Abstract:
A hand tool assembly includes a rod and a handle which is pivotably connected to the rod, and a control unit which is movable along the rod. When the rod and the handle are located linearly, the control unit is moved to a position where the rod and the handle are secured linearly. When the handle is perpendicular to the rod, the control unit is moved another position where the handle is secured perpendicularly to the rod. The rod and the handle are able to be connected with different hand tools.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Fields of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a hand tool assembly, and more particularly, to a hand tool assembly for being connected with driving tool or other hand tool. 
         [0003]    2. Descriptions of Related Art 
         [0004]    The conventional hand tool assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,151,771 and comprises a first operation portion and a second operation which is pivotably connected to the first operation portion. The first operation portion has a stop, when the stop is located at the pressing portion and presses the first and second operation portions simultaneously, the first operation portion cannot pivoted relative to the second operation portion. A spring is located between the first operation portion and the stop so as to push a positioning member to contact the stop. However, when the stop moves, a significant friction is generated. Because the stop is pivotably connected to the first operation portion, when the user holds the stop and the first operation portion rotates 360 degrees, the first operation portion is suffered by a significant resistance because the stop has a positioning member and a pushing member received therein. The stop is positioned by the positioning member and the pushing member, the positioning member and the pushing member tend to be worn out after a period of use of the connection end. Besides, the inside wall of the notch is inclined relative to the inner periphery, and the positioning member can barely hold the stop, so that after a period of time of use, the positioning member is worn out and the stop could slip out from the first operation portion. 
         [0005]    The present invention intends to provide a hand tool assembly to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention relates to a hand tool assembly and comprises a rod having a pivotal portion and a first connection end respectively formed on the front end and the rear end thereof. A transverse hole is defined transversely through the pivotal potion. Multiple dents are defined around the axis of the transverse hole. A first groove and a second groove are respectively defined in the outer periphery of the rod. A handle has a reception hole. A chamber is defined along the axis of the handle and located in the inner end of the reception hole. A first opening is defined in the first end of the handle and communicates with the reception hole. A second opening is defined radially in the handle and communicates with the reception hole. A pivotal hole is defined transversely through the middle portion of the handle and communicates with the reception hole. An outer portion is formed on the outside of the first end of the handle. A pin extends through the transverse hole and the pivotal hole to connect the rod and the handle. 
         [0007]    A bead and a spring are located in the chamber, wherein the bead is biased by the spring so as to be engaged with one of the dents. A control unit has a base and a control member which is connected to the base. An engaging member is connected to the base. The control unit is rotatably mounted to the rod by the base and the control member. 
         [0008]    When the control unit and the base are moved to a linear positioning position relative to the rod, and the control member moves to a pressing position relative to the base, the control member presses the engaging member into the first groove, and the rear end of the base contacts the outer portion to linearly secure the rod to the handle. When the control member moves to a releasing position relative to the base, the engaging member is released from the control member, and the control unit moves freely along the rod. When the control unit moves to a rotatable position relative to the rod, and the control member is located at the pressing portion relative to the base, the control member presses the engaging member into the second groove. The rear end of the base is separated from the outer portion so that the rod is rotatable relative to the handle. 
         [0009]    The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the hand tool assembly of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the end piece of the hand tool assembly of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view, taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the control member of the hand tool assembly of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  shows the control unit of the hand tool assembly of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the control unit of the hand tool assembly of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  shows that the control unit presses the engaging member; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  shows that the handle is separated from the control unit; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  shows that the handle is adjusted to be a position perpendicular to the rod; 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  shows that the handle is secured to a position perpendicular to the rod; 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  shows the second embodiment of the rod of the control unit, and 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  shows the third embodiment of the control unit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the hand tool assembly of the present invention comprises a rod  10 , a handle  20  and a control unit  50 . The rod  10  has a pivotal portion  11  and a first connection end  17  respectively formed on the front end and the rear end thereof. A transverse hole  12  are defined transversely through the pivotal potion  11 . Two dents  18  are defined around the axis of the transverse hole  12  and located at a 90-degree from each other. A first groove  13 , a second groove  14 , a third groove  15  and a fourth groove  16  are respectively defined in the outer periphery of the rod  10 . The first groove  13  is located closer to the pivotal portion  11  than the second groove  14 . The third groove  15  is located closer to the pivotal portion  11  than the first and second grooves  13 ,  14 . The fourth groove  16  is located closest to the pivotal portion  11 . 
         [0026]    The handle  20  has a reception hole  21  defined axially therein, and a chamber  23  is defined along the axis of the handle  20  and located in the inner end of the reception hole  21 . The length of the reception hole  21  is one half of the length of the handle  20 . A first opening  211  is defined in the first end of the handle  20  and communicates with the reception hole  21 . A second opening  212  is defined radially in the handle  20  and communicates with the reception hole  21 . A pivotal hole  22  is defined transversely through the middle portion of the handle  20  and communicates with the reception hole  21 . An outer portion  25  is formed on the outside of the first end of the handle  20 . A second connection end  24  is formed on the rear end of the handle  20  and is one of a rectangular recess and a hexagonal recess. A pin  30  extends through the transverse hole  12  and the pivotal hole  22  to connect the rod  10  and the handle  20  so that the handle  20  and the rod  10  can be arranged to be a linear arrangement or to be a T-shaped arrangement. A bead  40  and a spring  41  are located in the chamber  23 , the bead  40  is biased by the spring  41  so as to be engaged with one of the dents  18 . 
         [0027]    The control unit  50  has a base  55  and a control member  52  which is connected to the base  55 . Two engaging members  56  are connected to the base  55 . The control unit  50  is rotatably mounted to the rod  10  by the base  55  and the control member  52 . The engaging members  56  perform as a bearing. When the control unit  50  and the base  55  are moved to a linear positioning position relative to the rod  10 , and the control member  52  moves to a pressing position relative to the base  55 , the control member  52  presses the engaging members  56  into the first groove  13 . The rear end of the base  55  contacts the outer portion  25  to linearly secure the rod  10  to the handle  20 . When pushing the collar  53 , the control member  52  moves to a releasing position relative to the base  55 , the two engaging members  56  are released from the control member  52 , the control unit  50  moves freely along the rod  10 , when the control unit  50  moves to a rotatable position relative to the rod  10 , and the control member  52  is located at the pressing portion relative to the base  55 , the control member  52  presses the engaging member  56  into the second groove  14 . The rear end of the base  55  is separated from the outer portion  25  so that the rod  10  is rotatable relative to the handle  20  to form a T-shaped arrangement. The base  50  has a through hole  554  defined axially therethrough and the rod  10  extends through the through hole  554 . The front end  551  of the base  55  has outer threads  5510  which are threadedly connected to the inner threads  514  of an end piece  51 . A tubular portion  552  extends from the center of the front end of the base  55  and two bead holes  553  are defined in the outer periphery of the tubular portion  552 . Each bead hole  553  receives a spherical engaging member  56  therein. A recessed area  555  is defined in the rear end of the base  55  and communicates with the through hole  554  which shares a common axis with the recessed area  555 . The tubular portion  552  of the base  55  rotatably extends through the third circular recess  523 . Each bead hole  553  is a cone-shaped hole and expands outward, each bead hole  553  communicates with the through hole  554 . The diameter of the engaging member  56  is larger than the minimum diameter of the bead hole  553  corresponding thereto. The outer portion  25  of the handle  20  is received in the recessed area  555 . The inner diameter of the recessed area  555  is matched with the outer diameter of the outer portion  25 . 
         [0028]    The end piece  51  has a circular room  512  defined axially therethrough which has inner threads  514  defined in the rear end thereof. A flange extends inward from the front end of the end piece  51  and a protruding stop  513  is formed in the inside of the flange. A circular hole  511  is defined in the inner periphery of the flange. The control member  52  is movably received in the circular room  512 . The control member  52  has a first circular recess  521 , a second circular recess  522 , a third circular recess  523  and a fourth circular recess  525  defined in sequence from the rear end of the control member  52 . The first, second, third and fourth circular recess  521 ,  522 ,  523 ,  525  communicate with each other. The diameter of the first circular recess  521  is smaller than that of the second circular recess  522 . The diameter of the third circular recess  523  is smaller than that of the first circular recess  521 . A tubular portion  524  extends from the front end of the control member  52  and is rotatably extends through the circular hole  511 . The diameter of the fourth circular recess  525  is smaller than that of the third circular recess  523 . The inner diameter of the fourth circular recess  525  is matched with the outer diameter of the rod  10 . The tubular portion  524  has outer threads  526  defined in the outer periphery of one end thereof. The outer threads  526  of the control member  52  protrude beyond the end piece  51 . 
         [0029]    Further referring to  FIGS. 5 to 7 , a collar  53  is threadedly connected to the outer threads  526  of the tubular portion  524  of the control member  52 . A gap is formed between the collar  53  and the end piece  51 . The spring  54  is located in the third circular recess  523  and biased between the control member  52  and the tubular portion  552  so as to push the control member  52  to contact the stop  513 . 
         [0030]    The recessed area  555  has two opposite insides and each of the two opposite insides has a notch  556  defined in the distal end thereof, so that the handle  20  is engaged with the notches  556 . The inner diameter of the recessed area  555  is matched with the outer diameter of the handle  20 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , when pressing the collar  53 , the control member  52  moves to a releasing position relative to the base  55 , and presses the spring  54 , the second circular recess  522  is located corresponding to the first groove  13 . The engaging members  56  are not pressed by the control member  52  such that the control unit  50  is freely moved along the rod  10 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , when the control unit  50  moves to a position where the user releases the control member  52 , the spring  54  pushes the control member  52  back to the pressing position, so that the engaging members  56  are pushed by the control member  52  and engaged with the second groove  14 . The outer portion  25  is separated from the recessed area  555 , the rod  10  is freely rotated about the pin  30  relative to the handle  20 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the handle  20  is rotated about the pin  30  and is located at a position where the handle  20  is located perpendicular to the rod  10  to form a T-shaped arrangement. The control unit  50  moves to an angle-restricted position relative to the rod  10 . The engaging members  56  are engaged with the third groove  15 . The rod  10  is restricted by the control unit  50  and movable within a scope less than 90 degrees relative to the handle  10 . 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , when the control unit  50  moves to a position that the control unit  50  is perpendicular to the rod  10 , the engaging members  56  are pushed by the control member  52  and engaged with the fourth groove  16 . The handle  20  is engaged with the notches  556 , the handle  20  and the rod  10  are perpendicularly positioned by the control unit  50 . 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 14 , the first connection end  17  of the rod  10  is a hexagonal recess. As shown in  FIG. 15 , the first connection end  17  of the rod  10  is pivotably connected to the rod  10 . 
         [0036]    While we have shown and described the embodiment 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.