Patent Publication Number: US-6701809-B2

Title: Expandable magnetic socket wrench connector device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to a magnetic socket wrench connector device, in particular, to provide an improved magnetic socket wrench connector device capable of adjusting its length to fit all kinds of socket wrenches. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Socket wrenches, also referred to as ratchet wrenches, have a rectangular drive to rotate a socket, which engages a nut or bolt head causing it to rotate. A plurality of sockets is used, each socket having a different size opening to fit a different size nut or bolt. The drive for all the sockets is the same. Generally the sockets are stored separate from the wrench. 
     To tighten a bolt, a user has to use one hand to hold the wrench engaged with a socket and use another hand to insert the bolt into the socket then start tightens it to the desired position. Using a socket wrench to loose a bolt, a user use one hand to handle the wrench and when the bolt is loosened, the user has to use another hand to take it out or to catch it before it fall to the ground. During the process of tighten or loose a bolt, a user usually will hold something that is fixed to ground or wall to support his body with one hand and use the other hand to do the work of tightening or loosening the bolt. It&#39;s not convenient for a user to do so many things when he is tightening or loosening a bolt. Especially for those who only have one arm, it&#39;s difficult to handle the socket wrench and at the same time pay attention not to let the bolt fall out. 
     One related art to overcome this problem is a magnetic socket wrench connector device shown in FIG.  5 . The device  60  contains the concave portion  61  at one end to engage with the spur  61  of the socket wrench  70  and at the other end. There is a protruding portion  62  to engage with the socket  80 . The protruding portion can extend through the end of the socket  80  and into the concave portion  81 . The magnet  63  is attached to the front face of the protruding portion  62 . When the bolt  90  is set in to the concave portion, the magnet  63  can attract the head  91  the bolt  90 . When the bolt is loosened, the head  91  of the bolt will still be attracted by the magnet  63 , so the bolt  90  will not fall out. Therefore, A user can use the wrench  70  with only one hand. 
     However, The wrench  70  has the following disadvantages: 1. The manufacture of the device  60  is complicated and the cost is high. In order to fit with different sockets with different specifications, the device  60  has to comply with different socket wrenches and sockets and each device  60  has a magnet  63  attached to it, so it&#39;s complicated. 2. The size of the device  60  is big and inconvenient to operate it. The length of the protruding portion  62  is fixed, so when the device  60  is used with smaller sockets, the protruding portion  62  that extend into the concave portion  81  will be longer than the use needs and therefore, a head of the bolt  90  may not be fully inserted into the concave portion  81 . On the other side, when the device  60  is used with a larger socket  80 , the protruding portion  62  that extend into the concave portion  81  will be too short and the magnet  63  cannot fully contact the bolt  90 . The magnet then cannot catch the bolt  90  securely. 
     What we need is a kind device that not only can attract bolts but also the length is adjustable to fit different kinds of socket wrenches and sockets and at the same time it&#39;s easy to manufacture and the cost is low. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a socket wrench connector device, which can attract the bolts and its length is adjustable to fit different socket wrenches and sockets. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a socket wrench connector device to be easily manufactured and the cost is comparatively low. 
     The present invention, briefly summarized, in one embodiment discloses a elastic magnetic socket wrench connector device, which contains: first tube with first magnet fixed at first end and an inward stop around second end; second tube sliding through the second end with one end inside the first tube, the inside end has a flange and with second magnet fixed at outside end; The inward stop preventing the flange from sliding off the first tube and the first magnet and the second magnet are of the same magnetic poles. The first magnet has stronger magnetic force than that of said second magnet. The cross sections of the first tube and the second tube can be circular or rectangular. The first magnet and the second magnet are fixed inside the first tube and second tube or attached at one end of each tube. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more clearly understood after refer to the following detailed description read in conjunction with the drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a exploded perspective view of the embodiment; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross section view of the embodiment; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment illustrating its use with a conventional socket wrench and bolt; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross section view of the embodiment illustrating its use with a conventional socket wrench and bolt; and 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a related art illustrating its use with a conventional socket wrench and bolt. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to FIG.  1  and FIG. 2 of the drawings, reference numeral  1  refers generally to a elastic magnetic socket wrench connector device of the first preferred embodiment of the invention, which contains: first tube  10  with first magnet  13  fixed at first end and an inward stop  12  around second end; second tube  20  sliding through the second end with one end along the channel  11  inside the first tube  10 , the inside end has a flange  21  and with second magnet  22  fixed at outside end; The inward stop  12  preventing said flange from sliding off said first tube  10  and said first magnet  13  and said second magnet  22  are of the same magnetic poles. The first magnet  13  has stronger magnetic force than that of said second magnet  22 . If the material of the magnets  13  and  22  are the same and obviously the first tube  10  is bigger than the second tube  20 , so the first magnet  13  will be bigger than the second magnet  22  and the magnetic force of the first magnet  13  will be stronger than that of the second magnet  22 . 
     Since the magnetic poles of the first magnet  13  and the second magnet  22  are same, for example, they are of the N-type poles; they will reject each other. The two magnets  13  and  22  are fixed in the opposite side of the tubes, so the tubes  10  and  20  will be pushed to the opposite direction. 
     With reference to FIG.  3  and FIG. 4 of the drawings, the first magnet  13  is attracted to the spur  31  of the socket wrench  30  and the second magnet  22  is extended through the end of the socket  40  and into the concave portion  41  of the socket  40 . The head  51  of the bolt  50  is attracted to the second magnet  22  inside the concave portion  41 . Because the magnetic force of the first magnet  13  is stronger than the second magnet  22 , when the user takes the bolt  50  out of the socket  40 , the elastic magnetic socket wrench connector device  1  will not be taken out with the bolt  50 . 
     If the user presses both ends of the tubes  10  and  20 , the second tube  20  can slide along the channel  11  of the first tube  10  and if the user releases the tubes  10  and  20 , the length of the device  1  will increase because the two magnets  13  and  22  with the same magnetic poles will reject each other. Therefore the length of the device  1  can be adjusted to fit different kinds of socket wrenches and sockets. 
     When the length between the two magnets is short, the reject force is strong and when the length of the two magnets is long, the reject force become small. It&#39;s like a spring or an elastic object. 
     In order to securely attract the bolt  50  and the spur  31 , Magnets  13  and  22  is preferably a high strength magnet, such as neodymium-iron-boron. As shown in FIG.  1  and FIG. 2, the device  1  has a small size and simple structure. It&#39;s easy to make and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     Numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, and the novel features thereof are pointed out in appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrated only, and changes may be made in detail, especially, in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts, materials and the combination thereof within the principle of the invention, to the full extend indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.