Anti-slip hex allen tool

A hex headed bit and socket for enhanced non-slip application of torque force having a hex head with contoured fastener engagement surfaces. The contoured fastener engagement surface extends transversely in angular longitudinal inclination. Defined multiple engagement edges correspondingly embed themselves during rotational engagement within the so engaged fastener pulling the hex head bit into the engaged fastener imparting enhanced translateral points of tool engagement for extraction. Recessed areas on flat hexagonal free end tool portion defining alternate spaced pairs of parallel engagement edges.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention is directed to hex headed bits for the use with hex headed fasteners as an anti-slip multi-directional drive bit for driving and removing of hex headed fasteners. Such tool bits known and used in the art are defines as six sided flat surfaces for engagement and correspondingly configured receptacles for rotation to tighten and loosen as needed. Such fastener bolt designs may be compromised during use due to metal fatigue, rust and general abuse imparted by improper tool use thus making them difficult to engage by a typical hex headed tool.

2. Description of Prior Art

Prior art hex wrench and bit tool configurations can be seen in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,105,056, 6,152,000, 8,302,255 and 8,640,575.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,056, a non-slip screwdriver can be seen having a grooved foot portion from the driver blade with oppositely disposed parallel engagement grooves there across defining recessed surfaces.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,000 is directed to a driver bit and driver tool having a plurality of projections formed on at least one surface of the fastener engagement shank portion to enhance the tool to fastener registration engagement.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,302,255 illustrates a hexagonal wrench head with longitudinal groove adjacent the respective side surfaces edge intersections there along.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,640,575 discloses a ball end hex wrench wherein a groove is formed within the contoured multiple sides longitudinally.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a driver bit for engaging and maintaining efficient contact within a fastener to transfer rotational force from the drive bit to the fastener while maintaining proper engagement therewith. Contoured tapered engagement surface channel cuts within alternating flat hex bit surfaces define directional engagement edges that dig into the registering fastener surfaces pulling the driver bit down within the fastener maintaining fastener engagement during rotational torque input.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS.1-7of the drawings, an anti-slip socket box end hex bit10of the invention can be seen having a cylindrical screw bit body11with a hex shank fastener engagement socket portion12extending therefrom.

A driver engagement bore13, best seen inFIG.8of the drawings, extends into the cylinder screw bit body11and is shaped to receive a socket fitting member of a socket driver wrench, not shown, as will be evident to those skilled and well known in the art.

The hex engaged shank portion12has a plurality of elongated flat fastener engagement surfaces14of equal transverse and longitudinal dimension there about so as to define a hex tool bit configuration known within the art. The fastener engagement socket is therefore hexagonal with a plurality of flat engagement surfaces spaced radially about the longitudinal axis of the shank portion12.

Some of the flat hex engagement surfaces14have a contoured C-shaped fastener engagement channel cut15therein. Each of the contoured engagement channel cuts15extend angularly across its respective hexagonal surface14having a contoured transverse tapered interior surface16. The engagement channel cut15is also tapered longitudinally between respective opposing intersecting flat engagement surfaces14A and14B, best seen inFIG.2of the drawings.

The contoured transverse tapered interior surface16of the engagement channel cut16is of a modified C-shape defining a pair of upstanding elongated fastener engagement lateral edges16A and16B extending in angular spaced relation from the shank12fastener insert end17. The so-configured engagement channel cut15being selectively cut in alternate engagement surfaces14about the hex bit10indirect contact thereby providing multiple points of enhanced non-slip fastener engagement as seen inFIG.8of the drawings graphically. This channel engagement orientation will thereby accommodate both undamaged and damaged fasteners, not shown, as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.

The contoured tapered interior surface16of each engagement channel cut15thereby defines both a primary fastener lateral engagement edge16A and the secondary lateral edge16B in spaced orientation thereby provides for the displacement of fastener material as needed during rotational engagement assuring a secure and active multiple point engagement regardless of the fastener's condition within the fastener's receiving area18. The contoured tapered interior modified C-shape channel cut16is tapered transversely from the elongated primary fastener engagement lateral edge16A upwardly to the so defined secondary fastener engagement lateral edge16B as seen best inFIG.7of the drawings

It will be seen that the hereinbefore described alternating placement of the unique contoured engagement channel cut15in three of the fastener engagement surfaces14thereby having a snug contact with the corresponding undamaged interior surfaces of the fastener's receiving area18and three engagement surfaces with the contoured center engagement channel cut15which work in concert to achieve an enhanced grip within the engagement fastener regardless of the relative fastener's condition as hereinbefore described.

During operation, the angular orientation of the contoured engagement channel cut15's lateral edges16A will engage within the fastener F and pull the hex bit10increasingly into the fastener's receiving area18thus maintaining the enhanced trilateral contact so achieved. It will be evident that the hex bit10engagement channel cut15will protrude inwardly towards the fastener at a corresponding scale percentage based on the size of the tool. It will also be apparent that the multiple contoured engagement channel cut15's lateral edges16A and16B will allow during use “pivoting” of the hex bit tool10when the fastener engagement surfaces are compromised thus, as noted, forcing the hex bit tool to embed itself in the fastener to form a deeper and thereby better grip engagement with the compromised fastener.

Referring now toFIGS.9-14of the drawings, an alternate form can be seen as an anti-slip socket box end hex bit19of the invention having a tool engagement portion20and an oppositely disposed hex shank fastener engagement socket portion21with a plurality of equal dimension hexagonal elongated flat engagement surfaces22there about.

A secondary set of flat engagement surfaces23are tapered longitudinally therefrom defining individual incline engagement surfaces24-29spaced there about, best seen inFIGS.10and11of the drawings. Each alternating secondary flat engagement surfaces24,26and28have a contoured C-shaped fastener engagement channel30cut therein. Each contoured engagement channel30extends angularly across the respective tapered hexagonal surfaces23, each having a contoured transverse tapered interior surface31which extends longitudinally between the respective intersections I of the inclined engagement surfaces22.

The corresponding contoured interior surface31of the C-shape channel defines a pair of upstanding elongated fastener engagement edges31A and31B extending in spaced relation to one another.

The orientation and defined shape of the engagement channels30will provide progressive engagement within a fastener32in the same manner as the hereinbefore described primary form of the anti-slip socket box end hex bit10of the invention.

Referring now toFIGS.13and14of the drawings, the alternate hex tool bit19of the invention can be seen engaging a non-damaged fastener32and a damaged fastener33, shown in broken lines respectively, wherein the hexagonal elongated flat engagement surfaces22are engaged in the non-damaged fastener32to a depth of approximately 75% of the fastener's socket34indicated at FD allowing for fastener32rotation, as required.

Correspondingly, referring toFIG.14of the drawings, the damaged fastener33socket35is engaged by the alternate hex tool bit19will be engaged by the corresponding fastener engagement channel13respective edges31A and31B progressively as the tool descends into the damaged fastener socket35to establish a positive grip thus enabling rotational input force by the tool bit19to the damaged fastener33for insertion or removal, as required.

The progressive engagement will correspond to the relative insertion depth required enabled by the secondary set of flat tapered engagement surfaces23and the fastener engagement channel30therein defining the inclined tool surfaces24-29with their respective contoured C-shaped channel fastener engagements30achieving fastener rotation thereby.

This combination of angular oriented flat engagement surfaces23with multiple selective positioning alternating engagement channel cuts30will thereby provide multiple points of enhanced focus tool engagement regardless of fastener's condition in either rotational direction providing a superior grip and hold currently unavailable within the art.

Referring now toFIGS.15-18of the drawings, a second alternate form of the anti-slip socket box and hex bit36of the invention can be seen having a tool engagement portion37with an oppositely disposed hex shank37A and a fastener end engagement socket portion38and a plurality of equally dimensioned hexagonal elongated flat engagement surfaces39there about. A set of contoured fastener engagement surfaces40are tapered both longitudinally and transversely extending curvilinear in angular twist orientation defining individual contoured inclined engagement surfaces41-46spaced there about.

It will be evident that each of the alternating contoured inclined engagement surfaces41-46are transversely concave extending between the respective intersections of the adjacent abutting engagement surface, best seen inFIG.17of the drawings.

The corresponding surface intersections define upstanding elongated curved fastener engagement edges47-52which are in annular spaced relation to one another. The orientation and defined shape of the respective engagement edges47-52will provide progressive engagement within a damaged fastener53as illustrated inFIG.18of the drawings upon initial axial engagement indicated by broken arrow AE and then progressive annular rotation indicated by directional arrow A.

Under hex tool rotation, the progressive hex tool fastener engagement depth increases imparting increased torsional force against the damaged fastener53indicated at54. The orientation and defined shape of the curvilinear engagement edges47-52will thus provide improved progressive torsional engagement within the damaged fastener53to that of the previous secondary forms, the anti-slip socket hex end bits10and19of the invention as hereinbefore described.

The progressive tool engagement will correspond to the longitudinal tapered engagement surfaces40insertion depth and fastener surface53A engagement.

Referring now toFIGS.19-23of the drawings, an alternate form can be seen as an anti-slip socket box end hex bit55of the invention having a tool engagement portion56and an oppositely disposed hex shank fastener engagement socket portion57with a plurality of equal dimension hexagonal elongated flat engagement surfaces58there about.

A secondary set of flat engagement surfaces59are tapered longitudinally therefrom defining individual incline engagement surfaces60-65spaced there about, best seen inFIGS.20and21of the drawings. Each alternating secondary flat engagement surfaces60,62and64have a contoured C-shaped fastener engagement channel66cut therein with upstanding elongated fastener engagement edges66A and66B. Each contoured engagement channel66extends angularly across the respective tapered hexagonal surfaces59, each having a contoured transverse tapered interior surface67which extends longitudinally between the respective intersections I of the inclined engagement surfaces59.

The hex shank fastener engagement socket portion57has hexagonal elongated flat engagement surfaces68. Each of the respective alternating upstanding hexagonal flat engagement surfaces has a centered recessed area69respectively therein defining corresponding pairs of oppositely disposed spaced parallel engagement edges69A and69B, best seen inFIGS.21and22of the drawings. It will be evident that the combination of the contoured C-shaped fastener engagement channel66with the now defined engagement edges66A and66B which are in alternate orientation thereto will provide improved fastener engagement as seen graphically inFIG.23of the drawings.

It will be seen that this combination orientation of flat engagement surface68with multiple selective positioning of sequential engagement of the inclined curvilinear edge surfaces66A and66B and as set forth in the third alternate form53with the alternate hex surface recesses69and their corresponding engagement edge surfaces69A and69B thereby provide progressive multiple points of enhanced focus tool engagement regardless of fastener condition in a rotational direction provided superior grip and holding currently unavailable within the art.

It will thus be seen that a new and useful anti-slip socket wrench hex head bit configuration has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.