This disclosure pertains generally to the field of solutions for increasing the efficiency of interchanging tool bits on rotary drills.
A variety of tools are used at jobsites and in projects by carpenters, mechanics and hobbyists for tightening, securing and loosening various fasteners. Screws or bolts are used instead of nails or staples in many applications. A power drill speeds up much of this work, and is faster than a ratchet wrench, but the variety of fastener types in common use requires that a mating tool bit compatible with each fastener type be inserted into the drill chuck prior to use. The process of chucking and unchucking must be repeated for each type of fastener, reducing speed and efficiency.
Reversible drill chuck adaptors, such as are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,697,414 to Cordray, U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,703 to Swanson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,468 to Peritz, U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,937 to Hsiao, U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,937 to Hernandez and U.S. Pat. No. 8,739,340 to Jagosh, demonstrate that this problem has attracted generations of inventors. The typical solution is a reversible combination of drill and driver.
But more complex jobs are expected to benefit from more flexibility than can be provided with just two tool bits. And there may be unexpected benefits if the drill chuck adaptor body does not revolve with the drill chuck and tool bit. These and other considerations led to the solution disclosed here.
Disclosed is an adaptor head with rotating shaft that mounts in a conventional drill chuck. The adaptor head includes a body member of a generally cylindrical shape (termed here an “adaptor head block”) with axial slots cut for receiving each a yoke assembly (termed here a “yoke cradle”) with tool bit. The adaptor head includes a plurality of selectable tool bits and means for pivoting each of the tool bits onto a driver socket at the base of the rotating shaft, so that torque from the drill can be applied to a fastener engaged on the tool bit, while the adaptor head does not rotate.
The invention includes a centered, hexagon-shaped drive shaft with chuck spindle that can be attached to any conventional drill chuck. As currently practiced, each selected tool bit is inserted into a yoke cradle that can be reversibly pivoted so that the tool bit rotates from a head-up detent position to a head down active position in which power can be applied to a fastener. Only one tool bit at a time can be in the active position, but each tool bit can be quickly exchanged for another using the fingers of one hand rather than a chuck tool.
The drive shaft includes a top spindle end that mounts in the drill chuck and a bottom driver socket end that receives a mating butt end of the tool bit. The driver socket inside the base of the adaptor head block is formed with internal flats or facets that prevent slippage of the tool bit during rotation and may include a magnetic interface. The tool bit is loosely held in a yoke cradle that allows axial rotation with torque. The yoke cradle includes a pivot pin, and the rotation of the yoke cradle on the pivot pin guides the tool bit from the head-up to the head-down position. The dimensions of the yoke cradle and pivot pin are designed so that at one end of the yoke cradle's rotational arc, the tool bit is standing head-up in a detent clip on a circumferential wall of the adaptor head body, and at the other end of the yoke cradle's rotational arc, the tool bit is seated head-down in a driver socket end of the rotating shaft. The butt end of the tool bit is seated in the driver socket so that torque from the drill can be transferred to a fastener on the working tip of the tool bit, such as a screw for example, that seats on a male screw head of the tool bit. Similarly, the tool bit selection may include one or more twist drills for making various hole diameters (such as guide holes for starting screws), and driver heads selected from Allen heads, Phillips heads, Star head drivers, and slotted head drivers, for example. Tool bits may also include socket adaptors for use with nuts and bolts, while not limited thereto.
The elements, features, steps, and advantages of one or more embodiments will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments, including details, conceptual elements, and current practices, are illustrated by way of example.
It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the embodiments and conceptual basis as claimed. The various elements, features, steps, and combinations thereof that characterize aspects of the claimed matter are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this disclosure. The invention(s) do not necessarily reside in any one of these aspects taken alone, but rather in the invention(s) taken as a whole.
One or more embodiments are taught and are more readily understood by considering the drawings in association with the specification, in which:
The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features or components herein may be shown in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity, explanation, and conciseness. The drawing figures are hereby made part of the specification, written description and teachings disclosed herein.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description to refer to particular features, steps, or components, and are used as terms of description and not of limitation. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature, step, or component by different names. Components, steps, or features that differ in name but not in structure, function, or action are considered equivalent and not distinguishable, and may be substituted herein without departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The following definitions supplement those set forth elsewhere in this specification. Certain meanings are defined here as intended by the inventors, i.e., they are intrinsic meanings. Other words and phrases used herein take their meaning as consistent with usage as would be apparent to one skilled in the relevant arts. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter described herein belongs.
In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control.
General connection terms including, but not limited to “connected,” “attached,” “conjoined,” “secured,” “mounted” and “affixed” are not meant to be limiting, such that structures so “associated” may have more than one way of being associated.
Relative terms should be construed as such. For example, the term “front” is meant to be relative to the term “back,” the term “upper” is meant to be relative to the term “lower,” the term “vertical” is meant to be relative to the term “horizontal,” the term “top” is meant to be relative to the term “bottom,” and the term “inside” is meant to be relative to the term “outside,” and so forth. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and “fourth” are meant solely for purposes of designation and not for order or for limitation. Reference to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or an “aspect,” means that a particular feature, structure, step, combination or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one realization of the inventive matter disclosed here. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment and may apply to multiple embodiments. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics of the inventive matter may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. For example, it is contemplated that features of dependent claims depending from one independent claim can be used in apparatus and/or methods of any of the other independent claims.
“Adapted to” includes and encompasses the meanings of “capable of” and additionally, “designed to”, as applies to those uses intended by the patent. In contrast, a claim drafted with the limitation “capable of” also encompasses unintended uses and misuses of a functional element beyond those uses indicated in the disclosure. Aspex Eyewear v Marchon Eyewear 672 F3d 1335, 1349 (Fed Circ 2012). “Configured to”, as used here, is taken to indicate is able to, is designed to, and is intended to function in support of the inventive structures, and is thus more stringent than “enabled to”.
As used herein, the terms “include” and “comprise” are used synonymously, the terms and variants of which are intended to be construed as non-limiting.
It should be noted that the terms “may,” “can,” and “might” are used to indicate alternatives and optional features and only should be construed as a limitation if specifically included in the claims.
The various components, features, steps, or embodiments thereof are all “preferred” whether or not specifically so indicated. Claims not including a specific limitation should not be construed to include that limitation. For example, the term “a” or “an” as used in the claims does not exclude a plurality.
“Conventional” refers to a term or method designating that which is known and commonly understood in the technology to which this disclosure relates.
Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims that follow, the term “comprise” and variations thereof, such as, “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense—as in “including, but not limited to.”
The appended claims are not to be interpreted as including means-plus-function limitations, unless a given claim explicitly evokes the means-plus-function clause of 35 USC § 112 para (f) by using the phrase “means for” followed by a verb in gerund form.
A “method” as disclosed herein refers to one or more steps or actions for achieving the described end. Unless a specific order of steps or actions is required for proper operation of the embodiment, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The non-rotating body 102 receives a rotating driven shaft 120 that attaches via a spindle 122 to a drill chuck 124. The chuck 199 attaches via a conventional chuck shank to a conventional drill power tool and is not part of the adaptor head 100.
The rotating driven shaft 120 is mounted in a journalled axial cavity in the adaptor head block 102. The shaft may be slip fitted or may be mounted with bearings to reduce rotational friction.
In more detail, the adaptor head block 102 is an elongate cylindrical head member with long axis, outside wall, and axial cavity for receiving a center driven shaft member 120 that rotates on a slip-fitted or bushing surface inside the cylindrical head on the long axis of the drill chuck. The central shaft has a spindle end at the top that is configured to be engaged in the chuck of a power drill. At the bottom end of the driven shaft is a driver socket that is configured to engage any one of multiple interchangeable bits.
The driver socket (1008,
Four yoke cradle guide slots 302 are formed in the adaptor head body 102 as shown. However, the number of guide slots is not limited to four. Three guide slots or six guide slots can be implemented using the same body plan.
Butt end 115 of each tool bit fits into the driver socket (1008,
Detent clips 104 may be formed of a resilient material so as to allow the waist of the tool bit to snap in place when not in use. The adaptor head body may be made of a molded plastic solid, or may be machined from metal, for example. As shown here, the detent clip 104 sits at the top of a chamfered slot 312 that merges into the yoke cradle guide slots 302 for a more compact footprint, and the adaptor head block 102 is formed with four triangular sections with drill holes for insertion of the pivot pins 300. In other embodiments, the yoke cradle includes molded or machined side lugs that slide into dead ended channels in the walls of the yoke cradle guide slots. By forming flats on the lugs, the individual yoke cradles can be held in place but then rotated and slid out for replacement if necessary.
Individual tool bits 110 are not captive in the yoke cradles, but may be exchanged as described in
Shaft 120 includes a bulbous cylindrical section 120a that rides on the journalled interior wall (102a,
The cylindrical section 120a can be seen to be dimensioned so that the driver socket 1008 is disposed in the solid shaft as a well with hexagonal sides. While the pivot pin appears to float in space in this isolated view, it is at a point designed so that counterclockwise rotation of the yoke cradle brings the butt end of the tool bit into socket 1008.
It is contemplated that articles, apparatus, methods, and processes that encompass variations and adaptations developed using information from the embodiments described herein are within the scope of this disclosure. Adaptation and/or modification of the articles, apparatus, methods, and processes described herein may be performed according to these teachings.
In other embodiments, a quick change of bits is enabled by forming circumferentially-positioned axial slots for 3, 4, 5 or even 6 bits, each with a yoke cradle that pivots each bit from a detent position to an active position when needed.
In an embodiment, the adaptor head block includes a radially disposed arm that functions as a handle for stabilizing the tool during use. The radial handle extends from the adaptor head between any two of the circumferentially positioned axial slots and may be removable when not needed.
In an embodiment, the drive socket includes a permanent magnet, and the tool bits are made of a paramagnetic material that becomes magnetized when the bit is pivoted into the drive socket. The magnetized tool bit causes ferrous fasteners such as self-tapping screws to stick to the tip of the tool bit so as to facilitate the user's efforts to accurately position the screw on a workpiece prior to beginning the driving operation.
In an embodiment, two twist drill bits and two Phillips head tool bits are mounted on the adaptor head. The bits are sized so that drill and drive operations for both larger and smaller screw fasteners are easily accomplished without unchucking and rechucking different-sized bits.
The adaptor head may be fitted with a battery-powered lamp or lamps for illuminating a workpiece during use. The battery is inserted into the block of material that forms the body of the adaptor head and the lamp or LED is mounted on the bottom surface of the adaptor head and is supplied with an ON/OFF switch or button.
In other embodiments, the adaptor head is configured for mounting a tool bit that includes a snap-on socket wrench adaptor as is useful to mechanics. The tool bits may be a selection of commonly used sockets supplied either as one-piece tool bits, or as an adaptor that seats in the drive socket and is fitted with a square-drive connector that accepts interchangeable sockets of various sizes. When supplied as fixed socket sizes, each tool bit is selected for a particular sized bolt; when supplied with interchangeable sockets, the hex-shank adapter adapts the hex drive found on drill/drivers to the square snap-on format mechanics are familiar with. The socket adaptor is one of several tool bits that can be rotated into position on the adaptor head. Star and Allen head drivers may also be supplied as part of a kit of tool bits compatible with the adaptor head.
The tool is used in a method of making cabinets that requires alternation of bits.
The tool includes underside receptacles for storing and accessing additional bits. Each of the additional bits may be swapped into one of the yoke cradles when needed.
All of the U.S. Patents, U.S. Patent application publications, U.S. Patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and related filings are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
The disclosure set forth herein of certain exemplary embodiments, including all text, drawings, annotations, and graphs, is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents are possible, as will readily occur to those skilled in the art in practice of the invention. The inventions, examples, and embodiments described herein are not limited to particularly exemplified materials, methods, and/or structures and various changes may be made in the size, shape, type, number and arrangement of parts described herein. All embodiments, alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be combined to provide further embodiments of the present invention without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents as claimed here, while not precluding or prejudicing future applications having claims directed more broadly or more narrowly at the scope of the disclosure.
Any original claims that are cancelled or withdrawn during prosecution of the case remain a part of the original disclosure for all that they teach.
In general, in the following claims, the terms used in the written description should not be construed to limit the claims to specific embodiments described herein for illustration, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments, both specific and generic, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited in haec verba by the disclosure.
This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent No. 63/245,006 entitled “Multi-Bit Drill Chuck Adaptor”, filed Sep. 16, 2021, which is herein incorporated in full by reference for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63245006 | Sep 2021 | US |