Patent Publication Number: US-2007108706-A1

Title: Tool connector having multiple locking positions

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/656,816, filed Feb. 25, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The embodiments described herein relate generally to tool connectors, and more specifically to tool connectors having multiple locking positions.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Tool connectors for tools having a hex shank attachment end are known in the market and have many variations. One such tool connector is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,959, issued to Jore Corporation. Such connectors are designed to accept only specifically sized tools, such as one-inch long wire detent style hex bits or two-inch long power driver hex bits with a circumferential ball detent groove in the hex shank. The two-inch bit must necessarily sit deeper in the tool connector in order to transmit torque both forward and aft of the circumferential groove. However, if the one-inch bit were to be seated in this same depth it would be difficult to grasp the bit during removal, and the bit could become jammed into the connector. Thus, a single connector cannot be used to drive tools of different sizes and lock configurations.  
     SUMMARY  
      A connector for a hand tool is provided. The connector includes a tool receiving portion configured to receive any one of a plurality of work tool pieces of the type having one of either at least a first or second locking configuration, wherein the first locking configuration is different at least in part from the second locking configuration. The connector also includes a locking mechanism coupled to the tool receiving portion. The locking mechanism is adapted to selectively couple any one of a plurality of work tool pieces to the connector.  
      This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the claimed subject matter will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a tool connector constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the tool connector of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the tool connector of  FIG. 1  without a driver bit, taken substantially through section A-A of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the tool connector of  FIG. 1  taken substantially through section A-A of  FIG. 1  and showing the tool connector in an unlocked position;  
       FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the tool connector of  FIG. 1  taken substantially through section A-A of  FIG. 1  and showing the tool connector in a locked position;  
       FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the tool connector of  FIG. 1  taken substantially through section A-A of  FIG. 1  and showing the tool connector with a power driver bit and in the unlocked position; and  
       FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the tool connector of  FIG. 1  taken substantially through section A-A of  FIG. 1  and showing the tool connector with a power driver bit and in the locked position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      A tool connector  20  constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure may be best understood by referring to  FIGS. 1-5 . The tool connector  20  is preferably constructed of steel or aluminum, yet any material of suitable strength and durability may be used.  
      The tool connector  20  includes a shank  22 , a shuttle  24 , a collar  26 , and a shaft  28 . The shank  22 , shuttle  24 , collar  26 , and shaft  28  are coupled together to cooperatively form the tool connector  20  having a tool receiving portion and a locking mechanism. For ease of illustration and clarity, the tool connector  20  is mostly shown in a substantially horizontal orientation, although it may be suitably used in any orientation, such as vertical. Therefore, terminology, such as “front,” “rear,” “forward,” “rearward,”etc., should be construed as merely descriptive and not limiting. Further, although certain geometric shapes may be illustrated and described below, it should be understood that such terms are intended to be merely descriptive and not limiting. Hence, other geometric shapes, such as oval, round, square, etc., are also within the scope of the present disclosure.  
      As may be seen best by referring to  FIG. 2 , the shank  22  includes an attachment end  30  that is suitably sized and shaped to be received and retained within the receptacle or chuck of any standard hand drill or similar tool. Opposite the attachment end  30  and coaxial with the shank  22  is a hexagonal end  34 . The hexagonal end  34  is sized to be fixedly received within a correspondingly shaped cavity  62  of the shaft  28  (as later described).  
      The shank  22  includes a bore  35  extending partially from the hexagonal end  34  towards the attachment end  30 . The bore  35  is sized and configured to receive a coil spring  48  and a boss  42  of the shuttle  24 , as described in greater detail below. The shank  22  also includes a flange  32  suitably located between the attachment end  30  and the hexagonal end  34 . The flange  32  is sized to be received within the collar  26  and abut one end of the shaft  28  when the tool connector  22  is assembled.  
      The shuttle  24  is suitably formed from a high strength material and includes first and second hexagonal ends  36  and  40 . As may be best seen by referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , groove  38  is formed on the perimeter of the shuttle  24  and is suitably located between the first and second hexagonal ends  36  and  40 . The groove  38  is stepped along its longitudinal axis and it increases in depth as it transitions from near the first hexagonal end  36  towards the second hexagonal end  40 .  
      The shuttle  24  includes a cavity  50  extending from the end surface of the second hexagonal end  40  through at least a portion of the shuttle  24 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The cavity  50  defines a tool receiving portion and is sized and configured to receive a hexagonally shaped attachment end of a work tool piece, such as a drill bit, a screw driving bit, or similar accessory.  
      A plurality of tapered holes  44  are spaced circumferentially about the second hexagonal end  40 . Each tapered hole  44  passes from the outside surface of the second hexagonal end  40  to the first cavity  50 , i.e., normal to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle  24 . The tapered holes  44  are sized to receive a ball bearing  46 . The tapered ends of the holes  44  are smaller in diameter than the ball  46  such that a ball  46  protrudes only slightly into the first cavity  50  when received within a tapered hole  44 . Preferably, the second hexagonal end  40  includes three tapered holes  44  spaced equidistant from each other around the circumference of the second hexagonal end  40 .  
      As may be best seen by reference to  FIG. 3 , the shuttle  24  includes a second cavity  51  located adjacent the first cavity  50  and within the shuttle  24 . The second cavity  51  has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the first cavity  50  to form an annular lip  53  opposite the open end of the first cavity  50 . The second cavity  51  is suitably sized to receive a plug  52 .  
      The plug  52  is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a slightly tapered thru-hole along the center longitudinal axis. The plug  52  is received within the second cavity  51  and is attached within the second cavity  51  in any suitable manner, such as friction fit. Preferably, the plug  52  is positioned within the first and second cavities  50  and  51  to provide an abutment to a work tool piece disposed within the first cavity  50 . Although a plug  52  is preferred, it should be apparent that other embodiments are also within the scope of the disclosure. As non-limiting examples, the lip  53  may be sized to provide abutting engagement with a tool work piece, or the shuttle  24  may be formed without the second cavity  51  such that a work tool piece disposed within the first cavity  50  abuts the terminal end of the first cavity  50 . Accordingly, these and other embodiments are within the scope of the present disclosure.  
      The shuttle  24  also includes a stem  42  extending from the first hexagonal end  36 . The stem  42  is sized to be slidably received within the bore  35  of shank  22 . An inner coil spring  48  is mounted on the stem  42  such that the end of the coil spring  48  abuts the first hexagonal end  36  surface of the shuttle  24  to bias the shuttle away from the shank  22  when the stem  42  is received within the bore  35 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the collar  26  includes a cavity  56  extending between openings at each end of the collar  26 . The cavity  56  is sized and configured to receive the shaft  28 . A circumferential taper groove  58  is formed within the cavity  56 , with the deepest portion of the taper groove  58  located near one open end of the collar  26 . The taper groove  58  is sized to partially receive a ball bearing  70  to reciprocate the ball bearing  70  into and out of locking engagement and form a first ball detent mechanism.  
      The collar  26  also includes an annular retention shoulder  60 . The retention shoulder  60  is formed within the cavity  56  and is positioned to assist in biasing a coil spring  54 , as described in greater detail below.  
      Still referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the shaft  28  is hollow and generally cylindrical in shape. The shaft  28  is sized to be slidably received within the cavity  56  of the collar  26  such that at least a portion of the shaft  28  protrudes out of the collar  26  ( FIG. 1 ). The hollow interior of the shaft  28  is polygonal in shape and forms a cavity  62 . Preferably, the cavity  62  is hexagonal in cross-section to slidably receive the shuttle  24  and the hexagonal end  34  of shank  22 . One end of the shaft  28  includes a hex shaped opening  64  sized and configured to receive a correspondingly shaped attachment end of a work tool piece of the type described above. For example,  FIGS. 4 and 5  show the tool connector  20  receiving a driver bit  72  with detents  73 . The detents  73  may also be referred to as a feature of a first locking configuration.  
      Adjacent the opening  64  and within the cavity  62  of the shaft  28  is a circumferential tapered clearance groove  66 . The deepest portion of the groove  66  is located adjacent the opening  64 . The groove  66  partially receives a plurality of ball bearings  46 , such that the groove  66  and ball bearings  46  form a second ball detent mechanism, as described in greater detail below.  
      Now referring to  FIG. 3 , the shank  22 , shuttle  24 , collar  26 , and shaft  28  are coupled together to cooperatively form the tool connector  20  having a tool receiving portion and a locking mechanism. The ball bearing  70  is first received within the tapered hole  68  of shaft  28 . Thereafter, the shaft  28  is slidably received in the cavity  56  of the collar  26  so that the ball bearing  70  is received into the taper groove  58  of the collar  36 . The outer coil spring  54  is received within the cavity  56  and is seated on the retention shoulder  60 .  
      The plug  52  is then received into the cavity  51  of the shuttle  24 . The ball bearings  46  are received within the tapered holes  44  of the second hexagonal end  40  of the shuttle  24 . The shuttle  24  is slidably received within the opening of the shaft  22  so that the shuttle&#39;s second hexagonal end  40  abuts the interior end surface of the shaft  28  to align the first cavity  50  of the shuttle  24  with the opening  64  of the shaft  28 . The ball bearings  46  are partially received into the groove  66  of the collar  26  while still remaining partially received within the tapered holes  44 . In addition, the first hexagonal end  36  of the shuttle  24  engages the ball bearing  70  and urges the ball radially outwardly into the taper groove  58  of the collar  26 .  
      The inner coil spring  48  is received onto the stem  42  of the shuttle  24  and the hexagonal end  34  of shank  22  is fixedly received within the opening of the shaft  28 . Preferably, the hexagonal end  34  of shank  28  is press-fit within the opening of the shaft  22 , but other suitable methods of attachment may also be used. The end of the inner coil spring  48  and at least a portion of the stem  42  are received within the bore  35  of the hexagonal end  34 . The inner coil spring  48  biases the shuttle  24  in a direction opposite the shank  22  to maintain the position of the shuttle  24  against the end interior surface of the shaft  28 . In this manner, the first end  36  of the shuttle  24  continuously urges the ball bearing  70  into the taper groove  58  of the collar  26  and therefore maintains the collar  26  in an unlocked position until the tool connector  20  is displaced into the locked position.  
      When the hexagonal end  34  is received within the cavity  62  of the shaft  28 , the flange  32  abuts the end of the shaft  28  and the outer coil spring  54  is disposed between the perimeter edge of the flange  32  and the retention shoulder  60 . The outer coil spring  54  biases the collar  26  in a direction opposite the flange  32 .  
      Now referring to  FIG. 4 , when the shuttle is in the forward or unlocked position, the plurality of ball bearings  46  are aligned with the clearance groove  66  in the shaft  28  and are able to move radially outward, allowing a tool work piece, such as a hex driver bit  72 , to be inserted into the tool connector  20 . The driver bit  72  is inserted into the opening  64  of the shaft  28  and is received into the shuttle  24 . When the driver bit  72  is fully received within the shuttle  24 , the detents  73  of the driver bit  72  align with the ball bearings  46 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , the driver bit  72  is locked into the connector  20  by applying a force to the driver bit  72  to urge the shuttle  24  rearward against the force of the inner coil spring  48 . As the shuttle  24  is translated rearwardly within the shaft  28 , the plurality of ball bearings  46  follow the contoured surface of the tapered clearance groove  66  and are urged radially inward, clamping down on the driver bit  72 . At the same time, the ball bearing  70  is urged radially inward into the stepped groove  38  of the shuttle  24  by the force of the collar  26 . As the ball bearing  70  is urged radially inward, it falls out of the taper groove  58  of the collar. The outer coil spring  54  then causes the collar  26  to translate forward, locking the ball bearing  70  in a first position within the contour of the stepped groove  38  and preventing the shuttle  24  from moving forward. Thus, the first and second ball detent mechanisms interact with the longitudinal translations of the collar  26  and shuttle  24  to form a locking mechanism that locks the connector  20  in a first position. In this first locked position, the driver bit  72  may be retained and torqued by the tool connector  20 .  
      The locking mechanism may also be used to displace the connector  20  into a second locking position for a second work tool piece, different at least in part from the driver bit  72 , which may be best understood by referring to  FIG. 6 . In this aspect, a second driver bit  74  having a ball detent groove  76  (also referred to as a second locking configuration) may be received and retained within the tool connector  20 . When the shuttle  24  is in the forward or unlocked position, the plurality of ball bearings  46  are aligned with the clearance groove  66  in the shaft  28  and are able to move radially outward, allowing the second driver bit  74  to be inserted into the tool connector  20 . The second driver bit  74  is inserted into the shaft  28  and is received into the cavity  50  of the shuttle  24 . As received, the ball detent groove  76  of the second drive bit  74  aligns with the ball bearings  46 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the shuttle  24  is urged rearward towards the shank  22 , the ball bearings  46  follow the surface of the taper groove  66  of the shaft  28  and are urged into the ball detent groove  76  of the second driver bit  74 . When the ball bearings  46  are received within the ball detent groove  76 , they clear the taper groove  66  in the shaft  28 . In this manner, the shuttle can be urged axially rearward until it comes into contact with the shank  22 .  
      As the shuttle  24  moves rearward, the ball bearing  70  is urged radially inward into the stepped groove  38  of the shuttle  24  by the force of the collar  26 . With the shuttle  24  engaging the shank  22 , the ball bearing  70  is received into the deepest portion of the stepped groove  38 , or the second position. As the ball bearing  70  is urged radially inward, the outer coil spring  54  causes the collar  26  to translate forward, locking the ball bearing  70  in the second position and preventing the shuttle  24  from moving forward. In this second locked position, the second driver bit  74  may be retained and torqued by the tool connector  20 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 4-7 , the tool connector  20  of the present disclosure is capable of receiving and lockingly engaging tool work pieces of two different structural designs. The tool connector  20  may be used to receive, retain, and torque tool work pieces of multiple structural designs, such as (for non-limiting examples) one-inch and two-inch hex driver bits. Therefore, the tool connector  20  is configured to receive any one of a plurality of work tool pieces of the type having one of either at least a first or second locking configuration, wherein the first locking configuration is different at least in part from the second locking configuration. However, it should be appreciated that the tool connector  20  may also be configured to receive work tool pieces of other configurations, such as a hexagonal bit without detents or bits of other lengths.  
      The first and second driver bits  72  and  74  can be unlocked from the tool connector  20  by urging the collar  26  rearward against the force of the outer coil spring  54  until the deepest portion of the taper groove  58  is positioned above the ball bearing  70 . With the ball bearing  70  adjacent the deepest portion of the taper groove  58 , the ball bearing  70  is no longer retaining the shuttle  24  in its locked position. Thus, the shuttle  24  is urged forward by the force of the inner coil spring  48 . The shuttle  24  translates forward while the stepped groove  38  and first hexagonal portion  36  of the shuttle  24  simultaneously urge the ball bearing  70  into the taper groove  58 . The shuttle  24  is urged forward until the plurality of ball bearings  46  are positioned adjacent the clearance groove  66  and are urged radially outward into the clearance groove  66 , thereby disengaging the bit and allowing the bit to be removed from the connector  20 .  
      While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the application.