WINCH WINDER ADAPTER FOR A ROTARY POWER TOOL AND METHOD

• US 20110079967A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Prostar Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Prostar Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: PRESLEY, REESE T.
• Application Number:
  US12/894,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20110079967A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 279/145
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 3/00 Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/02 Driving gear
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/12 incorporating electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/3418 for particular tool or workpiece

Abstract

A winch winder adapter for a rotary power tool, such as a drill or power screwdriver, to quickly and easily wind-up the strap on the winch bracket. For example, the strap may be wound up by inserting the adapter into the collar of the winch drum and actuating the rotary power tool. The high speed output rotation of the tool rotates the adapter which, when coupled to the collar, quickly rotates the drum and winds-up the strap. This can be helpful especially when there may be numerous cargo strap winches along the length of a cargo vehicle.

Claims

1. An adapter for a rotary power tool to wind a winch winder having a rotatable collar with an opening, the adapter comprising:

a frusto-conical body tapered from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein at least a portion of the body is dimensioned to be received by an opening in a collar of a winch winder;

a shank extending from the body'"'"'s proximal end and rigidly coupled with the body such that rotation of the shank causes concomitant rotation of the body, wherein the shank is dimensioned to be driven by a rotary power tool; and

wherein the body includes a gripping portion formed from a deformable material, wherein the gripping portion deforms when the body is inserted into the opening in the collar to frictionally engage an inner surface of the collar so that rotation of the body rotates the collar.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein substantially the entire body is formed from a deformable material.

4. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the shank extends along an axis of rotation of the body.

5. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the shank is dimensioned to be inserted into a chuck of a drill.

6. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the gripping portion is formed from a resilient material that substantially restores a deformity of the gripping portion when the body is removed from the collar.

7. The adapter of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the shank extends into the body.

8. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the portion of the shank that extends into the body has a cross-sectional shape with at least one vertex.

9. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the portion of the shank that extends into the body has a polygonal cross-sectional shape.

10. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the portion of the shank that extends into the body has a cross-sectional shape of either an octagon or hexagon.

11. The adapter of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the shank extends between the proximal end and the distal end of the body.

3. The adapter of claim 3, wherein the body is formed from one or more of a deformable rubber or plastic.

12. An adapter for a rotary power tool to wind a winch winder having a rotatable collar with an opening, the adapter comprising:

a tube having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the tube defines an internal cavity;

a detent disposed at least partially within the internal cavity of the tube, wherein the detent is movable between an extended position that extends outwardly from the tube and a retracted position within the internal cavity, wherein the detent positioned to be alignable with a transverse hole disposed in a collar of a winch winder so that when the detent is in the extended position, the detent engages the periphery of the hole to create an engagement between the collar and the adapter;

a shank extending from the proximal end of the tube, wherein the shank is operably coupled with the tube such that rotation of the shank causes concomitant rotation of the tube, wherein the shank is dimensioned to be driven by a rotary power tool, wherein the shank is movable between a first position and a second position;

a shaft disposed at least partially within the internal cavity of the tube and extending from the shank, wherein the shaft moves toward a detent engaging position when the shank moves toward the second position and the shaft moves toward a detent disengaging position when the shank moves toward the first position, wherein the shaft moves the detent to the extended position when moving toward the detent engaging position; and

a spring urging the shank toward the first position.

13. The adapter of claim 12, wherein the tube includes an outer flange configured to limit a depth with which the tube can be received within the collar.

14. The adapter of claim 12, wherein the shaft includes at least one cam surface configured to move the detent to the extended position when the shaft moves toward the detent engaging position.

15. The adapter of claim 12, wherein the shaft includes at least one cam surface configured to move the detent to the retracted position when the shaft moves toward the detent disengaging position.

16. The adapter of claim 12, wherein the shank is linearly movable independently of the tube.

17. The adapter of claim 12, further comprising a cap covering the distal end of the tube, wherein the cap limits movement of the shank to the first position.

18. A method for winding a winch winder using a rotary power tool, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a shank of a winch winder adapter to a chuck of a rotary power tool, wherein the winch winder adapter includes a body extending from the shank that rotates concomitant with the shank;

inserting a leading end of the body into an opening in a rotatable collar of a winch winder;

coupling at least a portion of the body with the collar such that rotation of the body causes concomitant rotation of the collar; and

winding the winch winder by actuating the rotary power tool to rotate the collar.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the coupling step includes the step of deforming at least a portion of the body to form a frictional engagement between the adapter and the collar.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the coupling step includes the step of extending a detent into a transverse hole in the collar to form an interference engagement between the adapter and the collar.