HK1091437B - Screwdriver handle provided with a blade tip storage chamber - Google Patents

Description

Screwdriver handle with screwdriver bit storage cavity

The invention relates to a screwdriver handle having a storage chamber for storing a screwdriver bit or the like, wherein the storage chamber can be transferred from a closed position to an open position by relative axial displacement of two handle parts, wherein one handle part has a core which is inserted into a cavity of the other handle part, and wherein the two handle parts are held in the closed position of the storage chamber by means of a locking catch, characterized in that the locking catch can be removed from its locked state by applying pressure on an actuating region which is located on the end side of the handle.

The handle of such a screwdriver or a screwdriver with such a handle is known from US 5265504. The handle comprises two handle portions. The handle portions may be pulled away from each other to open the storage cavity. The screwdriver Bit, the so-called Bit, is stored in the storage chamber and can be removed. One of the two handle portions, i.e. the one with the cutter head, has a cavity. In the closed position the core of the other handle portion is inserted into the cavity. Around the core there are a number of compartments for storing the screwdriver bits. In the closed position a stop lug barbs the stop step.

A screwdriver handle is known from US 6629478B2, in which a handle part with a screwdriver bit has receptacles for inserting the screwdriver bit. This handle part can be inserted against the force of a compression spring into the cavity of the other handle part forming the end side of the handle. The end side of the handle has a hole for mounting a screwdriver bit or a smaller handle with a screwdriver bit.

A screwdriver handle is known from DE 8404176.5U1, which is hollow. The cavity opening towards the handle end is covered by a cover, which forms a cover. The stop tongue of the lid can be moved by operating a pressure region in order to open the lid. The screwdriver bit placed in the hole can then be removed.

DE 20015484U 1 discloses a handle for a screwdriver, wherein the handle comprises two handle parts which can be rotated about a pivot axis parallel to the handle axis. These handle parts are designed with cavities into which a tool and also a screwdriver head can be inserted. The two handle portions are interlocked by means of a locking joint.

US 4934223 describes a pistol-like handle screw tool having a magazine arranged in the handle, which magazine can be pulled through an opening in the end face of the handle. A plurality of screwdriver heads are inserted in the material warehouse.

DE 29414974U 1 describes a screwdriver handle which consists of two parts which are inserted into one another. A handle portion having a cavity has a hole into which a second handle portion having a cutting head is fully inserted. The handle portion with the bit stores a screwdriver bit.

Starting from the prior art cited above, the object of the invention is to further improve a handle of the type described in respect of ease of use. The object of the invention is achieved by the technical solution stated in the claims.

Claim 1 firstly and importantly provides that the latch locking device can be released from its latched state by pressing on an actuating region belonging to the end face of the handle. The handle preferably has an elongated shape and has two end sides facing away from each other. The cutting head or the tool holder can project from one end side. The other end side forms the rounded tip of the handle, which is in the palm of the hand when the hand is held around the handle. This end face of the screwdriver grip, which is also referred to as the cap, is designed as an actuating region according to a first variant of the invention. Preferably, this actuation area is formed by a button. The button is preferably located in a pot-shaped recess in the end side of the handle. The end face of the push button can have a central depression. The edges of the depressions may protrude beyond the mouth edge of the groove. The buttons preferably have soft or rounded edges that dig into the user's palm without causing injury when holding the handle. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latching of the two handle parts can only be cancelled when the push button is moved a certain distance into the recess. The release of the catch is effected in particular when the end face of the push button is located below the edge of the recess. Based on this design, inadvertent unlocking of the latch is effectively avoided. The latching detent can be a spring tongue with a locking lug at its free end, which cooperates with a detent step. The resilient tongue can be assigned to a core part and the stop step to the handle part with the cavity. The resilient tongues, which can be integrally molded onto the core, thus project axially from the end sections of the core. A plurality of diametrically opposed resilient tongues may be employed. Preferably, these resilient tongues are moved by the operating projections of the push-button. For this purpose, the spring tongues have control ramps which are loaded in a suitable manner by an actuating projection of the push button or other designed actuating means. Preferably, the two handle parts can be transferred from the closed position into the open position after being pressed on the actuation area by the force of a pretensioned spring. This spring force is smaller than the detent force of the detent mechanism. The spring can only be relaxed after the end of the manipulation of the push button. In this case, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the two handle parts are moved away from each other into a stop position in which the screwdriver head placed in the storage chamber can be removed.

The object of the invention is also achieved by the technical solution stated in claim 12.

Claim 12 first and foremost provides that the latch stop means is pressed out of its latching state on the actuating region. The counter latching detent can be a detent step. The actuating region can be associated with the handle part with the cavity. The pocketed handle portion may be removed from its latched position. According to the invention, the release of the detent condition, which is a prerequisite for the relative displacement of the two handle parts, can only be achieved by applying pressure to the actuation area under subjective and deliberate circumstances. According to a preferred further development of the invention, the latching detent is a deflectable spring tongue with a latching lug at its free end. The spring tongue with its locking piece is located in front of a step of the handle with the cavity. The two handle parts can only be moved axially relative to each other to open the storage chamber when the resilient tongue is displaced radially inwards, which leaves the locking piece out of the path of movement of the stop step. In order to displace the locking piece in the radial direction, pressure must be applied to the actuation zone. This pressure is transmitted to the resilient tongue through the walls of the cavity. Preferably, the steering zone is formed by a soft plastic insert of the outer wall of the handle portion having the cavity. Advantageously, two diametrically opposite latching stops are associated with each of which is an actuating region. The two actuation areas are thus offset by 180 ° from one another. If the driver handle is gripped, it is not possible to apply pressure only to one of the two actuating regions during the actuation of the screw. It has been found that no diametrical pressure occurs when generally used to grip or surround the handle. If the handle is grasped, the thumb presses on the side facing the outside of the handle. The handles are surrounded diametrically opposite by the index finger. In this case the region of the outer face of the handle diametrically opposite the thumb is at the bend of the second and third phalanges of the index finger. Even if the handle is grasped from above, no pressure is exerted on the two diametrically opposed regions. Two diametrically opposed axial sections of the actuating region located therein are held in a three-point-surrounding manner between the thumb, index finger and ring finger. According to a further development of the invention, the elastic tongue material is integrally molded on the core. In this case, the spring tongue can be formed by a wall section of a clamping compartment for receiving the screwdriver bit. It is also advantageous if the radial force application of the locking detent is not effected directly via the soft plastic insert, but via an actuating arm and an actuating projection formed by the actuating arm. Here, the actuating projection presses on the spring tongue and deflects it. The manipulator arm may be formed from a U-shaped free section cut from a rigid plastic sleeve forming a handle portion having a cavity.

The object of the invention is generally also achieved by the technical solution of claim 20.

The two handle parts can be spring-loaded against each other in such a way that they are displaced by a pressure spring which is compressed in the closed position, after the latch has been released, by the expanded pressure spring into the open position. Preferably the handle portions are moved to only one partially open position. The compression spring is supported on the bottom of the cavity and on the end face of the core. The compression spring can be fixed to the bottom of the cavity by means of a centering projection. The other end of the compression spring can project into a guide cylinder on the end face of the core body. According to a further development of the invention, it is provided that the two handle parts are arrested in the fully open position. The stop described here is achieved by means of an actuating projection of the actuating arm. The operating projection passes over the stop projection when shifting to the open position. In order to displace the two handle parts from the fully open position back into the closed position, the actuating projection must be moved past the stop projection by applying an axial force. In the fully open position, the actuating projection rests against a stop. The stop cannot be exceeded in the axial direction of separation of the two handle parts. However, the two handle parts can be fitted together by means of a back-side bevel which on the one hand stops the interaction of the actuating projections and on the other hand stops them. Preferably, the handle portion with the core carries a bit or a replacement rod. The handle portion with the cavity is preferably a sleeve member with a rounded tip of the handle.

The objects of the invention are in principle achieved individually by each claim.

Some embodiments of the invention are described below with the aid of the figures. Wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a view of a screwdriver handle without a bit in a closed position;

FIG. 2 shows the view according to FIG. 1 in the open position;

FIG. 3 shows a view according to section line III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the detail IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a section along the line V-V in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 shows a section along the line VI-VI in FIG. 3; and

fig. 7 shows a top view of the handle part 2, with the soft plastic insert removed in the region of the actuating region;

FIG. 8 shows an end view of a second embodiment according to the invention;

FIG. 9 shows a section along the line IX-IX in FIG. 8, in the latched state, in which the storage chamber is closed;

FIG. 10 shows a section taken along the line X-X in FIG. 8, again in the closed position;

FIG. 10a shows a partial enlargement according to line Xa-Xa in FIG. 10;

FIG. 11 shows the view of FIG. 10 with the end button depressed;

FIG. 12 shows the view according to FIG. 9 in the open position, an

Fig. 13 shows the view according to fig. 10 in the open position.

The handle shown in fig. 1 to 7 can be provided with a fixed cutting head or a replacement rod. A tool bit or a replacement rod is mounted in the tool bit mount 23. The manner of operation of the replacement rod which can be used here is explained in detail in DE 10233866.3, and the disclosure of this application is therefore fully included in the present application.

The handle is essentially composed of two parts. The handle portion 1 is a core piece. The handle part 2 is a sleeve member. A cavity 3 is provided in the sleeve member 2. The cavity wall 13 has recesses 24 on the outer wall side, in which recesses 24 soft plastic is inserted. This results in two interlocking chains (Felderketten) consisting of soft plastic in a front-back position. A handle segment with the largest diameter is arranged between the two lattice chains. The dividing seam between the two handle parts 1, 2 on the jacket side is in the region of a local diameter increase which is directly connected to the hand lay. The central ring-shaped recess of the handle sleeve forms two opposite actuating regions 8 by means of its soft plastic insert. Under each soft plastic insert, the bottom of the indentation 24 is provided with a U-shaped free cut 25. An actuating arm 14 is formed on the basis of this cutout 25. The free end of the actuating arm 14 is provided with an actuating projection 15 which projects radially inward.

The handle portion 1 has a core 4 for mounting a tool bit or a replacement shank. The core is fully inserted into the cavity 3 in the closed position shown in figure 3. The outside of the core body is provided with a plurality of clamping grids extending along the axial direction. In each compartment of the holder there is a screwdriver bit 11. In the open position of the storage space 6 formed by the clamping grids (see fig. 5), the screwdriver bits can be removed or replaced.

Two diametrically opposite walls 10, which separate the individual clamping compartments from one another, each continue as a spring tongue 5. These resilient tongues 5 have locking blocks 9 directed radially outwards. In the closed position shown in fig. 3 or 4, the two locking pieces 9 are in front of the stop step 7 of the handle part 2. Thereby preventing the two handle parts 1, 2 from moving axially relative to each other. Only by the simultaneous radially inwardly directed pressure force acting on the two radially opposite soft zones 8 can the blocking piece 9 be moved out of the path of movement of the stop step 7 by the deflection of the actuating arm 14, so that an axial relative displacement of the two handle parts 1, 2 is permitted. To achieve this, the actuating projections 15 exert a force radially inwardly on the resilient tongues 5, causing them to deflect resiliently.

The end face of the core 4 has a cylindrical extension which forms a guide cylinder 7. In the closed position, the guide cylinder 17 has a compressed compression spring 16. The end edge of the guide cylinder 17 rests here against the cavity bottom 3' of the cavity 3. A centering projection 20 of the pressure spring 16 projects in this case into the bore of the guide cylinder 17.

If the locking between the two handles 1, 2 is released by simultaneously applying pressure to the two opposing soft zones 8, as described above, the spring 16 can be expanded loosely. The expansion of the pressure spring 16 causes the reservoir 6 to be partially opened up to the position shown in fig. 2. In which the pressure spring 16 has been completely relaxed.

The fully open position shown in fig. 5 can be achieved by applying an axial pulling force on both handle portions 1, 2. In the final phase of the displacement in the direction of this fully open position, the actuating projection 15 of the actuating arm 14 passes over a stop projection 18 on the core body 4. In this fully open position, the rear side wall of the actuating projection 15 rests against the stop 19. The front side of the handling projection 15 is a slope. Likewise, the rear side of the stop 19 is also beveled. The two bevels together act as a climbing bevel when the two handle parts are mated for handle assembly.

In order to re-close the reservoir 6, the handle part 2 with the cavity 3 must be moved axially relative to the handle part 1. The catch formed by the interaction of the locking projection 18 with the actuating projection 15 is overcome by axial pressure.

The closed position shown in fig. 4 is achieved in that the ramp of the locking piece 9 cooperates with the ramp of the stop step 7. The two ramps slide over each other in the final phase of the closing movement. This is combined with an elastic deflection of the resilient tongue 5 in a radially inward direction.

In the handle shown in fig. 8 to 13, the latch state is cancelled by pressing on the button 8, which button 8 is provided on the end side of the handle part 2. The handle portion 2 has an internal cavity 3. The core 4 of the second handle portion 1 is inserted into the cavity 3. The core 4 has several circumferentially arranged reservoirs 6 for screwdriver bits 11. The storage chambers 6 are separated from each other by walls. Furthermore, the core 4 has a cavity for inserting a cutting head. The core 4 also has a rear axial extension 31 which produces a total of four diametrically opposed resilient tongues 5. Each spring tongue is designed as a locking piece 9 with a control ramp 30. The axial extension 31 is inserted into the interior of the helical compression spring 16, the end of which bears against a step 34 of the core 4. The other end of the helical compression spring 16 is supported at the bottom of the cavity 3. By means of this pressure spring 16, the core body 4 is loaded by spring force in the direction of opening the cavity 3 by the handle part 2.

The core has a radially projecting stop 32 in the form of a boss. At the same radial position as the stop 32, the cavity 3 also has a stop 33, the stop 32 abutting against the stop 33 when the spring 16 presses the two handle parts 1, 2 apart. The stop 33 projects radially inwardly from the wall of the cavity 3. The core 4 is axially movably but non-rotatably mounted in the cavity 3. Whereby a torque can be transmitted from the handle part 2 to the handle part 1.

The handle portion 2 is designed such that the end of the rounded top end of the handle portion 2 has a pot-shaped recess 26. The bottom of the pot-shaped recess 26 has a central through hole through which a fixing arm 35 of the push button protrudes, the push button being spring-loaded by means of a pressure spring 27 in the direction of the opening of the recess 26. The hook-shaped end section of the securing arm ensures that the button is axially secured in the recess 26 provided for it.

The actuating projection of the pushbutton 8 projects axially into the recess 26 offset with respect to the securing arm 35. In the closed position, the actuating projection 29 is located in front of the control ramp 30 on the end side of the spring tongue 5. In the closed position, the resilient tongue end section of the locking piece 9 is designed to project through the bottom opening of the recess 26 into the recess 26 in such a way that the locking piece 9 barbs the edge of the bottom opening. The region hooked back by the locking piece 9 forms a stop step 7.

In the closed position (fig. 9, 10) the pressure spring 16 is compressed. If the push button is pushed in this state as shown in fig. 11, the control ramp 30 of the spring tongue 15 is loaded by the actuating projection 29. As the button 8 is pressed, the end edge of the operating projection slides along the control slope 30. Simultaneously with this sliding, the end section of the resilient tongue 5 is moved radially inwards. As long as the end face of the push button 8 is above the opening edge 28 of the recess, the locking pieces 9 hook over the stop steps 7 associated with them. Only when the end face of the push button 8 is embedded in the recess 26 does the spring tongue 5 flex radially inward to such an extent that the locking piece 9 is released from the latching engagement with the latching step. The pressure spring 16 thus expands and displaces the handle portion 1 with the core body 4 into the open position shown in fig. 12 and 13, in which the stops 32, 33 meet each other. In this open position, the pressure spring 16 also has a small amount of preload.

If, starting from the open position shown in fig. 12 and 13, the core 4 is moved back into the cavity, the compression spring 16 is compressed. The control ramp 30 acts on the control surface of the inclination of the stop step 7. In the final phase of the insertion movement of the core 4 in the cavity 3, the locking pieces 9 hook back over the stop steps 7 assigned to them. In this case, the control ramp 30 slides along on the stop step 7 until the control ramp 30 snaps back against the stop step.

All disclosed features are (per se) essential to the invention. The disclosure of the related/attached priority documents (copies of the prior application) is also fully contained in the disclosure of the present application, and for this purpose the features of these documents are also absorbed in the claims of the present application.

Claims (23)

1. A screwdriver handle comprising a reservoir for storing a screwdriver bit, wherein the reservoir can be transferred from a closed position to an open position by relative axial displacement of two handle parts (1, 2), one of the handle parts (1) has a core (4) which is inserted into a cavity (3) of the other handle part (2), and the two handle parts (1, 2) can be held in the closed position of the storage chamber (6) by means of latching stops (5, 7), wherein the locking detent (5, 7) can be released from its locking position by applying pressure on a push button (8), characterized in that the button (8) is arranged on the end face of the handle (2), and the latching detent (5) is a deflectable spring tongue with a detent (9) at its free end, which cooperates with a detent step (7).

2. The handle of claim 1, wherein: the button (8) is arranged in a recess (26) on the end side of the handle (2).

3. A handle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein: the button (8) can be moved into a pot-shaped recess (26) against the force of a return spring (27).

4. A handle as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein: when the button (8) is pressed, the locking state is cancelled only when the end face of the button (8) is located below the opening edge (28) of the groove (26).

5. A handle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the resilient tongue (5) is integrally molded on the core (4).

6. The handle of claim 5, wherein: the resilient tongue (5) is formed by an end section of the core (4).

7. A handle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the handle has a plurality of diametrically opposed latch stops (5).

8. A handle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the handle has an actuating projection (29) formed by a push button (8) which acts on the spring tongue (5) in order to release the latching state.

9. The handle of claim 8, wherein: the actuating projection (29) acts axially on a control ramp (30) of the spring tongue (5) which also extends axially.

10. A handle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the two handle parts (1, 2) are transferred from the closed position into the open position by the force of a pretensioned spring (16) after being pressed against the push button (8).

11. A screwdriver handle comprising a storage chamber for storing a screwdriver bit, wherein the storage chamber can be opened by relative axial displacement of two handle parts (1, 2), wherein one handle part (1) has a core (4) which is inserted into a cavity (3) of the other handle part (2) and has at least one latching detent (5), wherein the latching detent (5) interacts with a counter latching detent (7) of the handle part (2) with the cavity in the closed position of the storage chamber (6), characterized in that: the locking detent (5) can be automatically released from its locking state by applying pressure to an actuating region (8) of the handle part (1) with the counter locking detent (7), wherein the actuating region (8) is assigned to the handle part (2) with the cavity (3); and the locking and stopping device is a deflectable elastic tongue with a locking block (9) at the free end.

12. The handle of claim 11, wherein: the counter latching detent (7) is a detent step.

13. A handle as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein: the resilient tongue material is integrally molded on the core (4).

14. A handle as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein: the spring tongue (5) is formed by a wall section (10) for receiving the wall of the clamping frame for mounting a screwdriver head (11).

15. A handle as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein: the handle has two diametrically opposed latch stops (5).

16. A handle as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein: the actuating region is formed by a soft plastic insert (8) in the outer wall (13) of the handle part (2) having the cavity (3).

17. A handle as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein: the handle has an actuating arm (14) which is associated with an actuating region (8) of the handle part (2) having the cavity (3) and which acts with an actuating projection on the spring tongue.

18. The handle of claim 17, wherein: the actuating arm (14) is formed by a U-shaped free cutout in a hard plastic sleeve forming the handle part (2) with the cavity (3) and is located below the soft plastic insert (8).

19. The handle of claim 17, wherein: the two handle parts (1, 2) are spring-loaded towards each other in such a way that, after the mutual engagement is released, they are displaced by a relaxation movement of a spring (16) which is prestressed in the closed position into an open position, and the two handle parts (1, 2) are locked against each other in the fully open position, in which case the actuating projection (15) of the actuating arm (14) is in front of a locking projection (18) which can be overcome by the application of an axial force.

20. The handle of claim 19, wherein: the spring (16) is supported at one end on the bottom (3') of the cavity (3) and at the other end on the end face of the core (4).

21. The handle of claim 19, wherein: a cutter head or a replacing rod is arranged on the handle part (1) with the core body (4); and the handle part (2) with the cavity (3) forms a circular top end (21) of the handle.

22. The handle of claim 19, wherein: the spring (16) is a compression spring.

23. The handle of claim 19, wherein: the two handle parts (1, 2) are displaced by the relaxation of the spring (16) which is prestressed in the closed position into a mutual partially open position after the mutual engagement of the catch is released.