Swingable handle for a hand tool

• US 6,877,186 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hsuan-Sen Shiao
• Original Assignee: Hsuan-Sen Shiao
• Inventors: Shiao, Hsuan-Sen
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/458,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20040250379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 161/111, 164/30, 164/36, 164/38, 169/00, 811/774, 811/778, 811/777, 814/90, 814/89, 408/241.R
• US Class Current: 16/111.1
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/005 for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners with additional levers, e.g. for increasing torque
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/066 the grip itself being angularly adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/085 for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 16/90 Handle with angularly adjustable component

Abstract

A swingable handle for a hand tool includes a rear handle body with two spaced apart walls that confine a replacement bit receiving space for receiving replacement tool bits, a front handle body having a mount end portion for connection with a tool shaft, and a coupling end portion pivoted to and turnable relative to the front end of the rear handle body between normal and torque enhancing positions, and a lid member having a front end coaxially pivoted to the front end of the rear handle body and the coupling end portion so as to be turnable between open and closed positions, and a cover portion that covers the receiving space in the closed position and that permits access to the receiving space in the open position. A retaining member is disposed to arrest the coupling end portion in one of the normal and torque enhancing positions.

Claims

1. A swingable handle for delivering torque to rotate a tool shaft together with a tool bit about a rotating axis and for receiving a plurality of replacement tool bits therein, said handle comprising:

a rear handle body having an outer wall which defines a replacement bit receiving space therein, and which has a first front end that defines an access to said replacement bit receiving space;

a front handle body having a mount end portion adapted to connect with the tool shaft, and a coupling end portion opposite to said mount end portion along the rotating axis, said coupling end portion being pivoted to and turnable relative to said first front end of said outer wall about a pivot axis in a transverse direction transverse to the rotating axis between a normal position, where said front and rear handle bodies are in line with each other, and a torque enhancing position, where said rear handle body is inclined relative to the rotating axis;

a lid member having a second front end which is pivoted to and which is turnable relative to said first front end of said outer wall about the pivot axis between open and closed positions, and a cover portion which extends from said second front end radially relative to the pivot axis and which has an inner surface that confronts said replacement bit receiving space, such that when said second front end is in the closed position, said cover portion covers said replacement bit receiving space, and such that when said second front end is in the open position, said inner surface of said cover portion is exposed, thereby providing access to said replacement bit receiving space; and

a replacement bit positioning member disposed on one of said inner surface and said outer wall for positioning the replacement tool bits.

2. The swingable handle of claim 1, wherein said outer wall of said rear handle body includes right and left walls which are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction to confine said replacement bit receiving space therebetween, and an inner bottom wall which extends in the transverse direction to interconnect said right and left walls, and which confronts said replacement bit receiving space, said right and left walls having front ends which are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction so as to serve as said first front end.

3. The swingable handle of claim 2, wherein said replacement bit positioning member includes a plurality of grip units which are integrally formed with one of said inner surface and said inner bottom wall and which are disposed in tandem in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis.

4. The swingable handle of claim 2, wherein said coupling end portion includes right and left coupling walls which are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction, and which are received in said access to confront said front ends of said right and left walls, respectively, along the pivot axis, said second front end being interposed between said right and left coupling walls, and having right and left side surfaces which confront said right and left coupling walls, respectively, along the pivot axis such that said front ends of said right and left walls, said right and left coupling walls and said second front end are pivoted coaxially about the pivot axis.

5. The swingable handle of claim 4, further comprising a slidably retaining member disposed between said right coupling wall and said right side surface so as to slidably retain said second front end in one of the open and closed positions.

6. The swingable handle of claim 5, wherein said slidably retaining member includes a plurality of recesses formed in said right side surface and angularly displaced from each other about the pivot axis, and a spring-loaded ball retractably disposed in said right coupling wall and depressable to slip into a selected one of said recesses so as to place said second front end in a corresponding one of the open and closed positions.

7. The swingable handle of claim 5, further comprising a retaining member disposed to arrest said coupling end portion in one of the normal and torque enhancing positions.

8. The swingable handle of claim 7, wherein said left coupling wall has a retaining wall surface which faces rearward and which includes a plurality of retaining recesses formed therein and angularly displaced from one another about the pivot axis,

said retaining member including

a retaining protrusion which is mounted in said left wall, which extends into said access, and which is movable relative to said left wall in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis between an engaging position, where said retaining protrusion engages one of said retaining recesses so as to arrest said coupling end portion in a respective one of the normal and torque enhancing positions, and a disengaging position, where said retaining protrusion disengages from said one of said retaining recesses so as to permit turning of said coupling end portion about the pivot axis,

a biasing unit which is disposed to bias said retaining protrusion towards the engaging position, and

an operation stem which extends from said retaining protrusion outwardly of said left wall so as to be operable manually to move said retaining protrusion toward the disengaging position against biasing force of said biasing unit.

9. The swingable handle of claim 2, wherein said right and left walls have rear ends opposite to said first front ends, respectively, such that said cover portion covers said rear ends when said second front end is in the closed position, said rear ends being configured to be in a press-fit engagement with said cover portion when said cover portion covers said rear ends.