IP Library Granted Patent US 10,675,739
Granted Patent B2
US 10,675,739 · App. 15/787,465 · Granted Jun 9, 2020

Multi-function socket

Inventors: Chad Aaron Miley (Camden, OH); Timothy Edward Heitkamp (Tipp City, OH)
Assignee: APEX BRANDS, INC.
B25B13/102B25B13/06B25B23/0035B25B23/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,675,739
App. No.
15/787,465
Granted
Jun 9, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A socket may include a socket body comprising a fastener engagement aperture configured to receive at least a portion of a fastener and a forward sleeve affixed external to the socket body at a forward end of the socket body. The forward sleeve may be configured to rotate radially relative to the socket body, and translate axially relative to the socket body. The socket may also include a biasing member configured to urge the forward sleeve to translate axially relative to the socket body in a direction towards the forward end of the socket body. Further, the socket body may include an internal cavity, and the socket may include a magnet disposed within the internal cavity. The magnet may be configured to translate axially within the internal cavity relative to the socket body and be configured to magnetically attract the fastener to the forward end of the socket body.

Claims (26)

1. A socket comprising:

a socket body comprising a fastener engagement aperture configured to receive at least a portion of a fastener and a rear aperture configured to receive a drive tang of a tool, the socket body defining an axis of rotation that passes through a center of the fastener engagement aperture;

a forward sleeve affixed external to the socket body at a forward end of the socket body adjacent the fastener engagement aperture, the forward sleeve being configured to rotate radially relative to the socket body and the axis of rotation, and the forward sleeve being configured to translate axially relative to the socket body and the axis of rotation, the forward sleeve comprising a lip configured to engage a flange of the fastener;

a biasing member configured to urge the forward sleeve to translate axially relative to the socket body and the axis of rotation in a direction towards the forward end of the socket body;

a magnet assembly comprising a magnet, the magnet assembly being disposed within the an internal cavity of the socket body, the magnet being configured to magnetically attract the fastener to the forward end of the socket body and, in response to the lip of the sleeve being engaged with the flange of the fastener, an attractive force of the magnet imposed on the fastener is configured to compress the biasing member against an urging force of the biasing member, the magnet assembly being sized to pass through the rear aperture into the internal cavity and stop upon engagement with a projection disposed within the internal cavity of the socket body; and

a retaining ring secured within a groove disposed in the internal cavity, the retaining ring being configured to retain the magnet assembly within the internal cavity.

2. The socket of claim 1 further comprising a rear sleeve affixed to the socket body rearward of the forward sleeve relative to the forward end of the socket body, the rear sleeve being configured to rotate radially about the socket body and the axis of rotation;

wherein one of the forward sleeve or the rear sleeve nests within the other of the forward sleeve or the rear sleeve.

3. The socket of claim 1 wherein the forward sleeve is composed of an anti-marring material.

4. The socket of claim 3 wherein the anti-marring material is a urethane.

5. The socket of claim 1 wherein the magnet assembly is configured to translate axially within the internal cavity relative to the socket body and the axis of rotation.

6. A socket comprising:

a socket body comprising an internal cavity and a fastener engagement aperture, the fastener engagement aperture being disposed at a forward end of the socket body and configured to receive at least a portion of a fastener, the socket body defining an axis of rotation that passes through a center of the fastener engagement aperture;

a forward sleeve affixed external to the socket body adjacent the fastener engagement aperture, the forward sleeve comprising a lip configured to engage a flange of the fastener;

a biasing member configured to urge the forward sleeve to translate axially relative to the socket body and the axis of rotation in a direction towards the forward end of the socket body; and

a magnet disposed within the internal cavity of the socket body, the magnet being configured to translate axially within the internal cavity relative to the socket body and the axis of rotation, the magnet being configured to magnetically attract the fastener to the forward end of the socket body and, in response to the lip of the sleeve being engaged with the flange of the fastener, an attractive force of the magnet imposed on the fastener is configured to compress the biasing member against an urging force of the biasing member;

wherein the socket further comprises a magnet assembly, the magnet assembly comprising the magnet and a sled, the magnet being affixed to the sled;

wherein the socket body further comprises a rear aperture and a projection, the rear aperture being configured to receive a drive tang of a tool and the projection being disposed within the internal cavity, wherein the magnet assembly is sized to pass through the rear aperture into the internal cavity and stop upon engagement with the projection;

wherein the projection is disposed at a forward end of the internal cavity; and

wherein the socket further comprises a retaining member being disposed at a rear end of the internal cavity, the retaining member being disposed to retain the magnet assembly within the internal cavity.

7. The socket of claim 6 wherein the sled is composed of brass.

8. The socket of claim 6 wherein the forward sleeve is configured to rotate radially relative to the socket body and the axis of rotation, and the forward sleeve is configured to translate axially relative to the socket body and the axis of rotation.

9. The socket of claim 8 further comprising a rear sleeve affixed to the socket body rearward of the forward sleeve relative to the forward end of the socket body, the rear sleeve being configured to rotate radially about the socket body and the axis of rotation;

wherein one of the forward sleeve or the rear sleeve nests within the other of the forward sleeve or the rear sleeve.

10. The socket of claim 6 wherein the forward sleeve is composed of an anti-marring material.

11. The socket of claim 10 wherein the anti-marring material is a urethane.

Assignments (15)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2026
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 075613/0150 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2026
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 075612/0935 →
NEW SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073377/0567 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVAL OF PATENT NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 442. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECOND LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073077/0584 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NO. 11203070 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 58991 FRAME 556. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0327 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NOS. 7444851 AND 11203070 WHICH WERE INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0477 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 556. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068769/0309 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068791/0141 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 442. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068753/0687 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT. NO. 11191173 WAS INCORRCTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66631 FRAME: 791. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 067884/0469 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 3, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067310/0054 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 066631/0791 →
FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058991/0556 →
SECOND LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058991/0442 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2018
From: MILEY, CHAD AARON; HEITKAMP, TIMOTHY EDWARD
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 044729/0061 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,447,585 US 12,691,552