Swivel connector assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10036416-B2
Application number	US-201514821943-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2015
Priority date	Oct 3, 2013
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A swivel connector assembly has a pin member, a collar member, and a connector. The connector defines a partially-open ring with arm ends spaced apart from each other. The collar member has recesses to receive the arms and permit the connector to pivot about the arms. The pin member extends through a central aperture of the collar member, with the collar member permitted to rotate about the pin member while coupled to the connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A swivel connector assembly for providing a swiveling and rotating attachment point to either a hand tool or a tool holder for a hand tool, the connector assembly comprising:
a pin member having a pin head, and a pin shaft extending longitudinally from a shaft proximal end to a pin tip at a shaft distal end wherein the shaft proximal end is connected to the pin head and wherein the pin shaft has a shaft diameter smaller than the pin head;
a connector having a connector body portion having a first body end and a second body end, a first arm connected to the first body end and having a free first arm end, and a second arm connected to the second body end and having a free second arm end wherein the first arm end and the second arm end extend toward each other forming a gap between the first arm end and the second arm end, and wherein the connector body portion, the first arm and the second arm define a partially-closed loop with the gap between the first arm end and the second arm end; and
a collar member having an annular body with a top surface, a bottom surface, a circumferential portion between the top surface and the bottom surface, the annular body defining
(1) a central aperture extending axially through the annular body between the top surface and the bottom surface, the central aperture sized to rotatably receive the pin shaft and permit free rotation of the collar member about the pin shaft,
(2) a first radial aperture extending transversely through the circumferential portion into the annular body towards the central aperture, and
(3) a second radial aperture extending transversely through the circumferential portion into the annular body towards the central aperture, the second radial aperture being coaxially aligned with the first radial aperture, wherein the first arm and the second arm of the connector are disposed within the first radial aperture and the second radial aperture, respectively, whereby the first radial aperture and the second radial aperture permit rotation of the connector about the first arm and the second arm, and

a disc member with a central disc aperture disposed between the collar member and the pin head with the pin shaft extending through the central disc aperture;
wherein the pin member extends through the central aperture of the collar member to connect the hand tool or the tool holder for the hand tool to the connector assembly and to thereby retain the connector in coupling engagement to the collar member while permitting free rotation of the collar member about the pin member.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the collar member includes a first axial slot and a second axial slot that each extends into the annular body through either the top surface or the bottom surface and into the first radial aperture and the second radial aperture, respectively, each of the first axial slot and the second axial slot having a cross-section that is larger than the cross-section of the respective first radial aperture and the second radial aperture, and wherein the first arm end and the second are end of the connector are larger than the respective cross-section of the first arm and second arm wherein the first arm end and the second arm end are rotatably disposed within the first axial slot and the second axial slot, respectively.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first arm end and the second arm end each have a geometry selected from the group consisting of a ball, a flange, a disk, and a protrusion.

4. The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the first axial slot and the second axial slot extend through the bottom surface of the collar member, and wherein the first arm end and the second arm end of the connector are received between the collar member and the disc member.

5. The connector assembly of claim 4 wherein the disc member has an annular disc recess in a top surface of the disc member.

6. The connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein, when the first axial slot and the second axial slot extend into the annular body from the top surface, the pin shaft is threaded and wherein the pin head defines a tool-engaging recess configured to engage a working end of a hand tool, the tool-engaging recess having a shape selected from the group consisting of a slot, a plus, a square, a triangle, a hexagon, and a star.

7. The connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein, when the first axial slot and the second axial slot extend into the annular body from the top surface, the pin shaft has a retaining structure protruding radially from the pin shaft.

8. The connector assembly of claim 7 , wherein the retaining structure is selected from the group consisting of one or more tabs, one or more wing-shaped protrusions, and a screw thread.

9. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein at least the first radial aperture of the collar member has an upper channel and at least one side channel within the circumferential portion of the collar member whereby the upper channel and the at least one side channel each defines a stopping point for the first arm of the connector as it rotates within the first radial aperture.

10. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the second radial aperture of the collar member has an upper channel and at least one side channel within the circumferential portion of the collar member whereby the upper channel and the at least one side channel each defines a stopping point for the second arm of the connector as it rotates within the second radial aperture.

11. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the top surface of the collar member has a recess coaxial with and a of greater diameter than the central aperture.

12. The connector assembly of claim 11 wherein the shaft distal end is a split shaft having a slot extending axially into at least the pin tip and wherein the pin tip has a catch surface that extends radially from the shaft distal end and is received within the recess.

13. The connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pin bushing connected to the pin shaft and adjacent the pin head wherein the pin bushing has a diameter greater than the pin shaft and smaller than the pin head thereby forming a bushing stop.

14. The connector assembly of claim 13 wherein the central aperture is sized to rotatably receive the pin bushing and permit free rotation of the collar member about the pin bushing.

15. The connector assembly of claim 13 , wherein the pin shaft is elongated and the pin tip comprises a tool.

16. The connector assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a tool handle attached to the pin shaft adjacent the collar member.

17. A method of assembling a swivel connection assembly according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
coupling the connector to the collar member by inserting the first arm of the connector into the first radial aperture and inserting the second arm of the connector into the second radial aperture whereby the connector freely rotates within the first radial aperture and the second radial aperture;
inserting the pin member through the central aperture of the collar member to thereby retain the connector in coupling engagement to the collar member while permitting free rotation of the collar member about the pin member; and
connecting the swivel connector assembly to either a hand tool or a tool holder for a hand tool.

18. A method for providing a swiveling and rotating attachment point to a hand tool or a tool holder for a hand tool, the method comprising:
providing a swivel connector comprising:
(1) a connector defining a partially

Assignees

• Ty Flot Inc

Inventors

• Moreau Darrell A
• Moreau Andre W

Classifications

• A45F5/021 Primary

  to the belt · CPC title

• B25H3/00

  Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments (containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; {nail dispensers B25C3/00}) · CPC title

• A45F5/14

  Holders for spades, hatchets or the like implements · CPC title

• A45F2005/006

  comprising a suspension strap or lanyard · CPC title

• Y10T403/32983

  Rod in socket · CPC title