Compact head body hammer

A compact head body hammer that requires less clearance to operate as compared to conventional hammers. The hammer does not include a secondary tool located on the rear of the hammer, for example, a pry or a wedge. In omitting these secondary tools, the hammer provides more clearance and allows greater pull back prior to the user striking an object. Further, the hammer head can weigh substantially the same as a conventional hammer head, for example, seven ounces, so that the striking power of the hammer is not compromised by the compact nature of the hammer. The centerline of the hammer head base can be offset with respect to a centerline of the hammer handle, which also provides less mass at the rear portion of the hammer head and allows greater pull back prior to striking the object.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to hammers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a compact head body hammer adaptable for usage in low clearance areas.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hammers are commonly used in automotive and other applications to tap or strike metal or other objects. Hammers include a head coupled to a handle, which the user grips when striking another object in a swinging motion. Typically, a user will remove the hammer from the object being struck, perhaps by pulling the hammer back, and strike the object from the pulled-back position.

Many hammer applications require use of the hammer in low clearance areas, for example, underneath body panels or fender of a vehicle. Under these circumstances, it is difficult for the user to obtain the necessary clearance to pull the hammer back and strike the desired object with sufficient force. For example, a conventional hammer includes a pry or wedge that removes work pieces or otherwise grips objects on an end opposing the striking end. This pry or wedge is located on a rear side of the hammer head, extending the length of the hammer head beyond what is required for simple striking of the object or work piece. By extending the hammer head length, the hammer head requires additional clearance that can be difficult to obtain in low clearance areas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention broadly comprises a compact head body hammer that requires less clearance than conventional hammers. The hammer of one embodiment of the present invention omits any protrusions or additional tools located on the rear side of the hammer head, for example, a pry or wedge, while maintaining substantially the same weight as a conventional hammer, for example, seven ounces. In addition, the centerline of the hammer head body can be axially offset relative to the centerline of the hammer handle, providing less mass on the rear portion of the hammer head and allowing greater pull back prior to striking the object for more effective force.

Another embodiment of the present invention broadly includes a tool including a head having a base and a face extending from the base. The face is adapted to strike an object when the tool is used, and the head has a head centerline extending through a center portion of the base. The tool further includes a handle having a handle centerline extending through a central axis of the handle, wherein the head centerline and the handle centerline are offset relative to each other.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a tool including a head with a base and a face extending from the base. The face is adapted to strike an object when the tool is used, and the head has a rear opposite the face that is devoid of a secondary tool. The tool further includes a handle coupled to the head at the base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, embodiments of the invention, including a preferred embodiment, 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.

An embodiment of the present invention broadly comprises a hammer that requires less swing or arc clearance, compared to a conventional hammer, by omitting additional secondary tools disposed on a rear side of the hammer head, while maintaining substantially the same weight as a conventional hammer, for example, seven ounces. The hammer head and handle can include offset centerlines so that the hammer head includes less mass on the rear portion, allowing greater pull back prior to striking an object.

Referring toFIG. 1, the tool100can include a handle105having a grip110on the lower end of the handle105and a neck115extending from the grip110to a tapered region120on the upper end of the handle105. The tool100can also include a head125, for example a hammer head, coupled to the handle105at the upper end of the handle105. The head125can include a rear portion130opposite a face135, where the face135is adapted to strike an object when the tool100is used and swung by a user.

The grip110can be any structure that allows a better grip of the tool100. For example, the grip110can be knurled or otherwise textured, or can include a separate structure, for example, a rubberized tube that fits over the handle105. Any other manner of improving the grip of a user at the grip110can be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Further, the tool100need not include any structure at the grip110that would improve the grip of a user, and can instead the grip110can be the same structure and/or texture as the remainder of the handle105.

The tapered region120can be tapered, for example, can be thinner at a portion near the neck and can be thicker at a portion near the head125. The tapered region120can include a smaller portion of the head125extending beyond the rearmost portion of the handle105, if any portion at all. For example, the tapered region120is tapered such that, when connected, the rear130of the head125extends just past the rearmost portion of the handle105, if at all. By providing a structure where the rear130extends more forward, less head125mass is disposed rear of the handle105so as to require greater clearance during the pullback process of using the tool100.

The head125can include a base140forming the structural backbone of the head125. The base145can couple with the face135through a transition region145. For example, the base145can have a width smaller than the width of the face135, and the transition region145can curve or otherwise extend from the base145toward the extreme ends of the face135to connect the face135and the base145. In some embodiments, the base145is centered with respect to the face135so as to evenly distribute the weight of the base145.

The rear130of the head125can be a flat, rounded, or angled structure. The rear130can lack any secondary tools, such as the pries or wedges found in conventional tools, so as to avoid extraneous matter at the rear130of the tool100that would require additional clearance during use. For example, during use of the tool100, a user could pull the tool100farther back (as compared to conventional hammers or tools) because the tool100lacks the secondary tools (such as pries or wedges) located at the rear130of the tool100. Despite lacking the secondary tools, the tool100can still weigh substantially the same as a conventional hammer head, for example, seven ounces, so that the striking power of the tool100is not limited despite the secondary tools of the head125being omitted. To be clear, the use of a seven ounce head is conventional, but the use of a seven ounce head that lacks secondary tools such as pries and wedges, is not, and was invented by the inventors of the present application.

The handle105can have a handle centerline150and the head125can have a head centerline155. The handle centerline150can represent the center of the handle105and can extend along a central axis of the handle105, and the head centerline155can extend through a center of the base140of the head125. As shown, the handle centerline150and the base centerline155can be axially offset relative to each other. In so doing, the rear130of the head125can be positioned more forward than it would be without the offset nature of the centerlines.

Arranging the head125and the handle105in this manner requires even less clearance to perform the striking operation with the tool100, as it moves the head125more forward on the handle105, and an even smaller portion of the head125extends beyond the rear edge of the handle105.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the head125includes an opening160for receiving an end of the handle105, for example, the end extending from the tapered region120. The handle105can be coupled to the head125at the opening160, or in any other area of the head125, in any manner. For example, the handle105can be coupled to the head125by adhesive, fasteners, interference fit, or the handle105can be integrally formed with the head125.

The surface of the face135can be flat or semi-flat, for example, rounded. Also, the face135can be disk-shaped or otherwise round. However, in some embodiments, the face135can be rectangular, square-shaped, triangular-shaped, or oval-shaped. Any other shape of face135can be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application.

As used herein, the term “coupled” and its functional equivalents are not intended to necessarily be limited to a 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.