GB2135923A

GB2135923A - A screwdriver

Info

Publication number: GB2135923A
Application number: GB08402522A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Mark Whitty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-02-04
Filing date: 1984-01-31
Publication date: 1984-09-12
Also published as: GB8402522D0

Abstract

A screwdriver (2) comprises a handle (4) and a shaft (6), the handle (4) being provided with an aperture (8) for receiving a key ring or a key chain, and the screwdriver (2) being of such a size that it is adapted to be kept with a person's keys on a key ring or key chain. The handle may be made from plastics material and a cover may be provided to protect a user's pocket from the blade. Various configurations of handle, cover and blade are disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A screwdriver This invention relates to a screwdriver.

Because screwdrivers are relatively bulky items, they are usually kept in a tool shed or garage. They are thus not always readily or conveniently available. It is an aim of the present invention to provide a screwdriver which is able to be always conveniently and readily available.

Accordingly, this invention provides a screwdriver comprising a handle and a shaft, the handle being provided with an aperture for receiving a key ring or a key chain, and the screwdriver being of such a size that it is adapted to be kept with a person's keys on a key ring or a key chain.

The screwdriver of the invention can thus be kept in a person's pocket or handbag with their keys.

Persons are very rarely without their keys so that the screwdriver is always convenient and handy for effecting repairs, especially small repairs requiring immediate attention.

Preferably, the handle is generally disc shaped.

The handle may be such that it tapers from a centre portion of the disc shape towards edge portions of the disc shape. Any desired other shape for the handle may be employed and, for example, the handle can thus be round, rectangular or square.

The handle may be made of a mouldable material.

Preferably, the mouldable material is a plastics material. A presently preferred plastics material is ABS but other plastics material such as nylon and polypropylene may be employed. The mouldable material may also be zinc which can be die cast to form the handle.

If desired, the handle can be made of various metals, for example brass and copper. The handle can also be made of wood if desired.

Preferably, the handle is moulded onto one end portion of the shaft.

The end portion of the shaft on which the handle is moulded is advantageously provided with keying means. The keying mans may be a flattened end portion of the handle, or alternatively the keying means may be a pair of lobes.

The shaft will usually be made of metal. The metal is preferably steel of appropriate quality. The shaft may have, for example, a 4.5mm or a 6mm diameter.

The end portion of the shaft remote from the handle may be flattened for acting on slotted screws.

Alternatively, the end portion of the shaft remote from the handle may be crossed for acting on crossed head screws such for example as Philips (RTM), Posidrive and Superdrive screws.

The aperture in the handle may be of any desired shape. For example, the aperture may be circular. If desired, the aperture can be an elongate aperture having its longitudinal axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. Such an elongate aperture may facilitate use of the screwdriver whilst on the key ring or key chain.

Advantageously, the screwdriver is provided with a cover. The cover can act to stop the end portion of the shaft remote from the handle from wearing pockets such as trouser pockets. Also, the cover can stop the end portion of the shaft remote from the handle from inadvertently digging into a leg of a person having the screwdriver on a key ring or key chain in his or her trouser pocket.

The cover may be made from a plastics material.

The plastics material may be ABS. Other plastics materials may of course be employed such for example as the various plastics materials mentioned above for use in making the handle.

The cover may be such that it extends over only the end portion of the screwdriver remote from the handle. Alternatively, the cover may be such that it extends over all of the portion of the shaft that extends from the handle and abuts against the handle.

The cover may be parallel sided or tapered.

The handle may have a sleeve portion which extends along the shank, and the cover may be such as to allow the sleeve portion to extend into the cover.

The sleeve portion may be circular, square or rectangular in cross section.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a first screwdriver in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the screwdriver shown in figure 1 and looking from left to right; Figure 3 is a side view of a second screwdriver in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 is an end view of the screwdriver shown in Figure 3 and looking from left to right; Figure 5 is a side view of a first cover for the screwdriver; Figure 6 is a side view of a second cover for the screwdriver of the invention; Figure 7 is a side view of a third cover for the screwdriver of the invention.

Figure 8 is an end view of the cover shown in Figure 7 and looking from right to left; and Figure 9 is a top plan view of a third screwdriver with a fourth cover.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a screwdriver 2 comprising a handle 4 and a shaft 6.

The handle 4 is made of ABS plastics material and it is provided with a circular aperture 8 for receiving a key ring or key chain (not shown). The screwdriver 2 is of such a size that it is adapted to be kept with a person's keys on a key ring or a key chain. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the handle is generally disc shaped. It will be appreciated from figure 1 that the handle 4 is not exactly disc shaped, it being slightly elongate in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 6. Also, it will be seen from Figure 2 that the handle 4 is such that it tapers from a centre portion 10 towards edge portions 12 of the disc shape.

An end portion 14 of the shaft 6 is flattened as illustrated so that the screwdriver 2 is of use for slotted screws.

The handle 4 is moulded onto the shaft 6 and in order to ensure that the shaft 6 is securely keyed to the handle 4, the end portion 16 of the shaft 6 is flattened as shown. The ABS plastics material is injection moulded around the end portion 16 of the shaft 6 as shown and a small sleeve portion 18 of the handle 4 extends along the shaft 6 towards the end portion 14 of the shaft 6. The sleeve portion 18 is circular in cross section, thus conforming to the circular cross section of the shaft 6.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, similar parts as in Figures 1 and 2 have been given the same reference numeral and their precise operation and construction will not again be given.

In Figures 3 and 4, the flattened end portion 14 of Figure 1 has been replaced by a crossed end portion 20. The end portion 20 is thus suitable for use with crossed screws such for example as Philips (RTM), Posidrive and Superdrive screws.

Also in figure 3, the flattened portion 16 has been replaced by a pair of flattened lobes 22 as shown to provide keying means to which the handle 4 can be keyed to.

Further, by comparing Figure 2 and 4, it can be seen that the edge portions 12 in Figure 4 are thinner.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a cover 24 for the end portions 14, 20 of the shaft 6. As canbe seen from Figure 5, the cover 24 is parallel sided and is provided with a bore 26 for receiving the end portions 14 or 20 of the shaft 6.

Figure 6 shows a similar cover 28 to the cover 24 shown in Figure 5 except that in Figure 6, the cover 28 is frusto-conical shaped. Both the covers 24 and 28 only fit over the end portions 14,20 of the shaft 6 and they do not extend along the entire length of the shaft 6.

In Figures 7 and 8, there is shown a cover 30 which is frusto- conical similar to the cover 28 shown in Figure 6 but which is longer and extends along the full exposed length of the shank 6 and has a curved portion 32 which abuts against the forward curved portion 34 of the key 2. The cover 30 is provided with a bore 26 as in the case of Figures 5 and 6 but, in Figure 7, the bore 26 is countersunk to provide a countersunk bore 28 for receiving the sleeve 18.

In Figure 9, similar parts as in Figures 3 and 4 have been given the same reference numeral and they will not again be described. In Figure 9, the handle 4 is square in plan and rectangular in cross section. The cover 36 is shaped similarly as the handle 4.

Because the screwdrivers of the invention are relatively small, easy to carry and therefore always convenient to use. The handle 4, lends itself to being provided with promotional material, which promotional material may be formed in the handle during manufacture or may be stuck on the handle after manufacture. The screwdriver may thus be sold cheaply or given away as part of a promotional exercise.

The screwdriver may also be sold in various types of shops such for example as key cutting shops-and general stores. Market traders amy sell the screwdriver, as well as mail order houses.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the shape of the handle 4 can be other than the illustrated shapes. If a disc shape is employed, then the disc can be of constant thickness instead fo having the thicker portion 10 as illustrated in Figure 2. Further, other shapes can be employed for the aperture 8 such for example as an elongate slot which extends generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shank 6.

The screwdriver may conveniently be sold under the trade mark SCREWDRIVER-KEY.

Claims

1. A screwdriver comprising a handle and a shaft, the handle being provided with an aperture for receiving a key ring or a key chain, and the screwdriver being of such a size that it is adapted to be kept with a person's keys on a key ring or key chain.

2. A screwdriver according to claim 1 in which the handle is generally disc shaped.

3. A screwdriver according to claim 2 in which the handle is such that it tapers from a centre portion of the disc shape towards edge portions of the disc shape.

4. A screwdriver according to clim 1 in which the handle is round, square or rectangular.

5. A screwdriver according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is made of a mouldable material.

6. A screwdriver according to claim 5 in which the mouldable material is a plastics material.

7. A screwdriver according to claim 6 in which the plastics material is ABS.

8. A screwdriver according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is moulded on to one end portion of the shaft.

9. A screwdriver according to claim 8 in which the end portion of the shaft on which the handle is moulded is provided with keying means.

10. A screwdriver according to the claim 9 in which the keying means is a flattened end portion of the handle.

11. A screwdriver according to claim 9 in which the keying means is a pair of lobes.

12. A screwdriver according to any one of the preceding claims in which the shaft is made of steel.

13. A screwdriver according to any one of the preceding claims in which the end portion of the shaft remote from the handle is flattened for acting on slotted screws.

14. A screwdriver according to any one of claims 1 to 12 in which the end portion of the shaft remote from the handle is crossed for acting on cross headed screws.

15. A screwdriver according to ay one of the preceding claims in which the aperture is circular.

16. A screwdriver according to any one of claims 1 to 14 in which the aperture is an elongate aperture having its longitudinal axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

17. A screwdriver according to any one of the preceding claims and including a cover.

18. A screwdriver according to claim 17 in which the cover is made of a plastics material.

19. A screwdriver according to claim 18 in which the plastics material is ABS.

20. A screwdriver according to any one of claims 17 to 19 in which the cover extends over only the end portion of the screwdriver remote from the handle.

21. A screwdriver according to any one of claims 17 to 19 in which the cover extends over all of the portion of the shaft that extends from the handle and abuts against the handle.

22. A screwdriver according to any one of claims 17 to 21 in which the cover is parallel sided or tapered.

23. A screwdriver according to claim 22 in which the handle has a sleeve portion which extends along the shank, and in which the cover is such as to allow the sleeve portion to extend into the cover.

24. A screwdriver according to clim 23 in which the sleeve portion is circular, square or rectangular in cross section.

25. A screwdriver substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.