Patent Publication Number: US-2019176317-A1

Title: Hand tool assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a hand tool assembly, and more particularly, to a hand tool assembly with a rod which can be positioned axially or laterally relative to the grip. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     The conventional hand tool assembly as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,915,169, and comprises a handle having a limiting portion and a slot. The limiting portion is disposed in the handle and includes an inner space, a first sleeve portion and a second sleeve portion. The first and second sleeve portions respectively have openings communicating with the inner space. The slot communicates with the inner space and opens to the outside of the handle. The handle is provided with a pin which is disposed through the inner space. The first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion are disposed around the axis of the pin. Either of the first and second sleeve portions has two corresponding abutting members which are substantially parallel to the axis of the pin, or the first and second sleeve portions are entirely encompassed within the handle and located on the longitudinal central axis of the handle. The longitudinal central axis is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pin. A driving rod has a working end and a fixation end corresponding to the working end. The fixation end is formed with an elongate through hole extending along the longitudinal direction of the driving rod. The pin is movably disposed in the elongate through hole. The fixation end is disposed into the inner space through the slot. The driving rod is slidable and swingable relative to the pin. The fixation end is controllably selectively inserted into the first sleeve portion or the second sleeve portion and the fixation end abut against the two abutting members of one of the first and second sleeve portions so that the driving rod is held. 
     However, there are only two forms of application of the handle tool. Besides, the limitation member is selectively restricts the fixation end of the driving rod to allow the driving rod to be adjusted relative to the handle. The limitation member includes a complicated structure so that when manufacturing the tool assembly, the limitation member is located in the molding set of the handle, and the handle needs to have a receiving space for accommodating the limitation member. Therefore, the manufacturing cost is high when compared with that of other hand tool assemblies. 
     The present invention intends to provide a hand tool assembly to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hand tool assembly and comprises a grip having a slot communicating with the first end and a lateral side of the grip. A rod is pivotably connected to the grip and includes a function end. The rod is engaged with the slot to be co-axially connected with the grip, or the rod is positioned perpendicularly relative to the grip. An end part is connected to the second end of the grip and includes an engaging portion which protrudes beyond the second end of the grip. A magnet is connected to one end of the rod so as to attract the end part in the grip. 
     The end part is made by metal, and when the first end of the rod is engaged with the axial recess, the first end of the rod contacts the first end of the end part. The function end of the rod can be connected with an object such as a screwdriver bit, and a hammer can be used to hit the end part so as to provide an impact force to the screwdriver bit. The rod can be positioned axially with the grip or be perpendicular to the grip. There will be three different operation modes including the impact mode. The second end of the end part can be connected with a rectangular tool that by rotating the rectangular tool, the hand tool assembly is rotated to output torque, and this is the fourth operational mode. 
     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 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the hand tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the hand tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view, taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view to show that the rod is positioned perpendicular relative to the grip of the hand tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an end view to illustrate the hand tool assembly of the present invention in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view, taken along line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows that when the rod is pulled to disengage from the lateral recess, the rod is able to be pivoted about the pivot; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view to show that the rod is pivoted from the position in  FIG. 7  to an axial position relative to the grip; 
         FIG. 9  shows that the rod is engaged with the axial recess; 
         FIG. 10  shows that the rod is positioned perpendicularly relative to the grip; 
         FIG. 11  is an end view to illustrate the hand tool assembly of the present invention in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view, taken along line  12 - 12  in  FIG. 11 , and 
         FIG. 13  shows yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the hand tool assembly of the present invention comprises a grip  10  having a slot  11  defined through the wall thereof, and the slot  11  communicates with the first end of the grip  10  and the lateral side of the grip  10 . The length of the slot  1  is about half of the total length of the grip  10 . A pivotal hole  12  is defined laterally in the grip  10  and communicates with the slot  11 . A lateral hole  13  is defined radially in the grip  10  and communicates with the slot  11 , and an axial hole  14  is defined axially in the first end of the grip  10  and communicates with the slot  11 . The lateral hole  13  defines a lateral recess  131  at one end thereof. The lateral recess  131  is located in the grip  10 . The axial hole  14  defines an axial recess  141  at one end thereof, and the axial recess  141  is located in the grip  10 . The axis of the lateral recess  131  is perpendicular to the axis of the axial recess  141 . The inner diameter of the lateral recess  131  is equal to the inner diameter of the axial recess  141 . Multiple ribs  15  protrude from one of two inside surfaces of the slot  11 . An axial passage  16  is defined in the second end of the grip  10  and communicates with an axial path  161  located in the grip  10 . The axial path  161  is smaller than the axial passage  16  and communicates between the axial recess  141  and the axial passage  16 . The axial passage  16  is a hexagonal passage. A lateral passage  17  is defined through the second end of the grip  10 . 
     A rod  20  includes an elongate hole  21  defined in the first end  22  thereof, and a function end  23  is formed on the second end of the rod  20 . The rod  20  is a solid rod or a hollow rod. Preferably, the rod is a metallic rod. The function end  23  is a polygonal recess. A pivot  30  extends through the elongate hole  21  and the pivotal hole  12  when the first end  22  of the rod  20  is inserted into the lateral hole  13 . Therefore, the rod  20  is pivotable about the pivot  30 . When the rod  20  is inserted into the lateral hole  13  and pivoted to engage the first end  22  of the rod  20  with the axial recess  141 , the rod  20  is co-axially connected with the grip  10 . When the rod  20  is inserted in the lateral hole  13  and pivoted to engage the first end  22  of the rod  20  with the lateral recess  131 , the rod  20  is perpendicularly connected with the grip  10 . 
     An end part  40  includes a first end  41  and a second end  42 , wherein the first end  41  of the end part  40  is inserted into the axial passage  16  in the second end of the grip  10 . The distal end of the first end  41  of the end part  40  is located in the axial recess  141 . When the first end  22  of the rod  20  is engaged with the axial recess  141 , the first end  22  of the rod  20  contacts the first end  41  of the end part  40 . The second end  42  of the end part  40  protrudes beyond the second end of the grip  10 . The second end  42  of the end part  40  includes an engaging portion  421  which is a rectangular recess. A transverse hole  43  is defined laterally through the end part  40  and communicates with the lateral passage  17 . A magnet  50  is connected to the first end  22  of the rod  20  and magnetically attracts the first end  41  of the end part  40 . The end part  40  is made of metal or hard material. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6 , the rod  20  is inserted into the lateral hole  13  and the first end  22  of the rod  20  is engaged with the lateral recess  131 . Therefore, the rod  20  is perpendicular to the grip  10  and a T-bar tool is formed. 
       FIG. 7  shows that the rod  20  is pulled to disengage from the lateral recess  131 , so that the rod  20  is pivotable about the pivot  30 . As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the first end  22  of the rod  20  is then engaged with the axial recess  141 . Therefore, the rod  20  is co-axially connected to the grip  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , when pivoting the rod  20 , the ribs  15  provide proper resistance, and one of the ribs  15  restricts the rod  20  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 12 , the rectangular recess of the function end  23  can be connected with different types of screwdriver bits. The end part  40 , in this embodiment, does not include the reception recess  411 . The end part  40  is made the material that is identical to that of the grip  10 . 
       FIG. 11  shows that the function end  23  is connected with a ratchet unit for changing operational direction of a screwdriver bit. 
     Another embodiment shows that the rod  20  does not connected with the magnet  50 . The function end  23  is formed with a screwdriver bit. The engaging portion  421  is a hexagonal protrusion so as to be cooperated with an open end wrench. 
     The advantages of the present invention are that the end part  40  is made of metal, and when the first end  22  of the rod  20  is engaged with the axial recess  141 , the first end  22  of the rod  20  contacts the first end  41  of the end part  40 . When the function end  23  of the rod  20  is connected with an object such as a screwdriver bit, a hammer is used to hit the end part  40  so as to provide an impact force to the screwdriver bit. 
     The rod  20  can be positioned axially with the grip  10  or be perpendicular to the grip  10 . There will be three different operation modes including the impact operational mode. 
     The second end  42  of the end part  40  can be connected with a rectangular tool such that when rotating the rectangular tool, the hand tool assembly is rotated to output torque, and this is the fourth operational mode. 
     When the end part  40  is made of hard material, the hand tool assembly includes the T-bar operational mode, the axial operational mode, the impact operational mode. Of course, the end part  40  may also be made of soft material when needed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the first end  22  of the rod  20  extends through the axial recess  141  and is engaged with the reception recess  411 , such that the grip  10  and the rod  20  are connected to each other, and the rod  20  is also connected with the end part  40 . The rod  20 , the grip  10  and the end part  40  are formed as a one-piece tool assembly. 
     The magnet  50  is connected to the first end  22  of the rod  20  and is used to magnetically attract the first end  41  of the end part  40 . 
     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.