Ratchet wrench
OwnerPang-Lin Shihinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ratchet wrench includes a wrench body, a ratchet wheel, a first ring, a pawl member, a direction control unit, a cover, and a snap ring. The wrench body is provided with a first receiving recess, a second receiving recess, two first side faces, a third receiving recess, a fourth receiving recess, a closed end, and two resting faces. The ratchet wheel is provided with a ratchet portion and a mounting portion. The pawl member is provided with an engaging portion, a cavity, a projection, and two second side faces. The direction control unit is rotated to move the pawl member. The direction control unit includes a rotation member, a first push member, and a first elastic member. The ratchet wrench further includes a second push member and a second elastic member that are assembled and received in the fourth receiving recess.
Claims7
A ratchet wrench comprising:
- a wrench body, a ratchet wheel, a first ring, a pawl member, a direction control unit, a cover, and a snap ring;
- wherein:
- the wrench body has an end provided with a first receiving recess;
- the first receiving recess has a circular shape;
- the first receiving recess has an open top;
- the wrench body is provided with a second receiving recess beside the first receiving recess;
- the second receiving recess has a diameter less than a diameter of the first receiving recess;
- the second receiving recess has a center disposed in the first receiving recess;
- the second receiving recess is connected to the first receiving recess;
- the second receiving recess has an open top;
- the second receiving recess has two first side faces;
- the two first side faces are arranged symmetrically relative to the second receiving recess;
- each of the two first side faces are a flat plane;
- the second receiving recess is provided with two arcuate faces;
- each of the two arcuate faces connect one of the two first side faces and the first receiving recess;
- the wrench body is provided with a third receiving recess beside the second receiving recess;
- the third receiving recess is connected to the second receiving recess;
- the third receiving recess has an open top and an open bottom;
- the third receiving recess is a circular hole penetrating the wrench body;
- the wrench body is provided with a fourth receiving recess beside the third receiving recess;
- the fourth receiving recess is connected to the third receiving recess;
- an angle is defined between an axis of the fourth receiving recess and an axis of the third receiving recess;
- the fourth receiving recess has a circular shape;
- the wrench body has an open top provided with a cover groove;
- the cover groove extends through the first receiving recess, the second receiving recess, and the third receiving recess;
- the wrench body has a bottom provided with a closed end;
- the closed end of the wrench body extends through the first receiving recess and the second receiving recess;
- the wrench body is provided with a snap ring groove;
- the cover groove is arranged between the first receiving recess and the snap ring groove;
- the snap ring groove has an annular shape;
- the wrench body is provided with a cutout;
- the cutout is connected to the third receiving recess;
- the cutout is proximate to the closed end;
- the cutout is provided with two resting faces;
- each of the two resting faces are a plane;
- an angle is defined between the two first side faces;
- the angle defined between the two first side faces is ranged between 55° and 65°;
- the ratchet wheel is pivotally mounted in the first receiving recess;
- the ratchet wheel has a periphery provided with a ratchet portion;
- the ratchet portion is a toothed portion having an annular shape;
- the ratchet wheel is provided with a mounting portion;
- the ratchet wheel has an end provided with an end face;
- the end face faces the cover groove;
- the end face is provided with a first annular groove;
- the first annular groove is arranged between the ratchet portion and the mounting portion;
- the first annular groove has a ring shape;
- the ratchet wheel is provided with a recessed portion facing the closed end;
- the recessed portion is an arcuate depression;
- the recessed portion decreases a friction area between the ratchet wheel and the closed end when the ratchet wheel is rotated in the first receiving recess;
- the first ring is received in the first annular groove;
- the first ring surrounds the mounting portion;
- the first ring is made of resilient material;
- the pawl member is received in the second receiving recess;
- the pawl member is controlled and is movable leftward and rightward in the second receiving recess;
- the pawl member has a front side provided with an engaging portion engaging the ratchet portion;
- the engaging portion has a diameter;
- the engaging portion has a first end provided with a first toothed part and a second end provided with a second toothed part;
- the diameter of the engaging portion is more than a diameter of the ratchet portion, so that when the pawl member is received in the second receiving recess, a gap is defined between the first toothed part or the second toothed part and the ratchet portion;
- the gap is increased gradually from a middle of the engaging portion toward the first toothed part or the second toothed part;
- the pawl member has a rear side provided with a cavity;
- the cavity has an arcuate shape;
- the cavity has two first faces, a second face, and two third faces;
- the two first faces are arranged at two corners of the cavity;
- each of the two first faces are located at a deepest position of the cavity;
- each of the two first faces are arranged between the second face and one of the two third faces;
- each of the two first faces have a concave shape with a single diameter;
- the second face is disposed at a middle of the cavity;
- the second face has a convex shape;
- the two first faces are arranged symmetrically relative to the second face;
- the two third faces are arranged at two end openings of the cavity;
- the two third faces are arranged symmetrically relative to the second face;
- each of the two third faces are tangent to one of the two first faces;
- each of the two third faces have a concave shape with a single diameter, the single diameter more than a diameter of each of the two first faces;
- the pawl member is provided with a projection received in the cavity;
- the projection is proximate to the closed end;
- the pawl member is provided with a first abutting portion arranged between the projection and the cavity;
- the first abutting portion has a planar shape;
- the pawl member is provided with a second abutting portion facing the open top of the second receiving recess;
- the cavity is arranged between the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion;
- the second abutting portion has a planar shape;
- the pawl member has two second side faces;
- when the pawl member is received in the second receiving recess, one of the two second side faces rests on one of the two first side faces, and another one of the two second side faces is distant from another one of the two first side faces;
- each of the two second side faces have a convex shape, so that when one of the two second side faces rests on one of the two first side faces, a contact between one of the two second side faces and one of the two first side faces defines a line segment;
- the pawl member is pivoted with the line segment serving an axis so that the engaging portion engages the ratchet portion;
- the direction control unit is pivotally mounted in the third receiving recess, and is rotated to move the pawl member leftward or rightward in the second receiving recess;
- the direction control unit includes a rotation member, a first push member, a first elastic member, and a second ring;
- the rotation member is provided with a cylindrical block;
- the cylindrical block is pivotally mounted in the third receiving recess;
- the cylindrical block is provided with a restriction hole;
- the restriction hole aligns with the cavity;
- the restriction hole has a circular shape;
- the cylindrical block has a first end provided with three third abutting portions;
- each of the three third abutting portions are directed toward the pawl member;
- when the rotation member is rotated, at least one of the three third abutting portions rests on the second abutting portion, so that the pawl member is restricted by the three third abutting portions of the rotation member and cannot be detached from the second receiving recess of the wrench body;
- the rotation member is provided with a drive knob received in the cutout;
- the drive knob has a first side abutting one of the two resting faces;
- when the rotation member is rotated, the drive knob has a second side abutting another one of the two resting faces;
- the cylindrical block is provided with two first slots and a second slot;
- one of the two first slots aligns with the fourth receiving recess;
- when the direction control unit is rotated, and the pawl member is moved to a middle position of the second receiving recess, the second slot aligns with the fourth receiving recess;
- the two first slots and the second slot are distant from the restriction hole;
- the second slot is arranged between the two first slots;
- the cylindrical block has a second end provided with a second annular groove;
- the second annular groove is distant from the three third abutting portions;
- the second annular groove has a concave ring shape;
- the first push member and the first elastic member are assembled and received in the restriction hole;
- the first push member has a first end provided with a thrust portion;
- when the first push member is pushed by an elastic force of the first elastic member, the thrust portion presses one of the two first faces;
- the thrust portion is restricted by one of the two third faces and will not be detached from the cavity;
- the first push member has a second end provided with a pillar;
- the pillar has a peripheral face abutting the first abutting portion;
- the first push member is restricted by the first abutting portion, and the rotation member is restricted by the first push member, so that the rotation member is pivotally mounted and limited in the third receiving recess;
- the pillar has a column shape;
- the first push member is provided with a conic face located between the thrust portion and the pillar;
- the thrust portion has a reduced diameter by provision of the conic face, so that the reduced diameter of the thrust portion mates with the single diameter of each of the two first faces;
- when the rotation member is rotated, the thrust portion presses and passes the second face, and the first elastic member is compressed by the first push member, so that the first elastic member has an elastic resisting force when the rotation member is turned;
- the second ring is retained in the second annular groove;
- the second annular groove seals a gap between the rotation member and the third receiving recess;
- the cover is received in the cover groove;
- the cover closes the first receiving recess, the second receiving recess, and the third receiving recess;
- the first ring is biased between the first annular groove and the cover;
- the first ring seals the wrench body, the ratchet wheel, and the cover without a gap defined therebetween, so that the ratchet wrench has a waterproof effect;
- the snap ring has a C-shaped configuration;
- the snap ring is retained in the snap ring groove and rests on the cover;
- the cover is restricted by the snap ring and cannot be detached from the cover groove;
- the ratchet wrench further comprises a second push member and a second elastic member;
- the second push member and the second elastic member are assembled and received in the fourth receiving recess;
- the second push member is pushed by an elastic force of the second elastic member and presses one of the two first slots;
- and
- the second push member is used to position the direction control unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.