Push button pin for pliers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10994390-B2
Application number	US-201816205379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2018
Priority date	Nov 30, 2018
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

A push button pin for coupling together two halves of pliers. The pin can include one or more balls elastically biased in a radially-outward direction to couple the pin to a retainer. The balls are normally pushed outward by an engagement portion, but a push button head can be pressed axially downward and cause the balls to align with a receiving portion, which allows the balls to descend into the interior of the pin. The push button is also integral with the receiving and engagement portions to better facilitate the movement of the balls and the removability of the pin. A user can therefore quickly adjust the jaw width of a pair of pliers and better utilize the pliers in the process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool comprising:
first and second halves pivotally coupled together by a pin, wherein the pin includes:
a push button selectively movable to either one of engaged and disengaged positions, and including a head, a receiving portion having a receiving portion outer diameter and extending axially from the head, and an engagement portion having an engagement portion outer diameter and extending axially from the receiving portion, wherein the engagement portion outer diameter is greater than the receiving portion outer diameter;
a sleeve defining a cavity within which the push button is adapted to axially slide, the sleeve includes a collar that receives the head and a stem for housing the receiving and engagement portions, the stem further includes a hole;
a ball disposed within the hole; and
a spring adapted to bias the push button radially outwardly and substantially align the ball with the engagement portion when the push button is disposed in the engaged position, wherein when an axial force is not applied to the head and the push button is disposed in the disengaged position, the ball is received within the receiving portion; and

a retainer disposed on one of either the first and second halves, wherein the retainer is adapted to retain the pin to the one of the first and second halves, the retainer has an inner diameter greater than a stem outer diameter of the stem.

2. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a shoulder disposed within the cavity and extending axially and radially within the cavity, the shoulder is adapted to provide support for the spring.

3. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the head integrally includes the receiving portion and the engagement portion.

4. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a second ball disposed within a second hole located on the stem.

5. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the ball and the receiving portion are sized to allow the ball to move into the receiving portion, such that an entirety of the ball is radially internal to the outer diameter of the stem when the push button is in the disengaged position.

6. The tool of claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the ball is greater than a hole outer diameter of the hole.

7. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the head includes a lower surface and the collar includes a leading edge, and wherein the lower surface is located axially internal to the cavity compared to the leading edge.

8. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the collar has a collar outer diameter that is greater than a stem outer diameter.

9. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the first half includes two openings through which the pin is adapted to be inserted, and the second half includes one opening through which the pin is adapted to be inserted.

10. A push button pin adapted to pivotally couple first and second halves of a tool, the push button pin comprising:
a push button adapted to be selectively movable to either one of engaged and disengaged positions and having a head, a receiving portion having a receiving portion outer diameter and extending axially from the head, and an engagement portion having an engagement portion outer diameter and extending axially from the receiving portion, wherein the engagement portion outer diameter is greater than the receiving portion outer diameter;
a sleeve defining a cavity within which the push button is adapted to axially slide, the sleeve including a collar that receives the head and a stem for housing the receiving portion and the engagement portion, the stem further including a hole;
a ball disposed within the hole;
a spring adapted to bias the push button radially outwardly and aligns the ball with the engagement portion when the push button is disposed in the engaged position, wherein when an axial force is applied to the head and the push button is disposed in the disengaged position, the ball is received within the receiving portion; and
a retainer adapted to retain the push button to one of either of the first and second halves, wherein the retainer has an inner diameter that is greater than a stem outer diameter of the stem.

11. The pin of claim 10 , further comprising a shoulder disposed within the cavity and extending axially and radially within the cavity, the shoulder provides support for the spring.

12. The pin of claim 10 , wherein the head integrally includes the receiving portion and the engagement portion.

13. The pin of claim 10 , further comprising a second ball disposed within a second hole located on the stem.

14. The pin of claim 10 , wherein the ball and receiving portion are sized to allow the ball to move into the receiving portion such that an entirety of the ball is radially internal to a stem outer diameter in the disengaged position.

15. The pin of claim 10 , wherein a ball outer diameter of the ball is greater than a hole outer diameter of the hole.

16. The pin of claim 10 , wherein the head includes a lower surface and the collar includes a leading edge, and wherein the lower surface of the head is located axially internal to the cavity compared to the leading edge.

17. The pin of claim 10 , wherein the collar has a collar outer diameter that is greater than a stem outer diameter.

Assignees

• Snap On Tools Corp

Inventors

• Dahlke Scott G
• Diederich Kevin R

Classifications

• B25B7/06 Primary

  Joints · CPC title

• B25B27/205 Primary

  Pliers or tweezer type tools with tow actuated jaws · CPC title

• B25B7/10 Primary

  with adjustable fulcrum · CPC title