Ratcheting hand held tool

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6568693
  • Patent Number
    6,568,693
  • Date Filed
    Friday, May 18, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 27, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A hand held tool is provided with a handle, a ratcheting mechanism connected to the handle, and a quick release bit coupling device connected to the ratcheting mechanism.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates generally to a hand held bit driver and, more particularly, to a ratcheting hand held driver.




DISCUSSION




Hand held drivers including a variety of changeable bits including nut drivers and screwdrivers and the like have been generally known in the art for some time. In addition, hand held drivers having a ratcheting mechanism have also been known in the art. However, it is desirable in the art to provide a hand held driver having a ratcheting mechanism and a bit coupling device that allows for the quick and efficient changing of bits for driving engagement with the handle.




With the above objects in mind, the present invention is generally directed to a hand held tool having a handle, a ratcheting mechanism having an input member attached for rotation with said handle and an output member engageable with said input member in a first operating mode for rotation in a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction, in a second operating mode for ratcheting rotation in a clockwise direction and in a third operating mode for ratcheting rotation in a counterclockwise direction; and a quick release bit coupling device having a first end connected to said output member of said ratcheting mechanism and having a second end adapted for releasably engaging a drive bit.




Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood however that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a ratcheting hand held tool according to the principles of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a side view of the ratcheting hand held tool shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is an exploded perspective view of a ratcheting hand held tool according to the principles of the present invention;





FIG. 4

is a perspective view of the ratcheting mechanism with the collar removed to illustrate the indexer disengaging an actuator from the ratchet gear member;





FIG. 5

is a perspective view of the ratcheting mechanism with the collar removed to illustrate an actuator engaged with the ratchet gear member;





FIG. 6

is a partial sectional view of the ratcheting mechanism implemented in the hand held tool of the present invention; and





FIG. 7

is a cross-sectional view of the hand held tool of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




As shown in the drawings, the ratcheting hand held tool


10


includes a handle


12


, a quick release bit coupling device


14


, and a ratchet assembly


16


. The ratchet assembly


16


is constructed to provide selective operation in a neutral mode where an operator may rotate a bit in both a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction, a first actuating mode for ratcheting rotation in a clockwise direction, and a second actuating mode for ratcheting rotation in a counterclockwise direction. The device includes an indexer configuration that provides an audible and/or tactile indication that the ratchet mode has been changed and a bearing sleeve that increases the tool's resistance to bending loads and provides smoother operation.




With reference to

FIG. 3

, ratchet assembly


16


includes a collar


20


, a ratchet gear


22


, a bearing


24


, a clutch chassis


26


, an indexer


28


, first and second actuators


30


and


32


, and first and second springs


34


and


36


(best shown in FIG.


6


). The collar


20


is fixed to the indexer


28


by a pin


38


. The indexer


28


is disposed within a cylindrical recess


40


defined in chassis


26


thereby coupling the collar


20


and indexer


28


for rotation relative to the chassis


26


. The collar retains the gear


22


and bearing


24


against axial displacement away from handle


12


. As the collar


20


is rotated between its neutral, first operative, and second operative positions, the indexer


28


displaces the first and second actuators


30


and


32


within corresponding axial slots


42


and


44


of chassis


26


and between engaged and disengaged positions.




When the collar


20


is located in its neutral position, the indexer


28


does not engage either of the first or second actuators


30


and


32


. As a result, the springs


34


and


36


force the actuators into their engaged position with the teeth


48


projecting rearwardly from ratchet gear


22


. In the illustrated embodiment, the engagement of the first actuator


30


with the gear teeth


48


fixes the ratchet gear


22


for rotation with the handle in a clockwise direction about axis


18


whereas engagement of the second actuator


32


with the gear teeth


48


fixes the ratchet gear


22


for rotation with the handle in a counterclockwise direction. Upon movement of the collar from its neutral position to either the first or second operative positions, an engagement surface


54


(

FIG. 5

) on the appropriate first or second actuator


30


or


32


engages and rides along one of the angled surfaces


56


(

FIGS. 3 and 4

) on the indexer such that the locking tip


58


is removed from engagement with gear teeth


48


. The actuator


30


,


32


is maintained in its disengaged position so long as the engagement surface


54


contacts the rearward indexer surface


60


(FIGS.


3


and


4


). The clutch chassis


26


includes a stop


62


(

FIG. 5

) projecting from the recess


44


to limit movement of the indexer in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.




The audible/tactile indication of the ratchet mode is provided by the configuration of the rearward indexer surface


60


. More particularly, the rearwardly facing surface


60


of the indexer


28


includes first and second seats


66


and


68


(

FIGS. 3 and 4

) that are configured to accommodate the engagement surfaces


54


of the first and second actuators


30


,


32


when the collar


20


is placed into its first and second operating positions, respectively. The seating of the actuators


30


,


32


is felt by the operator and generates an audible click or similar noise to inform the operator that the collar


20


has been rotated to its first or second position.




As to the increased robustness and operating smoothness of the ratchet assembly


16


, the bearing


24


includes a generally cylindrical outer surface


70


and an inner hex-shaped aperture


74


(FIG.


3


). The bearing


24


is disposable within a correspondingly configured aperture


72


in the clutch chassis


26


and the inner hex-shaped aperture


74


is configured to cooperate with a hex-shaped opening


76


in the ratchet gear


22


to form a passage that accommodates the hex-shaped shank


78


of the quick release bit coupling device


14


. The bearing


24


, preferably formed of brass, securely retains the shank


78


such as by press fitting, adhesives or other known fastening techniques when torque is applied on the tip of the tool. The bearing


24


further includes external circumferential grooves


78


that retain lubricant to provide smoother movement of the bearing


24


and quick release bit coupling device


14


relative to the clutch chassis


26


. As best seen in

FIG. 7

, the clutch chassis


26


includes a hex-shaped shank


80


which is received in a hex-shaped opening


82


disposed in the end of the handle


12


. Hex-shaped shank


80


can be press fit within hex-shaped opening


82


or otherwise secured therein by an adhesive or other known fastening technique. The handle


12


includes an inner sleeve


84


which generally extends the length of the handle


12


. Hex-shaped opening


82


is defined within the inner sleeve


84


. Handle


12


also includes a body portion


86


which defines a bore


88


therethrough for receiving the inner sleeve


84


. The body portion


86


is preferably coated with a soft elastomeric coating


90


. The body portion


86


of handle


12


includes a pair of bores


92


in an end portion thereof, best seen in FIG.


6


. Springs


34


,


36


are received within bores


92


and press against actuators


30


,


32


, respectively.




The quick release bit coupling device


14


includes a main body portion


100


including hex-shaped shank


78


at one end and a hex-shaped bore


102


at a second end. A release collar


104


is biased by a spring


106


to an engagement position which maintains a retaining clip


108


in an engaged position. Release collar


104


is slidable against the biasing force of spring


106


to a release position wherein retaining clip


108


is allowed to disengage from a recess position disposed in a hex-shaped shank of a changeable bit (not shown). A bit holder of the type illustrated herein is more completely described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,675 issued Apr. 25, 2000, which is herein incorporated by reference.




The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. For example, the ratcheting mechanism


16


has been shown for illustrative purposes and it should be understood that other ratcheting mechanisms known in the art could be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,322, herein incorporated by reference, discloses a ratcheting mechanism which could be adapted for use with the present invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A hand held tool, comprising:a handle; a ratcheting mechanism having an input member attached for rotation with said handle and an output member engageable with said input member in a first operating mode for rotation in a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction, in a second operating mode for ratchet rotation in a clockwise direction and in a third operating mode for ratcheting rotation in a counterclockwise direction; a quick release bit coupling device having a first end connected to said output member of said ratcheting mechanism and having a second end adapted for releasably engaging a drive bit, said quick release bit coupling device includes a body portion defining a bore adapted for receiving a drive bit and a release collar disposed about said body portion and biased by a spring to an engaged position for securing a retaining device in an engaged position, said release collar being movable to a release position for releasing said retaining device from said engaged position; and wherein said output member of said ratcheting mechanism is a ratchet gear and said input member of said ratcheting mechanism is a clutch chassis which slidably supports a pair of actuator members which are biased toward said ratchet gear by a pair of springs which are each received in a respective recess defined in an end portion of said handle.
  • 2. The hand held tool according to claim 1, wherein said pair of actuator members are selectively engageable by an indexer member which is rotatable with a collar for selectively switching said ratcheting mechanism between said first, second, and third operating modes.
  • 3. The hand held tool according to claim 2, wherein said indexer member includes a rearwardly facing surface including first and second seats configured for accommodating an engagement surface of said pair of actuator members when said collar is moved to said second and third operating modes, respectively.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/206,882 filed May 24, 2000.

US Referenced Citations (18)
Number Name Date Kind
1653762 Fegley Dec 1927 A
3844322 Stoutenberg Oct 1974 A
4427100 Rude et al. Jan 1984 A
4621718 DeCarolis Nov 1986 A
4777852 Herman et al. Oct 1988 A
5069091 Bramsiepe et al. Dec 1991 A
5535648 Braun et al. Jul 1996 A
5573093 Lee Nov 1996 A
5582081 Lin Dec 1996 A
5609078 Yang Mar 1997 A
5632186 Lin May 1997 A
5651294 Shiao Jul 1997 A
5685204 Braun Nov 1997 A
5974915 Chou Nov 1999 A
6047617 Chen Apr 2000 A
6053675 Holland Apr 2000 A
6058812 Casel et al. May 2000 A
6206160 Chen Mar 2001 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number Date Country
29821207 Apr 1999 DE
0661139 Mar 1999 EP
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/206882 May 2000 US