Abstract:
A quick-release socket adapter for a T-shape socket wrench is capable of overcoming the inconveniences caused in operation by the excessive tight or loose engagements of the conventional T-shape socket wrench with a socket, which is an integral structure composed of a slide rod and a slide head. In operation, a ball defined in the slide head can be projected outward or retracted in the slide head just by rotating or moving the slide rod, so as to achieve an effective quick release or engagement of the T-shape socket wrench with the socket.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a quick-release structure, and more particularly to a quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench. 
   2. Description of the Prior Arts 
   A conventional T-shape socket wrench is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and generally comprised of a slide rod  11  and a slide head  12 . The slide head  12  is slidably mounted on the slide rod  11 , at a connecting portion  121  of the slide head  12  a cone-shape hole  122  is defined in a radial direction of the slide head for reception of a ball  13 , such that, under the compression of the spring  14 , the ball  13  is confined in the cone-shape hole  122  in a manner that it is only able to partially protrude out to of the connecting portion  121 , such that the ball  13  is actuated to enable the connecting portion  121  to engage with a socket (not shown). However, this conventional structure is unpractical, takes the sock adapter for T-shape socket wrench in  FIG. 1  as an example, since the slide head  12  is just mounted on the slide rod  11  without any engaging device, in operation, relative movement will be caused between the slide rod  11  and the slide head  12 . The socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in  FIG. 2  has overcome the defect of the socket adapter in  FIG. 1 , wherein a spring  15  is used to push the slide rod  11  against the slide head  12 , so as to prevent relative movement between the slide rod  11  and the slide head  12 . However, both the socket adapters for T-shape socket wrench in  FIGS. 1 and 2  don&#39;t solve the problem of the connection between the connecting portion  121  of the slide head  12  and the socket (not shown). That is to say that it still unable the socket to be easily engaged with or release from the connecting portion  121  of the slide head  12 . Thereby the conventional socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench has defects of excessive tight or loose engagements between the socket and the connecting portion  121 . 
   The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary object of the present invention is to provide a quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench, which is easy operated that a ball of which can be actuated to move out/into a slide head by rotating or moving a slide rod, so as to achieve a quick and effective engagement or release of the T-shape socket wrench in/from a socket. 
   A quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with the present invention, includes:
         a slide rod;   a slide head slidably mounted on the slide rod, at a connecting portion of the slide head a cone-shape hole defined in a radial direction of the slide head for reception of a ball, so as to enable the ball partially protrude out of the connecting portion, the ball can be actuated to make the connecting portion connect a socket;   wherein the slide head is axially defined with a step hole for reception of a spring and a crown rod in turn, at an end of the slide head a head is defined and at a predetermined position of the slide head is formed with a notch, by such arrangements, when the head of the crown rod is not pushed by the slide rod, the ball falls into the notch of the crown rod since the notch of the crown face the cone-shape hole, such that the ball rolls back into the connecting portion, so as to achieve a disengagement of the socket from the connecting portion, and vice versa, when the head of the crown rod is pushed by slide rod, the crown rod can push the ball to make it partially protrude out of the connecting portion, so as to achieve an engagement of the socket in the connecting portion.       

   The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which shows, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a cross sectional view of a conventional socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of another conventional socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a slide head of the quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the slide disengages from a slide rod; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the slide head of the quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in  FIG. 4 , wherein the slide engages with a slide rod; 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of a slide head of the quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein the slide disengages from a slide rod; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of the slide head of the quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein the slide engages from a slide rod; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a slide head of the present invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another slide head of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , wherein a quick-release socket adapter for a T-shape socket wrench in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown and generally comprised of a slide rod  20  and a slide head  30 . 
   The slide rod  20  is a simple rod. 
   The slide head  30  is defined with a transverse hole  31  so as to be slidably mounted on the slide rod  20 . At a connecting portion  32  of the slide head  30  a radial hole  321  is defined in a radial direction thereof, wherein the radial hole  321  is cone-shaped, a ball  33  is received in the radial hole  321 . Since a diameter of the ball  33  is bigger than a diameter of an end of the radial hole  321  but smaller than a diameter at another end of the radial hole  321 . In this case, the ball  33  can only partially protrude out of the outer surface of the connecting portion  32  via the smaller end of radial hole  321 . It is to be noted that a step hole  34  is defined along the radial axis of the slide head  30  for reception of a spring  35  and a crown rod  36  respectively. With the help of spring  35 , the crown rod  36  is able to push against the slide rod  20  automatically, so as to fix the slide rod  20 . Furthermore, the crown rod  36  is defined with an arc-shape head  361  at an end thereof, and at a predetermined position of the crown rod  36  a notch  362  is formed. A C-shape ring  363  is mounted on the crown rod  36  and located at a lower end of the connecting portion  32  of the slide head  30 , so as to prevent the crown rod  36  disengaging from the slide head  30  under the influence of the elastic force of the spring  35 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  again, in order to connect the socket adapter of T-shape socket wrench to a socket, the user firstly need to separate the slide rod  20  from the slide head  30 . The crown rod  36  keeps moving longitudinally under the influence of the spring  35  until the C-shape ring  363  on the crown rod  36  abuts against the lower end of the connecting portion  32  of the slide head  30 . At this moment, the head  361  of the crown rod  36  protrudes a little out of the transverse hole  31  of the slide head  30 , and the notch  362  of the crown rod  36  faces right against the cone-shape hole  321 , so the ball  33  will fall into the notch  362  of the crown rod  36 , and will roll back into the connecting portion  32 , and thus the connecting portion  32  of the slide head  30  is able to engage with a socket. After this, the user can insert the slide rod  20  in the transverse hole  31  of the slide hole  30 , such that the slide rod  20  pushes the head  361  of the crown rod  36  to make it move longitudinally, as a result, the crown rod  36  partially protrudes out of the connecting portion  32 , the ball  33  is pushed to partially protrudes out of the connection portion  32  during the movement of the crown rod  36 , such that the socket can be locked (as shown in FIG.  5 ). 
   On the other hand, to disengage the socket from the socket adapter of T-shape socket wrench, the user can draw the slide rod  20  out of the transverse hole  31  of the slide head  30 , that is to say that the head  361  of the crown rod  36  is not pushed by the rod  20  anymore. Since the notch  362  of the crown rod  36  faces right against the cone-shape hole  321 , the ball  33  will fall into the notch  362  of the crown rod  36 , at this moment, the ball  33  rolls back into the connecting portion  32  immediately, so as to cause a disengagement of the socket from the connecting portion  32  (as shown in FIG.  4 ). Thereby, the socket adapter of T-shape socket wrench is simple constructed and easy operated. 
   It will be noted that the slide rod  20  in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention can be any kinds of rod so long as it has a diameter corresponding to the transverse hole  31  of the slide head  30 . Therefore, the applicability of the socket adapter of T-shape socket wrench is improved relatively. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , wherein a quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is shown and generally comprised of a slide rod  20  and a slide head  30 . It is generally identical to the quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, any further remarks on this matter would seem superfluous. Only the differences of the second embodiment relative to the first embodiment are to be described as follows: 
   The slide rod  20  is provided at its both ends with an engaging portion  21  for preventing disengagement of the object to be connected. At a predetermined position of the slide rod  20  is defined a recess  22  with predetermined depth, and an identification groove  23  is formed at a position opposite to the recess  22 . 
   The slide head  30  is axially defined with a step hole  34  for reception of a spring  35  and a rod  36  in turn. With the help of spring  35 , the crown rod  36  is able to push against the slide rod  20  automatically, so as to fix the slide rod  20 . Furthermore, the crown rod  36  is defined with an arc-shape head  361  at an end thereof, and at a predetermined position of the crown rod  36  a notch  362  is formed. 
   The operation theory of the quick-release socket adapter for T-shape socket wrench in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention is to be illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . In order to connect the socket adapter of T-shape socket wrench to a socket, the user only needs to insert the connecting portion  32  of the slide head  30  into the socket initially, and rotate or move the slide rod  20 , so as to make the head  361  of the crown rod  36  right abut against the periphery of the slide rod  20  without entering in the recess  22  of the slide rod  20 . At this moment, the crown rod  36  will longitudinally move and partially protrude out of the slide head  30 . The ball  33  is pushed to partially protrude out of the connection portion  32  during the movement of the crown rod  36 , such that the socket can be firmly locked (as shown in FIG.  8 ). 
   On the other hand, to disengage the socket from the socket adapter of T-shape socket wrench, the user only need to rotate or move the slide rod  20 , and the head  361  of the crown rod  36  is pushed by the spring to move longitudinally into the recess  22  of the slide rod  20 . Since, at this moment, the notch  362  of the crown rod  36  faces right toward the cone-shape hole  321 , so that the ball  33  will fall into the notch  362  of the crown rod  36  automatically cause it is not pushed outwardly by the crown rod  36  anymore, so as to achieve a disengagement of the socket from the connecting portion  32  (as shown in FIG.  7 ). 
   In addition, in order not to affect the structural strength of the slide rod  20 , the recess  22  of the slide rod  20  is preferably defined at a position adjacent to the engaging portion  21 . 
   Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the recess  22  of the slide rod  20  can be located opposite to the engaging portion  21  in order to easily identify the position of the recess  22 . In other words, the position of the recess  22  can be easily decided just by finding the position of the engaging portion  21 . Moreover, the user can easily identify the position of the recess  22  of the slide rod  20  with the help of the identification groove  23 . 
   It will be noted that the engaging portion  21  at both ends of the slide rod  20  can be used to prevent the disengagement of the slide head  30  from the slide rod  20 . 
   Referring finally to  FIGS. 3 ,  9  and  10 , wherein the slide head  30  can be in the form of a cylinder, a cylinder with two flat sides or a column with rectangular cross section, so as to reduce the cost and improve the applicability. 
   While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.