Patent Publication Number: US-2002005095-A1

Title: Tool bit drive sleeve and hand tool

Description:
PRIOR RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/237,557, filed Jan. 26, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of 08/904,606, filed Aug. 1, 1997, which is a continuation-in-part of 08/451,398, filed May 26, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,71,194 and a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No. 08/620,471, filed Mar. 22, 1996, now abandoned. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] This invention relates to a tool bit drive sleeve and a hand tool incorporating such sleeve. The hand tool is generally of the multiple function hand tool.  
       [0004] 2. Background and Discussion of the Prior Art  
       [0005] The prior art was directed to central alignment of the screwdriver bit with the axis of rotation about which the screwdriver bit was rotated to an operable position. Garrett, U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,508, granted Jan. 23, 1968, disclosed a bladed tool for golfers in which a single screwdriver bit was formed at the remote end of one of the blades, with the central axis of screwdriver bit intersecting the rotation axis of the blade. Kikel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,197, granted Jul. 18, 1985, continued the prior art direction, wherein central axis of the screwdriver bits intersected the rotation axis of the sleeve.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] This invention is a further improvement in tool bit drive sleeve construction disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,194, granted Jan. 27, 1998, and that disclosure is incorporated herein by reference thereto.  
       [0007] The present invention, in one aspect, is a hand tool sleeve for holding tool bit drives at one end and is formed with a flange having means for rotating the sleeve from an inoperable position adjacent the hand tool to an operable position disposed away from the handle, and wherein the sleeve has a central axis and the means for rotating the sleeve has a rotation axis, and wherein the rotation axis and sleeve axis are spaced so as not to intersect. The spaced axis construction permits more advantageous disposition of the sleeve in the operable and inoperable positions. This is particularly so where the sleeve is centrally disposed to the hand tool in the operable position for more effective driver use, and where the sleeve is non-centrally disposed to the hand tool in the inoperable position for ready grasping of the sleeve for rotation away from the handle to the operable position. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is a slide elevational view of the hand tool with sleeve of the present invention in the about 180° operable position;  
     [0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hand tool of FIG. 1 shown in use;  
     [0010]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view as in FIG. 1, but showing the sleeve in phantom views in, respectively, the about 90° operable position and in the inoperable position;  
     [0011]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view as in FIG. 1, but with the immediate handle side plate removed for an exposed view;  
     [0012]FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom perspective partially exposed view of the sleeve rotation mechanism of the hand tool of FIG. 1; and  
     [0013]FIG. 6 is a view as in FIG. 5, but showing use of the sleeve rotation mechanism.  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0014] Referring to the FIGS., there is shown hand tool  10  of the present invention. Hand tool  10  generally, has an elongated handle  11 , a knife blade A, which is removably disposed in the handle in the well known manner, and sleeve  13  of the present invention.  
     [0015] Sleeve  13  is formed of two principal portions; the elongated cylindrical hollow sleeve  14  and the integral flange  15 . Sleeve  14  has a hexagonal inner surface (not shown) to receive hexagonal inner sleeve  16  and tool drive bit  17  (typical). The tool drive bit drive arrangement and construction is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,194. Sleeve  14  has a central axis  30  for purposes hereinafter appearing.  
     [0016] Flange  15  is of a generally planar construction and is formed with a connection portion  18  integral to the circular bottom  19  of sleeve  14  and a generally flat transversely disposed plate  20 . Plate  20  is formed with a pivot hole  21  for slidably rotatable mounting on pivot rod  22  and having pivot rotation axis  25 , for purposes hereinafter appearing.  
     [0017] As best shown in FIG. 4, plate  20  has a first convex portion  26  a contiguous first concave lock portion  27 , a contiguous second convex portion  28  a contiguous second concave lock portion  29  a contiguous third convex portion  31 , a contiguous third concave lock portion  3 , a contiguous fourth convex portion  33  which in turn is integral to connecting portion  18 .  
     [0018] Handle  11  is formed with elongated parallel side plates  34  and  35 , with plate  35  removed in FIG. 4 for exposed view of the operation of sleeve  14  and particularly flange  15 . Plates  34  and  35  are integrally co-joined by centrally disposed screws or like elements  38  and  39 . Screws  38  and  39  are disposed along handle central axis  61  (FIG. 4). Handle central axis  61  and sleeve central axis  30  are co-incident where sleeve  14  is disposed in the operable position  5 , as shown in FIG. 4.  
     [0019] A spring actuated stop pin assembly  40  is mounted to handle  11 . Assembly  40  is formed with a hollow stop pin  41  with internal spring  4 . and integral rod extension portion  43  with finger depression actuation piece  44  operably mounted in outer plate lock finger recess  47 . Pin  41  is circumferentially sized to be alternatively received in first, second and third concave lock portions  27 ,  29  and  32  of sleeve plate  20 . That is, with finger depression of actuation piece  44 , pin  41  is moved transversely free of plate  20  so that flange  15  is free to rotate about rotation axis  25  as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.  
     [0020] In the aforesaid manner of construction, the user depresses piece  44  to free flange  15  for rotation to three alternative lock positions, namely an inoperable position  50  within or adjacent the handle  11 , a first operable position  51  disposed about 90° from the inoperable position  50  and a second operable position, namely position  52  which is disposed about 180° from inoperable position  50 .  
     [0021] It is an important aspect of the present invention that the sleeve central axis  30  and the flange rotation axis  25  are spaced and do not intersect. The spacing from sleeve central axis  30  to flange rotation axis  25  is preferably about one-half the outer diameter (or the outer radius) of the sleeve  14  cylinder surface. In this manner of construction, the sleeve with the tool bit drive when in the second operable position are centrally disposed to the mass of the handle  17  (FIG. 4) for effective application of the drive torque forces (FIG. 2). Further, in this manner of construction, the sleeve  13  with the tool bit drive is non-centrally disposed in handle  11  in the inoperable position  50  adjacent the elongated side edges of the handle  11  to permit ready grasping of the sleeve for rotation of the sleeve to the selected operable positions  51  and  52 .  
     [0022] Handle  11  is also formed with a hexagonal cross hole  60  for selectively recessing hexagonal tool bit drive, as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,194.  
     [0023] Thus, since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.