Patent Publication Number: US-9884412-B2

Title: Right angle adapter with an auxiliary handle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to adapters for power tools, and more particularly to a right angle adapter with an auxiliary handle that is configured to work with a driving tool and a screwdriver bit. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     For rapid screwing and unscrewing, driving tools (i.e. pneumatic or electric screwdrivers) are often used. However, when such operations have to be performed in narrow space, such as an interval between walls or where an operator may have difficulty in stretching his/her arms, there is a further need for a right angle adapter that facilitates efficient work. Moreover, in order to ensure safe operation and stable use of right angle adapters, they are always equipped with an auxiliary handle. 
       FIG. 1  schematically shows a conventional handle-equipped right angle adapter, which comprises a main body  11 , an adjusting sleeve  12 , and an auxiliary handle  13 . The main body  11  has its adapting portion  111  provided with a working unit  15  for a screwdriver bit  14  to be inserted therein. A driving portion  112  connected to and driven by the adapting portion  111  has a driving unit  17  for a driving tool  16  to connect and drive, so as to drive the screwdriver bit  14  to rotate in either direction. The adjusting sleeve  12  is rotatably mounted around the main body  11 . The auxiliary handle  13  has a grip portion  131  for a user&#39;s hand  18  to hold. Furthermore, a positioning portion  132  is connected to the grip portion  131  and comes apart from or presses against the main body  11 . By controlling the auxiliary handle  13  to become loose or tight, the adjusting sleeve  12  is allowed to rotate freely or is driven to rotate and then be positioned. In the latter case, the relative angle between the auxiliary handle  13  and the main body  11  varies to adapt to different site requirements, thereby improving working efficiency. 
     Adjustment of the auxiliary handle  13  involves first unscrewing the auxiliary handle  13 , aligning a positioning mark  121  on the adjusting sleeve  12  to a positioning mark  113  on the main body  11 , and then screwing the auxiliary handle  13  to make a positioning portion  132  on the auxiliary handle  13  well positioned in a notch (not shown) formed on the main body  11 , thereby having the adjusted angle fixed. However, when the positioning mark  121  of the adjusting sleeve  12  and the positioning mark  113  of the main body  11  come to align with each other, there is a lack of a means that preliminarily positions the adjusting sleeve  12  with respect to the main body  11 . In other words, the foregoing alignment is unstable. As a result, when screwed to tight, the auxiliary handle  13  may fail to be secured on the main body  11  and bring about an angular offset between the adjusting sleeve  12  and the main body  11 . For this reason, the angular adjustment of the conventional auxiliary handle  13  is somehow inconvenient and unreliable. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a right angle adapter with an auxiliary handle, with the attempt to make angular adjustment of the auxiliary handle more convenient. 
     For achieving the aforementioned objective, the disclosed right angle adapter comprises: a main body having a driving portion, an adapting portion connected to the driving portion, a polygonal positioning portion peripherally formed around the driving portion, and a peripheral groove that is depressed from the driving portion and is farther from the adapting portion as compared to the polygonal positioning portion; an adjusting sleeve being movably and rotatably assembled to the main body, and having a socket for receiving the driving portion, a polygonal positioning recess that is depressed from an inner wall of the socket and for disengageably combining with the polygonal positioning portion, a returning recess depressed from the inner wall of the socket, and a threaded hole communicated with the socket and located between the polygonal positioning recess and the returning recess; a retaining member, being mounted around the peripheral groove of the main body and partially raised from the driving portion; a spring member, being mounted around the driving portion and providing the adjusting sleeve with a resilient returning force, the spring member having a first end abutting against the returning recess and a second end abutting against the retaining member raised from the surface of the driving portion; and the auxiliary handle, having a grip portion and an abutting portion that is connected to the grip portion and screwed into the threaded hole, wherein the abutting portion is configured to stay apart from or presses against the driving portion; 
     whereby, when the abutting portion of the auxiliary handle leaves from the driving portion, the auxiliary handle drives the adjusting sleeve to move away from the adapting portion of the main body, and makes the spring member accumulate a resilient returning force for later returning the adjusting sleeve, and when the polygonal positioning recess of the adjusting sleeve leaves from the polygonal positioning portion of the main body, the auxiliary handle drives the adjusting sleeve to rotate with respect to the driving portion of the main body, and when the spring member returns the adjusting sleeve, the polygonal positioning recess of the adjusting sleeve is mounted around and engaged with the polygonal positioning portion of the main body, the adjusting sleeve is prevented from rotating with respect to the driving portion of the main body, and when the abutting portion of the auxiliary handle presses against the driving portion, the auxiliary handle is prevented from driving the adjusting sleeve to move away from the adapting portion of the main body. 
     Preferably, the polygonal positioning portion of the main body is a dodecagonal positioning portion, and the polygonal positioning recess of the adjusting sleeve is a dodecagonal positioning recess. 
     Preferably, the polygonal positioning portion of the main body is an octadecagonal positioning portion, and the polygonal positioning recess of the adjusting sleeve is an octadecagonal positioning recess. 
     Preferably, the main body further has a limiting recess that is depressed from the driving portion and located between the polygonal positioning portion and the peripheral groove, so that when the polygonal positioning recess of the adjusting sleeve is mounted around and engaged with the polygonal positioning portion, the limiting recess allows the abutting portion of the auxiliary handle to enter thereto or retract therefrom. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of a conventional right angle adapter with an auxiliary handle. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially sectioned view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is based on  FIG. 4  and shows the auxiliary handle loose. 
         FIG. 6  is based on  FIG. 4  and shows the polygonal positioning recess of the adjusting sleeve staying apart from the polygonal positioning portion of the main body. 
         FIG. 7  is an applied view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing that the auxiliary handle drives the adjusting sleeve to rotate for an angle. 
         FIG. 8  is another applied view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing that the auxiliary handle is positioned after rotation. 
         FIG. 9  is a partial, cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention, showing that the polygonal positioning portion of the main body is an octadecagonal positioning portion, and the polygonal positioning recess of the adjusting sleeve is an octadecagonal positioning recess. 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a partially sectioned view of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , in the first embodiment of the present invention, a right angle adapter with an auxiliary handle primarily comprises a main body  20 , an adjusting sleeve  30 , a retaining member  40 , a spring member  50  and the auxiliary handle  60 . 
     The main body  20  has a driving portion  21 , an adapting portion  22  connected to the driving portion  21 , a polygonal positioning portion  23  peripherally formed around the driving portion  21 , and a peripheral groove  24  that is depressed from the driving portion  21  and is farther from the adapting portion  22  as compared to the polygonal positioning portion  23 . In the present embodiment, the driving portion  21  has a round sectional shape with its diameter slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the polygonal positioning portion  23 . In addition, the polygonal positioning portion  23  of the main body  20  is herein a dodecagonal positioning portion. Alternatively, the polygonal positioning portion  23  of the main body  20  may be an octadecagonal positioning portion as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     The adjusting sleeve  30  is movably and rotatably assembled to the main body  20 , and has a socket  31  for receiving the driving portion  21 , a polygonal positioning recess  32  that is depressed from an inner wall of the socket  31  and for disengageably combining with the polygonal positioning portion  23 , a returning recess  33  depressed from the inner wall of the socket  31 , and a threaded hole  34  communicated with the socket  31  and located between the polygonal positioning recess  32  and the returning recess  33 . In the present embodiment, the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  is a dodecagonal positioning recess. Alternatively, the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  may be an octadecagonal positioning recess as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     The retaining member  40  is mounted around the peripheral groove  24  of the main body  20  and is partially raised from the surface of the driving portion  21 . In the present embodiment, the retaining member  40  is a C ring. 
     The spring member  50  is mounted around the driving portion  21  and provides the adjusting sleeve  30  with a resilient returning force. The spring member  50  has a first end  51  abutting against the returning recess  33  and a second end  52  abutting against the retaining member  40  raised from the surface of the driving portion  21 . In the present embodiment, the spring member  50  is a compression spring. 
     The auxiliary handle  60  has a grip portion  61  and an abutting portion  62  that is connected to the grip portion  61  and screwed into the threaded hole  34 . The abutting portion  62  comes apart from or presses against the surface of the driving portion  21 . 
     When the abutting portion  62  of the auxiliary handle  60  leaves from the surface of the driving portion  21 , the auxiliary handle  60  drives the adjusting sleeve  30  to move away from the adapting portion  22  of the main body  20 , and let the spring member  50  accumulate a resilience that later returns the adjusting sleeve  30 . When the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  separates from the polygonal positioning portion  23  of the main body  20 , the auxiliary handle  60  drives the adjusting sleeve  30  to rotate with respect to the driving portion  21  of the main body  20 . When the spring member  50  returns the adjusting sleeve  30  to its initial position, the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  engages with the polygonal positioning portion  23  of the main body  20 . Consequently, the adjusting sleeve  30  is prevented from rotating with respect to the driving portion  21  of the main body  20 . When the abutting portion  62  of the auxiliary handle  60  presses against the surface of the driving portion  21 , the auxiliary handle  60  is prevented from driving the adjusting sleeve  30  to move away from the adapting portion  22  of the main body  20 . 
     With the configuration as described above, the first embodiment of the present invention has the angular adjustment between the auxiliary handle and the main body performed as illustrated below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the auxiliary handle  60  is first rotated to make the abutting portion  62  leave from the surface of the driving portion  21  of the main body  20 . 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the auxiliary handle  60  is such handled that it drives the adjusting sleeve  30  to move away from the adapting portion  22  of the main body  20 , to the extent that the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  is fully disengaged from the polygonal positioning portion  23  of the main body  20 . At this time, the adjusting sleeve  30  compresses the spring member  50 , making the spring member  50  accumulate a resilience for later returning the adjusting sleeve  30 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the auxiliary handle  60  is rotated upon the driving portion  21  of the main body  20  for a desired angle. At this time, the adjusting sleeve  30  also rotate for an angle, and the spring member  50  holds the resilience for later returning the adjusting sleeve  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , release of the auxiliary handle  60  makes the adjusting sleeve  30  move away from the adapting portion  22  of the main body  20 . At this time, the spring member  50  uses the accumulated returning resilience to push the adjusting sleeve  30  and the auxiliary handle  60  toward the adapting portion  22  of the main body  20 , until the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  comes to be engaged with the polygonal positioning portion  23  of the main body  20  again, so that the adjusting sleeve  30  and the auxiliary handle  60  are both prevented from rotate with respect to the main body  20 . At last, the auxiliary handle  60  is screwed to tight to make the abutting portion  62  press against the surface of the driving portion  21 , thereby preventing the adjusting sleeve  30  from shifting on the driving portion  21  of the main body  20 . The angular adjustment between the auxiliary handle  60  and the main body  20  is thus accomplished. 
     It is to be noted that at the moment when the angular adjustment between the auxiliary handle  60  and the main body  20  has been done and the auxiliary handle  60  does not press against the main body  20 , the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  is mounted around the polygonal positioning portion  23  of the main body  20 . At this time, the adjusting sleeve  30  and the auxiliary handle  60  are both prevented from rotating with respect to the main body  20 . In other words, all the components are preliminarily positioned. Thus, in the process that the auxiliary handle  60  is screwed to have its abutting portion  62  pressing against the surface of the driving portion  21 , the possibility of angular change between the auxiliary handle  60  and the main body  20  is eliminated, thereby ensuring accurate adjustment and making angular adjustment of the auxiliary handle  60  more convenient. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , in the second embodiment of the present invention, the right angle adapter similarly has the main body  20 , the adjusting sleeve  30 , the retaining member  40 , the spring member  50  and the auxiliary handle  60 . For those structural features and effects identical to the counterparts of the first embodiment, detailed description is herein omitted but only what makes the second embodiment differ from the first embodiment is explained below. 
     The main body  20  further has a limiting recess  25  that is depressed from the driving portion  21  and located between the polygonal positioning portion  23  and the peripheral groove  24 . When the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  is mounted around and engaged with the polygonal positioning portion  23 , the limiting recess  25  allows the abutting portion  62  of the auxiliary handle  60  to enter thereto or retract therefrom. 
     When the abutting portion  62  of the auxiliary handle  60  is screwed into the limiting recess  25  of the main body  20 , the auxiliary handle  60  and the adjusting sleeve  30  are both prevented from moving with respect to the main body  20 . When the polygonal positioning recess  32  of the adjusting sleeve  30  fittingly receives the polygonal positioning portion  23 , the auxiliary handle  60  and the adjusting sleeve  30  are both prevented from moving with respect to the main body  20 . In this manner, the present invention better ensures the stability after the angular adjustment between the auxiliary handle  60  and the main body  20 .