Drywall screwdriver bit

Abstract

A screwdriver bit has a shank with a polygonal portion and two ends. A tip projects from each of the ends. The tip has a length substantially equal to a depth of a slot of a desired fastener head. The shaft ends nest on the fastener head upon insertion of the tip into the fastener head slot.

Description

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a screwdriver bit.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the screwdriver bit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the screwdriver bit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view partially in section of the screwdriver bit in a fastener slot.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another screwdriver bit.

FIG. 6 is a side view of another screwdriver bit according to the present disclosure.

FIGS. 7-11 are elevation views of prior art tool bits.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.

Turning to FIGS. 1-5, a drywall screwdriver bit is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The drywall screwdriver bit 10 includes a shank 12 with two ends 14 and 16. Each end 14 and 16 includes a working tip 18.

The shank 12, as shown, has a hex configuration portion having a plurality of flat surfaces 20. The shank 12 could also be of other polygonal designs, partial polygonal with cylindrical ends, or the like having flat bearing surfaces. The shank ends 16 and 14 have a hexagonal cross-section, as best illustrated in FIG. 3. The ends 14 and 16 are substantially flat or planar. The tips 18 extend from the hexagonal cross section of the ends 14 and 16.

The tips 18 have a Phillips or cruciform configuration. However, other types of configurations, such as flat, square, torx, hex, or a combination thereof, may be used (see FIG. 5). The tips 18 have a desired length L₁. The length L₁ corresponds to a depth of a drywall fastener head slot 22, as seen in FIG. 4. The length L₁ is generally between about ⅛″ to ¼″ inch. The tips 18 therefore have a length which is equivalent to a working depth of a fastener head slot configuration. Thus, the hexagonal cross-section ends 14, 16 nests or rests on the planar surface 24 of the fastener head 26 of the drywall fastener 20, as seen in FIG. 4. The tips 18, by having their desired length equal to only a working depth of the slot 22, enable the length L₂, about one inch, of the screwdriver bit 10 to be equal to the length of a standard screwdriver bit which includes a single tip. Thus, the present screwdriver bit 10 provides a dual tip on a single tip standard length screwdriver bit. This enables the screwdriver bit to be utilized in power drywall screwdrivers 30 or screw guns without modifying the nose of the power screwdriver or screw gun. Also, the screwdriver bit 10 could have a single tip 18 and have a standard single tip length.

Also, the shank 12 includes a pair of detents 40 and 42. The detents 40 and 42 are circumferentially positioned about the shank 12. The detents 40 and 42 include notches 44 at each apex of the junctures of each of the planar surfaces 20 of the shank. Thus, the detents 40 and 42 include a plurality of notches 44 which are circumferentially positioned about the shank 12. The detents 40 and 42 are positioned a desired distance from each tip L₃. Thus, the detents 40 and 42 are in alignment in a screw gun to index or assist in retaining the drill bit into the screw gun as seen in FIG. 4. Ordinarily, the detents are positioned at about 5/16 inch from the free extending end of the tip.

FIG. 6 illustrates another bit 10′ in accordance with the present disclosure. The drill bit 10′ utilizes the same numbers as that previously disclosed. Here, the screwdriver bit 10′ has an appearance like those in the art. However, the drill bit still has a length L₂ equal to about 1 inch. The screwdriver bits include a cylindrical portion 46, 48 between the ends of the shank 14 and 16 and the tips 18.

The tip 18, having its cruciform or Phillips configuration, is stamped, machined, forged or cold formed onto the hexagonal shank. The hexagonal cross-section ends 14, 16 provide the cruciform shaped tip 18 with additional strength. This is due to the fact that the tips 18 have a short length as well as they are formed directly out of the hexagonal shaft end.

The screwdriver bit is generally manufactured by forming a hexagonal blank into a desired length to form a screwdriver bit with a length of a standard single ended screwdriver bit. The ends of the shank are cold formed, machined, forged, or stamped to form a tip, in this instance, a cruciform or Phillips tip. The tips 18 are formed such that the length of the cruciform is substantially equal to the depth of the slots of a drywall fastener heads. Thus, the length, after forming, of the double end screwdriver bit is equal to the standard length, about one inch, of a screwdriver bit having a single end.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A screwdriver bit comprising: a shank having a polygonal portion and two ends;a tip at at least one of said ends, said tip having a length substantially equal to a depth of a slot of a desired fastener head so that said end of said shank nest on the fastener head upon insertion of said tip.

2. The screwdriver bit according to claim 1, wherein said shank has a maximum cross section at said tip so that said tip has an increased strength.

3. The screwdriver bit according to claim 1, wherein said screwdriver bit has a length equal to a standard screwdriver bit having a single tip.

4. The screwdriver bit according to claim 1, wherein said tip has a cruciform configuration.

5. The screwdriver bit according to claim 3 wherein said screwdriver bit is usable in a power screwdriver screw gun.

6. The screwdriver bit according to claim 1, wherein said tip has a length between ⅛″ to ¼″.

7. The screwdriver bit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one tip may have a flat, cruciform or Philips, square, torx, hex or the like configuration or combinations thereof.

8. The screwdriver bit according to claim 1, wherein a tip is at both ends of said shank.

9. A method of forming a screwdriver bit comprising: forming a shank having two ends and a desired length for forming a screwdriver bit having a length equal to a standard length of screwdriver bit having a single tip;forming a working end on each end of said shank such that said screwdriver bit with said working ends has a length substantially equal to the standard length of the screwdriver bit having a single tip.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming a cruciform configuration as said working end.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming said working end on each end of said shank such that said working end has a length substantially equal to a depth of a desired fastener head slot.

12. A screwdriver bit comprising: a shank having a polygonal portion and two ends;a tip at each said end, said tip having a length for fitting a depth of a slot of a desired fastener head so that said shank and tips have a length substantially equal to a standard screwdriver bit having a single tip.

13. The screwdriver bit according to claim 12, wherein said screwdriver bit length is about one inch which is equal to a standard screwdriver bit having a single tip.

14. The screwdriver bit according to claim 12, wherein said tip has a cruciform configuration.

15. The screwdriver bit according to claim 14 wherein said screwdriver bit is usable in a power screwdriver screw gun.

16. The screwdriver bit according to claim 12, wherein said tips may have a flat, cruciform or Philips, square, torx, hex or the like configuration or combinations thereof.

17. The screwdriver bit according to claim 12, further comprising a pair of detents.

18. The screwdriver bit according to claim 17, wherein each detent is positioned a desired distance from the tip to index or retain the screwdriver bit in a screw gun.