Low-profile fastener retaining device with single-sided retention and release

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11446797-B2
Application number	US-201916727667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2019
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A single-sided fastener retaining device provides for low-profile, strong fastener retention, low FOD risk, compatibility with a wide range of driving tool and fastener types and sizes that is inexpensive to manufacture and capable of driving the fastener at an angle. A release mechanism includes a resilient arm and a lever arm joined by a fulcrum that contacts the shaft of a driving tool. A fork at the end of the lever arm includes first and second arms that extend to either side of and at least to the level of the axis of the driving tool to define an opening facing the axis to receive the shaft of a fastener of various sizes and hold the head of the fastener to the working end of the driving tool in a retained position. The release mechanism is responsive to the application of a force to elastically deform the resilient arm causing the lever arm to pivot on the fulcrum moving the fork away from the axis to a release position to release the fastener. The release mechanism is responsive to the removal of the force to return the fork to the retained position.

First claim

I claim:

1. A single-sided fastener retaining device for retaining a fastener to the working end of a driving tool, the fastener retaining device comprising:
a compression sleeve configured to engage and hold the shaft of a driving tool of various sizes and shapes about an axis;
a single release mechanism including a resilient arm and a lever arm joined by a fulcrum that contacts the shaft of the driving tool and is spaced apart from the compression sleeve, said resilient arm extending from the compression sleeve along and spaced apart from the axis to the fulcrum, said lever arm extending from the fulcrum at an angle to the axis; and
a single fork connected to the lever arm, said fork having first and second arms that extend to either side of and at least to the level of the axis to define an opening facing the axis to receive the shaft of a fastener of various sizes and hold the head of the fastener to the working end of the driving tool in a retained position;
said resilient arm extending away from the axis at a first positive angle to a substantially flat portion that extends substantially parallel to the axis and thereafter extends towards the axis to the fulcrum at a negative angle opposite to the first, the lever arm extends away from the axis at a second positive angle;
said release mechanism responsive to the application of a force to elastically deform the resilient arm causing the lever arm to pivot on the fulcrum moving the fork away from the axis to a released position to release the fastener, said release mechanism responsive to the removal of the force to return the fork to the retained position.

2. The fastener retaining device of claim 1 , wherein an axis of the opening defined by the fork is co-axial with attachment mechanism axis.

3. The fastener retaining device of claim 1 , wherein an axis of the opening defined by the fork is biased below the attachment mechanism axis.

4. The fastener retaining device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arms of the fork extend approximately perpendicular to the axis in the retained position.

5. The fastener retaining device of claim 1 , further comprising a telescoping sleeve configured to slide along the axis to apply the force to the resilient arm and to remove the force from the resilient arm.

6. The fastener retaining device of claim 1 , wherein said compression sleeve, release mechanism and fork are of a one-piece construction.

7. The fastener retaining device of claim 6 , wherein said one-piece construction is from a spring steel.

8. The fastener retaining device of claim 1 , wherein said resilient arm is spaced apart from the axis between one to two times a diameter of the compression sleeve, wherein said lever arms is between one and three times the length of the resilient arm.

9. A method of using a driving tool to install a fastener into a material, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a compression sleeve configured to engage and hold the shaft of a driving tool of various sizes and shapes about an axis;
providing a single-sided fastener retaining device comprising a single release mechanism including a resilient arm and a lever arm joined by a fulcrum, said resilient arm extending from the compression sleeve along and spaced apart from the axis to the fulcrum, said lever arm extending from the fulcrum at an angle to the axis, and a single fork attached to the lever arm, said resilient arm extending away from the axis at a first positive angle to a substantially flat portion that extends substantially parallel to the axis and thereafter extends towards the axis to the fulcrum at a negative angle opposite to the first, the lever arm extends away from the axis at a second positive angle;
engaging the compression sleeve to the shaft of the driving tool such that the fulcrum contacts the shaft and the single fork receives the shaft of the fastener and holds the head of the fastener to the working end of the driving tool in a retained position;
using the driving tool to partially engage the fastener into the material;
applying force to elastically deform the resilient arm causing the lever arm to pivot on the fulcrum moving the single fork away from the axis to a released position to release the fastener;
using the driving tool to complete engagement of the fastener into the material; and
withdrawing the driving tool and removing the force to return the single fork to the retained position.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said compression sleeve is configured to engage and hold the shaft of a driving tool of various sizes and shapes, wherein attaching the compression sleeve comprises engaging the compression sleeve around the shaft of the driving tool and sliding the compression sleeve along the shaft of the driving tool such that the fork holds the head of the fastener against the working end of the driving tool.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said compression sleeve, release mechanism and fork are of a one-piece construction.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: orienting the driving tool at a non-perpendicular angle to the material to position the release mechanism above the shaft of the driving tool away from the material such that the fork does not contact the material and prematurely release the fastener.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fastener retaining device further comprises a telescoping sleeve configured to slide along the axis to engage and disengage the resilient arm, further comprising moving the telescoping sleeve to a first position to disengage the resilient arm such the fastener is held in the retained position; moving the telescoping sleeve to a second position to engage the first resilient arm to provide the force to move the fork to the released position to release the fastener.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Boss Jakob M

Classifications

• B25B23/101 Primary

  for hand-driven screw-drivers (B25B23/105 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B25B23/0007

  Connections or joints between tool parts · CPC title