Patent Publication Number: US-8539865-B1

Title: Hex drive screw holder

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of screw drivers, more specifically, a screw driver that works in conjunction with a screw holder to insure that the screw head is not marred or damaged by slipping associated with rotation thereto. 
     B. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a hex driven screw holder that includes a spring-loaded end piece having a slot across which the neck of a screw may slide and of which engages and aligns the screw head against the screw driver bit; wherein the spring-loaded end piece is supported by opposing arms that attach to a urethane body that abuts a depth stopper, which attaches onto the body of the screw driver bit; wherein the spring-loaded end piece only moves a small distance to accommodate the screw head and is composed of a urethane composite along with the urethane body. 
     The Nick Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,708) discloses a fastener support apparatus for facilitating the installation of individual screws into a work surface that includes a rotatable bit for engaging the head of the screw. However, the fastener support apparatus does not include a spring-loaded end piece that includes a slot such that a screw head may be slid therein and aligned adjacent a screw bot, and which shall place a biasing force upon the head of the screw so as to support said screw during the driving process into the adjacent work surface. 
     The Nick Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,127) discloses a fastener support apparatus for facilitating the installation of individual screws into a work surface including means for driving individual screws into the work surface. However, the fastener support apparatus doe not feature a spring-loaded end piece that has a slot for sliding a head of a screw therethrough and aligned adjacent the screw bit, and in which the entire apparatus is inserted into and secured to a chuck of a drill. 
     The Goldstein Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,788) discloses a non-slip screwdriver. However, the screw driver does not support a screw from beneath the screw head so as to prevent unintended slipping, by providing a slot in a spring-loaded piece. 
     The Han Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,233) discloses a fastener holding device that is designed for use with power or hand tools. However, the device does not use a spring-loaded end piece that includes a slot such that the head of a screw may slide across at the neck of the screw, and which is aligned adjacent to a drill bit that imposes a biasing force onto the head of the screw so as to prevent slippage during installation into a work surface. 
     The Hsiao Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0278050) discloses a holding chuck for fastening tools. However, the holding chuck relies upon a magnetic dome to attract the head of the screw, and does not use a spring-loaded end piece having a slot across which the head of the screw may slide into and be engaged upon by the bit. 
     The Chen Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2005/0166725) discloses a fastening component assisting positioning device. Again, the device relies upon magnetic attraction to support the screw ahead against the driving bit, and not a spring-loaded end piece having a slot to enable the screw head to be positioned under the screw driving bit. 
     The Chiang Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,452) discloses a chuck device for a power tool. Again, the chuck device does not include a slot into which the neck of the screw may pass across so as to align the head of the screw beneath the screw driving bit, which is biased thereon via the spring-loaded end piece. 
     The Parsons Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,169) discloses a device for positioning and applying fasteners, such as screws, to a work object. However, the device does not use a spring-loaded end piece having a slot across which the screw may pass in order to align the screw head against the screw driving bit. 
     The Nick Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,330) discloses a fastener support apparatus for facilitating the installation of individual screws into a work surface, and wherein the fastener support apparatus works in combination with a drive assembly having a clutch. However, the fastener support apparatus doe not feature a spring-loaded end piece that has a slot for sliding a head of a screw therethrough and aligned adjacent the screw bit, and in which the entire apparatus is inserted into and secured to a chuck of a drill. 
     While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a hex driven screw holder that includes a spring-loaded end piece having a slot across which the neck of a screw may slide and of which engages and aligns the screw head against the screw driver bit; wherein the spring-loaded end piece is supported by opposing arms that attach to a urethane body that abuts a depth stopper, which attaches onto the body of the screw driver bit; wherein the spring-loaded end piece only moves a small distance to accommodate the screw head and is composed of a urethane composite along with the urethane body. In this regard, the hex drive screw holder departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The hex drive screw holder includes a spring-loaded end piece having a slot across which the neck of a screw may slide and of which engages and aligns the screw head against the screwdriver bit. The spring-loaded end piece is supported by opposing arms that attach to a urethane body that abuts a depth stopper, which attaches onto the body of the screwdriver bit. The urethane body has a hexagonally shaped hole through which the screwdriver bit passes through. The spring-loaded end piece only moves a small distance to accommodate the screw head and is composed of a urethane composite along with the urethane body. A spring imposes a biasing force on the urethane body and a pressure loading sleeve secured to the screwdriver bit. The hex drive screw holder supports a screw head against a screwdriver bit during installation into a work surface, and provides a means of ingress and egress of the screw to and from the spring-loaded end piece. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a device that supports a screw against a screwdriver bit, but which enables said screw to attach and detach without taking apart the device pursuant to the slot on the spring-loaded end piece. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a hex drive screw holder in which the spring-loaded end piece is made of a urethane so as to provide the ideal amount of flexibility needed to insert and remove the screw with respect to the device. 
     An even further object of the invention is to provide a device that attaches to a chuck of a drill. 
     An even further object of the invention is to provide a spring-loaded end piece that includes a hinge pin opposite of a screw entrance such that the hinge pin can rotate to expand the screw entrance thereby enabling a screw to be inserted therein, and which shall return to a rest position thereafter. 
     These together with additional objects, features and advantages of the hex drive screw holder will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the hex drive screw holder when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the hex drive screw holder in detail, it is to be understood that the hex drive screw holder is not limited in its applications to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the hex drive screw holder. 
     It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the hex drive screw holder. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the hex drive screw holder in which a screw is inserted into the spring-loaded end piece via the slot; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the hex drive screw holder in order to depict the arrangement and orientation of the components as well as to visualize the neck of the screw sliding across the slot so as to align the screw head adjacent the screwdriver bit; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the hex drive screw holder along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 , and depicting the arms connecting between the spring-loaded end piece and the urethane body and in which the screwdriver bit is engaged upon the head of the screw; 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates the cross-sectional view of the hex drive screw holder along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 , but in which the screw is removed from the hex drive screw holder 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the hex drive screw holder along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 , and detailing the set screws used to secure the depth stopper and pressure loading sleeve, which restrict the spring and urethane body therein; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the hex drive screw holder along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1  and depicting the urethane body and opposing arms as well as the screwdriver bit passing along the center; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the hex drive screw holder along line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 1 , and depicting the set screw securing the depth stopper to the screwdriver bit as well as the curved grooves on opposing sides of the depth stopper, which support the opposing arms; and 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the spring-loaded end piece including a hinge pin that rotates to enlarge the screw entrance as denoted by the curved arrows. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments of the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or ‘illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     Detailed reference will now be made to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 . A hex drive screw holder  100  (hereinafter invention) includes a hex screwdriver bit  101  (hereinafter screwdriver bit). A pressure loading sleeve  102  is a collar-shaped object that slides onto the screwdriver bit  101  and is secured in place with respect to the screwdriver bit  101  via a set screw  102 A. A spring  103  is placed onto the screw driver bit  101 , and a urethane body  104  ensues. 
     The urethane body  104  has a hex-shaped hole  104 A to enable the screwdriver bit  101  to slide therein. The urethane body  104  and the pressure-loading sleeve  102  abut each end of the spring  103  and are pushed away from one another via the spring  103 . 
     The urethane body  104  is further defined by a first side  104 B upon which two arm holes  104 C are provided. Opposing arms  105  are inserted into the two arm holes  104 C, and are secured to the urethane body  104 . 
     A depth stopper  106  is another collar-shaped object that slides onto the screwdriver bit  101 . The depth stopper  106  includes a second set screw  106 A, which secures the depth stopper  106  onto the screwdriver bit  101 . The depth stopper  106  includes grooves  106 B on opposing sides, which accommodate the opposing arms  105  that attach to the urethane body  104  adjacent thereto. 
     A spring-loaded end piece  107  attaches to the opposing arms  105  via arm holes  107 A. The spring-loaded end piece  107  includes a slot  107 B that extends from a center of the spring-loaded end piece  107  radially, and which enables a screw  130  to pass therein. 
     The spring-loaded end piece  107  features a concave notch  107 C, which supports a head  131  of the screw  130  (see  FIGS. 3-4 ). It shall be noted that the screwdriver bit  101  includes the bit  101 A at a first end, and which is responsible for engaging the head  131  of the screw  130 . 
     It shall be noted that the screw  130  includes a neck  132 , which traverses the slot  1078  so that the head  132  may be pushed against the concave notch  107 C of the spring-loaded end piece  107 . 
     The opposing arms  105  include a first end  105 A, a middle portion  105 B, and a second end  105 C. The first end  105 A and the second end  105 C have the same diameter, which is less than the diameter of the middle portion  105 B. The first end  105 A is defined by a distance  105 D, which is less than a distance  105 E of the middle portion  105 B; whereas the second end  105 C has a distance  105 F that is less than the distance  105 D. 
     The screwdriver bit  101  may be inserted into a chuck  161  of a drill  160 , and used to drive the screw  130  into a work surface. The spring-loaded end piece  107  supports the screw  130 , and the head  131  of the screw  130  against the bit  101 A of the screwdriver bit  101  during use with the drill  160 . 
     It shall be noted that the spring-loaded end piece  107  may be made of a urethane having enough flexibility to enable the screw  130  to slide in and out of the spring-loaded end piece  107  via the slot  107 B. 
     It shall be noted that the spring  103  insures that the urethane body  104  is pushed up against the depth stopper  06 , whereby producing a clearance between an end of the bit  101 A and the spring-loaded end piece  107 , which is needed to ensure that the appropriate amount of biasing force is placed from the bit  101 A onto the head  131  of the screw  130 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , an alternative embodiment  120  of the spring-loaded end piece includes a hinge pin  121  that is transfixed between a first body  122  and a second body  123 . Both the first body  122  and the second body  123  form a slot  124  into which the screw  130  slides therein in order to be seated against the screwdriver bit  101 . However, it shall be noted that the hinge pin  121  enables the first body  122  to rotate a predefined portion with respect to the second body  123  such that the slot  124  is enlarged. The hinge pin  121  connects the first body  122  to the second body  123 . The first body  122  includes a male pivot arm  122 A whereas the second body  123  includes a female notch  123 A. Upon alignment of the male pivot arm  122 A and the female notch  123 A, the hinge pine  121  slides therein. The shape of the male pivot arm  122 A and the female notch  123 A provide a gap  125  that limits the amount of rotation of the first body  122  with respect to the second body  123  thereby limiting the range of enlargement of the slot  124 . 
     The first body  122  and the second body  123  both include arm holes  107 A as with the spring-loaded end piece  107  described above. The second embodiment  120  of the spring-loaded end piece features all of the characteristics of the spring-loaded end piece  107  described above, with the exception to the hinge pin  121  and rotation of the first body  122  with respect to the second body  123 . 
     With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationship for the various components of the invention  100 , to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and the manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the invention  100 . 
     It shall be noted that those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the various embodiments of the present invention which will result in an improved invention, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.