# US 9,775,427 B2 · Tool collet for securing a hand tool to a tool lanyard > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,775,427 B2 - Document ID: US9775427B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/536,010 - Filed: 2014-11-07 - Published: 2016-05-12 - Granted: 2017-10-03 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-07 - Assignees: Ty-Flot, Inc. - Applicants: Ty-Flot, Inc. - Inventors: Darrell A. Moreau; Andre W. Moreau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9775427B2 ## CPC - A45F 5/00: Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping - B25H 3/00: Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments (containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; {nail dispensers B25C3/00}) - A45F 5/1566: {Holders or carriers for tubular, rod-shaped articles, e.g. batons} - A45F 5/1575: {Holders or carriers for portable tools} - A45F 2005/006: {comprising a suspension strap or lanyard} - A45F: TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY - B25H: WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT, e.g. FOR MARKING-OUT WORK; STORAGE MEANS FOR WORKSHOPS (storing or packaging B65) ## Abstract A tool collet for creating a lanyard attachment point on a hand tool that includes a collet body with a through opening, an annular groove in one of a first body side of the collet body, a second body side of the collet body or a peripheral body surface of the collet body, a lanyard ring having an annular end adapted to be disposed and captured within the annular groove where the lanyard ring is adapted to freely slide along the annular groove, and one or more fastening members adapted to securely fix the collet body around an elongated body of a hand tool. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tool collet for creating a lanyard attachment point on a hand tool, the tool collet comprising: a collet body having a first body side, a second body side, a peripheral body surface between the first body side and the second body side, a collet through opening with an opening surface, the collet through opening extending through the collet body transversely from the first body side to the second body side, and an annular groove in one of the first body side, the second body side or the peripheral body surface of the collet body, the collet body being divided radially relative to the collet through opening and defining a first body component and a second body component fixedly attached to the first body component and wherein the through opening is formed by the first body component and the second body component; a lanyard ring having an annular end disposed and captured within the annular groove wherein the lanyard ring freely slides along the annular groove; and one or more fastening members that extends between the first body component and the second body component wherein the one or more fastening members are adapted to securely fix the first body component to the second body component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tool collet of claim 1 further comprising a gripping member disposed within the collet through opening adjacent the opening surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tool collet of claim 2 wherein the gripping member is selected from the group consisting of (1) the opening surface having a gripping finish, (2) an insert having an insert through opening wherein the insert is disposed within the through opening of the collet body, (3) one or more inserts disposed within one or more recesses in the opening surface of the through opening, and (4) one or more setscrews that penetrate radially through the tool collet to the through opening to engage the hand tool. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tool collet of claim 3 wherein the insert is resilient. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tool collet of claim 1 wherein the collet body is annularly shaped. ### Claim 6 The tool collet of Claim wherein the annular groove is located within the peripheral body surface of the collet body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tool collet of claim 1 wherein the collet body includes a first annular groove in the first body side of the collet body and a second annular groove in the second body side of the collet body opposite the first annular groove wherein the first annular groove and the second annular groove are adjacent the peripheral body surface of the collet body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tool collet of claim 1 wherein the annular groove has a cross-section that is T-shaped. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tool collet of claim 1 wherein the annular end of the lanyard ring has a cross-section that is T-shaped. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tool collet of claim 1 wherein the collet through opening has a cross-section selected from the group consisting of a circular cross-section and a polygonal cross-section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The tool collet of claim 3 wherein the gripping finish of the opening surface is a knurled finish. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The tool collet of claim 3 wherein the insert with a through opening has an outer insert surface with a cross-section that is circular when the collet through opening is circular or an outer insert surface with a matching polygonal cross-section when the collet through opening is a polygon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The tool collet of claim 3 wherein the insert disposed within a recess in the opening surface is an elongated, resilient, gripping member disposed within the recess and extending a predefined distance away from the opening surface and into the through opening. ### Claim 14 In combination, a hand tool and a tool collet for creating a lanyard attachment point on the hand tool, the combination comprising: a hand tool having an elongated body that extends to a first hand tool end wherein the elongated body has a predefined cross-sectional diameter that is equal to or larger than a cross-sectional diameter of the first hand tool end; and a tool collet attached to the elongated body of the hand tool, the tool collet comprising: a collet body having a first body side, a second body side, a peripheral body surface between the first body side and the second body side, a collet through opening with an opening surface, the collet through opening extending through the collet body transversely from the first body side to the second body side. and an annular groove in one of the first body side, the second body side or the peripheral body surface of the collet body, the collet body being divided radially relative to the collet through opening and defining a first body component and a second body component fixedly attached to the first body component and wherein the through opening is formed by the first body component and the second body component, the through opening surrounding and securely attached to the elongated body of the hand tool; a lanyard ring having an annular end adapted to be disposed and captured within the annular groove wherein the lanyard ring is adapted to freely slide along the annular groove; and one or more fastening members that extends between the first body component and the second body component wherein the one or more fastening members are adapted to securely fix the first body component to the second body component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The combination of claim 14 further comprising a gripping member disposed within the collet through opening between the opening surface and the elongated body of the hand tool. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The combination of claim 14 further comprising a tool lanyard removably attached to the lanyard ring. ### Claim 17 A tool collet kit for a creating a lanyard attachment point on a hand tool, the kit comprising: a collet body having a first body side, a second body side, a peripheral body surface between the first body side and the second body side, a collet through opening with an opening surface the collet through opening extending through the collet body transversely from the first body side to the second body side, and an annular groove in one of the first body side, the second body side or the peripheral body surface of the collet body, the collet body being divided radially relative to the collet through opening and defining a first body component and a second body component adapted to be fixedly attached to the first body component and wherein the through opening is formed when the first body component and the second body component are attached to each other; a lanyard ring having an annular end adapted to be disposed and captured within the annular groove wherein the lanyard ring is adapted to freely slide along the annular groove; and orae or more fastening members adapted to extend between the first body component and the second body component wherein the one or more fastening members are adapted to securely fix the first body component to the second body component and to securely fix the collet body around an elongated body of a hand tool. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The kit of claim 16 further comprising an insert adapted to be positioned between the opening surface of the collet body and the elongated body of the hand tool. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The kit of claim 16 wherein the opening surface has a knurled finish. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The kit of claim 16 further comprising a tool lanyard adapted to be removably attached to the lanyard ring. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The tool collet of claim 1 further comprising one or more setscrews disposed in a respective collet radial through aperture wherein the collet radial through aperture penetrates radially through the tool collet from the peripheral body surface to the collet through opening. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The tool collet of claim 21 wherein the one or more setscrews and the respective collet radial through aperture are disposed at an angle that is less than ninety degrees relative to a nearest one of a body component mating surface of the first body component or a body component mating surface of the second body component.