1. Fields of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench, and more particularly, to a safe and easy-to-use ratchet wrench.
2. Descriptions of Related Art
The conventional wrench disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,584 discloses a handle including a first end having a head formed thereon. The head includes an internal gear formed therein. The handle includes a bore formed therein and communicates with the internal gear. At least one ring gear is rotatably received in the head. A bevel gear is rotatably received in the bore of the handle and engaged with the at least one ring gear for rotating the at least one ring gear in either direction. A seat is rotatably received in the head and includes a driving stem extended therefrom. A pair of pawls are rotatably secured to the seat and each include two ends for selectively engaging with the internal gear. At least one rod engaged between the at least one ring gear and the seat to selectively drive the seat with the at least one ring gear. There is a means for rotating the bevel gear to rotate the at least one ring gear with the at least one rod. However, the handle and the axle are not well secured so that the handle may shift from the axle when in use.
The present invention intends to provide a ratchet wrench which improves the shortcomings mentioned above.
The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench and comprises a body, a driving unit, a control unit, a first rotary unit, a second rotary unit and a second connector. The body has a first recess and a restriction portion. The driving unit is connected to the working end of the body and is driven by the control unit to allow the wrench to be rotated clockwise or counter clockwise. The first rotary unit has a first rotary rod, a third toothed ring, a sleeve, a first clip, a second resilient member and a bead. The second rotary unit has a second rotary rod, two caps, a second resilient member, a third rotary rod and a handle. The second connector is located in the restriction portion. The second connector is located corresponding to the groove of the first rotary rod, so that the first rotary rod does not drop from the first recess.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
The ratchet wrench comprises an elongate body 10 having an extension 101 which has a working end 100 on one end thereof. The working end 100 has a through hole 102 which has a first toothed portion 11 defined in the inner periphery thereof. A first space 12 and a second space 13 are respectively and co-axially located on the top and the bottom of the through hole 102. The diameter of the first space 12 and the diameter of the second space 13 are larger than that of the first toothed portion 11. The extension 101 has a first recess 14 defined axially therein which communicates with the first toothed portion 11. The body 10 having a restriction portion 15 defined in one side thereof and the restriction portion 15 communicates with the first recess 14.
The driving unit 20 is rotatably located in the through hole 102 of the working end 100, and comprises a cylindrical lower part 21, an annular seat 22, an annular first toothed ring 23, two first rods 24, two second rods 25, two first pawls 26, an annular second toothed ring 27 and a cylindrical top part 28. The lower part 21 has two first connection portions 211 and two second connection portions 212. The two first connection portions 211 and the two second connection portions 212 are upright holes. The diameter of the first connection portion 211 is larger than that of the second connection portion 212. The lower part 21 has two first faces 213 which are flat faces and located on two opposite sides of the lower part 21. The lower part 21 is a rectangular driving portion 215 so as to be connected with socket, extension rod or an universal connector. The seat 22 is mounted to the lower part 21. The inner diameter of an inner periphery 220 of the seat 22 is the same as that of the lower part 21. The outer diameter of the seat 22 is larger than that of the lower part 21. The first toothed ring 23 is mounted to the lower part 21 and rested on the seat 22. The first toothed ring 23 has first teeth 231 defined in the outer periphery thereof. The inner periphery 232 of the first toothed ring 23 faces the first faces 213 so as to form two rooms 214 defined by the two first faces 213 and the inner periphery 232 of the first toothed ring 23. The first rods 24 are inserted in the first connection portions 211. The first rods 24 are two cylindrical rods, and the second rods 25 are inserted in the second connection portions 211. The second rods 25 are cylindrical rods. The two first pawls 26 are symmetrically connected to the top of the lower part 21 and each of the two first pawls 26 has engaging teeth 260 which are engaged with the first toothed portion 11. Each of the two first pawls 26 has a first hole 261. The first rod 24 extends through the first hole 261. The second toothed ring 27 has second teeth 271 which are located corresponding to the first teeth 231 of the first toothed ring 23. The second toothed ring 27 has a second inner periphery 272. The top part 28 is located corresponding to the lower part 21. The second toothed ring 27 is mounted to the outer surface 280 of the top part 28. The top part 28 has two third connection portions 281 and two fourth connection portions 282. The third connection portions 281 and the two fourth connection portions 282 are respectively located corresponding to the first connection portions 211 and the second connection portions 212. The two third connection portions 281 are mounted to the first rods 24. The two fourth connection portions 282 are mounted to the second rods 25. The top part 28 has two second faces 283 located on two opposite sides thereof, and the two second faces 283 are located corresponding to the first faces 213. The top part 28 has a second hole 284 defined centrally therethrough.
The control unit 30 for controlling the driving unit 20 to rotate clockwise or counter clockwise comprises a switch 31, two first resilient members 32 and two pins 33. The switch 31 has a cylindrical switch rod 311 which is pivotably connected to the second hole 284. The switch rod 311 has a recessed portion defined in each of two sides thereof. The top of the switch 31 protrudes from the body 10. Each first resilient member 32 is pivotably connected to the second rod 25 corresponding thereto. The first resilient member 32 has one end pivotably connected to the switch rod 311. Each of the first resilient members 32 has a protruding end and an open end. Each of the pins 33 is engaged with the open end of the first resilient member 32 corresponding thereto. The pin 33 is located in the room 214 of the lower part 21. One end of each pin 33 is located between the first face 213 and the inner periphery 232 of the seat 22, and the other end of each pin 33 is located between the second inner periphery 272 and the second face 283. When the switch 31 is rotated to pivot the first pawl 26 about the first rod 24, and to drive the first resilient member 32, the first resilient member 32 moves the pin 33 within the room 214 so as to control the rotational direction of the ratchet wrench.
The first rotary unit 40 comprises a first rotary rod 41 with a round cross section, a ring-shaped third toothed ring 42, a first connector 43, a sleeve 44, a C-shaped first clip 45, a second resilient member 46 and a bead 47. The first rotary rod 41 is pivotably located in the first recess 14 and has a non-circular protrusion 411 extending from the first end thereof. A connection end 412 with inner threads is defined in the end face of the protrusion 411. A non-circular first reception recess 414 is defined in the second end of the first rotary rod 41. The first rotary rod 41 has a groove 413 defined in the outside thereof, and the groove 413 of the first rotary rod 41 is located corresponding to the restriction portion 15. A second reception recess 415 is defined in the second end of the first rotary rod 41 and communicates with the first reception recess 414. A bead receiving hole 416 and another groove 417 are defined in the outside of the first rotary rod 41. The bead receiving hole 416 is located corresponding to the second reception recess 415. Said another groove 417 is located corresponding to the first reception recess 414. The third toothed ring 42 is mounted to the protrusion 411 and has a third toothed portion 421 on one end thereof. The third toothed portion 421 is located between the first teeth 231 and the second teeth 271. The third toothed portion 421 is engaged with the first teeth 231 and the second teeth 271. The first connector 43 extends through the third toothed ring 42 and has outer threads which are threadedly connected to the connection end 412. The sleeve 44 is axially mounted to the first rotary rod 41 and moved between a release position and an engaged position. The sleeve 44 has a receiving recess 441 defined therein which extends through the first open end of the sleeve 44. A stepped recess 443 is defined in the second end of the sleeve 44 and communicates with the receiving recess 441. The stepped recess 443 is wider from the first end toward the second end of the sleeve 44. The stepped recess 443 is located corresponding to the second reception recess 415. A shoulder 442 is formed in the sleeve 44 and located between the stepped recess 443 and the receiving recess 441. The sleeve 44 has multiple ridges 444 for increasing friction. The first clip 45 is engaged with said another groove 417 and located within the receiving recess 441. The outer periphery of the first clip 45 protrudes from the outer surface of the first rotary rod 41. The first clip 45 is in flush with the sleeve 44. The second resilient member 46 is mounted to the first rotary rod 41 and located within the receiving recess 441. The second resilient member 46 is biased between the shoulder 442 and the first clip 45 so that the second resilient member 46 provides a force move the sleeve 44 between the release position and the engaged position. The bead 47 is a spherical bead and located in the bead receiving hole 416 and is restricted by the stepped recess 443 so as not drop from the bead receiving hole 416. The bead receiving hole 416 has a lip which prevents the bead 47 from dropping into the second reception recess 415. The first rotary unit 40 has an annular end piece 48 which is mounted to the first rotary rod 41 and located between the first rotary rod 41 and the stepped recess 443. The end piece 48 seals an open end of the stepped recess 443. The end piece 48 is in flush with the second end of the first rotary rod 41.
The second rotary unit 50 having a second rotary rod 51 which has a non-circular cross section, two caps 52, a third resilient member 53, a third rotary rod 54 which has a non-circular cross section and a handle 55. The second rotary rod 51 has a first reception portion 511 and a second reception portion 512 on the first end thereof. The second reception portion 512 is a cylindrical portion. A hole 514 is defined transversely through a second end of the second rotary rod 51. The first reception portion 511 is shaped to be matched with the first reception recess 414. The first reception portion 511 is engaged with the first reception recess 414. The second reception portion 512 is received in the second reception recess 415. Preferably, the first reception recess 414 is a rectangular recess, and the first reception portion 511 is a rectangular protrusion. Alternatively, the first reception recess 414 is a hexagonal recess, the first reception portion 511 is a hexagonal protrusion. The second reception portion 512 has a groove 513 which is located corresponding to the bead receiving hole 416. The bead 47 is engaged with the groove 513 of the second reception portion 512. The second rotary rod 51 is restricted by the bead 47 to engage the second reception portion 512 with the second reception recess 415. The third resilient member 53 and the two caps 52 are located in the hole 514 of the second rotary rod 51. The third resilient member 53 is biased between the two caps 52, and the two caps 52 partially protrude from two ends of the hole 514 of the second rotary rod 51. The third rotary rod 54 has a first passage 541 defined through two open ends thereof. The cross section of the first passage 541 is matched with the cross section of the second rotary rod 51. The first passage 541 is to be engaged with the second end of the second rotary rod 51. The third rotary rod 54 has two holes 542 defined along the third rotary rod 54. The holes 542 in the third rotary rod 54 are circular holes. The hole 514 of the second rotary rod 51 is located corresponding to one of the holes 542 in the third rotary rod 54 so that the caps 52 are engaged with the holes 542 of the third rotary rod 54 so as to adjust the position of the third rotary rod 54 relative to the second rotary rod 51. The handle 55 has a second passage 551 defined in one end thereof. The cross section of the third rotary rod 54 is matched with the cross section of the second passage 551. One end of the third rotary rod 54 is to be engaged with the second passage 551. The second connector 60 is connected to the restriction portion 15 and movably engaged with the groove 413 of the third rotary rod 41. Preferably, each of the second and third rotary rods 51, 54 has a hexagonal cross section, and the first and second passages 541, 551 each are a hexagonal passage. The second connector 60 restricts the first rotary rod 41 from dropping from the first recess 14. A C-shaped second clip 70 is mounted to the lower part 21 to prevent the driving unit 20 from dropping the body 10.
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While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4147801 | Lenhard | Apr 1979 | A |
4545267 | Shumway | Oct 1985 | A |
5058463 | Wannop | Oct 1991 | A |
6070499 | Wisbey | Jun 2000 | A |
6311584 | Chu | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6457386 | Chiang | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6925910 | Alford | Aug 2005 | B2 |
7267033 | Lai | Sep 2007 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160311088 A1 | Oct 2016 | US |