Patent ID: 7913592

Claim:
A tool holding device comprising: a toolholder including a shank and a socket, the shank having a connecting end defined at a first end of the toolholder adapted to connect to a power tool, the socket having a cavity defined at a second end of the toolholder adapted to receive a bit, the cavity extending in the socket and defining an effective length which is a longitudinal length measured for a boundary wall of the cavity which is adapted to abut a peripheral wall of the bit, the socket further having an annular wall, a first slot and a second slot cut into a region of the annular wall, and an aperture is defined in the second slot and communicates with the cavity; a sleeve being hollow and disposed circumferentially outside the toolholder, the sleeve being axially and rotationally movable in relation to the toolholder, the sleeve being operable to move between a first position which allows for removal of the bit and a second position which allows the bit to be securely retained in the cavity of the toolholder, the sleeve defining a first section and a second section extending from an end of the first section, the sleeve further including a returning member disposed circumferentially, between the toolholder and the second section thereof for returning the sleeve to a neutral position between the first and second positions, and with a portion of the sleeve which does not surround the returning member abutting the toolholder; and a clipping member mounted in the first and second slots and having an embracing portion disposed about the first slot and a retaining portion received in the second slot, with the clipping member inserted in the aperture and partially disposed in the cavity, the clipping member being selectively abutted by the first section of the sleeve, and wherein when the sleeve is at the first position, the first section of the sleeve does not abut the clipping member, and wherein when the sleeve is at the second position, the first section of the sleeve abuts the clipping member, wherein the sleeve comprises an inner peripheral edge which circumferentially abuts the annular wall of the socket and an outer peripheral edge, and wherein the first section of the sleeve comprises a sleeve region corresponding to where the effective length of the cavity is measured including a thickness measured from the inner peripheral edge to the outer peripheral edge thereof, and wherein the boundary wall of the cavity defines a plurality of corners and a center equal distanced with respect to the plurality of corners, and wherein the socket comprises a socket region corresponding to where the effective length of the cavity is measured including a minimum distance equaling to a first length measured from the center of the cavity to the annular wall of the socket subtracted by a second distance measured from the center of the cavity to one of the plurality of corners of the cavity, and wherein the thickness of the sleeve is less than the minimum distance.