or the socket 11 clockwise but not counterclockwise. In the second mode, the driving unit 17 allows the handle 10 to rotate the connector 20 or the socket 11 counterclockwise but not clockwise. The driving unit 17 will not be described in detail for not being the spirit of the present invention.
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The shank 21 includes a receptacle 22 at an end, a ball 24 at an opposite end, and a reduced section 25 next to the ball 24. The receptacle 22 includes a square bore 23 to receive the square portion of the driving unit 17 of the handle 10. The ball 24 includes a flat portion 68 at the free end and two recesses 27 respectively in two lateral portions. Each of the recesses 27 includes a wide portion 63 and a narrow portion 64. The narrow portions 64 of the recesses 27 are in communication with each other, thereby turning the combination of the recesses 27 with each other into a slot 29 in a middle portion of the ball 24. The slot 29 is defined by ceiling and a floor. The ceiling of the slot 29 includes a lowest point. The floor of the slot 29 includes a highest point. The wide portions 63 of the recesses 27 are exposed to the exterior of the ball 24. Each of recesses 27 is defined by upper and lower slant faces 65 (
The joint 30 includes a large axial hole 31 in a first section, a small axial hole 33 in a second section, a medium axial hole 32 between the large axial hole 31 and the small axial hole 33, and a square rod 34 axially extending from the second section. The holes 31, 32 and 33 are in communication with one another. A diameter of the large axial hole 31 is larger than a diameter of the medium axial hole 32, thereby forming a shoulder 38 between the large axial hole 31 and the medium axial hole 32. The diameter of the medium axial hole 32 is larger than a diameter of the small axial hole 33, thereby forming a shoulder 37 between the medium axial hole 32 and the small axial hole 33. A lateral hole 51 (
The pin 40 is transversely inserted in the first section of the joint 30. The pin 40 extends throughout the slot 29, which consists of the recesses 27. Thus, the pin 40 connects the first section of the joint 30 to the ball 24. That is, the ball 24 is kept rotatable in the large axial hole 31. That is, the shank 21 is pivotally connected to the joint 30. The reduced section 25 of the shank 21 allows a large angle of pivoting of the shank 21 relative to the joint 30.
In a first aspect, the shank 21 is pivotable relative to the joint 30 about the pin 40 for the pin 40 is pivotable in the slot 29. In a second aspect, as indicated by arrow heads 28 (
The spring 56 is in a conical shape. The spring 56 is inserted in the large axial hole 31. The spring 56 is compressed between the ball 24 and the shoulder 38 so that the spring 56 tends to push the ball 24 away from the joint 30. However, the pin 40 keeps the ball 24 in the large axial hole 31, i.e., keeping the shank 21 to the joint 30.
In another embodiment, the spring 56 can be in another shape or replaced with a stack of Belleville springs for example.
Preferably, the collar 41 tightly wraps the first section of the joint 30 to keep the pin 40 in the joint 30. That is, the connector 20 kept assembled.
The sphere 42 is inserted in the medium axial hole 32 before a first section of the core 45 is inserted in the medium axial hole 32. The first section of the core 45 is in contact with the sphere 42. The C-clip 47 is engaged with the first section of the core 45. The spring 48 is compressed between the C-clip 47 and the shoulder 37. Thus, the spring 48 exerts a force 53 on the sphere 42 via the core 45. The core 45 pushes the sphere 42 toward the joint 30 so that a portion of the sphere 42 is inserted in the large axial hole 31. However, the medium axial hole 32 includes a diameter-reduced section 36 next to the large axial hole 31 to keep the other portion of the sphere 42 in the medium axial hole 32. To this end, a diameter of the diameter-reduced section 36 of the medium axial hole 32 is smaller than a diameter of the sphere 42. There is a distance 67 between the sphere 42 and the ball 24. There is a distance 66 between an upper portion of the pin 40 and the lowest point of a ceiling of the slot 29. The distance 66 is larger than the distance 67.
The detent 49 is in the form of a ball. An internal portion of the detent 49 is always inserted in the small axial hole 33. An external portion of the detent 49 is located in or out of the lateral hole 51.
The core 45 includes a stepped lateral face 46 formed with a deep portion and a shallow portion (
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The present invention has been described via the illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.
