Impact universal joint

An impact universal joint to transmit force efficiently from a power tool to a workpiece through an angular misalignment the impact universal joint comprising a substantially spherically-shaped swivel head,

• a plurality of spaced-apart lugs formed in a plane about a circumference of the spherically-shaped swivel head,
• a body axially connected to the swivel head,
• an opening formed in the body distal from the swivel head,
• a socket having a cavity formed therein, the cavity receiving and cooperating with the swivel head,
• the cavity having a plurality of spaced-apart channels formed therein dividing the cavity into respective segments, each channel having a pair of side walls, wherein each respective channel of the cavity receives the respective lug of the swivel head between the side walls thereof,
• the socket having connecting means formed therein distal from the swivel head,
• a resilient retaining means connected to the socket at an interface between the socket and the swivel head, the resilient retaining means retaining the swivel head within the socket and providing a low level load to hold the swivel head in a desired position with respect to the socket,
• wherein driving force applied to the body is transmitted to the socket,
• wherein the resilient retaining means is a leaf spring having a plurality of dependent members formed thereon, wherein the dependent members contact the spherical swivel head and are juxtapositioned to the respective segments of the cavity between the channels in the cavity.

An impact universal joint to transmit force from a tool comprising:

• a non-truncated spherical swivel head,
• three equally spaced-apart lugs extending outwardly from the spherical swivel head and formed in an equatorial plane about a circumference of the swivel head,
• a body axially connected to the swivel head,
• a connecting means formed on the body distal from the swivel head for connection to the tool,
• a socket having a cavity formed therein, the cavity receiving and cooperating with the swivel head, wherein axial force is transmitted from the non-truncated spherical swivel head to the socket, and
• means in the cavity to contact the lugs on the swivel head to transmit radial force from the swivel head to the socket.

An impact universal joint to transmit force from a tool comprising:

• a non-truncated spherical swivel head,
• a plurality of spaced-apart lugs formed in a plane about a circumference of the swivel head,
• a body axially connected to the swivel head,
• a connecting means formed on the body distal from the swivel head for connection to the tool,
• a socket having a cavity formed therein, the cavity receiving and cooperating with the swivel head,
• means in the cavity to contact the lugs on the swivel head to transmit force from the swivel head to the socket,
• an axially resilient retaining means being connected to an interface between the swivel head and the socket, and
• the resilient retaining means having a plurality of dependent members formed thereon, the dependent members contacting the spherical swivel head.

An impact universal joint to transmit force from a tool comprising:

• a substantially spherically-shaped swivel head,
• a plurality of spaced-apart lugs formed in a plane about a circumference of the swivel head,
• a body axially connected to the swivel head,
• a connecting means formed on the body distal from the swivel head for connection to the tool,
• a socket having a cavity formed therein, the cavity receiving and cooperating with the swivel head,
• means in the cavity to contact the lugs on the swivel head to transmit force from the swivel head to the socket,
• a resilient retaining means being connected to an interface between the swivel head and the socket,
• the resilient retaining means having a plurality of dependent members formed thereon, the dependent members contacting the spherical swivel head, and
• further comprising a plurality of clearance channels formed in the cavity, wherein the plurality of dependent members are each disposed in a respective clearance channel.