Patent Application
20240082995
Example embodiments generally relate to hand tools and, in particular, relate to a ratchet, wrench or other hand tool having a flexible head that can be locked in either an adjusted position, or in an adjustable position.
Hand tools are commonly used across all aspects of industry and in the homes and workshops of consumers. Hand tools are employed for multiple applications including, for example, fastener tightening, component joining, and/or the like. For some fastener tightening applications, such as those involved in tightening of hex headed nuts or bolts, an open-end, box-end or combination wrench may be employed. Open-end wrenches typically have a head portion that has a U-shaped opening to grip opposing sides of the nut or bolt disposed at one or both ends of a shaft (or handle). Box-end wrenches instead have a head portion that has an enclosed opening to grip faces of the nut or bolt at one or both ends of the shaft. Meanwhile, combination wrenches have an open-end wrench head at one end and a box-end wrench head at the other end of the shaft.
Other types of wrenches are also possible, including wrenches that have a head portion configured with jaws that are adjustable relative to each other (e.g., to fit different sizes of fastener), or wrenches that have a head portion with a square drive configured to engage a socket. For some cases, in order to provide the ability to accurately apply torque, a class of hand tools referred to generally as torque wrenches have been developed. Torque wrenches are calibrated devices that enable the operator to know when a particular torque is reached. The means by which the operator is informed of the fact that the particular torque has been reached can vary with corresponding different types of torque wrenches.
For some of the different types of wrenches described above, ratcheting assemblies may be provided to enable the operator to continue to turn a fastener without removing and reorienting the wrench relative to the fastener. Such ratcheting assemblies are often placed in the head portion of box-end wrenches or wrenches configured to drive sockets. When a wrench employs a ratcheting assembly, the wrench may be referred to as a ratchet wrench or simply as a ratchet.
The head portions of many of the wrenches described above may be flared (e.g., angled relative to the longitudinal centerline of the shaft). However, having a fixed angle may be limiting in some case, thus some wrenches may be designed to be flexible (e.g., having a flexible head portion) to enable different angles to be achieved for the head portion relative to the longitudinal centerline of the shaft. Particularly for wrenches or ratchets that have a flexible head portion, the cost and complexity of designing the flexible head portion can be prohibitive. Thus, it may be desirable to provide improved designs that can be easy for operators to use, but also provide low cost and complexity for production and maintenance.
Some example embodiments may enable the provision of an improved flexible interface between the head portion and the shaft of a hand tool (e.g., a wrench or ratchet).
In an example embodiment, a hand tool may be provided. The hand tool may include a head portion configured to interface with a fastener, a shaft having a a grip portion at which an operator is enabled to hold the hand tool during operation, and a flexible interface configured to operably couple the shaft and the head portion in a locked state and an unlocked state. The flexible interface is also configured to enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft about a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the shaft. In the unlocked state, an angle of the head portion may be pivotable relative to the pivot axis. In the locked state, the angle of the head portion may be fixed. The flexible interface may include a locking assembly including an actuator having a locked position defining the locked state and an unlocked position defining the unlocked state. The flexible interface may also include a retention assembly configured to retain the actuator in each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position.
In another example embodiment, a flexible interface for a hand tool may be provided. The flexible interface may operably couple a head portion and a shaft of the hand tool and enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft about a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the shaft. The flexible interface may include a locking assembly and a retention assembly. The locking assembly may include an actuator having a locked position defining a locked state for the hand tool and an unlocked position defining an unlocked state for the hand tool. In the unlocked state, an angle of the head portion may be pivotable relative to the pivot axis. In the locked state, the angle of the head portion is fixed. The retention assembly may be configured to retain the actuator in each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position.
Having thus described some example embodiments in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
Some example embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all example embodiments are shown. Indeed, the examples described and pictured herein should not be construed as being limiting as to the scope, applicability or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” is to be interpreted as a logical operator that results in true whenever one or more of its operands are true. As used herein, operable coupling should be understood to relate to direct or indirect connection that, in either case, enables functional interconnection of components that are operably coupled to each other.
As indicated above, some example embodiments may relate to improvements to the design of a hand tool with a flexible head portion.
In an example embodiment, the flexible interface 130 may further include a locking assembly 150 that is structured to define a locked state in which the head 110 is retained at a fixed angle relative to the shaft 120. The fixed angle may be any angle in the full range of possible angles from no pivoting (i.e., alignment with the shaft 120) to maximum angular difference from the shaft 120. The locking assembly 150 may also have an unlocked state in which the head 110 is free to pivot relative to the shaft 120. As shown in
The unlocked state may, for many tools, be merely a transient state. In this regard, many tools may provide biasing to place the locking assembly (if included) in the locked state. Thus, for example, using the actuator 152 in connection with a conventional hand tool with a flexible head would typically keep the tool in the unlocked state only for as long as the operator manually holds the actuator 152 against the biasing provided. However, the hand tool 100 of an example embodiment may include a retention assembly 160 that is configured to enable the locking assembly 150 (and/or the actuator 152) to be retained in each of the locked state and the unlocked state.
As can be appreciated from the descriptions above, the flexible interface 130 may take a number of forms from a structural perspective. Thus, the locking assembly 150, the actuator 152 and the retention assembly 160 may also take a number of different forms.
The head portion 210 may be operably coupled to a first end (e.g., a proximal end) of a shaft 220. A handle portion 222 (or grip portion) may be disposed proximate to a second end (e.g., a distal end) of the shaft 220. A longitudinal centerline 224 or axis of the shaft 220 may also form a longitudinal centerline or axis of the hand tool 200. The shaft 220, the head portion 210, and various other portions of the hand tool 200 may be made of steel or another extremely strong material. The handle portion 222 may be made of steel as well, and have a knurled outer periphery that enhances the ability of the operator to grip the shaft 220 effectively. However, the handle portion 222 could alternatively be made of a different material that is slid over the shaft 220 in some cases.
The first end of the shaft 220 may be operably (and pivotally) attached to the head portion 210 via structures that form an example of the flexible interface 130 of
Meanwhile, the first end of the shaft 220 may include a receiving slot 240 formed between two shoulder members 242 that extend substantially parallel to the direction of extension of the longitudinal centerline 224 on opposite sides of the receiving slot 240. The shoulder members 242 may each include a pivot orifice 244 formed therein, and the pivot orifices 244 of each shoulder member 242 may align with each other and extend substantially perpendicular to the direction of extension of the longitudinal centerline 224. A diameter of the pivot orifices 244 may be substantially equal to a diameter of the pivot channel 234. The neck 230 may be inserted into the receiving slot 240, between the shoulder members 242, and the pivot orifices 244 may be aligned with the pivot channel 234. A pivot pin 246 may then be passed through each of the pivot orifices 244 and the pivot channel 234. A longitudinal center of the pivot pin 246 defines the pivot axis 225 about which the head portion 210 pivots relative to the shaft 220.
The pivot pin 246 may have a diameter slightly smaller than the diameters of the pivot orifices 244 and the pivot channel 234 to permit the head portion 210 to pivot freely about the pivot pin 246 (and therefore also the pivot axis 225). Although other fixing methods may be employed, in one example embodiment, the pivot pin 246 may have a threaded connection to just one of the pivot orifices 244. As noted above, the longitudinal centerline of the pivot pin 246 may form the pivot axis 225 about which the head portion 210 is then allowed to pivot relative to the shaft 220. As shown in
Thus, in general terms, the neck 230, the shoulder members 242 and the pivot pin 246 may form portions of the flexible interface 130 shown in
An actuator 250 (or button), shown in
In an example embodiment, the first and second retention cavities 256 and 258 may positioned adjacent to each other, and may be similar in shape and depth (measured inwardly from a lateral side of the actuator 250). However, whereas the first retention cavity 256 may be disposed at about a midpoint of the longitudinal length of the actuator 250, the second retention cavity 258 may be closer to one of the longitudinal ends of the actuator 250. In this regard, the second retention cavity 258 may be disposed between the first retention cavity 256 and the corresponding longitudinal end to which the second retention cavity 258 is closest.
The locking cavity 252 may be disposed on an opposing lateral side of the actuator 250 relative to the first retention cavity 256. Thus, the locking cavity 252 may also be disposed at about a midpoint of the longitudinal length of the actuator 250. Meanwhile, the unlock cavity 254 may be disposed on the opposing lateral side of the actuator 250 as well, and may be directly opposite the second retention cavity 258. However, the unlock cavity 254 may extend more deeply into the lateral side of the actuator 250 than the locking cavity 252.
The actuator 250 may interface with a locking pin 260 that includes one or more engagement projections 262 that selectively engage the teeth 232 of the rounded portion of the neck 230 to transition the hand tool 200 between the locked state and the unlocked state. In an example embodiment, the locking pin 260 may be disposed in a locking pin channel 264 formed in the shaft 220, and extending from the receiving slot 240 rearward along the longitudinal centerline 224 toward an actuator cavity 270 inside which the actuator 250 is movable (between locked and unlocked positions). The locking pin 260 may be biased toward engagement with the neck 230 by a first biasing member (e.g., locking spring 266). In this regard, the engagement projections 262 may be urged into contact with the teeth 232 by the force exerted by the locking spring 266 in a direction toward the neck 230 as shown by 5 arrow 268 in
The actuator cavity 270 may extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline 224 (and the locking pin channel 264) and pass entirely through a portion of the first end of the shaft 220 that is spaced apart from the receiving slot 240 by the length of the locking pin channel 264. A diameter of the actuator cavity 270 may be slightly larger than a maximum diameter of the actuator 250 (i.e., the diameter without removal of material corresponding to the cavities described above). The actuator 250 may be moved up and down in the actuator cavity 270 to transition the actuator 250 between a locked position shown in
The locking pin channel 264 may intersect the actuator cavity 270 (and extend perpendicular thereto along the longitudinal centerline 224) on a first side of the first end of the shaft 220, and a retaining spring cavity 280 may intersect the actuator cavity 264 directly opposite the locking pin channel 264. Thus, the retaining spring cavity 280 may also extend along the longitudinal centerline 224 of the shaft 220, and may form a depression or hollowed out portion in the shaft 220. A second biasing member (e.g., retaining spring 282) may be disposed in the retaining spring cavity 280, and may urge a retaining ball 284 toward the actuator 250 (e.g., in a direction shown by arrow 286). However, in an alternative embodiment, the second biasing member may be entirely optional. In an alternative in which there is no retaining spring 282 and retaining ball 284, the first and second retention cavities 256 and 258 may also be removed.
The retaining ball 284 may be urged into either the first retention cavity 256 or the second retention cavity 258 depending on the position of the actuator 250. In this regard, when the actuator 250 is in the unlocked position of
When the actuator 250 is in the locked position of
As can be appreciated from the descriptions above, the retaining ball 284 retains the actuator 250 in each respective one of the locked position (which corresponds to the locked state), and the unlocked position (which corresponds to the unlocked state). Thus, it can be appreciated that the first and second retention cavities 256 and 258, the retaining ball 284 and the retaining spring 286 may form portions of the retention assembly 160 of
When the actuator 250 is in the unlocked position (shown in
When the actuator 250 is in the locked position (as shown in
As noted above, the structures shown in
As can be appreciated from the example of
The hand tool and/or its components may include a number of modifications, augmentations, or optional additions, some of which are described herein. These modifications, augmentations or optional additions may be included in any combination. For example, the actuator may include a push button that is disposed in an actuator cavity that extends through a proximal end of the shaft relative to the head portion substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis. In an example embodiment, the retention assembly may include a first retention cavity disposed at a middle portion of a first side of the actuator, and a second retention cavity disposed adjacent to the first retention cavity between the first retention cavity and a longitudinal end of the actuator on the first side of the actuator. In some cases, the retention assembly may further include a retention spring and a retention ball, and the retention spring may urge the retention ball into the first retention cavity in the locked position and into the second retention cavity in the unlocked position. In an example embodiment, the locking assembly may include a locking pin disposed in a locking pin channel extending along the longitudinal centerline or substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis to intersect the actuator cavity, and the actuator may include a locking cavity disposed opposite the first retention cavity and an unlock cavity disposed opposite the second retention cavity. In some cases, the unlock cavity may extend deeper into a lateral side of the actuator than the locking cavity. In an example embodiment, the head portion may include a neck configured to extend into a reception slot formed at the proximal end of the shaft. The neck may have a rounded periphery with a plurality of teeth, and the locking pin may include one or more engagement protrusions configured to engage the teeth of the neck. In some cases, the locking pin may be biased via a locking spring to urge the locking pin into contact with the neck. When the actuator is in the locked position, the locking pin may inserted into the locking cavity to prevent movement of the locking pin out of engagement with the neck. When the actuator is in the unlocked position, the locking pin may be aligned with the unlock cavity to enable a force exerted to pivot the head portion to overcome biasing of the locking spring to move the locking pin into the unlock cavity to enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft. In an example embodiment, the locking assembly may be configured to interface with a first side of the actuator to define the locked state and the unlocked state. The retention assembly may be configured to interface with a second side of the actuator opposite the first side to retain the actuator in the each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position. In some cases, the locking assembly and retention assembly may be configured such that both the locking assembly and the retention assembly simultaneously engage opposite sides of the actuator in the locked state, but only the retention assembly engages the actuator in the unlocked state.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain exemplary combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. In cases where advantages, benefits or solutions to problems are described herein, it should be appreciated that such advantages, benefits and/or solutions may be applicable to some example embodiments, but not necessarily all example embodiments. Thus, any advantages, benefits or solutions described herein should not be thought of as being critical, required or essential to all embodiments or to that which is claimed herein. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2021/074128 | 1/28/2021 | WO |
