Flexible socket extension

• US 6,952,986 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KUN YING Enterprise Company Limited
• Original Assignee: KUN YING Enterprise Company Limited
• Inventors: Fu, Chun Fa
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, James G.
• Application Number:
  US10/335,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20040126195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 811/772, 811/774, 811/776, 811/777, 811/777.5, 403/54, 403/58, 403/113, 403/116, 403/157
• US Class Current: 81/177.6
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0021 Prolongations interposed between handle and tool
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/025 for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32918 fork and tongue
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/665 Universal or flexible drive connection to rotate Tool

Abstract

A flexible socket extension includes two connectors disposed in two ends of a flexible housing, and a number of torque transmitting elements received in the flexible housing and coupled between the connectors. One of the torque transmitting elements includes a neck and a tongue which has a width greater than that of the neck. The other torque transmitting element includes a lateral groove for receiving the tongue, and having two juts extended into the lateral groove, for engaging with the tongue and for rotatably retaining the torque transmitting elements together.

Claims

1. A flexible socket extension comprising:

a flexible housing including two ends,

a first and a second connectors disposed in said ends of said flexible housing, and

a first and a second torque transmitting elements received in said flexible housing and coupled between said first and said second connectors,

said first torque transmitting element including a first end having a neck and a tongue extended therefrom, said neck including a width smaller than that of said tongue for defining two depressions on sides of said neck and between said tongue and said first torque transmitting element, and

said second torque transmitting element including a first end having a lateral groove formed therein to receive said tongue of said first torque transmitting element, and having two juts extended into said lateral groove thereof and engaged into said depressions and engaged with said tongue of said first torque transmitting element, for retaining said first and said second torque transmitting elements together, and for preventing said first and said second torque transmitting elements from being disengaged from each other.

2. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said lateral groove of said second torque transmitting element and said tongue of said first torque transmitting element include a circular cross section and rotatably engaged with each other for rotatably coupling said first and said second torque transmitting elements together.

3. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1 further comprising a first and a second barrels engaged onto said ends of said flexible housing respectively, said first and said second connectors being received in said first and said second barrels respectively.

4. The flexible socket extension according to claim 3, wherein said first connector is rotatably secured to said first barrel.

5. The flexible socket extension according to claim 3 further comprising means for biasing said first and said second barrels relative to said flexible housing.

6. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said first connector includes a neck and a tongue extended therefrom and engageable into said lateral groove of said second torque transmitting element, and includes two depressions formed on sides of said neck and between said tongue and said first connector.

7. The flexible socket extension according to claim 6, wherein said tongue of said first connector includes a circular cross section.

8. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said second connector includes a lateral groove formed therein to receive said tongue of said first torque transmitting element, and having two juts extended into said lateral groove thereof and engaged into said depressions and engaged with said tongue of said first torque transmitting element, for retaining said first torque transmitting element and said second connector together, and for preventing said first torque transmitting element and said second connector from being disengaged from each other.

9. The flexible socket extension according to claim 8, wherein said lateral groove of said second connector and said tongue of said first torque transmitting element include a circular cross section and rotatably engaged with each other for rotatably coupling said first torque transmitting element and said second connector together.

10. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said first torque transmitting element includes a second end having a lateral groove formed therein to receive said tongue of said first torque transmitting element.

11. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said second torque transmitting element includes a second end having a neck and a tongue extended therefrom, and engageable into said lateral groove of said second torque transmitting element.

12. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said first torque transmitting element includes a second end having a second neck and a second tongue extended therefrom, said second neck includes a width smaller than that of said second tongue for defining two depressions on sides of said second neck and between said second tongue and said first torque transmitting element.

13. The flexible socket extension according to claim 12, wherein said second connector includes a lateral groove formed therein to receive said second tongue of said first torque transmitting element, and having two juts extended into said lateral groove thereof and engaged into said depressions and engaged with said second tongue of said first torque transmitting element.

14. The flexible socket extension according to claim 12 further comprising a third torque transmitting element including a lateral groove formed therein to receive said second tongue of said first torque transmitting element, and having two juts extended into said lateral groove thereof and engaged into said depressions and engaged with said second tongue of said first torque transmitting element.

15. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said second torque transmitting element includes a second end having a second lateral groove formed therein for selectively receiving said tongue of said first torque transmitting element, and having two juts extended into said second lateral groove thereof and engaged into said depressions and engaged with said tongue of said first torque transmitting element.

16. The flexible socket extension according to claim 15 further comprising a third torque transmitting element including a neck and a tongue extended therefrom and engageable into said second lateral groove of said second torque transmitting element, and includes two depressions formed on sides of said neck and between said tongue and said third torque transmitting element.

17. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said first torque transmitting element includes an inclined peripheral surface formed in said first end thereof, and includes a second end having an inclined peripheral surface formed therein.

18. The flexible socket extension according to claim 1, wherein said second torque transmitting element includes an inclined peripheral surface formed in said first end thereof, and includes a second end having an inclined peripheral surface formed therein.