Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Having work engaging and force exerting portion inserted...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-09
2001-06-12
Meislin, D. S. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Having work engaging and force exerting portion inserted...
C081S457000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244141
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fastener holding device which holds fasteners, such as screws, securely in contact with a driving bit, and more particularly, to a fastener holding device which automatically disengages the screw and is intended for use with powered and/or manual tools.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional screw holding and driving devices show various means for holding a screw in position while screwing the screw into a work material, such as wood or drywall. Such screw holding devices do not provide a means for securely holding a screw head against a driving bit to prevent slippage of the bit from the screw head. In addition, some screw holding devices provide an elongated sleeve around the driving bit to hold the screw therein. To use such screw holding devices, an operator must apply substantial pressure on the screwdriver handle to force the screw into a work material. Such pressure can result in a penetration of a screw at an offset angle or an injury to the operator.
In addition, the conventional screw holding device using a sleeve to hold a screw typically uses a magnetized driving bit to prevent the screw from falling out from the sleeve. Such a magnetic driving bit cannot hold the screw substantially perpendicularly with respect to the work material if the screw is sufficiently heavy (e.g., when using a larger screw). Even if the magnetized driving bit can initially hold the screw perpendicularly with respect to the work material, the driving bit has very poor holding power, and as a result the screw can easily tilt to an undesirable angle when uneven force is applied on the head of the screw. Moreover, when non-metal screws are used, such magnetized driving bit cannot be used, since an operator must manually hold the screw, which defeats the purpose of the fastener holding device.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fastener holding device which firmly holds various screw types onto a driving bit so that the screws can be driven into a work material at any desired angles. Further object of the present invention is to provide automatic release of the screw when the screw is either fully or partially embedded into a work material.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the fastener holding device operable with a fastener includes a driving bit assembly having first and second ends, a retaining member adapted to be placed on the first end of and in surrounding relation to the driving bit assembly, in which the retaining member has parallely disposed clamps extending from the retaining member for releasably holding the fastener, and a sleeve member configured to be placed on and in surrounding relation to the retaining member. The sleeve member has recesses formed in the body of the sleeve member to retain the clamps. The sleeve member maintains at least one of a first position and a second position relative to the retaining member, wherein the clamps engage the fastener when the sleeve member is at the first position and disengages the fastener when the sleeve member is at the second position. In the preferred embodiment, the first end of the driving bit assembly is a socket configured to receive a driving bit.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the retaining member has a slot at lower end thereof to engage a protrusion inwardly formed on a lower end of the sleeve member to prevent disengagement of the sleeve member from the retaining member. The slot is longitudinally formed on the retaining member to allow the sleeve member to maintain at least one of the first and the second positions in response to the position of the protrusion with respect to the slot.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the sleeve member further includes a window longitudinally formed between the recesses and the protrusion to access the retainer member. In the present invention, the clamps of the retaining member includes a hook formed at an end portion of the clamps for engaging a head portion of the fastener. Each one of the clamps has a tab protruding therefrom. The tab is sized to fit in the recess of the sleeve member. In this regard, the clamps engage the fastener when the sleeve member is at the first position by an inner wall of the sleeve member pushing against the tab and disengage the fastener when the sleeve member is at the second position by placing the tab into the recess.
According to other aspects of the present invention, the fastener holding device has a bearing ring placed in surrounding relation to the driving bit member and placed inside of the retaining member to allow the driving bit member to rotate with respect to the retaining member. The fastener holding device may be used with a motorized apparatus, such as a power drill, connected to the second end of the driving bit assembly to rotate the driving bit assembly.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the fastener holding device operable with a fastener includes a driving bit assembly having first and second ends, and a retaining member adapted to be placed on the first end of and in surrounding relation to the driving bit assembly. The retaining member has parallely disposed clamps, clamps having curved end portions and tips. The tips are disposed against a head portion of the screw toward the driving bit. The fastener holding device also includes a sleeve member placed on and in surrounding relation to the driving bit assembly and adjustably coupled to the retaining member. When the curved end portions of the clamps are pressed against a work surface, the clamps are pushed away respect to each other to allow the tips of the clamps to disengage the head portion of the fastener.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the sleeve member has an inner threaded portion and the retaining member has a matching outer threaded portion to adjustably engage the sleeve member by rotating the sleeve member with respect to the retaining member which in turn adjusts the distance between the tips of the retainer member and the driving bit. The curved end portions of the clamps are extending from the retaining member in a Y-shape to disengage the fastener when the curved end portions are pushed against the work surface.
The present invention may be used with a motorized apparatus, such as a power drill, connected to the second end of the driving bit assembly. In this regard, the first end of the driving bit assembly is a socket configured to receive a driving bit.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by studying the detailed description in conjunction with the drawings and the accompanying claims.
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Lee & Hong
Meislin D. S.
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