TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a screw driving device, particularly for use with
an impact driver.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] A device that uses an electrically driven tool (such as an electrical driller or
an impact driver) to drive a screw is commonly known in this field. For example, Taiwan
Utility Model 098218832 discloses a dual-purpose automatic shut-down device for power
transmitting fashion screw driving-in and retracting-out, which operates excellently
for driving of electrical drilling for smooth and continuous driving power. However,
the construction business trends to use longer and longer screws (bolts), and electrical
drillers are not efficient in driving such screws. Thus, a screw driving device that
is equipped with an impact driver is used to drive long screws. The impact driver
provides an oscillating torque that is required for driving a long screw, while the
screw driving device functions to control the depth of the screw penetrating into
a workpiece, in order to optimize the retaining strength of the screw.
[0003] However, the oscillation effect caused by the screw driving device and the impact
driver might cause a circular bearing of the screw driving device to damage its holding
a stem of a screwdriver bit at a driving position. When such a situation occurs, the
bearing on longer holds the stem of the screwdriver bit and is no longer rotatable
freely at the driving position. Thus, the screwdriver bit must be replaced even before
the limit of the service life of the screwdriver bit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Thus, the present invention provides a screw driving device for use with an impact
driver, comprising: a driving axle, which includes a driving end for coupling to and
being driven by the impact driver and a receptacle end including an annular wall.
The annular wall includes multiple radial holes that arranged, at intervals, on a
first radial plane of the receptacle end and multiple radial holes arranged, at intervals,
on a second radial plane of the receptacle end. The radial holes each retain and hold
a clutch bearing for engaging a screwdriver bit at a driving position and disengaging
from the screwdriver bit at a clutching position to allow the screwdriver bit to freely
rotate relative to the driving axle at the clutching position. Each of the clutch
bearings is a cylindrical body that includes a circular external end and a truncated
conic end for engaging a screwdriver bit at the driving position. A hollow clutch
sleeve includes a top end, a bottom end, and a central channel that receives the driving
axle. The central channel has top end having a size that is defined for passage of
the driving end of the driving axle therethrough and preventing the receptacle end
of the driving axle to pass therethrough. The hollow clutch sleeve is provided with
two annular grooves at a bottom end of the central channel. The annular grooves have
sizes that are defined to receive outer ends of the clutch bearings arranged on one
of a first radial plane and a second radial plane when the driving axle is at the
clutching position, so that corresponding inner ends of the clutch bearings are allowed
to disengage from the screwdriver bit but are retained in the corresponding radial
holes. A depth control collar is coupled to the bottom end of the hollow clutch sleeve.
The depth control collar includes a bottom part, and the bottom part includes a passage
for the screwdriver bit to extend therethrough. And, a spring is provided for biasing
the driving axle toward the driving position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Hereinafter, features of the present invention will be described with reference to
the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a screw driving device according to the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the screw driving device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing a second embodiment of the screw driving device
shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing the screw
driving device of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing the screw
driving device of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a close-up view showing a clutch bearing of the screw driving device shown
in FIG. 4 or 5;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the screw driving device of FIG. 4 at a clutching
position;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the screw driving device of FIG. 5 at a clutching
position; and
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the screw driving device of FIG. 4 at a locked
position for removal of a driven screw.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a screw driving device 10 according to the present
invention.
[0007] The screw driving device 10 includes a driving axle 12. The driving axle 12 includes
a driving end 14 that is suitable for coupling with and being driven by a handheld
electrical impact driver (not shown). The handheld electrical tool belongs to known
art.
[0008] A hollow clutch sleeve 16 receives the driving axle 12 therein. A locking projection
17 is formed on a lateral side of the driving axle 12 for locking the screw driving
device 10 at a locked position for removing a screw driven thereby.
[0009] Reference is made to FIG. 9 for the following description. A depth control collar
(nose cone) 18 grips a bottom end of the hollow clutch sleeve 16. The depth control
collar 18 includes a bottom part 20, and a screwdriver bit 22 is received, by passing
through the bottom part, in a bottom end of the driving axle 12.
[0010] Reference is made to FIGS. 4-8 for the following description. When the screw driving
device 10 is at a driving position, the screwdriver bit 22 rotates with the driving
axle 12; and when the screw driving device 10 is at a clutching position, engagement
between the screwdriver bit 22 and the driving axle 12 is released.
[0011] The depth control collar 18 is exchangeable in order to enable variation of a depth
of a screw (bolt) driven by the screw driving device 10. If necessary, this can be
achieved by adding an extra depth control collar 18 having a different height.
[0012] For such a purpose, the depth control collar 18 has an axial slit 24 formed in a
top edge thereof to allow a lip 26 of the depth control collar 18, which projects
inwards, to disengage and separate from a recess 28 that is of a corresponding shape
formed in the hollow clutch sleeve 16 (see for example FIG. 4).
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the screw driving device 10 shown in FIG. 1.
[0014] The driving end 14 of the driving axle 12 extends through a central channel 40 formed
in the hollow clutch sleeve 16. The central channel 40 has a top part that is extended
inward to form a stop 42. The stop has a size that is designed to allow passage of
the driving end 14 of the driving axle 12, but preventing a receptacle end 44 of the
driving axle 12 to pass. The stop 42 is formed with a locking gap 43 that allows the
locking projection 17 to pass therethrough in order to retain the screw driving device
at the locked position, and this will be further described below with reference to
FIG. 9.
[0015] Multiple radial holes 46 are arranged to penetrate through the receptacle end 44
of the driving axle 12 and respectively receive and holds clutch bearings 50 (see
FIGS. 4-6). In the embodiment, three radial holes 46 that are spaced from each other
by 120 degrees are arranged on a radial planar surface. The clutch bearings 50 are
engageable with the screwdriver bit 22 at the driving position of the screw driving
device, this being described below with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, such that
the screwdriver bit 22 is rotatable in unison with the screw driving device 10.
[0016] When the screw driving device 10 is at the clutching position, the clutch bearings
50 and the screwdriver bit 22 are separated and disengaged from each other, this being
described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, such that the screwdriver bit is
not related to the rotation of the screw driving device 10 in order to control a depth
of the screw driven by the screw driving device 10.
[0017] A helical spring 58 has a top end positioned on a bottom end 59 of the driving axle
12, and the helical spring 58 has a bottom end engaging an interior bottom surface
of the depth control collar 18, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The helical spring 58 biases
the driving axle 12 toward the driving position of the screw driving device 10.
[0018] An annular magnet 60 is received and retained in a receptacle 62 formed in the bottom
part 20 of the depth control collar 18 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The magnet 60 magnetically
attracts a steel screw (not shown) disposed on the screwdriver bit 22 so as to hold
the screw on the screwdriver bit 22, until the screw is driven by the screw driving
device 10.
[0019] FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing a different embodiment, which is designated with
reference 10a, for the screw driving device 10 shown in FIG. 1. The embodiment 10a
is identical to the embodiment 10 described above with reference to FIG. 2, except
a driving axle 12a has a receptacle end 44a that is longer than the receptacle end
44 of the driving axle 12.
[0020] The clutch sleeve 16a is, correspondingly, longer than the clutch sleeve 16, and
the screwdriver bit 22a is also correspondingly longer than the screwdriver bit 22
shown in FIG. 2. The extra lengths of the receptacle end 44a, the hollow clutch sleeve
16a, and the screwdriver bit 22a allow the receptacle end 44a of the hollow clutch
sleeve 12a to accommodate multiple radial holes 48. Each of the radial holes 48 similarly
accommodates one clutch bearing 50, this being described below with reference to FIGS.
5 and 8.
[0021] In the embodiment, the radial holes 46 are arranged on a first radial plane and spaced
from each other by 120 degrees, and the radial holes 48 are arranged on a second radial
plane that is located above the first radial plane and spaced from each other by 120
degrees. Each of the radial holes 46 is spaced from any one of the radial holes 48
adjacent thereto by 60°.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the screw driving device 10 shown in FIG. 2 by
taking along a line 4-4 of FIG. 1, wherein the screwdriver bit 22 is put in rotation
with the rotation of the driving axle 12.
[0023] The receptacle end 44 of the driving axle 12 includes an annular wall 64. The annular
wall 64 is arranged to form a receptacle 66 that receives and retains the screwdriver
bit 22 therein. The annular wall 64 is penetrated through by the multiple radial holes
46 (only one of which is shown in the cross-sectional view, however, as noted above,
there are generally three such radial holes 46).
[0024] When the screw driving device 10 is at the driving position so illustrated, the radial
holes 46 receive the clutch bearings 50 to engage planar surfaces of a hexagonal configuration
of the screwdriver bit 22, and also enabling disengagement and detachment of the screwdriver
bit 22 at the clutching position shown in FIG. 7. The hollow clutch sleeve 16 is provided
with an annular groove 72 at a bottom end of the central channel 40, and the annular
groove 72 has a size that is arranged to receive and accommodate the clutch bearings
50 when the screw driving device 10 is at the clutching position, so that the clutch
bearings 50 are detached from the screwdriver bit 22 but are retained in the radial
holes 46.
[0025] Frictional fitting with a ball bearing 74 disposed on an axial hole 76 for supporting
a top end of the screwdriver bit 22 allows the screwdriver bit 22 to keep in a stationary
condition and also allows for free rotation of the driving axle 12 when the screw
driving device 10 is at the clutching position, this being described below with reference
to FIG. 7.
[0026] A retention ring 78 that is held in a radial recess 80 in an end of the receptacle
66 is engageable with a notch 81 formed on the screwdriver bit 22 to retain, in a
removable manner, the screwdriver bit 22 in the receptacle 66.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing the screw
driving device of FIG. 3 at the driving position, wherein the screwdriver bit 22 is
put in rotation with the rotation of the driving axle 12.
[0028] The receptacle end 44a of the driving axle 12a includes an annular wall 64a. The
annular wall 64a is arranged to form a receptacle 66a that receives and retains the
screwdriver bit 22a. The annular wall 64a is penetrated by the multiple radial holes
46, 48 (only one of each of which is shown in the cross-sectional view, however, as
noted above, there are generally three such radial holes 46 and three such radial
holes 48).
[0029] The radial holes 46 respectively hold the clutch bearings 50a, and when the screw
driving device 10a is at the driving position as illustrated, the radial holes 48
respectively hold the clutch bearings 50b, and the clutch bearing 50b are respectively
engageable with planar surfaces of a hexagonal configuration of the screwdriver bit
22a, and also disengageable and separated from the screwdriver bit 22a at the clutching
position shown in FIG. 8.
[0030] The hollow clutch sleeve 16a is provided with two annular grooves 72a, 72b at a bottom
end of the central channel 40. The two annular grooves 72a, 72b have sizes that are
arranged to receive and accommodate corresponding clutch bearings 50a, 50b when the
screw driving device 10a is at the clutching position, so that the clutch bearings
50a, 50b are detached from the screwdriver bit 22a but are retained in the corresponding
radial holes 46, 48.
[0031] Frictional fitting with a ball bearing 74 disposed on an axial hole 76 for supporting
a top end of the screwdriver bit 22a allows the screwdriver bit 22a and also allows
for free rotation of the driving axle 12a when the screw driving device 10a is at
the clutching position, this being described below with reference to FIG. 8.
[0032] A retention ring 78 that is held in a radial recess 80 in an end of the receptacle
66 is engageable with a notch 81 formed on the screwdriver bit 22 to retain, in a
removable manner, the screwdriver bit 22 in the receptacle 66.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a close-up view showing one of the clutch bearings 50 of the screw driving
device shown in FIG. 4 or 5.
[0034] All clutch bearings 50, 50a, 50b are of the same size and shape. In an embodiment,
the clutch bearing 50 is a cylindrical body that includes a truncated conic internal
end 52 and a circular external end 54. The cylindrical body has a total length that
is designated at "a". The circular external end 54 has a length that is designated
at "b" and is one quarter of the total length, namely1/4a (or 0.25a). A cylindrical
middle 56 has a length that is designated at "c" and is one half of the total length,
namely 1/2a (or 0.5a). The truncated conic internal end 52 has a length of 1/4a (or
0.25a). The cylindrical middle 56 has a diameter that is 1a (or 1.0a). The truncated
conic end 52 has a planar surface 57 having a diameter that is designated at "e" and
is 3/4a (or 0.75a). The circular external end 54 has a radius that is designated at
"r" and is 1/2a (or 0.5a). In an embodiment, the clutch bearing 50 has a length of
4 mm and a diameter of 4mm; the cylindrical middle has a length of 2 mm. The circular
external end has a radius of 2 mm, and the circular external end 54 has a length of
1 mm. The truncated conic internal end 52 has a length of 1 mm, and the planar surface
57 has a diameter of 3 mm. It is noted that the two ends of the clutch bearing 50
can both be truncated cone in shape.
[0035] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the screw driving device 10 of FIG. 4 at
the clutching position. At the clutching position, the screwdriver bit 22 is released
from the corresponding clutch bearings 50 that were set in engagement therewith so
that the screw 100 is no longer driven by the screw driving device 10.
[0036] When the screw 100 is driven into a working surface 102, the bottom end 20 of the
depth control collar 18 is brought into contact with the working surface 102 and the
driving axle 12 slides downward to pass through the central channel 40 of the hollow
clutch sleeve 16, until the radial holes 46 are in alignment with the annular groove
72 of the hollow clutch sleeve 16 and a force applied by the screwdriver bit 22 set
in engagement with a screw driven thereby causes the clutch bearings 50 to move outwards
and enter the annular groove 72.
[0037] The clutch bearings 50, once entering the annular groove 72, is no longer kept in
engagement with the planar surfaces of the screwdriver bit 22, and the screw driving
device 10 is located at the clutching position. Thus, even the driving axle 12 is
continuously rotated by the impact driver, the screwdriver bit still keeps stationary
and the screw is not driven any more. A depth that the screw is driven into the working
surface 102 can thus be controlled by the depth control collar 18.
[0038] When a downward pressing force of the driving axle 12 is released through operation
of the impact driver and the screw driving device 10 is removed from the working surface,
the helical spring 58 biases upward the driving axle 12, and the screw driving device
10 returns to the driving position shown in FIG. 4. When the screw driving device
10 returns to the driving position, an inclined bottom surface 82 of the annular groove
72 forces each of the clutch bearings 50 to contact with a corresponding one of the
planar surfaces of the screwdriver bit 22.
[0039] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the screw driving device of FIG. 5 at the
clutching position. At the clutching position, the screwdriver bit 22a is released
from each of the clutch bearings 50a, 50b that was set in engagement therewith so
that the screw 100 is no longer driven by the screw driving device 10a.
[0040] When the screw 100 is driven into a working surface 102, the bottom part 20 of the
depth control collar 18 is brought into contact with the working surface 102, and
when the screw 100 is driven to enter the working surface 102, the driving axle 12a
slides downward to pass through the central channel 40 of the hollow clutch sleeve
16a, until the radial holes 46, 48 are in alignment with the annular grooves 72a,
72b of the hollow clutch sleeve 16a, and the clutch bearings 50a, 50b corresponding
thereto are caused by the screwdriver bit 22a in engagement with the driven screw
100 to move outward and enter the annular grooves 72a, 72b.
[0041] The clutch bearings 50a, 50b, once entering the corresponding annular grooves 72a,
72b, are no longer kept in engagement with the planar surfaces of the screwdriver
bit 22a, and the screw driving device 10a is located at a held position. Thus, even
the driving axle 12a is continuously rotated by the impact driver, the screwdriver
bit 22a still keeps stationary and the screw 100 is not driven any more. A depth that
the screw is driven into the working surface 102 can thus be controlled by the depth
control collar 18.
[0042] When a downward pressing force of the driving axle 12a is released through operation
of the impact driver and the screw driving device 10a is removed from the working
surface 102, the helical spring 58 biases upward the driving axle 12a, and the screw
driving device 10a returns to the driving position shown in FIG. 5.
[0043] When the screw driving device 10a returns to the driving position, an inclined bottom
surface 82a, 82b of each of the annular groove 72a, 72b forces each of the clutch
bearings 50a, 50b to contact with a corresponding one of the planar surfaces of the
screwdriver bit 22a.
[0044] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the screw driving device 10 of FIG. 4 is
fixed at a locked position in a reversed direction for removal of a driven screw from
a workpiece.
[0045] To set the screw driving device 10 at the driving position in the reversed direction,
the locking projection 17 is caused to move downward through the locking gap 43 (see
FIG. 2) to resist the force of the helical spring 58, this being described above with
reference to FIG. 2. And, further, the hollow clutch sleeve is rotated far enough
to have the locking projection 17 caught under the stop 42 at the top end of the hollow
clutch sleeve 16.
[0046] At the driving position in the reversed direction, each of the clutch bearings 50
is set below the annular groove 72 of the hollow clutch sleeve 16 and in engagement
with a corresponding one of the planar surfaces of the screwdriver bit 22, so that
the rotation of the driving axle 12 made in any direction could make the screwdriver
bit rotating in the same direction. The screw driving device 10 could rotate the hollow
clutch sleeve 16 back to the driving position shown in FIG. 4, while keeping the driving
axle 12 stationary, until the locking projection 17 and the locking gap 43 are in
alignment with each other and is pushed upward by the helical spring 58.
[0047] The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 can be operated in
exactly the same way to have the screw driving device 10a fixed at the driving position
in the reversed direction.
1. A screw driving device for use with an impact driver, comprising:
a driving axle (12, 12a), which includes a driving end (14) adapted to couple to and
be driven by the impact driver and a receptacle end (44, 44a) including an annular
wall (64, 64a), the annular wall (64, 64a) being arranged to form a receptacle (66,
66a) for receiving and retaining a screwdriver bit (22, 22a), the annular wall (64,
64a) including multiple radial holes (46), each of the radial holes (46, 48) receiving
and holding a clutch bearing (50, 50a, 50b) for engaging with the screwdriver bit
(22, 22a) at a driving position and disengaging from the screwdriver bit (22, 22a)
at a clutching position;
a hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a), which includes a top end, a bottom end, and a central
channel (40) that receives the driving axle (12, 12a), the central channel (40) having
a top end having a size that is defined for passage of the driving end (14) of the
driving axle (12, 12a) therethrough and preventing the receptacle end (44, 44a) of
the driving axle (12, 12a) to pass therethrough, the hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a)
having an annular groove (72, 72a, 72b) at a bottom end of the central channel (40),
the annular groove (72, 72a, 72b) having a size that that is defined to receive the
clutch bearings (50, 50a, 50b) therein when the driving axle (12, 12a) is at the clutching
position, so that a truncated conic end (52) of each of the clutch bearings (50) disengages
from the screwdriver bit (22, 22a) but retains in a corresponding one of the radial
holes (46, 48);
a depth control collar (18), which surrounds the bottom end of the hollow clutch sleeve
(16, 16a), the depth control collar (18) including a bottom part (20), the bottom
part (20) including a passage that allows the screwdriver bit (22, 22a) to extend
therethrough; and
a spring (58), which biases the driving axle (12, 12a) toward the driving position;
characterized in that:
the clutch bearings (50, 50a, 50b) each a cylindrical body that includes the truncated
conic internal end (52) and an circular external end (54) and are arranged to engage
with the screwdriver bit (22, 22a) at the driving position and to allow the clutch
bearings (50) to move from the clutching position to the driving position, wherein
the cylindrical body has a total length "a" and the circular external end (54) gas
a length "b" that is 1/4a, a cylindrical middle (56) having a length "c" that is 1/2
a, the truncated conic internal end (52) having a length "d" that is 1/4a, the cylindrical
middle (56) having a diameter that is 1a, the truncated conic end having a planar
surface having a diameter "e" that is 3/4a, the circular external end (54) having
a radius "r" that is 1/2a, the receptacle end (44) of the driving axle (12) including
three radial holes (46) that are spaced from each other by 120 degrees on a radial
planar surface of the receptacle end (44), the receptacle end (44a) of the driving
axle (12a) including three radial holes (46) arranged on a first radial plane of the
receptacle end (44a) and three radial holes (48) arranged on a second radial plane
of the receptacle end (44a), the second radial plane being separate from the first
radial plane, the hollow clutch sleeve (16a) comprising a first annular groove (72a)
and a second annular groove (72b) for receiving the clutch bearings (50a, 50b) retained
in the radial holes (46, 48) arranged on the first and second radial planes when the
screw driving device (10a) is at the clutching position, a locking projection (17)
arranged at one side of the driving axle (12, 12a) above the receptacle end (44, 44a)
being operable to fix the screw driving device (10, 10a) at the driving position in
a reversed direction in order to remove a driven screw from a workpiece, at least
one locking gap (43) formed in the top end of the hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a) to
allow the locking projection (17) to pass therethrough for fixing the screw driving
device (10, 10a) at the driving position at the reverse direction, wherein when the
locking projection (17) passes through the locking gap (43) and the hollow clutch
sleeve (16, 16a) is rotated far enough to have the locking projection (17) caught
in the hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a), an axial slit (24) that is formed in the top
end of the depth control collar (18) and is split allows the depth control collar
(18) to be removed and replaced by another control collar having a different depth
in order to change a depth of a screw being driven into a workpiece, the depth control
collar (18) having a bottom part that is smaller than a top part of the depth control
collar (18), a corresponding one of the radial holes (46) on the first radial plane
being shifted away from each of the radial holes (48) of the second radial plane adjacent
thereto by 60 degrees.
2. The screw driving device for use with the impact driver according to claim 1, wherein
the bottom part of the depth control collar includes an insertion receptacle (62),
the insertion receptacle (62) surrounding the channel through which the screwdriver
bit (22, 22a) extends, the insertion receptacle (62) receiving and retaining therein
an annular magnet (60), so as to hold the bottom end of the screwdriver bit (22, 22a)
when the driving axle (12, 12a) is at the driving position, an annular groove (80)
formed in a bottom part of the receptacle end (44, 44a) of the driving axle (12, 12a),
the annular groove (80) receiving a retention ring (78) in engagement with the screwdriver
bit (22, 22a) to hold, in a releasable manner, the screwdriver bit (22, 22a) in the
receptacle end (44, 44a) of the driving axle (12, 12a), the depth control collar (18)
including an axial slit (24) formed in an edge of the top part thereof to allow the
depth control collar (18) to detach from the hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a) so that
the depth control collar (18) is removed from the hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a).
Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC.
1. A screw driving device for use with an impact driver, comprising:
a driving axle (12, 12a), which includes a driving end (14) adapted to couple to and
be driven by the impact driver and a receptacle end (44, 44a) including an annular
wall (64, 64a), the annular wall (64, 64a) being arranged to form a receptacle (66,
66a) for receiving and retaining a screwdriver bit (22, 22a), the annular wall (64,
64a) including multiple radial holes (46, 48), each of the radial holes (46, 48) receiving
and holding a clutch bearing (50, 50a, 50b) for engaging with the screwdriver bit
(22, 22a) at a driving position and disengaging from the screwdriver bit (22, 22a)
at a clutching position;
a hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a), which includes a top end, a bottom end, and a central
channel (40) that receives the driving axle (12, 12a), the central channel (40) having
a top end having a size that is defined for passage of the driving end (14) of the
driving axle (12, 12a) therethrough and preventing the receptacle end (44, 44a) of
the driving axle (12, 12a) to pass therethrough, the hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a)
having an annular groove (72, 72a, 72b) at a bottom end of the central channel (40),
the annular groove (72, 72a, 72b) having a size that that is defined to receive the
clutch bearings (50, 50a, 50b) therein when the driving axle (12, 12a) is at the clutching
position, so that a truncated conic end (52) of each of the clutch bearings (50) disengages
from the screwdriver bit (22, 22a) but retains in a corresponding one of the radial
holes (46, 48);
a depth control collar (18), which surrounds the bottom end of the hollow clutch sleeve
(16, 16a), the depth control collar (18) including a bottom part (20), the bottom
part (20) including a passage that allows the screwdriver bit (22, 22a) to extend
therethrough; and
a spring (58), which biases the driving axle (12, 12a) toward the driving position;
wherein the clutch bearings (50, 50a, 50b) are each a cylindrical body that includes
the truncated conic internal end (52) and an circular external end (54) and are arranged
to engage with the screwdriver bit (22, 22a) at the driving position and to allow
the clutch bearings (50) to move from the clutching position to the driving position,
and
the cylindrical body has a total length "a" and the circular external end (54) has
a length "b" that is 1/4a, a cylindrical middle (56) having a length "c" that is 1/2
a, the truncated conic internal end (52) having a length "d" that is 1/4a, the cylindrical
middle (56) having a diameter that is 1a, the truncated conic end having a planar
surface having a diameter "e" that is 3/4a, the circular external end (54) having
a radius "r" that is 1/2a, characterized in that the multiple radial holes (46, 48) are provided in the receptacle end (44) of the
driving axle (12) to be angularly spaced from each other by 60 degrees, and the hollow
clutch sleeve (16, 16a) comprises at least one annular groove (72a, 72b) for receiving
the clutch bearings (50, 50a, 50b) retained in the radial holes (46, 48) when the
screw driving device (10a) is at the clutching position, a locking projection (17)
arranged at one side of the driving axle (12, 12a) above the receptacle end (44, 44a)
being operable to fix the screw driving device (10, 10a) at the driving position in
a reversed direction in order to remove a driven screw from a workpiece, at least
one locking gap (43) formed in the top end of the hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a) to
allow the locking projection (17) to pass therethrough for fixing the screw driving
device (10, 10a) at the driving position at the reverse direction, wherein when the
locking projection (17) passes through the locking gap (43) and the hollow clutch
sleeve (16, 16a) is rotated far enough to have the locking projection (17) caught
in the hollow clutch sleeve (16, 16a), an axial slit (24) that is formed in the top
end of the depth control collar (18) and is split allows the depth control collar
(18) to be removed and replaced by another control collar having a different depth
in order to change a depth of a screw being driven into a workpiece, the depth control
collar (18) having a bottom part that is smaller than a top part of the depth control
collar (18).
2. The screw driving device for use with the impact driver according to claim 1, wherein
the bottom part of the depth control collar includes an insertion receptacle (62),
the insertion receptacle (62) surrounding the channel through which the screwdriver
bit (22, 22a) extends, the insertion receptacle (62) receiving and retaining therein
an annular magnet (60), so as to hold the bottom end of the screwdriver bit (22, 22a)
when the driving axle (12, 12a) is at the driving position, an annular groove (80)
formed in a bottom part of the receptacle end (44, 44a) of the driving axle (12, 12a),
the annular groove (80) receiving a retention ring (78) in engagement with the screwdriver
bit (22, 22a) to hold, in a releasable manner, the screwdriver bit (22, 22a) in the
receptacle end (44, 44a) of the driving axle (12, 12a).