Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Handle clutched to head
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-13
2002-10-01
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Handle clutched to head
C081S063100, C081S063000, C081S062000, C081S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06457387
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reversible ratcheting tool having a smaller head and improved driving torque for convenient use in a limited space.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wide variety of ratcheting tools have heretofore been disclosed. Typical examples include: U.S. Pat. No. 1,957,462 to Kress issued on May 8, 1934; U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,720 to Shiel issued on May 11, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,062 to Colvin issued on May 6, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,033 to Chow issued on Aug. 9, 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,697 to Moetteli issued on Jun. 4, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,014 to Sandrick issued on Aug. 22, 1967; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,869 to Chow issued on Sep. 8, 1992. Most of the above-mentioned conventional ratcheting tools fail to provide high torque operation, as the pawls merely engage with the ratchet wheel by at best three or five teeth. The head of the ratcheting tool has to be relatively large for accommodating those components and thus is difficult to be used in a limited space. In addition, the pawl is directly driven by the switch button or reverser plate or like element such that the pawl tends to be disengaged from the ratchet wheel or like element if the switch block is inadvertently impinged. Generally, a skilled user uses a combination wrench, a spanner with two open ends, or a ring spanner for tightening or loosening a fastener in a limited space. Yet, it is found that free rotation of the ratcheting tool during ratcheting is too large (larger than the theoretic value of 5°), as the pawl has a long travel.
Applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/464,563 filed on Dec. 16, 1999 discloses a reversible ratcheting tool with a smaller head to solve the above problems.
FIG. 8
illustrates engagement between a gear wheel
80
and a pawl
81
of a conventional ratcheting tool. The pawl
81
has a plurality of teeth engaged with teeth
83
of the gear wheel
80
at faces
82
so as to provide high torque operation. The faces
82
have a center of curvature at “B”, which is coincident with the center of the gear wheel
80
. Referring to
FIG. 9
, when the handle (not shown) is rotated clockwise, the gear wheel
80
exerts a force F on each tooth on the pawl
81
. The force F is imparted into a downward vertical force F
1
and a leftward horizontal force F
2
. The leftward horizontal force F
2
makes the pawl
81
bear against point A on a wall in a cavity in a web area of the handle. The downward vertical force F
1
moves the pawl
81
away from the gear wheel
80
. As a result, the right portion of the pawl
81
is disengaged from the gear wheel
80
. The reactive force by the wall at point A is imparted into an upward vertical force FN
1
and a rightward horizontal force FN
2
. The upward vertical force FN
1
makes the pawl
81
move toward the gear wheel
80
and the rightward horizontal force FN
2
moves the pawl
81
rightward As a result, the pawl
81
and the gear wheel
80
have a firm engagement with each associated tooth of the gear wheel at point D.
Referring to
FIG. 10
, when the handle is further rotated clockwise, a higher torque is applied such that the magnitudes of the forces F
1
and F
2
increase. The right portion of the pawl teeth that is slightly disengaged from the gear wheel teeth
83
can still be in contact with the gear wheel teeth
83
when the gear wheel
80
is rotated. The right portion of the pawl
81
is moved downward farther. As a result, more teeth on the pawl
81
are disengaged from the gear wheel
80
(see the pawl teeth on the right side of point A). The forces FN
1
and FN
2
are also increased in magnitude, yet fewer pawl teeth have firm engagement with the gear wheel teeth. This problem is aggravated when the handle is further rotated clockwise. Accordingly, the gear wheel/pawl arrangement fails to provide the required high torque operation, as all of the pawl teeth have the same center of curvature. In addition, the pawl and the gear wheel will be damaged quickly.
The present invention is intended to provide an improved design in this regard to improve the driving torque for reliable high-torque operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a reversible ratcheting tool with a small head while providing improved driving torque for convenient use in a limited space.
A ratcheting tool in accordance with the present invention comprises:
a handle;
a head extended from the handle and having a compartment therein;
a drive member including a first end extended beyond the compartment, a second end extended beyond the compartment, and a gear wheel formed between the first end and the second end, the gear wheel being rotatably mounted in the compartment and including an outer periphery with a plurality of first teeth;
a pawl mounted in the compartment and including a first side with a plurality of second teeth facing the first teeth of the gear wheel and a second side facing away from the gear wheel, the second teeth of the pawl including a first teeth portion having a first center of curvature and a second teeth portion having a second center of curvature located at a position different from the first center of curvature;
a ring mounted in the compartment and around the first end of the drive member, the ring being operably connected to the pawl such that the ring and the pawl are pivotable about a rotational axis of the gear wheel and that the pawl is movable in a radial direction relative to the ring;
a reversing plate mounted to the first end of the drive member and pivotable about the rotational axis of the gear wheel between a first position and a second position;
means for retaining the reversing plate in position; and
means for providing transmission between the reversing plate and the pawl for moving the pawl between a first ratcheting position and a second ratcheting position, wherein the first teeth portion of the pawl is engaged with the first teeth of the gear wheel for ratcheting in a first direction and the second teeth portion of the pawl is disengaged from the first teeth of the gear wheel when the pawl is in the first ratcheting position, and wherein the second teeth portion of the pawl is engaged with the first teeth of the gear wheel for ratcheting in a second direction opposite to the first direction and the first teeth portion of the pawl is disengaged from the first teeth of the gear wheel when the pawl is in the second ratcheting position.
The first center of curvature of the pawl is coincident with a center of the gear wheel when the pawl is in the first ratcheting position. The second center of curvature of the pawl is coincident with the center of the gear wheel when the pawl is in the second ratcheting position Thus, the total number of pawl teeth actually and reliably engaged with the gear wheel in accordance with the present invention during ratchet is greater than that in conventional designs, and such advantage is the result of the novel design in the first and second teeth portions of the pawl.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 15482 (1856-08-01), Gilman
patent: 810599 (1906-01-01), Ansorge
patent: 841686 (1907-01-01), Hatfield
patent: 893097 (1908-07-01), Reams
patent: 915446 (1909-03-01), Kearnes
patent: 1033358 (1912-07-01), Turner
patent: 1194471 (1916-08-01), Boosinger
patent: 1261092 (1918-04-01), Allen
patent: 1382492 (1921-06-01), Evans
patent: 1426127 (1922-08-01), Tuttle
patent: 1614039 (1927-01-01), Mandl
patent: 1957462 (1934-05-01), Kress
patent: 2317461 (1943-04-01), Jackson
patent: 2542241 (1951-02-01), Fors
patent: 2657604 (1953-11-01), Rueb
patent: 2701977 (1955-02-01), Stone
patent: 2764048 (1956-09-01), Thompson
patent: 2769360 (1956-11-01), Cottrell et al.
patent: 2800821 (1957-07-01), Fruscella
patent: 2891434 (1959-06-01), Lozensky
patent: 2957377 (1960-10-01), Hare
patent: 3019682 (1962-02-01)
Berry Jr. Willie
Hail III Joseph J.
Kamrath Alan
Rider Bennett Egan & Arundel LLP
LandOfFree
Reversible ratcheting tool with a smaller head and improved... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Reversible ratcheting tool with a smaller head and improved..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Reversible ratcheting tool with a smaller head and improved... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3000422