Deformable wrench
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsVitaly Grossman, Richard A. Close, Robert D. Cross, Mark G. Laskowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A deformable wrench for applying torque to a nut engaging a threaded fastener includes a wrench body having a center portion with at least one wing portion extending therefrom. The wrench body is formed from an elastic material and a socket aperture extends through the central portion between spaced upper and lower surfaces thereof. The socket aperture is configured to cooperate with the profile of the nut to permit rotation relative to the fastener by applying force to the wing portion of the wrench. At a predetermined torque value, the walls of the socket aperture deform to permit rotation of the wrench relative to the nut thereby preventing over-torquing the nut on the fastener.
Claims13
A wrench for applying torque to a fastening means comprising:
- a wrench body formed from an elastic material and having a center portion with at least one wing portion extending therefrom;
- said center portion having a socket aperture formed therethrough and being configured to cooperate with an external profile of the fastening means;
- and
- whereby when said socket aperture receives the fastening means and the fastening means is threadably engaged with a fastener, force exerted on said one wing portion will apply torque to rotate said wrench body and the fastening means in a fastening means-tightening direction relative to the fastener, and wherein said center portion deforms when the applied torque exceeds a predetermined value thereby permitting said wrench body to rotate relative to the fastening means to prevent over-torquing the fastening means on the fastener.
An antenna and wrench assembly for attaching an antenna mast to a vehicle comprising:
- an elongated antenna mast having an end;
- a nut attached to said end of said antenna mast, said nut being formed with a predetermined profile and having a flange formed on one end thereof with an annular groove adjacent said flange;
- a wrench formed from an elastic material and having a center portion with at least one wing portion extending therefrom;
- said center portion having a socket aperture formed therein receiving said nut, said socket aperture being configured to cooperate with an external profile of said nut, said center portion including a radially inwardly extending lip in said socket aperture releasably engaging said groove;
- and
- whereby when said nut is threadably engaged with a fastener on a vehicle, force exerted on said one wing portion will apply torque to rotate said wrench and said nut in a nut-tightening direction relative to the fastener, and wherein said center portion deforms when the applied torque exceeds a predetermined value thereby permitting said wrench to rotate relative to said nut to prevent over-torquing said nut on the fastener.
A wrench for applying torque to tighten a nut threadably engaging a fastener comprising:
- a wrench formed from an elastic material and having a center portion with at least one wing portion extending therefrom;
- said center portion having a socket aperture formed therein for receiving a nut, said socket aperture being configured to cooperate with an external profile of the nut, said center portion including a radially inwardly extending lip in said socket aperture for releasably engaging an annular groove on an exterior surface of the nut;
- and
- whereby when said socket aperture receives the nut with said lip engaging the groove and when the nut is threadably engaged with a fastener, force exerted on said one wing portion will apply torque to rotate said wrench and the nut in a nut-tightening direction relative to the fastener, and wherein said center portion deforms when the applied torque exceeds a predetermined value thereby permitting said wrench to rotate relative to the nut to prevent over-torquing the nut on the fastener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.