IP Library Granted Patent US 11,731,251
Granted Patent B2
US 11,731,251 · App. 18/118,301 · Granted Aug 22, 2023

Impact driving device with offset axis torque transfer assembly

Inventor: Adam Fairchild (Lexington, SC)
Assignee: APEX BRANDS, INC.
B25B23/0035B25B21/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,731,251
App. No.
18/118,301
Granted
Aug 22, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An impact bit holder may include a drive body having a drive end configured to interface with a powered driver, a driven body having a driven end configured to interface with a bit, and an elastic torque transfer assembly configured to operably couple the drive body to the driven body. The drive body and the driven body share a common axis under a no load condition. The elastic torque transfer assembly may include a coupling protrusion and a coupling channel disposed at a coupling axis offset from the common axis such that the coupling protrusion extends into the coupling channel to operably couple the drive body to the driven body.

Claims (43)

1. An impact bit holder comprising:

a drive body having a drive end configured to interface with a powered driver;

a driven body having a driven end configured to interface with a bit; and

an elastic torque transfer assembly configured to operably couple the drive body to the driven body,

wherein the drive body and the driven body share a common axis under a no load condition, and

wherein the elastic torque transfer assembly comprises a coupling protrusion and a coupling channel disposed at a coupling axis offset from the common axis such that the coupling protrusion extends into the coupling channel to operably couple the drive body to the driven body.

2. The impact bit holder of claim 1 , wherein the coupling protrusion is disposed at one of the drive body or the driven body, and the coupling channel is disposed at the other of the driven body or the drive body.

3. The impact bit holder of claim 2 , wherein the drive body and the driven body meet at a coupling interface, and

wherein the elastic torque transfer assembly further comprises a retaining ring disposed to extend around the coupling interface to resist misalignment of the drive body and the driven body responsive to application of torque to the impact bit holder.

4. The impact bit holder of claim 3 , wherein the retaining ring comprises a continuous ring or a split dowel.

5. The impact bit holder of claim 3 , wherein the drive body comprises a base portion into which the coupling channel extends,

wherein the driven body comprises a socket body from which the coupling protrusion extends,

wherein the coupling protrusion and the coupling channel are displaced from the common axis by the same distance, and

wherein respective end faces of the socket body and the base portion slide against each other responsive to the application of torque to the impact bit holder.

6. The impact bit holder of claim 5 , wherein the retaining ring is disposed in a trench on each of the socket body and the base portion, the trench having a smaller diameter than other portions of the socket body and the base portion.

7. The impact bit holder of claim 5 , wherein a sleeve is disposed to extend around the retaining ring and at least a portion of each of the socket body and the base portion.

8. The impact bit holder of claim 7 , wherein the sleeve comprises a resin or composite material.

9. The impact bit holder of claim 7 , wherein the sleeve is configured to axially retain the socket body relative to the base portion.

10. The impact bit holder of claim 1 , wherein the elastic torque transfer assembly comprises a coupling body disposed between the drive body and the driven body,

wherein the coupling protrusion is disposed at one of the drive body or the coupling body, and the coupling channel is disposed at the other of the coupling body or the drive body, and

wherein a second coupling protrusion is disposed at one of the driven body or the coupling body, and a second coupling channel is disposed at the other of the coupling body or the driven body.

11. The impact bit holder of claim 10 , wherein the second coupling protrusion and the second coupling channel are each offset from the common axis and the coupling axis at a second coupling axis.

12. The impact bit holder of claim 11 , wherein the drive body meets the coupling body at a first coupling interface, and the driven body meets the coupling body at a second coupling interface, and

wherein the elastic torque transfer assembly further comprises a retaining ring disposed to extend around the first and second coupling interfaces to resist misalignment of the drive body and the driven body relative to the coupling body responsive to application of torque to the impact bit holder.

13. The impact bit holder of claim 12 , wherein a sleeve is disposed to extend around the retaining ring and at least a portion of each of the socket body and the base portion to axially retain the drive body relative to the driven body.

14. An elastic torque transfer assembly for a bit holder, the elastic torque transfer assembly comprising:

a coupling protrusion disposed at one of a drive body or a driven body of the bit holder; and

a coupling channel disposed at the other of the driven body or the drive body,

wherein the coupling channel and the coupling protrusion are each disposed at a coupling axis offset from a common axis of the bit holder at a no load condition, and

wherein the coupling protrusion extends into the coupling channel to operably couple the drive body to the driven body at the coupling axis.

15. The elastic torque transfer assembly of claim 14 , wherein the drive body and the driven body meet at a coupling interface, and

wherein the elastic torque transfer assembly further comprises a retaining ring disposed to extend around the coupling interface to resist misalignment of the drive body and the driven body responsive to application of torque to the impact bit holder.

16. The elastic torque transfer assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a sleeve disposed to extend around the retaining ring and at least a portion of each of the drive body and the driven body.

17. The elastic torque transfer assembly of claim 16 , wherein the sleeve is configured to axially retain the socket body relative to the base portion.

18. An elastic torque transfer assembly for a bit holder, the elastic torque transfer assembly comprising:

a first coupling protrusion disposed at one of a drive body or a coupling body of the bit holder;

a first coupling channel disposed at the other of the coupling body or the drive body, the first coupling protrusion and the first coupling channel each being offset from a common axis of the bit holder under no load at a first coupling axis;

a second coupling protrusion disposed at one of the driven body or the coupling body; and

a second coupling channel is disposed at the other of the coupling body or the driven body, the second coupling protrusion and the second coupling channel each being offset from the common axis of the bit holder and the first coupling axis at a second coupling axis.

19. The elastic torque transfer assembly of claim 18 , wherein the drive body and the coupling body meet at a first coupling interface,

wherein the coupling body and the driven body meet at a second coupling interface, and

wherein the elastic torque transfer assembly further comprises a retaining ring disposed to extend around the first and second coupling interfaces to resist misalignment of the drive body, the coupling body and the driven body responsive to application of torque to the impact bit holder.

20. The elastic torque transfer assembly of claim 19 , further comprising a sleeve disposed to extend around the retaining ring and at least a portion of each of the drive body and the driven body.

Assignments (7)
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 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 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 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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 24, 2023
From: FAIRCHILD, ADAM
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 063093/0819 →