Patent Application
20110252928
The present disclosure is directed to a bit holder and an interchangeable bit that can pivot or articulate relative to a longitudinal axis of the bit holder, and in particular, to a bit holder with a multi-depth socket for receiving the interchangeable bit in either a locked configuration or one or more unlocked configurations.
Typical magnetic bit holders include a cylindrical body having a socket formed axially in one end configured to receive one of a plurality of interchangeable bits. The socket of the bit holder typically has a transverse cross-sectional shape which is non-circular, such as polygonal. The proximal end of the bit has a complementary shape that fits in the socket. A permanent magnet is typically press-fitted or crimped into a hole at the base of the socket to magnetically retain the associated bit in place.
For many applications, however, the location of fasteners prevents the user from directly aligning the bit holder with the fastener. This limitation impedes the ability of the user to apply maximum torque to the fastener, and increases wear on both the fastener and the interchangeable bit. In order to overcome this problem, hand tools have been designed that have working ends displaceable or pivotable away from the longitudinal axis of the shank of the tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,773,529 (Valenti) discloses a screwdriver having a pivotable tool bit part which allows it to be pivoted to a right angle to the screwdriver shank by the rotation of a clamp member which manually holds the tool bit part in alignment with the shank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,731 (Suligoy et al.) discloses a socket member pivotally attached to a shaft by means of pivot pins. The socket member includes a socket cavity having a conventional polygonal or ribbed cross-section to receive the correspondingly cross-sectioned shank end of a bit. In one embodiment, an elongated collar is provided to retain the socket member in axial alignment with the shaft.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,711,145 (Inoue); 5,042,332 (Nickipuck); and 5,577,426 (Eggert et al.) each teach fastener-driver constructions having an angularly-displaceable component.
These embodiments, however, locate the pivot point of the bit relative to the bit holder too far behind the working end of the bit. The misalignment requires eccentric rotation of the bit, resulting in excessive wear on both the working end of the bit and the fastener.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,667,194 (Fisher et al.) discloses interchangeable bits that are retained in the bit holder by a snap ring. The square bit receiving socket has a somewhat larger cross section than the square portion of the bit. The resulting clearance permits the bit to “float” in the socket so that the components may be out of axial alignment and still provide proper driving of the bit and proper fit of the bit point with the screw. Fisher discloses clearances in the range of about 0.005 inches to about 0.010 inches, corresponding to an angular displacement of the bit in the socket of less than about 3 degrees. Large axial forces along the longitudinal axis of the bit and the bit holder drive the flat end of the bit into the base of the receiving socket, inhibiting angular displacement.
The present disclosure relates to a bit holder and an interchangeable bit that can pivot or articulate relative to the bit holder. The bit holder includes a multi-depth socket for receiving the interchangeable bit. The different depths of the socket determine whether the interchangeable bit operates as a straight-on bit (i.e., locked configuration) or an off-angle bit (i.e., unlocked configuration).
In one embodiment, an outer sleeve slides along a longitudinal axis of a shaft to change the depth of the socket. In another embodiment, the opposite ends of the bit holder have different depth sockets for receiving the interchangeable bit and/or a shank portion. The deeper socket provides the locked configuration and the shallower socket provides the unlocked configuration. By flipping over the bit holder, the interchangeable bit can operate as either a straight-on bit or an off-angle bit.
In one embodiment, the bit holder includes a shaft with a proximal end adapted to couple with a driver. The distal end of the shaft magnetically couples to an interchangeable bit. An outer sleeve surrounds the shaft in an unlocked configuration to form a socket with a non-circular cross section near the distal end of the shaft. The interchangeable bit includes a working end and a proximal portion with a non-circular cross section complementary to the socket. The proximal portion including a plurality of contoured portions that permit the interchangeable bit to articulate in the socket. The interchangeable bit further includes a relief located between the working end and the proximal portion configured to engage with distal end of the outer sleeve that limits articulation of the interchangeable bit relative to the shaft. The outer sleeve includes a locked configuration such that the distal end of the outer sleeve engages with a body portion of the interchangeable bit to retain the interchangeable bit in general alignment with a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
The bit holder preferably includes a magnet located near the distal end of the shaft. Alternatively, the interchangeable bit can be magnetic. The bit can also be mechanically coupled to the bit holder.
The bit holder preferably includes a locking mechanism adapted to retain the outer sleeve in either the unlocked configuration or the locked configuration. In one embodiment, the locking mechanism includes a snap ring interposed between the outer sleeve and the shaft, a first set of grooves on the shaft adapted to engage with the snap ring when the outer sleeve is in the unlocked configuration, and a second set of groove on the shaft adapted to engage with the snap ring when the outer sleeve is in the locked configuration.
In one embodiment, a flat portion is located on the proximal portion of the interchangeable bit and a corresponding flat portion is provided on the distal end of the shaft. The two flat portions cooperate to retain the interchangeable bit generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the shaft even when the outer sleeve is in the unlocked configuration.
The contoured portions on the interchangeable bit are optionally a plurality of facets or a curvilinear configuration. In one embodiment, the proximal portion on the interchangeable bit includes a hexagonal cross section and the socket includes a plurality of surfaces arranged in a complementary hexagonal configuration. The interchangeable bit articulates primarily in a plane perpendicular to one of the plurality of surfaces.
The maximum angle of articulation of the interchangeable bit relative to the longitudinal axis can be controlled by the depth of the relief and/or the location of the outer sleeve along the shaft. The maximum angle of articulation for the interchangeable bit is preferably between about 5 degrees to about 25 degrees. The minimum angle of articulation is about 5 degrees.
A pivot location for the articulation preferably extends through the interchangeable bit perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The pivot location is preferably less than about 1.0 inch, or less than about 0.4 inches, from a distal-most portion of the working end.
In another embodiment, the bit holder includes an outer sleeve secured to a shaft to form a first socket with a first depth, and a second socket with a second depth greater than the first depth, at opposite ends of the outer sleeve. The first and second sockets each include a non-circular cross section. A shank portion is provided with a non-circular cross section complementary to the first and second sockets. At least one interchangeable bit includes a working end and a proximal portion with a non-circular cross section complementary to the first and second sockets. The proximal portion including a plurality of contoured portions that permit the interchangeable bit to articulate in the first socket. The interchangeable bit further including a relief located between the working end and the proximal portion configured to engage with distal end of the outer sleeve to limit articulation relative to the intermediate shaft. By contrast, when the interchangeable bit is engaged with the second socket, the outer sleeve engages a body portion of the interchangeable bit to retain the interchangeable bit generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
Socket 36 is formed by outer sleeve 42 surrounding the shaft 24. The depth 53 of the socket 36 is determined by the location of the outer sleeve 42 relative to the shaft 24. Proximal portion 52 of the interchangeable bit 34 includes contoured portions 56 that permit articulation in the socket 36 in directions 58. Relief 70 located between the proximate portion 52 and body portion 72 on the interchangeable bit 34 engages with distal end 74 of outer sleeve 42 to limit articulation.
In the embodiment of
Modifying the depth of the relief 70 or the depth 53 of the socket 36 will alter articulation 58 of the interchangeable bit 34. The locations of the grooves 48A illustrated in
The proximal portion 52 of the interchangeable bit 34 optionally includes a flat end 54 that couples with the magnet 32. The flat end 54 on the proximal portion 52 aids in retaining the interchangeable bit 34 in axial alignment with longitudinal axis 63. Compressive forces 55 along the longitudinal axis 63 (such as illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, working end 40 of the interchangeable bit 34 is a Phillips screw driver. Alternatively, the working end 40 can be ballpoint tools, Torx drivers, square drivers, hex wrenches, star drivers, socket wrenches, flat-head screw drivers, or a variety of other configurations.
As best illustrated in
The configuration of the present interchangeable bit 34 results in a pivot location 80 extremely close to the working end 40. The pivot location 80 is located within the proximal portion 52 of the interchangeable bit 34. In embodiments where the contoured portions 56 are circular, the pivot location 80 may be a point. Where the contoured portions 56 are not circular, the pivot location 80 may be a sphere, an elliptical volume, or a variety of other shapes.
In the preferred embodiment, the pivot location 80 is less than about 1.0 inches from the distal-most portion of the working end 40. In another embodiment, the pivot location 80 is less than about 0.4 inches from the distal-most portion of the working end 40. Consequently, wear on the working end 40 and vibration while driving fastener 64 are minimized.
The shank portion 102 and the interchangeable bit 112 can be coupled with either the first or second sockets 108, 110. The coupling of the shank portion 102, intermediate shaft 104 and outer sleeve 106, and interchangeable bit 112, can be magnetic, mechanical, frictional, and the like.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed within the disclosures. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges which may independently be included in the smaller ranges is also encompassed within the disclosures, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either both of those included limits are also included in the disclosures.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which these disclosures belong. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosures, the preferred methods and materials are now described. All patents and publications mentioned herein, including those cited in the Background of the application, are hereby incorporated by reference to disclose and described the methods and/or materials in connection with which the publications are cited.
The publications discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the present disclosures are not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior disclosure. Further, the dates of publication provided may be different from the actual publication dates which may need to be independently confirmed.
Other embodiments of the disclosure are possible. Although the description above contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the disclosures. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed disclosures. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present disclosures herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
Thus the scope of this disclosure should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the present disclosure fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural, chemical, and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present disclosure, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims.
