Patent Publication Number: US-7905163-B1

Title: Tool combination

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a tool combination, and more particularly to a tool combination including a pivotal head selectively rotatable or drivable with a power driving tool or rotatable or drivable manually. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Typical ratchet wrench tools comprise a ratchet tool head rotatably or pivotally mounted or attached to a handle or tool holder and rotatable relative to the handle or tool holder to any selected angular positions. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,107 to Avery discloses one of the typical ratchet wrench tool head positioners comprising a ratchet tool head including a number of spaced transverse grooves formed therein for rotatably or pivotally attaching to a tool holder in selected positions. 
     However, the typical ratchet wrench tool head may only be rotated or driven manually, but may not be rotated or driven by the power driving tools. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,145 to Inoue discloses another typical ratchet handle comprising a handle angularly adjusted relative to the tool carrying head, and a complicated moving part provided to engage with the tool carrying head and to lock the handle and the head in the desired angular relationship. 
     However, similarly, the typical ratchet handle may only be rotated or driven manually, but may not be rotated or driven by the power driving tools. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,289 to Salyer discloses a typical shielded universal joint having a pivot head defining a primary axis, and having a pin defines a first pivot axis extending longitudinally through the pin, and the pin and a throat define a second pivot axis extending through the throat and the pin perpendicular to the first pivot axis. 
     However, similarly, the typical shielded universal joint also may only be rotated or driven manually, but may not be rotated or driven by the power driving tools. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,740 to Ernst discloses a further typical flexible head socket wrench comprising a socket driver head pinned to a clevis on a shaft and arranged for allowing the socket driver head to be rotated or pivoted relative to the shaft to any selected angular positions. 
     However, similarly, the typical ratchet handle may only be rotated or driven manually, but may not be rotated or driven by the power driving tools. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,473 to Huang discloses a still further typical rotatable tool driving head comprising a lock device for selectively locking the driving head to a tool member and for preventing the driving head from rotating relative to the tool member about a pivotal coupler. 
     However, similarly, the typical rotatable tool driving head may only be rotated or driven manually, but may not be rotated or driven by the power driving tools. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,787 to Jarvis discloses a still further typical locking swivel wrench comprising a jointed drive head situated in a series of angular positions relative to a handle, and a holding device for temporarily holding the driving head at a predetermined angle with respect to the handle. 
     However, similarly, the typical rotatable tool driving head may only be rotated or driven manually, but may not be rotated or driven by the power driving tools. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional ratchet wrench tools or tool combinations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a tool combination including a pivotal head selectively rotatable or drivable with a power driving tool or selectively rotatable or drivable manually. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a tool combination comprising a shaft including a first end portion, and including a second end portion, and the shaft including a non-circular segment formed therein, a tool carrying head including a stud pivotally mounted to the second end portion of the shaft, and a sleeve slidably and rotatably and selectively engaging onto the shaft, and including a first end portion having a compartment formed therein for slidably and rotatably receiving the second end portion of the shaft and the stud of the tool carrying head and for retaining the stud of the tool carrying head in line with the shaft, and the sleeve including a second end portion, and the sleeve including a non-circular space formed therein, the first end portion of the shaft is engageable with a power driving tool for being selectively rotated and driven by the power driving tool, and the non-circular segment of the shaft is engageable with the non-circular space of the sleeve for allowing the shaft to be selectively rotated and driven by the sleeve, and shaft is rotatable relative to the sleeve when the non-circular segment of the shaft is disengaged from the non-circular space of the sleeve. 
     The shaft includes at least one peripheral recess formed therein, and the sleeve includes a detent slidably attached to the sleeve for selectively engaging with the peripheral recess of the shaft and for securing the sleeve to the shaft at a selected position. 
     A control ferrule is further provided and attached onto the sleeve and engageable with the detent for forcing the detent to engage with the peripheral recess of the shaft. 
     The sleeve includes a retaining ring attached thereon, and the control ferrule includes at least one ratchet groove formed therein for selectively engaging with the retaining ring and for anchoring the control ferrule to the sleeve. 
     The shaft includes a retaining ring attached thereon, and the sleeve includes at least one ratchet groove formed therein for selectively engaging with the retaining ring and for anchoring the sleeve to the shaft. 
     The tool carrying head includes a number of depressions formed in the stud, and the shaft includes a detent slidably attached to the shaft for selectively engaging with either of the depressions of the stud of the tool carrying head. 
     The shaft includes a latch slidably attached to the shaft for selectively engaging with the detent and for forcing the detent to engage with either of the depressions of the stud of the tool carrying head. 
     The latch includes a recess formed therein for selectively receiving the detent and for allowing the detent to be disengaged from the stud of the tool carrying head. 
     The tool carrying head includes a driving shank provided thereon, and the driving shank is coupled to the stud of the tool carrying head with a ratchet device. 
     The shaft includes a spring-biased projection engaged in the non-circular segment of the shaft for engaging with the non-circular space of the sleeve. 
     The shaft includes a non-circular stem provided on the first end portion of the shaft and extendible out of the sleeve and engageable with the power driving tool. The sleeve includes a hand grip provided on the second end portion of the sleeve for being grasped and held by a user. 
     The sleeve includes an enlarged space formed in the second end portion of the sleeve for selectively receiving and engaging with the non-circular segment of the shaft. The sleeve includes a lid attached to the second end portion of the sleeve for partially blocking the enlarged space of the sleeve. 
     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 and partial cross sectional view of a tool combination in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial cross sectional view of the tool combination; 
         FIG. 3  is another partial cross sectional view similar to  FIG. 2 , illustrating the operation of the tool combination; 
         FIG. 4  is another partial exploded and partial cross sectional view similar to  FIG. 1 , illustrating the other arrangement of the tool combination; 
         FIGS. 5 ,  6  are partial cross sectional views illustrating the operation of the tool combination as shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a further partial exploded and partial cross sectional view similar to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , illustrating the further arrangement of the tool combination; and 
         FIGS. 8 ,  9  are partial cross sectional views illustrating the operation of the tool combination as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a tool combination in accordance with the present invention comprises a shaft  10  including one or more (such as two) peripheral recesses  11 ,  12  formed in the middle portion  13  thereof, and including a non-circular stem  14  formed or provided on one end portion  15  thereof, and including another non-circular segment  16  also formed or provided on the one end portion  15  thereof and located or arranged between the middle portion  13  thereof and the non-circular stem  14 , and including a spring-biased projection  17  engaged in the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10 , and including a cavity  18  laterally formed or provided in the other end portion  19  thereof for slidably receiving a latch  20 . 
     A tool carrying head  30  includes one end or a stud  31  rotatably or pivotally mounted or attached to the other end portion  19  of the shaft  10  with a pivot axle  32 , and includes a number of depressions  33  formed in the outer peripheral portion of the stud  31  and facing toward the shaft  10  and the latch  20 , and includes a driving shank  34  formed or attached or provided thereon directly or in directly with a ratchet device  35  for allowing the driving shank  34  or the tool carrying head  30  to be rotated or driven by the shaft  10  in either direction. The ratchet device  35  is typical and will not be described in further details. The driving shank  34  may be provided for engaging with tool shanks, tool extensions or the other tool members (not shown), and the latch  20  is provided for latching or securing the tool carrying head  30  to the shaft  10  at selected angular positions ( FIG. 3 ). 
     For example, a detent  21  is slidably attached to the other end portion  19  of the shaft  10  for selectively engaging with either of the depressions  33  of the tool carrying head  30  and thus for latching or securing the tool carrying head  30  to the shaft  10  at selected angular positions. The latch  20  is engageable with the detent  21  for forcing the detent  21  to engage with either of the depressions  33  of the tool carrying head  30  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) and to latch or secure the tool carrying head  30  to the shaft  10  at the required or selected angular positions, and the latch  20  includes a recess  22  formed therein for selectively receiving the detent  21  ( FIG. 3 ) and for allowing the detent  21  to be disengaged from the stud  31  of the tool carrying head  30  and thus for allowing the tool carrying head  30  to be freely rotated relative to the shaft  10 . 
     A spring biasing means or member  23  is also received or engaged in the cavity  18  of the shaft  10 , and engaged with the latch  20  for forcing or disengaging the recess  22  of the latch  20  from the detent  21  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) and for allowing the latch  20  to force the detent  21  to engage with either of the depressions  33  of the tool carrying head  30 . The latch  20  may be depressed or actuated by the user against or onto the spring biasing member  23  to align the recess  22  of the latch  20  with the detent  21  and to selectively receive the detent  21  and to allow the tool carrying head  30  to be freely rotated relative to the shaft  10  to the required or selected angular positions before the detent  21  is forced to engage with either of the depressions  33  of the tool carrying head  30  again. A retaining ring  24  is attached onto the other end portion  19  of the shaft  10 . 
     A sleeve  40  includes a bore  41  formed therein, such as formed in the middle portion  42  thereof for slidably and rotatably receiving the middle portion  13  of the shaft  10  and for slidably and rotatably engaging onto the shaft  10 , and includes a non-circular space  43  formed in one end or in the middle portion  42  of the sleeve  40  for selectively receiving or engaging with the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10  ( FIG. 3 ) and for allowing the shaft  10  to be selectively rotated or driven by the sleeve  40 , and includes an enlarged space  44  formed in one end portion  45  thereof and having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10  and for allowing the shaft  10  to be freely rotated relative to the sleeve  40  when the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10  is received or engaged in the enlarged space  44  of the sleeve  40  ( FIG. 2 ). 
     The sleeve  40  includes an enlarged compartment  46  formed or provided in the other end portion  47  thereof for slidably and rotatably receiving the other end portion  19  of the shaft  10  ( FIG. 3 ) and/or the stud  31  of the tool carrying head  30  ( FIG. 2 ) and for retaining the stud  31  of the tool carrying head  30  in line with the shaft  10 , and includes one or more (such as two) ratchet grooves  48 ,  49  formed or provided in the other end portion  47  thereof and communicating with the enlarged compartment  46  of the sleeve  40  for selectively receiving or engaging with the retaining ring  24  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 ) which may anchor or position the sleeve  40  to the shaft  10  at the required or selected positions. Another detent  50  is further provided and slidably attached to the sleeve  40  for selectively engaging with either of the peripheral recesses  11 ,  12  of the shaft  10  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 ) and for solidly securing the sleeve  40  to the shaft  10  at the required or selected positions. 
     A control ferrule  51  is slidably and rotatably attached onto the middle portion  42  of the sleeve  40  and engageable with the detent  50  for forcing the detent  50  to engage with either of the peripheral recesses  11 ,  12  of the shaft  10  ( FIG. 2 ) and to solidly latch or secure the sleeve  40  to the shaft  10  at the required or selected positions, and the control ferrule  51  includes a recess  52  formed therein for selectively receiving the detent  50  ( FIG. 3 ) and for allowing the detent  50  to be disengaged from the shaft  10  and thus for allowing the sleeve  40  to be moved relative to the shaft  10 . A retaining ring  53  is attached onto the middle portion  42  of the sleeve  40 , and the control ferrule  51  includes one or more (such as two) ratchet grooves  54 ,  55  formed or provided therein for selectively receiving or engaging with the retaining ring  53 . 
     For example, the retaining ring  53  may be engaged with one of the ratchet grooves  54  of the control ferrule  51  ( FIG. 3 ) for anchoring or positioning the control ferrule  51  to the sleeve  40  when the detent  50  is engaged in the recess  52  of the control ferrule  51 , and the retaining ring  53  may be engaged with the other ratchet groove  55  of the control ferrule  51  ( FIG. 2 ) for anchoring or positioning the control ferrule  51  to the sleeve  40  when the detent  50  is disengaged from the recess  52  of the control ferrule  51  and when the detent  50  is forced to engage with either of the peripheral recesses  11 ,  12  of the shaft  10  and to solidly latch or secure the sleeve  40  to the shaft  10  at the required or selected positions, and thus to prevent the sleeve  40  from further sliding relative to the shaft  10 . 
     In operation, as shown in  FIG. 2 , when the sleeve  40  is moved forwardly relative to the shaft  10  to have both the other end portion  19  of the shaft  10  and the stud  31  of the tool carrying head  30  received or engaged in the enlarged compartment  46  of the sleeve  40 , the detent  50  may be aligned with and engaged with the forward or front peripheral recess  11  of the shaft  10 , and the control ferrule  51  may be moved relative to the shaft  10  to force the detent  50  to engage with the peripheral recess  11  of the shaft  10  and to solidly latch or secure the sleeve  40  to the shaft  10  at the required or selected position. At this moment, the non-circular stem  14  is extendible out of the sleeve  40  and engageable with the power driving tool  8  for being rotated or driven by the power driving tool  8 . 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 3 , when the sleeve  40  is moved rearwardly relative to the shaft  10  to have the stud  31  of the tool carrying head  30  disengaged from the sleeve  40 , the tool carrying head  30  may be rotated or adjusted relative to the shaft  10  to any required or selected position, and the latch  20  may selectively force the detent  21  to engage with either of the depressions  33  of the tool carrying head  30  and to latch or secure the tool carrying head  30  to the shaft  10  at the required or selected angular positions. At this moment, the detent  50  may be engaged with the rear peripheral recess  12  of the shaft  10  in order to latch or secure the sleeve  40  to the shaft  10  at the required or selected position, and the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10  may be engaged with the non-circular space  43  of the sleeve  40  for allowing the shaft  10  to be selectively rotated or driven by the sleeve  40  manually. 
     A hand grip  57  made of soft or resilient materials, such as rubber, plastic or other synthetic materials may be formed or provided or molded onto the one end portion  45  of the sleeve  40  for being softly or comfortably grasped or held by the user, and a lid  58  may also be made of soft or resilient materials, such as rubber, plastic or other synthetic materials, and may be attached or engaged into the one end portion  45  of the sleeve  40  for partially blocking the enlarged space  44  of the sleeve  40 , and may include a bore  59  formed therein for slidably and stably receiving the non-circular stem  14  of the shaft  10  and for allowing the non-circular stem  14  of the shaft  10  to be selectively extended out of the sleeve  40  and to be selectively rotated or driven by the power driving tool  8 , and also for preventing the non-circular stem  14  of the shaft  10  from vibrating relative to the sleeve  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10  is engaged with the non-circular space  43  of the sleeve  40 , the spring-biased projection  17  may also be engaged with the non-circular space  43  of the sleeve  40  for anchoring or positioning the shaft  10  to the sleeve  40 , and the spring-biased projection  17  may also be engaged with the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve  40  when the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10  is engaged with the enlarged space  44  of the sleeve  40  for stably receiving the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10  in the enlarged space  44  of the sleeve  40  and for preventing the non-circular segment  16  of the shaft  10  from vibrating relative to the sleeve  40 . 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the tool carrying head  301  may include an engaging hole  36  formed in the driving shank  37  for engaging with a driven tool member  80 , such as the screwdriver bit  80  and for allowing the driven tool member  80  to be rotated or driven by the driving shank  37  of the tool carrying head  301  and the shaft  101 . A spring-biased projection  38  may be engaged in the other end portion  19  of the shaft  101  for engaging with either of the depressions  33  of the tool carrying head  301  and thus for latching or securing the tool carrying head  301  to the shaft  101  at selected angular positions. The shaft  101  includes a circular segment  161  formed or provided on the one end portion  15  thereof and located or arranged between the middle portion  13  thereof and the non-circular stem  14 . 
     The sleeve  401  includes a non-circular orifice  441  formed in one end portion  45  thereof for selectively engaging with the non-circular stem  14  of the shaft  101  ( FIG. 6 ) and for allowing the shaft  101  to be selectively rotated or driven by the sleeve  401  manually. Alternatively, the non-circular stem  14  may also be extended out of the sleeve  401  and engageable with the power driving tool  8  for being selectively rotated or driven by the power driving tool  8 . At this moment, the circular segment  161  of the shaft  101  is rotatably engaged or received in the non-circular orifice  441  of the sleeve  401  for allowing the shaft  101  to be freely rotated relative to the sleeve  401  by the power driving tool  8 . 
     Further alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , the shaft  102  includes a socket or coupler  60  provided or attached to the one end portion  15  thereof, and the coupler  60  includes a non-circular engaging hole  61  formed therein for selectively engaging with the driving shank  82  of the power driving tool  88  ( FIG. 8 ) and for allowing the shaft  102  to be selectively rotated or driven by the power driving tool  88  automatically, the coupler  60  further includes a non-circular portion  63  formed or provided thereon. The sleeve  402  includes a non-circular space  431  formed in the middle portion  42  of the sleeve  402  for selectively receiving or engaging with the non-circular portion  63  of the coupler  60  ( FIG. 9 ) and for allowing the coupler  60  and the shaft  102  to be selectively rotated or driven by the sleeve  402  manually. 
     It is to be noted that the typical ratchet wrench tools or screwdriver tools failed to provide a shaft  10  having one end  15  extendible out of an outer sleeve  40  for selectively engaging with the power driving tool  8  and for being rotated or driven by the power driving tool  8  automatically, and simultaneously, the shaft  10  is engageable with or into the sleeve  40  and includes a non-circular stem  14  formed or provided on one end portion  15  thereof for selectively engaging with the non-circular space  43  of the sleeve  40  and for allowing the shaft  10  to be selectively rotated or driven by the sleeve  40  manually. 
     Accordingly, the tool combination in accordance with the present invention includes a pivotal head selectively rotatable or drivable with a power driving tool or selectively rotatable or drivable manually. 
     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.