Patent Publication Number: US-10315302-B2

Title: Tool assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a tool assembly, and more particularly, to a tool assembly which includes a first body and a second body, the second body is positioned at two positions relative to the first body. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     One of the conventional tool assemblies known to application includes a function head which is connected to a handle bar at different position so as to form an L-shaped tool assembly or a T-shaped tool assembly. However, the function head has to be drilled with receiving recess to be cooperated with the corresponding connection portions on the handle, therefore, the manufacturing cost for the function head is high and does not accepted by the users. 
     Besides, there are resilient rings located at the receiving recess so as to ensure that the connection between the function head and the handle is secure. Nevertheless, the resilient rings tend to be worn out or even broken to affect the connection between the function head and the handle. 
     The present invention intends to provide a tool assembly to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a tool assembly and comprises a first body, a connector and a second body. The first body has a first end and a second end. A slot is defined through the wall of the body and extends from the second end of the first body to the middle portion of the first body. The slot includes a first end having a first connection portion, and a second end having a second connection portion. The connector is mounted to the second body and has an outer threaded section. The outer threaded section is threadedly connected to either the first connection portion or the second connection portion of the first body to locate the first body at different angular position relative to the second body. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the first body of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the second body of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the connector of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view to show the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view, taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view, taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6  to show the operational status; 
         FIG. 9  shows that the connector is separated from the first body; 
         FIG. 10  shows the second operational status of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  shows the second action of the second operational status of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  shows the third action of the second operational status of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the connector of the second embodiment of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view of the second embodiment of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  is an exploded view of the third embodiment of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the tool assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the tool assembly of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the sixth embodiment of the tool assembly of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the tool assembly of the present invention comprises a first body  10  having a first end and a second end, and a slot  11  is defined through the wall of the body  10  and extends from the second end of the first body  10  to the middle portion of the first body  10 . A radial hole  12  is defined through the wall of the first body  10  and communicates with the slot  11 . The slot  11  has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the slot  11  is located at the middle portion of the first body  10 , and the second end of the slot  11  communicates with the second end of the first body  10 . The first end of the slot  11  has a first connection portion  13  which includes first inner threads  131 , and the second end of the slot  11  has a second connection portion  14  which includes second inner threads  141 . The first connection portion  13  further includes a first non-threaded portion  132  located at the inner end thereof, and the second connection portion  14  further has a second non-threaded portion  142  located at the inner end thereof. The slot  11  includes two recesses  15  defined in the inner end of the first end thereof. The first body  10  includes a room  16  defined in the first end thereof. 
     A second body  20  is an elongate rod, and has a first end and a second end. The first end of the second body  20  is an insertion end  21  which is inserted into and connected to the first end of the slot  11  by a pivot  30 , such that the second body  20  is pivotable about the pivot  30  relative to the first body  10 . The second body  20  includes a pivotal portion  23  on the second end thereof. The pivotal portion  23  is a U-shaped portion and includes two lugs between which an opening  231  is defined. Each lug has an aperture  232  defined therethrough. A bead receiving recess  233  is defined in the inner end of the opening  231 . A ball  26  and a second spring  27  are received in the bead receiving recess  233 . A part  24  is pivotably connected between the two lugs and located in the opening  231 . The part  24  has a connection end  241  on the first end thereof and a passage  242  defined through the second end of the part  24 . The connection end  241  is a square head and the passage  242  faces the apertures  232 . A pin  25  extends through the apertures  232  and the passage  242  so that the part  24  is pivotable an angle up to 180 degrees about the pin  25  relative to the second body  20 . The ball  26  is biased by the second sprig  27  to contact one of the first and second ends of the part  24 . 
     A connector  40  has an axial hole  41  defined axially therethrough, and has outer threaded section  42  formed on the first end thereof. When the second body  20  is positioned at an angle, 90 degrees for example, relative to the first body  10 , the outer threaded section  42  is connected to the first inner threads  131  of the first connection portion  13 . When the second body  20  is positioned along the axial axis of the first body  10 , the outer threaded section  42  is connected to the second inner threads  141  of the second connection portion  14 . 
     The connector  40  has an end section  43  extending axially from the first end thereof. The outer diameter of the end section  43  is smaller than the inner diameter of the first inner threads  131  of the first connection portion  13 . A groove  44  is defined in the outside of the connector  40  and located between the outer threaded section  42  and the end section  43 . A washer  50  is made of resilient material and mounted to the end section  43 . The outer diameter of the washer  50  is equal to or larger than the inner diameter of first inner threads  131  of the first connection portion  13  and an inner diameter of a second connection portion  14 . When the connector  40  is partially connected to the first connection portion  13  or the second connection portion  14 , the washer  50  is force-fitted with the first inner threads  131  of the first connection portion  13  or the second inner threads  141  of the second connection portion  14 . 
     An engaging unit  60  includes a bead  61  and a first spring  62 . The second body  20  includes three notches  22  defined in the first end thereof. Each recess  15  receives a bead  61  and a first spring  62 . The bead  61  is pushed by the first spring  62  to be engaged with the notch  22  corresponding thereto. Therefore, when the second body  20  is pivoted relative to the first body  10  to the first connection portion  13  or the second connection portion  14 , the second body  20  is well positioned. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the ball  26  and the second spring  27  are received in the bead receiving recess  233 . The ball  26  is biased by the second sprig  27  to contact one of the first and second ends of the part  24 . The washer  50  is mounted to the end section  43 , and the outer threaded section  42  is connected to the first inner threads  131 . The washer  50  is mounted to the first non-threaded portion  132  so that the second body  20  is restricted the connector  40  and the first connection portion  13 , so that the first and second bodies  10 ,  20  form a T-shaped tool. The first spring  62  of the engaging unit  60  biases against the inside of the recess  15  and the bead  61 , and the bead  61  is pushed by the first spring  62  to be engaged with the notch  22  of the second body  20 . A part  80  is inserted into the room  16  defined in the first end of the body  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the washer  50  is force-fitted with the first inner threads  131 , and the outer threaded section  42  is exposed beyond the first connection portion  13 . The first and second body  10 ,  20  now are in the first status of connection. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , when the connector  40  and the washer  50  are separated from the first connection portion  13 , the second body  20  is pivoted about the pivot  30  relative to the first body  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , when the connector  40  and the washer  50  are separated from the first connection portion  13 , the second body  20  is pivoted an angle of 90 degrees about the pivot  30  relative to the first body  10  so that the first and second bodies  10 ,  20  share a common axis and form a straight tool. 
     The connector  40  is connected to the second connection portion  14 , and the outer threaded section  42  is connected to the second inner threads  141 . The washer  50  is mounted to the second non-threaded portion  142 . The part  80  is connected to the first end of the first body  10  and the reception hole  81  is exposed. The connection end  241  is located at the first end of the first body  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , the washer  50  is engaged with and force-fitted to the second inner threads  141 . The outer threaded section  42  is exposed beyond the second connection portion  14 . The first and second body  10 ,  20  now are in the second status of connection. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , when the first and second bodies  10 ,  20  form a straight tool, the part  24  is able to pivot about the pin  25  for an angle of 90 degrees to arrange the first and second bodies  10 ,  20  to be an L-shaped tool. The first body  10  performs as a handle, and the connection end  241  is connected with other tools. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 13 to 15 , first and second connection portions  13 ,  14  each do not have the first/second non-threaded portion  132 / 142 . A third spring  32  is mounted to the pivot  30  and biased between the second body  20  and the pivot  30 . The second body  20  pivots about the pivot  30  with resistance. The connector  40  does not have the end section  43 . An annular groove  45  is defined in the outer threaded section  42 . The washer  50  is a ring-shaped member and is engaged with the annular groove  45 . The washer  50  contacts the first and second inner threads  131 ,  141  so that the connector  40  is not easily separated from the first and second connection portions  13 ,  14 . The washer  50  provides an axial force to the outer threaded section  42 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 , the room  16  includes third threaded portion  161  defined therein. The second end of the second body  20  is a hexagonal recess. The pivotal portion  23  does not have the part  24 , the pin  25 , the ball  26  and the second spring  27 . A tool unit  70  is received in the room  16  and includes a seat  71 , multiple tools  72  and a cover  73 . The seat  71  includes multiple hexagonal recesses which receive the multiple tools  72 . The first tools  72  are bits of different sizes and able to be pivotably connected to the pivotal portion  23 . The cover  73  is connected to the third threaded portion  161  of the room  16  to seal the room  16 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , the pivotal portion  23  is able to rotate 360 degrees relative to the second body  20 , and does not have the part  24 , the pin  25 , the ball  26  and the second spring  27 . 
     The advantages of the present invention are that the connector  40  is connected to the second body  20  which is inserted into the axial hole  41 . The outer threaded section  42  is connected to the first inner threads  131  or the second inner threads  141  to securely connect the first body  10  to the second body  20 . The connector  40  does not separate from the first body  10  by any impact. 
     The outer threaded section  42  is connected to the first inner threads  131  or the second inner threads  141 , and the washer  50  on the end section  43  is mounted to the first or second non-threaded portion  132 ,  142 . The first and second bodies  10 ,  20  form a T-shaped tool or a straight tool. 
     The washer  50  is mounted to the end section  43 , the washer  50  is force-fitted to the first or second inner threads  131 ,  141 . The outer threaded section  42  is exposed beyond the first or second connection portions  13 ,  14 . The first and the second bodies  10 ,  20  are in a normal connection relationship. 
     The tool assembly of the present invention can choose secure connection relationship or normal connection relationship. When the tool assembly is brought to a higher position, the first body  10 , the second body  20  and the connector  40  should be connected to each other I the secure connection relationship to avoid unexpectedly separation. 
     The pin  25  extends through the apertures  232  and the passage  242 , so that the part  24  is pivoted an angle of 180 degrees about the pin  25 , and the second body  20  and the connector  40  can be set as a straight status or an L-shaped status. 
     When the first and second bodies  10 ,  20  form a straight tool, the reception hole  81  and the connection end  241  can be respectively connected to different parts or tools. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , when the first and second bodies  10 ,  20  form a straight tool, the part  24  is able to pivot about the pin  25  for an angle of 90 degrees to arrange the first and second bodies  10 ,  20  to be an L-shaped tool. The connection end  241  is connected with a tool or part having a rectangular recess. 
     The bead  61  and the first spring  62  are received in the recess  15 , and the bead  61  is biased by the first spring  62  to contact the notch  22  so that when the second body  20  is rotated relative to the first body  10  to the first or second connection portions  13 ,  14 , the second body  20  is well positioned. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.