Screwdriver handle

• US 7,216,569 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Custom Spine Acquisition, Inc. (Spinal Elements, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Custom Spine, Inc. (Spinal Elements, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abdelgany, Mahmoud F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson; Lee D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grant; Alvin J.
• Application Number:
  US11/076,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20060201287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 811/775, 811/778, 811/776, 811/777
• US Class Current: 81/177.5
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 15/00 Screwdrivers hand-driven gear-operated B25B17/00; impact screwdrivers B25B19/00; portable power-driven B25B21/00 ; screwdrivers specially adapted for osteosynthesis A61B17/8875
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/005 for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners with additional levers, e.g. for increasing torque

Abstract

A screwdriver handle comprises a base portion; a pair of arms pivotally connected to the base portion; a locking sleeve mounted around the base portion and adapted to engage the pair of arms; a spring member mounted around the base portion and adapted to engage the locking sleeve; a torsion spring connected to the base portion and each of the pair of arms; and a pin connecting the pair of arms to the base portion. The base portion comprises at least one gripping indent feature and a hollow inner shaft chamber having a locking indent feature. The pair of arms are adapted to articulate from a first position planar to a longitudinal axis of the base portion to a second position transverse to the longitudinal axis of the base portion. The locking sleeve is adapted to move along a longitudinal axis of the base portion.

Claims

1. A screwdriver handle comprising:

a base portion;

at least one arm pivotally connected to said base portion; and

a locking sleeve mounted on said base portion,

wherein a tip of said at least one arm comprises an indented lip adapted to engage said locking sleeve.

2. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, further comprising a spring member mounted on said base portion and adapted to engage said locking sleeve.

3. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, further comprising a torsion spring connected to each of said base portion and said at least one arm.

4. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, wherein said base portion comprises a hollow inner shaft chamber.

5. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, wherein said base portion comprises at least one gripping indent feature.

6. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, wherein said at least one arm is adapted to articulate from a first position planar to a longitudinal axis of said base portion to a second position transverse to said longitudinal axis of said base portion.

7. The screwdriver handle of claim 6, wherein said at least one arm comprises two arms, and wherein said two arms are diametrically opposed to one another when in said second position.

8. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, further comprising a pin connecting said at least one arm to said base portion.

9. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, wherein said locking sleeve is adapted to engage said at least one arm, and wherein said locking sleeve is adapted to move along a longitudinal axis of said base portion.

10. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, wherein said at least one arm comprises a pair of arms that are unconnected to one another.

11. The screwdriver handle of claim 1, wherein said pair of arms are unconnected to one another.

12. A screwdriver handle comprising:

a base portion;

a pair of arms connected to said base portion, wherein said pair of arms are diametrically opposed to one another at a position transverse to a longitudinal axis of said base portion; and

locking means operatively connected to said base portion,

wherein a tip of each of said pair of arms comprises an indented lip adapted to engage said locking means.

13. The screwdriver handle of claim 12, further comprising:

a spring member mounted around said base portion and adapted to engage said locking sleeve; and

a torsion spring connected to said base portion and each of said pair of arms,

wherein said locking sleeve is mounted around said base portion and is adapted to engage said pair of arms,

wherein said base portion comprises a catch, and

wherein said locking sleeve comprises a stop feature adapted to engage said catch.

14. The screwdriver handle of claim 12, wherein said base portion comprises a hollow inner shaft chamber.

15. The screwdriver handle of claim 12, wherein said base portion comprises at least one gripping indent feature.

16. The screwdriver handle of claim 12, wherein said pair of arms are adapted to articulate from a first position planar to a longitudinal axis of said base portion to a second position transverse to said longitudinal axis of said base portion.

17. The screwdriver handle of claim 16, wherein said pair of arms are diametrically opposed to one another when in said second position.

18. The screwdriver handle of claim 12, further comprising a pin connecting said pair of arms to said base portion.

19. The screwdriver handle of claim 12, wherein said locking sleeve is adapted to move along a longitudinal axis of said base portion.

20. A screwdriver handle comprising:

a base portion;

a pair of arms pivotally connected to said base portion;

locking means for locking said pair of arms in a first position planar to a longitudinal axis of said base portion, wherein a tip of each of said pair of arms comprises an indented lip adapted to engage said locking means;

first energy means for providing energy to said locking means to articulate from a locked to an unlocked position; and

second energy means for providing energy to said pair of arms to articulate from said first position planar to said longitudinal axis of said base portion to a second position transverse to said longitudinal axis of said base portion.