# US 8,770,066 B2 · Water and dust resistant ratchet wrench > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,066 B2 - Document ID: US8770066B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/308,894 - Filed: 2011-12-01 - Published: 2013-05-16 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-01 - Applicants: Chih-Min Chang - Inventors: Chih-Min Chang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770066B2 ## CPC - B25B 13/463: {a pawl engaging an externally toothed wheel} - B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING ## Abstract A ratchet wrench includes a handle, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in a head of the handle, a direction controller pivotally mounted in the head of the handle, and a pawl connected with the direction controller and engaged with the ratchet wheel. An O-ring is provided between the wall of a pivot hole of the handle head and the direction controller, such that the ratchet wrench is water and duct resistant so as to prevent the internal parts of the ratchet wrench from damage due to corrosion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water and dust resistant ratchet wrench, comprising: a handle having a head provided with a mounting hole and a pivot hole communicated with the mounting hole; a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in the mounting hole of the head of the handle; a direction controller pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of the head of the handle; a pawl connected with the direction controller and engaged with the ratchet wheel for being driven by the direction controller to change an engagement orientation between the pawl and the ratchet wheel so as to control a rotation direction of the ratchet wheel; and at least one O-ring sleeved onto the direction controller and abutted with a wall surface of the pivot hole of the handle; wherein the direction controller comprises a pivot portion pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of the head of the handle, a connecting portion integrally formed with the pivot portion and connected with the pawl, and a tab integrally formed with the connecting portion and partially exposed outside the pivot hole of the head for being operated to drive the pivot portion of the direction controller to rotate in the pivot hole; wherein the tab is provided at an outer periphery thereof with an annular groove in which the O-ring is installed; and wherein the connecting portion of the direction controller includes an insertion hole, and the pawl includes a tooth portion engaged with the ratchet wheel, and a shaft inserted into the insertion hole of the connecting portion of the direction controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 1, wherein a spring is installed in the insertion hole of the direction controller and stopped at the shaft of the pawl. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 1, wherein the insertion hole of the direction controller and the shaft of the pawl both have a triangular cross section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 1, wherein the head of the handle comprises a receiving hole in communication with the pivot hole, and the connecting portion of the direction controller is provided with two positioning notches; a spring is installed in the receiving hole of the head of the handle and a steel ball is stopped at the spring and selectively engaged with one of the positioning notches. ### Claim 5 A water and dust resistant ratchet wrench, comprising: a handle having a head provided with a mounting hole and a pivot hole communicated with the mounting hole; a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in the mounting hole of the head of the handle; a direction controller pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of the head of the handle; a pawl connected with the direction controller and engaged with the ratchet wheel for being driven by the direction controller to change an engagement orientation between the pawl and the ratchet wheel so as to control a rotation direction of the ratchet wheel; and at least one O-ring sleeved onto the direction controller and abutted with a wall surface of the pivot hole of the handle; wherein the direction controller comprises a pivot portion pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of the head of the handle, a connecting portion integrally formed with the pivot portion and connected with the pawl, and a tab integrally formed with the connecting portion and partially exposed outside the pivot hole of the head for being operated to drive the pivot portion of the direction controller to rotate in the pivot hole; wherein the pivot portion is provided at an outer periphery thereof with an annular groove in which the O-ring is installed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 5, wherein the connecting portion of the direction controller includes an insertion hole, and the pawl includes a tooth portion engaged with the ratchet wheel, and a shaft inserted into the insertion hole of the connecting portion of the direction controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 6, wherein a spring is installed in the insertion hole of the direction controller and stopped at the shaft of the pawl. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 6, wherein the insertion hole of the direction controller and the shaft of the pawl both have a triangular cross section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 5, wherein the head of the handle comprises a receiving hole in communication with the pivot hole, and the connecting portion of the direction controller is provided with two positioning notches; a spring is installed in the receiving hole of the head of the handle and a steel ball is stopped at the spring and selectively engaged with one of the positioning notches. ### Claim 10 A water and dust resistant ratchet wrench, comprising: a handle having a head provided with a mounting hole and a pivot hole communicated with the mounting hole; a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in the mounting hole of the head of the handle; a direction controller pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of the head of the handle; a pawl connected with the direction controller and engaged with the ratchet wheel for being driven by the direction controller to change an engagement orientation between the pawl and the ratchet wheel so as to control a rotation direction of the ratchet wheel; and at least one O-ring sleeved onto the direction controller and abutted with a wall surface of the pivot hole of the handle; wherein the direction controller comprises a pivot portion pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of the head of the handle, a connecting portion integrally formed with the pivot portion and connected with the pawl, and a tab integrally formed with the connecting portion and partially exposed outside the pivot hole of the head for being operated to drive the pivot portion of the direction controller to rotate in the pivot hole; wherein the tab is provided at an outer periphery thereof with an annular groove and the pivot portion is provided at an outer periphery thereof with an annular groove; wherein the water and dust resistant ratchet wrench comprises two said O-rings which are installed in the annular groove of the tab and the annular groove of the pivot portion respectively. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 10, wherein the connecting portion of the direction controller includes an insertion hole, and the pawl includes a tooth portion engaged with the ratchet wheel, and a shaft inserted into the insertion hole of the connecting portion of the direction controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 11, wherein a spring is installed in the insertion hole of the direction controller and stopped at the shaft of the pawl. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 11, wherein the insertion hole of the direction controller and the shaft of the pawl both have a triangular cross section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The water and dust resistant ratchet wrench of claim 10, wherein the head of the handle comprises a receiving hole in communication with the pivot hole, and the connecting portion of the direction controller is provided with two positioning notches; a spring is installed in the receiving hole of the head of the handle and a steel ball is stopped at the spring and selectively engaged with one of the positioning notches.