Toy Hand Tool

The present invention relates to a hand tool, more particularly to a screwdriver type adapted for use with construction toys.

Hand tools such as screwdrivers are generally used to tighten or loosen fasteners such as screws, bolts, nuts, etc. A screwdriver typically has a shank extending from a handle, with the end of the shank having a driver member integrally formed therewith or connected thereto. The driver member is shaped to engage a fastener and impart a rotational force thereto.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 341,172 issued to Olsen shows a toy tool having a triangular shaped driver member formed on the end of a shank.

U.S. Pat. No. Des. 265,544 issued to Nelson shows a screwdriver having a female figurine shaped handle.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,462 issued to Koeppel and U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,110 issued to Selvage et al disclose a typical hand operated screwdriver having a driver member consisting of a flat blade integrally formed on the end of the shank.

Hand toy tools or screwdrivers are merely used to tighten or loosen toy fasteners, just like regular screwdrivers. Once the toy has been constructed they are no longer useful until disassembly. It would be advantageous for a toy hand tool to provide a secondary toy function as well.

The present invention is drawn to a toy tool, particularly suitable for assembling construction toys. The toy tool according to the present invention comprises a longitudinal shank connected to a handle. A driver member is formed on the free end of the shank. The tool further has a cap adapted to completely cover the shank and the driver member and engage the handle.

When the cap is engaged with the handle, they form a human-like figure which can be used as a part of a construction toy. Specifically, the handle is shaped as a lower half of a human figure, i.e., the leg portion, whereas the cap is shaped as an upper half of a human figure, including the head portion. The cap and the handle together complete a human-like figure.

The cap comprises a longitudinal chamber dimensioned to permit the shank to pass therethrough. The head portion of the cap is hollow and is provided with a shank engaging portion dimensioned to frictionally engage the shank such that the cap is maintained in position relative to the handle portion when engaged.

The handle is provided with an alignment projection that cooperates with a hole formed on the cap to correctly align the lower body (handle) with the upper body (cap).

According to the toy tool of the present invention, the driver member preferably has a triangular shaped cross-section for driving a screw or bolt with a triangular recess. The tool can have a removably connectable extension driver member. The extension driver member mates with the driver member and is provided with a substantially identical driver member and/or other types of driver members for a quick interchageability.

Advantageously, the cap has a circular recess formed at its lower end which can be dimensioned to frictionally fit over a circular collar or bolt head such that it can be lockingly attached to toys.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become much more apparent from the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the toy tool according to the present invention, with the cap and handle engaged to form a human-like figure, and a separate extension.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, with the cap removed to show the shank and the driver member.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, with the extension attached to the driver member.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of FIG. 1, showing the cap engaged with the handle and the shank thereof.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a human-like figure shaped toy tool 10 according to the present invention, with a separate driver extension 40. The tool 10 comprises a handle 30 that is shaped as a lower half a human figure, i.e., the leg portion, and a cap 20 that is shaped as an upper half of a human figure, including a head. The handle 30 together with the cap 20 completes a human-like figure.

FIG. 2 is shown with the cap 30 detached from the handle 20 to show the handle in its entirety. Specifically, a longitudinal shank 50 extends from an end 32 of the handle. The end 32 is preferably substantially flat. The shank is fixedly connected to the handle or integrally formed therewith so that there is no relative rotative movement between the shank and the handle. A driver member 52 extends substantially collinearly with the longitudinal axis of the shank. The driver member preferably is integrally formed with the shank and has a triangular cross-section for engaging a complementary triangular shaped recess formed in the fastener. However, the driver member could have any other geometric configuration, such as a hexagon (allen wrench), star (torx wrench) or square, either as a relief or recess configuration, or as a conventional phillips or flat head configuration.

Moreover, different types of driver member configurations can be readily attached to the driver member 52 in the form of a driver extension. Specifically, although one extension 40 is shown with a same triangular geometric configuration driver member 42 as the driver member 52, the driver member 42 can be of any other geometric configuration mentioned above. Accordingly, different types of driver members can be readily provided as desired by merely changing the extension. The other end of the extension has a recess 54 complementary to the geometric shape of the driver member 52, i.e., a triangular recess for the triangular driver member 52.

FIG. 3 shows the extension 40 inserted over the driver member 52. The extension also permits the tool to reach into deeper or recessed areas by increasing the overall working length of the shank.

As more clearly shown in FIG. 4, the cap 20 comprises has a head shaped member 22 connected to a body 21. The head shaped member 22 is preferably rotatably connected to the upper end of the body. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower end 24 of the body is substantially flat so that it can stand upright on a flat surface and is provided with a circular recess 28.

The lower end or foot 38 of the handle is also preferably formed flat so that the tool 10 can stand upright on a flat surface. The flat end 32 of the handle engages with the flat end 24 of the body 21 as shown in FIG. 4. The flat end 32 of the handle is provided with an alignment projection 34 for engaging a complementary alignment hole 26 formed on the flat end of the body 21. Alternatively, the alignment projection 34 can be placed on the flat end 24 of the cap and the complementary alignment hole 26 in the flat end 32 of the handle. The projection 32 helps to align the lower body 30 with the upper body 20 to complete the human-like figure. The projection 32 also prevents the cap 20 from rotating relative to the handle 30.

The flat end 32 of the handle is preferably provided with a collar 36 of a predetermined diameter corresponding to the circular recess 28 formed in the flat end of the body 21. The collar 36 engages the recess 28 when the cap 30 is pulled over the shank to permit a frictional engagement. Also, the collar 36 cooperates with the alignment projection 34 and the alignment hole 24 to maintain a proper human-like configuration when the cap is engaged with the handle as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the head shaped member 22 is preferably hollow to permit insertion of a portion of the shank 50 which is preferably substantially cylindrical and the entire driver member 52. The head shaped member has an integral cylindrical neck portion 25 that extends into an opening formed in the upper end of the body. The neck portion is frictionally engaged to the body to permit rotation of the head member relative to the body. The neck portion is provided with a one-way snap fit tapered circular ridge 27 that has a larger diameter than the opening occupied by the neck portion. The tapering shape of the ridge permits insertion into the body, but is made difficult for removal in the opposite direction. Specifically, the cylindrical neck portion is provided with at least a pair of diametrically opposed vertical slots (not shown) to permit the diameter of the neck portion to decrease when pushed into the opening formed in the upper end of the body, but returned to its normal dimension once the neck portion is placed into the opening. The ridge, however, permits removal of the head shaped member from the body when pulled with enough force.

The inner diameter of the neck portion is preferably dimensioned to frictionally engage the shank so that it can maintain the cap in its place relative to the handle.

The toy tool according to the present invention has a separate utility other than as a tool. Specifically, with the cap in its place relative to the handle, the human-like figure can be used as a part of a construction kit. In particular, in a toy construction kit, either just the cap or the entire human-like configured tool can be placed as a driver of a car, a pilot of a plane or an engineer of a train, etc. More particularly, the foot 38 or the recess 28 of the cap can be used to stably interfit or connect with a complementary fittings on the construction kit.

The entire hand tool can be made of any suitable plastic, wood or metal. However, it is preferable to from the hand tool from plastic materials such as ABS, nylon, etc.

The foregoing description is only illustrative of the principle of the present invention. It is to be recognized and understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact configuration as illustrated and described herein. Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable by one versed in the art from the disclosure set forth herein that are within the scope and spirit of the present invention are to be included as further embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention accordingly is to be limited to as set forth in the appended claims.