Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
272 words
The combination of a fastener requiring a driver and a companion driver therefor, comprising: a fastener body; a fastener head attached to said fastener body, said fastener head having a socket recessed therein, the walls of said socket being a plurality of curved surfaces intersecting to form a plurality of cusps, said curved surfaces being symmetrically distributed about the longitudinal axis of said fastener; a driver shaft; means for engaging and rotating said driver shaft; a driver head attached to said driver shaft for rotation therewith and having a plurality of curved surfaces thereon, said surfaces intersecting to form a plurality of cusps, the number of cusps and curved surfaces on said driver head equaling the number of cusps and curved surfaces in said fastener socket, said curved surfaces of said driver head being symmetrically distributed about a longitudinal axis of said driver, said curved surfaces of said driver head and socket including circular arcs, the radii of said driver head arcs being less than the radii of said fastener arcs, the radii of said socket arcs exceeding the linear distance between said socket arcs and said fastener axis, and the radii of said driver head arcs exceeding the linear distance between said driver head arcs said driver axis, the origins of said head and socket arcs lying in cross-sections of said head and socket respectively, said cross-sections being transverse to said longitudinal axes, said head arcs being non-concentric with said fastener arcs when said driver head seats within said fastener socket, rotating said driver head within said socket producing areas of engagement between said curved surfaces of said head and fastener.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
272 words
The combination of a fastener requiring a driver and a companion driver therefor, comprising: a fastener body; a fastener head attached to said fastener body, said fastener head having a socket recessed therein, the walls of said socket being a plurality of curved surfaces intersecting to form a plurality of cusps, said curved surfaces being symmetrically distributed about the longitudinal axis of said fastener; a driver shaft; means for engaging and rotating said driver shaft; a driver head attached to said driver shaft for rotation therewith and having a plurality of curved surfaces thereon, said surfaces intersecting to form a plurality of cusps, the number of cusps and curved surfaces on said driver head equaling the number of cusps and curved surfaces in said fastener socket, said curved surfaces of said driver head being symmetrically distributed about a longitudinal axis of said driver, said curved surfaces of said driver head and socket including circular arcs, the radii of said driver head arcs being less than the radii of said fastener arcs, the radii of said socket arcs exceeding the linear distance between said socket arcs and said fastener axis, and the radii of said driver head arcs exceeding the linear distance between said driver head arcs said driver axis, the origins of said head and socket arcs lying in cross-sections of said head and socket respectively, said cross-sections being transverse to said longitudinal axes, said head arcs being non-concentric with said fastener arcs when said driver head seats within said fastener socket, rotating said driver head within said socket producing areas of engagement between said curved surfaces of said head and fastener.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
274 words
The combination of a fastener requiring a driver and a companion driver therefor, comprising: a fastener body; a fastener head attached to said fastener body, said fastener head having a socket recessed therein, the walls of said socket being a plurality of curved surfaces intersecting to form a plurality of cusps, said curved surfaces being symmetrically distributed about the longitudinal axis of said fastener; a driver shaft; means for engaging and rotating said driver shaft; a driver head attached to said driver shaft for rotation therewith and having a plurality of curved surfaces thereon, said surfaces intersecting to form a plurality of cusps, the number of cusps on said driver head equaling the number of cusps in said fastener socket, said curved surfaces of said driver head being symmetrically distributed about a longitudinal axis of said driver, the radii of curvatures of a portion of said driver head arcs being less than the radii of curvatures of said fastener arcs, the radii of said socket arcs exceeding the linear lateral distance between said socket arcs and said fastener axis, and the radii of said portion of driver head arcs exceeding the linear lateral distance between said portion of driver head arcs and said driver axis, the origin of said portion of head arcs and said socket arcs lying in cross-sections of said head and socket respectively, said cross-sections being transverse to said longitudinal axes, said portion of head arcs being non-concentric with said fastener arcs when said driver head seats within said fastener socket, rotating said driver head within said socket producing areas of engagement between said curved surfaces of said head and fastener.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
274 words
The combination of a fastener requiring a driver and a companion driver therefor, comprising: a fastener body; a fastener head attached to said fastener body, said fastener head having a socket recessed therein, the walls of said socket being a plurality of curved surfaces intersecting to form a plurality of cusps, said curved surfaces being symmetrically distributed about the longitudinal axis of said fastener; a driver shaft; means for engaging and rotating said driver shaft; a driver head attached to said driver shaft for rotation therewith and having a plurality of curved surfaces thereon, said surfaces intersecting to form a plurality of cusps, the number of cusps on said driver head equaling the number of cusps in said fastener socket, said curved surfaces of said driver head being symmetrically distributed about a longitudinal axis of said driver, the radii of curvatures of a portion of said driver head arcs being less than the radii of curvatures of said fastener arcs, the radii of said socket arcs exceeding the linear lateral distance between said socket arcs and said fastener axis, and the radii of said portion of driver head arcs exceeding the linear lateral distance between said portion of driver head arcs and said driver axis, the origin of said portion of head arcs and said socket arcs lying in cross-sections of said head and socket respectively, said cross-sections being transverse to said longitudinal axes, said portion of head arcs being non-concentric with said fastener arcs when said driver head seats within said fastener socket, rotating said driver head within said socket producing areas of engagement between said curved surfaces of said head and fastener.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A combination as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said curved socket wall surfaces are concave and said driver head curved surfaces are convex.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein said curved socket wall surfaces are substantially parallel to said fastener axis adjacent to the opening of said socket.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein said curved surfaces of said driver head extend from said shaft in generally spherical contours.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A combination as claimed in claim 5, wherein the depth and contours of said socket are adapted to receive said driver head such that the maximum lateral dimension of said generally spherical driver contours is positioned within said socket when said driver and fastener are engaged.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of curved surfaces of said socket is four, and the socket and driver head are squarish in cross section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A combination as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said fastener is a screw-type fastener.