Screwdriver with extendable shaft and bit storage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358104-B2
Application number	US-202217827000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2022
Priority date	May 27, 2021
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A screwdriver includes a shank, a ratchet assembly, and a handle. The shank includes a shank extender that in an extended position lengthens the shank and in a retracted position is stored within the handle of the screwdriver. The ratchet assembly includes a knob and is configured to drive in the same direction the knob is turned. The screwdriver includes a locking mechanism to prevent unwanted movement of the shank between the extended and retracted positions. The handle of the screwdriver includes a storage space to hold alternative screwdriver bits and a stabilizing component to decrease movement of the handle when the storage portion is in an extended or open position. In a closed position the handle surrounds the alternate bits and in an open position the alternate bits are exposed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A driving tool comprising:
a handle comprising:
a first end;
a second end opposing the first end; and a body portion configured to hold a plurality of tool bits;
a shank coupled to the handle, the shank including a first end and a second end and extending along a longitudinal axis extending from the first end of the shank to the second end of the shank; and
a ratchet assembly comprising:
a knob coupled to the handle, the knob including:
a radially inward facing surface;
a wall spaced from the radially inward facing surface, said wall extending axially along said longitudinal axis; and
a first cam structure and a second cam structure extending from the wall;
a gear including a plurality of gear teeth and coupled to the shank; a pawl housing at least partially received within the first end of the handle; and a first pawl and a second pawl, the first pawl and second pawl each positioned within the pawl housing and including a plurality of pawl teeth facing the gear;
wherein the knob is rotatable about the longitudinal axis and wherein, when the knob is in a locked position, the ratchet assembly is locked such that shank does not rotate;
wherein, when the knob is turned from the locked position in a clockwise direction to a first unlocked position, the ratchet assembly allows the shank to rotate in the clockwise direction and wherein, when the knob is turned in a counterclockwise direction to a second unlocked position, the ratchet assembly allows the shank to rotate in the counterclockwise direction.

2. The driving tool of claim 1 , wherein, when the knob is in the locked position, the first cam structure is spaced from the first pawl and the second cam structure is spaced from the second pawl such that the pawl teeth are engaged with the gear teeth locking the ratchet assembly.

3. The driving tool of claim 1 , wherein, when the knob is in the first unlocked position, the first cam structure moves the first pawl such that the pawl teeth of the first pawl are disengaged from the gear teeth, allowing the shank to rotate in the clockwise direction.

4. The driving tool of claim 1 , wherein, when the knob is in the second unlocked position, the second cam structure moves the second pawl such that the pawl teeth of the second pawl are disengaged from the gear teeth, allowing the shank to rotate in the counterclockwise direction.

5. The driving tool of claim 1 , wherein the first pawl and the second pawl move in a translational manner as the first cam structure and second cam structure engage with the first pawl and the second pawl.

6. The driving tool of claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises:
a bore that surrounds a neck portion that slidably moves between a closed position where the plurality of tool bits are enclosed within the handle and an open position where the plurality of tool bits are positioned outside of the body portion of the handle; and
a stabilizing component coupled to the neck portion configured to engage with the bore of the handle to decrease movement of the neck when the handle is moved or extended in the open position.

7. The driving tool of claim 6 , wherein the stabilizing component further comprises arms, each arm including a radially outward facing surface configured to engage with the bore of the handle.

8. The driving tool of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gear teeth are radially outward facing on an outer surface of the gear and wherein the plurality of pawl teeth of the first pawl and second pawl extending radially inward.

9. A screwdriver comprising:
a handle comprising:
a first end;
a second end opposing the first end; and
a body portion configured to hold a plurality of tool bits;

a shank coupled to the handle, the shank including a first end and a second end, the second end of the shank including a bore;
a longitudinal axis extending along the shank; and
a ratchet assembly positioned between the first end of the shank and the second end of the shank, the ratchet assembly comprising:
a pawl housing at least partially received within the first end of the handle;
a switch coupled to the handle, the switch including;
a radial surface;
an annular wall spaced from the radial surface, the annular wall extending axially along said longitudinal axis toward the pawl housing; and
a first cam structure and a second cam structure, the first and second cam structures extending downward from the annular wall toward the pawl housing;

a gear including a plurality of gear teeth and coupled to the shank; and
a first pawl and a second pawl, the first and second pawl each positioned within the pawl housing and including a plurality of pawl teeth configured to engage the gear teeth of the gear;

wherein the first cam structure is configured to engage the first pawl and the second cam structure is configured to engage the second pawl.

10. The screwdriver of claim 9 , wherein the switch is rotatable about the longitudinal axis such that when the switch is turned in an engagement direction the ratchet assembly will drive in the engagement direction.

11. The screwdriver of claim 9 , wherein the first pawl and the second pawl move in a translational manner as the first cam structure and second cam structure engage with the first pawl and the second pawl.

12. The screwdriver of claim 11 , wherein a first biasing component biases the first pawl, and a second biasing component biases the second pawl, and wherein the first biasing component is aligned with the second biasing component defining a pawl translation axis.

13. The screwdriver of claim 9 , the switch further including a plurality of switch recesses, each switch recess including an inward facing engagement surface.

14. The screwdriver of claim 13 , wherein the pawl housing further includes an outer surface with a bore extending in a generally perpendicular direction to the longitudinal axis, wherein the ratchet assembly further includes a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising:
a spring element received within the bore of the pawl housing; and
a ball configured to engage with the switch such that when the respective switch recess is positioned in front of the locking mechanism, the ball engages the inward facing engagement surface of the switch recess to resist rotation of the switch.

15. The screwdriver of claim 9 , wherein the handle further comprises:
a neck portion;
a bore that surrounds the neck portion; and
a stabilizing component coupled to the neck portion and configured to engage with the bore of the handle;
wherein the neck portion slidably moves between a closed position where the plurality of tool bits are enclosed within the handle and an open position where the plurality of tool bits are positioned outside of the body portion of the handle.

16. The A driving tool comprising:
a handle comprising:
a first end;
a second end opposing the first end; and
a body portion configured to hold a plurality of tool bits;

a shank coupled to the handle, the shank including a first end and a second end and extending along a longitudinal axis extending from the first end of the shank to the second end of the shank; and
a ratchet assembly positioned between the first end of the shank and the second end of the shank, the ratchet assembly comprising:
a switch coupled to the handle, the switch including;
a radially inward facing surface;
a wall, said wall extending axially along said longitudinal axis;
an annular recess defined between the radially inward facing surface and the wall; and
a cam structure positioned on the wall;
a gear i

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Schneider Joshua D
• Roberts Colin J
• Hangartner Scott M
• Barton George
• Li Cheng Zhang
• Cheng Kai-Wen

Classifications

• B25G1/085

  for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners · CPC title

• B25B15/04 Primary

  with ratchet action · CPC title