Patent Publication Number: US-2010116098-A1

Title: Anti-slip assembly element for hand tool

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Continuation-in-part Application of Ser. No. 12/015,517, filed 17 Jan. 2008, and entitled “ANTI-SLIP ASSEMBLY ELEMENT FOR HAND TOOL”, now pending. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an anti-slip assembly element for hand tool, and more particularly to a structure for avoiding an undesired rolling as well as for achieving an easy grip and a rapid tightening. Moreover, it serves as an identification label for an easy identification of the item number, size, type, etc. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The assembly element for hand tool includes accessories of force-applying hand tools such as a socket, a connecting bar, an adapter, a universal joint, a compression socket, etc. The force-applying hand tools may be screwdrivers, wrenches, ratchets, etc. After the anti-slip element assembles with the hand tool, the screws can be tightened by operating the assembled hand tool. In considering an easy and economical production, every existing assembly element includes a smooth cylindrical body at the largest part thereof. That is, the part held by the operator is formed as a smooth cylindrical body. 
     The structure mentioned above has been adopted for decades, and the operators are also accustomed thereto. However, this part which is formed as a cylindrical body causes an undesired rolling displacement when it lies on a surface. Therefore, the operator has to pay attention to its position. Even, its search requires the attention of the operator, thereby causing much inconvenience and delay of the work. Moreover, the fingers of the operator can be greasy when working under an oily operation environment so that the operator can not hold the assembly element with a smooth surface properly. As a result, an unexpected slip often takes place. Meanwhile, the operator can not perform a rapid tightening process with his fingers. Thus, the conventional structure requires further improvements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A first objective of the present invention is to provide an improved anti-slip assembly element for hand tool and to change the form and the structure of the largest part of the assembly element such that the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional products can be eliminated while the convenience and the practicalness of the present invention are ensured. 
     A second objective of the present invention is to provide an anti-slip assembly element for hand tool that includes at least one annular groove formed in the largest portion thereof as an identification label for an easy identification of the item number, size, type, etc. 
     According to the present invention, the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool includes a polygonal portion formed on the largest part thereof, which can be quadrangular, hexagonal, octagonal, etc. A plurality of anti-slip portion is respectively disposed between every two adjacent side walls of the polygonal portion. Each anti-slip portion has a plurality of first grooves parallely defined therein and a plurality of second grooves parallely defined therein. The first grooves are crosswise of the second grooves. The anti-slip portions provide for avoiding an undesired rolling as well as for achieving an easy grip and a rapid tightening. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the first embodiment of the present invention according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a partially enlarged view of an anti-slip portion of an anti-slip assembly element in accordance with the present invention in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show various embodiments of the present invention. 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-2 , an anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is a socket  10  which is detachably connected to a hand tool (not shown). The socket  10  has a tool insertion hole  12  defined in one end thereof The socket  10  has a polygonal portion  14  formed on the other end thereof. The polygonal portion  14  has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the rest of the socket  10 . 
     A plurality of anti-slip portion  16  is respectively disposed on an outer periphery of the polygonal portion  14  and lengthwise located between every two adjacent side walls of the polygonal portion  14 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , each anti-slip portion  16  has a plurality of first grooves  161  parallely defined therein and a plurality of second grooves  162  parallely defined therein. The first grooves  161  are crosswise of the second grooves  162 . 
     When a user grasps the polygonal portion  14  of the socket  10 , the first and second grooves  161 ,  162  on the anti-slip portions  16  provide a friction for easily gripping. When the socket  10  is dropped down, the first and second grooves  161 ,  162  on the anti-slip portions  16  provide the friction for avoiding rolling away. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , that shows a second embodiment of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the assembly element is another socket  20 . The socket  20  includes a tool insertion hole  22  defined in one end thereof A polygonal portion  24  is formed on the other end of the socket  20 . The polygonal portion  24  has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the rest of the socket  20 . 
     A plurality of anti-slip portion  26  is respectively disposed on an outer periphery of the polygonal portion  24  and lengthwise located between every two adjacent side walls of the polygonal portion  24 . Each anti-slip portion  26  has a plurality of first grooves (not numbered) parallely defined therein and a plurality of second grooves (not numbered) parallely defined therein. The first grooves are crosswise of the second grooves. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , those respectively show a third and a fourth embodiments of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention. In the third embodiment, the assembly element is an adapter  30 . In the fourth embodiment, the assembly element is a compression socket  40 . Likewise, a polygonal portion  34 ,  44  is formed on one end of the assembly element  30 ,  40 . The polygonal portion  34 ,  44  has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the rest of the assembly element  30 ,  40 . 
     A plurality of anti-slip portion  36 ,  46  is respectively disposed on an outer periphery of the polygonal portion  34 ,  44  and lengthwise located between every two adjacent side walls of the polygonal portion  34 ,  44 . Each anti-slip portion  36 ,  46  has a plurality of first grooves (not numbered) parallely defined therein and a plurality of second grooves (not numbered) parallely defined therein. The first grooves are crosswise of the second grooves. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , those respectively show a fifth and a sixth embodiments of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention. In the fifth embodiment, the assembly element is a universal joint  50 . In the sixth embodiment, the assembly element is an extension bar  60 . Each of the two embodiments also includes the features of the present invention mentioned above. 
     With reference to  FIG. 8 , that shows a seventh embodiment of the anti-slip assembly element for hand tool in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the assembly element is any one socket  80  mentioned above. The socket  80  has a polygonal portion  82  formed on one end thereof. The polygonal portion  82  has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the rest of the socket  80 . The polygonal portion  82  has at least one annular groove  84  defined in the outer periphery thereof The at least one annular groove  84  can be filled with a colored paint (not shown) as an identification label for an easy identification of the item number, size, type, etc. 
     The anti-slip assembly element of the present invention has a wide application scope and includes almost all of the assembly elements for hand tools. It is difficult to show all of them with drawings. As a result, any elements that are added or equivalent to the present invention should all fall within the scope of the present invention. 
     Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiments of the present invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the present invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.