Abstract:
The present invention is a nut-driving apparatus and method that comprises a shank with an embedded magnet mounted at the end and a spring-loaded socket mounted above the magnet, which when pulled, separates the socket from the magnet, releasing any attracted metal shavings to allow for easy cleaning.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The field of the invention concerns machine nut drivers and sheet metal screws. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Machine mechanics often use machine metal screw fasteners. 
         [0003]    Metal screws are defined and ordered in industry by to screw size, thread count, length, and head style. For example, one common standard screw is defined as a 8-32×1 pan head, meaning a size eight screw with 32 threads per inch, one inch long screw, with a pan head. 
         [0004]    Irrespective of what type of head a screw uses, builders must employ some method to start the screw into the sheet metal. Some screws are self-tapping, with a notched tip that acts as a drill bit to drive the screw and keep thin metal from denting. Non-self-tapping screws require a pilot hole drilled in order to prevent splitting within the materials being fixed together. 
         [0005]    Metal screws are self-threading and create metal shavings as the screws enter sheet metal. These shavings are often collected by a magnet that is part of the driver. One such example in the prior art is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,695,461 to Moss, which allows a user to pull the socket portion of the driver away from the magnet. 
         [0006]    As the shavings of the metal are collected by the magnet driver of the aforementioned prior art, the shavings accumulate at the head of the driver, inside the socket, and interfere with the driver operation. When enough shavings accumulate, the driver becomes unusable until the socket is cleaned. 
         [0007]    To empty the device disclosed in Moss &#39;461, the socket is pulled back, and a user must clean the metal shavings from the magnet. Removing the shavings from the magnet necessitates physically grasping each shaving and pulling it from the driver magnet. Because each metal shaving is small, users struggle to fully dislodge all the shavings. 
         [0008]    The metal-working industry would benefit from a nut-driving system that allows for easy separation of driver from the collected shavings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is a nut-driving apparatus and method that comprises a shank with an embedded magnet mounted at the end and a spring-loaded socket mounted above the magnet, which when pulled away from the shank, separates the socket from the magnet, releasing any attracted metal shavings to allow for easy cleaning of the socket. 
         [0010]    Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    While the making and using of various embodiments of the present disclosure are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts, which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The disclosure is primarily described and illustrated hereinafter in conjunction with various embodiments of the presently-described systems and methods. The specific embodiments discussed herein are, however, merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the disclosure and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an orthogonal view of one embodiment of the invention in the “normal” position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are cross-sectional views of one embodiment of the invention in the “normal” and “open” positions, respectively. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4A  is a cross-section view of one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4B  shows a cross-section view of the embodiment of the invention as in  FIG. 4A , but with a second embodiment of the Lower Retainer  130  and Magnet  400 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The current embodiment of the disclosed invention is a nut driver system comprising a Mounting Body  100 , the Shank  110 , Driving Spindle  120 , Lower Retainer  130 , Compression Spring  200 , Spring Cavity  210 , Nut Cavity  230 , Centering Bushing  300 , Magnet  400 , Driving Body  500 , Guide  510 , Upper Retainer  800 , and Barrier Plate  900 , described supra, and shown in the drawings. 
         [0018]    As shown in each of the figures, the Mounting Body  100  is the foundation on which all other components are mounted, either directly or indirectly. 
         [0019]    As shown on the figures, the Mounting Body  100  has two ends. One end, known as the Shank  110 , is hexagonal in the current embodiment, and designed to be connected to a drill using construction techniques well-known in the art. The Shank  110  does not require a hexagonal construction, but this is the standard construction for drill bits and other instruments driven by drills. 
         [0020]    A Lower Retainer  130  is a raised section of the Shank  110 , positioned on the Mounting Body  100  such that a user has sufficient length of Shank  110  to install the invention into a drill or other driving mechanism. Current embodiments use either a cylindrical metal piece of a similar diameter of the Driving Body  500  (described below) for esthetics (seen in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3A, 3B, and 4B ), or a simple snap ring (as seen in  FIG. 4A ). 
         [0021]    As shown on the drawings, the second section of the Mounting Body  100 , opposite of the Shank  110 , is a round or hexagonal Driving Spindle  120 , which may or may not be the same cross-sectional shape of the Shank  110 . 
         [0022]    As seen in the figures, a Magnet  400  is mounted into a cavity in the top of the Driving Spindle  120  ( FIG. 4B ), or on its end ( FIG. 4A ). The Magnet  400  polarity is irrelevant for mounting purposes.  FIG. 4A  shows one embodiment of the invention in which the Magnet  400  is affixed by glued or other attachment onto the top of the Driving Spindle  120 , or affixed to the Driving Spindle  120  using many methods. The cavity-construction is beneficial because the inventor has found that a press-fit construction protects the Magnet  400  and holds it in place well. 
         [0023]    The Spring  200  is mounted on the Driving Spindle  120 , held in place by the Spring Cavity  210  interior section of the Driving Body  500 , as shown in  FIG. 2-4 . 
         [0024]    A Centering Bushing  300  is installed on the top of the Driving Spindle  120 , as shown in  FIG. 2-4 . The Centering Bushing  300  is installed on the Driving Spindle  120  during the assembly process after the Driving Body  500  is positioned on the shaft of the Driving Spindle  120 . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 2-4 , the Centering Bushing  300  is the same diameter as the Spring Cavity  210 , and when installed, prevents a user from damaging the invention by providing a hard stop to movement of the Driving Body  100 , and to prevent excessive play in the motion of the Driving Body  100  with respect to the Driving Body  500 . 
         [0026]    A Driving Body  500  is mounted on the Driving Spindle  110 . The interior of the Driving Body  500  has two sections. As shown in  FIG. 2-4 , one end of the Driving Body  500  has an interior hexagonal construction that matches the hexagonal shaft of the Shank  100 . This interior hexagonal interior is known as the Guide  510 . The other interior end of the Driving Body  500  has a larger hexagonal cross-section and called the Spring Cavity  210 . 
         [0027]    The Lower Retainer  130  provides a hard stop to the movement of the Driving Body  500  in the direction of the Shank  110  portion of the Mounting Body  100 . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 1, 2   3  and  4 B show a cylindrical element serving as the Lower Retainer  130  that is roughly the same diameter as the Driving Body  500 .  FIG. 4A  shows a different embodiment that uses a thin snap ring as the Lower Retainer  130 . 
         [0029]    The Spring  200  is mounted in the Spring Cavity  210 . The differing interior constructions between the Spring Cavity  210  and the hexagonal Guide  510  sections of the Driving Body  500  keeps the Spring  200  in place, because the Spring  200  has round coils that are too large to escape into the smaller-dimensioned Guide  510  section, as shown in  FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4A . 
         [0030]    An Upper Retainer  800 , typically a snap ring, is mounted in the Spring Cavity  210 , as shown on  FIG. 2-4 . Once installed, The Upper Retainer  800  establishes the position of the Spring  200 . 
         [0031]    An optional Barrier Plate  900 , currently consisting of a non-metallic material covering exterior side of the Upper Retainer  800  (typically a snap ring), provides separation between metal shavings and the device. As shown in  FIG. 2-4 , the Barrier Plate  900  is set into a grove on the inside of the Spring Cavity  210 , creating a Nut Cavity  230  in which the user can place a machine screw. The Barrier Plate  900  protects the Nut Cavity  230  from damage and excessive wear from the motion of the Driving Body  500  against metal screws as they are driven. 
         [0032]    The invention allows movement of the Driving Body  500  with respect to the Mounting Body. In use, the invention has two effective positions. 
         [0033]    The “normal” position, shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3A , is a reference to the invention as it sits without any manipulation by a user. The invention is maintained in the normal position by the Spring  200  pushing the Driving Body  500  in the direction of the Shank  110 . The invention is in the normal position while a user is driving a nut with a drill or other rotating device. 
         [0034]    The “cleaning” position, shown in  FIG. 3B , is a temporary configuration occurring when a user uses his figures to pull the Driving Body  500  away from the Shank  110  end. 
         [0035]    While the invention is in the cleaning position, the Spring  200  is compressed, as shown in  FIG. 3B . The Magnet  400  is pulled away from the Nut Cavity  230  because the Magnet  400  is installed on the Mounting Body  100  at the end of the Driving Spindle  110 . Because magnetic force varies as the square of the distance, even a small separation between the Magnet  400  and the metal shavings adhering to the Nut Cavity  230  will cause the shavings to fall from the invention, or diminish the force holding them in or around the Nut Cavity  230  such that they are easily removed. 
         [0036]    One of the major differences between this invention and the prior art is that, in the disclosed invention, the user cleans the socket of metal shavings by pulling the socket within the Driving Body  500  away from the Magnet  400 , as opposed to the prior art devices, in which the Nut Cavity  230  is pulled back so a user can clean the metal shavings which are held in place by the magnet. The construction disclosed herein reduces the magnetic hold of the shavings to the Magnet  400  so cleaning takes minimal effort. 
         [0037]    Modifications are intended to be within the invention as disclosed. For example, the Lower Retainer  130  can be a snap ring, or a larger press-fit cylinder to match the appearance of the Driving Body  500 . The Nut Cavity  230  has been discussed as a to driver for hexagonal nut heads, but the invention can be designed to drive slotted-head screws, Philip-head screws, or all manner of other screw heads, including an interchangeable head element so any type of metal screw head can be driven by the invention. 
         [0038]    Thus, while the invention has been illustrated and described in details in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, it being understood that only certain embodiments have been shown and described, and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions as described herein and by the following claims are desired to be protected.