| US 7,506,453 B2 | ||
| Method and apparatus for orienting a hand tool | ||
| John S. Houston, Hopewell Junction, N.Y. (US); William B. Huber, Somers, N.Y. (US); and Carl Mickla, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jun. 19, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/424,898. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0289153 A1, Dec. 20, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. B23B 45/14 (2006.01); G01C 9/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 33—334 [33/366.24] | 11 Claims |
| 1. A hand tool orientation device, comprising:
a housing of the orientation device;
at least one direction sensor attached to the housing;
at least one alarm in operable communication with the at least one direction sensor, for transmitting an alert in response
to the at least one direction sensor sensing a direction beyond at least one selectable direction limit;
a clamp for releasably attaching the device to a hand tool; and
a knob in operable communication with the at least one direction sensor such that rotation of the knob alters the selectable
direction limit;
a threaded shaft in operable communication with the knob such that rotation of the knob causes rotation of the threaded shaft;
a plate in operable communication with the threaded shaft such that rotation of the threaded shaft causes the plate to move
along the threaded shaft thereby altering an angle of actuation of the at least one direction sensor; and
at least one tubular member in operable communication with the plate such that movement of the plate causes deformation of
the at least one tubular member.
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