Patent Publication Number: US-2009223327-A1

Title: Wrench socket assembly having two forms of usage

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wrench socket assembly which has two forms of usage. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     As disclosed in the patent of Taiwan application No. 091209587, a wrench socket assembly includes a socket with a receiving hole and a sleeve with a ball member corresponding to the receiving hole. The ball member as well as a spring is installed in the receiving hole, while there are several through holes disposed on the socket and the ball member for a pin to pierce therethrough. Therefore, universal rotation of the sleeve can be achieved. 
     However, the socket assembly has so many parts that the overall manufacturing cost and time thereof cannot be lowered, which is unwilling to be seen by the manufacturer. 
     To mitigate the above-mentioned disadvantages, the patent of Taiwan application No. 094216591 provides another wrench socket assembly, which includes a socket with a receiving hole and an anchor pin. The anchor pin is installed in the receiving hole, and the opening of the receiving hole is, thereafter, narrowed by stamping manner. 
     A further disadvantage is that, the mechanical strength of the socket is sacrificed due to the stamping procedure, which may cause chinks on the socket. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of the present invention is to provide a wrench socket assembly which has two forms of usage. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a wrench socket assembly which has fewer parts while maintaining sustainable mechanical strength. 
     To achieve the above objects, a wrench socket assembly is provided. The socket assembly includes an anchor pin and a socket. The anchor pin has a driving member and a connecting member. The connecting member is disposed an engaging body, and a portion of the anchor pin close to the connecting member is disposed an annular flange. Between the annular flange and the connecting member is disposed a neck, around which a positioning body is disposed. Moreover, a portion of the connecting member close to the neck is an arc surface, and a portion of the connecting member away from the neck is a polyhedral inclined surface. Furthermore, the socket has a receiving hole to receive the connecting member therein, and around an opening of the receiving hole is an annular wall to engage with the annular flange. In addition, a side wall of the receiving hole has a shallow notch corresponding to the engaging body and an annular groove to receive the positioning body. 
     One of the usage forms in accordance with the present invention is that: when the annular flange engages with the annular wall, the engaging body is received in the shallow notch; further due to the receiving hole and the connecting member being formed in correspondingly polyhedral structures, the anchor pin is, therefore, fixed in the socket so that the anchor pin and the socket can rotate simultaneously. The other usage form in accordance with the present invention is that: when the anchor pin is pulled slightly to disengage the annular flange from the annular wall and to engage the positioning body with the arc surface of the connecting member, the engaging body is urged back into the side hole so as to enable the anchor pin to sway at a predetermined range. 
     The wrench socket assembly of the present invention is designed to realize the follow efficacy: 
     1. The socket assembly provides two usage forms. When the anchor pin is pulled slightly from the socket, the connecting member engages with the positioning body, enabling the anchor pin to turn to desired angles when in use. And when the anchor pin is pushed into the socket, the annular member engages the annular wall and the engaging body is urged into the shallow notch, such that the anchor pin is fixed in the socket, so as to function as a normal wrench adapter. 
     2. The anchor pin of the present invention is prevented from departing from the socket by the cooperation of positioning body and the connecting member rather than by the stamping manner or the installation of additional parts as prior art does. Therefore, the sustainable mechanical strength is maintained with lower manufacturing cost. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a breakdown drawing showing a wrench socket assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1A  is a partial profile of a connecting member in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective drawing in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram showing a wrench socket assembly when an anchor pin is pushed into a socket; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing a wrench socket assembly when an anchor pin is pulled slightly from a socket; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a range at which an anchor pin rotates. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1A . A wrench socket assembly includes an anchor pin  10  and a socket  20 . The anchor pin  10  has two ends, one end thereof is a driving member  11 , and the other end thereof is a connecting member  12 . Both the driving member and the connecting member of the present embodiment are formed in hexagonal shape, yet they can still be formed in other shape as desired. The connecting member  12  has a side hole to receive a resilient body and an engaging body  30 , and the engaging body  30  is urged out of the side hole by the resilient body. A portion of the anchor pin  10  close to the connecting member  12  is disposed an annular flange  13 , and between the annular flange  13  and the connecting member  12  is disposed a neck  14 , around which a positioning body  40  is disposed. In addition, a portion of the connecting member  12  close to the neck  14  is an arc surface  121 , and a portion of the connecting member  12  away from the neck  14  is a polyhedral inclined surface  122 . 
     Furthermore, one end of the socket  20  can be a connecting end or a sleeve end, and the other end of the socket  20  is formed a receiving hole  21  to receive the connecting member  12  therein. Around an opening of the receiving hole  21  is an annular wall  22  to engage with the annular flange  13 . A side wall of the receiving hole  21  has a shallow notch  23  to receive the engaging body  30  when the annular flange  13  engages with the annular wall  22 ; and an annular groove  24  to receive the positioning body  40  when the anchor pin  10  is installed in the socket  20 . Whereby, when the connecting member  12  is installed into the receiving hole  21 , the socket  20  and the anchor pin  10  is combined as show in  FIG. 2 . 
     Thus the socket assembly of the present invention has two forms of usage. Please refer to  FIG. 3 . When the annular flange  13  engages with the annular wall  22 , the engaging body  30  is urged into the shallow notch  23 , and further due to the receiving hole  21  and the connecting member  12  being formed in correspondingly polyhedral structures, the anchor pin  10  is, therefore, fixed in the socket  20  so that the anchor pin  10  and the socket  20  can rotate simultaneously. 
     Further refer to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . As soon as the anchor pin  10  is pulled slightly from the socket  20 , the positioning body  40  engages with the arc surface  121  so as to prevent the anchor pin  10  from departing from the socket  20 . Meanwhile, the engaging body  30  slides out of the shallow notch  23  and is urged back into the side hole of the connecting member  12 , such that the anchor pin  10  is capable of swaying at a predetermined range. More specifically, the anchor pin  10  can sway freely till the neck  14  engages the upper inclined surface of the annular wall  22  or the polyhedral inclined surface  122  engages the side wall of the receiving hole  21 . In addition, the anchor pin  10  can rotate smoother due to the deployment of the arc surface  121 .