Patent Publication Number: US-2007113410-A1

Title: Tool combination assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is a continuation, of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/804,410, filed on Mar. 19, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a combination tool assembly having a forced air stream portion and a hand tool portion for engaging various material. More specifically, the present invention combines a heating element such as a conventional blow dryer with various hand tools including, but not limited to, shears, drills, saws, caulking guns, and the like.  
      When using various hand tools, construction workers often find themselves working in cold climate areas. Besides having a negative effect for the construction workers themselves, cold climates may cause the materials they are working with to become brittle. This result increases the complexity of performing many tasks as the brittle material must be carefully handled to prevent inadvertent tears and cracking. Most particularly, the cold affects materials such as siding made from polyvinyl chloride and similar plastic materials, commonly referred to as “vinyl siding” as well as accessory elements for the same.  
      Although many areas across the globe are only affected by cold conditions for a couple of months per year, there still remain many populated geographic locations where cold seasons may extend far beyond the winter months. Furthermore, even in geographic locations only affected by cold conditions for a short time, the construction workers do not always have the option of using their skills inside rather than outside. Therefore, construction workers and the like often find themselves having to work in cold conditions with material not well suited for the climate they are confronted with.  
      Most specifically, vinyl siding has a tendency to become brittle during long exposures to the cold. This result is extremely unfortunate when cutting, drilling into or shearing the siding as inadvertent cracks may result. The carpenter or construction worker generally first measures the length needed to be placed against a building or structure. The carpenter then measures out a piece of vinyl siding and marks the siding using a pencil or other implement. The vinyl siding is then cut along the scribed line to achieve the desired length. However, in a situation where the vinyl siding has been exposed to the cold and has become brittle, the carpenter may find that obtaining a straight cut becomes more complicated and difficult to achieve as various tears, rips, and cracks inadvertently may promulgate due to an external force i.e., shears being applied to a brittle material.  
      Other circumstances where the brittleness of the vinyl siding has unfortunate consequences include where the siding is already placed on the house and a carpenter, repairman or the like wishes to drill a hole, etc. in the siding to connect electrical lines, telephone wires and various other products and objects. For example, one wishing to drill a hole in the vinyl siding, may discover the brittleness causes cracks to form rather than a clean drill hole. This results in the vinyl siding having to be replaced and/or repaired thus drastically increasing the repair cost and repair time.  
      Various methods have been utilized in order to overcome these disadvantages; such as when cutting a piece of siding or other material, the carpenter may leave the siding inside a house or structure and cut the material indoors. In this instance, the material remains flexible when being cut and is not exposed to the cold until placed in position outdoors. Unfortunately, access to an indoor heated space is not always available to the carpenter working out in the environment.  
      Another solution has utilized large gas heaters and blowers. The construction crew or worker purchases a large air blower and relocates the blower from job site to job site. The blower dissipates a large amount of heat in a given area, reducing the cold weather affects on the material being worked on such as vinyl siding. Unfortunately, some of the disadvantages associated with this technique include a large up-front cost for purchasing large-scale heaters; the inconvenience of relocating heavy machinery from job site to job site; may require a tarp to enclose the heat and the additional fuel cost for running the heater or blower.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a combination tool assembly for working on a material. The assembly includes a hand tool portion having a working end for engaging the material. The assembly also includes a forced air portion having a blower and an outlet. The blower and outlet are in communication with each other. Further, the outlet is positioned on the hand tool portion and aimed toward the working end so that upon actuation of the forced air portion, the outlet projects an air stream toward the material.  
      The tool assembly may also include a heating element in communication with the blower. The hand tool portion may be manually actuatable.  
      In a preferred embodiment, the outlet is oriented at such a position to direct the air stream in front of an engagement point between the material and the hand tool portion. The hand tool portion and the forced air portion may be integral.  
      The tool assembly may further include at least one actuating switch and a power source. The power source may consist of a battery, a flammable material, an electric connection adapted for connecting to an external power source or the like.  
      In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tool assembly may further include a fastener having a first curve wall defining a first aperture and a second curve wall defining a second aperture as well as a locking element pivotally connecting the first curve wall to the second curve wall. The first aperture is adapted for receiving a forced air portion and a second aperture is adapted for receiving at least part of the hand tool portion. As the locking element is tightened the forced air portion and the hand tool portion are locked within the first and second apertures respectively.  
      In a preferred embodiment the hand tool portion may be a pair of shears having a first and second blade part and a first and second handle part. The first blade part is coupled to the first grip part to form a first bar while the second blade part is coupled to the second grip part to form a second bar. The first and second bars are pivotally attached. The forced air portion is coupled to the handle by a fastener. The fastener including a curve wall partially defining an aperture, a clamping element and a locking element. The forced air portion is received by the aperture and a clamping element engages the handle of the hand tool portion. The locking element has a substantially cylindrical portion and is adapted for tightening the first aperture about the forced air portion and tightening the clamping element about the handle.  
      The combination tool assembly may further include a fastener having a first curve wall defining an aperture adapted for receiving the forced air portion and an extending portion coupled to the first curved wall wherein the hand tool portion includes a surface mounting portion adapted for engaging the extending portion.  
      The hand tool portion may be a saw.  
      The present invention also includes a method of working on a material including blowing air against the material while engaging the material with a manually actuated tool. The air may be warm relative to the temperature of the material. Further, the air may impinge the material in front of an engagement point between the tool and the material. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a fastener used in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a fastener used in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a third embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a faster used in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a side view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a fastener used in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 ; and;  
       FIG. 9  is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of the present invention and includes combination tool assembly  10 . Tool assembly  10  includes shears  12  and forced air portion  14  coupled together by fastener  16 . Shears  12  may be any ordinary known conventional pair of shears. Preferably, shears  12  include two cutting blades  20  and  22  and actuating grip handles  24  and  26 . Each cutting blade is rigidly connected to a grip handle to form elongate bars  27  and  29 , which are preferably pivotally connected. Pivoting structure  28  enables bars  27  and  29  to be pivoted relative to each other about a pivoting axis.  
      Forced air portion  14 , preferably includes a housing  77 , a blower  79 , and an outlet  70 . Blower  79  allows forced air portion  14  to expel an air stream outwardly from outlet  70 . More preferably forced air portion  14  includes a heating element  75  for increasing the temperature of air projected from blower  79  prior to the air exiting outlet  70 . A controller  81  may communicate with heating element  75  to allow adjusting of the temperature of the heating element. Additionally the forced air portion  14  may also include an actuation switch  72  and a power connection  74  for attaching to a power supply. Forced air portion  14  may consist of a conventional appliance for delivering a stream of warm air. One that can be used is a conventional hair dryer.  
      Preferably, forced air portion  14  is releasably attached to shears  12  using various techniques including but not limited to the two elements being taped, strapped, clipped, or tied to one another. Realistically, any method of coupling to parts together may be used. In some embodiments, shears  12  may be coupled to forced air portion  14  using an intermediate body, such as fastener  16 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , fastener  16  may include curved wall  40 . In a preferred embodiment, curved wall  40  is substantially cylindrical as shown in the figure. Curved wall  40  has two remote ends  42  and  44 . Extending down from the two remote ends  42  and  44  are extensions  46  and  48 , each preferably having at least one aperture  62  and  64 . Inwardly facing flanges  50  and  52  extend from a bottom portion of extensions  46  and  48  respectively and are substantially perpendicular to the extensions. Flanges  52  and  54  are remote from one another and include a spacing therebetween. Additionally, fastener  16  includes an upper first aperture  56  and a lower second aperture  58 . Although the apertures  56  and  58  may communicate with one another, their designation as upper and lower have been included for purposes of positioning. Fastener  16  may also include locking element  60  for cooperating with apertures  62  and  64 . The functions of locking element  60  will be described below.  
      With reference back to  FIG. 1 , fastener  16  is shown engaging handle  26  of shears  12 . In one method of assembling the device, prior to fastener  16  engaging handle  26 , forced air portion  14  may be received within upper aperture  56 . Extensions  46  and  48  and flanges  52  and  54  are then positioned about handle  26 , with handle  26  being disposed within aperture  58 . Locking element  60  may already be placed within or alternatively be received by side apertures  62  and  64  disposed within extensions  46  and  48 , respectively. Locking element  60  may include various elements such as bolts, nuts, screws, and the like. After being maneuvered through apertures  62  and  64 , locking element  60  may be tightened to subsequently cause the distance between extensions  46  and  48  to be reduced as well as the size of aperture  56 . This results in extensions  52  and  54  tightening about handle  56  and curved wall  40  tightening around forced air portion  14 . The locking element may be further tightened until the forced air portion  14  and shears  12  are locked relative to one another. In a preferred embodiment, fastening element  16  engages shears  12  as close to pivoting structure  28  as possible to reduce movement of forced air portion  14  as grip handles  24  and  26  are opened and closed.  
      In a preferred embodiment, the fastener  16  along with locking element  60  permit pivoting of forced air portion  14  relative to shears  12  so that outlet  70  of the forced air portion may be oriented in a desired direction to outwardly projects a stream of air. In a most preferred embodiment, forced air portion  14  is positioned so that the air stream emanating from outlet  70  infringes the material slightly in front of the engagement point between shears  12  and the material.  
      In an alternate embodiment, connector  74  may be replaced or supplemented with a battery, a combustible or flammable material such as butane and propane cylinders. As with any of the power supplies, their purpose is to provide energy for creating an outwardly projecting air stream as well as possibly causing heating element  75  disposed within housing  77  of forced air portion  14  to dissipate heat in order to increase the temperature of the projecting air stream. In a preferred embodiment a flammable material may be used to power the heating element and a battery may be used to power the blower. Of course, the size, type, and capacity of the power supply may vary depending on the power required by the specific embodiment. An example of a power output that may be used with the present invention includes an  1000  watt conventional hair dryer.  
      Although a preferred embodiment of forced air portion  14  is shown in  FIG. 1 , as being cylindrical, it will be realized by those skilled in the art that forced air portion  14  may have various configurations such as square, rectangular, triangular or the like and even non-geometrical. However, if the shape of forced air portion  14  were to be modified, fastener  16 , specifically, upper aperture  56 , may also be modified to be engageable and coupled to the forced air portion  14 .  
      The orientation of the forced air portion  14  relative to the shears  12 , permits a carpenter to project a stream of air, preferably warm, at the material he or she is cutting. The stream of air will preferably project enough heat against the material to reduce effects caused by exposure of the material to a cold environment such as becoming brittle. This results in the reduction of unwanted cracking and tearing along the material being cut. In alternate embodiments, forced air portion  14  may be modified to project a cool stream or air if one so desires.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , the present invention may be adapted for saws such as power saw  112  of combination tool assembly  110 . Forced air portion  114  may be substantially similar to forced air portion  14  in that it may include many of the same elements and options available to forced air portion  14 . Forced air portion  114  is connected to saw  102  using fastener  116 .  
      Fastener  116  has an upper portion similar to fastener  16 , and may include curved wall  140  and first aperture  156 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , curved wall  140  may also have extension  146  and  148  projecting from remote ends of curved wall  140 . In a preferred embodiment, a radially extending cylindrical tube  149  is pivotally connected to extensions  146  and  148  via extension  151 . Tube  149  is capable of receiving or screwing onto a mounting surface  153  (shown in hidden view) located on power saw  112 . The mounting surface  153  may be positioned anywhere along power saw  112 ; however, in a preferred embodiment, mounting surface  153  is disposed on power saw  112  so that outlet  170  of forced air portion  114  and more importantly, a projecting air stream emanating from outlet  170  may be directed onto a material being worked on at a desired location.  
      Consistent with fastener  16 , fastener  116  may include a locking element  160 , which when tightened causes curved wall  140  to lock forced air portion  114  within aperture  156 . In a preferred embodiment locking element  160 , permits pivoting of curved wall  140  relative to extension  151 .  
      A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , illustrating combination tool assembly  210 . Tool assembly  210  includes drill  212  coupled to forced air portion  214 . Fastener  216  connects the two elements and again preferably has an upper portion similar to fastener  16 . Specifically, fastener  216  includes a curved wall  240  defining upper aperture  256  and two extensions  246  and  248  extending downward from remote ends of curved wall  240 . Fastener  216  may have a lower half similar to its upper half and include a second curved wall  260  defining lower aperture  262 . Two extensions  264  and  266  extend upward from remote ends of curved wall  260 . All four extensions  246 ,  248 ,  264  and  266  preferably include apertures  267 ,  268 ,  269  and  271 , respectively, extending therethrough which, when aligned, share a common central axis. In one method of assembling forced air portion  214  and drill  212  together, upper portion  231  and lower portion  233  may be disengaged from one another. Lower portion  233  is then positioned about front cylindrical housing  280  of drill  212  with the cylindrical housing being received within lower aperture  262 .  
      Similarly, upper portion  231  receives forced air portion  214  within upper aperture  256 . Apertures  267  and  268  of upper portion  231  and apertures  269  and  271  of lower portion  233  are aligned with one another so as to share a common central axis. Locking element  260  is then received within the four apertures. As previously described, the locking element  260  may be tightened in order to lock the four extensions relative to one another. Tightening locking element  260  has the desired effect of reducing the size of upper aperture  256  as well as lower aperture  262 . The fastener is tightened until both apertures lock the drill  212  and forced air portion  214  relative to one another. Preferably, prior to locking the assembly, forced air portion  214  is oriented in correct position so that outlet  270  projects an air stream at the desired location. Thus, when using the drill assembly, as drill bit  290  engages material, the forced air portion  214  may deliver a stream of air at the contact point between drill bit  290  and a given material. This results in the stream of air modifying the temperature of the material to reduce cold weather effects.  
      In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 7 , combination tool assembly  300  may include a caulking gun  312  coupled to forced air portion  314 . Caulking gun  312  may be any ordinary caulking gun known in the art and preferably includes a handle  320  with an actuation grip  322 . Extending radially outward from handle  320  is cylinder  322  which includes an opening  324  for receiving a tube of caulk or the like.  
      Forced air portion  314  may be similarly designed as previous forced air portions described herein and may be coupled to caulking gun  312  via techniques described herein including, but not limited to, taped, strapped, interlocked and also by fastener  316 . Fastener  316  ( FIG. 8 ) may be substantially similar to fastener  16  shown in  FIG. 2  including having a curved wall  340  at least partially defining aperture  342  for receiving forced air portion  314 . Fastener  316  also may include two extensions  344  and  346  extending downward from remote ends of curved wall  340 . Extensions  344  and  346  preferably also include apertures  348  and  350  extending through extensions  344  and  346 , respectively. Apertures  348  and  350  are preferably concentric circles sharing a common longitudinal axis. Fastener  316  further includes lower extensions  352  and  354  also having apertures  356  and  358  extending therethrough, respectively, Apertures  356  and  358  are also preferably concentric circles having a common longitudinal axis extending therethrough. Adjacent to lower extensions  352  and  354  are outwardly extending flanges  360  and  362  which are designed to abut a portion of handle  320 . Extending downward from the ends of flanges  360  and  362  are projections  364  and  366 . Projections  364  and  366 , as well as flanges  360  and  362 , at least partially define opening  370  designed for receiving or straddling handle  320 .  
      As with previous fasteners, fastener  316  may include a locking element  360  received within apertures  348 ,  350 ,  356  and  358  of their respective extensions. Upon tightening of the locking element, the spacing between each set of extensions and projections is reduced, thus causing curved wall  340  to tighten about forced air portion  314  disposed within aperture  340 . Additionally, the distance between projections  364  and  366  is reduced in order that the projections as well as flanges  360  and  362  may clamp down on handle portion  320 .  
      Additional bores  390  and  392  may be disposed along projections  364  and  366  and be able to be aligned with a bore located on handle  320  (not shown in the figures). These three holes may be aligned and then receive a second locking element to further lock fastener  316  to caulking gun  312 .  
      Another embodiment, not shown in the figures includes a forced air portion being coupled to a hand held tape dispenser. This arrangement minimizes the difficulty of applying tape to various boxes and containers in cold climate conditions. Such that upon exposure to the cold, the tape itself becomes brittle and loses its adhesive properties. The forced air portion can be positioned to supply a warm air current against the tape thereby reducing the negative effects of the cold.  
      In an alternate embodiment, the forced air portion and the hand tool element may be integrally formed. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 9 , forced air portion  414  is shown integral with drill  412 . Outlet  470  of forced air portion  414  may also include a guiding mechanism such as a vent which allows a person to direct the flow of the air stream projecting from the outlet  470 . Although the present embodiment has been shown utilizing the combination of a forced air portion with a drill, the present embodiment is not limited to this. Specifically, forced air portion may be integrally formed with any of the tools herein described as well as additional tools not disclosed in the reference. Furthermore, as earlier discussed, the forced air portions described herein may include their own power pack for supplying enough power to the forced air portion to enable the forced air portion to project an air stream outward as well as possibly heating the air stream and adjusting the temperature of the air.  
      In an alternate embodiment, not shown in the figures, the forced air portion may include a hose or conduit associated with a hand tool portion. The hose may have an outlet similar to outlet  70  for projecting an air stream and positioned on a hand tool portion to project air against the material engaged by the hand tool portion. The hose may have a second end remote from the outlet and associated with a blower. The blower is preferably remote from the hand tool position and may be positioned on the ground or a floor in a truck or elsewhere. The blower may also include a heating element. Upon discovering that the weather is negatively impacting the work environment, the carpenter may connect the hose with an associated blower to a hand tool to overcome the negative effects of the cold.  
      In a most preferred embodiment, each embodiment has a forced air portion releasably attached to a hand tool portion. This enables the present invention to be assembled when required as well as enables the forced air portion, when not required to be removed from the hand tool portion. Thus, any common hand tool may be coupled to the forced air portion without accruing additional expenses. Additional methods of attaching a hand tool to a forced air portion include a key and key way assembly, a slot and tab assembly as well as various other structures.  
      The present invention may also be adapted for one or more power supplies. Namely, the hand tool portion and the forced air portion may either have separate and distinct power packs or share a common power pack for supplying them with energy.  
      Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. One such example is the inclusion of varying fasteners. The fasteners described herein are an illustration on how one may prefer to couple the two portions of the invention; however, it should be realized that many other fastener embodiments may be used without deviating from the scope of the present invention.