Tools – Hammer – Having shock absorbing means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-10
2001-03-20
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Hammer
Having shock absorbing means
C081S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202511
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hammers and more particularly to hammers adapted to damp vibrations created during usage.
Conventional hammers typically include a steel or iron head fixedly secured to a rigid handle. Oftentimes the handle will be covered with a flexible sleeve to provide a gripping surface. When striking the head against an object, such as a nail or chisel, vibrations will be transmitted through the handle to the hand of the user. Over a period of usage, these vibrations can cause discomfort to the hand of the user and result in accelerated fatigue of the user's hand muscles. It is therefore desirable to provide a hammer which is particularly adapted to reduce the vibrations transmitted to the hand of the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hammer which overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above and suitably reduces the vibrations transmitted to the hand of the user.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, there is provided a hammer comprising a rigid support structure extending longitudinally with respect to the hammer, a head provided on a first longitudinal end portion of the rigid support structure and arranged transversely with respect thereto, and a manually engageable gripping portion surrounding the rigid support structure and having an exterior surface constructed and arranged to be grasped by an individual using the hammer.
The head has a striking surface at one end thereof. The striking surface is arranged so that it strikes an object when the hammer is swung toward the object in its swing plane, thereby generating an impact force acting on the striking surface in a direction parallel to the swing plane. The impact force creates vibrations in the rigid support structure acting in a direction parallel to the swing plane.
The rigid support structure has a second end portion opposite the first longitudinal end portion. The second end portion comprises a pair of vibration-receiving portions extending longitudinally in a direction away from the first longitudinal end portion and terminating in spaced relation to one another. The vibration-receiving portions are spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to the swing plane of the hammer.
The gripping portion is formed from resiliently deformable material, and a portion of the resiliently deformable material is received within the space between the vibration-receiving portions and surrounds the vibration-receiving portions. Accordingly, vibrations acting in a direction parallel to the swing plane received by the vibration-receiving portions are damped by the resiliently deformable material, to thereby reduce the level of vibration transmitted to the hand of the user.
Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation of the invention and the function and interrelation of the elements of structure, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this disclosure, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures.
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Murray John C.
Scott David B.
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
Shakeri Hadi
Smith James G.
The Stanley Works
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