Tool Collet Shear Locking for Secure Hand Tool Lanyards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lanyard attachment systems for hand tools, particularly those with tapered or elongated designs like alignment pins and drift pins, face issues with securing the lanyard attachment point effectively, leading to potential detachment during sudden stops, which can cause damage or injury.
Innovation Solution
A tool collet system with a collet body, lanyard ring, and fastening members, featuring an annular groove and gripping members like setscrews, securely attaches to the hand tool, ensuring the lanyard ring remains in place even under significant forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lanyard attachment system is used on tapered or elongated tools, then the tool can be tethered to prevent dropping, but the attachment point may slide off during sudden stops
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into separate functional components: a collet body that provides the attachment interface, fastening members that secure the collet to the tool, and a lanyard ring that connects the lanyard. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together as a integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The lanyard ring is nested within the collet body, with the ring positioned inside the collet's internal cavity. This nested arrangement ensures that the lanyard attachment point is contained within the collet structure, preventing it from sliding off the tool during sudden stops or drops.
2Reliability
If a secure attachment system is implemented, then tool drop prevention is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collet body serves multiple functions: it provides the attachment interface for the lanyard ring, acts as the mounting structure for the fastening members, and functions as the securing mechanism that attaches the entire assembly to the tool. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall system while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening members are designed to be adjustable and self-securing, allowing the user to tighten them against the tool surface to create friction-based retention. The setscrew mechanism automatically maintains pressure against the tool, providing continuous securing action without requiring additional active components or power sources.
3Ease of operation
If friction-based retention is used, then the attachment point can be removed easily, but it may detach under sudden forces
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system transitions from a static friction-based connection to a dynamic adjustable connection. The fastening members can be easily adjusted or loosened by the user for simple removal, but when tightened, they create a mechanically locked condition that can withstand sudden forces. The system adapts its retention characteristics based on the user's adjustment state.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines two retention mechanisms: friction-based retention between the fastening members and the tool surface for easy adjustability, and mechanical interlocking through the collet body structure and lanyard ring nesting for high-force resistance. These two mechanisms work together to provide both ease of operation and secure retention under load.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The tool collet system effectively prevents the lanyard attachment point from sliding off, maintaining a secure grip on the hand tool during drops, thereby reducing the risk of damage or injury and enhancing safety.
Implementation Method 1
tightening the setscrew against the surface of the hand tool
Implementation Method 2
The lanyard ring has an annular end adapted to be disposed and captured within the annular groove
Implementation Method 3
one or more gripping members disposed within the collet through opening
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 6~10
AI summary
An apparatus and method of creating a shear across a fastener for a tool collet being attached to a hand tool includes providing a tool collet having a collet body with a peripheral body surface and a collet through opening where the collet body is divided into a first body component and a second body component and where one of the first body component and the second body component has a first radial through aperture extending from the peripheral body surface to the collet through opening, providing a setscrew within the first radial through aperture, inserting a hand tool into the collet through opening, securing the first body component to the second body component, and tightening the setscrew against the hand tool sufficient to cause the first body component and the second body component to slide in opposite directions transversely to the portion of the hand tool.