The present invention relates to a tool connector assembly, and more particularly to a tool connector assembly applicable for various types of tools.
A tool, such as a hand tool, pneumatic tool or electric tool, has an output end provided with a connector to connect with different tool heads of different shapes, such as screwdrivers to fit with different working processes. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/256,068 disclosed a conventional tool connector. With reference to
However, the connection hole 62 in the conventional tool connector can only be applied with tool heads 70 having a cross section of a particular shape and cannot be applied with different tool heads with cross sections of other shapes. Therefore, the conventional tool connector is not versatile in use.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a tool connector assembly to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the present invention is to provide a tool connector assembly that can be applied with different types of tools.
The hand tool has a tool shaft, an inner sliding sleeve, an engagement module, and an outer sliding sleeve. The tool shaft has a working segment and an engaging recess formed in the working segment. The inner sliding sleeve is slidably mounted around the working segment, is selectively positioned relative to the working segment, and has a connection hole, an engaging hole, an engaging ball, and two slits. The connection hole is axially defined through the inner sliding sleeve and is rectangular in section to define two long sides each having a middle and two short sides. The engaging hole is formed through the inner sliding sleeve and selectively aligned with the engaging recess. The engaging ball is moveably mounted in the engaging hole. The two slits are defined respectively and longitudinally in the middles of the long sides of the connection hole. The engagement module is mounted around the inner sliding sleeve and has a first ring mounted around the inner sliding sleeve and a spring mounted around the inner sliding sleeve and abutting the first ring. The outer sliding sleeve is slidably mounted around the inner sliding sleeve and has an inner wall formed inside the outer sliding sleeve, an abutting block annularly formed on the inner wall of the outer sliding sleeve, a pressing surface, and a stopping surface. The pressing surface is formed on a side of the abutting block facing the inner sliding sleeve, and selectively presses the engaging ball. The stopping surface is formed in an end of the abutting block and abuts an end of the spring at a position opposite to the first ring.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With the reference to
The tool shaft 10 has an operating segment 11, a working segment 12, an engaging recess 13, an engagement unit recess 14 and an engagement unit 15. The operating segment 11 may be applied for being held by a user, or may be applied for connecting with a handle for the tool shaft 10. The working segment 12 has a square outer cross section, and is connected with the operating segment 11. The engaging recess 13 and the engagement unit recess 14 are recessed in the working segment 12. The engagement unit 15 is mounted in the engagement unit recess 14 and protrudes from the engagement unit recess 14.
The inner sliding sleeve 20 is slidably mounted around the working segment 12 and is selectively positioned relative to the working segment 12. The inner sliding sleeve 20 has a connection hole 202, an engaging hole 21, an engaging ball 22, an abutting hole 23, an abutting ball 24, a sleeve buckle 25, and two slits 26. The connection hole 202 is axially defined through the inner sliding sleeve 20 and is rectangular in section to define two long sides 204 each having a middle and two short sides 206. The engaging hole 21 is formed radially through the inner sliding sleeve 20 and is selectively aligned with the engaging recess 13. The engaging ball 22 is moveably mounted in the engaging hole 21. When the engaging hole 21 is aligned with the engaging recess 13, the engaging ball 22 is slid into and engaged with the engaging recess 13, such that a position of the inner sliding sleeve 20 relative to the tool shaft 10 is fixed. The abutting hole 23 is formed through the inner sliding sleeve 20 and is adjacent to an end of the inner sliding sleeve 20. The abutting ball 24 is moveably mounted in the abutting hole 23. The sleeve buckle 25 is mounted around the inner sliding sleeve 20 and has a radial elasticity relative to the inner sliding sleeve 20. The abutting ball 24 protrudes out of the sleeve buckle 25. The sleeve buckle 25 may be an elastic ring or a spring. Preferably, the sleeve buckle 25 is an elastic ring and has a ball hole 251 formed through the sleeve buckle 25 at a position corresponding to the abutting ball 24. The abutting ball 24 protrudes from the ball hole 251. The two slits 26 are respectively and longitudinally defined in the middles of the two long sides 204 of the connection hole 202. Therefore, the inner sliding sleeve 20 can be connected with a square tool head or a hexagonal tool head.
The engagement module 30 is mounted around the inner sliding sleeve 20 and has a first ring 31, a second ring 32 and a spring 33. The first ring 31 is mounted around the inner sliding sleeve 20 at a position away from the abutting hole 23. The second ring 32 is mounted around the inner sliding sleeve 20. The spring 33 is mounted around the inner sliding sleeve 20 and is located between the first ring 31 and the second ring 32. The spring 33 abuts the first ring 31 by one of two ends of the spring 33 to keep the spring 33 from detaching from the inner sliding sleeve 20.
The outer sliding sleeve 40 is slidably mounted around the inner sliding sleeve 20 and has an abutting block 41, a pressing surface 42, a stopping surface 43 and an abutting surface 44. The abutting block 41 is annularly formed on an inner wall of the outer sliding sleeve 40. The pressing surface 42 is formed on a side of the abutting block 41 facing the inner sliding sleeve 20, and selectively presses the engaging ball 22. The stopping surface 43 is formed in an end of the abutting block 41 and abuts one of the ends of the spring 33 at a position opposite to the first ring 31. The abutting surface 44 is formed in another end of the abutting block 41 at a position opposite to the stopping surface 43, and selectively abuts the second ring 32.
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Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.