# US 8,465,169 B2 · Driving shaft mechanism for ratchet wrench

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- Number: US 8,465,169 B2
- Document ID: US8465169B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/960,575
- Filed: 2010-12-06
- Published: 2012-06-07
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-06
- Applicants: Hung-Wen Lin
- Inventors: Hung-Wen Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465169B2

## CPC

- B25B 23/18: Devices for illuminating the head of the screw or the nut
- B25B 13/463: {a pawl engaging an externally toothed wheel}
- B25B 23/0035: {Connection means between socket or screwdriver bit and tool}
- B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING

## Abstract

A driving shaft mechanism for a ratchet wrench is disclosed. The driving shaft mechanism is built as a spindle assembly of the ratchet wrench and has a lighting device for offering direct lighting to an operating area of the ratchet wrench. The spindle assembly prevents the lighting from being accidentally turned off when a user operates the ratchet wrench by virtue of screwing or unscrewing motions between a spindle cap and a containing part so as to allow the spindle cap to movably press on or depart from a switch controlling a switching circuit electrically connected with a lamp, and further to create a close circuit or an open circuit of the switching circuit, thus turning on or off the lamp.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A driving shaft mechanism for a ratchet wrench built as a spindle assembly of the ratchet wrench for driving an external fixing element to rotate in either direction and providing illumination, the driving shaft mechanism comprising:
a shaft having a hollow through hole therein and being configured to combine and thereby drive the external fixing element;
a spindle being installed in the through hole and having:
a post having a lamp and two electric pins attached to the lamp, and
a containing part that defines a hollow chamber and has an open end opposite to the post and a conductive recess dented on one side wall of the containing part for accommodating a switching circuit, wherein the electric pins are electrically connected to an inner bottom of the containing part and the switching circuit, respectively;
a ball received in a ball recess dented on the lateral side of the post and one positioning hole is provided on the shaft corresponding to the ball;
a spring sleeved outside the post and retained in the through hole for providing a resilient force to the spindle in order to make the ball enter the ball recess or expose outside of the positioning hole in order to provide or not to provide the external fixing element;
at least one battery provided in the containing part that has one of two electrodes electrically connected with the electric pin that is connected to the inner bottom of the containing part;
a spindle cap which is axially positioned outside the containing part and exposes atop the shaft when being screwed on the open end of the containing part; and
a switch being provided between the open end of the containing part and an interior of the spindle cap, and being electrically connected between the other electrode of the battery, wherein the spindle cap can screw on one open end of the containing part and thus produce axially movement, and the switching circuit to be pressed or released by the spindle cap, so as to control the switching circuit to turn on or off the lamp.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The driving shaft mechanism of claim 1, wherein the switch is a micro-switch or a push-switch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The driving shaft mechanism of claim 1, wherein the spindle cap has an indicator showing whether the switching circuit is close or open.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The driving shaft mechanism of claim 1, wherein an O-ring is mounted around the containing part for allowing the spindle cap to be firmly combined with the containing part.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The driving shaft mechanism of claim 1, wherein the spindle is made of a plastic material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The driving shaft mechanism of claim 5, wherein the spindle is made of a transparent or light-transmitting material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The driving shaft mechanism of claim 6, wherein the lamp is installed inside the spindle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The driving shaft mechanism of claim 6, wherein the spindle has a lens structure configured at one end thereof corresponding to the lamp.