Patent Publication Number: US-7587799-B2

Title: Installation tool for helical coil inserts

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an installation tool, and more particularly to an installation tool including a number of driving shanks selectively or changeably attached to a driving mandrel for changeably engaging with different helical coil inserts having different outer or inner diameters and for installing the different helical coil inserts in the tapped holes or screw holes formed in the work piece. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Typically, the screw holes formed in the work pieces are provided for engaging with screws or bolts or the other fasteners, and will be broken or damaged after use, such that the screws or bolts or the other fasteners may not be suitably engaged with the screw holes of the work pieces. 
   A helical coil insert has been developed and provided for engaging into the tapped holes or the damaged screw holes of the work piece for threading or engaging with the other screws or bolts or the other fasteners. 
   An installation tool has also been developed and provided for engaging with the helical coil inserts and for forcing and installing the helical coil inserts into the tapped holes or the damaged screw holes of the work pieces. 
   For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,270 to Czarnowski, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,959 to Czarnowski disclose two of the typical installation tools each comprising an elongate threaded mandrel for engaging with the helical coil inserts and for forcing and installing the helical coil inserts into the tapped holes or the damaged screw holes of the work pieces. 
   However, the elongate threaded mandrel includes a predetermined outer diameter that may only be used for engaging with a helical coil insert also having the predetermined inner diameter, but may not be used for engaging with the other helical coil inserts, such that the user has to spend a lot of money to purchase a number of different installation tools having different driving shanks for engaging with different helical coil inserts having different outer or inner diameters. 
   The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional installation tools for installing the helical coil inserts. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an installation tool including a number of driving shanks selectively or changeably attached to a driving mandrel for changeably engaging with different helical coil inserts having different outer or inner diameters and for installing the different helical coil inserts in the tapped holes or screw holes formed in the work piece. 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an installation tool comprising a first helical coil insert including a central extension, at least one second helical coil insert including a central extension and including an outer diameter different from that of the first helical coil insert, a first driving shank including a compartment formed in a first end portion thereof and formed by a peripheral wall, and including at least one notch formed in the peripheral wall for engaging with the central extension of either of the first and the second helical coil inserts and for installing either of the first and the second helical coil inserts into a hole of a work piece, at least one second driving shank including a compartment formed in a first end portion of the second driving shank and formed by a peripheral wall, and including at least one notch formed in the peripheral wall of the second driving shank for engaging with the central extension of either of the first and the second helical coil inserts and for installing either of the first and the second helical coil inserts into the hole of the work piece, and a rotating device for rotating the first and the second driving shanks to install either of the first and the second helical coil inserts into the hole of the work piece. 
   The rotating device includes a driving mandrel having a non-circular engaging hole formed in a first end portion thereof, and the first and the second driving shanks each include a non-circular segment provided on a second end portion thereof for engaging with the non-circular engaging hole of the driving mandrel and for allowing the first and the second driving shanks and the first and the second helical coil inserts to be changeably rotated by the driving mandrel. 
   The driving mandrel includes a handle coupled to the driving mandrel for rotating the driving mandrel. An outer sleeve may further be provided and rotatably engaged with the driving mandrel and provided for being held by a user for allowing the driving mandrel to be rotated relative to the outer sleeve. 
   A first guiding member and at least one second guiding member may further be provided and changeably attached to the outer sleeve and each include a bore formed therein for slidably and rotatably receiving either of the first and the second driving shanks. 
   The outer sleeve includes an inner thread formed therein, and the first and the second guiding members each include an outer thread formed thereon for engaging with the inner thread of the outer sleeve and for detachably attaching either of the first and the second guiding members to the outer sleeve. 
   The first and the second guiding members each include an enlarged opening formed therein for forming a peripheral shoulder between the bore and the enlarged opening thereof and for engaging with the first and the second helical coil inserts to the first and the second guiding members. 
   The first and the second guiding members each include at least one spring-biased projection attached thereto. For example, the first and the second guiding members each include a screw hole formed therein for engaging with a fastener, and the spring-biased projection is attached to the fastener. 
   The driving mandrel may further include a graduation provided on an outer peripheral portion thereof for indicating a relative movement between the outer sleeve and the driving mandrel. 
   Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a partial exploded view illustrating the operation of an installation tool in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is another partial exploded view of the installation tool; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a casing or tool box for receiving and storing the installation tool; and 
       FIG. 4  is a further partial exploded view illustrating the other application of the installation tool. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , an installation tool  1  in accordance with the present invention comprises two or more driving shanks  10 ,  11 ,  12  having different outer diameters for changeably engaging with different helical coil inserts  20  having different outer or inner diameters and for installing the different helical coil inserts  20  in the tapped holes or damaged screw holes  80  formed in a work piece  8  and for threading or engaging with the other screws or bolts or fasteners  88  ( FIG. 1 ). The driving shanks  10 - 12  each include a compartment  13  formed in one end portion  14  thereof and formed or defined by a peripheral wall  15 , and one or more (such as two opposite) notches  16  formed in the peripheral wall  15  for engaging with a central extension  21  of the helical coil insert  20  and for allowing the helical coil insert  20  to be rotated or driven or forced or installed into the tapped holes or damaged screw holes  80  of the work piece  8 . 
   It is preferable that the driving shanks  10 - 12  each include a magnet  17  disposed or engaged into the compartment  13  of the driving shank  10 - 12  for engaging with or for attracting and retaining the helical coil insert  20  to the driving shank  10 - 12 , and each include a non-circular segment  18  formed or provided on the other end portion  19  thereof for engaging with or for coupling to a driving means or device  3 . For example, the driving means or device  3  includes a driving mandrel  30  having a non-circular engaging hole  31  formed or provided on one end portion  32  thereof for engaging with the corresponding non-circular segment  18  of the driving shank  10 - 12  and thus for allowing the driving shank  10 - 12  and the helical coil insert  20  to be rotated or driven by the driving mandrel  30 , and a handle  33  laterally coupled to the other end portion  34  thereof for rotating or driving the driving shank  10 - 12  and the helical coil insert  20  with an increased driving torque. 
   An outer sleeve  35  may further be provided and rotatably engaged with or onto the driving mandrel  30  with such as bearings (not shown) and for allowing the driving mandrel  30  to be rotated relative to the outer sleeve  35  which is provided for being held or grasped by the users. The driving mandrel  30  may further include a graduation  36  formed or provided on the outer peripheral portion thereof for indicating the relative movement or position between the outer sleeve  35  and the driving mandrel  30  and/or the driving shank  10 - 12 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , a retaining member  37  may be engaged into the outer sleeve  35  for engaging with the driving mandrel  30  and for retaining the driving mandrel  30  to the outer sleeve  35  and for preventing the driving mandrel  30  from being disengaged or separated from the outer sleeve  35 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the driving means or device  3  may include a handle  38  attached to the driving mandrel  30  for operating the driving mandrel  30 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the outer sleeve  35  includes an inner thread  39  formed in one end portion thereof for threading or engaging with a guiding means or device  5  which includes a number of guiding heads or members  50  each having an outer thread  51  formed thereon for threading or engaging with the inner thread  39  of the outer sleeve  35  and for detachably attaching or securing the guiding members  50  to the outer sleeve  35 , the guiding members  50  each include a bore  52  formed therein for slidably and rotatably receiving the driving shank  10 - 12 , and each include an enlarged opening  53  formed in the outer portion thereof for partially receiving the helical coil inserts  20  and for forming a peripheral shoulder  54  between the bore  52  and the enlarged opening  53  and for engaging with or for anchoring the helical coil inserts  20  to the guiding members  50 . 
   It is to be noted that the openings  53  of the guiding members  50  may include different inner diameters for changeably engaging with different helical coil inserts  20  having different outer or inner diameters, and the driving shanks  10 - 12  of different outer diameters and the guiding members  50  may be changeably attached or coupled to the driving mandrel  30  for allowing the different helical coil inserts  20  to be changeably rotated or driven or forced or installed into the tapped holes or damaged screw holes  80  of the work piece  8 . One or more of the guiding members  50  each may further include one or more (such as two opposite) screw holes  55  formed therein for threading or engaging with the other screws or bolts or the other fasteners  56  each having a spring-biased detent or projection  57  attached thereto for such as engaging with the driving shanks  10 - 12  and/or the helical coil inserts  20  and for anchoring the driving shanks  10 - 12  and/or the helical coil inserts  20  to the guiding members  50 . 
   In operation, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a casing or tool box  60  may further be provided for receiving and storing the installation tool  1 , in which only one driving means or device  3  is required to be provided and engaged into the tool box  60 , and a number of driving shanks  10 - 12  and a number of guiding members  50  may also be received and stored in the tool box  60  and may be selectively and changeably attached or coupled to the driving mandrel  30  for allowing the different helical coil inserts  20  to be changeably rotated or driven or forced or installed into the tapped holes or damaged screw holes  80  of the work piece  8 . 
   Accordingly, the installation tool in accordance with the present invention includes a number of driving shanks selectively or changeably attached to a driving mandrel for changeably engaging with different helical coil inserts having different outer or inner diameters and for installing the different helical coil inserts in the tapped holes or screw holes formed in the work piece. 
   Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.