GB2350812A

GB2350812A - Illuminated Precision Screwdriver

Info

Publication number: GB2350812A
Application number: GB9913324A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kun-Chih Hung
Original assignee: SOPA INTERNATION CO Ltd
Current assignee: SOPA INTERNATION CO Ltd
Priority date: 1999-06-08
Filing date: 1999-06-08
Publication date: 2000-12-13
Also published as: GB9913324D0; DE29909952U1

Abstract

A precision screwdriver includes a hollow grip (10) and a bottom cap (20) screwed with a bottom end of the grip (10). An end face of the bottom cap (20) is disposed with a central switch and a conducting member (22). A rotary cover (25) is rotatably disposed at the end face of the bottom cap (20). A cell is received in the grip (10). A light shade (30) is installed in a non-circular socket (12) of front end of the grip (10). A bulb is disposed in the light shade (30). An engaging seat (41) of a transparent sleeve (40) is engaged in the non-circular socket (44). The front end of the sleeve (40) is formed with a tool connecting section for engaging with a screwdriver head. The switch (21) is received in the rotary cover (20), so that a user can push the end face of the rotary cover (25) at the end of the grip (10) with fingers or palm whilst rotating the precision screwdriver. Via the switch, the user is able to control the on/off of the bulb in the grip (10) so as to provide an illumination for the work.

Description

2350812 A PRECISION SCREWDRIVER The present invention relates to a

precision screwdriver in which a switch is received in a rotary cover at the end of the grip for controlling the on/off of a bulb in the grip so as to provide an illumination for the work.

Figs. 7 and 8 show an existi river having a grip 90 1 ing screwd i in which a 1 ight emitting device 91 is installed. A rear end of the light emitting device 91 is disposed with a switch 92 and a rear end of the grip 90 is disposed with a cap member 93 havincy a central resilient button 94. By means of depressing the resilient button 94, the switch of the light emitting device 91 can be switched on or off. The front end of the grip 90 is fixed with a transparent casing 95 by an outer cover 97. The front end of the casing 95 is disposed with a stem 96 equipped with a tool head 98. The light emitting device 91 serves to provide an illumination for working.

In use of a precision screwdriver, the end face of the rear end of the grip must be pushed by the user's fingers or palm so as to facilitate use of the precision screwdriver. Therefore, in the case that t h c above structure is applied to the precision screwdriver, the user may unintentionally touch the resilient 1 button 94 and the cap member 93 cannot be rotated. This leads to inconvenience in use.

In addition, the transparent casing 95 is fixed with the gri J1 1 p 90 by the fastening force of the outer cover 97 and the grip 90.

Therefore, when the user rotates the grip 90 with a greater torque, the transparent casing 95 will slide relative to the grip 90 and thus the application force exerted onto the grip 90 can be hardly accurately transmitted to the tool head 98 of the stem 96 for rotating a work piece.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a precision screwdriver in which a switch is received in a rotary cover at the end of the grip, whereby a user can push the end face of the rotary cover with fingers or palm so as to rotate the precision screwdriver. The switch in the rotary cover serves tocontrol the on/off of a bulb in the grip so as to fullyprovide an illumination for the work.

1 t i s a furthe r obi ec t of t he present 1 nvent i on t o prov ide the above precision screwdriver in which a non-circular section of an engag i no s ea t o f t he s 1 eeve i s en caced i n a non-c i rcul ar socket of =1 "n t, the grip, whereby the crip is f i rmly associated with the sleeve for 2 effectively transmitting the power.

It is still a further object of the present invention toprovide the above precision screwdriver in which the sleeve and the engaging scat are made of transparent plastic material, whereby the light emi t t ed f rom the bulb can be ref 1 ected by the 11 ght shade and projected forward to provide a necessary illumination for the work.

According to the above objects, the precision screwdriver of the present invention includes:

ahollowarip, oneendof the gripbeing. formed with an outer thread, theotherendof thegripbeing formed with a non-circular g socket, a cell being placed in the grip, a bottom cap an end face of which is disposed with a central switch and a conducting member, the bottom cap being formed with an inner thread for screwing with the outer thread of the grip, a rotary cover beincy rotatably disposed at the end of the bottom cap; a light shade in which a bulb is installed, the light shade being fitted into the non-circular socket of the grip; and t, a sleeve one end of which has a radially extending engaging in, Z C> 3 scat 41 which has an axially extending non-circular section for fitting into the non-circular socket of the grip and connected therewith, an end face of the non-circular section abutting against the end face of the light shade, the other end of the sleeve being formed with a tool connecting section.

The present invention can be best understood through the C1 following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

t F i o. 1 1 S a perspective assembled view of the present invention; Fi.g,. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional assembled view of the bottom cap, rotary cover and tail cover of the present invention; Figg. 4 shows the projection of the light of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a perspective exploded view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 7 and 8 show an existing screwdriver.

4 Please refer to Figs. 1 to 3. According to a f i rst embodiment the precision screwdriver of the present invention includes:

a hollow grip 10, one end of the grip 10 being formed wi th an 1 t> 1 outer thread 11, the other end thereof be 1 ng f ormed w 1 t h a hexagona 1 socket 12, aNo. 4 cell 32 ( AAAcell) or a smallerNo. 5cell being C1 placed in the arip 10, the outer circumference of the grip 10 being disposed with multiple slipproof channels 13; a bot tom cap 20 an end face of which 1 s di sposed wi th a cent ral swi t-ch 21 and a conduct ing member 22, the bot tom cap 20 being formed cl wi th an inner thread 23 for screwing wi th the outer thread of the arip 10, an outer circumference of the bottom cap 20 being formed wi th an annular groove 24 in which a flange 251 of a rotary cover 15 25 is rotatably engaged, an end face of the rotary cover 25 being en C11 formed with a central through hole 252 in which the switch 21 is received, one side of the rotary cover 25 being connected with a tai 1 cover 26 via a connect ing sect ion 253, whereby the tai 1 cover 26 can be pivotally opened or closed onto the rotary cover 25, an outer cl rcumference of the rotary cover 25 being formed with a project ion 254 radial ly opposi te to the connect ing sect ion 253, the t a 11 cove r 26 be ii rig f ormed w ii t h an crigagin a hook 261 cor re spond i ncy , - 1 1=1 CI t 0 t he p roi cc t 1 on 254, whe r eby t he en gag n o hook 261 can be encacred . C. 1::> cl n with the projection 254 so as to latch the tall cover 26 with the rotary cover 25; a light shade 30 in which a bulb 31 is installed, an outer diameter of the licht shade 30 be'na s] ightly smaller than an inner diameter of an internal tangential circle of the hexaaonal socket 12 of the grip 10, whereby the 1 ight shade 30 can be placed into the hexagonal socket 12 of the grip 10; and a transparent sleeve 40 one end of which has a radial ly extending engaging scat 41 which has an axial ly extending hexagonal n 1 _ t> section 42 for fitting into the hexagonal socket 12 of the grip 10 J > C> and fused therewith by ultrasonic wave, an end face of the hexaeonal w section 42 abuttincy acainst the end face of the light shade 30, the t, other end of the sleeve 40 being formed with an axially extending hexagonal socket 44, a magnet 45 being disposed at the bottom of the hexamnal socket 44 for fixing a screwdriver head 46 fitted into =1 the hexagonal socket 44.

When requiring illumination, one side of the tall cover 26with the encyacIncy book 261 is pushed open and disengaged from the It 1 1 t, C1 Cl projection 254. Then the tall cover 26 is pivotally opened, permitting a user topress theswitch21 of the bottom cap 20 through 1 cl the through hole 252 of the rotary cover 25 and light up the bulb 31. The light is emitted from thebulb31 and reflectedby the light shade 30 to project forward. Referring to Fig. 4, the sleeve 40 is made of transparent plastic material so that the light can pass 6 through the sleeve 40 and only the most forward magnet 45 and the C. r, screwdriver head 46 wi I I shade a minor part of the I ight. Therefore, a sufficient illumination can be provided for the work.

The rotary cover 25 and the tail cover 26 at the end of the bottom cap 20 are freely rotatable. In use, a user' s f ingers or palm Z, can push the rotary cover 25 and the tal I cover 26 so as to faci I i tate the operation and rotation of the precision screwdriver, The hexagonal section 42 of the engacing seat 41 of the sleeve I I ZD is fitted into!.he hexagonal socket 12 of the grip 10 and fused t:- -=1 therewith by ultrasonic wave so that the sleeve 40 is firmly ge associated with the grip 10 face to face wi thout relative sl ippa., and thus the power can be effectively transmitted.

Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invent ion, in which the rotary covf--i- 60 has a cavi ty 61. A peripheral wal I of the cavity 61 is disposed with several protuberances 62. When the end of the bot tom cap 70 is f I t ted into the cavi ty 61 of the rotary cover 60, the protuberances 62 are engaged in the annular groove 74 of I D In, the bottom cap 70, permitt ing the rotary cover 60 to be rotated.

When reclu i r i ng i I I umi nat i on, t he rot ary cover 60 1 s ext rac t ed f rom the bottom cap 70 for switching the switch on the bottom cap 70.

In use, the rotary cover 60 is mated with the bottom cap 70 so as to prevent the switch from being unintentionally touched.

7 Fig. 6 shows a thi rd embodiment of the present invent ion, in which an outer circumference of the hexaconal socket 51 of the sleeve C1 1 s formed wi th a radial semispherical hole 52 in which a steel bal 1 53 1 s located. A resi 1 lent hoop 54 having a f ixing hole 541 C> c> is fitted around the sleeve 50, whereby the steel ball 53 is fixed in the hole 52 and the f ixing hole 541 and a screwdriver head can be engaged in the hexagonal socket 51.

The above embodiment s are only used to 11 lust rate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing Z:1 from the spirit of the present invention.

8

Claims

1. A precision screwdriver comprising:

a hollow arip (10), one end of the grip (10) being formed wi th an outer thread ( 11 the other end of the grip ( 10) being formed wi th a non-ci rcular socket ( 12), a cel 1 (32) being placed in the grip (10); t.' a bottom cap (20) an end face of which is disposed with a central switch (21) and a conducting member (22), the bottom cap (20) being formed with an inner thread (23) for screwing with the outer thread of the grip (10), a rotary cover (25) being rotatably disposed at the end of the bottom cap (10); a light shade (30) in which a bulb (31) is installed, the 11 ght shade (30) being f i t ted into the non-cl rcular socket ( 12) of the grip (10); and a sleeve (40) one end of which has a radial ly extending en,(),ac,,ina,, scat (41) which has an axial ly extending non-cl rcular section (42) for fitting into the non-circular socket (12) of the grip ( 10) and connected therewl th, an end face of the non-circular section (42) abutting against an end face of the 1 i,,:,ht shade (30), the other end of the sleeve (40) being formed 9 with a tool connecting section (44).

2. A precision screwdriver as claimed in claim I, wherein an outer circumference of the bottom cap (20) is formed with an annular groove (24) in which a flange (251) of a rotary cover (25) is rotatably engaged, an end face of the rotary cover (25) being formed wi t h a cent ral through hol e (252) 1 n wh 1 ch t he swi t ch ( 21 is received, one side of the rotary cover (25) being connected 4D with a tall cover (26) via a connecting section (253), an outer 2:1 circumference of the rotary cover (25) being formed with a projection (254) radially opposite to the connecting section (253), the tail cover (26) being formed with an encyaono, hook zn t.:- 1 4- (261) corresponding to the projection (254), whereby the I engaging hook ( 261) can be encraged wi t h t he proj ec t I on (254) so I ?- I r Z!, M, as to latch the tail cover (26) with the rotary cover (25).

3. A precision screwdriver as claimed in claim I, wherein an circumference of the bottom cap (70) is formed with an annular groove (74) and the rotary cover (60) has a cavity (61), a D ?0 peripheral wall of the cavity (61) being disposed with several protuberances (62), whereby when the end of the bottom cap (70) is fitted into the cavity (61) of the rotary cover (60), the switch is received in thecavity (61) and the protuberances (62) are engaged in the annular groove (74) of the bottom cap (60), permitting the rotary cover (60) to be rotated.

4. A precision screwdriver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer ci rcumference of the garip ( 10) 1 s formed wi th mul t iple sI ipproof channels (13).

5. A precision screwdriver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool connecting sect ion of the sleeve (50) is formed with an axially extending hexagonal socket (51), an outer circumference of the hexagonal socket (51) being formed with a radial semispherical hole (52) in which a steel bal 1 (53) is located, a resi 1 ient hoop (54) having a fixincr hole (541) is fitted around the sleeve (50) to fix the steel ball (53) in the semispherical hole (52) and the fixing hole (541).

6. A precision screwdriver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool connecting section of the sleeve (40) is formed with an axially extending hexagonal socket (44) and a magnet (45) is disposed at the bottom of the hexagonal socket (44).

7. A precision screwdriver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the noncircular socket ( 12) of the grip ( 10) is a hexagonal socket > _nl and the non-circular section of the engaging scat (41) of the c:> sleeve (40) is a hexagonal section.

8. A precision screwdriver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve 11 (40) is made of a transparent plastic material.

9. A precision screwdriver as herein described and exemplified with reference to the drawings.

12