Patent Publication Number: US-9902050-B2

Title: Magnetic positioning device for hand tool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a magnetic positioning device, and more particularly, to a magnetic positioning device for a hand tool so as to magnetically attract an object to the hand tool. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     The conventional hand tool known to applicant is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,142, and a power-driven screwing head is provided and includes a device for automatically uncoupling the screwing head when a specified depth of penetration of a screw into a workpiece is attained. The head includes a shank adapted to be driven in rotation in either sense having an end portion defined by a wall of annular cross-section defining a seat. A plurality of radial bores are defined through the wall. The shank further includes a member projecting from the shank. A screwdriver bit has two ends, one of which is received in the seat. A sleeve surrounds at least the end portion of said shank, and is movable longitudinally of the shank. The sleeve has an upper and a lower end, wherein the lower end is adapted to be rested on a surface of the workpiece in use for driving in a screw. The sleeve defines an internal surface which includes along its axial length an upper zone, a recessed portion and a lower zone. The recessed portion is of larger diameter than the adjacent zones. A coil spring is arranged between the member on the shank and the upper end of the sleeve. A plurality of locking balls each are received in a respective one of the radial bores in the shank seat. The locking balls are movable radially in the bores so that the balls are held in engagement between the upper zone and the screwing head when the shank is being driven in one sense to drive a screw in, and the balls are held in engagement between the lower zone and the screwing head when the shank is being driven in the opposite sense in order to remove the screw, and the balls move radially out of engagement with the screwing head when the recessed portion of the sleeve is aligned with the bores. 
     However, when the user uses the blade part of the screwdriver bit to rotate the object, the sleeve does not have a proper device to prevent the blade part from being separated from the object. That is to say, the object may easily drop on the ground. Furthermore, the sleeve has a smooth outer surface which can be slippery when grease attached on the sleeve or the user&#39;s hand. 
     The present invention intends to provide a magnetic positioning device for a hand tool so as to magnetically attract an object to the hand tool, such that the shortcomings mentioned above are eliminated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a magnetic positioning device for a hand tool and comprises a body, a sleeve movably mounted to the body, a first clip and a second clip respectively mounted to the body, a resilient member mounted to the body to provide a resilient force to assist the sleeve to be moved to three positions relative to the body. A bead is inserted in a radial hole of the body so as to be engaged with a notch of a bit in the body. A magnet is received in the body to position the bit at the body. A magnetic member is received in one end of the sleeve to attract an object (a bolt) so that the bit can be easily drive the object which does not drop from the sleeve. The object is pushed to be separated from the sleeve by the bit when moving the sleeve to removing position. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an end view of show the sleeve of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of show the sleeve of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an end view to show the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 5  to show the second operational status of the magnetic positioning device; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 5  to show the third operational status of the magnetic positioning device; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is an end view of show the second embodiment of the sleeve of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view, taken along line A-A in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is an end view of the second embodiment of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 12 , and 
         FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 12  to show the second operational status of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the of the magnetic positioning device for a hand tool of the present invention comprises a body  10 , a sleeve  20 , a first clip  30 , a resilient member  40 , a bead  50 , a second clip  60 , a magnetic member  70 , a magnet  80  and a bit  81 . The body  10  is a cylindrical body and has a first room  11  defined in the first end thereof, wherein the first room  11  is a hexagonal room. A radial hole  12  is defined through the wall of the body  10  and communicates with the first room  11 . The radial hole  12  is located close to the first end of the body  10 . A first groove  13  and a second groove  14  are respectively defined in the outer surface of the body  10 , and the second groove  14  located close to the first end of the body  10 . The radial hole  12  is located between the first and second grooves  13 ,  14 . The second groove  14 , the radial hole  12  and the first groove  13  are respectively located in sequence from the first end toward the second end of the body  10 . The body  10  has a driving portion  15  which extends from the second end of the body  10  and is a hexagonal portion. 
     The sleeve  20  is slidably mounted to the body  10  and movable between a locking position, a removing position and a releasing position along the body  10 . The sleeve  20  is a cylindrical sleeve and has a first end and a second end, wherein a reception room  21  is defined in the second end of the sleeve  20 . A second room  22  is defined in the sleeve  20  and communicates with the reception room  21 . The second room  22  is located corresponding to the radial hole  12  of the body  10 . The diameter of the second room  22  is smaller than that of the reception room  21  so as to form a first shoulder  24  between the reception room  21  and the second room  22 . A third room  23  is defined in the sleeve  20  and communicates with the second room  22  which is located between the third room  23  and the reception room  21 . The diameter of the second room  22  is smaller than that of the third room  23 . A fourth room  25  is defined in the sleeve  20  and communicates with the third room  23  which is located between the second room  22  and the fourth room  25 . The diameter of the fourth room  25  is larger than that of the third room  23  so as to form a second shoulder  26  between the fourth room  25  and the third room  23 . An inner groove  27  is defined in the inner periphery of the fourth room  25 . The sleeve  20  has an anti-slip surface  28  defined in the outer surface thereof. 
     The first clip  30  is a C-shaped clip and resilient, and is engaged with the first groove  13 . The outer surface of the first clip  30  protrudes beyond the outer surface of the body  10  and is located within the reception room  21  of the sleeve  20 . 
     The resilient member  40  is mounted to the body  10  and located in the reception room  21 . Two ends of the resilient member  40  are in contact with the first shoulder  24  and the first clip  30 . The resilient member  40  has a recovery force to allow the sleeve  20  to move from the releasing position to the removing position, and to move to the locking position. 
     The bead  50  is located in the radial hole  12  and pressed by the inner periphery of the second room  22  of the sleeve  20  so as not to drop from the radial hole  12 . 
     The second clip  60  is a C-shaped and resilient clip, and is engaged with the second groove  14 . The outer surface of the second clip  60  protrudes beyond the outer surface of the body  10  and is located within the fourth room  25  of the sleeve  20 . When the sleeve  20  is biased by the resilient member  40 , the second shoulder  26  contacts the second clip  60  to prevent the sleeve  20  from disengaging from the body  10 . 
     The magnetic member  70  is a ring-shaped member and located in the fourth room  25  of the sleeve  20 . The magnetic member  70  has a through hole  71  which is located corresponding to the fourth room  25 . The magnetic member  70  has a flange  72  which is engaged with the inner groove  27  to fix the magnetic member  70  to the fourth room  25 . 
     The magnet  80  is a cylindrical member and located in the first room  11  of the body  10 . The bit  81  is a hexagonal screwdriver bit, and has its rear end detachably received in the first room  11  and is magnetically attracted by the magnet  80 . In other words, the bit  81  can be removed from the first room  11 . The bit  81  has a function end  811  formed on the front end thereof. The function end  811  is located in the fourth room  25  and extends through the through hole  71  of the magnetic member  70 . The function end  811  extends beyond the magnetic member  70 . Multiple notches  812  are defined in the outer surface of the bit  80  and located corresponding to the radial hole  12 , so that the bead  50  is engaged with one of the notches  812 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the sleeve  20  is movably mounted to the body  10  and has an anti-slip surface  28 . The magnetic member  70  is located in the fourth room  25 . The bit  81  is received in the first room  11  and extends through the fourth room  25  and the through hole  71  of the magnetic member  70 . The function end  811  slightly extends beyond the magnetic member  70 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when the user wants to rotate an object  82 , a bolt for example, and the sleeve  20  is located at the locking position. The sleeve  20  is biased by the resilient member  40  and the bead  50  in the radial hole  12  contacts the inner periphery of the second room  22  and is engaged with one of the notches  812  of the bit  81 . The bit  81  is restricted by the bead  50  and does not disengaged from the first room  11 . The second clip contacts the second shoulder  26  of the sleeve  20 . The function end  811  of the bit  81  protrudes beyond the magnetic member  70  which magnetically attracts the object  82 . The function end  811  does not separate from the object  82 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , when removing the object  82 , the sleeve  20  moves toward the second end of the body  10  to the removing position. The second clip  60  does not contact the second shoulder  26 , and the function end  811  of the bit  81  further protrudes beyond the magnetic member  70 . The object  82  is not magnetically attracted by the magnetic member  70 , so that the object  82  can be removed from the function end  811  of the bit  81 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the sleeve  20  further moves toward the second end of the body  10  to the releasing position, the function end  811  of the bit  81  even further protrudes beyond the magnetic member  70 . The radial hole  12  of the body  10  is located corresponding to the third room  23  of the sleeve  20 , and the bead  50  is not in contact with the inner periphery of the third room  23 . The bit  81  is pulled to separate the bead  50  from the notch  812 , the bit  81  is separated from the first room  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 to 11 , when compared with the first embodiment, the differences are that the first groove  13  and the second groove  14  are exchanged their positions, and the positions of the first and second clips  30  and  60  are also exchanged. The sleeve  20  is slidably mounted to the body  10  and has a first end and a second end, wherein the reception room  21  is defined in the first end of the sleeve  20 . The second room  22  is defined in the sleeve  20  and communicates with the reception room  21 . The second room  22  is located corresponding to the radial hole  12  of the body  10 . The diameter of the second room  22  is smaller than that of the reception room  21  so as to form a first shoulder  24  between the reception room  21  and the second room  22 . A third room  23  is defined in the sleeve  20  and communicates with the second room  22  which is located between the third room  23  and the reception room  21 . The diameter of the second room  22  is smaller than that of the third room  23 . A fourth room  25  is defined in the sleeve  20  and communicates with the third room  23  which is located between the second room  22  and the fourth room  25 . The diameter of the fourth room  25  is larger than that of the third room  23  so as to form a second shoulder  26  between the fourth room  25  and the third room  23 . The inner groove  27  is defined in the inner periphery of the fourth room  25 . The sleeve  20  has an anti-slip surface  28  defined in the outer surface thereof. That is to say, the arrangement of the rooms  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  and  25  of the sleeve  20  in  FIG. 11  is opposite to that of the sleeve  20  in  FIG. 3 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , when the user wants to rotate an object  82 , the sleeve  20  is biased by the resilient member  40  and the bead  50  in the radial hole  12  contacts the inner periphery of the second room  22  and is engaged with one of the notches  812  of the bit  81 . The bit  81  is restricted in the first room  11 . The second clip  60  contacts the second shoulder  26  of the sleeve  20 . The function end  811  of the bit  81  protrudes beyond the magnetic member  70  which magnetically attracts the object  82 . The function end  811  does not separate from the object  82 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , when removing the object  82 , the sleeve  20  moves toward the first end of the body  10 , the second clip  60  does not contact the second shoulder  26 , and the second clip  60  is exposed beyond the body  10  and does not located in the sleeve  20 . The function end  811  of the bit  81  is completely hidden in the reception room  21 . The object  82  is not engaged with the function end  811 , therefore, the object  82  can be removed from the magnetic member  70 . 
     The present invention includes the following advantages which are that when the sleeve  20  is located at the locking position, the function end  811  slightly protrudes beyond the magnetic member  70  which attracts the object  82 , so that the function end  811  does not separate from the object  82 . The bead  50  restricts the bit  81  from dropping from the first room  11 . When the object  82  is engaged with the function end  811 , the magnetic member  70  attracts the object  82  so that both the object  82  and the bit  81  are well positioned. 
     When removing the object  82 , the sleeve  20  is moved to the removing position, so that the user can easily remove the object  82  from the function end  811 . The sleeve  20  can further be moved to the releasing position, the bit  81  can be pulled out from the first room  11 . 
     The sleeve  20  plays different functions and features when being moved to the locking position, the removing position and the releasing position. 
     When the sleeve  20  is moved along the body  10  to separate the second clip  60  from the fourth room  25 , the user can pick the object  82  from the magnetic member  70 . The magnetic member  70  is securely connected to the sleeve  20  by the engagement between the flange  72  of the magnetic member  70  and the inner groove  27  of the sleeve  20 . The magnetic member  70  is restricted in the fourth room  25 . 
     The magnet  80  is located in the first room  11  to attract the bit  81 , and the bit  81  is positioned by the bead  50  as well, so that the bit  81  does not drop from the first room  11  easily. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.