Patent Publication Number: US-2022226972-A1

Title: Flex head tool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a hand tool and, particularly, to a flex head tool. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     TW Pat. No. M305734 shows a flex head wrench which includes a swinging head positionable at various angles. The head has a positioning end which has a plurality of first engaging structures. The head is pivotally connected with a rod. The rod has two lugs and the head has an end pivotally connected with the lugs. A positioning device is adapted to retain the head with respect to the rod at various angular positions. The positioning device includes a pin defining a recess as well as a block forming a driven end and having a plurality of second engaging structures. The pin is movable between a lock position in which the driven end abuts on the recess at a first position such that the plurality of first and the plurality of second engaging structures are engaged with each other to prevent the head from moving with respect to the rod, and an unlock position in which the driven end abuts on the recess at a second position such that the plurality of first and the plurality of second engaging structures disengage from each other to allow the head to pivot with respect to the rod. The block, however, is likely to suffer defamation after a long use. Further, the pin does not support the block in retained positions stably. 
     The present invention is, therefore, intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a flex head tool has a structure including a first body and a second body pivotally coupled to the first body. The first body defines a first orifice and a second orifice cooperatively receiving a retaining device which is adapted to position the first body with respect to the second body at various angular positions. The retaining device includes a retainer movably disposed in the first orifice and an actuator movably disposed in the second orifice. The second body has a first engaging structure and the retainer has a second engaging structure selectively engaging with different sections of the first engaging structure such that the first body is fixed with respect to the second body at different angular positions. The actuator abuts the retainer and is movable between a first position in which the first and the second engaging structure are engaged with each other and a second position in which the first and the second engaging structures are disengaged from each other thereby allowing the first and the second bodies move relative to each other. The retainer and the actuator respectively have a first interacting structure and a second interacting structure abutting each other. The second interacting structure is at an end of the actuator and has a first and a second position at which the first interacting structure respectively abuts when the actuator is at the first position and the second position. The first and the second positions of the second interacting structure are at different distances from the end of the actuator. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the abstract is to enable the public generally, and especially scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     Other objectives, advantages, and new features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanied drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a flex head tool in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the flex head tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is another exploded perspective view of the flex head tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the flex head tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is another cross-sectional view of the flex head tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is another cross-sectional view of the flex head tool of  FIG. 1 , with arrows illustrating the operation of adjusting an angular position of a head of the flex head tool. 
         FIG. 7  is another cross-sectional view showing the head of the flex head tool of  FIG. 1  retained in a different angular position from that of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 through 7  show a flex head tool  10  in accordance with the present invention. The flex head tool  10  has a structure  20  which includes a first body  21  and a second body  22  pivotally coupled to each other. The first body  21  has two lugs  213  and  214  and delimits a space  215  between the two lugs  213  and  214 . The second body  22  has a coupling end  221  inserted into the space  215  and pivotally coupled with the two lugs  213  and  214 . The lugs  213  and  214  respective define holes  216  and  217  and the coupling end  221  defines a hole  224  corresponding to the holes  216  and  217 . The first and the second bodies  21  and  22  include a pivot  23  inserted into the holes  216 ,  224  and  217 . 
     The body  21  defines a first orifice  211  and a second orifice  212  cooperatively receiving a retaining device  30  which is adapted to position the first body  21  with respect to the second body  22  at various angular positions. The first orifice  211  defines a first opening at a first end of the second body  22  and facing the first body  21 , i.e. a first engaging structure  222  at the coupling end  221  of the first body  21 . The first orifice  211  defines a second opening at a second end adjoining the second orifice  212 . The second orifice  212  defines an opening at one of two opposite sides of the second body  22 , which can respective define a top or a bottom of the second body. The first and the second orifices  211  and  212  extend in different directions. The second orifice  212  opens to and extends radially from the first orifice  211 . 
     The retaining device  30  includes a retainer  31  having a second engaging structure  311  which selectively engages with different sections of the first engaging structure  222  such that the first body  21  is able to be fixed with respect to the second body  22  at different angular positions. The retainer  31  is movably disposed in the first orifice  211 . The first engaging structure  222  includes a plurality of first teeth  223  and the second engaging structure  311  includes a plurality of second teeth  315 , respectively. The plurality of second teeth  315  selectively engages with the plurality of first teeth  223  to restrain the first body  21  from moving with respect to the second body  22 . The retainer  31  has a first side  313  and a second side  314  on opposite sides. The retainer  31  has a first and a second longitudinal length L 1  and L 2  extending in the same direction. The first longitudinal length L 1  extends from a distal end of the retainer  31 , i.e. the distal end of the second engaging structure  311 , to a distal end of the first interacting structure  312 . The second longitudinal length L 2  extends from the distal end of the second engaging structure  311  to another distal end of the retainer  31 , which is adjacent to the second side  314  of the retainer  31 , and is shorter than the first longitudinal length L 1 . Particularly, the first and the second longitudinal lengths L 1  and L 2  extend from an apex of one of the plurality of teeth of the second engaging structure  311 . 
     The retaining device  30  also includes an actuator  32  adapted to move the retainer  31  in a first position in which the first and the second engaging structures  222  and  311  are engaged with each other and a second position in which the first and the second engaging structures  222  and  311  are disengaged from each other. The actuator  32  is movably disposed in the orifice  212 . The actuator  32  has a second interacting structure  321  abutting the first interacting structure  312  as it movably engages with the retainer  31 . The second interacting structure  321  extends between a first end which is adjacent to the second opening of the first orifice  211  and a second end which is distal to the second opening of the first orifice  211 . The first end of the second interacting structure  321  is adjacent to one of two opposite sides  322  and  323  of the actuator  32 , i.e.  322 , which is disposed adjacent to a closed end of the of the second orifice  212 . The second end of the second interacting structure  321  is adjacent to the other of the two opposite sides  322  and  323 , i.e.  323 , which is disposed adjacent to the opening of the second orifice  212 . The first interacting structure  312  slides on the second interacting structure  321  in response to the operation of the actuator  32 . The actuator  32  is movable in the second orifice  212  in a first direction, i.e. toward the closed end of the second orifice  212 , and a second direction opposite to the first direction, i.e. toward the opening of the second orifice  212 . The second interacting structure  321  is at an end of the actuator  32  and has a first and a second position at which the first interacting structure  312  respectively abuts when the actuator  32  is at the first position and the second position. The first and the second positions of the second interacting structure  321  are at different distances from the end of the actuator  32 . In addition, the second longitudinal length L 2  extends from the distal end of the second engaging structure  311  to another distal end of the retainer  31 , which is adjacent to the second position of the second interacting structure  321 . The actuator  32  is adapted to be resiliently urged by a resilient member  33 . The actuator  32  defines a recess  324  at an end thereof for receiving the resilient member  33 . The recess  324  has an opening adjacent to the closed end of the second orifice  212 , as well as the side  322  of the actuator  32 . One end of the resilient member  33  is retained on a closed end of the recess  324 . The retainer  31  is movable axially in the first orifice  211  toward the first engaging structure  222  when the actuator  32  moves in the first direction, and away from the engaging structure  222  when the actuator  32  moves in the second direction. 
     Further, one of the first and the second interacting structures  312  and  321  includes a rib  325  protruding therefrom and the other of the first and the second interacting structures  312  and  321  forms at least one projection, respectively. In the embodiment, the first interacting structure  312  is in the form of a projection while the second interacting structure  321  is in the form of a surface and the surface includes a rib protruding therefrom. In the embodiment, the projection of the first interacting structure  312  is curved and abuts on the surface of the second interacting structure  321  tangentially, but not limited thereto. In the embodiment, the first interacting structure  312  is in the form of two projections which are disposed in a spaced relationship and the two projections delimit a cavity  316  therebetween. In the embodiment, the surface of the second interacting structure  321  is flat, but not limited thereto. Thus, when the retainer  31  and the actuator  32  are movably engaged with each other, the at least one projection of the first interacting structure  312  abuts the surface of the second interacting structure  321 , and the rib  325  is inserted into the cavity  316  and held between the two projections. Accordingly, a retainer  31  can move on an actuator  32  or vice versa in a guided manner. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.