# US 2009/0260488 A1 · Tie rod adjustment open-end wrench

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- Number: US 2009/0260488 A1
- Document ID: US20090260488A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/419,027
- Filed: 2009-04-06
- Published: 2009-10-22
- Earliest claimed: 2008-04-18
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; Shinmei Industry Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Atsushi Kanazawa; Hiroharu Kato
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260488A1

## CPC

- B25B 13/48: for special purposes
- B25B 17/00: Hand-driven gear-operated wrenches or screwdrivers (ratchet-operated B25B13/46 {B25B13/467}, B25B15/04; {for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/005})
- B25B 21/002: {for special purposes}
- B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING

## Abstract

A clamping mechanism includes a pair of contact portions facing each other which is capable of directly contacting a tie rod hexagonal portion, and an open-close drive mechanism that causes the both contact portions to move away from and approach the tie rod hexagonal portion. By appropriately changing the distance between surfaces of the mutually facing pair of contact portions, the tie rod hexagonal portion will be securely clamped by the pair of contact portions, regardless of the size of the diameter of the tie rod. Then, the tie rod hexagonal portion is rotated to adjust the toe angle, by rotating the clamping mechanism via the rotation drive mechanism.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tie rod adjustment open-end wrench comprising:
a clamping mechanism that clamps a tie rod hexagonal portion by approaching a tie rod from a side of the tie rod; and
a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the clamping mechanism while the tie rod hexagonal portion is clamped, wherein
the clamping mechanism includes:
a pair of contact portions facing each other which is capable of directly contacting the tie rod hexagonal portion; and
an open-close drive mechanism that causes the both contact portions to move away from and approach the tie rod hexagonal portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The open-end wrench according to claim 1, wherein
the open-close drive mechanism includes a mechanism that operates independently of the rotation drive mechanism.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The open-end wrench according to claim 2, wherein:
the open-close drive mechanism of the clamping mechanism includes
a pair of arms whose distal end portions move away from and approach each other, with fulcrums of the arms serving as rotation centers,
a linear actuator, and
a link mechanism that converts movement of the linear actuator into open-close movement of the pair of arms;
a friction wheel as the contact portion is journaled to each of the pair of arms; and
the rotation drive mechanism includes a gear train for rotating all the friction wheels about axes of the friction wheels at the same speed in the same direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The open-end wrench according to claim 2, wherein:
the open-close drive mechanism of the clamping mechanism includes
a pair of slide plates that move away from and approach each other in slide movement,
a linear actuator,
a cam mechanism that converts movement of the linear actuator into open-close movement of the pair of slide plate, and
a spring that urges the pair of slide plates always in opening directions;
the pair of slide plates and the spring are held rotatably about a center axis of the tie rod hexagonal portion by an annular external gear that is disposed at such a position as to surround the pair of slide plates and the spring;
the annular external gear has a C-shape with a cutout portion;
the cutout portion is disposed at an open-end portion into which the tie rod is inserted when the clamping mechanism approaches the tie rod from the side of the tie rod;
mutually facing end surfaces of the slide plates, as the contact portions, are formed in a configuration of mutually parallel flat surfaces; and
the rotation drive mechanism includes the annular external gear, and a gear train for rotating the annular external gear.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The open-end wrench according to claim 1, wherein
the open-close drive mechanism is driven by the rotation drive mechanism.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The open-end wrench according to claim 5, wherein:
the open-close drive mechanism of the clamping mechanism includes a pair of slide plates that move away from and approach each other in slide movement;
mutually facing end surfaces of the pair of slide plates, as the contact portions, are formed in a configuration of mutually parallel flat surfaces; and
the rotation drive mechanism rotationally drives the pair of slide plates about a center axis of the tie rod hexagonal portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The open-end wrench according to claim 6, wherein:
the rotation drive mechanism includes
an annular external gear provided at such a position as to surround the clamping mechanism,
a cam plate that closes a side end surface of the annular external gear,
a cam surface that is an end surface of an opening formed in a central portion of the cam plate, and
driven pieces that protrude from the pair of slide plates and that contact the cam surface of the cam plate so as to transmit rotation movement of the annular external gear to the pair of slide plates;
the annular external gear has a C-shape with a cutout portion;
the cutout portion is disposed at an open-end portion into which the tie rod is inserted when the clamping mechanism approaches the tie rod from the side of the tie rod;
the rotation drive mechanism includes a gear train for rotating the annular external gear;
the open-close drive mechanism of the clamping mechanism includes
a spring that urges the pair of slide plates always in opening directions, and
a rotation plate that supports the pair of slide plates and the spring inside the annular external gear so as to be relatively rotatable; and
deviation in phase between the annular external gear and the rotation plate is converted into open-close movement of the pair of slide plates by the driven pieces moving along the cam surface of the cam plate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The open-end wrench according to claim 6, wherein:
the rotation drive mechanism includes
an annular sun gear provided at such a position as to surround the clamping mechanism,
a planetary gear positioned radially outwardly of the sun gear, and
an annular outer ring gear positioned radially outwardly of the planetary gear;
each of the sun gear and the outer ring gear has a C-shape with a cutout portion;
the cutout portion of the sun gear and the cutout portion of the outer ring gear are disposed at an open-end portion into which the tie rod is inserted when the clamping mechanism approaches the tie rod from the side of the tie rod;
teeth are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the sun gear, and on an outer peripheral surface of the outer ring gear;
the rotation drive mechanism further includes a gear train that drives the teeth of the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring gear; and
the open-close drive mechanism of the clamping mechanism includes
a slide plate drive gear that is journaled to a proximal end portion side of the pair of slide plates so as to be rotatable together with the pair of slide plates about the center axis of the tie rod hexagonal portion, and that meshes with the teeth formed on the inner peripheral surface of the sun gear, and
a link mechanism that converts rotation movement of the slide plate drive gear into slide movement of the pair of slide plates.

### Claim 9

An open-end wrench comprising:
a clamping mechanism that clamps a hexagonal portion; and
a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the clamping mechanism while the hexagonal portion is clamped, wherein
the clamping mechanism includes:
a pair of contact portions facing each other which is capable of directly contacting the hexagonal portion; and
an open-close drive mechanism that causes the both contact portions to move away from and approach the hexagonal portion.

### Claim 10

A tie rod adjustment open-end wrench comprising:
clamping means for clamping a tie rod hexagonal portion by approaching a tie rod from a side of the tie rod; and
rotation drive means for rotating the clamping means while the tie rod hexagonal portion is clamped, wherein
the clamping means includes:
a pair of contact portions facing each other which is capable of directly contacting the tie rod hexagonal portion; and
an open-close drive mechanism that causes the both contact portions to move away from and approach the tie rod hexagonal portion.