Patent Publication Number: US-7587791-B2

Title: Tool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates to a tool and, more particularly, to a tool including a chuck for engagement with a bit. 
   2. Related Prior Art 
   Disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication No.554796 is a tool including a chuck  20  for engagement with a bit  40 . The chuck  20  includes a socket  21 , a ball  24  and two rings  26  and  28 . The rings  26  and  28  can be rotated on the socket  21  so as to move the ball  24  longitudinally and peripherally on the socket  21  so that the bit  40  can be engaged with and disengaged from the chuck  20 . The tool includes a lot of components and forms a complicated structure. Moreover, a user has to operate the chuck  20  with two hands. 
   The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, a tool includes a handle, a controller and a bit. The handle includes a socket defining an axial non-circular space and a radial space in communication with the axial space. The controller includes a space defined therein and a ridge formed on the wall of the space thereof The controller is movable in the radial space of the socket between a locking position and a releasing position. The bit includes a working tip and a shank defining at least one recess for receiving the ridge when the shank is inserted into the space of the controller through the axial space of the socket, thus locking the bit to the handle. 
   An advantage of the tool according to the present invention is its small number of elements and simple structure. 
   Another advantage of the tool according to the present invention is that a user can easily operate the tool with only one hand. 
   Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description referring to the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be described through detailed illustration of three embodiments referring to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tool according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the tool in another position than shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 4A  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the tool in the encircled area A of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the tool in another position than shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 5A  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the tool in the encircled area A of  FIG.5 . 
       FIG. 6  is a cutaway view of a tool according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a cutaway view of the tool in another position than shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a tool according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8A  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the tool in the encircled area A of  FIG.8 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the tool in another position than shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a tool  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The tool  10  includes a handle  11 , an anvil  12  formed at an end of the handle  11  and a socket  13  formed at an opposite end of the handle  11 . The anvil  12  is for encountering a hammer. The anvil  12  includes a large area for protecting a user&#39;s hand from the hammer. A controller  30  is installed on the socket  13 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the socket  13  defines a first axial non-circular space  14 , a second axial non-circular space  19 , a radial space  15  for communicating the first axial non-circular space  14  with the second axial non-circular space  19  and a radial taper cavity  17  in communication with the radial space  15 . Preferably, the axial non-circular spaces  14  and  19  are hexangular spaces. The radial taper cavity  17  is made by a tip of a drill. In another embodiment, a radial flat-bedded cavity may be made instead of the radial taper cavity  17  if milling is adopted instead of drilling. A ridge  16  is formed on the wall of the radial space  15 . 
   An elastic element  20  is located in the radial taper cavity  17 . The elastic element  20  includes a configuration corresponding to the radial taper cavity  17 . 
   The controller  30  includes a first end located in the radial space  15  of the socket  13  and a second end exposed from the radial space  15  of the socket  13 . The second end of the controller  30  is located against the elastic element  20 . A user can push the controller  30  by the second end. The controller  30  defines, near the second end, a recess  31  for receiving the ridge  16  so that the controller  30  cannot rotate in the radial space  15  of the socket  13 . In another embodiment, the positions of the recess  31  and the ridge  16  can be exchanged. In still another embodiment, the recess  31  and the ridge  16  can be omitted if the controller  30  and the radial space  15  are non- circular. The controller  30  includes, near the second end, a shoulder restrained by a restraint  18  formed on the socket  13 . The restraint  18  is made by hammering a portion of the socket  13  near the radial space  15 . The controller  30  defines a space  32  corresponding to the axial non-circular spaces  14  and  19 . A ridge  33  is formed on the floor of the space  32 . 
   A bit  40  includes a working tip  41  and a shank  42 . A plurality of annular grooves  43  is defined in the shank  42  of the bit  40 . The working tip  41  is in the form of a chisel. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , the shank  42  of the bit  40  is inserted into the space  32  of the controller  30  through the first axial non-circular space  14  of the socket  13 . The shank  42  of the bit  40  pushes down the ridge  33 , thus lowering the controller  30  and compressing the elastic element  20 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , one of the annular grooves  43  finally reaches the ridge  33 . The elastic element  20  lifts the controller  30  so that the ridge  33  enters the annular groove  43 . Therefore, the bit  40  is locked to the socket  13 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , there is shown a tool according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except for several things. Firstly, the axis of the socket  13 ′ is perpendicular to that of the handle  11 . Secondly, a hammer  12 ′ is used instead of the anvil  12 . Thirdly, a bit  50  is used instead of the bit  40 . The bit  50  includes a working tip  51  in the form of a hammer and a shank  52 . An annular groove  53  is defined in the shank  52  of the bit  50 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , there is shown a tool according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is like the first embodiment except for several things. Firstly, the socket  13  is made separate from the handle  11 . Secondly, an extension pipe  12 ″ is installed between the handle  11  and the socket  13 . Thirdly, a bit  60  is used instead of the bit  40 . The bit  60  includes a working tip  61  in the form of a screwdriver and an elongated shank  62  for insertion into the extension pipe  12 ″. A plurality of recesses  63  is defined in the elongated shank  62 . One of the recesses  63  receives the ridge  33  so as to position the bit  60 . 
   The tool according to the present invention exhibits some advantages. Firstly, it includes only a few elements and forms a simple structure. Secondly, a user can easily operate the tool with only one hand. 
   The present invention has been described through the illustration of the preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.