WO1993009917A1

WO1993009917A1 - Picking tool

Info

Publication number: WO1993009917A1
Application number: PCT/SE1992/000777
Authority: WO
Inventors: Olle Wolkert
Original assignee: Olle Wolkert
Priority date: 1991-11-12
Filing date: 1992-11-11
Publication date: 1993-05-27
Also published as: SE469063B; SE9103324D0; AU2959492A; SE9103324L

Abstract

A gripping tool for small objects having two man÷uverable gripping jaws mounted in a tube-shaped handle portion which is sufficiently small that it can be gripped and man÷uvered between the fingers and thumb of a hand. The end portions of two leaf-springlike grip members (9, 10) project from the handle portion (1) and define gripping jaws. Within limits, the grip members are longitudinally displaceable out from, and into, the handle portion and due to their spring action, urged apart. The grip members have diverging sections for cooperation with the handle portion such that the gripping jaws are maximally separated when the grip members are extended and minimally separated when the members are withdrawn. A head (5) equipped plunger (3) displaceably extends through the handle portion (1) and out between the end portions of the grip members (9, 10). The grip members and the plunger are connected to each other but, within limits, are also displaceable relative to each other in the direction of travel. The end of the plunger between the gripping jaws is provided with an adjustable stop member (7) for cooperation with the upper side of an object to be gripped.

Description

PICKING TOOL

The present invention relates to a hand manoevered gripping tool which can be used to pick up, transfer, assemble etc, small objects typically having a characteristic dimension of one or more millimeters, for example small nuts. A gripping tool of this type, which can be likened to a type of tweezers, comprises two manoeverable jaws designed to grip and hold the object.

The objects of the invention are to provide a tool of the abovementioned type which does not require the manual application of a gripping force once the object has been gripped, in which the tool is small and easily handled so that all manipulation can be achieved single-handedly without the need for a change of grip, and additionally which is easily adjusted to the sizes of different objects in the appropriate size class.

These objects are attained by a tool which, according to the invention, exhibits the characteristics defined in the accompanying patent claims.

The invention will become readily apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic, perspective side view of a gripping instrument in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the same kind as Fig. 1 but illustrating how the tool can be held in one hand and rotated in conjunction with the gripping or handling of a small object;

Fig. 3 is a schematic side view, partly in section, of the tool of Figs. 1 and 2 with the grip members maximally withdrawn into the handle portion of the tool; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 but with the grip members projecting, although not entirely, from the handle portion.

The tool depicted in Figs. 1 - 4 comprises an essentially cylindrical, tube-shaped handle portion 1 with a generally rectangular cross-sectioned internal chamber extending therethrough; a plunger 3 which extends through the handle portion, projects on either side thereof and is provided at its top with a head 5 and at its bottom with a stop member 7; and two grip members 9, 10 projecting from the interior chamber in the handle portion on respective sides of the lower end portion of the plunger 3 and its associated stop member 7.

The handle portion typically has an outer diameter between about 4 and 10 mm, preferably between about 5 and 7 mm, so that it can be easily gripped and handled in the desired fashion as illustrated in Fig. 2. The handle portion can typically have a length, i.e. height, of about 5 - 6 cm so that the head of the plunger can also be easily manoevered. Advantageously, the handle portion is fluted or textured in. some other way in order to give a good grip.

The plunger 3 is in the form of a straight shaft with a rectangular cross-section. The opposed narrow longitudinal sides of the plunger are guided in corresponding tracks within the handle portion. The broad sides of the plunger lie some distance from the interior of the handle portion so that there is room for the grip members in the intermediate spaces. The lower end of the plunger is rounded off and threaded and threads into the centre of stop means 7. The thread connection is such that rotation can bring the location of the stop member further up or further down on the plunger.

The stop member has a cylindrical upper portion 13 and a conically tapered lower portion 14 having a small planar stop surface 15.

A longitudinally extending central passage 17 is disposed in the upper part of the plunger, through which a cross- pin 19 extends, the cross-pin being firmly secured in the handle portion. As can be understood without further elaboration, the plunger can be displaced relative to the handle portion between the two end-positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The grip members 9, 10 are formed from a single continuous piece of thin leaf-spring material which is folded in the middle to define a largely U-shape configuration. The actually bent part 21 passes through a second longitudinally extending central passage 23 in the plunger 3. The bent part is flanked on either side by a straight part 25, 26 leading to an outwardly diverging straight part 27, 28 which cooperates with the edge area of the opening at the bottom of the handle portion in order to urge the end portions of the grip members together and thereby the gripping jaws when the diverging parts are withdrawn into the handle portion.

The end portions of the grip members terminate with inwardly converging, straight end parts 29, 30 which conveniently have an inclination adapted to the inclination of the tapered end portion 14 of the stop member. The grip members have generally outwardly bent parts 31, 32 intermediate the diverging and converging parts.

The resulting configuration of the end portions of the grip members provides very good flexibility and resilience which allows the guage of the grip to be simply adapted to the breadth of the gripped object. At the same time, the end portions conform to the stop member whose dimensions therefore do not need to be kept so small that construction difficulties arise despite that the tool generally speaking has very small dimensions.

When an object 35, lying on a support 37, is to be gripped, the tool is brought down such that the depressed plunger 3 bears against the upper surface of the object. Thereafter, the handle portion 1 is displaced downwardly. The frictional condition of the grip members within the handle portion is such that the grip members initially (from the position shown in Fig. 4) accompany the handle portion downward, conveniently until the bent portion 21 makes contact with the lower margin of the passage 23 in the plunger 3. Continued movement of the handle portion downward means that the diverging portions 27, 28 run into the handle portion, thereby causing the gripping jaws to engage the sides of the object. (Fig. 3)

For the reverse process, i.e. when the object is to be released starting from the position shown in Fig. 3, the plunger 3 is kept depressed while the handle portion is displaced upwardly. Initially, the grip members follow upwardly, the gripping aws thereby sliding up over the sides of the object. In this way, interference of any nearby objects by the gripping jaws as a consequence of release is avoided. This upward movement of the grip -members is limited in each case by contact of the bent portion 21 with the upper margin of the passage 23. Due to their spring action, the grip members move apart with continued upward movement of the handle portion 1, when the diverging portions 27, 28 run out from the handle portion.

As illustrated by Fig. 2, the tool according to the invention can be simply held in one hand and handled in the necessary fashion (including depressing of the plunger, rotation of the handle portion and displacement of the handle portion relative to the plunger) without the initial grip needing to be changed.

Claims

1. A tool for picking up, moving, assembling etc. small objects, which typically have a characteristic dimension of one or more millimeters, comprising two manoeverable jaws designed to grip onto and hold the object, characterized in that it comprises a stem or handle portion which is generally tube-shaped with an external diameter which is sufficiently small that it can be gripped and manoevered between the thumb and fingers of one hand and while maintaining this grip, can be rotated at least about 90°, preferably at least about 180°; two thin leaf-springlike grip members disposed in an interior chamber extending through the handle portion, the end portions of the grip members projecting from one end of the handle portion and each defining a gripping aw, wherein the grip members, within limits, are together displaceable in a direction respectively out from, or into, the handle portion, their spring action tending to urge them.apart, wherein each grip member includes a respective, preferably straight, diverging section for cooperation with the handle portion so that the gripping aws are maximally separated when the grip members are maximally projected and minimally separated when the grip members are maximally withdrawn; and a plunger which extends through the interior chamber in the handle portion, the end of the plunger opposite from the gripping jaws being provided with a manoevering head and the other end of the plunger extending outwardly between the end portions of the grip members, wherein the plunger, within limits, is displaceably movable relative to the handle portion and the grip members and plunger are connected to each other such that the plunger and grip members, within limits, are displaceably movable relative to each other in the direction of travel of the grip members and plunger, and wherein the end of the plunger between the gripping jaws is provided with a stop member for cooperation with the upper side of an object to be gripped, the stop member being adjustable, preferably through a thread connection, in the longitudinal direction of the plunger so as to adjust to the height of the object; and in that the end portions of the grip members are sufficiently springy that the gripping jaws can grip onto a maximal breadth substantially greater than the distance between the gripping jaws when they are at their minimum separation, preferably several times said distance, especially a distance which is essentially that of the gripping jaws at their maximum separation.

2. A tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the end portions of the grip members terminate with, preferably straight, mutually converging sections.

3. A tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the respective converging and diverging sections are connected to each other via generally outwardly bent sections.

4. A tool according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the stop member on the plunger has a tapering, preferably conically, free end.

5. A tool according to any preceeding claim, characterized in that the frictional conditions between the grip members and handle portion and the plunger and the spring capability of the gripping jaws are such that when withdrawing the handle portion while securely holding the plunger against a gripped object and with the grip members in their forwardly projecting position relative to the plunger, the grip members are initially drawn back together with the handle portion, such that the gripping jaws slide backwardly over the object until the grip members reach a withdrawn, preferably maximally, position relative to the plunger, whereupon displacement of the grip members ceases and the gripping jaws begin to separate during continued withdrawal of the handle portion.