WO2021111180A1

WO2021111180A1 - Multi-purpose and multi-function device for mounting and dismounting of mechanical and electrical parts

Info

Publication number: WO2021111180A1
Application number: PCT/IB2020/000913
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Mancini
Original assignee: David Mancini
Priority date: 2019-12-06
Filing date: 2020-11-25
Publication date: 2021-06-10
Also published as: CN218576070U; DE212020000776U1; IT201900023271A1; JP3239896U; ES1295412U; ES1295412Y

Abstract

Multi-purpose and multi-function device (1) capable of facilitating the mounting and dismounting of different and multiple mechanical, hydraulic, electric or similar parts of a generic product, comprising at least one gripping means (4), and at least one selector head (2; 3) provided with at least one support arm (21; 31) to which at least one tool assembly (20; 30) equipped with at least one tool (200; 300; 301) is rotatably fixed, characterised in that said gripping means (4) is provided with at least one seat (40; 41) that acts as a housing for at least one auxiliary (240) and/or special tool.

Description

MULTI-PURPOSE AND MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE FOR MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL PARTS

DESCRIPTION

The object of the present invention is a multi-purpose and multi-function device capable of facilitating the mounting and dismounting of different and multiple mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and similar parts of a generic product.

The inventions, therefore, falls within any sector of the art that comprises the assembly and disassembly of different components for the making of any complex product.

More in detail, the present invention refers to a multi-purpose and multi-function device provided with a plurality of selectable tools adapted to allow the ordinary and/or extraordinary maintenance of different vehicles, such as cars, motorbikes, bicycles or the like, and/or household appliances and/or the like.

What illustrated here, therefore, may advantageously be extended to any technical field that involves the assembly of components.

It is known that in the ambients intended to maintenance, whether it is of more less complex, mechanical or electrical or similar components, it is particularly convenient an instrument incorporating and making available, when needed, a plurality of tools useful for the dismounting and/or remounting of said components and/or parts thereof.

It is clear that such instrument eases the operator by providing, from time to time, the possibility of selecting and using the most suitable tools for the type of operation being performed. For example, the multi-purpose instruments equipped with a handle and a head provided with a plurality of bushes, each capable of cooperating with a specific screw, are known; in particular, each bush cooperates with a respective screw size.

However, such multi-purpose instruments offer a limited combination of tools as said head may incorporate a limited number of bushes; generally, a maximum number of four bushes is provided.

Considering the varied range of screws, nuts and bolts available on the market and the range of sizes covered by them, it may be understood that such combinations of tools is insufficient to fully support and ease the operator.

Such drawback obliges the operator to provide with a range of instruments capable of fulfilling, from time to time, the different mounting/dismounting needs required by the type of intervention or the type of product.

In fact, it should be considered that each brand or manufacturer uses screws, nuts, bolts or the like, of different type or size and thus the same instrument may be not compatible and useful for interventions on products of different brands or among different models of the same brand.

As anticipated, therefore, the operator must equip with an assortment of multipurpose instruments that enable to face and resolve the intervention and where they are insufficient must have the necessary tools with him/her, possibly placed in an appropriate toolbox.

The operator, therefore, is forced to have the toolbox at hand and thus inducted to carry it with him.

In recent years, solutions were sought apt to reduce the number of tools that the operator must have with him/her so as to limit their weight and size.

For example, multi-purpose tools have been proposed made ad hoc for the technical sector in which the operator intervenes.

However, given the considerable choice of factories regarding the type and size of the screws or nuts, even such solutions are inadequate and require the operator to have additional instruments and tools with him/her. Such drawback is strongly felt in those sectors where the intervention times must be extremely rapid and precise.

For example, let us think of the field of car, motorcycle, or cycling competitions, whether amateur or professional.

In such situation, the intervention time of the operator is essential for the attainment and achievement of the set objectives.

Furthermore, it should be considered that it is not always possible to operate inside an equipped box or garage and the operator therefore has to intervene at the location where the vehicle’s breakage or malfunction occurred.

In such case, the operator must bring along a well-stocked and varied toolbox and transport it up to the site so as to have all potentially useful tools at hand and be able to intervene successfully.

In general, therefore, the use of a well-stocked toolbox or a range of multi purpose instruments allows the operator to adequately deal with the intervention, but slows down its operating times due to the greater weight and greater number of tools with which he/she must interact and search.

The search for tools may be a cause for delays, particularly if such tools have been misplaced during the previous intervention.

Furthermore, the transport of such instruments is not always easy and in the case of external interventions it is strongly affected by the conditions and roughness of the ground.

The purpose of the present invention is to obviate such kind of drawbacks of the multi-purpose tools of the prior art, by providing a multi-purpose and multifunction device capable of providing the operator with a greater combination of tools.

A further object of the present invention, at least for one or more executive variants, is to provide a multi-purpose device provided with a plurality of ad hoc tools for the technical sector of competence or for the type of intervention. Another object of the present invention, at least for one or more executive variants, is to provide a light and compact multi-purpose device capable of fulfilling interventions in different technical sectors.

These and other objects, which shall appear clearly hereinafter, are achieved with a multi-purpose device according to claim 1.

Other objects may also be achieved through the additional features of the dependent claims.

Further features of the present invention shall be better highlighted by the following description of a preferred embodiment, in accordance with the patent claims and illustrated, purely by way of a non-limiting example, in the annexed drawing tables, in which:

- Figures 1 and 2 show different views of a possible embodiment variant of the multi-purpose device according to the present invention;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the multi-purpose device of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the multi-purpose device of Figure 1, disassembled;

- Figure 5 is a perspective view of the multi-purpose device of Figure 1 with first selector head dismounted;

- Figure 6 is a perspective view of the multi-purpose device of Figure 1 with second selector head dismounted;

- Figure 7 is a perspective view of the multi-purpose device of Figure 1 in accordance with a possible embodiment variant.

The features of the invention are now described using the references in the figures.

It is also noted that any dimensional and spatial term (such as "lower", "upper", "inner", "outer", "front", "rear", vertical, horizontal and the like) refers to the position according to which substantially the elements are arranged in operating conditions.

With the purpose of highlighting some features instead of others, not necessarily what described in the annexed drawings is to scale.

It should be noted that the aforementioned figures, although schematic, reproduce the elements of the invention according to proportions between their dimensions and spatial orientations that are compatible with a possible embodiment.

From here on, the term "tool" should be understood as any instrument or equipment usable in closed environments such as workshops, laboratories, artisan shops or the like, or in open environments for external interventions, for the mounting and/or dismounting of generic components or parts thereof.

Without any limitative intent, in the following discussion reference shall be made to a multi-purpose and multi-function device designed and used preferably in the motorcycle sector, in particular in the motorcycle racing sector, it being understood that what is illustrated here may be extended, with the appropriate devices, to any technical sector, be it amateur, competitive or professional.

From here on, the term "screw" should be understood as any type of temporary locking means, such as hexagonal head, Allen, torx screws, etc., the mounting/dismounting whereof takes place using a tool.

Numeral 1 indicates the multi-purpose and multi-function device as a whole according to the present invention, hereinafter referred to only as device 1 for descriptive simplicity.

In general, the device 1 comprises at least one gripping means 4, substantially a handle or a grip or the like, and at least one selector head 2 provided with at least one tool assembly 20 equipped with at least one tool 200.

According to a preferred variant, said selector head 2 is provided with at least one support arm 21 , preferably at least two support arms 21 , to which said tool assembly 20 is rotatably fixed by a support pin 22.

The tool group 20 may advantageously comprise a plurality of tools 200 suitably arranged to each other.

Said support pin 22 is capable of constraining the tool assembly 20 to the support arms 21 such as to allow the rotations and enable the operator to select the desired tools 200.

According to a possible embodiment variant, said tools are arranged "crosswise", in case four tools are provided, or "radially", in case tools in a number different from four are provided, and by the rotation of the tool assembly 20, the user selects the desired tool 200 from time to time.

Said tool assembly 20 may advantageously be provided with:

- homogeneous tools 200, i.e. all the tools 200 provided by the tool assembly 20 belong to the same category of tools and differ from each other only in size, for example a socket key of different sizes;

- heterogeneous tools 200, i.e. the tools 200 provided by the tool assembly 20 belong to different tool categories, for example by providing inserts or socket, alien, torx keys, etc.

According to a possible embodiment variant, said selector head 2 is releasably coupled to said handle 4, in particular the selector head 2 is mountable/dismountable from the same handle 4 by, for example, a shape coupling, a bayonet coupling, screwing/unscrewing or the like.

The dismounting of the selector head 2 allows the operator to replace the same head and to equip the device 1 with the most suitable tool assembly 200 for the intervention to be performed or for the technical sector of competence or in general for the needs or duties of the same operator.

The device 1 according to the present invention is characterised in that the handle 4 is provided with at least one seat 40 that advantageously acts as a housing for at least one auxiliary tools 240.

According to a preferred embodiment said handle 4 is provided with a plurality of seats 40, each shaped and dedicated to the housing of a specific auxiliary tool 240.

According to possible embodiments, said one or more auxiliary tools 240 may comprise different types of tools such as for example screwdrivers, hook-shaped means or split pin extractors, O-rings or the like, and/or tips, inserts or bushes with shear, cross-shaped, socket-head, torx profiles or the like, extensions for spanners or similar equipment.

Further, said auxiliary tools 240, may be of the type suitable for allowing interventions in the field of model building or similar sectors, for example micro-tools and/or precision tools.

In accordance with a possible embodiment variant, said one or more seats 40 are made inside said handle 4.

Preferably, said one or more seats 40 are obtained and arranged in proximity of the handle 4 adapted to cooperate with the selector head 2.

Said seats 40 may be reachable and accessible by the dismounting and removal of said selector head 2.

Advantageously, said selector head 2 is provided with a cavity 210 shaped in such a way as to accommodate and receive the end of the handle 4 and any auxiliary tools 240 housed therein.

The handle 4 according to the present invention, therefore, offers the possibility of equipping the device 1 with one or more auxiliary tools 240 so as to increase the usefulness of the same device 1 and provide the operator with additional tools to deal with the intervention.

With the same dimensions, therefore, the device according to the present invention may be equipped with a greater number of tools, increasing the availability and choice of the same tools offered to the operator.

Advantageously, said handle 4 may be provided with at least one special seat 41 adapted to house special tools such as for example a key for the adjustment ring nut of the suspension, or a cutter or the like.

In accordance with a possible embodiment variant, not illustrated, also said handle 4 may be made by modules couplable to each other, each of said modules being advantageously provided with at least one seat 40 and/or 41 or a portion thereof.

The coupling of said modules allows varying the length of the handle 4 and at the same time offers the possibility of further increasing the number of auxiliary tools 240 housed inside the device 1.

Furthermore, according to a further variant of the invention (not illustrated), nothing prevents said handle 4 from consisting of a hollow tubular element capable of housing therein at least one or more washers of appropriate thickness (or similar elements), each equipped with one or more of the aforesaid seats 40 and/or 41 for supporting auxiliary 240 and/or special tools.

Said washers may be extractable from the handle 4 and further used as extensions or adapters to be mounted on the at least one selector head 2 of the multi-purpose device 1 of the invention and whereon said auxiliary 240 and/or special tools are suitably engaged and coupled to be used.

In particular, it has been found advantageous to install said washers (for example by interlocking and/or shape coupling) onone or more of the tools 200 of the at least one selector head 2 (and/or, as will be seen, on the tools 300 of a second selector head 3) of the multi-purpose device 1 to be used as adapters and/or extensions for special inserts and or keys, for example, in the engine field, for known inserts and/or keys suitable for the mounting/dismounting of the spark plug of a 2 or 4 stroke engine.

Having been treated so far in its minimal and essential form, a preferred variant of the device 1 is now described according to the present invention.

In accordance with such preferred variant, said device 1 comprises a first selector head 2, provided with a first tool assembly 20, and a second selector head 3, provided with a second tool assembly 30.

Advantageously, said second selector head 3 is structurally similar to said first selector head 2, and is therefore provided with at least one support arm 31 for said second tool assembly 30 and with a corresponding support pin 32.

Said selector heads 2 and 3 may be characterised by respective tool assemblies 20 and 30, which may be:

- identical to each other, being both equipped with the same homogeneous and/or heterogeneous tool assembly,

- each dedicated to a specific type of tools.

With reference to the accompanying figures, and without any limiting intent, the illustrated device 1 is particularly useful for the automotive sector, for example for the motorcycle one.

In fact, the device 1 may incorporate and concentrate the tools necessary to operate in the sector of two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles, scooters, motocross, motard or the like).

For such purpose, the device 1 may therefore be equipped with the tools usually necessary to operate on motorcycles or the like so as to provide the operator with substantially all the tools he needs to deal with and accomplish the maintenance intervention, avoiding the encumbrance and transport of a toolbox.

The device 1 may be advantageously equipped with various tools according to the motorcycle to be maintained or repaired.

In accordance with a possible variant, a first selector head 2 may comprise bushes of different dimensions adapted to interact with screws or nuts, while a second selector head 3 may comprise further bushings dedicated to screws or nuts and/or any further tool 301, for example, a tool 301 made in the form of a hook, fork, blade, pad gauge or similar tools.

More precisely, the first selector head 2 may substantially comprise the mediumsized bushes useful, among other things, for operating with the hub pin, the motor or wheel retaining bolts, while the second selector head 3 may substantially comprise tools useful for interacting with the bodywork or parts thereof, such as saddle, conveyors, mudguards or the like.

For example, the hook-shaped tool 301 is particularly useful for operating on the exhaust terminals, in particular with the elastic means such as springs or the like, which keep them anchored to the frame.

Inside the handle 4 screwdrivers, cruciform and slotted tips, Allen and torx inserts, or any other insert, useful for bodywork or chassis or braking system parts (brake discs, brake pump, footpegs, etc.).

For example, the bushes from "7", "10" and "13" serve essentially for the tightening of the spokes of the wheel or to adjust the chain.

Screwdrivers serves mainly for the adjustment of the suspensions or to dismount some parts and if they are of the demountable or modulable type, the respective handle or part thereof may also be used as a support for the use of one or more of the other inserts. As mentioned, among the various tools, including the auxiliary 240 and/or special ones, the key necessary to operate with the adjustment ring nut of the rear monoshock suspension may also be provided.

Such functions quickly summarise the main interventions that are normally required to an operator in order to maintain or restore the functionality of the motorcycle in a short time.

The device 1 thus equipped is extremely practical and is capable of responding to different types of interventions without the need of using toolboxes.

In fact, it is overall equipped, both thanks to the tools of the selector heads 2 and 3 and thanks to the auxiliary 240 and/or special tools, with tools capable of responding concretely to various types of intervention, from the simplest ones, such as for example chain tensioning adjustment, to the emergency and rapid response ones.

In addition, the device 1 is handy, pocket-sized, easy to transport and allows first assistance interventions and repairs on or off the road, i.e. in outdoor environments.

It is clear that several variants of the device 1 described above are possible to the man skilled in the art, without departing from the novelty scopes of the inventive idea, as well as it is clear that in the practical embodiment of the invention the various equipment previously described may be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

For example, in accordance with a possible embodiment variant not illustrated, the handle 4 may be made by the releasable coupling of two half-shells, suitably shaped for the purpose, within which the aforementioned auxiliary 240 and/or special tools are housed.

Once the one or more selector heads have been dismounted and removed, said half-shells may be uncoupled or folded open, preferably with respect to the laying plane of the longitudinal axis of the handle 4, so as to make said tools accessible.

According to a last possible executive embodiment shown in Figure 7, the multi- purpose device 1 of the invention may also be equipped with additional special equipment 6 that is difficult to insert, in the ways described above, inside its gripping means (handle) 4 and/or installable in the tool assembly 20, 30 of its selector heads 2, 3. In this regard, at least one support arm 21, 31 of said one or more selector heads 2, 3 may comprise an appendix 5 suitably moulded and/or shaped to include or act as said additional special equipment 6.

More precisely, said appendix 5 substantially constitutes an extension of the support arm 21, 31 and protrudes beyond the tool group 20, 30 of the relative selector head 2, 3 so as to make it possible to use it without any interference and to ensure optimum handling of the special equipment 6 it integrates.

By way of example and without any limiting intent, as shown in Figure 7, said appendix 5 may comprise a key 6 for the mounting/dismounting of a spark plug of a 2 or 4-stroke engine. Finally, nothing prevents said additional special equipment 6 from being provided with further different arrangements in the multi-purpose device 1 of the invention, alternative to that just described above.

For example, according to a possible executive embodiment (not shown), the handle 4 of said multi-purpose device 1 may be arranged to hold and externally constrain said additional special equipment, for example, the aforementioned key for the mounting/dismounting of the spark plug.

In this regard, such key (or any other possible and useful equipment) may be equipped at one of its ends (generally the one opposite to the manoeuvring head capable of cooperating with the spark plug) with at least one locking ring (or similar means, e.g. a C-shaped profile) capable of being inserted around and externally to the handle 4 of the multi-purpose device 1 and locked thereon by interference or interlocking and/or by shape coupling with a possible groove of the same handle 4.

By way of an example and without any limiting intent, said groove of the handle 4 may for example be made or located at or in proximity of the junction area between the same handle 4 and the at least one selector head 2, 3 of the device 1. When not in use, said special equipment (e.g., the spark plug key) "lies" substantially by its entire length along the handle 4 of the multi-purpose device 1 of the invention. Instead, to be used, said additional special equipment:

- is first released and/or pulled out from the handle 4 of the multi-purpose device 1, obviously after the removal of a selector head 2, 3, and then

- repositioned, rotated by 180° with respect to its non-use position, and locked on the handle 4, by means of the same ring, so as to substantially constitute an extension thereof.

The further remounting of the selector head 2, 3 previously removed may be foreseen in order to improve and strengthen the locking of the special equipment to the handle 4; in such case, the special equipment must protrude at least partially beyond the selector head 2, 3 that locks it so as to make it possible its use and handling.

Claims

1. Multi-purpose and multi-function device (1) capable of facilitating the mounting and dismounting of different and multiple mechanical, hydraulic, electric or similar parts of a generic product, comprising at least one gripping means (4), and at least one selector head (2; 3) provided with at least one support arm (21; 31) to which at least one tool assembly (20; 30) equipped with at least one tool (200; 300; 301) is rotatably fixed, characterised in that said gripping means (4) is provided with at least one seat (40; 41) that acts as a housing for at least one auxiliary (240) and/or special tool.

2. Multi-purpose device (1) according to the previous claim, wherein said at least one seat (40; 41) is made inside said gripping means (4) and is reachable and accessible through the dismounting and removal of said at least one selector head (2; 3).

3. Multi-purpose device (1) according to the previous claim, wherein said at least one seat (40; 41) is obtained and arranged in the proximity of the end of the said gripping means (4) adapted to cooperate with said selector head (2; 3).

4. Multi-purpose device (1) according to any previous claim, wherein said at least one tool assembly (20; 30) comprises a plurality of tools (200;

300; 301).

5. Multi-purpose device (1) according to the previous claim, wherein said plurality of tools (200; 300; 301) is homogeneous, i.e. all of the tools (200; 300; 301) provided by said tools assembly (20; 30) belong to the same category of tools and differ from each other only in size.

6. Multi-purpose device (1) according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of tools (200; 300; 301) is heterogeneous, i.e. the tools (200; 300; 301) provided by said tools assembly (20; 30) belong to different tools categories.

7. Multi-purpose device (1) according to at least claim 2, wherein said selector head (2; 3) is releasably coupled to the said gripping means (4) through a shape coupling, a bayonet coupling, screwing/unscrewing.

8. Multi-purpose device (1) according to any previous claim, comprising a first selector head (2), provided with a first tool assembly (20), and a second selector head (3), provided with a second tool assembly (30).

9. Multi-purpose device (1) according to any previous claim, wherein said gripping means (4) is made by modules couplable to each other.

10. Multi-purpose device (1) according to at least claim 2, wherein said gripping means (4) is made by the releasable coupling of two halfshells.

11. Multi-purpose device ( 1 ) according to any previous claim, wherein said tools (200; 300; 301) of said first and second selector head (2; 3) and said at least one auxiliary (240) and/or special tool are of the type compatible to operate in the automotive sector, in particular of the sector of two- wheeled vehicles.