Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Handle clutched to head
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-07
2001-10-30
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Handle clutched to head
C081S057400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308593
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for adjusting a tie rod by using an open end wrench, the tie rod being built in a steering mechanism of a vehicle such as a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional steering mechanism for a motor vehicle has built therein, as shown in
FIG. 19
, a tie rod C which transmits the movement of a relay rod A which moves in interlocking with a steering handle to a knuckle arm B which rotatably supports a wheel. The tie rod C is made up of a rod main body C
1
which is connected to the relay rod A through a ball joint A
1
, and a rod end C
2
which is connected to the knuckle arm B through a ball joint B
1
. The end portion of the rod main body C
1
is threaded into the rod end C
2
. By changing the depth of this threaded connection, the length of the tie rod C is varied, whereby the toe of the wheels can be adjusted. In the figure, reference characters C
3
denote a tool engaging portion which is hexagonal in cross section and which is formed in the rod main body C
1
. Reference characters C
4
denote a lock nut which prevents the rod main body C
1
from rotating.
As an apparatus for adjusting this kind of tie rod by using an open end wrench which has at its top end a rod rotating portion for rotating the rod main body in the normal direction of rotation or in the reverse direction of rotation by engaging it with the tool engaging portion C
3
, there are known apparatuses in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application Nos. 289770/1989 and 295766/1989. These apparatuses are each provided with a carriage which vertically moves an open end wrench toward, and away from, a tie rod from a lower side of the vehicle which stays at a predetermined position. The open end wrench is supported on the carriage through a supporting mechanism which has a freedom of four axes so that the open end wrench can be moved in the vehicle width direction and vehicle longitudinal direction, tilted in the vehicle width direction, and rotated about an axis which extends in the longitudinal direction of the open end wrench.
According to this arrangement, the open end wrench is moved in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle longitudinal direction depending on the deviation in position of the tie rod in the vehicle width direction and in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Further, depending on the tilting of the tie rod in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the open end wrench is rotated about a vertical axis of the open end wrench and, depending on the tilting of the tie rod in the vertical direction, the open end wrench is tilted in the vehicle width direction. By these operations, the rod rotating portion at the top end of the open end wrench is engaged with the tool engaging portion so that the axis of rotation of the rod rotating portion coincides with the axial line of the rod main body of the tie rod. By the rotation of the rod rotating portion, the rod main body is rotated to thereby adjust the length of the tie rod.
Further, in this prior art, that tilting member of the supporting mechanism which extends in the vehicle width direction is constituted such that the open end wrench is tiltable in the vehicle width direction with a lower supporting shaft which is lower than the open end wrench serving as a fulcrum.
In the above-described conventional apparatus, when the open end wrench is tilted in the vehicle width direction by the movement of the tilting member, the top end of the open end wrench largely deviates in the vehicle width direction. In order to correct this deviation, it becomes necessary to largely move the open end wrench in the vehicle width direction. There is therefore a disadvantage in that the positioning work of the open end wrench relative to the tie rod becomes troublesome.
In view of the above points, the present invention has an object of providing an apparatus for adjusting a tie rod in which the positioning of the open end wrench relative to the tie rod can be made easily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to attain the above and other objects, the present invention is an apparatus for adjusting a tie rod built in a steering mechanism of a vehicle, the tie rod having a rod main body and a tool engaging portion formed in hexagonal cross section in the rod main body, the apparatus comprising: an open end wrench having a rod rotating portion at a top end portion thereof, the rod rotating portion being adapted to be engaged with the tool engaging portion to rotate the rod main body in normal or reverse direction of rotation for adjustment of the tie rod; a carriage for moving the open end wrench toward and away from the tie rod from a lower side of the vehicle staying at a predetermined position; and a supporting mechanism for supporting the open end wrench on the carriage, the supporting mechanism having a freedom of four axes and supporting the open end wrench so as to be movable in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle longitudinal direction, tiltable in the vehicle width direction, and rotatable about a longitudinal axial line of the open end wrench, wherein a tilting member built in the supporting mechanism for tilting the open end wrench In the vehicle width direction is constituted such that the open end wrench is tiltable in the vehicle width direction by an arcuate movement of the tilting member, a center of an arc of the arcuate movement being coincident with the top end portion of the open end wrench.
According to the present invention, even if the open end wrench is tilted in the vehicle width direction by the movement of the tilting member, the top end portion of the open end wrench does not deviate in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to perform the operation to correct the deviation in the vehicle width direction as a result of the tilting operation of the open end wrench in the vehicle width direction. The work of positioning the open end wrench relative to the tie rod becomes easier.
By the way, the conventional open end wrench has the following arrangement. Namely, a pair of first rotary member and the second rotary member which constitute a rod rotating portion and which have inserting grooves for inserting thereinto the tool engaging portion, are rotatably supported. at a top end portion of the wrench main body, so as to be rotatable about the same axial line. In one of the rotary members, e.g., in the second rotary member, three rollers “a” which serve as clamp members and are capable of contacting three circumferential portions of the tool engaging portion C
3
are supported so as to be radially movable as shown in FIG.
20
. On an inner circumference of the first rotary member “b” there are formed three pairs of cam surfaces c which come into contact with these rollers “a.” When, in a state in which the second rotary member is kept braked by a brake means, the first rotary member b is rotated by the driving means in the normal or the reverse direction from the basic phase in which the inserting grooves of both the rotary members coincide with each other, three rollers “a” are pushed into a radially inward clamped position by each of the cam surfaces c so as to come into contact with the tool engaging portion C
3
. When the rollers “a” are in contact with the tool engaging portion C
3
, the second rotary member thereafter rotates integrally with the first rotary member b against the braking force of the brake means, whereby the tie rod is rotated in the same direction of rotation as that of the second rotary member b. Further, when the open end wrench is released from the tie rod, the first rotary member b is first rotated relative to the second rotary member in the direction of rotation which is opposite to that at the time of toe adjustment so as to return the first rotary member b to the above-described basic phase. By this operation, the rollers “a” are returned to the radially outward unclamped position. Then, the braking of the second rotary member by the braking means is released. In this
Maruo Masaru
Osada Atsushi
Shibayama Takao
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Shakeri Hadi
Smith James G.
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