Regulation 3.2(21 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Two-position screwdriver The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: TWO-POSITION SCREWDRIVER Background of the Invention The present invention relates to hand held power tools and, more particularly, to hand held power tools which move to a plurality of positions. Hand held power tools are utilized by general consumers as well as professional tradesmen. Hand held power tools have replaced the 10 burdensome turning and rotation of manual hand tools. Specifically, In the screwdriver field, hand held power screwdrivers have become extremely popular. Hand held power screwdrivers ordinarily have the rotatable spindle co-axial with the screwdriver housing. When a drill motor Is utilized with a screwdriver bit, the spindle is ordinarily at a 90* angle with respect to the 15 drill motor handle. When utilizing a stick type of power screwdriver, sometimes it is desirable to utilize the power screwdriver at various angles with respect to the workpiece. However, while the screwdriver is positioned at the varied angle, It does not always enable the user to have an adequate grip on the 20 screwdriver to provide a desired force. Accordingly, various types of positionable tools have served this function. Positionable tools ordinarily have a first position where the spindle is co-axial with the tool housing and a second position where the spindle is angled with respect to the tool housing. Thus, the user, when 25 necessary, angles the spindle with respect to the remaining portion of the housing to enable a better grip on the power tool. The better positioning of the spindle enables the user to provide a desired force onto the fastener.
2 Several types of positionable tools exist in the art. While these tools appear to be satisfactory for their intended purpose, designers strive to improve the art. Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this 5 specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material formed part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Australia on or before the priority date of the claims herein. 10 Summary of the Invention The present invention has for its objective, the provision of a positionable hand held power tool having improved features relative to similar existing or known tools. In accordance with an aspect of the invention disclosed and claimed in 15 Australian Patent application no. 54944/99, there is provided a tool operable in at least two positions is provided, including: two housing members, each defining an axis; a pivot coupled with said two housing members for pivotally coupling said two housing members with one another; 20 a lock mechanism coupled with one of said housing members for locking said two housing members in a plurality of positions with respect to one another such that in a first position said axes are substantially collinear and in a second position said axes are angled with respect to one another and said axes are in the same plane during pivoting of said housing members; 25 said lock mechanism including an activation member; a movable pin coupled with said activation member; a detent member coupled with one of said housing members, said detent member having a plurality of detents for receiving said movable pin for locking said housing members in said plurality of positions and a cam surface on said 30 detent member for moving said pin. In the aforementioned aspect, a guide mechanism may also be present which directs the movement of the movable pin. Conveniently, the guide mechanism enables movement of the pin in a plurality of directions. The guide 3 mechanism may include a member extending from the activation member which includes a slot to receive the pin and enable movement of the pin in the slot. The guide mechanism may also include at least one channel on one of the housing members for guiding movement of the pin. A biasing member may be coupled 5 with the activation member to apply a force on the pin to maintain the pin in the detents. The activation member may be moved to remove the pin from a detent to enable pivoting of the housing members with respect to one another. In accordance with the invention disclosed and claimed herein, there is provided a multi-position tool including: 10 two housing members; a pivot coupling said two housing members with one another for enabling said two housing members to pivot with respect to one another; at least two detents on one of said housing members; a pin on the other of said housing members; and 15 a guide mechanism for guiding the pin in a substantially vertical direction and a second direction during positioning of the tool, said pin being receivable in said at least two detents for maintaining said housing members in at least two positions with respect to one another. A biasing member may be provided for applying a force on the pin to 20 actively maintain the pin in the detents. The guide mechanism preferably includes a guide member coupled with one of the housing members for guiding the pin in said second direction. The guide mechanism may further include a second guide member coupled with one of the said housing members to guide the pin in said vertical direction. The second guide member preferably extends 25 from an activation member for moving the pin in and out of the detents. From the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and subjoined claims, other preferred objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent to one skilled in the art. 30 4 Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a two-position hand tool in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of the tool of Figure 1 in a second position. 5 Figure 3 is a cross-section view along line 3-3 of Figure 1 with an inside plan view of the housing. Figure 4 is a partial cross-section view of the housing of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a partial cross-section view like Figure 4 during rotation of the housing members with respect to one another. 10 Figure 6 is a view like Figure 5 in a second position. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Turning to the figures, a hand held power tool is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The power tool 10 includes a 5 first housing member 12 and a second housing member 14. The housing members 12 and 14 are pivotal with respect to one another. The housing portion 12 includes a motor 18 driving a transmission 20 which, in turn, drives the output spindle 22. The second housing member 14 includes a cavity 24 to receive a battery 26. A switch 28 is electrically coupled with 10 the battery 26 and the motor 18 to drive the spindle in a forward and reverse direction. The first housing member 12 includes a pair of clam shell halves 30 and 34 which are coupled with one another to form the housing member 12. The housing member 12 includes a rear portion 40 which opposes the 15 spindle 22. The rear portion 40 includes an aperture 42 to receive a pivot 44 from the second housing member 14. Also, the rear portion includes a pair of detents 46 and 48 separated by a cam surface portion 50. The detents 46 and 48 are on the outer arcuate periphery of the rear portion 40. Also, the rear portion 40 includes a second aperture 52 to enable electrical 20 wires, which extend to the motor, to pass into the second housing member 14. The second housing member 14 includes a pair of clam shell housing halves 60 and 62. The housing halves 60 and 62 define apertures 64, 66 and 68. Aperture 66 receives the motor forward and reverse switch 28. 25 The aperture 64 receives an activating member 70. Aperture 68 receives -5the rear portion 40 of the first housing member 12. The housing portion 14 also includes a cut-out portion 72 which enables the first housing portion 12 to rotate into the cut-out portion 72. The activation member 70 is slidable in a channel 74 in the housing 5 halves 60 and 62. The activation member 70 has an extending member 78 which receives a biasing member 80. One end of the biasing member 80 rests against an abutting wall 82 in the housing member 14. The biasing member 80 provides an active force on the activation member 70. The activation member 70 also includes a pair of extending fingers 84 and 86. 10 The fingers 84 and 86 include oblong slots 88. A pin 90 is received within the slots 88. The slots 88 enable the pin to move within the slots in a first direction as the activation member 70 is slid along channel 74. A pair of guide channels 94 and 96 are formed on the interior surfaces of the housing halves 60 and 62. The guide channels 94 and 96 each receive an 15 end of the pin 90. The guide channels 94 and 96 enable the pin to slide within the channels 94 and 96 in a second direction as the activation member 70 is moved in the channel 74. Turning to Figures 3-6, a better understanding of the activation member 70 will be described. As seen in Figure 3, the pin 90 is actively 20 biased in detent 46. The pin locks the housing members in a first position with respect to one another. The activation member 70 is then moved along channels 74 against the biasing force of spring 80. As this occurs, the pin 90. is moved along channels 94 and 96 of the housing halves 60 and 62. In order to move the housing members 12 and 14 with respect to 25 one another, the housing members 12 and 14 are pivoted with respect to -6one another. When releasing the force on the actuation member 70, the biasing spring exerts a force which acts on the pin 90, forcing it against the surface 50. As the end of the cam surface 50 passes the pin 90, the biasing spring 80 actively forces the pin 90 into detent 48 to lock the 5 motion. Thus, the housing members 12 and 14 are locked in a second position with respect to one another. While two detents are illustrated in the periphery of the housing member 12, more detents could be added to lock the housing members in additional positions with respect to one another. 10 Turning to Figures 1 and 2, the hollow cylindrical housing member 14 of screwdriver 10 includes switch 28 and activation member 70 oppositely opposed on housing member 14. These members are positioned approximately one hundred eighty (1800) degrees apart on the cylindrical housing member 14. Thus, the user may easily use one hand to operate 15 the activation member 70 with his thumb while operating the pivot switch 28 with his fingers. The user may use his index and middle fingers or just one of the fingers to operate the pivot switch 28 in the forward and reverse directions. The user's thumb would be on the activation member 70 sliding it in a forward and backward manner. This provides a very ergonomical 20 design such that the screwdriver 10 is easily manipulated by the user with a single hand. The screwdriver 10 may be operated in the position shown in Figure 1 and, during operation, pivoted to the position illustrated in Figure 2. Thus, if needed, the screwdriver can be pivoted during operation. Also, the 25 user may move the housing 12 with respect to the housing 14 by quickly -7moving the user's hand which, in turn, provides a sudden force on the housing member 12 with respect to the grip housing member 14 so that the housing 12 can pivot between its first and second positions as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 by movement of a single hand motion. Thus, 5 by a flip of the user's hand, with the activation member 70 in a retracted position, the housing member 12 can move between its first and second position as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Then the housing members 12 and 14 are locked in position when the activation member 70 returns to its original position. 10 While the above detailed description describes the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the invention is susceptible to modification, variation, and alteration without deviating from the scope and fair meaning of the subjoined claims.