Technical Field

The present invention concerns a tool. More specifically the present invention regards a tool or an accessory to tools in accordance with the claims.

Background of the Invention

In a variety of contexts, there is a need to securely hold an object in order to allow for a detail or similar to be worked on. This usually presents a problem if the work to be done includes such a process as to transfer torque to the held object. A tool designed for the task of securely holding an object is often not suited for the transmission of torque. Tools that are good for applying torque such as crescent wrenches (adjustable spanners) or open-end or box-end wrenches have the disadvantage that they are usually designed to fit some predetermined shapes (square, hexagonal, etcetera) and dimensions. These can hardly be used for other shapes and dimensions than their predetermined ones.

A common need is to tighten or loosen a screw, bolt, nut or similar from each other and also to and from other objects. Sometimes a problem occurs with parts of the torque (tightening) surface being worn or damaged, for example, that one corner or several corners of a nut are worn (rounded), which makes tightening and/or loosening difficult. There is a need for an object that can assist existing tools to hold firmly, and also allow the required application of torque, such as tightening and loosening to the desired contact surface. A further need exists to adjust a tool according to the dimensions to be handled. In connection with the tightening and loosening of screws, bolts, nuts and the like, there is a need to adjust which dimensions the tool is to be operated with. It is usually a significant problem to use a tool outside its intended area regarding shape and dimension. It can often be difficult to carry around all the different types of tools required to perform work outside of for example a shop where there are storage areas for these tools. It can also often be difficult to predict which tools will be needed to perform the job in question. There is a need for aids or accessories to existing tools that can remedy this and also the other problems mentioned above.

Furthermore, there are also needs in special cases, where great care must be taken to an object's appearance or accuracy so that the application of torque does not cause any negative damage (scratches, worn corners or edges, etcetera) to the objects. This may occur during installation and mounting of for example art objects, jewelry or other decoration or sophisticated scientific equipment specially designed for very specific purposes. Thus, there is a need for aids that can ensure that tools used for the application of torque do not slip or otherwise lose their grip in an unwanted manner.

A further problem with known types of crescent wrenches is that the object which the torque is to be applied to, can slide out of the tool in connection with the object being maneuvered with the crescent wrench. This may for example lead to the head of a screw, nut or the like being worn (rounded) that is to say damaged. Furthermore, the person performing the work with the crescent wrench may easily harm themselves, for example on the hand with which the crescent wrench is operated in conjunction with the crescent wrench involuntarily loosening from the maneuvered object.

Yet another problem with known crescent wrenches is that they have a certain amount of play in them which may easily cause wear and tear on screw heads and the like.

Prior Art

Tools of the crescent wrench type, which were originally named screw wrenches by the inventor J. P. Johansson, are already known. For example the original crescent wrench is described in the Swedish patent SE4066. The crescent wrench has proved a great commercial success and has sold in huge numbers. Furthermore, tools such as open-end and block-end wrenches have long been known to exist. These are limited to a specific size. Further, so-called water-pump pliers have also been developed.

These previously known tools have a number of shortcomings which limit their utility. For example, it is not possible to operate all types of objects with these pliers. In the applicant's patent application SE0700664 is described an accessory to a tool which includes arch-shaped contact surfaces. The design in accordance with patent application SE0700664 differs greatly from the present invention. For example, the design of patent application SE0700664 is not intended to be used to apply torque to an object, but is designed to hold and temporarily fixate one or more objects. Patent documents US2004163504A1 and AU 672035B2 describe a tool intended to apply torque to a worked object such as a screw head or a nut. Theses designs have a similarity with the present invention in that they include at least one arch-shaped contact surface. In other respects, these designs differ greatly according to the design of the present invention. For example, the screw or nut maneuvered by the tools can easily slip out of the tools' grip, unlike the design described in patent application 0802350-9. The design according to the present invention allows for the complete balance between the vectors from the lower side and the upper side, gripping the object. This mechanical equilibrium of vectors contributes to prevent the tendency of objects to escape from the grip. US2004163504A1 and AU 672035B2 have unequal distances of torque between the different vectors active on the object and the center of the object (the center of mass facing external torque), causing extra strains increasing the object's tendency to escape from the grip. Furthermore US2004163504A1 and AU 672035B2 do not include a design with adjustable jaws. Furthermore US2004163504A1 and AU 672035B2 do not include designs with interchangeable jaws in accordance with the present invention.

Patent document US4718315 describes a variant of a tool design. The design has similarities to that of the present invention in a variant that includes removable jaws. The design is substantially different in other respects from the design of the present invention. For example, the tool according to patent document US4718315, unlike the present invention, may not be used with both the jaw accessory and without the jaw accessory. The design also has the problem that there is a risk that the object to be maneuvered (screw head or the like) may slip from the tool. Furthermore the design is not intended to hold objects of many different shapes. Unlike the design found in patent document US4718315, the present invention can hold, while a significant torque is being implemented by the tool, almost any symmetric object, for example hexagonal nuts, circular pipes, square profiles or even unsymmetrical shapes like triangles and so forth without damaging (wearing down the corners) the object. Patent document US 5131312 describes a variant of a tool which in one embodiment is made up of a crescent wrench. The crescent wrench embodiment includes adjustable jaws. In other respects, the design according to the patent differs in significant ways in accordance with the present invention. For example, the design does not include the arch-shaped contact surface.

Even if each of the above designs can by themselves meet their own objectives, none of these have a design in accordance with the present invention. Brief Description of the Invention Concept

The main purpose of the present invention is to achieve a significantly improved tool for holding objects and for applying torque to a screw head, nut or the like. A further aim of the present invention is to provide a tool that allows for one and the same tool to be used for many more shapes and sizes than what it was designed for. Yet a further objective is to create an aid (tool) that is capable of applying in a reliable and very gentle manner torque to and between objects which are very sensitive to negative damage.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will be described in detail in the following text with reference to the enclosed schematic drawings that in an exemplifying purpose show the current preferred embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 shows schematically the present invention in perspective. Figures 2A-2C show alternative embodiments of contact surfaces. Figure 3 shows a second alternative embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 shows a third alternative embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 shows a fourth alternative embodiment for the present invention.

With reference to the figures a tool 1 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The design includes at least one lever (arm) 2 and at least one grip 3 whose grip includes at least a first jaw 4 and a second jaw 5. The lever 2 is preferably made up of a handle (shaft) or the like. The jaws' 4 and 5 design may vary greatly within the scope of the present invention.

Further the jaws' 4 and 5 relative positions (distance) to each other are preferably arranged to be adjustable with a maneuvering (adjustment) organ 6. This adjustment can be accomplished by one jaw being fixed and the other movably arranged such as is the case of a crescent wrench, water-pump pliers or similar. Alternatively, the tool may be so designed that both jaws are movably arranged. The handle's (lever's) design may vary greatly within the scope of the present invention. For example, the handle may have a similar design as known types of crescent wrenches or the like as for example shown in figure 1. Alternatively, the handle (lever) may consist of a first and a second maneuvering organ such as is the case of water- pump pliers shown in figure 3. What is unique with the present invention is that each respective jaw includes at least one recess 7. The recess 7 includes a first contact surface 8 and a second contact surface 9 which connect to each other in a point 10. Contact surfaces 8 and 9 may be arch-shaped or straight. In the first embodiment, shown in figure 1 , the first contact surface 8 and the second contact surface 9 are arch-shaped. The arch-shape may be of an elliptical shape, radial shape or another for the purpose suitable shape. The first contact surface 8 and the second contact surface 9 form a point 10. The first arch-shaped contact surface (8) and the second arch- shaped contact surface (9) essentially converge at a point (10) or converge into a point (10) and the direction of the arch-shaped convergence is essentially in a latitudinal direction in relation to the jaws (4) and (5).

Figures 2A and 2B show a variant with straight contact surfaces (infinite radius) on the contact surfaces. The angle 11 between the first contact surface and the second contact surface is in the interval from 85 to 165 degrees. However the angle 11 between the first contact surface 8 and the second contact surface 9 is preferably approximately 120 degrees. Figure 2A even shows a maneuvered object 12. In variants of the present invention the contact surfaces 8 or 9 may be arch-shaped and the other of the contact surfaces 8 or 9 may be straight as shown in figure 2C.

Figure 1 shows more specifically a tool of a crescent wrench type where the jaws 4 and 5 are fitted with arch-shaped contact surfaces 8 and 9. Figure 3 shows a variant of the tool according to the present invention where it is essentially made up of tool of a water-pump pliers type. Figure 3 does not show the parts of the handle, it is however formed in accordance with known techniques.

Figure 4 shows a variant of the present invention where each respective jaw 4 and 5 is fitted with a first recess 7 and a second recess 13 with arch-shaped contact surfaces 8 and 9. The design may consist of a tool with a similar design such as a crescent wrench, water-pump pliers or other for the purpose suitable tool with recesses 7 with arch-shaped contact surfaces 8 and 9. Figure 4 does not show the handle, it is however formed in accordance with known techniques.

Figure 5 shows more specifically a tool with removable jaws 14 and 15. The removable jaws 14 and 15 may be applied to existing jaws such as shown for example in figure 2. The removable jaws 14 and 15 each include at least one recess 7 with at least one arch-shaped contact surface 8 or 9. In the figure is shown a variant where both the contact surface 8 and the contact surface 9 are arch-shaped. In other respects the jaws' 14 and 15 shape and size may vary greatly within the scope of the present invention. A tool in accordance with the present invention may thereby both be used such as a tool with the advantages in accordance with the present invention and even be used such as earlier known tools such as a crescent wrench, water-pump pliers or other corresponding tool.

In alternative embodiments the adjustment device (organ) on the tool may be of an automatic type such as one marketed by Black & Decker. Alternatively, the adjustment device may be made up of another previously known adjusting device or in the future developed adjustment device which is suitable for purpose. In alternative embodiments the contact surfaces may be fitted with transversal grooves (not shown in the figures) in one or more directions. It is conceivable for example that the contact surfaces are entirely or partly knurled.

It is conceivable that the present invention only be defined as an accessory to an existing tool. The invention is then only made up of a jaw as shown in designations 14 and 15.

Advantages of the Invention

A number of advantages are achieved with the present invention. The most obvious is that one and the same tool may be used for many more shapes and sizes than what it was designed for. Another advantage of the present invention is that worn or damaged contact surfaces on for example nuts, bolts and screws do not hinder them from being tightened or untightened. A further advantage with the present invention is that it applies torque to and between objects that are very sensitive to negative damage in a reliable and very gentle manner.

Even if certain preferred embodiments have been described in detail, variations and modifications can within the scope of the invention become evident for specialists in the field and all such are regarded as falling within the scope of the following claims. It is conceivable for example that the present invention be designed with a ratchet function such as in a so called ratchet wrench or similar design. It is even conceivable that a tool with at least three jaws could be developed.