The present invention generally relates to various fastening methods. More specifically the present invention is an anti-slip torque tool with integrated engagement features to prevent damaging or stripping fasteners during the extraction or tightening process.
Hex bolts, nuts, screws, and other similar threaded devices are used to secure and hold multiple components together by being engaged to a complimentary thread, known as a female thread. The general structure of these types of fasteners is a cylindrical shaft with an external thread and a head at one end of the shaft. The external thread engages a complimentary female thread tapped into a hole or a nut and secures the fastener in place, fastening the associated components together. The head receives an external torque force and is the means by which the fastener is turned, or driven, into the female threading. The head is shaped specifically to allow an external tool like a wrench to apply a torque to the fastener in order to rotate the fastener and engage the complimentary female threading to a certain degree. This type of fastener is simple, extremely effective, cheap, and highly popular in modern construction. One of the most common problems in using these types of fasteners, whether male or female, is the tool slipping in the head portion, or slipping on the head portion. This is generally caused by either a worn fastener or tool, corrosion, overtightening, or damage to the head portion of the fastener.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a torque tool that virtually eliminates slippage, when used in conjunction with the appropriate matching fastener. The present invention uses a series of segmented portions that engage and/or bite into the head of the fastener and allow for efficient torque transfer between the torque tool and the head portion of the fastener. The present invention eliminates the need for the common bolt extractors as they require unnecessary drilling and tools. The present invention is preferably built into an opened end, a boxed end wrench type torque tool, or socket wrench so that the users can selectively utilize the present invention with reference to the different types of fasteners.
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is anti-slip torque tool with integrated engagement features that is used to tighten or loosen any fastener such as a nut or bolt. Traditional wrench and wrench socket designs transfer the majority of the torque to the fastener through the lateral corners of the fastener head. Over time, the degradation of the lateral corners reduces the efficiency of transferring torque from the wrench to the fastener head and, as a result, causes slippage. The present invention overcomes this problem through the use of various engagement features including, but not limited to, grooves, serration, ribs, edges, and surfaces integrated into the lateral surfaces of the torque tool which provide an additional biting point for the fastener head, regardless of the wear and tear of the fastener head.
The present invention utilizes various engagement features including, but not limited to, grooves, serration, ribs, edges, surfaces, and teeth to engage the lateral surface of fastener head away from the lateral corner of the male fastener head, damaged or otherwise, in order to efficiently apply torque onto the fastener. The sets of teeth allow an improved grip to be applied on to the fastener head by a torque tool. The present invention may be integrated into or utilized by a variety of general tools to increase the torque force applied to a fastener. General tools include, but are not limited to, open-end wrenches, boxed-end wrenches, adjustable wrenches, pipe wrenches, socket wrenches, plumber wrench, and other similar fastener engaging tools. The present invention is compatible with male-member based head fasteners. Fasteners which utilize a male-member head design, also known as male fasteners, use the external lateral surface of the fastener head to engage a tool for tightening or loosening, such fasteners include but are not limited to twelve point and or hex bolts and nuts. In addition, the present invention is also compatible with female-member based head designs of fasteners. Fasteners that utilize a female-member head design uses the internal lateral surface of the fastener head to engage a tool for tightening or loosening. In addition, the present invention is compatible with fasteners of a right-hand thread and fasteners of a left-hand thread. Furthermore, the present invention may be altered and configured to fit different types and different sizes of fasteners.
In reference to
In reference to
More specifically, the attachment body 13 is centrally positioned around and along the rotational axis 2 in order to align with the axis of rotation of the external torque applying tool. The attachment body 13 is connected adjacent to the torque-tool body 1 and so that the square engagement bore 14 can be traversed into the attachment body 13 along the rotational axis 2 opposite of the torque-tool body 1. As a result, the male attachment member of the socket wrench is able to engage with the square engagement bore 14 thus allowing the socket wrench to apply torque to the present invention. In other words, a receiver opening is delineated normal to the torque-tool body 1 and within the plurality of engagement features 4. As a result, the female-socket is able to externally engage around the male fastener that needs to be removed or tightened.
An alternative embodiment of the present invention, the torque-tool body 1 can outwardly extend from the rotational axis 2 to the plurality of engagement features 4 thus delineating a male-driver bit. Resultantly, the attachment body 13 is preferably of a hexagonal shaped body with a diameter preferably and slightly larger than the diameter for the torque-tool body 1. However, the attachment body 13 may incorporate a smaller diameter than the torque-tool body 1 depending upon the preferred manufacturing method or design. In other words, the male-driver bit generally associates with an opening of the female-member head design so that the plurality engagement features can internally engage with the fastener head. The male-driver bit engages a female fastener away from the center and towards the lateral edge.
In reference to
In reference to
Preferably, the first bracing surface 6 and the second bracing surface 7 are formed into a flat surface area within the present invention. However, the first bracing surface 6 and the second bracing surface 7 can also be formed into a concave surface area or a convex surface area in different embodiments of the present invention.
In reference to
In reference to a first embodiment of the present invention, the first cavity surface 5 comprises a first convex section 21 and a first arc section 22 as shown in
Preferably, the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
In reference to a second embodiment of the present invention, the first cavity surface 5 comprises a first concave section 31 and a first arc section 22 as shown in
Preferably, the second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
In reference to a third embodiment of the present invention, the first cavity surface 5 comprises a first angled section 41 and a first arc section 22 as shown in
The present invention further comprise a first set of serrations 15 and a second set of serrations 16 to provide additional gripping points as shown in
The general profile of the first bracing surface 6 and the second bracing surface 7 can differ upon the length of the first bracing surface 6 and the length of the second bracing surface 7. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the length of the first bracing surface 6 is equal to the length of the second bracing surface 7 as shown in
In reference to
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
The current application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) application of a U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 16/872,050 filed on May 11, 2020. The U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 16/872,050 claims a priority to a U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/845,731 filed on May 9, 2019. The current application is also a continuation-in-part (CIP) application of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application PCT/IB2020/054453 filed on May 11, 2020.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 29754192 | Oct 2020 | US |
Child | 17160224 | US | |
Parent | 16872050 | May 2020 | US |
Child | 29754192 | US | |
Parent | PCT/IB2020/054453 | May 2020 | US |
Child | 16872050 | US |