Protective cap

Abstract

A protective cap for installing on a powered rotating tool for driving screws, wherein the protective cap comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and a through-hole that passes through from the upper surface to the lower surface, the surface of the upper surface having dents and protrusions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a protective cap.

Background Art

[0002] As a method of constructing plate-like bodies such as ceiling boards, floor materials, and wall materials, a construction method of driving screws from the surface side of the plate-like body and fixing them to a base material or the like has been conventionally known.

[0003] However, when fixing a plate-like body with screws using a power-driven rotary tool for screw driving, when the screw is driven too deep, or when screw driving is performed with the rotary tool tilted, etc., a recess having a circular shape corresponding to the shape of the tip of the rotary tool, or an arcuate shape that is part of a circle, may occur on the plate-like body. Especially in recent years, for example, in the case of ceiling boards, the use of plate-like bodies with a low specific gravity, that is, soft plate-like bodies, has increased from the viewpoint of preventing ceiling falls, and the above-mentioned recesses are likely to occur.

[0004] When a recess such as a circular shape occurs in a plate-like body such as a ceiling board, there is a problem that the recess becomes conspicuous when oblique light hits it, and the appearance becomes poor. Also, in order not to cause a recess such as a circular shape, it is necessary to work carefully so that the screw is not driven too deep and the power-driven rotary tool for screw driving does not tilt, so there is a problem that the work speed decreases.

[0005] Therefore, for the purpose of preventing a recess from occurring in a plate-like body, a protective cap to be attached to a power-driven rotary tool for screw driving used when driving a screw has been conventionally studied.

[0006] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an attachment for a power-driven rotary tool, which is composed of a face plate portion and a mounting portion, and the surface of the face plate portion is provided with a soft portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-39789 [Overview of the initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Incidentally, in recent years, efforts have been made to further reduce the weight of plate-like materials such as ceiling panels, which has made them particularly prone to dents. For this reason, the attachment for a power-driven rotary tool disclosed in Patent Document 1 was sometimes unable to sufficiently suppress the occurrence of circular or other dents in plate-like materials.

[0009] In view of the problems of the prior art described above, the present invention aims to provide a protective cap that can suppress the occurrence of circular or arc-shaped indentations on a plate-like body when screws are driven using a power-driven rotary tool for screw driving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a protective cap to be attached to a power-driven rotary tool for driving screws, The protective cap has an upper surface and a lower surface, It comprises a through hole that penetrates between the upper surface and the lower surface, The aforementioned upper surface can provide a protective cap having recesses and protrusions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a protective cap that can suppress the occurrence of circular or arc-shaped indentations on a plate-like body when screws are driven using a power-driven rotary tool for screw driving. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A is an explanatory diagram of the protective cap in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B is an explanatory diagram of the protective cap in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]Figure 2 is an explanatory view of the protective cap attached to the power-driven rotary tool for screwing in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3A] Figure 3A is an explanatory view of another configuration example of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B] Figure 3B is an explanatory view of another configuration example of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] Figure 4A is a top view of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] Figure 4B is a top view of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4C] Figure 4C is a top view of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4D] Figure 4D is a top view of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [[ID=..]] [Figure 4E] Figure 4E is a top view of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4F] Figure 4F is a top view of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4G] Figure 4G is a top view of the protective cap in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] Figure 5A is an explanatory view of the cross-sectional shape of the recess. [Figure 5B] Figure 5B is an explanatory view of the cross-sectional shape of the recess. [Figure 5C] Figure 5C is an explanatory view of the cross-sectional shape of the recess. [Figure 5D] Figure 5D is an explanatory view of the cross-sectional shape of the recess. [Figure 5E] Figure 5E is an explanatory view of the cross-sectional shape of the recess. [Figure 5F] Figure 5F is an explanatory view of the cross-sectional shape of the recess. [Figure 5G] Figure 5G is an explanatory view of the cross-sectional shape of the recess. [Figure 6A] Figure 6A is an explanatory view of the chamfered portion. [Figure 6B] Figure 6B is an explanatory view of the chamfered portion. [Figure 7A] Figure 7A is an explanatory diagram of the groove provided on the outer surface. [Figure 7B] Figure 7B is an explanatory diagram of the groove provided on the outer surface. [Figure 7C] Figure 7C is an explanatory diagram of the groove provided on the outer surface. [Figure 8A] Figure 8A is an explanatory diagram of the fixing member. [Figure 8B] Figure 8B is an explanatory diagram of the fixing member. [Figure 9A] Figure 9A is an explanatory diagram of the cushion section. [Figure 9B] Figure 9B is an explanatory diagram of the cushion section. [Figure 9C] Figure 9C is an explanatory diagram of the cushion section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The following describes embodiments for carrying out the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the embodiments described below without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Protective cap] The protective cap of this embodiment is a protective cap to be attached to a power-driven rotary tool for driving screws. Here, "screw" includes all types of screws used to fix plate-like objects such as interior wall panels and ceiling panels to a substrate. Furthermore, a power-driven rotary tool for driving screws (hereinafter also simply referred to as "rotary tool") has a bit fixing part that fixes a bit having a tip shape corresponding to a slot or cross shape provided on the screw head. By rotating the bit fixing part with power from a motor or the like provided inside the tool, the screw can be rotated via the bit and driven into a plate-like object. (1) Regarding the external shape of the protective cap Figure 1A shows a perspective view of the protective cap of this embodiment, and Figure 1B shows a cross-sectional view of the protective cap of this embodiment. Figure 1B corresponds to the cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1A.

[0014] The external shape of the protective cap 10 in this embodiment is not particularly limited, but it can be columnar, for example, and is preferably cylindrical, as shown in Figure 1A. As will be described later, the protective cap 10 in this embodiment may also have, for example, an inclined surface on the top surface 111 (see Figures 3A and 3B) or a groove 71 on the outer surface 113 (see Figures 7A to 7C). Therefore, the columnar shape and cylindrical shape referred to here are not limited to geometrically strict shapes.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the protective cap 10 may include an upper surface 111 and a lower surface 112, and a through hole 12 that penetrates between the upper surface 111 and the lower surface 112.

[0016] Figure 2 shows an explanatory diagram of the protective cap 10 of this embodiment when it is attached to the rotary tool 20. Figure 2 corresponds to a cross-sectional view of the protective cap 10 when it is attached to the rotary tool 20, with respect to the plane passing through the central axis CA of the protective cap 10.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the protective cap 10 of this embodiment can be attached to the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20. In this case, the protective cap 10 can be attached to the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 by inserting the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 into the through hole 12 from the lower surface 112 side of the protective cap 10.

[0018] The tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 is the bit fixing part (chuck part) for attaching the bit 22, and is the part of the rotary tool 20 that comes closest to the plate-shaped body (hereinafter not shown) when the rotary tool 20 is used to drive screws, excluding the bit 22. By attaching the protective cap 10 to the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20, it is possible to prevent the surface 21A of the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 that faces the plate-shaped body from directly contacting the plate-shaped body when driving screws into the plate-shaped body. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the formation of circular or arch-shaped indentations in the plate-shaped body.

[0019] The size of the protective cap 10 in this embodiment is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferable that the maximum diameter D10 (see Figure 1A) be 24 mm or more and 50 mm or less, and more preferably 25 mm or more and 28 mm or less. By setting the maximum diameter D10 to 24 mm or more, it can be easily attached to the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20, and when it comes into contact with the plate-like body, the pressing force from the rotary tool 20 is dispersed, and it is possible to sufficiently prevent dents from occurring in the plate-like body. Furthermore, by setting the maximum diameter D10 to 50 mm or less, it can be used even in narrow places such as inside corners, and the screw fastening position is not obstructed from the field of view, so as not to reduce work efficiency.

[0020] The maximum diameter D10 refers to the diameter at the point where the outer shape is circular and the diameter is largest, within the cross-section perpendicular to the central axis CA.

[0021] The thickness H10 of the protective cap 10 (see Figure 1B) is preferably 11 mm to 20 mm in thickness so as to prevent it from easily detaching when attached to the rotary tool 20, and to provide sufficient thickness to cover the surface 21A of the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2) that faces the plate-like body. In particular, the thickness H10 of the protective cap 10 is more preferably 11 mm to 16 mm.

[0022] The following describes the various parts of the protective cap 10 of this embodiment. (2) Through hole The through hole 12 is preferably positioned along the central axis CA of the protective cap 10, as shown in Figure 1B. The through hole 12 is a hole for inserting the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2). As shown in Figures 1B and 2, the through hole 12 may have a first opening 121 on the upper surface 111 side for exposing the bit 22 of the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2), and a second opening 122 on the lower surface 112 side for inserting the rotary tool 20.

[0023] The through-hole 12 can be configured such that the diameter D121 of the first opening 121 on the upper surface 111 side is smaller than the diameter D122 of the second opening 122 on the lower surface 112 side. For this reason, the through-hole 12 can have a structure in which, for example, a first through-hole 12A and a second through-hole 12B, which are cylindrical in shape and have different diameters, are connected.

[0024] By making the diameter D121 of the first opening 121 smaller than the diameter D122 of the second opening 122, the bit 22 can be exposed as shown in Figure 2, while the surface 21A of the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 facing the plate-like body can be covered by the protective cap 10.

[0025] The length H12A of the first through-hole 12A (see Figure 1B) is not particularly limited. Since the length H12A of the first through-hole 12A is also the thickness of the member covering the surface 21A facing the plate-like body at the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20, it is preferable to select a length that can adequately protect the plate-like body. The length H12A of the first through-hole 12A can be, for example, 2 mm or more and 8 mm or less. (3)Top surface (3-1) Regarding the shape of the top surface As shown in Figure 2, the top surface 111 is the surface that faces the plate-like body when the protective cap 10 is attached to the rotary tool 20 and screws are driven into the plate-like body.

[0026] The upper surface 111 may be a horizontal surface, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B for the protective cap 10, or it may include an inclined surface, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B for the protective cap 100. That is, in a cross-section passing through the central axis CA of the protective cap 100, the upper surface 111 may include an inclined surface, and for example, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the upper surface 111 may be dome-shaped. Figure 3A is a perspective view of the protective cap 100, and Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view along the line EE in Figure 3A. The protective cap 100 shown in Figures 3A and 3B can have the same configuration as the protective cap 10 shown in Figure 1A, etc., except that the upper surface 111 includes an inclined surface, so the same reference numerals are used for corresponding members and their descriptions are omitted.

[0027] The upper surface 111 includes an inclined surface, similar to the protective cap 100. This helps to particularly suppress the occurrence of dents in the plate-like body when the rotation axis of the bit 22 of the rotary tool 20 is tilted from a direction perpendicular to the plate-like body (hereinafter also referred to as "the state in which the rotary tool is tilted"), even if the upper surface 111 or the corner 14 between the upper surface 111 and the outer surface 113 comes into contact with the plate-like body. When the upper surface 111 includes an inclined surface, it is preferable that the inclined surface slopes downward from the center side of the upper surface 111, i.e., the through hole 12 side, toward the outer surface 113 side. When the upper surface 111 has an inclined surface, the inclination of the inclined surface may be constant, or it may include multiple surfaces with different inclinations. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B, it may also include an inclined surface whose inclination changes continuously.

[0028] If the upper surface 111 includes an inclined surface, the inclined surface and the chamfered portion described later may be provided in a continuous manner. (3-2) Concave and convex parts The protective cap 10 of this embodiment may have recesses and protrusions on the upper surface 111.

[0029] The depth from the upper surface 111 of the recess is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it be shallower than the thickness of the member covering the surface 21A of the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 that faces the plate-like body when the protective cap 10 is attached to the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2). Therefore, if the depth from the upper surface 111 of the recess is α (mm) and the thickness of the member covering the surface of the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 that faces the plate-like body when the protective cap 10 is attached to the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2) is β (mm), then it is preferable that α < β. As previously described, β corresponds to the length H12A of the first through hole 12A (see Figure 1B), and the relationship is β = H12A. The explanation of α and β will be omitted below.

[0030] The depth from the upper surface 111 of the recess is more preferably less than or equal to the thickness of the member covering the surface 21A facing the plate-like body at the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2) minus 1 mm when the protective cap 10 is attached to the rotary tool 20. Specifically, it is preferable that α ≤ β-1 is satisfied. For example, α = β-1 can also be set.

[0031] Furthermore, in order to enhance the durability of the protective cap 10, when the protective cap 10 is attached to the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2), it is preferable that the difference between the thickness of the member covering the surface 21A facing the plate-like body at the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 and the depth from the upper surface 111 of the recess be 1 mm or more. Specifically, it is preferable that β-α≧1 is satisfied.

[0032] Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the depth from the upper surface 111 of the recess be less than or equal to the thickness of the member covering the surface 21A facing the plate-like body at the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2) minus 2 mm when the protective cap 10 is attached to the rotary tool 20. Specifically, it is even more preferable that α ≤ β-2 is satisfied. For example, α = β-2 can also be set.

[0033] The depth of the recess from the upper surface 111, i.e., the groove depth, may be constant or may vary depending on the location. The depth of the recess from the upper surface 111 may be configured to change, for example, from the through-hole 12 side, which is the central side, to the outer surface 113 side, which is the outer circumference side. For example, the depth of the recess may be configured to become deeper from the through-hole 12 side to the outer surface 113 side. That is, the depth of the recess may be configured to be deeper on the outer surface 113 side than on the through-hole 12 side. When the depth of the recess changes from the through-hole 12 side to the outer surface 113 side, the manner of the change is not particularly limited, and the depth may change linearly, for example.

[0034] Conventionally, when driving screws into a plate-like body, if the screws were driven in too deeply or if the rotary tool 20 was tilted while driving the screws, circular or arch-shaped indentations would occur in the plate-like body when the tip of the rotary tool 20 struck it. The inventors of the present invention investigated a protective cap that could suppress the occurrence of such indentations. As a result, they found that by providing recesses and protrusions on the upper surface of the protective cap 10, that is, the surface facing the plate-like body into which the screws are driven, the protrusions would easily collapse when the upper surface of the protective cap came into contact with the plate-like body, thereby suppressing the pressing force applied to the plate-like body by the rotary tool 20. Therefore, by providing recesses and protrusions on the upper surface of the protective cap 10, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of circular or arch-shaped indentations in the plate-like body when the upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10 comes into contact with the plate-like body.

[0035] The shapes of the recesses and protrusions are not particularly limited, but for example, when the upper surface 111 is viewed from above, that is, along block arrow B in Figure 1A, the recess 41 can be the shape shown in Figures 4A to 4G.

[0036] For example, as shown in Figures 4A to 4D, the shape of the recess 41 can be a radial shape or a shape that includes a radial shape. A radial shape refers to a shape in which multiple linear recesses 41 are arranged on the upper surface 111 from the first opening 121, which is on the central side, or from the through hole 12 side, toward the corner 14, which is on the outer circumference side, or toward the outer surface 113 side.

[0037] For example, as shown in the upper surface 111 of Figure 4A, it can also be formed to connect the outer circumference 1211 of the first opening 121 with the corner portion 14 (outer surface 113).

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in the upper surface 111 of Figure 4B, the first recess 411, which is part of the recess 41, can be formed to connect the outer circumference 1211 of the first opening 121 and the corner 14, while the other second recess 412 can be formed so as not to extend from the corner 14 to the first opening 121. As shown in Figure 4B, when viewed from above, the widths of the first recess 411 and the second recess 412 may be different, and the width of the second recess 412 may change within the second recess 412, as in the case of the second recess 412. In Figure 4B, an example is shown in which the width of the second recess 412 widens from a position close to the first opening 121 to the corner 14, but the way in which the width of the recess 41 changes is not limited to this form.

[0039] Figure 4B and others show a form in which the recess 41 has width when viewed from above the upper surface 111, but it is not limited to this form. When viewed from above the upper surface 111, the recess 41 may be a linear (strip-like) cut, that is, unlike Figure 4B and others, it may not have the width shown in Figure 4B and others. Here, the width and form of the recess 41 have been explained using Figure 4B as an example, but the same can be said for cases other than Figure 4B.

[0040] As shown in the upper surface 111 of Figure 4C, the recess 41 can also be formed in a radial shape so as not to extend from the corner 14 to the first opening 121.

[0041] As shown in the upper surface 111 of Figure 4D, the recess 41 can also have a form that includes other shapes in addition to the radial shape. For example, in Figure 4D, there can be a first recess 411 having a radial shape and a second recess 412 having a V-shape.

[0042] Figure 4D shows an example in which the first recess 411 is formed to connect the outer circumference 1211 of the first opening 121 and the corner 14, but the configuration is not limited to this. The first recess 411 may be formed in such a way that it does not extend from the corner 14 to the first opening 121, as in the second recess 412 shown in Figure 4B or the recess 41 shown in Figure 4C, or it may be formed in such a way that it does not extend from the first opening 121 to the corner 14.

[0043] Furthermore, the second recess 412 can also be shaped in a way other than a V-shape.

[0044] As shown in Figure 4E, the shape of the recess 41 can also be made into a concentric circle shape.

[0045] As shown in Figure 4F, the recesses 41 can also be formed to have a striped pattern. Furthermore, by forming intersecting stripes, the recesses can be made to have a grid pattern.

[0046] In other words, the shape of the recesses formed on the surface of the upper surface 111, as viewed from above the upper surface 111, may include one or more shapes selected from, for example, radial, concentric circles, and striped patterns.

[0047] Furthermore, the recesses 41 are not limited to the regular shapes shown in Figures 4A to 4F, but can also be configured as shown in Figure 4G, having randomly shaped protrusions 42 and recesses 41 surrounding the protrusions.

[0048] In all of the cases shown in Figures 4A to 4G, the protrusion 42 will be formed between the recesses 41 of the upper surface 111.

[0049] The proportion of the area occupied by the protrusions 42 on the upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 90% or less, more preferably 80% or less, and even more preferably 60% or less, in order to make it easier to crush when in contact with a plate-like body. The lower limit of the proportion of the area occupied by the protrusions 42 on the upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10 is also not particularly limited, but is preferably 10% or more, and more preferably 20% or more.

[0050] The area of ​​the upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10 is the area of ​​the region enclosed by the outer surface 113, excluding the area of ​​the first opening 121 of the through hole 12. If there is a first outer peripheral region 72 and a second outer peripheral region 73 with different outer diameters, as shown in Figure 7C later, the area of ​​the upper surface 111 can be the area of ​​the region enclosed by the outer surface 113A of the first outer peripheral region 72 that is closest to the upper surface 111, excluding the area of ​​the first opening 121. In addition, the area occupied by the protrusion 42 is the area of ​​the upper surface 111 excluding the recess 41 and the chamfered portion, which will be described later.

[0051] Furthermore, when the upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10 comes into contact with the plate-like body, the shape of the protrusion changes as described above, thereby suppressing the occurrence of indentations in the plate-like body. Depending on the degree of pressing into the plate-like body, indentations corresponding to the shape of the protrusion may occur in the plate-like body, but indentations caused by contact with the protrusion can be made less noticeable compared to circular or other indentations caused by contact with the outer circumference of the upper surface.

[0052] The cross-sectional shape of the recess 41 is not particularly limited and can be any shape. Examples of the configuration of the cross-sectional shape of the recess 41 will be explained using Figures 5A to 5G. Figures 5A to 5G show the cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the recess 41 when it has a linear shape, and correspond to, for example, the cross-sectional view along the FF line in Figure 4A.

[0053] The cross-sectional shape of the recess 41 can be a rectangle as shown in Figure 5A, a U-shape as shown in Figure 5B, a V-shape (triangle) as shown in Figure 5C, or the like.

[0054] Note that the term "quadrilateral shape" is not limited to rectangles or squares as shown in Figure 5A, but also includes various quadrilateral shapes such as trapezoids as shown in Figure 5D and parallelograms as shown in Figure 5E.

[0055] Furthermore, the U-shape includes various shapes where the base is arc-shaped, such as the semicircle shown in Figure 5F.

[0056] The V-shape is not limited to the isosceles triangle shape shown in Figure 5C, but also includes various triangular shapes such as the shape of the Japanese katakana character "レ" as shown in Figure 5G, i.e., a right triangle.

[0057] Thus, it is preferable that the recess 41 includes one or more shapes selected from, for example, a square shape, a U-shape, a V-shape, etc., in its cross-sectional shape.

[0058] According to the inventors' research, when the cross-sectional shape of the recess 41 includes a certain width on the bottom side, such as a square or U-shape, the convex portion 42 is particularly prone to collapse, and the occurrence of indentations in the plate-like body can be particularly suppressed. For this reason, it is more preferable that the recess 41 includes one or more cross-sectional shapes selected from a square shape and a U-shape.

[0059] Furthermore, the upper surface of the same protective cap 100 may also include recesses with different cross-sectional shapes and depths. (4) Chamfered part As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the protective cap 10 of this embodiment may also have a chamfered portion 61 formed by chamfering the corner 14 (see Figure 1B) between the upper surface 111 and the outer surface 113. That is, the protective cap 10 may also have a chamfered portion 61 formed by chamfering the area between the upper surface 111 and the outer surface 113. The chamfered portion 61 can be formed over the entire outer circumference of the upper surface 111.

[0060] Figures 6A and 6B are enlarged views of region D in Figure 1B when the chamfered portion 61 is present.

[0061] In this way, the protective cap 10 has a chamfered portion 61 between the upper surface 111 and the outer surface 113, which prevents dents from forming on the plate-like body even when the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2) is tilted while driving screws and the chamfered portion 61 comes into contact with the plate-like body.

[0062] The shape of the chamfered portion 61 is not particularly limited, but for example, in a cross-section passing through the central axis CA of the protective cap 10, the chamfered portion 61 may have an arc shape as shown in Figure 6A, or a straight line shape as shown in Figure 6B.

[0063] When the shape of the chamfered portion 61 in the above cross-section is an arc shape as shown in Figure 6A, it is preferable that its radius R61 is, for example, 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less.

[0064] Furthermore, when the shape of the chamfered portion 61 in the above cross-section is a straight line as shown in Figure 6B, it is preferable that the length L61 of the sides enclosing the right angle of the right-angled isosceles triangle with the straight line of the chamfered portion 61 as the hypotenuse is, for example, 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less. (5) Groove For example, the protective cap of this embodiment may also have a groove 71 (see Figures 7A and 7B) formed along the circumferential direction on its outer surface 113 (see Figures 1A and 1B).

[0065] Figure 7A is an enlarged view of region D in Figure 1B when the groove 71 is provided. Figure 7B is a perspective view of the protective cap with the groove 71 provided.

[0066] By providing the groove 71, the first outer peripheral region 72 located above the groove 71 can be easily deformed toward the groove 71. Therefore, even if the rotary tool 20 is tilted while driving screws and the corner 14 that contacts the outer circumference of the upper surface 111 comes into contact with the plate-like body, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of dents in the plate-like body.

[0067] Even when a groove 71 is provided, the corner 14 can be chamfered as described above, and a chamfered portion 61 (see Figure 6) can be provided.

[0068] The height position of the groove 71, the depth D71, the width W71, etc., of the groove 71 are not particularly limited, but it is preferable to select the size and position of the first outer peripheral region 72, which is located above the groove 71, so that it is easily deformed toward the groove 71.

[0069] In Figures 7A and 7B, the outer surface 113A of the first outer peripheral region 72 located above the groove 71 and the outer surface 113B of the second outer peripheral region 73 located below the groove 71 are located on the same plane, but the embodiment is not limited to this configuration.

[0070] For example, as shown in Figure 7C, the outer surface 113A of the first outer peripheral region 72, located above the groove 71, can be positioned further outward than the outer surface 113B of the second outer peripheral region 73, located below the groove 71. Here, "outside" means the direction away from the central axis CA of the protective cap 10. Figure 7C is an enlarged view of region D in Figure 1B when the groove 71 is provided and the outer surface 113A of the first outer peripheral region 72 is positioned further outward than the outer surface 113B of the second outer peripheral region 73. Therefore, the central axis CA is located on the left side in Figure 7C, and the "outside" is on the right side in Figure 7C.

[0071] By positioning the outer surface 113A of the first outer peripheral region 72 further out than the outer surface 113B of the second outer peripheral region 73, the first outer peripheral region 72 can be made particularly more prone to deformation toward the groove portion 71. Therefore, even when the rotary tool 20 is tilted while driving screws and the corner portion 14 that contacts the outer circumference of the upper surface 111 comes into contact with the plate-like body, the occurrence of dents in the plate-like body can be particularly suppressed.

[0072] The groove 71 may also have a communication hole 711 connecting the groove 71 and the through hole 12, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B. By providing the communication hole 711, the first outer peripheral region 72 can be made particularly easy to deform. This makes it possible to particularly suppress the occurrence of dents in the plate-like body. (6) Fixing member The protective cap 10 of this embodiment may also have a fixing member 80 that includes a plurality of protrusions 81 on the inner circumferential surface 131 of the through hole 12.

[0073] The outer diameter of the tip portion 21 of the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2) may vary depending on the manufacturer of the rotary tool 20. If the inner diameter of the through hole 12 of the protective cap 10 is smaller than the outer diameter of the tip portion 21, deflection may occur on the outer surface 113 of the protective cap 10, making it impossible to fix the protective cap 10 to the tip portion 21. Conversely, if the inner diameter of the through hole 12 of the protective cap 10 is larger than the outer diameter of the tip portion 21, a gap may be created between the inner circumferential surface of the protective cap 10 and the tip portion 21, making it impossible to fix the protective cap 10 to the tip portion 21.

[0074] Therefore, if the outer diameter of the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 and the inner diameter of the through hole 12 of the protective cap 10 are significantly different, the protective cap 10 may shift position during use of the rotary tool 20, potentially preventing it from adequately protecting the plate-like body.

[0075] Therefore, in this embodiment, the protective cap 10 preferably has a fixing member 80 including a plurality of protrusions 81 on the inner circumferential surface 131 of the through hole 12, and especially on the inner circumferential surface (inner surface) of the second through hole 12B (see Figures 8A and 8B), so that it can be attached regardless of the size of the tip portion 21 of the rotary tool 20.

[0076] The fixing member 80 will be explained using Figures 8A and 8B. Figure 8A is a bottom view of the protective cap 10 when the fixing member 80 is present, and corresponds to the view along block arrow C in Figure 1A. Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view of the protective cap 10 with the fixing member 80 along line AA (see Figure 1A).

[0077] The fixing member 80 can include a plurality of protrusions 81, as shown in Figure 8A, and a plurality of these protrusions 81 can be provided along the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface 131 of the through hole 12, as shown in Figure 8A. By providing a plurality of protrusions 81 on the inner circumferential surface 131 of the through hole 12 in this way, when the rotary tool 20 is inserted into the through hole 12 from the lower surface 112 of the protective cap 10, it can be configured to shrink according to the size of the tip portion 21 shown by the dashed line and to be in close contact with the outer surface of the tip portion 21. For this reason, the height H81 of the protrusions 81 can be selected according to the range of sizes of the tip portion 21 of the corresponding rotary tool 20.

[0078] In Figure 8A, the size and shape of the protrusions 81, such as their height, are constant, but the fixing member 80 may also include protrusions 81 of different heights and shapes.

[0079] The fixing member 80 only needs to be provided on at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface 131 of the through hole 12. However, in order to improve the contact with the tip portion 21 of the rotary tool 20 (see Figure 2), it is preferable that it be provided in a pleated manner over the entire inner circumferential surface 131 of the second through hole 12B, for example, as shown in Figure 8B. (7) Material of protective cap, cushion part The material constituting the protective cap 10 of this embodiment is not particularly limited. However, from the viewpoint of deforming to conform to the shape of the tip 21 (see Figure 2) of the rotary tool 20 inserted into the through hole 12 and protecting the plate-like body, it is preferable to include an elastic material, and more preferably to be composed of an elastic material. Examples of elastic materials include rubber, and silicone rubber is particularly preferable as the elastic material. This is because, in the case of silicone rubber, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of metal shavings generated when screws are driven into the plate-like body to the protective cap 10, thereby preventing dirt from adhering to the surface of the plate-like body.

[0080] In addition to the silicone rubber mentioned above, the elastic material contained in the protective cap 10 may be one or more selected from, for example, natural rubber, nitrile rubber, silicon rubber, fluororubber, urethane rubber, acrylic rubber, isoprene rubber, styrene rubber, butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, isobutylene-isoprene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, ethylene-vinyl acetate rubber, chloroprene rubber, Hypalon (chlorosulfurized polyethylene) chlorinated polyethylene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, polysulfurized rubber, etc.

[0081] In this case, the rubber hardness of the elastic material is preferably 30 to 90, and more preferably 40 to 80. That is, the protective cap 10 of this embodiment may include portions in which the rubber hardness is within the above range, preferably 30 to 90, and more preferably 40 to 80.

[0082] This is because, when the rubber hardness is within the above range, it can be easily deformed to match the shape of the tip 21 of the rotary tool 20 and fixed to the rotary tool 20. Furthermore, when the rubber hardness is within the above range, it exhibits sufficient cushioning properties, which is particularly effective in preventing dents from forming on the plate-like body.

[0083] In this specification, rubber hardness refers to Type A durometer hardness, that is, rubber hardness measured by the Type A durometer hardness test specified in JIS K 6253-3 (2012).

[0084] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9A to 9C, the protective cap 10 of this embodiment may also have a cushion portion 91 on the surface of the upper surface 111 that contains a material with lower rubber hardness than the other parts. Figures 9A to 9C are cross-sectional views of the protective cap 10 along line AA in Figure 1A when the cushion portion 91 is provided.

[0085] In this way, by providing the cushion portion 91 on the upper surface 111, it is possible to particularly suppress the occurrence of indentations in the plate-like body even when the upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10 comes into contact with the plate-like body.

[0086] As shown in Figures 9A to 9C, it is preferable that the cushion portion 91 be provided so as to constitute the entire upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10.

[0087] If the portion of the protective cap 10 other than the cushion portion 91 is considered the main body portion 92, then the side surface 911 of the cushion portion 91 and the side surface 921 of the main body portion 92 may be at the same distance from the central axis CA, as shown in Figure 9A.

[0088] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9B, the side surface 911 of the cushion portion 91 can be positioned further outward than the side surface 921 of the main body portion 92. Here, "outward" means in the direction away from the central axis CA of the protective cap 10.

[0089] By positioning the side surface 911 of the cushion portion 91 further outward than the side surface 921 of the main body portion 92, the cushion portion 91 can be more easily deformed downward, i.e., towards the bottom surface 112. Therefore, even when the rotary tool 20 is tilted while driving screws and the outer circumference of the top surface 111 comes into contact with the plate-like body, the occurrence of dents in the plate-like body can be particularly suppressed.

[0090] As shown in Figure 9C, the groove 71 described above can also be provided on the side surface 921 of the main body 92. By providing the groove 71, the cushion portion 91 can be easily deformed downward, i.e., towards the bottom surface 112. Therefore, even when the rotary tool 20 is tilted while driving screws and the outer circumference of the top surface 111 comes into contact with the plate-like body, the occurrence of dents in the plate-like body can be particularly suppressed.

[0091] The main body portion 92 may also be provided with a chamfered portion 61, similar to the case of the protective cap 10 described using Figures 6A and 6B. The cushion portion 91 may be configured to cover not only the upper surface 111 side of the protective cap 10, i.e., the flat upper surface portion of the main body portion 92, but also, if a chamfered portion is provided on the main body portion 92 as described above, the cushion portion 91 may be configured to cover the chamfered portion, for example, at least a part of the chamfered portion.

[0092] If a cushion portion 91 is provided, the cushion portion 91 may contain a material with a lower rubber hardness than the other parts, i.e., the main body portion 92, as described above, and may also be composed of a material with a lower rubber hardness. The rubber hardness of the cushion portion 91 is preferably, for example, 75 or less.

[0093] Furthermore, it is preferable that the rubber hardness of the cushion portion 91 is 10 or more lower than the rubber hardness of the plate-like body into which the screws are driven. For this reason, when the rubber hardness of the cushion portion 91 is H91 and the rubber hardness of the plate-like body is HB, it is preferable that HB-H91 ≥ 10. Note that if the rubber hardness of the plate-like body differs depending on the location, the rubber hardness HB of the plate-like body refers to the rubber hardness around the location where the screws are driven.

[0094] The cushion portion 91 can be made of the same elastic material as the main body portion 92, and can also be made of materials such as felt, plastic foam, or gel. In the case of felt or the like, the rubber hardness can be evaluated by the Type A durometer hardness test described above.

[0095] The main body 92 may include, for example, an elastic material with the rubber hardness described above, i.e., a rubber hardness of 30 to 90, and may be composed of such an elastic material.

[0096] The cushion portion 91 and the main body portion 92 can be joined together to form a single molded product, or they can be bonded together using adhesive or adhesive tape.

[0097] The upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10 is preferably close in color to the color of the plate-like material. This is because even if a part of the protective cap 10 adheres to the plate-like material due to friction or the like, if the color of the protective cap is close to the color of the plate-like material, it will prevent damage to the appearance. Generally, plate-like materials such as ceiling panels, flooring materials, and wall materials are often close to gray or white, so it is preferable that the upper surface 111 of the protective cap 10 is also gray or white. If a cushion portion 91 is provided as described above, it is preferable that at least the upper surface of the cushion portion 91 has the above-mentioned color tone.

[0098] Although the protective cap has been described above in the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as described in the claims.

[0099] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-033932, filed with the Japan Patent Office on March 4, 2022, and the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-033932 are incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 10, 100 protective caps H10 Height D10 diameter CA center axis 111 Top surface 112 Bottom surface 113 External surface 12 Through holes 12A 1st through hole H12A Length 12B 2nd through hole 121 First opening D121 diameter 122 Second opening D122 diameter 131 Inner surface 14 corners 20 Rotary Tools 21 Tip 22-bit 21A side 41 Recess 411 First recess 412 Second recess 42 Convex part 61 Chamfered section R61 radius L61 Length 71 Groove 711 Communication hole 72 1st outer peripheral area 73 Second outer area 113A External surface 113B External surface D71 Depth W71 width 80 Fixing member 81 Protrusion H81 Height 91 Cushion part 911 Side view 92 Main body 921 Side view

Claims

1. A protective cap to be attached to a power-driven rotary tool for driving screws, The protective cap has an upper surface and a lower surface, It comprises a through hole that penetrates between the upper surface and the lower surface, The upper surface consists of recesses and protrusions. The aforementioned protrusion is configured such that it collapses when the upper surface of the protective cap comes into contact with the plate-like body.

2. The protective cap according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the recess formed on the surface of the upper surface, as viewed from above the upper surface, includes one or more shapes selected from radial, concentric, and striped patterns.

3. The protective cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the recess includes one or more shapes selected from a square shape, a U-shape, and a V-shape.

4. The protective cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the depth of the recess increases from the through-hole side toward the outer surface side.

5. The protective cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the upper surface includes an inclined surface in a cross-section passing through the central axis of the protective cap.

6. A protective cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, having grooves formed along the circumferential direction on its outer surface.

7. The protective cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, having a chamfered portion formed by chamfering the space between the upper surface and the outer surface.

8. The protective cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, having a fixing member with a plurality of protrusions on the inner circumferential surface of the through hole.

9. A protective cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a portion having a rubber hardness of 30 or more and 90 or less.

10. The protective cap according to claim 1 or claim 2, having a cushion portion on the upper surface containing a material with lower rubber hardness than the other parts.

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