Granted Patent B2

US 7,966,914 · App. 11/734,583 · Granted Jun 28, 2011

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. A screwdriver handle comprising:

a base portion comprising an opening that accommodates a screwdriver shaft member;

a locking sleeve mounted around and external to said base portion;

at least one arm pivotally connected to said base portion and positioned at an end of said base portion that is positioned opposite from said opening, wherein said at least one arm comprises an indented lip that engages said locking sleeve, wherein said indented lip is positioned at a tip of said at least one arm, wherein said locking sleeve moves along a longitudinal axis of said base portion to expand said at least one arm from a first position planar to said longitudinal axis of said base portion to a second position transverse to said longitudinal axis of said base portion; and

an electric motor operatively connected to said base portion, wherein said electric motor rotates said screwdriver shaft member in any of a clockwise and counter-clockwise manner.

2. The screwdriver handle of claim 1 , further comprising a switch that turns said electric motor on and off.

3. The screwdriver handle of claim 1 , further comprising an electromechanical actuator operatively connected to each of said electric motor and said locking sleeve.

4. The screwdriver handle of claim 3 , wherein said electromechanical actuator prevents said locking sleeve from moving along said longitudinal axis of said base portion.

5. The screwdriver handle of claim 1 , wherein during said second position, said screwdriver handle is only manually rotatable using said at least one arm to transmit torque to said screwdriver shaft member.

6. The screwdriver handle of claim 1 , wherein said electric motor is disabled when said at least one arm is in said second position.

7. The screwdriver handle of claim 1 , wherein said at least one arm comprises two arms, and wherein said two arms are diametrically opposed to one another when in said second position.

8. The screwdriver handle of claim 1 , further comprising a pin connecting said at least one arm to said base portion, wherein said base portion comprises at least one gripping indent feature.

9. The screwdriver handle of claim 1 , wherein said locking sleeve engages said indented lip of said at least one arm.

10. The screwdriver handle of claim 1 , wherein said at least one arm comprises a pair of arms that are unconnected to one another.

11. A tool handle comprising:

a base portion comprising an opening that accommodates a shaft member;

locking means operatively connected around said base portion;

a pair of arms operatively connected to an end of said base portion that is positioned opposite to said opening of said base portion, wherein said pair of arms are diametrically opposed to one another at a position transverse to a longitudinal axis of said base portion, and wherein said pair of arms comprise a lip that engages said locking means, wherein said lip is positioned at a tip of said pair of arms; and

an electric motor operatively connected to said base portion, wherein said electric motor is disabled when said pair of arms are in said position transverse to said longitudinal axis of said base portion.

12. The tool handle of claim 11 , further comprising:

a spring member mounted around said base portion, wherein said spring member engages said locking means;

a torsion spring connected to said base portion and each of said pair of arms; and

an electromechanical actuator operatively connected to each of said electric motor and said locking means,

wherein said base portion comprises a catch, and

wherein said locking means comprises a stop feature that engages said catch.

13. The tool handle of claim 11 , wherein said base portion comprises a hollow inner shaft chamber.

14. The tool handle of claim 11 , wherein said shaft member comprises any of a screwdriver shaft member and a wrench shaft member.

15. The tool handle of claim 11 , wherein said pair of arms articulate from a first position planar to a longitudinal axis of said base portion to a second position transverse to said longitudinal axis of said base portion.

16. The tool handle of claim 15 , wherein said pair of arms are diametrically opposed to one another when in said second position.

17. The tool handle of claim 11 , further comprising a pin connecting said pair of arms to said base portion, wherein said base portion comprises at least one gripping indent feature.

18. The tool handle of claim 11 , wherein said locking means moves along a longitudinal axis of said base portion.

19. The tool handle of claim 11 , wherein said pair of arms are unconnected to one another.

20. A tool handle comprising:

a base portion comprising a first end comprising an opening that accommodates a rotatable shaft member;

a pair of arms pivotally connected to said base portion, wherein said pair of arms are positioned at a second end of said base portion that is located opposite to said first end;

locking means for locking said pair of arms in a first position planar to a longitudinal axis of said base portion, wherein said locking means is positioned external to said base portion;

first energy means for providing energy to said locking means to articulate from a locked to an unlocked position;

second energy means for providing energy to said pair of arms to articulate from said first position planar to said longitudinal axis of said base portion to a second position transverse to said longitudinal axis of said base portion; and

electric power means for providing power to rotate said rotatable shaft member,

wherein said electric power means is disabled when said pair of arms are in said second position,

wherein said pair of arms comprise a lip that engages said locking means, and

wherein said lip is positioned at a tip of said pair of arms.

Assignments (6)