Screw tightening tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956672-B2
Application number	US-201514682489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2015
Priority date	Apr 25, 2014
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A screw tightening tool includes a case body, a tool member, and a switching portion. The case body includes a guide portion configured such that a head portion of a screw is inserted therein. The tool member includes an engaging portion including a bit portion configured to engage with the head portion. The switching portion supports the tool member. The switching portion is configured to switch a position of the tool member among a first position, a second position, and a third position. The first position is a position in which the bit portion protrudes to an outside from the case body. The second position is a position in which the bit portion protrudes to the outside from the case body and that is different from the first position. The third position is a position in which the case body houses the bit portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A screw tightening tool comprising:
a case body including a first wall portion, a second wall portion, and a guide portion, the first wall portion and the second wall portion being opposed to each other with a specified gap, the guide portion being configured such that a head portion of a screw is inserted therein, the guide portion having a substantially cylindrical shape and protruding to a first direction from the specified gap, the first direction being orthogonal to an opposition direction, the opposition direction being a direction in which the first wall portion and the second wall portion are opposed to each other;
a tool member including a base portion and an engaging portion, the base portion being provided between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, the base portion having a substantially circular shape and having an axis line that is parallel with the opposition direction, the engaging portion protruding from the base portion to a direction that is orthogonal to the opposition direction, a bit portion that is configured to engage with the head portion being provided on a leading end of the engaging portion; and
a locking mechanism including a groove portion and a case body locking portion, the groove portion being provided in a surface portion of the base portion, the surface portion being opposed to the first wall portion, the groove portion extending in a substantially circular arc around the axis line, the case body locking portion protruding from the first wall portion toward the second wall portion, a leading end of the case body locking portion being arranged inside the groove portion, wherein:
the case body rotatably supports, between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, the base portion such that the base portion rotates around the axis line,
a rotation position of the tool member switches at least among a first position, a second position, and a third position in accordance with a rotation of the base portion, the first position being a rotation position in which the bit portion protrudes to an outside of the case body, the second position being a rotation position in which the bit portion protrudes to the outside of the case body and that is different from the first position, the third position being a rotation position in which the case body houses the bit portion, and the bit portion being configured to, in the third position, engage with the head portion inserted in the guide portion,
the leading end of the case body locking portion slides relative to the base portion inside the groove portion in accordance with the rotation of the base portion, and
the locking mechanism includes a first lock portion, a second lock portion, and a third lock portion, the first lock portion, the second lock portion, and the third lock portion being provided in the groove portion, the first lock portion locking the leading end of the case body locking portion when the tool member is in the first position, the second lock portion locking the leading end of the case body locking portion when the tool member is in the second position, the third lock portion locking the leading end of the case body locking portion when the tool member is in the third position.

2. The screw tightening tool according to claim 1 , wherein:
the bit portion is configured to be oriented to the first direction when the tool member is in the third position, the first direction being parallel with an insertion direction of the head portion into the guide portion,
the bit portion is configured to be oriented to a second direction when the tool member is in the second position, the second direction being a direction orthogonal to the first direction and to the opposition direction, and
the bit portion is configured to be oriented to a third direction when the tool member is in the first position, the third direction being a direction opposite to the first direction.

3. The screw tightening tool according to claim 1 , wherein:
the tool member includes an operation portion, the operation portion being configured to protrude to the outside of the case body at least when the tool member is in the first position.

4. The screw tightening tool according to claim 1 , wherein:
the case body includes, on an outer surface of the case body, a mark indicating the first position, a mark indicating the second position, and a mark indicating the third position.

5. The screw tightening tool according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the first lock portion, the second lock portion, and the third lock portion includes a pair of contact portions, the pair of contact portions being arranged side by side with a gap in the extending direction of the groove portion, one of the contact portions contacting the leading end of the case body locking portion when the leading end of the case body locking portion is disposed between the pair of contact portions, one of the contact portions contacting the leading end of the case body locking portion when the leading end of the case body locking portion is disposed between the pair of contact portions.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shimizu Akie
• Funato Nobuhiko
• Takahashi Hideyuki

Classifications

• B25B15/04

  with ratchet action · CPC title

• B25B15/02

  operated by rotating the handle · CPC title

• B25B15/008

  Allen-type keys · CPC title

• B25B23/08

  for holding or positioning screw or nut prior to or during its rotation · CPC title

• B25B23/0028 Primary

  Angular adjustment means between tool head and handle · CPC title