Patent Publication Number: US-9406423-B1

Title: Magnetic sleeve assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a magnetic sleeve assembly, and more particularly, to a magnetic sleeve assembly mounted to a screwdriver, and a C-clip is removably engaged with the sleeve. The sleeve and the C-clip are movable between two sidewalls of a groove in the screwdriver bit. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     The conventional magnetic sleeve assembly known to applicant is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,107,882 and comprises a screwdriver having a handle with a shank extending therefrom. The screwdriver has a tip at an end opposite the handle, and the shank has a fastening groove formed thereon adjacent the tip. The fastening groove defines narrow diameter on the shank and a shoulder adjacent the tip. A hollow sleeve has a fastening rim slidably positioned over the fastening groove of the shank. The shoulder abuts the fastening rim when the sleeve slides outwardly of the tip so as to retain the sleeve on the shank. The fastening rim extends inwardly at one end of the sleeve. A magnetic part is affixed to the opposite end of the sleeve. The magnetic part has an outer surface suitable for magnetically connecting to a screw head. The magnetic part has interior passageway, the tip of the screwdriver is slidable through the interior passageway as the fastening rim moves toward the shoulder. 
     However, because the inner diameter of the fastening rim is smaller than the diameter of the screwdriver, so that the screwdriver has to forcibly pushed to enlarge and then pass through the fastening rim and then reaches the fastening groove, and the fastening rim bounces backward to its original diameter. When the user wants to remove the screwdriver out from the sleeve, because the smaller inner diameter of the fastening rim, it is difficult to remove the screwdriver out from the sleeve, Furthermore, the sleeve has a smooth outer surface which makes the user difficult to firmly grasp the sleeve. 
     The present invention intends to provide a magnetic sleeve assembly to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a magnetic sleeve assembly and comprises a body having a function end formed on the first end thereof, and a first groove is defined in the outside of the body and located close to the function end. The first groove has a first sidewall and a second sidewall. A sleeve has a first passage defined axially therethrough, and the body extends through the first passage, and the sleeve is rotatable relative to the body. A first space is defined in the first end of the sleeve and communicates with the first passage. The diameter of the first space is larger than that of the first passage. A second groove is defined in the outside of the sleeve and located close to the second end of the sleeve. At least one through hole is defined in the inner end of the second groove and communicates with the first passage. The at least one through hole is located between two third sidewalls which are located at the inner end of the second groove. 
     A magnetic member is a ring-shaped member and has a second passage defined axially therethrough. The magnetic member is received in the first space. The second passage communicates with the first passage. A C-clip is a flexible clip and engaged with the second groove of the sleeve. When the body extends through the sleeve, at least one engaging portion of the C-clip extends through the at least one through hole and is engaged with the first groove. The width of the at least one engaging portion is smaller than that of the first groove so that the at least one engaging portion is movable between the first and second sidewalls. 
     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 sleeve assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the sleeve of the magnetic sleeve assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view, taken along line A-A in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the C-clip of the magnetic sleeve assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view to show the magnetic sleeve assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view to show the magnetic sleeve assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an end view of the magnetic sleeve assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view, taken along line C-C in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is another cross sectional view, taken along line C-C in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the magnetic sleeve assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded view of the third embodiment of the magnetic sleeve assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a side cross sectional view of the sleeve of the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view, taken along line A-A in  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 15  is an end view of the C-clip of the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  is a side view the body of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 17  is a side view the body of the sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the magnetic sleeve assembly of the present invention comprises a body  10 , a sleeve  20 , a magnetic member  30  and a C-clip  40 . The body  10  is a screwdriver bit and has a function end  11  formed on the first end thereof. A first groove  12  is defined in the outside of the body  10  and located close to the function end  11 . The first groove  12  has an inner end connected between a first sidewall  121  and a second sidewall  122 . The sleeve  20  is a tubular member and has a first passage  21  defined axially therethrough. The body  10  extends through the first passage  21  and the sleeve  20  is rotatable relative to the body  10 . A first space  22  is defined in the first end of the sleeve  20  and communicates with the first passage  21 . The diameter of the first space  22  is larger than that of the first passage  21 . A second groove  23  is defined in the outside of the sleeve  20  and located close to the second end of the sleeve  20 . At least one through hole  231  defined in the inner end of the second groove  23  and communicates with the first passage  21 . In this embodiment, there are two through holes  231  which are located at even distance in the inner end of the second groove  23 . Each of the through holes  231  is located between two third sidewalls  232  which are located at the inner end of the second groove  23 . The sidewalls  232  are parallel with the axis of the sleeve  20 . The inner end of the second groove  23  has a first curved face  233  defined between each pair of the third sidewalls  232 . The sleeve  20  has multiple annular recesses  24  defined in the outside thereof so that the user can easily grasp the sleeve  20 . 
     The magnetic member  30  is a ring-shaped member and has a second passage  31  defined axially therethrough. The magnetic member  30  is received in the first space  22 . The second passage  31  communicates with the first passage  21 . 
     The C-clip  40  is a flexible clip and engaged with the second groove  23  of the sleeve  20 . When the body  10  extends through the sleeve  20 , two engaging portions  41  of the C-clip  40  extend through the through holes  231  and engage with the first groove  12 . The width of each of the engaging portions  41  is smaller than that of the first groove  12  so that the engaging portions  41  are movable between the first and second sidewalls  121 ,  122 . Each of the engaging portions  41  is connected between two contact portions  42  which contact the two third sidewalls  232 . The C-clip  40  has two hooks  43  which are bent toward each other, the two hooks  43  contact the inner end of the second groove  23  and the first curved face  233 . An opening  44  is formed between the two extensions of the C-clip  40 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 to 7 , the magnetic member  30  is received in the first space  22 , and the second space  31  is located in alignment with the first passage  21 . The body  10  extends through the sleeve  20 , and the second groove  23  is located corresponding to the first groove  12 . The C-clip  40  is engaged with the second groove  23  from the outside of the sleeve  20 . The engaging portions  41  extend through the through holes  231  and are engaged with the first groove  12 . The function end  11  is rotatably received in the first passage  21 . The distal end of the function end  11  protrudes beyond the magnetic member  30 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the width of the first groove  12  allows the body  10  to move a pre-set distance relative to the sleeve  20 . When the user wants to rotate an object  50  in a hole by the function end  11  of the body  10 , the sleeve  20  is moved relative to the body  10  to let the C-clip  40  contact the first sidewall  121 . The function end  11  is further extended beyond the magnetic member  30  which attracts the object  50  so that the function end  11  is not separated from the object  50 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , when the user wants to detach the object  50 , the sleeve  20  is moved to let to let the C-clip  40  contact the second sidewall  122 . The function end  11  is in flush with the magnetic member  30  so that the function end  11  is separated from the object  50  which is still attracted to the magnetic member  30 . The user can easily remove the object  50  from the magnetic member  30 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the body  10  is a screwdriver bit and a hexagonal wrench. 
       FIGS. 13 to 15  show that the sleeve  20  has only one through hole  231 , and the C-clip  40  has only one engaging portion  41 , and the C-clip is a D-shaped clip. 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 , the first groove  12  of the body  10  includes an inclined annular face  123  which is connected between a first face  124  and a second face  125 . Each of the first and second faces  124 ,  125  has an even diameter. The first face  124  is located close to the function  11 . The diameter of the second face  125  is larger than the diameter of the first face  124  and is smaller than the diameter of the body  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 17 , the first groove  12  of the body  10  includes an inclined annular face  123  which is connected between a first face  124  and a second face  125 . Each of the first and second faces  124 ,  125  has an even diameter. The diameter of the second face  125  is larger than the diameter of the first face  124  and is the same as the diameter of the body  10 . When the body  10  is to be inserted into a deep hole to reach an object  50  in the hole, and the outer diameter of the sleeve  20  is larger than an inner diameter of the hole. The sleeve  20  is slidably mounted to the body  10  without being restricted by the first sidewall  121 , the body  10  is able to reach the object  50  in the hole. 
     The present invention has the following advantages: 
     The C-clip  40  is engaged with the second groove  23  of the sleeve  20  when the sleeve  20  is mounted to the body  10 , the engaging portions  41  are engaged with the first groove  12  so that the assembly of the sleeve  20  and the C-clip  40  is quick. 
     The length of the groove  12  of the body  1  is designed to cooperate with the C-clip  40 , the first groove  12  allows the sleeve  20  and the C-clip  40  to move a pre-set distance in the first groove  12 . The C-clip  40  is restricted to be engaged with the body  10  and does not drop off. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the magnetic member  30  attracts the object  50  and the magnetic member  30  is movable to connect the function end  11  to the object  50  or to separate the function end  11  from the object  50 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , when the object  50  is removed from the hole, it is attracted by the magnetic member  30  and does not drop. 
     The C-clip  40  has a certain level of flexibility to mount the sleeve  20  to the body  10 . When the sleeve  20  is to be removed from the body  10 , the user pulls the hooks  43  away from each other from the opening  44  of the C-clip  40 , the C-clip  40  is then removed from the second groove  23 , and then the sleeve  20  can be separated from the body  10 . It is easy to remove the sleeve  20  and the C-clip  40 . When the sleeve  20  is larger than the hole, and the body  10  is to be connected to the object  50  in the hole, the sleeve  20  can be removed from the body  10 , and the body  10  can be inserted into the hole and reaches the object  50 . 
     The annular recesses  24  in the outside of the sleeve  20  are designed to allow the user to grasp the sleeve  20  firmly and 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.