Ratcheting driver mechanism
AssigneeMeridian International Co., Ltd.
InventorZhiMing Xu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ratcheting mechanism includes a main body having an annular ring and two channels on opposite sides of the main body extending toward the annular ring. The two channels are adapted to receive pawls rotatably urged outward by a biasing element to selectively engage ratcheting teeth. An adjusting ring is positioned over the main body. The position of the adjusting ring determines the operational direction by selectively disengaging one of the pawls. The main body has an engagement end fixing the ratcheting mechanism to a handle body.
Claims9
A ratcheting driver adapted to combine with a handle body, the ratcheting driver comprising:
- a cylindrical main body having a longitudinal axis extending through the cylindrical main body, a front face perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, an annular ring circumscribing the longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the front face, two channels on opposite sides of the main body, each channel extending from the front face toward the annular ring, a projectile hole extending into the main body toward the longitudinal axis, and a cavity formed in the front face extending toward the annular ring and spaced apart from the longitudinal axis on a plane that is parallel to the longitudinal axis;
- two pawls, each pawl slidably engaged to pivot about one of the corresponding channels;
- a W-shaped spring having two arms separated by a cross member, wherein the two opposing arms each simultaneously engage one of the corresponding pawls;
- a spring retainer positioned in the cavity of the cylindrical main body having a recess and a transverse slot, wherein the W-shaped spring is positioned with the cross member in the transverse slot and the two arms are positioned on opposite sides of the spring retainer between the spring retainer and one of the pawls so that each of the two arms biases one of the pawls outward;
- a projectile engaged in the projectile hole;
- an adjusting ring concentrically positioned about the main body, having at least two indentations each adapted to selectively receive the projectile and hold the ratcheting driver for one of a clockwise and a counter-clockwise rotation, and an engagement edge, wherein the engagement edge selectively engages one of the pawls urging the pawl inward;
- and
- a cylindrical head concentrically positioned on the main body adjacent to the adjusting ring and having an inner surface formed with ratcheting teeth adapted to engage the pawl.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.