The present disclosure relates to a notched line runner socket.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Some fluid conduits (e.g., hoses, tubes, or pipes) include fittings for connecting the conduit to a device or to another conduit. Such conduits extend coaxially through the top end of the nut and can bend off from the nut axis. In some applications, such as when the conduit is an air or brake line of a vehicle, it can be difficult to access the nut of the fitting to tighten the fitting onto its intended target. Typical wrenches can be too large to access the nut in tight spaces, while standard sockets cannot accommodate the coaxial conduit. Typical notched sockets are solid bodies that must be reset at least once every rotation to avoid hitting the bent part of the conduit. Other socket devices require the tool that connects to the socket to be offset from the nut axis, which can require additional space or can make it difficult to keep axial pressure on the nut.
These issues related to the use of a socket on conduit fittings are addressed by the present disclosure.
In one form, socket assembly includes a socket head, an input member, and a plurality of transfer members. The socket head is disposed about an axis and defines an aperture extending axially through the socket head and through a side of the socket head. The socket head includes external teeth. The input member is coaxial with the socket head. Each transfer member includes a first end drivingly coupled to the input member and a second end configured to engage the external teeth. In a variety of alternate forms of the present disclosure: the socket head defines a fastener cavity having a predetermined shape and being open through a bottom side of the socket head to receive a fastener having a mating predetermined shape; the aperture of the socket head is open to the fastener cavity through a top side of the socket head; the input member includes a plurality of teeth and the first end of each transfer member is meshingly engaged with teeth of the input member; each transfer member is a shaft that is offset from and parallel to the axis of the input member and the socket head; the socket assembly further includes a frame rotatably supporting the socket head, the input member, and the transfer members; the frame defines a line cavity axially between the input member and the socket head; the line cavity being open through a side of the frame and configured to be open to the aperture when the socket head is in a first rotational position; a gear ratio between the input member and the socket head is variable; either the input member or the transfer members are axially translatable between a first position and a second position relative to the other of the input member or the transfer members; when in the first position, the first ends of the transfer members engage the input member with a first gear ratio; when in the second position, the first ends of the transfer members engage the input member with a second gear ratio that is different from the first gear ratio; the transfer members are axially translatable between a first position and a second position relative to the socket head; when in the first position, the second ends of the transfer members engage the teeth of the socket head with a first gear ratio; when in the second position, the second ends of the transfer members engage the teeth of the socket head with a second gear ratio that is different from the first gear ratio; the input member defines a recess having a predetermined shape configured to matingly receive a driver member of a tool; the external teeth are disposed about a perimeter of the socket head;
In another form, a socket assembly includes a socket head, an input member, and a plurality of shafts. The socket head is rotatable about an axis and defines a socket cavity open through a top, a bottom, and a side of the socket head. The input member is offset in an axial direction from the socket head. Each shaft includes a first end meshingly engaged to teeth on the input member and a second end configured to meshingly engage teeth on the socket head. In a variety of alternate forms of the present disclosure: the socket assembly further includes a frame rotatably supporting the socket head, the input member, and the shafts; the frame defines a line cavity axially between the input member and the socket head; the line cavity is open through a side of the frame and open to the socket cavity when the socket head is in a first rotational position; the input member is coaxial with the axis; the shafts are parallel to the axis; a gear ratio between the input member and the socket head is variable; either the input member or the shafts are axially translatable between a first position and a second position relative to the other of the input member or the shafts; when in the first position, the first ends of the shafts engage the input member with a first gear ratio; when in the second position, the first ends of the shafts engage the input member with a second gear ratio that is different from the first gear ratio; the shafts are axially translatable between a first position and a second position relative to the socket head; when in the first position, the second ends of the shafts engage the teeth of the socket head with a first gear ratio; when in the second position, the second ends of the shafts engage the teeth of the socket head with a second gear ratio that is different from the first gear ratio; the input member defines a recess having a predetermined shape configured to matingly receive a driver member of a tool.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
With reference to
The conduit 42 is a fluid conduit, such as a rigid pipe or a flexible hose for example. The conduit 42 is hollow such that a fluid (e.g., a liquid or a gas) can flow through it. One end of the conduit 42 extends through the nut aperture 46 and the nut is configured to secure the conduit 42 to the mating connector (not shown) so that the conduit 42 is in fluid communication with the flow path of the mating connector (not shown). In the example provided, the conduit 42 is a rigid pipe that has a proximal portion 54 that extends coaxially from the end by a first distance and is coupled to a distal portion 58 by a bend portion 62. In the example provided, the bend portion 62 is a 90 degree elbow such that the distal portion 58 extends therefrom at perpendicular angle relative to the rotational axis 50, though the bend portion 62 can be configured at other angles.
Referring to
The bottom housing 114 is spaced apart from the top housing 110 along the axis 50 and forms a shell that defines an output cavity 130 and a pair of second recesses 134 (only one of which is shown in
The bottom housing 114 also defines a slot 146 open through a side of the bottom housing 114 and extending fully through the one side of the bottom housing 114. In other words, the slot 146 is open in the radial direction to permit movement of the conduit 42 in the radial direction from an exterior of the bottom housing 114 into the output cavity 130 and the slot 146 is open in the axial direction through the top and bottom walls of the bottom housing 114. Thus, the bottom housing 114 has a generally “C” shape or a discontinuous annular shape where the slot 146 forms the discontinuity in the annular shape.
The connecting body 118 extends axially between the top housing 110 and the bottom housing 114 to connect the two housings 110, 114 and rigidly support them spaced axially apart. The connecting body 118, the top housing 110, and the bottom housing 114 cooperate to define a conduit space 150 configured to receive the conduit 42 between the top and bottom housings 110, 114. The conduit space 150 is open to the output cavity 130 through the aperture 138 and open through the same side of the socket assembly 10 as the slot 146 to allow the conduit 42 to bend off the axis 50 and away from the socket assembly 10. In the example provided, the connecting body 118 is a discontinuous annular shape such that the connecting body 118 extends between the top and bottom housings 110, 114 along a side of the socket assembly 10 that is opposite the slot 146. In the example provided, the connecting body 118 defines a pair of shaft bores 154 (only one of which is shown in
Referring to
The cylinder 214 is coaxial with the axis 50 and is disposed within the input cavity 122 (
The output member 22 includes a socket head 230 and an output gear 234. The socket head 230 is disposed coaxially about the axis 50 and includes a plurality of interior facing walls 238 arranged in a predetermined shape to define a socket cavity 242. The walls 238 are configured to mate with the exterior surface of the nut 38 (
The output gear 234 is coupled to the socket head 230 for rotation therewith about the axis 50. The output gear 234 includes a plurality of teeth disposed about the axis 50. In the example provided, the teeth are external spur gear teeth, though other configurations can be used. In the example provided, the teeth are formed about the perimeter of the socket head 230, but are configured to have a maximum diameter that is less than or equal to the diameter of the cylindrical outer surface 254 of the socket head 230.
The output member 22 also defines a slot 258 open through a side of the output member 22 and extending fully through the one side of the output member 22 (i.e., through the socket head 230 and the output gear 234). In other words, the slot 258 is open in the radial direction to permit movement of the conduit 42 (
The output member 22 is coaxial with the axis 50 and disposed within the output cavity 130 (
The first and second shaft 26, 30 each includes an input transfer gear 262 and an output transfer gear 266. The input transfer gears 262 are disposed at one end of their corresponding shaft 26, 30 and meshingly engaged with the input gear 218, while the output transfer gears 266 are disposed at the opposite end of the corresponding shaft 26, 30 and meshingly engaged with the output gear 234. In the example provided, the input transfer gears 262 are disposed partially within the first recesses 126 and the output transfer gears 266 are disposed partially within the second recesses 134. Each of the shafts 26, 30 extends axially through a corresponding one of the shaft bores 154 and is rotatable relative to the frame 14. While not specifically shown, the shafts 26, 30 can be optionally supported for rotation relative to the frame 14 by bearings. In an alternative configuration, not specifically shown, the connecting body be arranged such that it does not include the shaft bores 154 and the shafts 26, 30 extend through the bottom of the top housing 110 and the top of the bottom housing 114, but are external to the connecting body 118.
Referring to
In an alternative construction, the socket assembly 10 can have a variable gear ratio between the input member 18 and the output member 22. In one such configuration, schematically shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
In yet another alternative construction, shown in
Alternatively, the input member 18 and the frame 14 (
In still alternative construction, shown in
Alternatively, the output member 22 and the frame 14 (
In another alternative configuration, shown in
Alternatively, the shafts 26, 30 and the frame 14 (
For any of the preceding configurations shown in
The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2693728 | Shaff | Nov 1954 | A |
4506567 | Makhlouf | Mar 1985 | A |
5339710 | Deadmond et al. | Aug 1994 | A |
5392671 | Hazzard | Feb 1995 | A |
5927156 | Landwehr, III | Jul 1999 | A |
7080581 | Reese | Jul 2006 | B2 |
7204174 | Wood | Apr 2007 | B1 |
7721627 | Basham | May 2010 | B2 |
9802297 | Marchand | Oct 2017 | B2 |
20080245193 | Lipka | Oct 2008 | A1 |
20120260776 | Ridge | Oct 2012 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
H0819968 | Jan 1996 | JP |
Entry |
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ECS Tuning, Injection Line Wrench—12-point Socket, Product page, available at URL https://www.ecstuning.com/b-hazet-parts/injection-line-wrench-12-point-socket/hz45502˜haz/. |
toolsid.com, Schley Products® ?13400-12-Point ⅜″ Drive Injector Line Socket Set, Product page, available at URL https://www.carid.com/schley-products/bmw-injector-line-sockets-for-n54-n63-and-s63-mpn-13400.html. |
Atlas Copco, ETO DS Tube Nut Nutrunner product page, available at URL https://www.flexibleassembly.com/Products/DC-Electric-Nutrunners/Atlas-Copco-ETO-DS-Nutrunners. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20200130148 A1 | Apr 2020 | US |