Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SELF-CONTAINED MULTI-TIP SCREfnTDRIVER
This invention is in the field of hand tools, and more
particularly deals with a set of contained rotary hand tools,
including a plurality of interchangeable screwdriver tips or
the like.
For craftsmen and tradespeople, multiple bit screwdrivers have
become widely used as they allow a user to drive a variety of
screws or perform a number of other rotary hand tool actions,
with a single tool. These multiple bit screwdrivers typically
include interchangeable bits of varying sizes and styles, such
as a blade or flat head bit, a Phillips bit, square head or
Roberts type and others. By simply interchanging the bit on
the end of the screwdriver, a user can drive different types
of screws with a single tool.
One of the problems which has developed with these multiple
bit screwdrivers is that the bits can easily be lost . Several
types of these screwdrivers have been designed with handles
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that are equipped for storing the multiple bits, but these
have not all been cheap to manufacture or easy to use and,
generally speaking, bits are still occasionally lost since
they need to be removed from the screwdriver to be placed into
s the storage apertures in the handle.
One more recent example of such a multiple bit screwdriver
with removable bits that can be lost is disclosed in United
States Patent No. 5,881,615 to Dahl et al.
to
SU1~IARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide a self-
15 contained multi-bit screwdriver which will allow for the
storage and loading of various bits into the end of a multiple
bit screwdriver, without the physical removal of the bit from
the screwdriver body for loading into the shaft.
2o The invention, a self-contained multi-bit screwdriver,
accomplishes its objects comprising substantially a handle
body having a cap end and a drive end, said handle body having
a plurality of bit storage apertures therein extending
longitudinally within said handle body from the drive end,
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wherein said bit storage apertures are arranged in a circular
pattern about the central axis of said handle body at a radial
distance therefrom; a base having an attachment end and a
shaft end, the attachment end thereof being rotatably attached
s to the drive end of said handle body such that said handle
body can be rotated in relation to said base; a selection
aperture passing through said base from the attachment end to
the shaft end wherein at the attachment end the selection
aperture can be selectively aligned with said bit storage
1o apertures upon rotation of said handle body in relation to
said base; a hollow shaft extending from the shaft end of the
base, said shaft including a bit end; and locking means at
said bit end whereby a bit can be selectively engaged in a
torque transmitting engagement. When a bit storage aperture
15 is selected by alignment with the selection aperture, a
channel is formed which will allow the bit stored in the
selected bit storage aperture to slide down through the base
and the shaft to the bit end.
2o At the heart of the present invention is the ability of the
screwdriver of the present invention to accommodate a
plurality of different bits within the storage apertures
without requiring removal of one or more of the bits from the
storage apertures to employ a bit at the bit end of the
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screwdriver.
The cap end of the handle body might either be fixed or
integral, or alternatively could be made removable so that the
s bits contained within the bit storage apertures could be
removed.
The shaft and the base might be two separate elements, or
alternatively might be one integral unit. Another method of
1o production of the same would be to have the shaft extend
upwards through the base to the attachment edge thereof,
whereby the selection aperture extending through the base
would actually be a part of the hollow shaft itself.
15 A further addition to the screwdriver of the present invention
would be to add an indicator to show when the selection
aperture is properly aligned with a particular bit storage
aperture.
2o Various types of locking means could be used at the bit end of
the screwdriver. Any type of a lock which engages a bit which
has slid down from its bit storage aperture to the bit end of
the shaft and holds such a bit in a torque transmitting
fashion, is contemplated within the scope of the present
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invention.
The screwdriver of the present invention might be further
modified by adding an offset crank section to the shaft,
provided that the interior profile of the hollow shaft was
still such that a bit could travel through the shaft from the
bit storage aperture to the bit end.
The bit end of the shaft might be further modified to prohibit
to the removal of a bit from the shaft via the bit end. For
example, an inward facing flange might be provided at the
bottom edge of the bit end of the shaft, which flange would
prohibit the falling of a bit out of the shaft but still allow
the tool end of the bit to be exposed at the bit end of, the
is shaft.
The shaft might either be straight or, in certain
circumstances, might be bent provided that the necessary
modifications are made to the interior profile of the shaft,
2o and it will be understood that such modifications are
contemplated within the scope of the present invention. In
the case of the shaft being straight, it is particularly
contemplated that the handle body, the base and the hollow
shaft might share the same longitudinal axis through the
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centre of the drive end of the handle body.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions
hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying
detailed description which may be best understood in
conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in
1o each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers,
and where:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a top view of the drive end of the handle
body of the embodiment of Figure 1, demonstrating the
positioning of the bit storage apertures in relation to
the central axis thereof;
Figure 3 is a top view of the base of the embodiment of
Figure 1, demonstrating the positioning of the selection
aperture in relation to the central axis thereof;
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Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of
the apparatus of the present invention, demonstrating a
unitary shaft and base;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of
the apparatus of the present invention, wherein the shaft
extends through the base, forming the selection aperture;
l0 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS:
As outlined above, the present invention is a multiple bit
screwdriver which allows for the internal storage and movement
of the various bits between their storage and used positions,
without the need to remove any of the bits from the handle of
the screwdriver in order to position the bit for use.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
screwdriver of the present invention. There is shown the
2o screwdriver (1), of which the main portions are the handle
body (2), the base (7) and a hollow shaft (13).
Generally speaking, the handle body (2) of the screwdriver (1)
would be sized to be grasped by the user's hand.
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The handle body ( 2 ) has a cap end ( 3 ) and a drive end ( 4 ) .
The cap end (3) of the handle body is the end of the
screwdriver which will face the user of the screwdriver and is
furthest from the actual drive implement or bit attached
thereto. The distal end of the hollow shaft (13) is the bit
end (14), which will engage a bit and actually provide the
working end of the tool (1). The drive end (4) of the handle
body, which is shown in this particular situation to be
approximately planar, is the end of the handle body which will
1o interface with the remainder of the mechanism. Disposed
within the handle body (2) are a plurality of bit storage
apertures (5). The bit storage apertures (5) are shown in
this case extending from the drive end (4) of the handle body
towards the cap end (3) thereof, but not reaching the cap end
( 3 ) . This particular embodiment demonstrates a closed system,
wherein the placement of the bits in the apparatus at the time
of manufacture will be the only time that bits will be entered
into or removed from the bit storage apertures (5).
2o Figure 2 is a top view of the drive end (4) of the handle
body. In this particular embodiment, six bit storage
apertures (5) are shown. It will be understood that the
number of bit storage apertures (5) could be varied dependant
upon the requirements of the instant situation, and that any
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number of bit storage apertures (5) is contemplated within the
scope of the present invention insofar as varying the number
of bit storage apertures (5) would be obvious to one skilled
in the art. Also shown in Figure 2 is the centre point (6) of
the handle body, which also demonstrates the central axis (17)
thereof. As can be seen from these figures, the bit storage
apertures (5) are displaced in a circular pattern about the
central axis (17) of the handle body, each bit storage
aperture (5) being positioned a radial distance from the
io centre point (6) of the handle body.
Also shown in Figure 2 are a series of indicator markings
(18). Indicator markings (18) will be used in conjunction
with a selection mark (19) on the base (7) to indicate to the
user of the tool (1) when the selection aperture (8) is
properly aligned with the desired bit storage aperture (5).
Bits (16) can be placed within the bit storage apertures (5)
of the handle body (2) in advance of the attachment of the
2o handle body (2) to the remainder of the screwdriver (1).
The base (7) has an attachment end (9) and a shaft end (10).
There is a selection aperture (8) passing through the base
(7). The selection aperture (8) at the attachment end (9) of
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the base is positioned the same radial distance from the
centre (11) of the base as the bit storage apertures (5) are
radially displaced from the centre point (6) of the handle
body. This position combined with the rotatable attachment of
the base (7) and handle body (2) will allow for the selective
alignment of a single bit storage aperture (5) at a time with
the selection aperture (8). The selection aperture (8) then
extends through the base (7) and exits the shaft end (10) of
the base aligned along the central axis (17). Attached to the
1o shaft end (10) of the base is the hollow shaft (13). The
extreme end of the shaft (13) is the bit end (14).
Figure 3 is a top view of the base (7), showing the passage of
the selection aperture (8) therethrough. Also shown in Figure
3 is a selection indicator marking (19) on the outer surface
of the base (7), which is aligned with the selection aperture
(8) such that the selection markings (18) can be used to
assist in the proper alignment of the selection aperture (8)
with a desired bit storage aperture (5) by aligning the
selection marking (19) with the desired bit marking (18) on
the handle body (2), upon rotation of the handle body (2) and
base (7) in relation to each other. It will be understood
that various other type of indicators could also be used to
accomplish the same objective of providing a method of showing
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the operator of the tool when the selection aperture (8) is
properly aligned with a desired bit storage aperture (5). For
example, the handle body (2) might be made out of clear
material such that the alignment of the selection aperture (8)
s and the selected bit aperture (5) could be visually co-
ordinated in that fashion. It will be understood that there
are other types of indicators which could be used also, and
that all such methods of indication are contemplated within
the scope of the present invention.
to
In this case, the shaft (13) is straight. As a result of the
proper attachment and alignment of the handle body (2) and the
base ( 7 ) , along with the straight shaf t ( 13 ) , the body ( 2 ) ,
the base (7) and the shaft (13) all share a common
~5 longitudinal axis. It will be understood that in certain
situations, as demonstrated in subsequent Figures, the shaft
(13) may not be straight, and while the base (7) and body (2)
will likely always share the same longitudinal axis, that may
not necessarily be the case with the shaft (13), which might
2o have bends or deflections placed therein depending on special
purposes for the use of the tool (1). It will be understood
that both such embodiments, namely where the shaft, handle
body and base share a common longitudinal axis, as well as
where they do not, are contemplated within the scope of the
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present invention.
At the heart of the invention is the co-operative nature of
the bit storage apertures (5), the selection aperture (8) and
the shaft (13). When it is desired to use a particular bit
stored in a bit storage aperture ( 5 ) , the bit storage aperture
(5) is selected by aligning same with the selection aperture
(8) , which then allows for the formation of a channel from the
bit storage aperture (5) through to the bit end (14) of the
1o shaft through the base. The bit (16) stored in the selected
bit storage aperture (5) would then be able to be slide, moved
or could fall from its position in the bit storage aperture
(5) down through the selection aperture (8) through the base
(7), and through the shaft (13) to the bit end (14). It can
then in turn be engaged by the locking means (15) at the bit
end (14) of the shaft. When it is desired to switch to a
different bit (16), the locking mechanism (15) can be released
and the active bit will slide back up into its respective bit
storage aperture (5) upon tipping up of the screwdriver (1).
2o The selection aperture (8) can then be aligned with the next
necessary bit storage aperture (5) and the new bit (16) locked
in position at the bit end (14) of the shaft.
Various types of locking mechanisms (15) could be used to
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engage a bit (16) in position at the bit end (14) of the
shaft. Some conventional methods include a resilient clip, an
o-ring, a moveable chuck, or a magnetic attraction of some
type. It will be understood that any such locking mechanism
which accomplishes the goal of locking a bit (16) in position
at the bit end (14) of the shaft (13) such that it can be used
to drive a screw of the like, such lock providing a torque
transmitting effect as well as the positional hold in relation
to the shaft (13), will be contemplated within the scope of
1o the present invention.
The upper portion of each bit (16) includes means by which to
form a torque transmitting engagement with the bit end (14) of
the shaft (13). For example, as shown in Figure 1, the upper
portions of the bit (16) have hexagonal-shaped cross-sections
configured to meet with a corresponding hexagonal opening at
the bit end (141 of the shaft (13). A locking pin (19) can
then be placed through an aperture extending across the shaft
(13) to lock the bit (16) down in position. In alternative
2o embodiments, numerous other known configurations could be
utilized for transferring torque between the bit (16) and the
bit end ( 14 ) of the shaft ( 13 ) . For example, bits having a
variety of polygonal shapes can be utilized.
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The working tool end of a bit (16) will extend beyond the bit
end (14) of the shaft when the bit (16) is locked in position
by the locking mechanism (15). The upper portion of the bit
(16) will remain inside of the shaft (13) while the bit (16)
is locked into working position.
The bits (16) have ends which are configured to form
screwdriver blades. Exemplary types of screwdriver blades
suitable for use with the present invention are Phillips-type,
1o blade-type, square head or Robertson-type, flat head or torx-
type blades. Of course, the bits (16) could also be equipped
with a variety of other structures suitable for transferring
torque and it will be understood that any such alteration is
contemplated within the scope of the present invention. It
will also be understood that different types of tools such as
a drill bit, scribe or punch could to some extent be modified
to fit onto such a bit (16) and that might further extend the
utility of the present invention.
2o Figure 4 demonstrates another embodiment of the screwdriver
(1) of the present invention. Again there is shown the handle
body (2), the base (7) and the shaft (13). What is different
about this embodiment is that the shaft (13) and the base (7)
are actually formed as a unitary body and there is not a shaft
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attachment point. In certain cases, the unitary construction
of the base (7) and the shaft (13) might allow for additional
strength of the unit. It will be understood that the base (7)
could be of various shapes and sizes so long as base (7)
s accomplishes the goal of joining together the shaft (13) and
the handle body (2).
In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the cap end (3) of the
handle body (2) is removable. As well, the bit storage
to apertures (5) extend all the way through the handle body (2),
from the drive end (4) to the cap end (3). The combination of
the removable cap end (3) and the bit storage apertures (5)
extending all the way through the handle body (2) , would allow
for the changing of the set of bits (16) stored within the
~s handle body ( 2 ) .
Figure 5 shows yet another embodiment of the screwdriver (1)
of the present invention, wherein the shaft (13) and the base
(7) are two separate elements, but the shaft (13) extends
2o through the base (7), to the attachment edge thereof, and the
shaft (13) in this fashion actually defines the selection
aperture ( 8 ) .
Also shown in the embodiment of Figure 5 is the addition of an
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offset crank section (20) to the shaft (13). It will be
understood, both in terms of the transitional bend in the
shaft (13) as shown in all of Figures 1, 4 and 5, as well as
any bend required to place an offset crank section (20) to the
shaft (13), that the only limitation upon the sharpness or
profile of these bends or angles would be that they be
designed with the proper interior profile and space to allow
for the movement of a bit ( 16 ) from a bit storage aperture ( 5 )
down to the bit end (14). Where the bit (16) was shorter, the
1o angles or bends could be sharper. Where the bit (16) was
longer, the angles or bends would need to be more gradual. It
will be understood that any combination of bit sizes and bends
or angles in the shaft (13) or the selection aperture (8) is
contemplated within the scope of the present invention insofar
as this would be obvious to one skilled in the art in light of
the disclosure of this patent.
A different type of locking mechanism (15) is shown in the
embodiments of Figures 4 and 5, to demonstrate various types
of locking mechanisms which could be used without departing
from the scope of the claimed invention.
Shafts, handle bodies and bases of varying sizes could be used
to produce a screwdriver (1) of various sizes. For example,
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in certain circumstances it might be preferable to shorten or
lengthen the shaft (13) dependent upon the operating
circumstances of the apparatus. It will be understood that
any such changes in dimensions or profiles are contemplated
within the scope of the present invention.
Also, while varying numbers of bit storage apertures (5) are
shown in the Figures herein, for demonstrative purposes only,
it will be understood that the number of bit storage apertures
(5) and/or bits (16) to be used within the screwdriver (1) of
the present invention could be varied without departing from
the scope of the present invention.
With regard to the foregoing description, it is to be
understood that changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of the construction materials employed and the shape,
size and arrangement of the parts without departing from the
scope of the present invention. It is intended that the
specification and depicted embodiments be considered exemplary
only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being
indicated by the broad meaning of the following claims.
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LISTING OF DIAGRAM REFERENCE NUMERALS:
1. screwdriver; 11. centre of base;
2. handle body; 12.
s 3. cap end of handle body; 13. shaft;
4. drive end of handle 14. bit end of shaft;
body; 15. locking means;
5. bit storage aperture; 16. bits;
6. centre point of handle 17. central axis;
io body; 18. indicator markings;
7. base; 19. selection mark;
8. selection aperture; 20. offset crank
9. attachment end of base;
10. shaft end of base;
