Snap-on Technologies, Inc.

Kurt L Sauer

Bert Krivec

Dean J Iwinski

Marco E DeVecchis

A device includes a body having a plurality of alternating drive regions and corner regions arranged about a central axis for cooperation to define a socket recess having an open outer end and an inner end. Each drive region has a drive surface disposed thereon and confined thereto. At least one drive surface slopes toward the central axis in a first direction generally parallel to the central axis and in a second direction generally traverse to the central axis. The device may be a rotatably driveable device for driving fasteners and the like, wherein the axis is the axis of rotation. The device can be used for retaining and driving a drive member. In one form, a drive member, comprising alternating flats and corners is inserted into the device. The flats of the drive member frictionally engage with at least two of the drive regions, thereby releaseably retaining the drive member in the body. The drive member can be rotated by rotating the body in one of the clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. The corner regions can comprise channels formed between two drive regions to prevent engagement of the corners of the drive member with the body. Similar principles are also applied to create drive surfaces for a male driver that retain and drive a device having a complementary female socket.

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Union Grove, WI, United States of America

Kurt L Sauer