Devices and methods for changing a vehicle tire
OwnerJeremiah W. Carvellinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are devices and methods for changing a vehicle wheel. The devices include an elongated shaft, a wrench portion coupled to a first end of the elongated shaft, a lever portion coupled to a second end of the elongated shaft, the lever portion including: a foot pedal configured to cause a socket to apply a first torque to a fastener; a hand grip configured to cause the socket to apply a second torque to the fastener; and a first opening and a second opening, the first opening and the second opening being configured to permit the hand of a user to grasp the hand grip. The disclosed methods include steps for using the devices to loosen and tighten lug nuts on a vehicle wheel.
Claims19
A device for changing a vehicle wheel, the device comprising:
- an elongated shaft;
- a wrench portion coupled to a first end of the elongated shaft, the wrench portion including a head and a socket, the socket being configured to engage a fastener;
- a lever portion coupled to a second end of the elongated shaft, the lever portion including:
- a foot pedal including a first portion and a second portion, the foot pedal being configured to cause the socket to apply a first torque to the fastener responsive to application of a first force to the foot pedal via a foot of a user,
- a hand grip having a longitudinal axis that is coincident with a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft, the hand grip being configured to cause the socket to apply a second torque to the fastener responsive to application of a second force to the hand grip via a hand of the user,
- a first opening formed between the first portion of the foot pedal and the hand grip, and
- a second opening formed between the second portion of the foot pedal and the hand grip, the first opening and the second opening being configured to permit the hand of the user to grasp the hand grip.
A method for changing a vehicle wheel using a device comprising an elongated shaft, a wrench portion, and a lever portion, the method comprising:
- causing a socket of the wrench portion of the device to engage a first lug nut that engages a first threaded shaft on a portion of the vehicle for coupling a first wheel to the vehicle;
- applying a first force to a foot pedal of the lever portion of the device to cause a first torque to be applied to the first lug nut to cause the first lug nut to rotate in a first rotational direction;
- applying a second force to a hand grip of the lever portion of the device to cause a second torque to be applied to the first lug nut to cause the first lug nut to be further rotated in the first rotational direction and removed from the first threaded shaft, wherein the second force and the second torque are less than the first force and the first torque;
- subsequent to removing the first lug nut from the first threaded shaft, removing the first wheel from the vehicle;
- subsequent to the removing the first wheel, positioning a second wheel adjacent to the first threaded shaft;
- subsequent to the positioning the second wheel, positioning the first lug nut on the first threaded shaft;
- and
- causing the socket to engage the first lug nut and applying a third force to the hand grip of the device to cause a third torque to be applied to the first lug nut, thereby causing the first lug nut to rotate in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.