The present invention relates to socket tools. More precisely, the present invention relates to self-forming sockets that adjust to nuts and bolt heads of different sizes and shapes.

Many of today's machines are assembled using bolts, nuts, wing-nuts, screws, and similar fasteners. In order to work with such fasteners, wrenches and socket sets are often needed. Unfortunately, there is a large variety of such fasteners. Even for a standard hex-head bolt, there are numerous English and metric sizes. For a craftsman to be fully prepared to work with such a myriad of bolts, he must maintain a large assortment of socket sizes, and sometimes that assortment must include different socket shapes. Having to locate the correct size socket-head and switching between different sized socket-heads to use in conjunction with a wrench or power tool are cumbersome and inconvenient tasks. Such round pins avoid many problems caused by sharp edged or flat sided pins, which for example can dig into bolt heads, leave burrs, or fractures. Also, the substantially circular cross-section more easily adapts to the variety of nut and bolt head shapes. According to the present invention, there is provided a self forming socket comprising a housing with a cavity which is open at one end, an array of elongate pins arranged in close packed formation within the cavity with one end of each pin terminating adjacent to the open end of the cavity; each pin being retractable individually into the cavity against the action of a resilient member.

In operation, a non-circular shaped head fastener is pressed into the face of the socket, thereby depressing a certain grouping of pins into the housing. The remaining pins surrounding the fastener do not retract. Those extended pins surround the fastener and cause the fastener to be wedged inside the housing.

The present invention provides a tight grip on a large variety of fasteners. In particular, the pins function entirely by wedging the fastener within the housing. The pins do not slide over each other because the tightly packed containment of the pins within the housing leaves the pins with no room to move out of place.

In order to facilitate manufacture of the socket, a frame of resilient material having a plurality of through holes is preferably supported within the housing, and each pin has a larger diameter portion at the end remote from the open end of the cavity, wherein each pin is retained in the housing by its large diameter portion being forced through and retained by a respective hole in the frame. The frame is preferably made from an elastomeric material so that the enlarged ends of individual pins can be forced fitted therethrough and slidably retained on the frame. Yet if removing a jammed fastener causes a pin to be forced back out through the frame, the pin and frame cannot be damaged, because the elastomeric frame gives way. Also, a pin that may be damaged in some way can easily be pulled out and replaced.

With this arrangement wherein the end of each pin adjacent to the open end of the cavity preferably has a second larger diameter portion with the resilient member acting between the frame and the second larger diameter portion. This provides a simple construction and allows the resilient means, which may be a compression spring to be fitted over each pin before it is pushed through a hole in the frame. The pins preferably have a substantially circular cross section.

Such round pins avoid many problems caused by sharp edged or flat sided pins, which for example can dig into bolt heads, leave burrs, or fractures. Also, the substantially circular cross-section more easily adapts to the variety of nut and bolt head shapes.

The cavity preferably has a polygonal cross section in a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pins are retracted, the polygon having sides each generally parallel to a plane which is tangential to the outermost line of pins adjacent to the respective side. The polygon is preferably a hexagon which is preferably regular. Empirical observations have shown that the hexagonal interior is well suited for the above described pin wedging principle. Furthermore, the larger angle between the interior walls is not a limitation in torque transfer by virtue of the previously described wedging principle.

In order to retain the pins more tightly within the cavity the internal walls of the cavity are preferably provided with grooves extending parallel to the pins, the profile of each groove being curved so as to conform to the curved surface of an adjacent cylindrical pin.

The central pin may be a spacer pin having a larger cross sectional area than the other pins. The spacer pin preferably has a polygonal cross section of the same shape as the polygonal cavity. Such a spacer pin provides support for the other pins and reduces the total number of pins needed in the cavity, thereby reducing the cost of the socket.

In the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention self-forming socket wherein a spacer pin and the surrounding bundled pins are in the extended position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, exploded view of the present invention self-forming socket exposing the frame, pins, spacer pin, and compression springs;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the top end of the pins and spacer pin of the socket;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the assembly of the bundled pins to the frame;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment pin shown in isolation;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment spacer pin;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of an alternative preferred self-forming socket of the present invention; FIG. 8 is an end view of the housing of FIG. 7 illustrated in isolation;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view taken on circle 10 of FIG. 7.

The present invention is directed to a self-forming socket. The socket in a preferred embodiment has a plurality of pins closely packed in parallel and slidably disposed on a flat frame and enclosed within a housing with an open end. When the socket is fit onto a fastener such as a wing nut, bolt head, hex nut, etc., groups of the slidable pins are pushed into the housing to conform to the contours of the fastener. The axial shifting of the pins closely conforms the entire bundle to the specific contours of the fastener. When the socket is connected to a wrench, any torque on the wrench translates into a torque on the fastener via the bundled pins.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention self-forming socket 10. The socket 10 is comprised of a housing 12, having an open end 14 exposing a plurality of pins 16 packed or bundled in parallel. Preferably at the centre of the packed pins 16 is a spacer pin 18, which is used to reduce the total number of pins and to help centre the socket 10 on the fastener. The spacer pin 18 may terminate short of the remaining pins when all pins are biased into the extended state.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention socket 10 shown in FIG. 1. The figure has been simplified in so far as fewer pins 16 are illustrated for the sake of clarity. As explained above, the present invention includes a plurality of pins 16 that are bundled in parallel, and as shown in FIG. 2, each pin 16 is

slidably disposed on a polygonal shaped frame 20. The frame 20 is lodged in a groove, channel, or notch 56 formed inside the housing 12 by engagement with arcuate hub 21. Notch 56 is preferably circular within housing 12 to facilitate manufacture. In the preferred embodiment, each pin 16 includes a biasing member such as the coiled spring 22 shown here. The coiled spring 22 maintains the extended position of the pin 16 so that the top end 24 of each pin 16 is urged away from the frame 20. Spring 22 is preferably preloaded when pin 16 is in its fully extended state.

Likewise, spacer pin 18 passes through a respective opening 26 at a central location on the frame 20. A coiled spring 28 is installed longitudinally on the spacer pin 18 and biases the top end 30 away from frame 20. Spacer pin 18 is not specifically required, however. Rather, in an alternative embodiment, the central space of socket 10 could instead be filled with additional pins 16.

FIG. 4 provides a better view of the interaction between the pins 16 and the frame 20. As seen in this side elevational view, each pin 16 includes a shaft 32 onto which the coiled spring 22 is positioned. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft 32 has a raised shoulder 34 onto which the coiled spring 22 has a frictional fit. This keeps the coiled spring 22 attached to pin 16 when the pin is separate from the larger assembly.

In an alternative embodiment, a highly resilient sleeve made from rubber or sponge, for example, may be used in place of coiled springs. The resilient sleeve wraps around the pin and is compressed like a spring. In another alternative embodiment, a resilient pad may be positioned abutting the bottom end of the pin so that it is compressed when the pin retracts into the housing, whereby the rebound in the pad forces the pin back to its initial extended state.

At the bottom end 36 of each shaft 32 is an enlarged tip 38. The enlarged tip 38 creates an interference fit

between it and the respective opening 40 m the frame 20. Beneficially, the enlarged tip 38 prevents the spring force of the coiled spring 22 from detaching the pin 16 from the frame 20. On the other hand, if necessary, the assembly of the pin 16 to the frame 20 and the disassembly of the pin 16 from the frame 20 can be accomplished by a push or tug to nove the enlarged tip 38 through the open end 40.

Near the top end 24 or the pin 16, the outer surface may optionally have a textured surface 58 for an improved grip on the fastener, as seen in FIG. 2. The textured surface 58 can be in the form of a knurled pattern, grooves, ribs, or the like.

In a preferred emoodiment, the rrame 20 is made from a deformable material. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the frame 20 is made from an elastomeric material, such as polyurethane. This material has a degree of resiliency to improve the action of the pins 16 relative to the frame 20, assembly and disassembly of the pins 16 with their enlarged tips 38 through openings 40, and fitment of the frame inside the notch within the housing 12. Other stiffer plastics such as polyester are still resilient enough to function as frame 20. In a further embodiment a thin spring ^etal frame could be used. Openings 40 would have _nward pointing fingers or other non-circular contours to provide resilient feature to allow- passage of enlarged t p 38.

When socket 10 is pressed against a fastener, a group of pins 16 is forced toward the frame 20 and into the back of the housing 12. This action compresses the coiled spring 22 as shown in FIG. 4. Once the socket 10 is removed from the fastener, the coiled springs 22 return the group of pins 16 to their initially extended position where their respective enlarged tips 38 stop at the frame 20. Preferably, coiled spring 22 remains under load in its initially extended position.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment p 42 of the present invention. In this

embodiment, the bottom end 44 includes a series of grooves 46 and ridges 48. These grooves and ridges 46, 48 help retain the pin 42 onto the frame 20. Moreover, this structure is well suited for automatic roll forming processes.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment spacer pin 18. At the bottom end 50 is an enlarged tip 52 designed to pass through opening 26 of the frame 20 with an interference or frictional fit. Accordingly, friction prevents the spacer pin 18 from accidentally disassembling or separating from the frame 20. For the spacer pin 18, the bottom end 50 may optionally be designed to protrude through the back side of the housing 12 through opening 60, typically the attachment point to a lug of a standard wrench. Slight pressure on the protruding bottom end 50 can release the socket 10 from the fastener to which it is attached.

Use of the spacer pin 18 in the present invention economizes on the total number of pins 16 needed for each socket 10, thereby minimizing manufacturing and assembly costs. Moreover, the spacer pin 18 helps guide the user in quickly aligning the socket 10 onto a fastener. In the preferred embodiment, the spacer pin 18 is made from a polyurethane or like elastomer for toughness. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the finished socket 10. The pins 16 are bundled or packed in parallel within the housing 12.

Most notably, the cross-sectional shape of the exemplary embodiment pin 16 is circular. There are many advantages of such a design.

From empirical observations, this circular cross- section provides a more predictable grip on any fastener and minimizes the possibility of digging gouges into the head of a conventional fastener. Of course, the cross- sectional shape of the pins 16 does not necessarily have to be circular, but preferably there are no flat sides or sharp corners on the pins 16. The lack of corners reduces

the possibility of pin fracture simply because round pins have no corners to break off.

Moreover, the area moment of inertia of the round shaft is superior in resistance to bending as compared to conventional pins that have a polygonal shape. The greater resistance to bending is beneficial when high torque is needed for unscrewing rusted fasteners, stripped fasteners, lock nuts, etc.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the interior of the housing 12 is comprised of flat walls 54 that in a preferred embodiment form a hexagon. Importantly, because the pins 16 have a circular cross-section, the flat walls 54 can be arranged into the hexagonal shape, which is conducive to form fitting on a conventional hexagonal shaped fastener. Naturally, the flat walls 54 can be shaped into other polygonal configurations including pentagons, octagons, etc. Similarly, the spacer pin top end 30 can be formed to the same shape as the cross-section of the flat walls 54.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown generally at 70 in FIG. 7. It is essentially the same as the previously-described embodiments except that the interior walls 74 of the housing 76 have a scalloped configuration. More particularly, elongate curved (cylindrical) grooves or surfaces 80 are formed as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9. They are formed between surfaces 84 of the hexagonal shape and preferably also at each corner forming grooves 82. As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 10, during the same manufacturing operation which forms the hexagonal interior, surfaces 84 may be curved to ease manufacture.

Each one of these grooves or arcuate surfaces 80 receives a separate one of the pins 16 and more particularly the enlarged head portion 24 thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 2, for example. This allows for a tight contact with the interior wall 74. It holds the pins 16 in tight close parallel bunching with each other and the wall 74. Thereby the pins 16 transmit torque to a fastener

through their large diameter engaging p ends 24 directly to the wall 74 at the arcuate portions 80. Advantageously no bending and fracturing forces are generated along the length of the pin 16 by this torque transmission. The grooves ensure that the outer ring of pins 16 do not slide along walls 74 when the tool of the invention applies torque to a fastener. The radial outward wedging force imposed upon the pins by the fastener causes the outer ring of pms to be seated within grooves 80. In Fig. 8, square opening 60 fits a typical ratchet wrencn.

Grooves 80 may extend partially αown interior walls 74 as shown in Fig. 9 or alternately fully down the length of walls 74 toward square opening 60. In a farther embodiment, surfaces of interior walls 74 or flat surfaces 84 extend slightly inward at the bottom edge of notch 56 to form shelf 86 in Fig. 8. Shelf 86 does not interfere with pms 16 but provides further support for frame 20, to prevent frame 20 from being pressed down past notch 56. In Fig. 8, grooves 80 extend below notch 56.