AU2001100240A4 - Fastener attracting device for tool - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT APPLICATION NO:

LODGED:

NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR: ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: LI SHIU HUANG LI SHIU HUANG LORD COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys 4 Douro Place West Perth, Western Australia, 6005

AUSTRALIA.

"FASTENER ATTRACTING DEVICE FOR TOOL" The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: FASTENER ATTRACTING DEVICE FOR TOOL The invention relates to an attracting device for attracting onto the tools.

Typical tools comprise a driving stem for engaging with and for driving the fasteners. Some of the driving stems are magnetized for attracting the fasteners.

However, most of the driving stems are not magnetized and may not be used for attracting the fasteners.

The invention is to provide an attracting device for attracting the fasteners to the tools and allowing the fasteners to be easily driven by the tool.

FIG. I is an exploded view of an attracting device; FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the attracting device; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the application of the attracting device to the tool; FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the other application of the attracting device; and FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the attracting device as shown in FIG. 4, showing the operation of the attracting device.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an attracting device comprises a body 11 including a chamber 13 formed therein for receiving a magnet 30 and including a circular washer forced inside chamber 13 for engaging with the magnet 30 and for securing the magnet 30 within the chamber 13 of the body 11. The body 11 includes an extension 12 extended therefrom and having an orifice 15 formed therein for receiving a tool 60, particularly the driving stem or the driving tool bit 60 of a screw driver, which may be secured to a power tool 10 by a chuck device 20. The tool includes a peripheral groove 63 formed therein. The magnet 30 includes a bore 31 formed therein for receiving the tool 60 and for allowing the tool 60 to be extended outward of the magnet 30 to engage with the head 41 of the fastener 40 to be driven 2 by the tool 60 (FIG. 2).

The extension 12 of the body 11 includes an aperture 16 formed therein and communicating with the orifice 15 thereof for receiving a ball 18. A resilient retaining ring 19 is engaged onto the extension 12 of the body 11 and engaged with the ball 18 for biasing the ball 18 inward of the orifice 15 of the extension 12 of the body 11 to engage into the peripheral groove 63 of the tool 60 and to detachably secure the body 11 of the attracting device onto the tool 60. Extension 12 of the body 11 includes a peripheral recess 17 formed therein for receiving the resilient retaining ring 19 and for retaining the resilient retaining ring 19 to the extension 12 of the body 11. The resilient retaining ring 19 includes a hole 191 formed therein and having a size slightly smaller than that of the ball 18 for securing the ball 18 to the extension 12 of the body 11.

The body 11 of the fastener attracting device may also be attached onto the driving stem 61 of the typical screwdriver that has no peripheral groove formed therein (FIG. The resilient retaining ring 19 may also bias the ball 18 to engage with the driving stem 61 of the tool and to secure the body 11 onto the driving stem 61.

The magnet 30 is provided for attracting the fasteners only and need not be driven by the tool and need not apply a force against the fastener, such that the engagement of the spring-biased ball 18 with the driving stem 61 is good enough to secure the body 11 onto the driving stem 61. The magnet 30 may include a semi-spherical cavity 33 formed therein for receiving the head 41 of the fastener 40 that has a semi-spherical shape (FIG. A ferrule 58 may further be provided and rotatably engaged onto the extension 12 of the body 11 for shielding and protecting the resilient retaining ring 19.

Referring next to FIGS. 4 and 5, for solidly securing the driving stem 61 of the typical screw driver that has no peripheral groove formed therein, the extension 12 of the body 11 may include one or more slits 57 formed therein for defining one or more flaps 59 and may include an outer thread 56 formed thereon for threading with an inner thread 581 of a control ferrule 58. The control ferrule 58 may force the flaps 59 radially inward to engage with the driving stem 61 and to solidly secure the body 11 onto the driving stem 61 when the control ferrule 58 is threaded onto the extension 12.

Alternatively, the body 11 may include a peripheral chamber formed therein for receiving one or more magnets or magnetic rollers therein, or may include a side chamber for receiving one or more magnets. The magnets are provided for attracting the fastener to the tool only.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stared integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims (7)

1. An attracting device for attaching onto a tool and for attracting fasteners, said attaching device comprising: a body including a chamber formed therein, a magnet received in said chamber of said body for attracting the fasteners, and means for detachably securing said body onto the tool.

2. The attracting device according to claim 1 further comprising means for retaining said magnet in said chamber of said body.

3. The attracting device according to claim 2, wherein said retaining means includes a circular washer forced inside said chamber of said body for engaging with and securing said magnet to said body.

4. The attracting device according to claim 1, wherein said magnet includes a bore formed therein for receiving the tool.

The attracting device according to claim 1, wherein said body includes an extension having an orifice formed therein for receiving the tool, and said detachably securing means is provided for securing said extension of said body onto the tool.

6. The attracting device according to claim 5, wherein said extension of said body includes an aperture formed therein, said detachably securing means includes a spring- biased ball engaged in said aperture of said extension of said body and biased to engage with the tool for securing said extension of said body onto the tool.

7. The attracting device according to claim 1, wherein said magnet includes a cavity formed therein for receiving a head of the tool. Dated this 21s t day of August 2001 LI SHIU HUANG By his Patent Attorneys LORD COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA