Patent Publication Number: US-6216569-B1

Title: Cabinet tip of a slotted screwdriver with improved engagement with a fastener slot

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a cabinet tip of a slotted screwdriver having improved engagement with a slot of a fastener. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A typical slotted screwdriver includes a cabinet tip for engaging with a slot on a fastener (e.g., a screw). Nevertheless, a slotted screw screwdriver often can only be used for driving a fastener of a certain slot size. If the slot is too large for the cabinet tip, the screwdriver is apt to be disengaged from the fastener. If the user forcibly inerts the cabinet tip into a slot that is too narrow for the cabinet tip, the slot wall will be damaged. 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, in actual use of a slotted screwdriver  70 , the slot  161  of the fastener  16  to be tightened or loosened might have an alien object (e.g., a small particle)  60  such that the cabinet tip  71  cannot be in fitting contact with the slot walls. As a result, the driving torque is insufficient and the driving is not smooth. Even if the slot  161  of the fastener  16  has no alien object therein, the user must be cautious to avoid inclination of the screwdriver  70  shown in FIG.  2 . More specifically, the cabinet tip  71  tends to disengage from the slot  161  during driving if the side wall  72  of the cabinet tip  71  is not at a right angle with the bottom wall of the slot  161 . However, inclination of the screwdriver  70  is inevitable in some cases, e.g., the fastener  16  is located in a place difficult to access and operate. 
     The present invention is intended to provide an improved slotted screwdriver that mitigates and/or obviates the above problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved cabinet tip of a slotted screwdriver having improved engagement with a slot of a fastener. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved cabinet tip of a slotted screwdriver for driving fasteners of different slot sizes. 
     A cabinet tip for a screwdriver in accordance with the present invention comprises a drive tip end and a neck area below the drive tip end. The neck area includes a bottom wall adapted to engage with a side wall defining a slot of a fastener to be driven when the cabinet tip is in an inclined status relative to the fastener. The drive tip includes two flat or arcuate lateral surfaces. The drive tip end includes an arcuate top face. 
     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a conventional slotted screwdriver for driving a fastener; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating engagement between a cabinet tip of a conventional slotted screwdriver with a slot of a fastener; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cabinet tip of a screwdriver in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the cabinet tip in accordance with the present invention used to drive a fastener; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged view illustrating engagement between the cabinet tip in accordance with the present invention and the fastener; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating use of the cabinet tip in an inclined status; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cabinet tip of a screwdriver in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a top view illustrating use of the cabinet tip on fasteners of different slot sizes; and 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the cabinet tip engaged in a fastener slot having an alien object therein. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the cabinet tip of a screwdriver in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 through 9 and initially to FIG. 3, a cabinet tip  12  in accordance with the present invention generally includes a shank  11  connected to a handle (not shown) of a screwdriver  10 . The cabinet tip  12  includes a drive tip end  40  having two lateral flat surfaces  41 . Below the drive tip end  40 , a neck area  50  is formed. In this embodiment, each flat surface  41  has an arcuate groove  51  defined therebelow. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates use of the screwdriver  10  to a fastener  16  with a slot  161 . The flat lateral surfaces  41  of the drive tip end  40  are in fitting contact with the side walls defining the slot  161  of the fastener  16 , best shown in FIG.  5 . It is appreciated that a gap  52  exists between each side wall of the slot  161  and the neck area  50 . When the screwdriver cabinet tip  12  is in an inclined status, the bottom wall defining one of the arcuate grooves  51  bears against an upper edge of one of the side walls of the slot  161 , thereby allowing the user to continue driving of the screwdriver, best shown in FIG.  6 . Thus, sliding or disengagement of the cabinet tip  12  is prevented. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a modified embodiment of the cabinet tip  12 , wherein at least one of two lateral sides  42  of the top face  43  is modified to be concave (see FIG.  8 ). In addition, the top face  43  of the drive tip end  40  includes an arcuate recess (not labeled, see FIG.  9 ). Referring to FIG. 8, the concave lateral sides  42  of the top face  43  allow the cabinet tip  12  to be engaged with fasteners of different slot sizes. Referring to FIG. 9, when the slot  161  of the fastener  16  has a small particle  60  therein, the small particle  60  can be accommodated in the arcuate recess in the top face of the drive tip end  40 . This is because any two points of the bottom wall of the arcuate recess may provide a stable support for the drive tip end  40 . A larger particle in the slot  161  that may damage the top face of the drive tip end  40  can be easily found and cleared. Thus, the cabinet tip of this embodiment is capable of driving fasteners of different slot sizes, which is very convenient and useful. FIG. 10 illustrates a modified embodiment of the screwdriver  10 , wherein the drive tip end  40  includes a concave top face  43  and two flat surfaces  41 . 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.