US20070169952A1

US20070169952A1 - Instrument for dispatching screws

Info

Publication number: US20070169952A1
Application number: US11/557,095
Authority: US
Inventors: Shih-Fang Wong; Yi-Long Wang; Xiao-Bo Zhang
Original assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-01-13
Filing date: 2006-11-06
Publication date: 2007-07-26
Also published as: CN100999071A

Abstract

An instrument for dispatching screws is disclosed. The instrument includes a hollow body, a storage tube for keeping screws, a stopping mechanism, and a driving mechanism. The hollow body defines an opening on a bottom end thereof. The storage tube defines two holes on a sidewall and is housed in the hollow body. The stopping mechanism is mounted on the bottom end and blocks the opening. The driving mechanism is housed in the hollow body. The driving mechanism is movable to enter into the holes for pushing the screw out through the stopping mechanism. The instrument can used to put screws in production line.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instrument for dispatching screws.
2. Description of Related Art
Screws are often used while producing electronic products. The screws are tiny in size and many in quantity. The screws are usually hold in a vessel and placed onto a required location by forceps. It's not easy to nip and hold the screws because of its tiny size. If the screws are lost, it's not easy to find them out.
Therefore, what is needed is an instrument for dispatching screws.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An instrument for dispatching screws is disclosed. The instrument includes a hollow body, a storage tube for keeping screws, a stopping mechanism, and a driving mechanism. The hollow body defines an opening on a bottom end thereof. The storage tube defines two holes on a sidewall and is housed in the hollow body. The stopping mechanism is mounted on the bottom end and blocks the opening. The driving mechanism is housed in the hollow body. The driving mechanism is movable to enter into the holes for pushing the screw out through the stopping mechanism.
Further features and advantages will be provided or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic, isometric view of an instrument for dispatching screws according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the instrument for dispatching screws of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an schematic, enlarged view of a stopping mechanism of the instrument for dispatching screws of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an schematic, enlarged view of a storage tube of the instrument for dispatching screws of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an schematic, enlarged view of a driving fork of the instrument for dispatching screws of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an instrument for dispatching screws according to the first embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The instrument 30 includes a hollow body 31. The hollow body 31 includes parts 10, 11, and 12 sharing a through opening wherein. A cap 13 is mounted on an upper end of the part 10. A storage tube 17 is housed in the hollow body 31 and is mounted on the cap 13. The storage tube 17 contains a plurality of screws (not shown) therein. A driving mechanism 32 is used for communicating/engaging with the storage tube 17 and includes a driving portion 14, a spring 18, a retainer ring 19, and a fork 16. The driving portion 14 includes a projecting part 33, a first tubular part 34, and a second tubular part 35 that has reduced diameter relative to the first tubular part 34. The projecting part 33 is limited in an opening 36 of the part 10. The second tubular part 35 passes through the retainer ring 19 and plugs into an opening 37 of the fork 16 (referring to FIG. 5). The driving portion 14 and the fork 16 are movable as a whole along a longitudinal axis direction of the storage tube 17. The retainer ring 19 is fixed within the part 11. The spring 18 is sleeved onto the second tubular part 35 and is placed between the first tubular part 34 and the retainer ring 16.
The part 12 defines a conical end. A stop mechanism 15 is mounted on the conical end of the part 12 for blocking an opening of the part 12. The stop mechanism 15 includes a plurality of elastic lamellas 20 (see FIG. 3). The elastic lamellas 20 define an opening 38. A diameter of the opening 38 is smaller than a diameter of the screws so as to retain the screws in the storage tube 17.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the storage tube 17 defines an opening 40 on an end adjacent to the stop mechanism 15, and two holes 22 in a sidewall thereof. Furthermore, the two holes 22 are adjacent to the opening 40. The fork 16 includes two prongs 39. Each prongs 39 defines a hook 21 on one end. When the projecting part 33 is pressed down, the driving mechanism 32 moves downwards accordingly. Due to a converging property of the conical shape of the part 12, the hooks 21 are shoved by the part 12 into the holes 22, thus pushing a screw contained in the storage tube 17. In addition, the pushing of the screw causes the elastic lamellas 20 to splay, and thus widening the diameter of the opening 38. Consequently, the screw pushed is available to move through the opening 38. The hooks 21 stop screws in the storage tube 17 and behind the holes 22. If the projecting part 33 is relaxed, the driving mechanism 32 recoils and the hooks 21 exits the holes 22 due to the recoiling of the spring 18. Consequently, the elastic lamellas 20 recover to a previous state, that is, the diameter of the opening 38 is larger than the diameter of the screw as before, thereby preventing the screws out of the storage tube 17.
Moreover, it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.

Claims

1. An instrument for dispatching screws, the instrument comprising:

a hollow body defining an opening on a bottom end thereof;

a storage tube for containing screws, wherein the storage tube defines two holes on a sidewall and is housed in the hollow body;

a stopping mechanism mounted on the bottom end of the hollow body for blocking the opening; and

a driving mechanism housed in the hollow body, wherein the driving mechanism is movable to enter into the holes for pushing the screw out through the stopping mechanism.

2. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a cap mounted on an upper end of the hollow body.

3. The instrument of claim 2, wherein the storage tube is mounted on the cap.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the bottom end of the hollow body is conic-shaped.

5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the stop mechanism includes a plurality of elastic lamellas, the elastic lamellas defining an opening therebetween.

6. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism defines two hooks on one end.