GB2446379A

GB2446379A - Hand tool with hand rotational charging device

Info

Publication number: GB2446379A
Application number: GB0702444A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hung-Ke Chou; Chien-Kang Wang
Original assignee: AI NONG YU; HSIN HSIEN HUANG
Current assignee: AI NONG YU; HSIN HSIEN HUANG
Priority date: 2007-02-08
Filing date: 2007-02-08
Publication date: 2008-08-13
Also published as: GB0702444D0

Abstract

The hand tool includes a handle 10, a tool portion 20, a separable hand rotating portion 30, an electric generator 40, and a light emitting portion 50. The hand-rotating portion may be taken off or stored in a recessed portion 116. When it is in use, a connecting end 31 of the hand-rotating portion engages with a gear system 42 so that the electric generator can generate electricity for an energy storing element 44. When the energy storing element has sufficient electricity, the light emitting portion can emit light for illumination of the tool portion. No battery replacement is needed. It is easy to charge by hand and will not influence the hand tool's original function.

Description

-1-2446379

HAND TOOL HAVING A HAND ROTATIONAL CHARGING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a hand tool having a hand rotational charging device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the traditional illuminating hand tool includes a handle 80, an application tool portion 90 (such as a flat head or cross head screwdriver). This handle 80 has a controlling portion 81 (includes a switch and a circuit board), several lighting elements 82 and at least one battery 83. When the user needs to light up something, the controlling portion 81 should be turned on and then these lighting elements 82 will emit certain light for illumination.

However, although the traditional illuminating hand tool can emit light, the charged battery is required. If the user forgets to bring some back-up batteries, the traditional illuminating hand tool will become useless. Particularly, when the user is in a mountainous area (or a wild zone, a high building, a construction site, etc.) and unfortunately the battery is out of electricity, it is almost impossible to find a store nearby to buy a new battery for battery replacement.

In addition, because the handle is designed for a human's hand, its volume is quite limited. Hence, the battery's size tends to be smaller. When its light is turned on for a period time, the electricity might be exhausted. Meanwhile, the user has to face the battery replacement problem again.

The present invention seeks to overcome the aforementioned problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a hand tool having a hand rotational charging device comprising: a handle having a housing, said housing including an internal space, a front end, a read end, and a through hole; a tool portion disposed on said front end of said housing; a separable hand-rotating portion having a connecting head, an extending portion and a rotating portion; an electric generator including a driving socket, a gear system, an electric generating element, and an energy storing element; said driving socket disposed in said through hole for engaging with said connecting head, said electric generating element generating electricity to said energy storing element when said gear system being driven by said hand-rotating portion; and a light emitting portion connecting with said energy storing element so as to emit light when said energy storing element having a predetermined amount of electricity.

Preferably a part between the connecting head and the extending portion is a resilient structure.

Preferably one pivoting portion is disposed between the connecting head and the extending portion; the extending portion includes a front section and a rear section; another pivoting portion is disposed between the front section and the rear section.

Preferably said housing further comprises a recessed portion for storing the connecting head and the extending portion; and said hand-rotating portion further includes a hand-rotating portion's outer surface just aligned with the outer surface of the handle very smoothly.

Preferably said recessed portion include a front recess and a rear recess, the front recess follows the outer surface of the handle with a predetermined depth; the rear recess follows a shape of the rear end with a predetermined depth.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the traditional illuminating hand tool.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a selected portion of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows the second preferred embodiment of the present invention when the hand-rotating portion is rotated.

FIG. 7 is a top view showing this invention is operated by a user's hand.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the first preferred embodiment of the present invention that is a hand tool having hand rotational charging device. It mainly comprises a handle 10, a tool portion 20, a separable handrotating portion 30, an electric generator 40, and a light emitting portion 50.

With regard to this handle 10, it has a housing 11 to facilitate the user's holding.

This housing 11 includes an internal space 111, a front end 112, a read end 113, an outer surface 114, and a through hole 115.

The tool portion 20 is disposed on the front end 112 of the housing 11.

About the separable hand-rotating portion 30, it has a connecting head 31, an extending portion 32 and a rotating portion 33 (for fingers).

The electric generator 40 at least includes a driving socket 41, a gear system 42, an electric generating element 43, and an energy storing element 44. This driving socket 41 is disposed in the through hole 115 for engaging with the connecting head 31. The electric generating element 43 generates electricity to the energy storing element 44, when the gear system 42 is driven by the hand-rotating portion 30 (that is rotated by a user's hand).

The light emitting portion 50 connects with the energy storing element 44 so as to emit light when the energy storing element 44 has a predetermined amount of electricity.

This invention's structure is described above.

Of course, in order to improve its appearance, this invention can be modified into the second preferred embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. The housing 11 can further comprise a recessed portion 116. The recessed portion 116 is designed to store the connecting head 31 and the extending portion 32. Or, it can be designed to receive the connecting head 31, the extending portion 32, and the rotating portion 33 together so that the entire housing 11 remains a smooth shape without any ugly protruded part.

Moreover, this recessed portion 116 includes a front recess 11 6A and a rear recess 116B. The front recess 116A follows the outer surface 114 of the handle 10 with a predetermined depth. The rear recess 116B follows the shape of the rear end 113 with a predetermined depth. Under this circumstance, the rotating portion 33 will be located near the outmost end (near the rear end 113). It will not influence the user's holding.

In addition, the hand-rotating portion 30 further includes a hand-rotating portion's outer surface 30A (as shown in FIG 5) that just aligned with the outer surface 114 of the handle 10 very smoothly. Hence, when the user's hand holds on this handle 10.

There is not any protruded part. Thus, it will be more comfortable.

However, a part between the connecting head 31 and the extending portion 32 can be a resilient structure (that can be bent) or can have two pivoting portions 34, 35.

For the latter case, one pivoting portion 34 is disposed between the connecting head 31 and the extending portion 32. As shown in FIG. 4, the extending portion includes a front section 32A and a rear section 32B. The other pivoting portion 35 is disposed between the front section 32A and the rear section 32B. Therefore, this extending portion 32 can be tilted at certain angle (as shown in FIG. 4). The tilted condition is apt to be operated. That is, the hand-rotating portion 30 is easy to be rotated by a user.

Furthermore as illustrated in FIG. 5, the hand-rotating portion's curved outer surface 30A has a certain curvature that just exactly matches another curvature of the outer surface 114 of the handle 10. So, the outer surface 114 of the handle 10 is very smooth with a streamlined appearance. Also, it is easy to be held, and is very comfortable as well as nice-looking.

Concerning the actual operation of this invention, please see FIGS. 6 and 7.

When the user needs a light, the hand-rotating portion 30 should be installed (when it is not needed, it can be taken off). The connecting head 32 engages with driving socket 41 (as shown in FIG. 4). The extending portion can be tilted up (as illustrated by the dotted lines), After which, the user can rotate the hand-rotating portion 30, so that the electric generating element 43 of the electric generator 40 will generate electricity and then store in the energy storing element 44. Hence, the light emitting portion 50 will emit light for illumination.

Of course, it can further include a switch 51 (as shown in FIG. 5, having the basic ON/OFF switching function) to control the ON/OFF status of the light emitting portion 50.

So the advantages and functions of this invention can be summarized as follows: [1J No battery replacement is needed. There is a charging device in this invention, so it does not need to replace any new battery. The user dos not need to carry extra back-up battery and nor to worry about low battery problem.

[2J It is easy to charge by hand. When the separated hand-rotating portion is not in use, it can be taken out or inserted in the recessed portion. When the user wants to charge it, it can be installed first, slightly tilted up and then rotated several circles (or more) by hand very easily, so that the light emitting portion will emit light.

[3J It will not influence the hand tool's original function. The separated hand-rotating portion can be taken off or stored in the recessed portion. So, it will not influence the hand tool's original function (such as screwdriver or other tool functions).

Claims

1. A hand tool having a hand rotational charging device comprising: a handle having a housing, said housing including an internal space, a front end, a read end, and a through hole; a tool portion disposed on said front end of said housing; a separable hand-rotating portion having a connecting head, an extending portion and a rotating portion; an electric generator including a driving socket, a gear system, an electric generating element, and an energy storing element; said driving socket disposed in said through hole for engaging with said connecting head, said electric generating element generating electricity to said energy storing element when said gear system being driven by said hand-rotating portion; and a light emitting portion connecting with said energy storing element so as to emit light when said energy storing element having a predetermined amount of electricity.

2. A hand tool having a hand rotational charging device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a part between the connecting head and the extending portion is a resilient structure.

3. A hand tool having a hand rotational charging device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein one pivoting portion is disposed between the connecting head and the extending portion; the extending portion includes a front section and a rear section; another pivoting portion is disposed between the front section and the rear section.

4. A hand tool having a hand rotational charging device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein: said housing further comprises a recessed portion for storing the connecting head and the extending portion; and said hand-rotating portion further includes a hand-rotating portion's outer surface just aligned with the outer surface of the handle very smoothly.

5. A hand tool having a hand rotational charging device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said recessed portion include a front recess and a rear recess, the front recess follows the outer surface of the handle with a predetermined depth; the rear recess follows a shape of the rear end with a predetermined depth.

6. A hand tool having a rotational charging device substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 to

7.