A foldable grabbing tool

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of hand-held tools, and proposes a foldable grasping tool, comprising a trigger assembly having a trigger and a handle; a jaw assembly having a first jaw movably connected to a second jaw, through which the first jaw is operably connected to the trigger to move the first jaw; a hinge assembly can be selectively locked between an operating position and a folded position, in which the jaw assembly is laterally adjacent to the trigger assembly and outside the plane of the handle, the second jaw is in a fixed position relative to the hinge assembly, and comprises a first opening partially aligned with a part of the contour surface of the second jaw. The utility model realizes the folding of the grasping tool by means of a hinge assembly arranged on the trigger assembly and the jaw assembly, thereby making the grasping tool easy to store and carry.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of handheld tools, and in particular relates to a foldable grabbing tool. Background Art

[0002] Current grasping tools can effectively extend the user's reach, such as grasping items above the user (e.g., on a shelf, in a tree, etc.) or below the user (e.g., on the ground).

[0003] These grippers typically have a trigger or actuator that causes a pair of jaws to open and close; and, in some prior art, the gripper's pole is a telescoping extension that allows the user to reach items at different distances.

[0004] For example, the prior art (publication number CN107447715A) discloses an automatically retractable garbage picking rod, which can drive a stepper motor through forward and reverse rotation to drive a pair of screw sleeve rods to rotate relative to each other, so that the sliding rod can slide and retract relative to the fixed rod body, thereby making the garbage picking rod automatically retractable. The sliding and retractable design can reduce the storage space occupied by the picking rod.

[0005] However, these grabbing tools are inconvenient to carry due to their length, that is, they are usually not convenient to store or carry when not in use, such as placing them in a storage object such as a backpack.

[0006] Thus, while existing grasping tools are suitable for their intended purpose, there remains a need for improvement, particularly in providing a foldable grasping tool having the features described herein. Utility Model Content

[0007] The utility model provides a foldable grasping tool, which can realize the folding of the grasping tool by means of a hinge assembly arranged on a trigger assembly and a jaw assembly, thereby making the grasping tool easy to store and carry, so as to solve or alleviate the technical problems existing in the prior art and at least provide a beneficial choice.

[0008] The technical solution of the utility model is as follows:

[0009] A foldable grasping tool includes a trigger assembly having at least one trigger and a handle;

[0010] a jaw assembly having a first jaw movably connected to a second jaw, the first jaw being operably connected to at least one trigger to move the first jaw;

[0011] a hinge assembly disposed between the trigger assembly and the jaw assembly, the hinge assembly selectively lockable between an operative position and a folded position in which the jaw assembly is laterally adjacent the trigger assembly and out of the plane of the handle, wherein the second jaw is in a fixed position relative to the hinge assembly and includes a first opening partially aligned with a portion of a contoured surface of the second jaw;

[0012] wherein the trigger assembly includes a housing, a first trigger operably connected to the first jaw and rotatably connected to the housing, and a second trigger rotatably connected to the first trigger and having a plurality of teeth positioned to selectively engage the rack;

[0013] a second trigger selectively movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and the first trigger and the second trigger cooperate to maintain the first jaw and the second jaw in a closed position;

[0014] Also included is a first biasing member operably connected between the second trigger and the first trigger.

[0015] As a further limitation of the present invention, the invention further includes a cable operably connected between the first trigger and the first jaw, wherein the cable extends through the hinge assembly.

[0016] As a further limitation of the present invention, the second trigger includes a pair of teeth, a first rod connected between the trigger assembly and the hinge assembly, and a second rod connected between the hinge assembly and the jaw assembly.

[0017] As a further definition of the present invention, the cables include a first cable connected to the first trigger and extending through the first rod, the hinge assembly, and a proximal portion of the second rod, a second cable connected to the second jaw and extending through a distal portion of the second rod, and a second biasing member disposed between the first cable and the second cable and extending through the second rod.

[0018] As a further limitation of the present invention, the second biasing member includes a compressed position and an extended position.

[0019] As a further limitation of the present invention, the hinge assembly is in an operating position relative to the second biasing member in a compressed position, and the hinge assembly is in a folded position relative to the second biasing member in an extended position.

[0020] As a further definition of the present invention, the first trigger is rotatably connected to the housing via a first pivot, and the second trigger is rotatably connected to the first trigger via a second pivot separated from the first pivot.

[0021] As a further limitation of the present invention, the hinge assembly further comprises: a first housing, a second housing, a lock, and a release button;

[0022] The first housing and the second housing further include tubular protrusions configured to be connected to the second rod and the first rod, respectively;

[0023] The lock includes a first housing having a recess, a locking pawl movably disposed in the recess, a third biasing member configured to bias the locking pawl into the recess, and a release button operably connected to the locking pawl;

[0024] The locking pawl is arranged to move from an engaged position within the recess to a released position in response to movement of the release button.

[0025] As a further limitation of the present invention, the invention further includes a fourth biasing member disposed between the jaw assembly and the cable.

[0026] As a further definition of the present invention, the fourth biasing member biases the first jaw and the second jaw in an open position, and the fourth biasing member is compressed in response to the movement of the first trigger, thereby biasing the first jaw and the second jaw in a closed position.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the utility model are:

[0028] The utility model realizes the folding of the grasping tool by means of the hinge assembly arranged on the trigger assembly and the jaw assembly, thereby making the grasping tool convenient to store and carry. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the foldable grabbing tool of the utility model;

[0031] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of a trigger assembly of a foldable grab tool;

[0032] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the trigger assembly of the utility model;

[0033] Figure 4 It is a partial cross-sectional view of the clamping jaw assembly of the utility model;

[0034] Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a jaw assembly and a second rod according to another embodiment;

[0035] Figure 6 It is an exploded view of the hinge assembly of the foldable grabbing tool of the utility model;

[0036] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional view of a hinge assembly;

[0037] Figure 8 is used for Figure 7 A perspective view of a housing of a hinge assembly;

[0038] Fig. 9 It is a perspective view of the utility model in a folded position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following will be combined with the embodiments of the utility model to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the utility model, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the foldable grasping tool of the present invention has a clamping head with at least one clamping jaw, and the clamping jaw is operably connected to a trigger to move relative to the axis of the clamping jaw.

[0041] Reference now Figure 1-9 The foldable grasping tool 20 of the present invention includes a trigger assembly 22 , a jaw assembly 24 , and a hinge assembly 26 disposed between the trigger assembly 22 and the jaw assembly 24 .

[0042] The hinge assembly 26 is separated from the trigger assembly 22 by a first rod 28 , and the hinge assembly 26 is separated from the jaw assembly 24 by a second rod 30 .

[0043] The hinge assembly 26 has rods 28, 30 with a rotation axis 32 offset from the main axis. As will be appreciated, the offset of the rotation axis 32 facilitates folding the grasping tool 20 into a folded position, wherein the jaw assembly 24 is adjacent to the trigger assembly 22, such as Fig. 9 shown.

[0044] In some embodiments, the trigger assembly 22 includes a housing 36 that may be formed in two halves that are then connected together to define a hollow interior.

[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, the housing is in the shape of a pistol grip and includes a barrel 42 at one end of the pistol grip and connected to the first rod 28. The jaw trigger 38 is rotatably connected to the housing 36 by a pivot 44.

[0046] In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot 44 is positioned near the bottom 46 of the pistol grip, and opposite the jaw trigger 38 is a projection 48 having a hole 50 extending therethrough. A cable crimp and washer (not shown) is connected to the cable adjacent the hole 50 to secure or connect the cable 52 to the jaw trigger 38. The cable 52 extends through the rods 28, 30 and the hinge assembly 26 to connect the trigger assembly 22 to the jaw assembly 24.

[0047] In one embodiment, the end of the cable opposite the trigger assembly is connected to a spring. It should be understood that when the user squeezes the jaw trigger 38, the jaw trigger 38 rotates about the pivot 44, causing the cable 52 to move in the direction indicated by the arrow 54, and then the jaw trigger 38 is released, and the biasing member in the jaw assembly 24 causes the cable 52 to move in the opposite direction and the jaw trigger 38 returns to the initial position.

[0048] In some specific embodiments, the jaw trigger 38 includes a pair of side walls 56 separated by an end wall 60, and the side walls 56 define a channel sized to receive the ratchet trigger 40. The ratchet trigger 40 is connected to the side walls 56 by a pivot 62, and the ratchet trigger 40 can be in an engaged position ( Figure 2 ) and disengaged position ( Figure 3 )

[0049] The ratchet trigger 40 includes a plurality of teeth 64 positioned to engage a rack 66 formed into the housing 36. A biasing member such as a spring 68 is connected between the ratchet trigger 40 and an arm 70 on the jaw trigger 38. The position of the spring attachment on the ratchet trigger 40 is configured to rotate the teeth 64 into the rack 66.

[0050] In one embodiment, the ratchet trigger 40 includes two pairs of teeth 64 disposed on either side of the centerline of the housing 36, allowing the cable 52 to pass and move therebetween.

[0051] The ratchet trigger 40 and the jaw trigger 38 cooperate to allow the user to grasp and carry items without having to continuously squeeze the jaw activation trigger. The user can selectively release the object by squeezing the ratchet trigger 40 to disengage the teeth 64 from the rack 66.

[0052] When the user squeezes the jaw trigger 38, it rotates about the pivot 44; when the user releases the jaw trigger 38 and the ratchet trigger 40 is also not squeezed, the engagement of the teeth 64 holds the ratchet trigger 40 in place and prevents the jaw trigger 38 from rotating back toward the unreleased or open position.

[0053] In one embodiment, a portion of surface 39 engages surface 41 to prevent jaw trigger 38 , ratchet trigger 40 from rotating relative to one another so that a user can select the amount of force applied to a grasped item without having to continuously squeeze jaw trigger 38 .

[0054] Furthermore, by keeping the ratchet trigger 40 squeezed while the jaw trigger 38 is engaged, the teeth 64 remain released from the rack 66 to allow normal free grasping and release of the jaw assembly 24. When the ratchet trigger 40 is squeezed while the jaw trigger 38 is not squeezed or moved, the jaw assembly 24 will remain in a locked position around a grasped item without the user having to maintain a squeezing force.

[0055] Depressing and holding the ratchet trigger 40 releases the teeth 64 from the rack 66, allowing the jaw trigger 38 to rotate rearwardly and thereby release the jaw assembly and cause the jaws to move to the open position.

[0056] See now Figure 4 , Figure 4 The jaw assembly 24 is shown in an open position. The jaw assembly 24 includes a fixed jaw 72 and a movable jaw 74. Each of the fixed jaw 72, movable jaw 74 has a contoured surface 76, 78 that allows objects of various sizes to be grasped therebetween.

[0057] In one embodiment, the contoured surface 76 includes a layer of soft and non-slip material thereon.

[0058] In one embodiment, the contoured surface 78 may include a plurality of teeth for gripping an item held in the fixed jaw 72 , the movable jaw 74 .

[0059] The fixed jaw 72 includes an opening 80 at one end 82 that is sized to receive and connect with the rod 30 .

[0060] Arranged within the hole 80 is a movable actuator 84, which includes a rack portion 86 and a body portion 88, wherein the body portion 88 has an outer surface formed to conform to the hole 80 to allow the actuator 84 to slide within the hole; the body portion 88 also includes a hole at one end, the size of which is designed to receive a biasing member, such as a compression spring 90.

[0061] It should be noted that a compression spring 90 is disposed between the actuator rod 84 and a collar 92 fixedly connected to the inner diameter of the rod 30 .

[0062] In one embodiment, the fixed jaw 72 may have a protrusion 73 disposed on a side opposite to the movable jaw 74 .

[0063] In some preferred embodiments, the protrusion 73 may be hook-shaped, defining a generally U-shaped slot.

[0064] It will be appreciated that tab 73 provides the advantage of allowing a user to pick up objects with tab 73 that may be difficult with fixed jaw 72, movable jaw 74, and tab 73 may also be used to suspend grasping tool 20 when not in use.

[0065] The movable jaw 74 is connected to the fixed jaw 72 via a pivot 94 and includes a first end 96 having a plurality of teeth 98 formed thereon.

[0066] The teeth 98 are sized, shaped, and positioned to engage the rack portion 86 of the movable actuator 84 .

[0067] The fixed jaw 72 includes a slot 100 in communication with the aperture 80 , and the first end 96 and the pivot shaft 94 are disposed within the slot 100 .

[0068] In operation, when the jaw trigger 38 is moved, the end 102 of the cable 52 is pulled toward the trigger assembly 22 , causing the movable actuator 84 to slide within the aperture 80 .

[0069] When the movable actuator 84 moves, the engagement of the rack portion 86 with the teeth 98 causes the movable jaw 74 to rotate, and the movement of the movable actuator 84 further compresses the spring 90; when the user releases the jaw trigger 38, the spring biases the movable actuator 84 in a direction away from the trigger assembly 22, causing the movable jaw 74 to rotate in the opposite direction.

[0070] exist Figure 5 In another embodiment shown, the cable 52 is divided into a first cable 52A and a second cable 52B; the first cable 52A and the second cable 52B are connected to a biasing member (eg, a tension spring 91).

[0071] The tension spring 91 provides additional elasticity in the path of the cable 52, which provides the advantage of extending to account for the length of the cable when the grab tool 20 is collapsed.

[0072] The tension spring 91 also provides the added advantage of maintaining tension on the movable jaw 74 when the grasping tool 20 is used to grasp an item.

[0073] Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8An embodiment of a hinge assembly 26 is shown.

[0074] The hinge assembly 26 includes a first housing 104 having a tubular protrusion 106 sized and configured to connect to the rod 30 ; the hinge assembly 26 also includes a second housing 108 having a tubular protrusion 110 sized and configured to connect to the rod 28 .

[0075] The hinge assembly 26 further includes a release button 112 connected to the first housing 104 , a locking claw 114 connected to the first housing 104 , and a biasing member 118 disposed within the first housing 104 and the second housing 108 , and the first housing 104 and the second housing 108 are connected together by a fastener 120 .

[0076] In one embodiment, the biasing member 118 is a spring.

[0077] The locking pawl 114 includes a pair of teeth 122 that engage and mate with a recessed portion 124 of a recess 126 in the first housing 104 .

[0078] In response to a user depressing the release button 112 , the locking pawl 114 moves laterally such that the teeth 122 move out of the recessed portion 124 , allowing the first housing 104 and the second housing 108 to rotate relative to each other.

[0079] In one embodiment, once the first and second housings 104 and 108 are rotated relative to each other, the tip teeth of the locking pawl 114 engage the surface 128 of the first housing 104 to prevent the hinge assembly 26 from locking until the teeth 122 are aligned with the recessed portion 124 again.

[0080] Once the teeth 122 and the recessed portions 124 are aligned, the locking pawl 114 and the release button 112 are moved back to the locked position by the biasing member 118 and relative rotation between the first housing 104 and the second housing 108 is prevented.

[0081] In one embodiment, when the tool is in the fully folded position and the operating position, the teeth 122 are aligned with the recessed portion 124. In other words, in this embodiment, the grasping tool 20 will be locked in both the operating position and the folded position until the user presses the release button 112.

[0082] When the release button 112 is depressed and the hinge assembly 26 is unlocked, the grasping tool 20 can be moved from the operating or extended position ( Figure 1 ) to the folded position ( Fig. 9). When in the folded position, the jaw assembly 24 is positioned adjacent to the trigger assembly 22. It will be appreciated that the ability to fold the grasping tool 20 provides the advantage of reducing the length of the grasping tool 20, thereby facilitating storage or transportation of the grasping tool 20, such as by allowing it to be stored in a drawer or carried in a purse.

[0083] In some embodiments, folding of the grasping tool 20 from the operating position to the folded position increases the distance between the protrusion 48 and the movable actuator 84. Therefore, when the grasping tool 20 is folded, the movable actuator 84 will resist and compress the spring 90 to move to compensate for the change in length, and the movable jaw 74 can move during the folding process.

[0084] In addition, the term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. The terms "at least one" and "one or more" should be understood to include any integer greater than or equal to one, i.e., one, two, three, four, etc. The term "plurality" should be understood to include any integer. A number greater than or equal to two, i.e., two, three, four, five, etc. The term "connected" may include indirect "connections" and direct "connections." It should also be noted that the terms "first," "second," "third," "upper," "lower," etc. may be used herein to modify various elements. These modifiers do not imply spatial, sequential, or

[0085] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "one", "an" and "the" are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "include" and / or "comprise" when used in this specification specify the presence of stated features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence of the features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components. Or add one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, element components and / or their groups.

[0086] The above-mentioned implementation mode is an illustration of the present utility model, not a limitation of the present utility model. It can be understood that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principle and spirit of the present utility model. The protection scope of the present utility model is limited by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A foldable grabbing tool, characterized in that: including a trigger assembly having at least one trigger and a handle; a jaw assembly having a first jaw movably connected to a second jaw, the first jaw being operably connected to at least one trigger to move the first jaw; a hinge assembly disposed between the trigger assembly and the jaw assembly, the hinge assembly selectively lockable between an operative position and a folded position in which the jaw assembly is laterally adjacent the trigger assembly and out of the plane of the handle, wherein the second jaw is in a fixed position relative to the hinge assembly and includes a first opening partially aligned with a portion of a contoured surface of the second jaw; wherein the trigger assembly includes a housing, a first trigger operably connected to the first jaw and rotatably connected to the housing, and a second trigger rotatably connected to the first trigger and having a plurality of teeth positioned to selectively engage the rack; a second trigger selectively movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and the first trigger and the second trigger cooperate to maintain the first jaw and the second jaw in a closed position; Also included is a first biasing member operably connected between the second trigger and the first trigger.

2. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also included is a cable operably connected between the first trigger and the first jaw, the cable extending through the hinge assembly.

3. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second trigger includes a pair of teeth, a first rod connected between the trigger assembly and the hinge assembly, and a second rod connected between the hinge assembly and the jaw assembly.

4. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cables include a first cable connected to the first trigger and extending through the first rod, the hinge assembly, and a proximal portion of the second rod, a second cable connected to the second jaw and extending through a distal portion of the second rod, and a second biasing member disposed between the first cable and the second cable and extending through the second rod.

5. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second biasing member includes a compressed position and an extended position.

6. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 5, characterized in that: The hinge assembly is in an operative position relative to the second biasing member in a compressed position, and the hinge assembly is in a folded position relative to the second biasing member in an extended position.

7. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first trigger is rotatably connected to the housing via a first pivot, and the second trigger is rotatably connected to the first trigger via a second pivot separate from the first pivot.

8. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 6, characterized in that: The hinge assembly further comprises: a first housing, a second housing, a lock and a release button; The first housing and the second housing further include tubular protrusions configured to be connected to the second rod and the first rod, respectively; The lock includes a first housing having a recess, a locking pawl movably disposed in the recess, a third biasing member configured to bias the locking pawl into the recess, and a release button operably connected to the locking pawl; The locking pawl is arranged to move from an engaged position within the recess to a released position in response to movement of the release button.

9. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also included is a fourth biasing member disposed between the jaw assembly and the cable.

10. The foldable grasping tool according to claim 9, characterized in that: The fourth biasing member biases the first jaw and the second jaw in an open position, and the fourth biasing member compresses in response to movement of the first trigger to bias the first jaw and the second jaw in a closed position.

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