Information
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Patent Grant
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6173467
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Patent Number
6,173,467
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Date Filed
Tuesday, July 6, 199925 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, January 16, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
-
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Examiners
- Eley; Timothy V.
- Nguyen; Dung Van
Agents
-
CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 007 165
- 007 901
- 081 125
- 081 1774
- 081 438
- 081 490
- 081 451
- 294 655
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A multifunctional tool includes a main body including a connecting end with a socket. A rigid tube has a first end securely and releasably engaged with the socket of the main body. A first hose is telescopically received in the rigid tube and has an end extendible out of a second end of the rigid tube. A second hose is telescopically received in the first hose and has an end extendible out of the first hose. A magnetic member is attached to the end of the second hose for attracting and thus removing a screw from a place difficult to access. The rigid tube can be detached from the main body, and the second hose is then securely and removably held by the main body. A bit carrier carrying a number of bits is pivotally mounted to the main body and pivotable between a storage position inside the main body and an exposed position outside the main body, thereby allowing the user to choose the proper bit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multifunctional tool that includes a telescopic hose with a magnetic member at a distal end thereof for removing a fastener from a place difficult to access. The telescopic hose can be completely retracted into a main body of the multifunctional tool, and a bit can be attached to the main body to function as a driving tool.
2. Description of the Related Art U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,637 to Liu issued on Mar. 9, 1999 discloses a driving tool that includes a barrel, a handle secured to a first end of the barrel for rotating the barrel, and a telescopic pipe engaged in a bore of the barrel and having a first end secured to the handle and a second end extended outward of the bore of the barrel. A magnetic member is secured to the second end of the telescopic pipe, thereby allowing the magnetic member to be extended outward of the bore of the barrel for removing fasteners dropped in a deep hole after unfastening of the fasteners. Nevertheless, function of the driving tool is limited, as the barrel cannot be detached from the handle for operation purpose.
The present invention is intended to provide a multifunctional tool that mitigates and/or obviates the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a multifunctional tool that includes a telescopic hose with a magnetic member at a distal end thereof for removing a fastener (e.g., a screw) from a place difficult to access. The telescopic hose can be completely retracted into a main body of the multifunctional tool, and a bit can be attached to the main body to function as a driving tool. In addition, a bit carrier is mounted to the main body and is pivotable between a storage position inside the main body and an exposed position such that the user may select the required bit among a plurality of bits carried by the bit carrier.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a multifunctional tool in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view of the multifunctional tool in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a top view of the multifunctional tool in accordance with the present invention, illustrating insertion of a bit;
FIG. 4
is a top view similar to
FIG. 3
, wherein a hose arrangement is extended outward of a rigid tube of the main body;
FIG. 5
is a schematic view illustrating use of the hose arrangement of the multifunctional tool, wherein the rigid tool has been removed; and
FIG. 6
is a top view of the multifunctional tool, wherein a bit carrier is pivoted to an exposed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a multifunctional tool in accordance with the present invention generally includes a main body
10
that includes a first compartment
12
for receiving a bit carrier
22
and a second compartment
14
for receiving a battery unit (not shown). The main body
10
further includes a connecting end
16
with a socket
18
. A rigid tube
32
includes a hexagonal engaging end
38
that is securely yet removably received in the socket
18
of the connecting end
16
of the main body
10
. A first telescopic hose
34
is telescopically received in the rigid tube
32
. The first telescopic hose
34
is extendible out of the rigid tube
32
until a rear end (not labeled) of the hose
34
is stopped by an end opening
33
of the rigid tube
32
that has a diameter smaller than that of the rear end of the hose
34
. Similarly, a second telescopic hose
36
is telescopically received in the first telescopic hose
34
. The second telescopic hose
36
is extendible out of the first telescopic hose
34
until a rear end (not labeled) of the hose
36
is stopped by an end opening
35
of the rigid tube
32
that has a diameter smaller than that of the rear end (not labeled) of the hose
36
. A magnetic member
37
is attached to a distal end of the second telescopic hose
36
. The first telescopic hose
34
may be collapsed so as to be completely received in the rigid tube
32
, and the second telescopic hose
36
may be collapsed so as to be completely received in the first telescopic hose
34
. Each of the first and second telescopic hoses
34
and
36
may include a number of hose sections thereby allowing further collapse.
Two end walls
13
defining the first compartment
12
include aligned groove tracks. An upper lid
20
includes a block
28
on each of two ends thereof so as to be slidable along an associated groove track of end walls
13
. Two guide pins
15
are extended through the upper lid
20
and two screws
19
are extended through holes
19
a in the main body
10
to securely engage with threaded holes (not shown) in the guide pins
15
. A spring
17
is mounted around each guide pin
15
and attached between the upper lid
20
and the main body
10
. Wire stripping devices
27
and
29
are provided on the main body
10
and the upper lid
20
such that the wire stripping devices
27
and
29
may perform a wire stripping function when the upper lid
20
is manually pressed. Such arrangement has been disclosed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 08/977,631 filed on Nov. 25, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,789, which is incorporated herein for reference.
A bit carrier
22
has an end pivotally connected to the main body
10
by means of extending a pin
26
through a pin hole
11
in the main body
10
and a pin hole
23
in the bit carrier
22
. The bit carrier
22
carries a number of bits
24
A retaining projection
25
is formed on the other end of the bit carrier
22
for releasable engagement with a depression
25
a
(
FIG. 6
) defined in the main body
10
.
Adjacent to the battery unit-receiving compartment
14
, a circuit board
42
having number of lamps
44
(e.g., light emitting diodes) thereon is mounted in the main body. The lamps
44
are located in lamp holes
40
in the main body
10
. A switch
30
is provided to turn on/off the lamps
44
.
In use, referring to
FIG. 3
, the first and second telescopic hoses
34
and
36
are completely collapsed and thus hidden inside the rigid tube
32
. The user may attach a bit
24
to the end opening
33
of the rigid tube
32
and thus function as a driving tool. Referring to
FIG. 6
, the bit carrier
22
may be pivoted to the exposed position when required, thereby allowing the user to find the proper bit
24
in an easier way.
If the fastener (e.g., a screw
50
, see
FIG. 5
) falls into a deep hole
52
that is difficult to access, the first and second telescopic hoses
34
and
36
are extended (
FIG. 4
) to remove the screw
50
. In an alternative way to remove the screw
50
, the rigid tube
32
is detached from the main body
10
, as shown in FIG.
5
. The first and second telescopic hoses
34
and
36
are extended outward to remove the screw
50
by means of magnetic attraction provided by the magnetic member
37
. Such action can be easily achieved, as the first and second telescopic hoses
34
and
36
are flexible. When not in use, the first and second telescopic hoses
34
and
36
can be collapsed and can be hidden inside the main body
10
. It is appreciated that the main body
10
securely holds the rear end of the first telescopic hose
34
if the rigid tube
32
is removed.
According to the above description, it is appreciated that the multifunctional tool in accordance with the present invention is more versatile, as the rigid tube
32
can be removed without affecting the screw removing function. In addition, the bit carrier
22
allows easy and rapid replacement and/or selection of the bits
24
. Furthermore, lamps
44
are provided to illuminate when necessary.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Claims
- 1. A multifunctional tool, comprising:a main body including a connecting end with a socket, a battery-receiving compartment defined therein and a lamp means mounted thereto, a rigid tube having a first end securely and releasably engaged with the socket of the main body and a second end, a first hose telescopically received in the rigid tube and having an end extendible out of the second end of the rigid tube, a second hose telescopically received in the first hose and having an end extendible out of the first hose, the first hose being securely and removably held by the main body when the rigid tube is detached from the main body, and a magnetic member attached to the end of the second hose.
- 2. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a compartment for receiving a bit carrier carrying a plurality of bits, and wherein the second end of the rigid tube releasably engages one of the bits.
- 3. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bit carrier includes a first end pivotally connected to the main body and a second end with a retaining projection, and wherein the main body includes a depression for releasably engaging with the retaining projection, thereby allowing the bit carrier to be pivotable between a storage position in the compartment and an exposed position outside the main body.
- 4. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first hose includes a plurality of telescopically connected hose sections.
- 5. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second hose includes a plurality of telescopically connected hose sections.
- 6. A multifunctional tool, comprising, in combination:a main body including a connecting end with a socket, a battery-receiving compartment defined therein and a lamp means mounted thereto, a rigid tube having a first end securely engaged with the socket of the main body and having a second end, a first telescopic member telescopically received in the rigid tube and having an end extendible out of the second end of the rigid tube, a second telescopic member telescopically received in the first telescopic member and having an end extendible out of the first telescopic member, and a magnetic member attached to the end of the second telescopic member. a magnetic member attached to the end of the second hose.
- 7. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first end of the rigid tube is releasably engaged with the socket of the main body; and wherein the first telescopic member is securely and removably held by the main body when the rigid tube is detached from the main body.
- 8. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first telescopic member is a hose and the second telescopic member is a hose.
- 9. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second hose includes a plurality of telescopically connected hose sections.
- 10. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first hose includes a plurality of telescopically connected hose sections.
- 11. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first hose includes a plurality of telescopically connected hose sections.
- 12. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first telescopic member is a hose and the second telescopic member is a hose.
- 13. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second hose includes plurality of telescopically connected hose sections.
- 14. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first hose includes a plurality of telescopically connected hose sections.
- 15. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first hose includes a plurality of telescopically connected hose sections.
- 16. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein the main body comprises a compartment for receiving a bit carrier carrying a plurality of bits, and wherein the second end of the rigid tube releasably engages one of the bits.
- 17. The multifunctional tool as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bit carrier includes a first end pivotally connected to the main body and a second end with a retaining projection, and wherein the main body includes a depression for releasably engaging with the retaining projection, thereby allowing the bit carrier to be pivotable between a storage position in the compartment and an exposed position outside the main body.
US Referenced Citations (5)