Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Rigid jaws
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-29
2001-05-08
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Rigid jaws
C081S003090, C081S003400, C081S120000, C007S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227078
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to automotive engine oil filters commonly known as replaceable “spin-on” oil filters and relates in particular to devices used to loosen and remove oil filters known as engine oil filter socket wrenches. The present invention is a type of engine oil filter socket wrench designed to contain oil spillage.
Technical field classification definition includes class 81 wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor, subclass 119 rigid jaws, subclass 121.1 enclosed (e.g. socket), and 124.6 having axial opening for removable handle.
2. Description of Prior Art
The Quinn patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,897 provides a detailed description of a conventional oil filter socket wrench in combination with a packaging method. The Quinn device does not discuss or suggest oil spillage and such a structure could not inherently contain oil spillage given its through-hole design. The present invention does however rely on the Quinn patent to show a means of engaging an oil filter for purpose of loosening and removing the filter referred to as angled facets or segments. Quinn does not show an oil filter.
The design patent of Tannous Des. 309974 is relied on to show a detailed picture of a conventional oil filter and to show the angled facets or segments of the filter corresponding to the angled facets or segments of an oil filter socket wrench such as that shown in the Quinn device. The Tonnous patent does not suggest containing oil spillage and the device could not do so inherently.
The disclosure of this present invention illustrates a typical prior art oil filter socket wrench in prior art
FIGS. 1
,
2
, and
2
A. Prior art
FIG. 1
details the oil spillage problem of the prior art. It is this oil spillage problem of the prior art that the present invention overcomes.
As shown in prior art
FIG. 1
, oil filter
5
, a typical spin-on oil filter in common use, has threaded attachment hole
4
corresponding to engine block oil gallery fitting
1
with matching threads
2
. Fitting
1
fastens oil filter
5
securely to an engine block without any oil spillage occurring. However, when oil filter
5
is loosened and removed from fitting
1
, by use of prior art oil filter socket wrench
10
, oil spillage
3
is initiated. Oil spillage
3
is in the form of residual oil droplets coming out of fitting
1
and also residual oil flowing out of filter
5
and onto and past prior art oil filter socket wrench
10
. It is likely oil spillage
3
will spill onto a garage floor or onto the hand of a mechanic using prior art oil filter socket wrench
10
and create a hazard.
It is important to note that prior art oil filter socket wrench
10
was never intended to contain oil spillage
3
and does not have a structure that would inherently contain oil spillage
3
. Evidence of the fact that prior art oil filter socket wrench
10
was never intended to contain oil spillage
3
is seen in prior art
FIGS. 2 and 2A
with square cutout through-hole
17
. Square cutout through-hole
17
provides a means to attach a drive device such as a ratchet drive to the prior art oil filter socket wrench
10
. Since the ratchet drive is intended to be placed into square cutout through-hole
17
readily by hand, square cutout through-hole must provide a loose fit and therefore could not inherently seal-in oil spillage
3
. Also, since prior art oil filter socket wrench
10
has the shape of essentially a single cylinder, shown as first cylindrical member
12
in prior art
FIG. 1
, and fits snugly onto oil filter
5
in order to grip it properly, prior art oil filter socket wrench
10
would lack the volumetric capacity to contain oil spillage
3
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main objective of the present invention is to overcome the oil spillage problem of the prior art by providing an inventive cup-shaped structure built concentrically around and above an existing prior art oil filter socket wrench. The inventive cup-shaped structure forms a larger second cylindrical member mounted atop a smaller first cylindrical member of the prior art. When an oil filter is loosened and removed using the present invention, any oil spillage coming out of the mounting fitting of the oil filter or from within the oil filter itself is neatly collected and held within the inventive larger second cylindrical member until it can be safely poured into a proper receptacle. In at least one embodiment, protuberances project radially inward from the inside surface of the larger cylinder and terminate in loose contact at the oil filter surface to provide alignment of the device about the filter. Additionally, the larger cylinder can be constructed of flexible material capable of being squeezed by hand to create a frictional grip between the protuberances and the oil filter body for the purpose of turning and loosening the oil filter from its mount.
A second objective of the present invention is to provide a new and useful oil filter socket wrench that can be readily made by hand at minimal cost and with common hand tools and materials. The present invention teaches how a prior art oil filter socket wrench is modified to become part of the new and useful present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 309974 (1990-08-01), Tannous
patent: 3385141 (1968-05-01), Norman
patent: 4266452 (1981-05-01), Crist
patent: 4376703 (1983-03-01), Krauss
patent: 4451368 (1984-05-01), Pandelena et al.
patent: 4763620 (1988-08-01), Zastocki
patent: 4867017 (1989-09-01), Holman
patent: 5271299 (1993-12-01), Wadsworth
patent: 5353666 (1994-10-01), Rogers
patent: 5366084 (1994-11-01), Post
patent: 5386748 (1995-02-01), Kilgore
patent: 5438893 (1995-08-01), Rogers
patent: 5440957 (1995-08-01), Rogers
patent: 5469935 (1995-11-01), Hewuse
patent: 5606897 (1997-03-01), Quinn
patent: 5852961 (1998-12-01), Kotowski
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