4040results about "Multi-purpose tools" patented technology

The invention relates to a hand tool for use with attachments. The hand tools of the invention may be used with attachments with various speed and torque requirements. Preferred hand tools comprise a body with a brushless DC motor and means. which control the energisation of the motor. In use the brushless DC motor of the preferred hand tool is electrically supplied to drive a power output means connected to said motor. Another preferred hand tool comprises a body with a motor contained therein, a void space between an internal surface of the body and at least a part of the motor, a fluid inlet port provided and a fluid outlet port provided in or on the body, and ducting means which provides a channel for fluid supplied via the fluid inlet port to and from the void space and then on to the fluid outlet port.

The present invention provides a tablet computer and a docking station assembly. This docking station comprises a docking assembly for positioning with three degrees of freedom and having a data connector for mechanically supporting and interfacing with the tablet computer. A support member couples the docking assembly to an expansion base. The base includes a number of ports for interfacing with a variety of peripheral devices or power supplies. These varieties of ports mount to a printed circuit board contained within the expansion base. A flexible printed circuit (FPC) combines the signal pathways for the variety of ports, allowing the signal pathways to travel from the printed circuit board and to the data connector. The tablet computing device has a plurality of contact or touch points positioned on the right and left edges of the tablet to facilitate aligning the tablet to the docking assembly in either a landscape or portrait mode.

A navigation system uses a dead reckoning method to estimate an object's present position relative to one or more prior positions. In some embodiments, the dead reckoning method determines a change in position from the object's heading and speed during an elapsed time interval. In embodiments suitable for use with wheeled objects, the dead reckoning method determines the change in position by measuring the heading and the amount of wheel rotation. Some or all of the components of the navigation system may be disposed within a wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.

To suppress fluctuation in the threshold voltage of a transistor, to reduce the number of connections of a display panel and a driver IC, to achieve reduction in power consumption of a display device, and to achieve increase in size and high definition of the display device. A gate electrode of a transistor which easily deteriorates is connected to a wiring to which a high potential is supplied through a first switching transistor and a wiring to which a low potential is supplied through a second switching transistor; a clock signal is input to a gate electrode of the first switching transistor; and an inverted clock signal is input to a gate electrode of the second switching transistor. Thus, the high potential and the low potential are alternately applied to the gate electrode of the transistor which easily deteriorates.

A support system includes a plurality of support members and a plurality of cross members. The support system is adapted to fit within an access device for insertion into a space between adjacent vertebrae. A plurality of hinges connects each cross member to at least one support member. The support system is movable between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the support system is substantially linear. In the second state, the support system is configurable into one of several geometric shapes. A number of strings may be attached to the support members for transitioning the support system from the first state to the second state.

According to the present invention there is provided a snap in locking cable connector with a cylindrical housing having an entry end aperture and an exit end aperture. The entry end aperture can accept the snap-in spring steel adapter of U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,933 as well as the exit end peripheral spring steel locking ring described in this patent to provide a connector that allows rapid and simplified installation of armored cable into a junction or circuit box. The cylindrical housing includes an annular groove or ridge about the inner periphery thereof in the area of the entry end for retention of the spring steel adapter. An electrical cable connector of this type that relies upon frictional or interference fit for retention of the spring steel adapter is also described. Retention of the spring steel adapter with a screw, rivet or similar fastener is also described.

An interface apparatus includes a base element, an interface element, and an attachment mechanism for attaching the interface element to the base element. The attachment mechanism is pivotable within a plurality of degrees of freedom. The interface element is an extensible member which is, in two of its embodiments, pivotally mounted so as to be rotatably adjustable about a pivot point with respect to a primary member. The primary member may be a base member or another display member. These members may be computer keyboards or displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), audio speakers, or the like such as are used in desk top or lap top computers and terminals.

A hinge includes a first connector, a casing, a bush and a second connector. The first connector includes a post and a beam extended from the post. The post can be connected to a portion of a laptop computer. The casing is non-rotationally mounted on the beam. The bush is disposed non-rotationally in the casing. The second connector includes a shaft and a plate extended from the shaft. The shaft is rotationally inserted in the bush. The plate can be connected to another portion of the laptop computer.

Disclosed herein is a sliding/hinge apparatus for sliding/rotating type mobile terminals, which can be slid and rotated from a body housing of the sliding/rotating type mobile terminal. The sliding/rotating type mobile terminal includes a body housing and a slide housing slidably mounted on the body housing. The apparatus comprises first and second hinge frames mounted in the body housing by means of screws, first and second plates, one or more slide bars, and a coupling unit inserted through the center parts of the first and second hinge frames so that the first and second hinge frames are rotatably coupled with each other while being opposite to each other.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an innovative hinge device of a dual-shaft construction that performs a synchronized pivoting motion, and that can smoothly perform an undulating pivoting motion without any unsteadiness; and an electronic device using the hinge device. The present invention is a hinge device in which a second member 2 is connected to a first member 1 so that the second member 2 can perform an undulating pivoting motion from a state in which the first member 1 and second member 2 are overlapped, wherein the hinge device is constructed so that pivot shaft parts 4 and 5 are disposed in parallel on a hinge base 3 disposed between the end part of the first member 1 and the end part of the second member 2; the hinge base 3 is provided so as to be free to perform an undulating pivoting motion with respect to the first member 1 via the first pivot shaft part 4; the second member 2 is disposed so as to be free to perform an undulating pivoting motion with respect to the hinge base 3 via the second pivot shaft part 5; a first pivoting part 6 and second pivoting part 7 that pivot in a relative manner when performing an undulating pivoting motion are respectively disposed on the first pivot shaft part 4 and second pivot shaft part 5; and the first pivoting part 6 and second pivoting part 7 are connected by a connecting link part 17, so that the second pivoting part 7 is caused to perform a transmitted co-pivoting motion by this first pivoting part 6.

A foldable member in the shape of a tube with at least one predetermined hinge area along the length of the tube and opposing sets of elongated slots in the tube at the hinge area thereof forming separated longitudinal strips of tube material between the slots which fold when subjected to localized buckling forces, each slot of each set of elongated slots separated longitudinally along the length of the tube from each adjacent slot by a bridge element of tube material. A collapsible structure constructed of such foldable members.

An improved ergonomically efficient tool having two adjustable and lockable bends allowing the handle to be bent to selected angles at each bend. An alternate embodiment includes a telescoping feature between the two bends allowing the handle length to be adjusted to the height of a user. The two bends and the telescoping feature cooperate to minimize a user's need to stoop over to use the tool and make it easier and more ergonomically efficient to use. A coupling feature in a further embodiment allows multiple tool heads to be easily attached to the bendable handle.

A snap in locking cable connector is composed of two mating pieces that snap together and provide a connector for armored or metal clad electrical conductors. One piece includes a member including a smooth outer cylindrical section having an inner diameter that may accommodate a spring steel adaptor with flanges to hold the spring steel adaptor in place. The spring steel adaptor is used in conjunction with an electrical junction box to fix the location of the locking cable connector with respect to the junction box. Another piece includes a spring steel locking ring provided to receive an armored cable and lock into the member. The spring steel locking ring has tangs allowing unidirectional insertion into the member and restricting withdrawal motion from the member. The spring steel locking ring also includes oppositely directed tangs to permit reception of the armored cable in one direction and restrict its movement in the reverse direction.

The present disclosure describes swivel hinge assemblies for use in rotatably mounting two structures together, such that the structures are in fluid communication by way of fluid flow, as well as systems including such hinge assemblies. The swivel hinge assemblies generally comprise a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, shafts surrounding the inlet and outlet ports and allowing for rotation about one or more axes, and attachment means which may be integrally formed with the shafts of the hinge assembly. In use, these assemblies eliminate the use for secondary hinges or secondary mounting hardware in attaching a door and a structure together in order to maintain fluid communication between an electronics rack and a heat exchanger mounted on the door of an electronics rack.

A folding device contains a stationary part, a movable part disposed to be rotatable in flip-up (unfolding) and flip-down (folding) directions, a force-applying section disposed between the two parts, which urges the movable part in either direction according to a state of the movable part, a reversing section for allowing the force-applying section to change a direction of urging of the movable part into the flip-up (unfolding) direction when the movable part is in a folded state, and an actuator for operating the reversing section. Pressing the actuator being in the folded state allows the reversing section to switch the direction of urging of the movable part into flip-up (unfolding) direction. In the electronic equipment of the present invention, the stationary and the movable housings are connected to the stationary and the movable parts of the folding device, respectively. The structures can provide a folding device equipped with a simple one-hand flipping-up (unfolding), and electronic equipment using the device.

A calculator which generally possesses a flat, compact and portable housing construction, and which includes a calculator lid mechanism which pivots a flat cover of the calculator in a predetermined controlled manner between a first position causing the flat cover to form a lid which overlies a calculator display, and a second operational position in which the cover is pivoted towards the rear of the calculator so as to form a stand for tilting the calculator into an upwardly inclined ergonomic position relative to a horizontal support surface during intended use thereof. Upon the actuation of a switch, a release mechanism enables the lid to be pivoted rearwardly in a controlled damped manner about a hinge connection, which articulates the lid to the calculator housing, under the urging of a torsion spring and damping drum arrangement constituting the lid mechanism located within a tubular bore within the hinge portion of the lid structure into an essentially perpendicular orientation relative to the rear surface of the calculator housing so as to form the stand for tiltingly support the calculator when positioned on a horizontal surface.

An adjustable automatic positioning hinge for a glass door includes a doorframe mount, a body, a spindle, a positioning device, a door bracket and two adjusting screws. The body is attached to the doorframe mount and rotatably holds the spindle. The spindle has an exterior surface and two inclined adjusting flats defined in the exterior surface. The positioning device is mounted in the body to position the spindle. The door bracket holds the spindle and clamps a glass panel. The adjusting screws are mounted in the door bracket and respectively have an inside end abutting the corresponding inclined adjusting flat. Consequently, the adjustable hinge is simple, and small adjustments can be made to align the glass panel with a doorframe of the glass door.

The disclosed system is directed towards a universal support system. The universal support system comprises a pair of arched bases and an arched beam coupled to the pair of arched bases. The universal support system also includes a multi-hinge rotatably coupled to the arched beam and a mounting bracket rotatably coupled to the multi-hinge, wherein the mounting bracket conforms with a mounting bracket standard for mounting displays.

A fixed-blade knife includes a unitary blade having an implement, a tang, and a pivot region between the implement and the tang. The unitary blade is disposed between a pair of parallel and spaced-apart side pieces that pivot to cover or expose the implement. In the pivoted position wherein the implement is exposed, the side pieces form part of the handle that is used to grasp the knife. A locking structure locks the side pieces in a selectable position, and a limit structure prevents overrotation of the side pieces.

In a slide hinge for a small-sized information terminal composed of a first casing and a second casing, to achieve a slide hinge having a function of relatively and automatically sliding the first casing and the second casing from predetermined slide positions, a slide hinge in which a first casing provided with a keyboard portion and a second casing provided with a display portion are relatively slid includes: a linear slide means provided between the first casing and the second casing; and a turning means for performing a turning operation accompanying linear slide operations of the first casing and the second casing by the slide means, the turning means being configured to generate rotation torque from a predetermined turning angle so that the first casing and the second casing automatically and relatively slide in an opening direction and/or a closing direction depending on the slid position thereof.

A refrigerator which allows a user to easily open a door of the refrigerator with a small force is disclosed. The refrigerator includes a main body having an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment defined on upper and lower sides, a door which slides to open and close any one of the storage compartments, a handle which is disposed at an upper portion of the door to be vertically rotatable, a plurality of push members which move to advanced positions from retreated positions in connection with a vertical rotation of the handle to separate the door from the main body, and an elastic member which is disposed between at least one of the push members and the door to restore the push members to the retreated positions when an external force is removed from the handle.

A twist-lock handle assembly includes sections that are interconnected by first telescoping them together, followed by relative rotational movement to interlock two pair of axially spaced apart tabs and recesses. The assembly can have a grip section, at least one pole section, and one accessory attachment section for connecting to a mop head. The components are rigidly and essentially permanently connected by sliding them together and twisting, but can be compactly shipped.

A cork grip includes a main part (21) that is formed of cork pieces each having a predetermined cylindrical shape that are punched out of a cork sheet formed of cork material stripped from a cork tree and pressed into the shape of a board. The cork sheet is punched into the cylindrical shapes in such a manner that pithy tissues (6a) of the cork intersect with the axial direction of the main part (21). The pithy tissues (6a) of the main part 21 are filled with a filling agent that includes a mixture of binder and cork powder.

A hinge device for coupling two units movable to folded and unfolded positions in an apparatus with the two units such as a portable radiotelephone includes a housing, a first rotating member contained in the housing to rotate about a first rotation axis, and a second rotating member rotatable about a second rotation axis. The hinge device includes a first linearly moving member that is linearly movable due to the rotation of the first rotating member, and a second linearly moving member that is linearly movable due to the rotation of the second rotating member. The hinge device includes a first resilient member for urging the first linearly moving member against the first rotating member, and a second resilient member for urging the second linearly moving member against the second rotating member.

Sensor fusion algorithm techniques are described. In one or more embodiments, behaviors of a host device and accessory devices are controlled based upon an orientation of the host device and accessory devices, relative to one another. A combined spatial position and/or orientation for the host device may be obtained based on raw measurements that are obtained from at least two different types of sensors. In addition, a spatial position and/or orientation for an accessory device is ascertained using one or more sensors of the accessory device. An orientation (or position) of the accessory device relative to the host computing device may then be computed based on the combined spatial position/orientation for the host computing device and the ascertained spatial position/orientation for the accessory device. The relative orientation that is computed may then be used in various ways to control behaviors of the host computing device and/or accessory device.

An apparatus for gripping a handheld device is provided. The apparatus includes a base for affixing the apparatus to a first surface of the handheld device; at least one extension extending from the base at a first end of the extension; and a grip extending from the at least one extension at a second end of the extension, wherein the grip is oriented substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device, and wherein the apparatus is adapted to receive a portion of at least one finger inserted between the grip and the handheld device.

A portable computer includes upper and lower sections that are pivotally attached, together with a hinge assembly extending outwardly from the pivoted edges of the section. When the upper and lower sections are pivoted open, the hinge assembly moves outward and downward to form a handle by which the computer is easily held and a stand for convenient placement of the computer on a horizontal surface.

PCT No. PCT/CH98/00274 Sec. 371 Date Feb. 23, 1999 Sec. 102(e) Date Feb. 23, 1999 PCT Filed Jun. 23, 1998 PCT Pub. No. WO98/59140 PCT Pub. Date Dec. 30, 1998Device for connecting a displaceable element, especially a glass, metal or wooden panel to a guiding device that is guided in a rail. The device includes first and second fixing members which each contain outer panels and fitting, elements which can be interconnected by an axle. The fitting elements are inserted into a cutout section on the edge of the displaceable element and interconnected. The fitting elements encompass a connection screw which can be connected to the guide device, the connection screw having a screw shaft with a screw head, a locking element and a thread. The fitting element of the first fixing member has a channel for receiving the screw shaft, the channel having channel walls, a trough for receiving the screw head and a cavity for receiving the securing element. The locking element can be stopped by a stop screw. The fitting element of the second fixing member has a recess for receiving the channel walls and an opening through which the screw head can be accessed. The assembled device can be adjusted by loosening the stop screws by a few turns and turning the connection screw until the displaceable element is set at the desired height. The stop screws are then re-tightened. The locking element is part of the connection screw and is encompassed in the device so that the top edge of the displaceable element can be drawn practically up to the rail.

The present invention provides a combination utility retractable saw and knife device that comprises a handle member having a predetermined configuration and a knife blade disposed within a cavity formed in the handle member when in a retracted position. The knife blade member has a predetermined configuration. It further includes a saw blade disposed within a radially opposed cavity of such handle member when in a retracted position. Such combination device further includes a means engageable with the saw blade for connecting it with the handle and a means engageable with the knife blade for connecting it with the handle. There is also a means engageable with the saw blade for at least one of slidably moving and pivotably rotating the saw blade to an operable position, the means being at least partially disposed within the handle and a means engageable with the knife blade for slidably moving the knife blade member to an operable position, such means also being at least partially disposed within the handle. There is further a means engageable with the saw blade and the handle for locking the saw blade in an operable position and in a retracted position, such means being at least partially disposed within the handle and a means engageable with the knife blade and the handle for locking the knife blade in an operable and a retracted position, such means being at least partially disposed within said handle member.

A handle cover which facilitates holding a drill is disclosed. The cover has an upper cover portion surrounding the rear and side portions of the barrel portion of the drill; and, a lower cover portion surrounding the rear and side portions of the handle portion of the drill. The cover has two pads, one adjacent to a rear portion of the handle, and the other adjacent to a rear portion of the barrel, so that the hand is cushioned when it holds the drill either by its handle or barrel portion.