Abstract:
A bit holder for a battery-powered screwdriver. A compartment is formed on one end of the screwdriver, opposite the tool bit driving end of the screwdriver. A sleeve mounted in the compartment can be slidably moved between open and closed positions. A plurality of bit holding clips are fixed around the sleeve&#39;s outer circumference. A shaft extends through the compartment. One of the shaft&#39;s ends is fixed at the compartment&#39;s forward end. The sleeve is slidably mounted over the shaft&#39;s opposite end.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention provides a battery-powered screwdriver with an integral bit holder in which a plurality of different bits may be stored. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Battery-powered screwdrivers are becoming increasingly popular. A variety of different bits can be used with such screwdrivers. Commonly, the bits are stored apart from the screwdriver. That can be inconvenient; in many cases, it would be more convenient if the bits were stored on or in the screwdriver itself. This would give the user ready access to a supply of different bits, thus avoiding the need to locate and manipulate a separate bit storage container. 
     Various prior art manually operated screwdrivers have integral bit storage capability. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,504 issued Nov. 30, 1993 discloses a “Cartridge Type Screwdriver” having a bit storage magazine within the screwdriver&#39;s handle. A plurality of different bits are held in place by clips provided around the circumference of the storage magazine. By pulling a cap longitudinally away from the handle, one may slidably withdraw the magazine from the handle to expose the bits. A particular bit can be selected and removed from its clip. The user then presses against the cap to slide the storage magazine back inside the handle. 
     Unlike a manually-operated screwdriver, which can be provided with a hollow handle suitable for receiving a bit storage magazine, a battery-operated screwdriver has no readily apparent space for receiving a bit storage magazine. The present invention solves that problem to facilitate integration of a bit holder and battery-operated screwdriver in a relatively compact configuration and without impairing the functionality of either the screwdriver or the bit holder. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The invention provides a bit holder for a battery-powered screwdriver. A compartment is formed on one end of the screwdriver, opposite the tool bit driving end of the screwdriver. A sleeve mounted in the compartment can be slidably moved between open and closed positions. A plurality of bit holding clips are fixed around the sleeve&#39;s outer circumference. A shaft extends through the compartment. One of the shaft&#39;s ends is fixed at the compartment&#39;s forward end. The sleeve is slidably mounted over the shaft&#39;s opposite end. 
     An end cap is fixed on the sleeve&#39;s rearward end. An internal, radially outwardly enlarged circumferential recess is provided on the cap&#39;s forward face. A radially flexible retainer is fixed on the shaft&#39;s rearward end. The retainer flexes radially outwardly into the recess when the bit holder is in the closed position, thereby retaining the bit holder in the closed position. When the bit holder is in the closed position, application of a force to move the end cap rearwardly away from the compartment flexes the retainer radially inwardly and away from the recess. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partially fragmented, partially schematic oblique pictorial illustration of a battery-powered screwdriver having an integral bit holder in accordance with the invention, showing the bit holder in the open position. 
     FIG. 2 is a partially fragmented, partially sectioned side elevation view of the FIG. 1 apparatus, showing the bit holder in the closed position. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partially fragmented, partially sectioned side elevation view of the bit holder end portion of the FIGS. 1 and 2 apparatus, showing the bit holder in the open position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense. 
     FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  depict a battery-powered screwdriver  10  having an integral bit holder  12  in accordance with the invention. Screwdriver  10  has a casing  14  within which a compartment  16  is formed for containing battery  17  (shown schematically only in FIGS.  2  and  3 ). Battery  17  powers motor  18  (shown schematically only in FIGS. 1 and 2) when rocker switch  20  is actuated, rotating shaft  22  about its longitudinal axis. Shaft  22  is drivingly coupled to motor  18  by a gearing mechanism (not shown) within forward compartment  24 . A hexagonal cross-section tool bit holding chuck  26  is provided in the open forward end of shaft  22  for removably and lockably receiving any one of a number of different (preferably double-ended) screwdriver type tool bits  27  (FIGS.  1  and  3 ), or an assortment of drill type tool bits  27 A (FIG. 2) stored within bit holder  12 . The external surface of casing  14  defines a handle for grasping screwdriver  10 . 
     The end of casing  14  opposite shaft  22  is extended rearwardly (i.e. to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3) to define a bit holder storage compartment  28  rearwardly of battery storage compartment  16 . A pair of opposed flanges  30 ,  32  are formed to extend circumferentially around the inner cylindrical surface of casing  14 , rearwardly of battery storage compartment  16 . Flanges  30 ,  32  are spaced apart to define a circumferential groove  34  for fixedly retaining the circular rim of base  36  of support shaft  38 . As best seen in FIGS.  2  and  3 , base  36  is flared radially inwardly and rearwardly to define an anchor flange portion  40  at the juncture of base  36  and shaft  38 . 
     A cylindrically apertured sleeve  42  is formed on the central rearward face of support collar  44  and extends rearwardly therefrom. Stop shoulder  46  on support collar  44  circumferentially surrounds shaft  38  for slidable, longitudinal movement of sleeve  42  and collar  44  forwardly or rearwardly along shaft  38  between the closed and open positions respectively shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The circumferential outward rim of collar  44  is flanged to bear against the inner cylindrical surface of compartment  28  thereby stabilizing bit holder  12  and preventing “wobbling” of sleeve  42  during slidable movement thereof along shaft  38 . 
     An inwardly flexible retainer  47  is fixed on the rearward end  49  of shaft  38 . This can be accomplished, as shown in FIG. 2, by providing external threading  48  on rearward end  49  of shaft  38  and screwing an internally threaded portion (not shown) of retainer  47  onto the threaded shaft end. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3, a spring-biased type clip  50  can be provided on the forward end of retainer  47  for snap-fit engagement within a mating flanged portion  51  formed within the rearward end of shaft  38 . 
     Retainer  47  is formed with a plurality of flexible, radially spaced segments  52  separated by slots  54 . When bit holder  12  is in the closed position shown in FIG. 2, segments  52  flex radially outwardly, forcing the outwardly protruding circumferential ridged portions  56  of segments  52  into snap-fit engagement within radially outwardly enlarged circumferential recess  58  provided within the central, forward face of end cap  60  to firmly retain bit holder  12  in the closed position. The forward end of retainer  47  protrudes radially outwardly around the rearward end of shaft  38 , thereby serving as an end stop to limit rearward travel of sleeve  42  on shaft  38  when stop shoulder  46  contacts the forward end of retainer  47 . 
     A cylindrically apertured collar  62  is formed around the central, forward face of cap  60 . The circumferential inward surface of collar  62  is securely circumferentially bonded to the rearward end of sleeve  42 . To move bit holder  12  into the open position shown in FIG. 3, the user grasps end cap  60  and draws it longitudinally away from screwdriver  10  (i.e. by pulling end cap  60  to the right, as viewed in FIG.  2 ). The force so exerted compresses segments  52  of retainer  47  radially inwardly within recess  58 , such that ridges  56  circumscribe a reduced circumference capable of passage through the cylindrically apertured portion of sleeve  42 , as sleeve  42  is slidably drawn along shaft  38  into the fully open position shown in FIG.  3 . 
     A second collar  64  is formed around the central, forward face of cap  60  circumferentially surrounding collar  62 . The forwardly protruding portion of collar  64  is received within the rearward circumferential end of casing  14  when bit holder  12  is in the closed position, as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     A plurality of flexible bit holding clips  66  are spaced radially and fixed around the central outer circumference of sleeve  42 . One bit can be press fitted and thus removably retained between each opposed pair of clips  66  to removably retain the bit. A plurality of different bits can be similarly removably retained by utilizing all of the available pairs of clips  66  on bit holder  12 . When bit holder  12  is in the open position shown in FIG. 3, it can easily be rotated with respect to shaft  38 , thereby allowing the user to easily inspect all of the bits stored on bit holder  12  and select a particular bit. The selected bit can be removed by pulling it outwardly away from the clips  66  which retain it. End cap  60  is then pressed toward screwdriver  10  to slidably replace bit holder  12  within bit storage compartment  28  in the closed position shown in FIG.  2 . 
     As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. As one example, instead of slidably interconnecting shaft  38  and sleeve  42  as aforesaid, one could dispense with shaft  38  and substitute a “plunger” on the forward end of sleeve  42  for slidable reciprocation of the plunger within and against the internal cylindrical wall enclosing bit holder storage compartment  28  between end stops formed around opposed ends of compartment  28 . As another example, an annular bit stop ring  68  can be provided between collars  62 ,  64  to prevent (in cooperation with support collar  44 ) excessive longitudinal movement of bits  27 ,  27 A within bit holder storage compartment  28  and thereby inhibit possible dislodgement of bits  27 ,  27 A from clips  66  if screwdriver  10  is inadvertently dropped or subjected to other impact forces. If extended drill bits  27 A (FIG. 2) are utilized, apertures (not shown) can be bored at appropriate locations in bit stop ring  68  to allow the ends of the drill bits to protrude rearwardly through bit stop ring  68 . The scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.