Hand Tool Having an Electronic Identification Device

• US 20160110637A1
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stanley Black & Decker Mea Fze (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Works (Europe) GMBH (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lehovetzki, Axel
• Application Number:
  US14/897,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 15/02 operated by rotating the handle
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/00 Details of, or accessories for, spanners, wrenches, screwdrivers bolt tensioners B25B29/02
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/00 Handle constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Disclosed is a hand tool (200) and method of assembly thereof, the tool comprising a handle (203) a shaft (206) and a cap (215), wherein the cap and an end of the handle define a cavity (217) for encapsulating an electronic identification device (109) such as an RFID tag. The cavity may be sealed, and may be filled with a glue via an aperture (215c), and the handle and/or the cap material may comprise a fluorescent pigment. The cavity may include protective elastomeric material, and corresponding non-circular profiles of the front end of the handle and base of the cap may be provided to ensure alignment after assembly.

Claims

1. A hand tool (200) comprising;

a handle (203) having a front portion (220) and a back portion (222);

a shaft (206) having a working end (224) and a connection end (226) opposite the working end (224) of the shaft, wherein the connection end (226) of the shaft (206) is connected to the front portion (220) of the handle (203); and

an electronic identification device (109),

characterized in that the hand tool (200) further comprises a cap (215) connected to the handle (203), wherein the cap (215) is configured to encapsulate the electronic identification device (109) within a cavity (217) defined by the handle (203) and the cap (215) and wherein the cap (215) is formed of a material which is transparent or partially-transparent to radio frequency energy in order to facilitate the transmission of signals to or from the electronic identification device (109).

2. A hand tool (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cap (215) is substantially hemispherical shell with a central hole (215a) around the shaft (206) and a substantially circular base (215b) connected the handle (203) at a substantially circular section (203b) thereof.

3. A hand tool (200) as claimed in either one of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cap (215) is connected to the handle (220) by an interference fit or by a snap fit between the cap (215) and the handle (203).

4. A hand tool (200) as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the cap (215) is glued to the handle (220).

5. A hand tool (200) as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the shaft (206) is made of metal, wherein the electronic identification device (109) is connected to the shaft (206) and wherein the cap (215) is connected to the front portion (220) of the handle (203).

6. A hand tool (200) as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the handle (203) is formed of a material which is at least partially transparent to radio frequency energy.

7. A hand tool (200) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interior of the cap (215) is equipped with an elastomeric material (234) for protection of the electronic identification device (109), wherein the handle (203′

) has an irregular external profile (230) which corresponds to an irregular external profile (232) on the cap (215′

) and wherein alignment of the irregular external profiles (230,232) locates the elastomeric material (234) over the electronic identification device (109).

8. A hand tool (200) as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the material of the handle (203) and/or the cap (215) comprise a fluorescent pigment.

9. A hand tool (200) as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the hand tool is any one of a nut-driver, a screwdriver, a bit driver, a hammer, a mallet, a wrench, a pair of scissors, a knife, a file, a scraper, a spatula, a chisel, a chisel holder, an awl, a punch, a brush, a broom, an axe or a pry bar.

10. A method of assembling a hand tool (200) as claimed in any one of the previous claims, the method comprising the steps of connecting the cap (215) to the handle (203) and inserting a glue which is at least partially-transparent to radio frequency energy into the cavity (217) defined by the handle (203) and the cap (215) through a hole (215c) in the cap (215) thereby securing the cap (215) and the electronic identification device (109) to the hand tool (200).