WO2022075902A1

WO2022075902A1 - Hand tool for use with an l-shaped key and a method of using such a hand tool

Info

Publication number: WO2022075902A1
Application number: PCT/SE2021/050862
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jens FORS
Original assignee: Fors Jens
Priority date: 2020-10-09
Filing date: 2021-09-09
Publication date: 2022-04-14
Also published as: SE544452C2; SE2051183A1

Abstract

The invention relates to hand tool (1) for use with an L-shaped key (20), comprising: - a stem (2) extending mainly in a first direction (A1) and being configured to be gripped by a hand of a user, - a head portion (3) being rigidly connected to the stem (2) and comprising a through hole (4, 5 4') extending in a second direction (A2), which is orthogonal or close to orthogonal with respect to the first direction (A1), wherein the through hole (4, 4') is adapted to receiving a shaft portion (21, 22) of an L-shaped key (20) and to grip said shaft portion (21, 22) of the L-shaped key (20) so as enable operating the L-shaped key (20) via the hand tool (1). The invention also relates to method of using a hand tool (1) to screw or unscrew a screw by action on an L-10 shaped key (20).

Description

HAND TOOL FOR USE WITH AN L-SHAPED KEY AND A METHOD OF USING SUCH A HAND TOOL

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a hand tool for use with an L-shaped key, such as an Allen key and to a method of using such a hand tool with an L-shaped key for screwing or unscrewing a cap screw or nut, such as an Allen screw.

BACKGROUND

Today it is common to buy furniture and similar products in a half-completed state in flat boxes comprising parts that should be assembled into a finished product by the user, in the user’s home. The assembly of these products often demand the use of tools such as L-shaped keys or the like. Often, a typical L-shaped Allen key is provided along with the flat boxes containing the products to be assembled.

The use of such an L-shaped Allen key is often cumbersome and time consuming. Different means of assistance have been presented on the market, but none of these means functions in a satisfactory manner for a non-professional handy person.

In US 4 566 357 a universal tool holder is presented, which is usable as an accessory when tightening or untightening screwable members by a suitable tool. For instance, the universal tool holder is configured to tightly grip an Allen key such that the tool holder may function as a lever handle or a crank handle. A drawback of the disclosed tool holder is that it requires screwing to attach the Allen key to the tool holder and that the conjunction thereof is not well adapted for operation when space is limited.

Another tool holder is disclosed in US 2 713 281 , which comprises a different type of attachment means for attaching an Allen key. This tool holder shares the drawbacks of the tool holder disclosed in US 4 566 357 in that it requires screwing to attach the Allen key to the tool holder and that the conjunction thereof is not well adapted for operation when space is limited.

It would be advantageous to provide a hand tool that makes it easier for a nonprofessional handy person to operate an L-shaped key. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a hand tool that provides a simple and intuitive solution on how to use an L-shaped key. This is achieved by the invention in accordance with a first and a second aspect thereof.

According to a first aspect the invention relates to a hand tool for use with an L-shaped key, comprising:

- a stem extending mainly in a first direction and being configured to be gripped by a hand of a user,

- a head portion being rigidly connected to the stem and comprising a through hole extending in a second direction, which is orthogonal or close to orthogonal with respect to the first direction, wherein the through hole is adapted to receiving a first shaft portion of an L-shaped key and to grip the first shaft portion of the L-shaped key so as enable operating the L- shaped key via the hand tool, wherein the through hole is configured to be somewhat larger than the shaft portions of the L-shaped key to provide an interaction that offer a wiggle room, and wherein the through hole has a high friction surface configured to provide a high friction contact with respect to the first shaft portion of the L-shaped key.

An advantage of the inventive hand tool is that it is simple to use in an intuitive manner such that no expert knowledge or previous knowledge is needed to operate the hand tool. It is simple to use and adapted to be used in confined and/or hard-to-reach spaces in which it is normally difficult to operate an L-shaped key, such as an Allen key or the like. The hand tool is adapted to be used by a variation of pulling forces and pushing forces to thereby produce a leverage, specifically in a confined space where a wrench or an L- shaped key is otherwise hard to reach.

According to a second aspect the invention relates to a method of using a hand tool as described above, the method comprising:

- positioning a first shaft portion of two shaft portions of an L-shaped key in a cap screw to be screwed or unscrewed,

- positioning the second shaft portion of two shaft portions of the L-shaped key in the through hole of the head portion of the hand tool,

- screwing or unscrewing the cap screw by operating the L-shaped key via the hand tool. Preferred embodiments of the invention and advantages thereof will be apparent from the detailed description and the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, specific embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings, of which:

Figs. 1-4 show a first embodiment of an inventive hand tool in different views,

Figs. 5-6 show the first embodiment of the inventive hand tool with an insert,

Figs. 7-8 show a second embodiment of the inventive hand tool with an insert,

Figs. 9-10 show the first embodiment of the inventive hand tool in operation on an L- shaped key, and

Figs. 11-13 show the second embodiment of the inventive hand tool in operation on an L-shaped key.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SHOWN EMBODIMENTS

In Fig. 1 a first embodiment of a hand tool 1 for use with an L-shaped key, such as an Allen key is shown. The L-shaped key is in turn adapted to tighten or untighten (screw or unscrew) a cap screw, a cap nut, or the like which has a protrusion adapted to receive a key, e.g. a hexagonal shape to fit an Allen key or any other existing shape to receive the shape of a first shaft of the hand tool in a semi-lockable manner, i.e. in a manner that allows the L-shaped key to be rotated by action on the other shaft thereof while the outer end of the first shaft remains inside the protrusion.

Although, the hand tool 1 is intended to be used with an L-shaped key it may of course be used with other types of tools, such as wrenches or the like. The hand tool 1 comprises an elongate stem 2 that extends mainly in a first direction A1 and is configured to be gripped by a hand of a user. The elongate stem 2 may advantageously be telescopic in two or more steps, such that it may be adapted in length while having a practical pocket size when in a compact, none extended state.

A head portion 3 of the hand tool 1 is rigidly connected to the stem 2 and comprises a through hole 4 extending in a second direction A2, which is orthogonal or close to orthogonal with respect to the first direction A1 . The through hole 4 is adapted to receiving a shaft portion of a wrench tool, an L-shaped key, or the like. In the shown embodiments the second direction A2 is orthogonal to the first direction A1 , but in an alternative not shown embodiment the angle may advantageously be about 80° so as to offer two different angular operational connections to the L-shaped key. The head portion is configured to receive a first or second shaft portion 21 or 22 of an L-shaped key from either side. Hence, if the angle is different from 90°, the mutual position between the hand tool and the L-shaped key will be different depending on through which opening the shaft portion 21 or 22 of the L-shaped key is entered.

The hand tool 1 may be produced as an integrated product in a plastic material by die cast moulding. The hand tool 1 may also be produced from wood or metal. Further, it may also be produced in a 3D-printer from a digital construction drawing.

The head portion 3 may typically have a length in the second direction A2 of between 2 and 5 centimetres. The stem 2 may typically have a length of between 5 and 15 centimetres.

The stem 2 may be tubular and may contain a longitudinal void 6 that extends along a main portion of its length. This is especially useful to keep down the weight if the tool is made of metal and to keep down the production cost if the tool is made of metal, plastics, or the like. In specific embodiments the longitudinal void 6 may be adapted to tightly house a shaft portion 22 of the L-shaped key 20. In this way the L-shaped key 20 may be provided inside the stem 2 of the hand tool 1 . Also, a tight fit of the shaft portion 22 of the L-shaped key 20 inside a therefore adapted longitudinal void 6 offers the possibility to utilise the hand tool 1 as lever and a comfortable handle to the L-shaped key 20. To fit an Allen key, the longitudinal void 6 may have a hexagonal cross-sectional shape.

As is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 the through hole 4 is adapted to receiving a first or second shaft portion 21 or 22 of an L-shaped key 20 and to grip this first or second shaft portion 21 or 22. The grip should be such that it enables operating of the L-shaped key 20 via the hand tool 1 . Therefore, the through hole 4 may have a high friction surface, which will increase the grip contact between the hand tool 1 and the L-shaped key 20.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional side views of the first embodiment of the hand tool 1 from different directions that are orthogonal to each other, and Fig. 4 is a sectional top view of the first embodiment of the hand tool 1 .

As is illustrated in Figs.5-8 the hand tool 1 includes a flexible, tubular insert 5 arranged to fit tightly inside the through hole 4, 4’. Figs. 5-6 illustrates the hand tool 1 according to the first embodiment which have an oval through hole 4, and Figs. 7-8 illustrates the hand tool 1 according to the first embodiment which have a round or close to circular through hole 4’. The through hole may also have a polygonal shape such as a rectangular, hexagonal, rhombic, or the like.

The through hole is adapted to be somewhat larger than the shaft portions 21 , 22 of the L-shaped key 20 to provide a tight fit that may or may not offer a wiggle room, i.e. a possibility to slightly wiggle or tilt the hand tool 1 with respect to the relevant shaft portion of the L-shaped key 20.

Hence, in the hand tool 1 according to the first embodiment the through hole 4 has an oval cross-sectional shape, and in the hand tool 1 according to the second embodiment the through hole 4 has a circular cross-sectional shape. The tubular insert 5 may be tube shaped and flexible such that it may fit both an oval through hole 4 and a circular through hole 4’.

Preferably, the through hole 4 includes at least one shoulder, rim or the like arranged to keep the insert 5 at place. For instance, the through hole 4 may include two rims arranged outside of the insert 5. Alternatively, protrusions arranged on the inside of the through hole 4 may be arranged to increase the adhesion between the through hole 4 and the insert 5 and to restrict mutual movement therebetween.

The hand tool 1 may include at least two tubular inserts 5 of different thicknesses with respect to each other to fit a selection of L-shaped keys of different sizes. As an alternative to exchangeable tubular inserts of different thicknesses, a through hole of a reduced radius may be achieved by providing a second, smaller tubular insert that may be arranged to fit inside a first tubular insert 5, which fits tightly inside the through hole 4, 4’. The insert 5 preferably has a high friction inner surface configured to provide a high friction contact with respect to the shaft portions 21 , 22 of the L-shaped key 20. Further, the insert 5 preferably also has a high friction outer surface configured to provide a high friction contact with respect to the inside of the through hole 4, 4’.

The through hole 4, 4’ of both embodiments through the head portion 3 may typically have a maximal radius of about 2 centimetres, and a minimal radius of about 5 millimetres.

In specific embodiments, the hand tool 1 may include two opposed head portions 3, each provided with a through hole, the head portions 3 being positioned at opposed ends of the stem 2. Specifically, the through holes 4, 4’ of such a tool may have different sizes so as to fit L-shaped keys of different sizes. In Figs. 9-10 the hand tool 1 is shown in an operational mode with an L-shaped key 20 arranged through the through hole 4. The through hole 4 is adapted to receiving either the longer, first shaft portion 21 or the shorter, second shaft portion 22 of the L-shaped key 20 and to grip this first or second shaft portion 21 or 22.

In specific embodiments the hand tool 1 may be attached to a shaft portion of an L- shaped key 20 in a manner that allows the through hole 4 of the hand tool 1 to rotate with respect to a shaft portion of an L-shaped key 20. Specifically, the L-shaped key 20 may include a shoulder or slight bend positioned at the outer end of the shaft portion of an L- shaped key 20 to keep the through hole 4 of the hand tool 1 from sliding off said shaft portion. The shoulder may preferably be releasably attached to an end portion of the relevant shaft portion. The releasable shoulder may e.g. be attached by screwing.

The hand tool 1 may be used in the following manner:

Positioning a first shaft portion of the two shaft portions 21 , 22 of an L-shaped key 20 in a cap screw such as an Allen screw to be screwed or unscrewed, and positioning the second shaft portion of the two shaft portions 21 , 22 of the L-shaped key 20 in the through hole 4 of the head portion 3 of the hand tool 1 . In the drawings the longer, first shaft portion 21 is arranged through the through hole 4 of the head portion 3 such that the shorter second shaft portion 22 may be arranged in a cap screw (not shown) to be screwed or unscrewed.

These two positioning steps may be performed in either order, Hence, the L-shaped key 20 may either first be positioned in the through hole 4 of the hand tool 1 and subsequently in the cap screw, or vice versa.

The cap screw is subsequently screwed or unscrewed by operating the L-shaped key 20 via the hand tool 1 .

The L-shaped key 20 may be operated by tilting and/or turning the hand tool 1 while one of the shaft portions is positioned in the cap screw and the other shaft portion is positioned in the through hole 4 of the head portion 3. The tilting and/or turning of the hand tool 1 will rotate the shaft portion 22 positioned in the cap screw to rotate the cap screw in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and thereby screw or unscrew the cap screw.

The second shaft portion 22, i.e. the shaft portion that is positioned in the cap screw may be arranged to extend in a direction A3 that is substantially orthogonal to the extension A1 of the elongate stem 2 of the hand tool 1 , as in Fig. 9, in a direction A4 that is substantially parallel to the extension A1 of the elongate stem 2, as in Fig. 10, or in any direction therebetween. The hand tool 1 is adapted to be operatable in many different positions with respect to the L-shaped key 20.

In Figs. 11 -13 the hand tool 1 according to the second embodiment is shown in an operational mode with an L-shaped key 20 arranged inside the through hole 4’. As is evident in Fig. 11 , both the first shaft portion 21 and the second shaft portion 22 are thinner than the diameter of the through hole 4’ of the hand tool. Hence, the fit between the relevant shaft portion and through hole 4’ offers a certain wiggle room such that the relevant shaft portion of the L-shaped key 20 may easily be moved within the through hole as long as there is no positional locking between the two. As soon as the L-shaped key 20 is connected to an Allen screw at the end of one shaft portion and the other shaft portion is received in the through hole 4’ of the hand tool, operation of the hand tool will imply movement to the L-shaped key 20 and further to the Allen screw.

As is illustrated in Figs. 11 -13, a shaft of the L-shaped key 20 may be received in the through hole 4’ of the hand tool with only two points of contact between the shaft and the through hole 4’ at the opposed openings of the through hole 4’. As an alternative, one of the contact points may be comprised of the outer end of the shaft of the L-shaped key 20 which would then be positioned so as to abut the inside of the through hole 4’, the other contact point being provided between the shaft and one of the openings of the through hole 4’. The loose fit of the through hole 4’ of the hand tool 1 around the shaft 21 or 22 of the L-shaped key 20 provides the possibility to operate the L-shaped key 20 to tighten or untighten an Allen screw by easily moving the hand tool into a desired position, provide a a two-point interaction between the hand tool and the L-shaped key 20, and to maintain the pressure at the contact points while the L-shaped key 20 is rotated by means of the hand tool so as to act on the Allen screw in the desired direction.

Once the hand tool 1 is arranged around the shaft 21 or 22 of the L-shaped key 20, of which the other shaft 22 or 21 is received in an Allen screw, the operation of the hand tool is intuitive and may be achieved in different manners depending on the available space around the Allen screw to be tightened or untightened.

Above, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. The invention is however not limited to these embodiments. It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A hand tool (1) for use with an L-shaped key (20), comprising:

- a stem (2) extending mainly in a first direction (A1) and being configured to be gripped by a hand of a user,

- a head portion (3) being rigidly connected to the stem (2) and comprising a through hole (4, 4’) extending in a second direction (A2), which is orthogonal or close to orthogonal with respect to the first direction (A1), wherein the through hole (4, 4’) is adapted to receiving a first or a second shaft portion (21 , 22) of an L-shaped key (20) and to grip said shaft portion (21 , 22) to enable operating of the L-shaped key (20) via the hand tool (1 ), wherein the through hole (4, 4’) is configured to be somewhat larger than the shaft portions (21 , 22) of the L-shaped key (20) to provide an interaction that offer a wiggle room, and wherein the through hole (4, 4’) has a high friction surface configured to provide a high friction contact with respect to the first shaft portion (21 , 22) of the L-shaped key (20).

2. The hand tool (1) according to claim 1 , wherein the hand tool (1) includes a flexible, tubular insert (5) arranged to fit tightly inside the through hole (4, 4’) and wherein the insert (5) is configured to provide the high friction surface with respect to the shaft portions (21 , 22) of the L-shaped key (20).

3. The hand tool (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the through hole (4) has an oval cross-sectional shape.

4. The hand tool (1) according to anyone of the claims 1-3, wherein the through hole (4’) has a circular cross-sectional shape.

5. The hand tool (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the stem (2) has a length in the first direction (A1) of between 5 and 15 centimetres.

6. The hand tool (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the head portion (3) has a length in the second direction (A2) of between 2 and 5 centimetres.

7. The hand tool (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the through hole (4, 4’) through the head portion (3) has a maximal radius in the second direction (A2) of 2 centimetres, and a minimal radius of 5 millimetres.

8. The hand tool (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the stem (2) is tubular and contains a longitudinal void (6) extending along a main portion of its length. The hand tool (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the hand tool (1) includes a plurality of flexible, tubular inserts (5) arranged to fit tightly inside the through hole (4, 4’), of which at least two tubular inserts (5) have different thicknesses with respect to each other and are configured for a selection of L-shaped keys of different sizes. A method of using a hand tool (1 ) as described in anyone of the preceding claims, the method comprising:

- positioning a first shaft portion of two shaft portions (21 , 22) of an L-shaped key (20) in a cap screw to be screwed or unscrewed, - positioning the second shaft portion of two shaft portions (21 , 22) of the L-shaped key (20) in the through hole (4, 4’) of the head portion (3) of the hand tool (1),

- screwing or unscrewing the cap screw by operating the L-shaped key (20) by means of the hand tool (1 ). The method according to claim 10, wherein the L-shaped key (20) is operated by tilting and/or turning the hand tool (1 ) while the first shaft portion of two shaft portions

(21 , 22) of the L-shaped key (20) is positioned in the cap screw to be screwed or unscrewed, and the second shaft portion of two shaft portions (21 , 22) of the L- shaped key (20) is positioned in the through hole (4, 4’) of the head portion (3) in the through hole (4, 4’) of the head portion (3).