Patent Publication Number: US-2012042754-A1

Title: Socket Assembly Having Insulating Effect

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a hand tool and, more particularly, to a socket assembly. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional socket has a first end provided with a workpiece connecting portion and a second end provided with a tool connecting portion. The workpiece connecting portion of the socket has an inner portion formed with a hexagonal driving hole for driving a workpiece, such as a bolt, nut and the like. The tool connecting portion of the socket has an inner portion formed with a square driven hole that is driven by a driving tool, such as a ratchet wrench and the like. Thus, the driving tool can drive and rotate the workpiece by aid of the socket. However, the socket is made of metal that will conduct the electricity so that when an electric current is electrically conducted to the socket through the workpiece, the electric current from the workpiece will be delivered through the socket to an operator, thereby causing danger to the operator. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a socket assembly, comprising an insulating outer layer, a workpiece connector mounted in a first end of the insulating outer layer, and a tool connector mounted in a second end of the insulating outer layer and spaced from the workpiece connector. 
     The insulating outer layer has a mediate portion provided with a separation wall located between the workpiece connector and the tool connector to isolate the workpiece connector from the tool connector. The first end of the insulating outer layer has an inner portion formed with a receiving chamber to receive the workpiece connector. The second end of the insulating outer layer has an inner portion formed with a receiving recess to receive the tool connector. The receiving chamber of the insulating outer layer has a bottom wall formed with at least one positioning hole. The receiving recess of the insulating outer layer has a bottom wall formed with at least one positioning bore. The workpiece connector has a bottom wall provided with at least one positioning block locked in the positioning hole of the insulating outer layer. The tool connector has a bottom wall provided with at least one positioning piece locked in the positioning bore of the insulating outer layer. 
     The receiving chamber of the insulating outer layer has a peripheral wall formed with a retaining flange. The receiving recess of the insulating outer layer has a peripheral wall formed with a retaining rib. The workpiece connector has a peripheral wall formed with a retaining groove locked onto the retaining flange of the insulating outer layer. The tool connector has a peripheral wall formed with a retaining channel locked onto the retaining rib of the insulating outer layer. The positioning block of the workpiece connector has a rectangular shape. The positioning piece of the tool connector has a rectangular shape. The workpiece connector has an inner portion formed with a driving hole. The positioning block of the workpiece connector is isolated from the driving hole. The tool connector has an inner portion formed with a driven hole. The positioning piece of the tool connector is isolated from the driven hole. The positioning piece of the tool connector and the positioning block of the workpiece connector are arranged in a staggered manner. The workpiece connector is fully received in and flush with the receiving chamber of the insulating outer layer. The tool connector is fully received in and flush with the receiving recess of the insulating outer layer. The positioning block of the workpiece connector has an arc-shaped profile, and the positioning piece of the tool connector has an arc-shaped profile. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a socket assembly having insulating effect. 
     According to the primary advantage of the present invention, the separation wall of the insulating outer layer between the workpiece connector and the tool connector can isolate the workpiece connector from the tool connector so that when an electric current is electrically conducted to the workpiece connector through the workpiece, the electric current will not be delivered from the workpiece connector to the tool connector, thereby preventing an operator from directly contacting with the electric current so as to protect the operator&#39;s safety. 
     According to another advantage of the present invention, the positioning block of the workpiece connector is locked in the positioning hole of the insulating outer layer, and the retaining groove of the workpiece connector is locked onto the retaining flange of the insulating outer layer, so that the workpiece connector is locked in the insulating outer layer solidly and stably and will not be detached from the insulating outer layer. 
     According to a further advantage of the present invention, the positioning piece of the tool connector is locked in the positioning bore of the insulating outer layer, and the retaining channel of the tool connector is locked onto the retaining rib of the insulating outer layer, so that the tool connector is locked in the insulating outer layer solidly and stably and will not be detached from the insulating outer layer. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a socket assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front cross-sectional view of the socket assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a tool connector of the socket assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a workpiece connector of the socket assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a socket assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a socket assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a socket assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a socket assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-4 , a socket assembly  1  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulating outer layer  2 , a workpiece connector  11  mounted in a first end of the insulating outer layer  2 , and a tool connector  12  mounted in a second end of the insulating outer layer  2  and spaced from the workpiece connector  11 . 
     The insulating outer layer  2  has a mediate portion provided with a separation wall  21  located between the workpiece connector  11  and the tool connector  12  to isolate the workpiece connector  11  from the tool connector  12 . 
     The first end of the insulating outer layer  2  has an inner portion formed with a receiving chamber  22  to receive the workpiece connector  11 . 
     The receiving chamber  22  of the insulating outer layer  2  has a bottom wall formed with at least one positioning hole  23  and has a peripheral wall formed with a retaining flange  24 . The retaining flange  24  of the insulating outer layer  2  has an annular shape. 
     The second end of the insulating outer layer  2  has an inner portion formed with a receiving recess  25  to receive the tool connector  12 . The receiving recess  25  of the insulating outer layer  2  has a bottom wall formed with at least one positioning bore  26  and has a peripheral wall formed with a retaining rib  27 . The retaining rib  27  of the insulating outer layer  2  has an annular shape. 
     The workpiece connector  11  is fully received in and flush with the receiving chamber  22  of the insulating outer layer  2 . The workpiece connector  11  is preferably a socket and has an inner portion formed with a hexagonal driving hole  112  for driving a workpiece, such as a bolt, nut and the like. The workpiece connector  11  has a bottom wall provided with at least one positioning block  111  locked in the positioning hole  23  of the insulating outer layer  2 . The positioning block  111  of the workpiece connector  11  has a rectangular shape and is isolated from the driving hole  112 . The workpiece connector  11  has a peripheral wall formed with a retaining groove  113  locked onto the retaining flange  24  of the insulating outer layer  2 . The retaining groove  113  of the workpiece connector  11  has an annular shape. 
     The tool connector  12  is fully received in and flush with the receiving recess  25  of the insulating outer layer  2 . The tool connector  12  has an inner portion formed with a square driven hole  122  that is driven by a driving tool, such as a ratchet wrench and the like. The tool connector  12  has a bottom wall provided with at least one positioning piece  121  locked in the positioning bore  26  of the insulating outer layer  2 . The positioning piece  121  of the tool connector  12  has a rectangular shape and is isolated from the driven hole  122 . Preferably, the positioning piece  121  of the tool connector  12  and the positioning block  111  of the workpiece connector  11  are arranged in a staggered manner. The tool connector  12  has a peripheral wall formed with a retaining channel  123  locked onto the retaining rib  27  of the insulating outer layer  2 . The retaining channel  123  of the tool connector  12  has an annular shape. 
     When in use, the separation wall  21  of the insulating outer layer  2  is located between the workpiece connector  11  and the tool connector  12  to isolate the workpiece connector  11  from the tool connector  12  so that when an electric current is electrically conducted to the workpiece connector  11  through the workpiece, the electric current will not be delivered from the workpiece connector  11  to the tool connector  12 , thereby preventing an operator from directly contacting with the electric current so as to protect the operator&#39;s safety. In addition, the positioning block  111  of the workpiece connector  11  is locked in the positioning hole  23  of the insulating outer layer  2 , and the retaining groove  113  of the workpiece connector  11  is locked onto the retaining flange  24  of the insulating outer layer  2 , so that the workpiece connector  11  is locked in the insulating outer layer  2  solidly and stably and will not be detached from the insulating outer layer  2 . Further, the positioning piece  121  of the tool connector  12  is locked in the positioning bore  26  of the insulating outer layer  2 , and the retaining channel  123  of the tool connector  12  is locked onto the retaining rib  27  of the insulating outer layer  2 , so that the tool connector  12  is locked in the insulating outer layer  2  solidly and stably and will not be detached from the insulating outer layer  2 . Further, the positioning block  111  of the workpiece connector  11  is isolated from the driving hole  112  of the workpiece connector  11 , and the positioning piece  121  of the tool connector  12  is isolated from the driven hole  122  of the tool connector  12  to prevent the insulating outer layer  2  from being infiltrated into the driving hole  112  of the workpiece connector  11  and the driven hole  122  of the tool connector  12  during the plastic injection molding process. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the positioning block  111  of the workpiece connector  11  has an arc-shaped profile, and the positioning piece  121  of the tool connector  12  has an arc-shaped profile. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the workpiece connector  13  is preferably a hexagonal driver and has at least one positioning block  131 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the workpiece connector  14  is preferably a connecting rod and has at least one positioning block  141 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the tool connector  15  is preferably a T-shaped connecting tool and has at least one positioning piece  151 . 
     Accordingly, the separation wall  21  of the insulating outer layer  2  between the workpiece connector . 11  and the tool connector  12  can isolate the workpiece connector  11  from the tool connector  12  so that when an electric current is electrically conducted to the workpiece connector  11  through the workpiece, the electric current will not be delivered from the workpiece connector  11  to the tool connector  12 , thereby preventing an operator from directly contacting with the electric current so as to protect the operator&#39;s safety. In addition, the positioning block  111  of the workpiece connector  11  is locked in the positioning hole  23  of the insulating outer layer  2 , and the retaining groove  113  of the workpiece connector  11  is locked onto the retaining flange  24  of the insulating outer layer  2 , so that the workpiece connector  11  is locked in the insulating outer layer  2  solidly and stably and will not be detached from the insulating outer layer  2 . Further, the positioning piece  121  of the tool connector  12  is locked in the positioning bore  26  of the insulating outer layer  2 , and the retaining channel  123  of the tool connector  12  is locked onto the retaining rib  27  of the insulating outer layer  2 , so that the tool connector  12  is locked in the insulating outer layer  2  solidly and stably and will not be detached from the insulating outer layer  2 . 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.