Right angle adapter

Abstract

An adapter for a bearing race and seal driver tool that allows the tool to be used in hard to reach applications. The adapter connects to a driver and a handle at a non-zero angle, for example a right angle, to allow the adapter to be struck at a face of the adapter rather than the handle to be struck at an end of the handle. A pocket is included at one or more connection points between the adapter and the handle or driver to resist rotational movement of the handle or driver.

Claims

1. A tool comprising: a handle having opposing first and second ends, the handle includes a grip extending from the first end, and a neck extending from the grip towards the second end; an adapter having an adapter body with first, second, and third faces, wherein the first and second faces are angled at a non-zero angle relative to each other, the third face is disposed on the adapter body opposite the second face and is adapted to allow the adapter to be struck, an adapter shaft extending from the second face, and an adapter bore and a pocket are defined within the adapter body at the first face; and a driver having a bore defined therein, wherein the driver is configured to removably couple to the adapter shaft, and the neck is configured to removably couple to the adapter at the first face, and wherein the pocket includes a pocket face with a pocket face shape corresponding to a neck cross-section shape of the neck of the handle such that the pocket restricts rotational movement of the handle relative to the adapter.

2. The tool of claim 1, further comprising an adapter ball detent located on the adapter shaft and configured to removably couple with the driver.

3. The tool of claim 1, further comprising a handle ball detent located proximate the second end of the handle and configured to removably couple with the first face of the adapter.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the pocket includes a lip and a plateau at least partially surrounding the pocket face.

5. The tool of claim 4, wherein the lip and plateau are located on opposite sides of the pocket face.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the non-zero angle is a right angle.

7. An adapter configured to removably couple with a handle and driver, the adapter comprising: an adapter body having first, second, and third faces, wherein the first and second faces are angled at a non-zero angle relative to one another, the third face is disposed on the adapter body opposite the second face and is a striking face adapted to allow the adapter to be struck, a bore and pocket are defined in the adapter body at the first face, wherein the handle has opposing first and second ends and includes a grip extending from the first end, and a neck extending from the grip towards the second end and removably coupled to the adapter body at the first face, and wherein the pocket includes a pocket face with a pocket face shape corresponding to a neck cross-section shape of the neck of the handle such that the pocket restricts rotational movement of the handle relative to the adapter; and an adapter shaft extending from the adapter body at the second face and configured to removably couple to a driver bore.

8. The adapter of claim 7, further comprising an adapter ball detent located on the adapter shaft and configured to detachably couple with the driver.

9. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the adapter bore further includes a groove configured to engage a handle ball detent located proximate the second end of the handle to detachably couple with the first face of the adapter.

10. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the pocket includes a lip and a plateau at least partially surrounding the pocket face.

11. The adapter of claim 10, wherein the lip and plateau are located on opposite sides of the pocket face.

12. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the non-zero angle is a right angle.

13. An adapter for a bearing race and seal driver tool configured to removably couple with a handle and driver of the tool, the adapter comprising: an adapter body having first, second, and third faces, wherein the first and second faces are angled at a non-zero angle relative to one another, the third face is disposed on the adapter body opposite the second face and is a striking face adapted to allow the adapter to be struck, the first face is configured to removably couple with the handle and includes a pocket formed therein, wherein the pocket includes a pocket face with a pocket face shape corresponding to a neck cross-section shape of the neck of the handle such that the pocket restricts rotational movement of the handle relative to the adapter, and the second face is configured to removably couple to the driver.

14. The adapter of claim 13, wherein the striking face is shaped as a dome.

15. The adapter of claim 13, wherein an adapter bore is a blind bore defined in the first face and includes a groove configured to engage a handle ball detent located proximate an end of the handle.

16. The adapter of claim 15, wherein the pocket includes a lip and a plateau at least partially surrounding the pocket face.

17. The adapter of claim 16, wherein the lip and plateau are located on opposite sides of the pocket face.

18. The adapter of claim 13, wherein the non-zero angle is a right angle.

19. An adapter configured to removably couple with a handle and driver, the adapter comprising: an adapter body having first, second, and third faces, wherein the first and second faces are angled at a non-zero angle relative to each other, the third face is disposed on the adapter body opposite the second face and is adapter to be struck, a bore defined in the adapter body configured to removably couple with a handle at the first face, wherein the handle has opposing first and second ends and includes a grip extending from the first end, and a neck extending from the grip towards the second end; and an adapter shaft extending from the adapter body at the second face and configured to removably couple to a driver bore, wherein the adapter shaft has a cylindrical cross-sectional shape.

20. The adapter of claim 19, further comprising an adapter ball detent located on the adapter shaft and configured to detachably couple with the driver.

21. The adapter of claim 19, wherein the adapter bore further includes a groove configured to engage a handle ball detent located proximate the second end of the handle to detachably couple with the first face of the adapter.

22. The adapter of claim 19, further comprising a pocket defined within the first face and having a pocket face with a pocket face shape corresponding to a neck cross-section shape of the neck of the handle.

23. The adapter of claim 22, wherein the pocket includes a lip and a plateau at least partially surrounding the pocket face.

24. The adapter of claim 23, wherein the lip and plateau are located on opposite sides of the pocket face.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

(2) FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a handle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is a side perspective partial view of a handle and adapter coupled together according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 is a side perspective sectional view of a driver, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 5 is a side, enlarged perspective partial view of a handle, adapter, and driver assembled together as a tool according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 6 is a side view of an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of an adapter taken from line 7-7 in FIG. 6 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(9) FIG. 8 is side perspective view of a prior art tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(10) While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to embodiments illustrated. As used herein, the term “present invention” is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention and is instead a term used to discuss exemplary embodiments of the invention for explanatory purposes only.

(11) The present invention broadly comprises an adapter for a bearing race and seal driver tool that allows use of the tool in hard to reach places. The adapter can include connection points where a handle and driver can couple to the adapter at a non-zero angle, for example a right angle. A pocket can be provided on at least one of the two faces of the adapter to limit rotational movement of the components while they are connected together.

(12) FIG. 1 illustrates an adapter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the adapter 100 includes first 100a and second 100b faces located at a non-zero angle relative to one another, for example a right angle; and a striking face 100c where the adapter 100 can be struck. The adapter 100 can further include an adapter body 105 with an adapter shaft 110 that extends from the adapter body 105 at the second face 100b. The first face 100a can have an adapter bore 115 defined therein for receiving a handle, as disclosed below, and the adapter shaft 110 can include an adapter ball detent 120 that detachably couples to a driver, also disclosed below. In this manner, the driver and handle can detachably couple together at a non-zero angle via the adapter 100 and allow the user to strike the adapter 100 during use in hard to reach places, rather than being required to strike the handle, which requires more space.

(13) The adapter 100 can include a pocket 125 located on either the first 100a or second 100b face to resist rotational movement of the components coupled to the respective faces 100a,b. The pocket 125 can include a pocket face 127 with a lip 130 and a plateau 135 at opposite sides of the pocket face 127. In an embodiment, the lip 130 and plateau 135 can be located adjacent to one another, rather than opposite to one another, or in any other configuration that would help resist rotational movement of one or more components coupled to the respective faces 100a,b.

(14) FIG. 2 illustrates a handle 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the handle 140 includes first and second opposite ends with a grip 145 at the first end that extends to a neck 150. A handle shaft 155 can extend from the neck 150 to the second end and can include a handle ball detent 160 that couples with the adapter 100 within the adapter bore 115.

(15) As shown, in an embodiment, the neck 150 can have a square or rectangular cross-section and the handle shaft 155 can have a circular cross-section. In this embodiment the shape of the neck 150 can be the same as that of the pocket face 127 and the shape of the handle shaft 155 can be the same as the adapter bore 115 to allow a reversible coupling of the handle 140 to the adapter 100. For example, the pocket 125 can include a square pocket face 127 (as shown in FIG. 1) to cooperatively receive a square cross-section neck 150, and the adapter bore 115 can receive a handle shaft 155 with a ball detent coupling from the handle ball detent 160. In this manner, the lip 130 and plateau 135 can resist rotational movement of the neck 150 due to the cooperative engagement of the pocket 125 and the neck 150, as shown in FIG. 3.

(16) FIG. 4 illustrates a side perspective sectional view of a driver 165 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the driver 165 includes a body 170 and a perimeter 175 extending around the body 170 on one side of the body 170. A bore 177 is defined within the driver 165 and includes a groove 182 for receiving the adapter ball detent 120. In this manner, the driver 165 can removably or detachably couple to the adapter 100 through a ball detent mechanism. However, any other coupling mechanism can be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

(17) FIG. 5 illustrates the handle 140 and driver 165 detachably coupled together. As shown, the striking face 100c can be shaped as a dome 202 in certain embodiments, however the present invention is not so limited. The striking face 100c can be shaped flat, domed, or any other shape that allows striking of the adapter 100. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the adapter 100 can include a ball detent opening 207 for receiving the ball of the adapter ball detent 120 at the adapter shaft 110. The adapter bore 115 can include an adapter groove 212 for cooperatively engaging the handle ball detent 160 of the handle shaft 155. For example, the handle 140 can be inserted into the bore 115 and the handle ball detent 160 can be pushed inwardly inside the handle shaft 155 against the bias of a spring associated with the handle ball detent 160. As the handle shaft 155 is pushed further into the bore 115, the ball of the handle ball detent 160 can be pushed outwardly with the bias of the handle ball detent 160 and removably or detachably couple the handle 140 to the adapter 100. To remove the driver 140, the user can simply pull the handle shaft 155 out of the adapter bore 115 in a motion opposite to that described above.

(18) As used herein, the term “coupled” and its functional equivalents are not intended to necessarily be limited to direct, mechanical coupling of two or more components. Instead, the term “coupled” and its functional equivalents are intended to mean any direct or indirect mechanical, electrical, or chemical connection between two or more objects, features, work pieces, and/or environmental matter. “Coupled” is also intended to mean, in some examples, one object being integral with another object.

(19) The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of the inventors' contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.