Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Insulated handle – Bar-type handle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2002-04-09
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Insulated handle
Bar-type handle
C081S177100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06367125
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handle assembly, and more particularly to a handle assembly that is used for preventing a tool from slipping in use.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional tool such as an open ended wrench in accordance with the prior art shown in
FIG. 12
includes a shank
60
and a driving head
61
formed on one end of the shank
60
for operating a workpiece
62
such as a nut or the like. A user's hand
80
can hold the other end of the shank
60
so as to rotate the workpiece
62
by the driving head
61
. However, during rotation of the shank
60
, the user's hand
80
is inclined relative to the shank
60
so that the shank
60
is easily tilted by the user's hand
80
. Accordingly, the driving head
61
is tilted by the shank
60
to deviate from the workpiece
62
so that the driving head
61
and the workpiece
62
are not in alignment with each other and so that the driving head
62
cannot optimally engage with the workpiece
62
, thereby decreasing the performance of the driving head
61
on the workpiece
62
, and thereby easily wearing the driving head
61
or the workpiece
62
.
A first conventional handle for a tool such as an open ended wrench in accordance with the prior art shown in
FIGS. 13 and 14
with reference to
FIG. 12
includes two roller members
66
mounted on the shank
60
of the tool for increasing the mobility between the shank
60
of the tool and the user's hand
80
. However, a torque “M” is created on the center of the shank
60
due to the force “F” being exerted by the user's hand
80
on the roller members
66
so that the driving head
61
is tilted by the shank
60
to deviate from the workpiece
62
so that the driving head
61
and the workpiece
62
are not in alignment with each other and so that the driving head
62
cannot optimally engage with the workpiece
62
, thereby decreasing the performance of the driving head
61
on the workpiece
62
.
A second conventional handle for a tool such as an open ended wrench in accordance with the prior art shown in
FIGS. 15 and 16
includes a roller member
76
rotatably mounted on a cylindrical shank
70
of the tool for increasing the mobility between the shank
70
of the tool and the user's hand
80
. However, the roller member
76
is freely rotated on the shank
70
of the tool without any limiting device for limiting the movement of the roller member
76
. Accordingly, the user's hand
80
holding the roller member
76
tends to turn excessively relative to the shank
70
of the tool due to little friction between the roller member
76
and the shank
70
of the tool so that the user's hand
80
cannot efficiently grip or hold the shank
70
of the tool to operate a workpiece, thereby decreasing the performance of the driving head of the tool on the workpiece. In addition, the user's hand
80
cannot efficiently hold the shank
70
of the tool due to the roller member
76
being freely rotatable on the shank
70
of the tool so that the driving head of the tool cannot optimally engage with the workpiece, and easily slips on the workpiece which is easily detached from the driving head of the tool, thereby decreasing the performance of the driving head on the workpiece, and thereby easily wearing the driving head or the workpiece.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handle assembly for a shank of a tool comprising a handle body rotatably mounted on the shank of the tool, and a limiting device mounted in the handle body for use in limiting the amount of rotation between the handle body and the shank of the tool to a determined rotation angle.
The handle assembly further comprises a supporting barrel secured on the shank of the tool, wherein the handle body is rotatably mounted on the supporting barrel, and the limiting device is mounted between the supporting barrel and the handle body. The limiting device includes a curved limiting groove defined in an outer wall of the supporting barrel, and a limiting member mounted on an inner wall of the handle body and slidably received in the curved limiting groove.
The handle assembly further comprises a restoring device mounted between the supporting barrel and the handle body and including a restoring spring mounted on the supporting barrel and located in the handle body. The restoring spring has a first end secured to the supporting barrel and a second end secured to the handle body. The restoring device also includes an annular first receiving groove defined in an outer wall of the supporting barrel for receiving the restoring spring, and an annular second receiving groove defined in an inner wall of the handle body for receiving the restoring spring.
The handle assembly further comprises an alignment device mounted between the supporting barrel and the handle body and including a guide groove defined in an outer wall of the supporting barrel, a retaining notch defined in a mediate portion of the guide groove, a retaining recess defined in an inner wall of the handle body, and a flexible alignment member secured in the retaining recess. The alignment member is slidably received in the guide groove to be detachably received in the retaining notch.
The handle body includes a first half body and a second half body securely coupled with each other. The second half body has a plurality of locking bores defined therein, and the first half body includes a plurality of snapping stubs each snapped into a corresponding one of the locking bores for coupling the first half body with the second half body.
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.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4811637 (1989-03-01), McCleary
patent: 5299475 (1994-04-01), Stroop
patent: 5816337 (1998-10-01), Kun-Chuan
patent: 5823077 (1998-10-01), Macor
patent: 5852960 (1998-12-01), Wu
patent: 5860190 (1999-01-01), Cano
patent: 5911798 (1999-06-01), Arnold
patent: 5950280 (1999-09-01), Taylor
patent: 6029315 (2000-02-01), Flower
patent: 6049948 (2000-04-01), Leonardi
patent: 6089130 (2000-07-01), Wu
Browne Lynne H.
Chang Chuck Cheng-Tsai
Hutton Doug
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
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