There are no current co-pending applications.
The present invention relates generally to drill motor adapters, and in particular, to a drill motor adapter for providing screw gun functionality compatible with an existing electric drill and drill bit.
General construction and wood working projects require a wide variety of power tools to accomplish the job properly. Two (2) such common power tools are the power drill and the power screw gun. The ability for the drill to produce a hole in just about any material and the screw gun's ability to quickly install fasteners make them very valuable for a wide range of repetitive tasks, saving time and money and reducing stress on the worker.
Due to the cost of these tools and the fact that they have similar physical parameters, many users find it prudent to own only a power drill and then to use the drill in a manner similar to a screw gun as needed. When the capabilities of a screw gun are needed, the user simply inserts an appropriate screwdriver bit or socket adapter into the chuck of the drill.
Various attempts have been made to provide adapters for drill guns. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents including U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,114, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,545, U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,666, U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,206, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,333.
The use of such adapters can be unfavorable due to the fact that it must be repeated and reversed each time the user wishes to switch between the drill functions and the functions provided by the adapter. In certain cases where the adapter is to be utilized infrequently and where a range of functionality or sizing is desirable, this may acceptable.
However, construction practices which require drilling a hole, inserting a fastener, and then drilling another hole, will require the removal of the drill bit or fastening driver for each and every hole, thus becoming very time consuming. Furthermore, in many construction projects, these fasteners are of a consistent size over large areas of the construction. In this case, the need to constantly interchange the drill bits and adapters is very detrimental, i.e. as compared to having both a drill and a screw gun.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an adapter which is smaller and cheaper than having to purchase a screw gun in addition to a drill, but which facilitates repeated use in a quick and minimally taxing manner. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing references, the inventor recognized the aforementioned inherent problems and observed that there is a need for a solution. Thus, the object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned disadvantages and provide for this need.
To achieve the above objectives, it is an object of the present invention to comprise a drill motor adapter for quickly configuring an electric drill motor to perform a screw gun function. The device has an interior bore that slidingly accommodates a standard drill chuck to allow quick conversion from a normal drilling tool to a screw driving tool.
Another object of the present invention is to allow quick attachment of various sized bit sockets and other driver tools which utilize an attaching hex shaft portion. The shaft of the adapter includes a socket receiver portion at an end portion opposite the interior bore.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to allow installation of the device on the drill motor with having to remove a previously installed drill bit, thereby saving significant time for projects which require repeated interchange between the drill and screw driving functions. An extending shaft portion of the apparatus provides an internal drill bit clearance aperture that covers and protects the drill bit and provides sufficient separation between the hex shaft portion and the drill motor.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to secure the device within a chuck key aperture portion of the drill chuck using a spring-loaded anti-rotation pin located within the chuck receiver portion of the apparatus. The pin is further retained in place during use by two (2) retaining rings positioned on the chuck receiver and is installed at an angle such that clockwise rotation of the drill chuck engages the pin and keeps the device installed tightly, but whereby clockwise motioning of the device when the drill is turned off will cause the pin to slide outwardly and allow easy separation and removal of the device from the drill motor.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a similar pair of retaining rings to apply a holding spring force against a bit socket when inserted into the hex aperture portion of the device.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of utilizing the device that provides a unique means of using an existing drill motor in a conventional manner, inserting the drill bit and drill chuck into the inner bore portion of the device while continually applying a counter-clockwise rotation of the device, rotating the device until the anti-rotation pin engages the chuck key aperture of the drill chuck, inserting a suitably sized bit socket or other driving tool into the hex aperture portion, driving fasteners into the previously drilled holes; removing the device from the drill motor by applying a clockwise rotation to disengage the anti-rotation pin, repeating the above steps to convert the drill motor back-and-forth between a drilling tool and a screw gun as needed; and, benefiting from time and equipment costs saved by using the present device.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The advantages and features of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:
a is a close-up view of a chuck receiver portion 20 of the drill motor adapter 10, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
b is a close-up view of a socket receiver portion 32 of the drill motor adapter 10, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
In accordance with the invention, the best mode is presented in terms of a preferred embodiment, herein depicted within
The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.
The present invention describes a drill motor adapter (herein described as the “device”) 10, which provides a means for quickly configuring an electric drill motor 100 to perform a screw gun function. The device 10 provides an interior bore 22 which slidingly accommodates a standard drill chuck portion 102 of an existing drill motor 100 as well as a previously installed drill bit 105 within, thereby allowing quick conversion from a normal drilling tool to a screw driving tool.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The device 10 further provides an extending shaft portion 30 which provides an internal drill bit clearance aperture 36 which allows installation of the device 10 upon the drill motor 100 without a need to remove a previously installed drill bit 105 (see
The socket receiver portion 32 also enables coupled insertion of other driving tools which incorporate a standard hex shaft portion including screwdriver adapters, star sockets, hex key wrenches, and other fastener driving tools.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The pin aperture 24 is drilled at an angle of approximately thirty-seven (37) degrees from perpendicular, into an external surface of an open end of the chuck receiver 20. Said pin aperture 24 comprises a machined hole having a diameter which provides sliding insertion of the anti-rotation pin 50. Said pin aperture 24 further comprises a flat bottom portion and is machined to a particular depth so as to partially cut into the inner bore portion 22, thereby allowing partial angled protrusion of the inserted anti-rotation pin 50 into said inner bore 22. Said anti-rotation pin 50 and pin aperture 24 are positioned in such a manner, as to allow the anti-rotation pin 50 to engage the chuck key aperture portion 104 of the drill chuck 102. For orientation purposes, the device 10 is illustrated here as viewed from a drill motor 100 side. The angled orientation of the pin aperture 24 enables the anti-rotation pin 50 to engage the chuck key aperture portion 104 in an angled manner, thereby mechanically communicating a normal clockwise rotation of the drill chuck 102 to the device 10 to drive a fastener. Conversely, motioning of the device 10 in a clockwise direction with the drill chuck 102 at rest, will cause the anti-rotation pin 50 to slide in an outward direction, thereby flexing the first retaining rings 40 to allow easy separation and removal of the device 10 from the drill motor 100.
Referring now to
The shaft portion 30 of the device 10 comprises a drill bit clearance aperture 36 located along a center axis which comprises a longitudinal drilled hole capable of containing a one-quarter (¼) inch drill bit 105, thereby enabling the device 10 to be installed upon the drill motor 100 without having to remove a previously installed drill bit 105, therefore saving time when switching between the drilling and fastener driving tasks.
It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the device 10, it would be installed as indicated in
The method of utilizing the device 10 may be achieved by performing the following steps: mounting a drill bit 105 into a drill chuck portion 102 of an existing drill motor 100 in a conventional manner; drilling a desired number of holes; inserting said drill bit 105 and drill chuck 102 portions of the drill motor 100 into the inner bore portion 22 of the device 10 while continually applying a counter-clockwise rotation of the device 10; rotating the device 10 until obtaining a snapping engagement of the anti-rotation pin 50 into the chuck key aperture portion 104 of the drill chuck 102; stopping rotation of the device 10; inserting a suitably sized bit socket 110, or other driving tool, into the hex aperture portion 34 of the socket receiver 32; driving fasteners into the previously drilled holes; removing the device 10 from the drill motor 100 by applying a clockwise rotation of the device 10 to disengage the anti-rotation pin 50 from the chuck key aperture 104; pulling the device 10 from the drill motor 100; repeating the above steps to convert the drill motor 100 back-and-forth between a drilling tool and a screw gun as needed to complete a project; and, benefiting from time and equipment costs saved by using the present invention 10.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Various modifications and variations can be appreciated by one skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. The embodiments have been chosen and described in order to best explain the principles and practical application in accordance with the invention to enable those skilled in the art to best utilize the various embodiments with expected modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1355793 | Bernay | Oct 1920 | A |
1797986 | King | Mar 1931 | A |
1887655 | Marple | Nov 1932 | A |
2138253 | Lynch | Nov 1938 | A |
2364733 | McCollum | Dec 1944 | A |
2397026 | Marker et al. | Mar 1946 | A |
2969243 | Drazick | Jan 1961 | A |
3156479 | Drazick | Nov 1964 | A |
3336611 | Schepp | Aug 1967 | A |
3484114 | Rodin | Dec 1969 | A |
3484144 | Nash | Dec 1969 | A |
3932904 | Nilsson et al. | Jan 1976 | A |
4057260 | Sigott | Nov 1977 | A |
4413937 | Gutsche | Nov 1983 | A |
4468826 | Moores, Jr. | Sep 1984 | A |
4645015 | Mitchell | Feb 1987 | A |
4796319 | Taft | Jan 1989 | A |
4944641 | Alves | Jul 1990 | A |
5090545 | Nassar | Feb 1992 | A |
5110145 | Stewart | May 1992 | A |
5129118 | Walmesley | Jul 1992 | A |
5191666 | Corbin | Mar 1993 | A |
5330206 | Krumszyn et al. | Jul 1994 | A |
5409333 | Hu | Apr 1995 | A |
D358082 | Trezza | May 1995 | S |
5651647 | Ray | Jul 1997 | A |
6688611 | Gifford et al. | Feb 2004 | B2 |
7354230 | Bauman | Apr 2008 | B2 |
8057136 | Chiang | Nov 2011 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2822372 | Nov 1979 | DE |
2063114 | Jun 1981 | GB |