Patent Publication Number: US-7717017-B2

Title: Hand tool and method of using same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable 
   REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is related to hand tools and more particularly, is related to a hand tool having a variable angle of attack with an enhanced power ratio for accommodating aged, arthritic and otherwise handicapped people. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A hand tool generally includes an upper tool mount that removably receives thereon an upper tool to facilitate rotating the upper tool to an upper tool operating position so as to effect an upper tool operation on an object and a lower tool mount that removably receives thereon a lower tool to facilitate rotating the lower tool to a lower tool operating position so as to effect a lower tool operation on the object. The hand tool further includes an upper handle which is coupled to the upper tool mount which helps to facilitate pivotally lowering the upper tool from an open position to a closed position to initiate the upper tool operation and further helps to facilitate pivotally raising the upper tool from the closed position to the open position to end the upper tool operation and a lower handle coupled to the lower tool mount which helps to facilitate pivotally raising the lower tool from another open position to another closed position to initiate the lower tool operation and further helps to facilitate pivotally lowering the lower tool from the another closed position to the another open position to end the lower tool operation. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a pictorial view illustrating a hand tool which is constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear plane view of the hand tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a front plane view of the hand tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom plane view of the hand tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is diagrammatic top plane view of the hand tool of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the extent of its rotational movement in the x-axis plane; 
       FIG. 6  is a right-side elevational view of the hand tool of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the tool in an open position; 
       FIG. 7  is a left-side elevational view of the hand tool of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the tool in a closed position 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the hand tool of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 9  is a pictorial view illustrating another hand tool which is constructed in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to  FIGS. 1 and 8  thereof there is illustrated a hand tool  10  which is constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the hand tool  10  is provided with an interchangeable detachable tool which is ergonomically designed to provide a user with a substantial leverage advantage when cutting, clipping or gripping depending upon the type of tool employed. Moreover, the hand tool  10  is designed to provide a user with a variable angle of attack over a range of about one hundred and eighty degrees or extending at least ninety degrees to the right and at least ninety degrees to the left. 
   Considering now the hand tool  10  in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 8 , the hand tool  10  generally includes a hand held tool mount indicated generally at  12  and a detachable or replaceable leverage tool  14 . In the present preferred embodiment, the leverage tool  14  is illustrated as a nail clipper. However, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the tool  14  may without limitation include a pincher, a plier, a gripper, a cutter and a chipper. Therefore there is no limitation relative to the type of leverage tool that may be mounted to the hand held tool mound  12 . 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 5-7 , the replaceable tool  14  is adapted to be mounted to the tool mount  12  for both x-axis and y axis motions so as to provide a user (not shown) with a tool  14  having a variable angle of attack and which can be engaged in a tool operation with substantial leverage. In this manner the hand tool  10  allows ease of use by the aged and arthritic and otherwise handicapped whether they are left handed or right handed. More specifically the tool mount  12  enables the tool  14  to be rotated, by the user, in incremental steps in a horizontal or x-plane axis of rotation of between about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees either to the right or to the left as best seen in  FIG. 5 . The tool mount  14  also enables the tool  14  to open and close with a substantial power ratio of about 10:1 extending from the distal end of the tool mount  12  to the distal end of the tool  14  as best seen in  FIGS. 6-7 . 
   To provide the hand tool  10  with the advantages as noted-above, the hand held tool mount  12  generally includes an upper tool mount indicated generally at  16  and a lower tool mount indicated generally at  18 . The upper tool mount  16  is coupled to an upper handle member  20  having a generally smooth arcuate shape to facilitate ease in gripping. In a like manner, the lower tool mount  18  is coupled to a lower handle member  22  also having a generally smooth arcuate shape. As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  are secured to together to allow a pivoting action in the y-axis plane as best seen in FIGS.  6 - 7 . That is, the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  are adapted to pivot toward and away from one another as the user grips the handles within his or her hand and squeezes the respective handle members  20  and  22  together. In order to help facilitate providing the handle members  20  and  22  respectively with a return action when the squeezing force applied by the user is removed, the hand tool  10  is further provided with a handle compression spring  24  which is mounted between the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  as best seen in  FIGS. 6-7 . This pivoting action in the y-axis plane permits the leverage tool  14  to open and close to effect a user selected tool action or tool operation. 
   In the preferred embodiment the upper tool mount  16  is integrally coupled to the upper handle member  20 , while the lower tool mount  18  is integrally coupled to lower handle member  22 . It is contemplated however, that in modifying the preferred embodiment of the present invention, that the upper and lower tool mounts,  16  and  18  respectively, could also be secured to their respective handle members  20  and  22  by other conventional securing or mounting means such as by compression via a bolt and nut or by using high strength adhesives. 
   Considering now the replaceable leverage tool  14  in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 8 , the tool  14  generally includes an upper tool member  26  and a lower tool member  28 . The upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  are mounted together for pivotal movement about a pivot axis defined by a mounting bolt  27 . The upper tool member  26  and lower tool member are also spring loaded by tool spring means indicated generally at  29  as best seen in  FIG. 8 . The spring means  29  in the preferred embodiment generally includes a pair of spaced apart compression springs  29 A and  29 B respectively which are mounted in spring mount cutouts, such as the cutouts  29 C and  29 D disposed in the lower tool member  28 . A similar set of cutouts (not shown) are disposed in the upper tool member  26 . The compression springs  29 A and  29 B are disposed between the tool members to cause the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  to return to a non-object engaging position when an object engaging force applied to the tool  14  has been released. Although in the preferred embodiment a pair of compression springs has been utilized, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that other suitable spring means may be utilized, such as a single compression spring and other suitable compression spring means. 
   The upper tool member  26  is adapted to be mounted to the upper tool mount  16  to effect movement both in the x-axis plane and the y-axis plane. In a similar manner, the lower tool member  28  is adapted to be mounted to the lower tool mount  18  to effect movement both in the x-axis plane and the y-axis plane. As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  rotate simultaneously in the horizontal or x-axis plane to a user selected rotational angle for effecting a user selected tool operation. The user selected rotational angle is available in increments of between 1 degree and 90 degrees. A more preferred incremental angle is between 1 degree and 30 degrees, and the most preferred incremental angle is about 1 degree. Based on the foregoing it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the hand tool  10  provides a user with a tool having a variable angle of attack and with substantial leverage allowing ease of tool use by aged, arthritic and otherwise handicapped people whether they are left handed or right handed. 
   The method of effecting a tool operation on a user select object (not shown) includes the steps of providing the user with a hand held tool mount  12  and tool  14 . The tool mount  12  in this case includes an upper tool mount  16  and a lower tool mount  18 , while the tool  14  includes an upper tool member  26  and a lower tool member  28 . Next, the user mounts simultaneously, the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  to their respective mounts or more particularly to the upper tool mount  16  and the lower tool mount  18  respectively. More specifically, the user squeezes the distal ends of the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  together causing the proximal ends of the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  to open away from one another a sufficient distance to allow the proximal ends to be aligned with respective ones of the upper tool mount  16  and the lower tool mount  18 . In this regard, when alignment is achieved, the user releases the distal ends of the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  allowing the compression force of the return springs to hold the proximal ends of the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  respectively to the upper tool mount  16  and the lower tool mount  18  as best seen in  FIG. 6 . It should be understood by those skilled in the art, that the upper handle  20  and the lower handle  22  must not be squeezed together during this mount operation of mounting the leverage tool  14  to the tool mount  12 . 
   Next the user rotates simultaneously the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  in a horizontal or x-axis plane a sufficient distance to reach a user selected rotational or attack angle. The attack angle in the preferred method of the present invention is between about 90 degrees to the right and about 90 degrees to the left in incremental steps in either direction of about 1 degree. 
   Next, the user pivots simultaneously the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  in a vertical or y-axis plane by pivoting or squeezing simultaneously the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle  22  over a sufficient distance to effect the tool operation selected by the user. The replaceable leverage tool  14  selected by the user is achieved by the user selecting from a group of tools consisting of a cutter, a gripper, a pliers and a chipper. 
   Considering now the power or leverage advantage provided by the hand tool  10  in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 6 , it can be seen that a user can apply a hand force F 1  to the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  by squeezing the handle members  20  and  22  toward one another as best seen in  FIG. 7 . This force F 1  is translated to the upper tool mount  16  and lower tool mount  18  as a translated force F 2 , where the force F 2  is defined by equation 1 as follows:
 
 F 2= F 1  D 1/ D 2   Equation 1
 
The translated force F 2  is then translated to the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  respectively as another translated force F 3 , where the force F 3  is defined by equation 2 as follows:
 
 F 3= F 2  D 3/ D 4   Equation 2
 
   As an illustrative example of the mechanical leverage achieved consider the follow: 
   Assume the applied force F 1  equals 1 pound and the dimensions of D 1 -D 4  are as follows:
         D 1 =4.00 inches   D 2 =0.50 inches   D 3 =0.75 inches   D 4 =0.60 inches
 
Then  F 2=(1 pound)(4.00 inches)/(0.50 inches)=8.0 pounds
 
 F 3=(8.0 pounds)(0.75 inches)/(0.60 inches)=10.0 pounds
       

   Thereby, it can be seen that at least a 10:1 leverage advantage is derived. 
   Considering now the compression spring  24  in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 8 , the compression spring  24  has a unitary construction that includes a central straight segment portion  66 , which is disposed between an upper straight portion  66 A and a lower rounded or curved end portion  66 B. The upper straight portion  66 A is disposed at a slight angle to the central segment portion  66  and terminates in a rounded or curved end portion  67 . 
   Considering now the hand held tool mount  12  in still greater detail, the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  are elongate arcuate lever arms which are pivotally linked with each other via a linkage arrangement indicated generally at  30 . More particularly, the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  are mounted to each other on an axis defined by a mount or linkage bolt  74  and are held apart from one another by the elongate compression or handle spring  24 . The linkage bolt  74  facilitates holding the two handle members  20  and  22  pivotally together as will be explained hereinafter in greater detail. 
   In order to hold the handle members  20  and  22  apart, one end of the elongate compression spring  24  is mounted within a lower handle member cutout  68  and is secured within the cutout  68  by a mounting or spring pin indicated generally at  69 . The cutout  68  is disposed at about an inner rearward surface area of the lower handle  22  in order to allow the spring  24  to be disposed at an inclined angle between the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  as best seen in  FIGS. 6-7  of the drawings. The opposite end of the compression spring  24  which terminates in the rounded or curved end portion  67  permits the opposite or curved end portion of the compression spring  24  to rest in engagement with an inner surface area of the upper handle member  20 . In short, the compression spring  24  is wedged between the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  to provide a return force when the two handle members are squeezed together as best seen in  FIG. 7 . This return force is a sufficient force to cause the two handle members  20  and  22  to move pivotally away from one another about the axis defined by the mounting bolt  74  when the handle members  20  and  22  are released by the user so they return to their non object engaging positions as best seen in  FIG. 6 . 
   Considering now the upper tool mount  16  in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 8 , the upper tool mount  16  as noted earlier is coupled to the upper handle member  20 . In this regard, the upper tool mount  16  generally includes an elongate bar like extender  32  which is attached by one of its ends to a proximal end portion of the upper handle member  20 . The opposite end of the extender  32  is attached to an upright hollow half sphere or upper ball member  36 . The upper ball member  36  is adapted to be received within an upper tool socket  70  integrally formed within the upper tool member  26 . The ball and socket arrangement between the upper ball member  36  and the upper tool socket  70  enables the upper tool member  26  to freely rotate in the x-axis plane relative to the upper ball member  36  as best seen in  FIG. 5 . In this regard, the extender  32  has a sufficient longitudinal dimension to space the upper tool member  26  from the upper handle member  20  so that there is frictional free rotational movement there between the upper tool member  26  and the upper handle member  20 . Stated otherwise, the upper handle member  20  does not make physical contact with the upper tool member  26 . 
   In order to facilitate mounting the upper tool member  26  onto the ball member  36 , the ball member  36  has disposed at its upper pole area an aperture or hole  40 . The hole  40  is dimensioned for receiving therethrough a threaded pin or bolt  42  ( FIG. 5 ). As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the mounting pin  42  is threadably received within the upper tool member  26  and onto an upper mounting nut  44 . The upper mounting nut  44  is dimensioned to be received within the hollow interior of ball member  36  for removably securing the upper tool member  26  to the upper tool mount  16 . More particularly, the mounting pin  42  and mounting nut  44  cooperate together to secure the upper tool member  26  to the ball member  26  for rotational movement of the upper tool member  26  about the half sphere member  36  as best seen in  FIG. 5 . Although in the preferred embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a mounting pin which is threadably received within the upper tool member  26 , it is contemplated that the mounting pin  42  could also be integrally attached within upper tool socket  70  for mounting the upper tool member  26  to the upper tool mount  16 . 
   Considering now the lower tool mount  18  in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 8 , the lower tool mount  18  as noted earlier is coupled to the lower handle member  22 . In this regard, the lower tool mount  18  generally includes an elongate bar like lower extender  52  which is attached or secured by one of its ends to a proximal end portion of the lower handle member  22 . The opposite end of the extender  52  is secured or attached to an inverted hollow half sphere or lower ball member  56 . The lower ball member  56  is adapted to be received within a lower tool socket  90  integrally formed within the lower tool member  28 . The ball and socket arrangement between the lower ball member  56  and the lower tool socket  90  enables the lower tool member  28  to freely rotate in the x-axis plane relative to the lower ball member  56  as best seen in  FIG. 4 . In this regard, the extender  52  has a sufficient longitudinal dimension to space the lower tool member  28  from the lower handle member  22  so that there is frictional free rotational movement therebetween the lower tool member  28  and the lower handle member  22 . Stated otherwise, the lower handle member  22  does not make physical contact with the lower tool member  28 . 
   In order to facilitate mounting the lower tool member  28  onto the ball member  56 , the ball member  56  has disposed at its lower pole area an aperture or hole  60 . The hole  60  is dimensioned for receiving there through a threaded alignment or mounting pin or bolt  62 . As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the mounting pin  62  is threadably received within the lower tool member  28  and onto a lower mounting nut  64 . The lower mounting nut  64  is dimensioned to be received within the hollow interior of ball member  56  for removably securing the lower tool member  28  to the lower tool mount  18 . More particularly, the mounting pin  62  and mounting nut  64  cooperate together to secure the lower tool member  28  to the ball member  56  for rotational movement of the lower tool member  28  about the half sphere member  56  as best seen in  FIG. 4 . Although in the preferred embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a mounting pin which is threadably received within the lower tool member  28 , it is contemplated that the mounting pin  62  could also be integrally attached within lower tool socket  90  for mounting the lower tool member  28  to the lower tool mount  18 . 
   Considering now the linkage arrangement  30  in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 8 , the linkage arrangement  30  is partially disposed on the upper handle member  20  and partially disposed on the lower handle member  22 . In this regard at about the proximal end of the upper handle member  20  and adjacent to the upper extender  32  is a circular like upper handle protuberance  76  having a centrally disposed hole which is dimensioned for receiving therein the linkage bolt  74 . At about the proximal end of the lower handle member  22  and disposed adjacent to the lower extender  52  are a pair of spaced apart upstanding circular like protuberance members  78  and  79  respectively which form a saddle for receiving therein the upper handle protuberance  76 . That is, the upper handle protuberance  76  is received between the two lower handle protuberance members  78  and  79  which helps to hold the upper handle protuberance  76  therebetween for pivotal movement. In order to help facilitate securing the protuberance members  76 ,  78  and  79  together for relative pivotal movement, the protuberance member  78  has a centrally disposed cutout  80 . The cutout  80  is dimensioned for receiving therein a head portion  74 A of the linkage bolt  74 . Each respective protuberance member  78  and  79  has disposed therein a threaded hole or aperture such as the hole  83 . The linkage bolt  74  is dimensioned to be threadably received within the protuberance holes, while the head  74 A of the linkage bolt  74  is held within cutout  80 . In this manner therefore, the bolt  74  and nut  84  cooperate with the upper handle member  20  and the lower handle member  22  to hold the two handle members together for pivotal movement abut their respective protuberance members. 
   Considering now the upper tool member  26  in still greater detail with reference to  FIG. 8 , the upper tool member  26  has a unitary construction and includes a front cutting portion  101 , a first intermediate spring mounting portion  103 , a second intermediate linking portion  105  and a rear mounting portion  107 . At one end of the front cutting portion  101  there is disposed an elongate upper cutting edge  110  for engaging an object for object cutting purposes. The opposite end of the front cutting portion  101  is integrally connected to the spring mount portion  103 . 
   The spring mount portion  103  is integrally connected between the front cutting portion  101  and the second intermediate linking portion  105 , and generally includes the spring mount cutouts which are similar to spring mount cutouts  29 C and  29 D disposed in the lower tool member  28 . These spring mount cutouts are slightly spaced apart from one another in the same manner as the spring mount cutouts  29 C and  29 D are spaced as best seen in  FIG. 8 . 
   The second intermediate linking portion  105  is integrally connected between the spring mount portion  103  and the rear mounting portion  107 , and generally includes a stirrup in the form of two downwardly projecting generally circular protuberance members  109  and  111  respectively. The two protuberance members  109  and  111  are slight spaced apart from one another for receiving between them a linking protuberance  112  extending upwardly from the lower tool member  28  as will be explained hereinafter in greater detail. Each of the protuberance members  109 ,  111 , and  112  have centrally disposed threaded holes or apertures, such as the apertures  113  and  114  which are dimensioned for receiving therein the linking bolt  27 . In this manner, the linking bolt  27  is threadably received within the protuberance members  109 ,  111 , and  112  holding or securing them together for relative pivotal movement about the linking axis defined by the bolt  27 . 
   Considering now the lower tool member  28  in still greater detail with reference to  FIG. 8 , the lower tool member  28 , like the upper tool member  26 , has a unitary construction and includes a front cutting portion  121 , a first intermediate spring mounting portion  123 , a second intermediate linking portion  125  and a rear mounting portion  127 . At one end of the front cutting portion  121  there is disposed an elongate upper cutting edge  120  for engaging an object for object cutting purposes. The opposite end of the front cutting portion is integrally connected to the spring mount portion  123 . 
   The spring mount portion  123  is integrally connected between the front cutting portion  121  and the second intermediate linking portion  125 , and generally includes the spring mount cutouts  29 C and  29 D. The spring mount cutouts  29 C and  29 D are slightly spaced apart from one another as best seen in  FIG. 8 . 
   The second intermediate linking portion  125  is integrally connected between the spring mount portion  123  and the rear mounting portion  127 , and generally includes the upwardly projecting linking protuberance  112 , which is dimensioned to be received in the stirrup formed in the upper tool member  26 . In this manner, as noted earlier, the upper tool member  26  and the lower tool member  28  pivot about the axis defined by the bolt  27 . 
   The rear mounting portion  127  includes a flat table portion  129  and a cutaway portion having the cutout  90  which is dimensioned for receiving therein the hollow half sphere member  36 . The mounting pin  62  extends upwardly from the center of the cutout  90  in order to be received within the alignment hole  60  disposed within the half sphere member  56 . In this manner, the half sphere member  56  is aligned within the cutout  90  for rotational movement about the alignment pin  27 . 
   Considering now the rear mounting portion  107  of the upper tool member  26  in greater detail, it should be noted that the rear mounting portion  107  of the upper tool member  26  is substantially similar to the rear mounting portion  127  of the lower tool member  28 . Therefore the rear mounting portion  107  of the upper tool member  26  will not be described hereinafter in greater detail. 
   Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to  FIG. 9 , there is illustrated another hand tool  910  which is constructed in accordance with the present invention. The hand tool  910  is similar to the hand tool  10  and includes a hand held tool mount  912  and a replaceable leverage tool  914 . From the forgoing, it should be understood by those skilled in the art, that various modification may be made to the invention as described without departing from the scope of the claims provided herein. Accordingly, it will be evident that there are additional embodiments and applications, which are not disclosed in the detailed description but which clearly fall within the scope of the present invention. The specification is, therefore, intended not to be limiting and the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.