FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hand-held electrical power drill which has a rotatable bit holder attached to the power drill. The bits held may be socket bits, drill bits or screwdriver bits. There may be more than one bit holder, which may be removable and re-attachable.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Power drills are frequently used in our daily lives at home and in the workplace. An operator commonly uses a power drill that incorporates different tools as well as screwdriver and drill bits of varying sizes to perform various tasks such as carpentry, woodworking, metalwork and repair work. However, such tools, screwdriver and drill bits are typically carried separately from the power drill, for example, in separate toolboxes, containers and/or pockets in the operator's clothing. Such inconveniences do not allow the operator to be productive, as time is wasted to find and access the different tools required. Additionally, such inconveniences do not allow the power drill operator to be mobile enough to perform work safely and effectively in more demanding or hazardous workspaces such as confined or restricted spaces (e.g. in manholes, working underground) and at elevated heights (e.g. high rises in construction sites, working on ladders, etc.).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is uniquely designed to provide an operator with the flexibility, portability and accessibility to safely carry a power drill that can also hold tool pieces such as sockets, screwdriver and drill bits, among other types of tool bits in one convenient package. This power drill securely houses different sized parts and tools into one unit to allow greater mobility and flexibility for the operator. A socket set holder may be visibly located on the power drill body to enable the operator to see all available retained sockets. The socket set holder may also be rotated for easier access to the preferred tool. Screwdriver bit and drill bit holders may be removably attached to the power drill via a ball detent connector. The socket, screwdriver and drill bit holders include a ball bearing race to allow them to be rotated by the operator for viewing and accessing all available bits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a power drill including bit holders that may be mounted at the rear of the drive motor housing portion of the drill's outer casing and a socket bit holder mounted around the pistol grip handle of the power drill.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a power drill showing a socket integrated at the rear of the drive motor housing portion of the drill's outer casing.

FIG. 3 is a view of two bit holders showing integrated mounting sockets that may be used to mount the bit holders individually or together onto the rear of the drive motor housing portion of the drill's outer casing.

FIG. 4 is a view of an embodiment of the invention in which a screwdriver bit holder is mounted at the rear of the drive motor housing portion of the drill's outer casing.

FIG. 5 is a depiction of an embodiment of the invention in which a drill bit holder is mounted at the rear of the drive motor housing portion of the drill's outer casing.

FIG. 6 is a depiction of an embodiment of the invention in which both a screwdriver bit and a drill bit holder are affixed to a mounting flange which in turn is fixed at the rear of the drive motor housing portion of the drill's outer casing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 presents a typical physical structure of an embodiment of the invention. It includes a power tool, such as a power drill, having a working portion 1, a hard plastic external casing shaped to form a housing portion 23 around a drive motor, a pistol grip handle 26 and a battery pack 2. The working portion may include a chuck that is caused to rotate and/or provide hammer action by the drive motor. Pistol grip handle 26 may be mounted with a socket holder 4 at a non-working portion of the power drill. The rear of the housing portion 23 of the power drill may incorporate another non-working portion in the form of a mounting dock 3. This allows appendages such as a screwdriver bit holder 16 or a drill bit holder 18 to be affixed onto mounting dock 3 through the use of a ball detent connector 8 or mounting flange 12.

Socket holder 4 may preferably be cylindrical and may be defined by its external surface incorporating a series of circumferentially spaced socket bit storage recesses 5, 6, which may be cylindrical or part cylindrical in shape. Socket bit storage recesses 5, 6 may preferably be made of a flexible, resilient plastic material that removably retains one or more sockets of varying sizes in a snap- in, snap-out fashion, or friction-fit fashion. Thus, socket holder 4 retains sockets within the socket bit storage recesses 5, 6. Recess 5 is smaller than recess 6, and is therefore configured to hold a smaller diameter socket.

Screwdriver bit holder 16 may preferably be cylindrical and may be defined by its external surface incorporating a series of circumferentially spaced screwdriver bit storage recesses 17. Screwdriver bit holder 16 may preferably be made of a flexible, resilient plastic material that removably retains one or more screwdriver bits in a snap-in, snap-out fashion or friction-fit fashion. Thus, screwdriver bit holder 16 retains screwdriver bits within the screwdriver bit storage recesses 17. Recesses 17 may be the same size or different sizes depending on the dimensions of the screwdriver bits to be held. Drill bit holder 18 may preferably be cylindrical and may be defined by its external surface incorporating a series of circumferentially spaced mounting drill bit storage recesses 19, 20. Drill bit holder 18 may preferably be made of a flexible, resilient plastic material that removably retains one or more drill bits of varying diameters in a snap-in, snap-out fashion, or friction-fit fashion. Thus, drill bit holder 18 retains drill bits within mounting drill bit storage recesses 19, 20. Recess 20 is smaller than recess 19, and is therefore configured to hold a smaller diameter drill bit. For comparison purposes only, drill bit holder 18 can be similar in shape to screwdriver bit holder 16 but may preferably be longer in length.

The diameter of the particular bit holder utilized will determine the number of bits that may be stored on the bit holder. For example, the diameter of screwdriver bit holder 16 depicted in the embodiment of FIG. 1 facilitates a provision of up to twelve screwdriver bit storage recesses 17, in which up to twelve separate bits may be removably stored. The external diameter of the particular bit holder may be reduced or enlarged in comparison to that of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in an effort to provide a more compact overall drill profile or to store more screwdriver bits, respectively. Accordingly, this may reduce the bit holder's bit storage capacity somewhat or reduce the compactness of the overall drill profile somewhat.

FIG. 1 depicts a preferred embodiment allowing an operator to attach, affix and/or mount a bit holder, such as screwdriver bit holder 16 or drill bit holder 18, onto power drill through use of a ball detent connector 8. Ball detent connector 8 may for example be substantially cuboid, and may be defined by its two equal ball detent segments. The sum of the lengths of ball detent segments may preferably, but not necessarily, encompass the entire length of ball detent connector 8. Each segment of the ball detent connector 8 contains a spring loaded ball bearing 10, 11 that is pushed into the connector 8 briefly as the ball detent connector 8 is being inserted into the mounting dock 3 of the drill or the bit holders 16, 18. The left hand side of ball detent connector 8 may be inserted into mounting dock 3 on power drill, to form a click fit. Referring briefly to FIG. 2, the left side of the ball detent connector 8 may be inserted into mounting socket 7 within the mounting dock 3 at the rear end of the portion of the drill housing 23.

The right hand side of ball detent connector 8 may be inserted into screwdriver bit holder 16 or drill bit holder 18, to form a click fit. Referring briefly to FIG. 3, the right hand side of the ball detent connector 8 may be inserted into mounting socket 21 in either the screwdriver bit holder 16 or drill bit holder 18.

The cross-sectional dimensions for mounting socket 7, mounting socket 21, as well as ball detent connector 8, should be such as to enable a snug but removable attachment of a bit holder, such as screwdriver bit holder 16 or drill bit holder 18, onto power drill.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the embodiment shown allow an operator to simultaneously mount two bit holders, such as screwdriver bit holder 16 and drill bit holder 18, onto power drill through use of a mounting flange 12. Mounting flange 12 may preferably be a rigid metal or plastic plate, and may be, for example, substantially rectangular with rounded corners or ends. Mounting flange 12 may also incorporate ball detent connector segments 13, 14, 15. Ball detent connector segment 13 connects the mounting flange 12 to the mounting dock 3 of the power drill 1 in a click-fit fashion. Ball detent connector segments 14 and/or 15 connect in a click-fit fashion to screwdriver bit holders 16 and/or drill bit holder 18. Ball detent connector segment 14 may be positioned directly opposite ball detent connector segment 13. but it may also be positioned elsewhere. Ball detent connector segment 13 may be, for example, positioned approximately midway between ball detent connector segments 14 and 15, but on the opposite side of the mounting flange 12. The separation of ball detent connector segments 14 and 15 should be preferably greater than the sum of the radiuses of screwdriver bit holder 16 and drill bit holder 18 to allow individual rotation of each bit holder and operator access to bits.

Preferably, the dimensions of the ball detent connector 8, the ball detent connector segments 13, 14, 15 and the mounting sockets 7, 21 are matched to each other such that any of ball detent connector 8 and connector segments 13, 14, 15 can be inserted into any socket 7, 21.

Referring to FIG. 3, screwdriver bit holder 16 and drill bit holder 18 may each preferably have a ball race mechanism 22, which allows the main body of the respective bit holder 16, 18 to be rotated while it is attached to the power drill. This enables the operator to conveniently access and select a screwdriver bit or drill bit of choice.

FIG. 4 shows an assembled view of an embodiment of the invention in which a screwdriver bit holder 16 is mounted at the rear of the drive motor housing portion 23 of the drill's outer casing. The screwdriver bit holder 16 is shown holding various different types of screwdriver bit.

FIG. 5 shows an assembled view of an embodiment of the invention in which a drill bit holder 18 is mounted at the rear of the drive motor housing portion 23 of the drill's outer casing. The drill bit holder 18 is shown holding various different diameters of drill bit.

FIG. 6 shows an assembled view of an embodiment of the invention in which both a screwdriver bit holder 16 and a drill bit holder 18 are affixed to a mounting flange 12, which in turn is fixed at the rear of the drive motor housing portion 23 of the drill's outer casing.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the scope thereof. For example, the invention is readily adaptable for use with power tools that generally receive and operate working elements, similar to power drills, such as electric screwdrivers, hand-held power operated grinder tools, or electric, pneumatic or hydraulic torque wrenches.

As another example, it is not essential that the socket holder and the bit holders be cylindrical in cross-section. A cylindrical cross-sectional shape is preferred since this allows easy simultaneous viewing and accessing of the stored sockets and bits. Other cross-sectional shapes such as rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, etc. will work although such shapes may reduce the socket holder's and the bit holder's bit storage capacity and accessibility.

In yet another example, bit holders are not limited to socket bits, screwdriver bits and drill bits. Bit holders may be designed with different lengths, different types of storage recesses, etc. to accommodate a combination of screwdriver bits and drill bits along with other types of mechanical tools such as sockets, auger bits, Allen keys, masonry bits, bits for metal, bits for wood, hammer action bits, countersink bits, spade bits, lip and spur bits, center drills, Forstner bits, sanding bits etc. One of the recesses 5, 6 17, 19, 20 may be configured to hold a chuck key.

In yet another example, mounting flange 12 may be of different shapes to allow for compactness and convenience for accessibility of bits, aesthetic reasons, and/or to accommodate three or more bit holders to be attached onto a power drill. The accommodation of three or more bit holders for the purposes of mounting onto a power drill may increase the bit storage capacity on a power drill but may reduce the compact shape of a power drill. In this case, the mounting flange 12 could be substantially triangular in shape, or circular, or could be linear as for the case of two bit holders.

In yet another example, bit holders, housing of the power drill, etc. may be made of different materials such as metal alloys, ceramics, carbides, carbon fiber, fiberglass etc.

Also, the drill may be powered by a battery or by the mains.

Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.