Patent Application
20200171625
The present invention relates generally to push button pins. More particularly, the present invention relates to push button pins removably coupled to two halves of a pair of pliers.
Pliers are a common tool used for gripping work pieces or other objects. Pliers include two halves that rotate about a connecting pin so that a user can hold the two halves at a first end and engage a work piece at a second end. Pliers often have multiple configurations to allow a user to adjust from a narrow-mouthed or wide-mouthed configuration for small or large objects, respectively.
Conventional pliers include pins or slots to provide the adjustability necessary for multiple configurations. For example, a pair of pliers could include multiple openings to allow the user to adjust the jaw width as the user sees fit. A pin could fit into each of the openings, e.g., a first opening for narrow-mouthed applications and a second opening for wide-mouthed applications. The pliers could also include a pin that is fixed about one of the plier halves, but where the other plier half includes a slot that the pin slides within to reach the desired width of the plier jaws. Other mechanisms, such as a toothed engagement, can then removably couple the plier halves in place once the pin and slot are located in the preferred arrangement.
It is advantageous to adjust the pliers quickly and to therefore limit the steps required to adjust the pliers from a narrow-mouthed to a wide-mouthed configuration. It is also advantageous to provide a compact mechanism to allow such adjustability.
The present invention broadly comprises a push button pin for pliers. The pin includes one or more elastically-biased balls that can descend inwardly when a user pushes the push button head against a bias of a spring. In particular, the balls can descend into a receiving portion when the head is pushed inwardly and the pin can then be removed from the opening in which it is located. The push button head can also be integral with the receiving and engagement portions to better facilitate the movement of the balls into and out of holes in which they sit. A user can therefore quickly adjust the jaw width of the pliers and better utilize the pliers in the process.
In particular, the present invention broadly comprises pliers including first and second halves rotatably coupled together by a pin. The pin includes a push button having a head, a receiving portion extending axially from the head, and an engagement portion extending axially from the receiving portion. The engagement portion has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the receiving portion. A sleeve defines a cavity within which the push button moves axially, and the sleeve includes a collar that receives the head and a stem for housing the receiving portion and the engagement portion. The stem further includes a hole and a ball is disposed within the hole. Additionally, a spring is included that biases the push button radially outward and substantially aligns the ball with the engagement portion when the push button is in the engaged position (i.e., where axial force is not applied to the head), and the push button aligns the ball with the receiving portion in the disengaged position (i.e., where axial force is applied to the head).
The present invention also broadly comprises a pin including push button having a head, a receiving portion extending axially from the head, and an engagement portion extending axially from the receiving portion. The engagement portion has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the receiving portion. A sleeve defines a cavity within which the push button moves axially, and the sleeve includes a collar that receives the head and a stem for housing the receiving portion and the engagement portion. The stem further includes a hole and a ball is disposed within the hole. Additionally, a spring is included that biases the push button radially outward and aligns the ball with the engagement portion when the push button is in the engaged position (i.e., where axial force is not applied to the head), and the push button aligns the ball with the receiving portion in the disengaged position (i.e., where axial force is applied to the head).
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to embodiments illustrated. As used herein, the term “present invention” is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention and is instead a term used to discuss exemplary embodiments of the invention for explanatory purposes only.
The present invention broadly comprises a push button pin for coupling together two halves of a tool, such as pliers. The pin can include one or more balls that are elastically biased in a radially-outward direction due to an engagement portion of the push button pushing the balls outwardly. A push button head can be pressed axially downward and cause the balls to align with a receiving portion, which allows the balls to descend into the interior of the pin. The push button is integral with the receiving and engagement portions to better facilitate the movement of the balls into and out of holes in which they sit.
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The push button 103 can be axially movable within a cavity 155 of the sleeve 110, and can be elastically biased by a spring 160 that rests on a shoulder 163 that extends circumferentially within the cavity 155. The shoulder 163 can be angled axially and radially to form a chamfer within the cavity 155. The shoulder 163 provides the necessary support for the spring 160 to bias against the head 105 of the push button 103.
The head 105 can be any structure or size that allows a user to push against the push button 103 and cause the push button 103 to move axially inward relative to the cavity 155. The head 105 can have a lower surface that, in the engaged position, is located axially lower (i.e., closer to the balls 125, 130 in the axial direction) than a leading edge 115a of the collar 115. In this manner, the collar 115 can provide structural support for the head 105 in the radial direction and reduce the likelihood of the head 105 being released from the cavity 155.
The balls 125, 130 can be any size, but are typically larger than the holes 135, 140 in which they sit to prevent the balls 125, 130 from exiting the cavity 155 through the holes 135, 140. In the engaged position, the balls 125, 130 are elastically biased in a radially outward direction by the force of the engagement portion 150 pushing against the balls 125, 130. In the disengaged position when the head 105 is pushed inwardly, the balls 125, 130 descend within the cavity 155 and abut the receiving portion 145. In this manner, the balls 125, 130 are small enough to descend within the cavity 155 in the disengaged position without extending outside of the holes 135, 140.
As shown, the balls 125, 130 can be two balls that are both biased in a radially-outward direction. However, the balls 125, 130 need not be two in number and can be any number, including a single ball, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
As shown, the pliers 10 can be snap ring pliers with jaws 20, 22 suitable for snap ring plier applications. However, the pliers 10 can be any other type of pliers, for example needle nose pliers, slip joint pliers, channel locks, hose clamp pliers, diagonal pliers, or crimping pliers. Further, the pliers 10 need not be pliers at all and can be a cutting tool or other multi-handle tool with rotatable halves.
As used herein, the term “coupled” and its functional equivalents are not intended to necessarily be limited to direct, mechanical coupling of two or more components. Instead, the term “coupled” and its functional equivalents are intended to mean any direct or indirect mechanical, electrical, or chemical connection between two or more objects, features, work pieces, and/or environmental matter. “Coupled” is also intended to mean, in some examples, one object being integral with another object.
The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of the inventors' contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.
