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Title:
A WRENCH FOR UNSCREWING OR SCREWING
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/056330
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The invention relates to a wrench (1) for unscrewing or screwing nuts and/or screws, which comprises a housing (2) with a handle, whereas inside the housing (2) a rotary clement (3) with a one direction locking element is located, placed between the housing (2) and the rotary element (3), to which a holder for a nut or a screw head is directly or indirectly mounted. The essence of the invention is that the wrench locking element has a form of a rolling element (3) placed in a wedge-shaped cavity (4) set by at least a first working wall (4a) and a second working wall (4b) with which this rolling element (3) is cooperating. The angle of inclination of the first working wall (4a) in relation to a circle set by the internal surface of housing (2) in which the rotary element (3) is rotating differs from the angle of inclination of the second working wall (4b) in relation to this circle.

Inventors:
SIKORA KAROL (PL)
Application Number:
PCT/IB2011/050299
Publication Date:
May 03, 2012
Filing Date:
January 24, 2011
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
INZYNIERIA MASZ KLIMATYCZNYCH I URZADZEN SPECJALNYCH SP Z O O (PL)
SIKORA KAROL (PL)
International Classes:
B25B13/46
Domestic Patent References:
WO2003039813A12003-05-15
Foreign References:
FR1431041A1966-03-11
DE2152697A11973-04-26
US3204496A1965-09-07
US20030015387A12003-01-23
PL321551A11999-02-15
CA213489A1921-09-20
US5941140A1999-08-24
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
MALCHEREK, Piotr (Gen. Ch. de Gaulle'a 8, Tychy, PL)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS 1. A wrench for unscrewing or screwing nuts and/or screws, comprising a housing, with a handle, wherein a rotary element is located inside the housing for mounting directly or indirectly a holder for a nut or for a screw head, and between the housing and the rotary element a locking mechanism with a one direction locking element is located, characterized in that the locking element is a rolling element placed in a wedge-shaped cavity set by at least a first working wall and a second working wall, the rolling element cooperating with the first working wall and the second working wall, wherein an inclination angle of the first working wall in relation to a circle set by internal cylindrical surface of the housing is different from an inclination angle of the second working wall in relation to this circle, and the wrench rotation locking in one direction is achieved by the rolling element being locked between the first working wall of the cavity and the inner surface of the housing or the outer surface of the rotary element.

2. The wrench according to claim 1 , characterized in that the wedge-shaped cavity is made inside the housing of the wrench.

3. The wrench according to claim 1 , characterized in that the wedge-shaped cavity is made in the rotary element of the wrench.

4. The wrench according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that it comprises several rolling elements, preferably three, and each of them is placed in individually assigned wedge- shaped cavity.

5. The wrench according to claim 4, characterized in that the cavities are located evenly around the perimeter of the housing of the wrench or the rotary element of the wrench.

6. The wrench according to one of the aforementioned claims 1-5 characterized in that the cavity or cavities have more than two walls, preferably three, two of which are working walls.

7. The wrench according to one of the aforementioned claims 1-6 characterized in that the rolling element has the form of a roller, preferably with a side surface in the form of a cylinder.

8. The wrench according to one of the aforementioned claims 1-6 characterized in that the rolling element has a form of a ball.

9. The wrench according to the one of the aforementioned claims 1 -8 characterized in that the rolling element is supported by an elastic unit.

10. The wrench according to claim 9 characterized in that the elastic unit has a form of a spring supported on the second working wall.

1 1. The wrench according to claim 10 characterized in that the rolling element is supported by the spring supported on a second working wall, and between the spring and the rolling element a supporting ball is located.

12. The wrench according to the one of the aforementioned claims 1-10 characterized in that the rolling element is supported by an elastic unit in a form of a spring placed in an opening which is made in the second working wall, and between the spring and the rolling element a pin is located whose head touches this rolling element.

13. The wrench according to claim 12 characterized in that the pin-head has a semicircular outer profile.

14. The wrench according to claim 12 characterized in that the pin-head has a flat outer profile.

15. The wrench according to claim 12 or 13 or 14 characterized in that the opening is made in mid-height of the second working wall.

Description:
A WRENCH FOR UNSCREWING OR SCREWING

The invention is a wrench for unscrewing or screwing nuts and/or screws with one direction working movement.

There are known many constructions of one direction manual wrenches, commonly referred to as ratchet wrenches. In general such wrenches are equipped with a rotary element placed inside a housing, which has directional tooth on its outside surface, which are cooperating with a ratchet element placed in a wrench housing, as to the one direction working movement of such wrench is possible.

In particular, it is known, for example from Polish invention application published under number P-321551, a ratchet wrench for screwing implants to fulfill teeth. The wrench comprises a handle and a sleeve in which a ratchet wheel is placed, a compression spring, a stabilizing ring and interchangeable ratchet wheels. The compression spring is placed in a cradle of the handle, wherein one end of the spring is stabilizing the spring movement along the handle, and the second end is stopping the ratchet to fall out from the sleeve and simultaneously the spring is a locking element which enables rotation of the ratchet wheel only in one direction.

Moreover there are also known, for example from Canadian patent description CA 213489 or American patent description US 5941140 manual wrenches of bi-directional operation with an inside mechanism comprising rolling elements placed in symmetric cavities made in an inner rotary element.

The invention relates to a wrench for unscrewing or screwing nuts and/or screws, which comprises a housing with a handle, wherein inside the housing a rotary element is located, for mounting indirectly or directly a holder for a nut or a screw head. Between the housing and the rotary element a locking mechanism is located with one direction locking element. The essence of the invention is that the locking element is a rolling element placed in a wedge-shaped cavity formed by at least a first working wall and a second working wall, with which this rolling element is cooperating. The angle o f inclination of the first working wall in relation to a circle set by the inner surface of the housing, in which the rotary element of the wrench is rotating, is different from the angle of indication of the second working wall in relation to this circle. The locking of rotation in one direction of the wrench is achieved by locking of the rolling element between the first working wall of the cavity and the inner surface of the housing or outer surface of the rotary element.

The wedge-shaped cavity can be made in the wrench housing or alternatively in the rotary element of the wrench.

Preferably the wrench comprises several rolling elements, preferably three, and each of them is placed in an individually assigned wedge-shaped cavity.

In such embodiment it is preferred when the cavities are located evenly around the circumference of the housing or around the rotary element of the wrench. Preferably selected cavity or cavities, especially made in the inner surface of the housing have more than two walls, preferably three, two of which being working walls.

The rolling element can have a form of a roller, preferably with a side surface of a cylinder, or in a form of a ball.

In preferred embodiment the rolling element is supported by an elastic unit, preferably in a form of a spring supported by the second working wall.

Furthermore the rolling element in a form of a ball or a roller can be supported by a spring supported by the second working wall, and a supporting ball is located between the spring and the rolling element

In other preferred embodiment the rolling element is supported by an elastic unit in a form of a spring placed in an opening which is made in the second working wall, and a pin is placed between the spring and the rolling element whose head touches this rolling element.

The pin-head can have a semicircular or flat outer profile, and the opening for the spring is placed in mid-height of the second working wall.

A new construction of the wrench for unscrewing and screwing nuts and/or screws with one direction operation allows for non-gradual wrench rotation to any angle in one direction. A torsion torque transmission is a result of friction between the rolling element and the inner surface of the wrench housing or the outer surface of the rotary element placed rotationally inside the housing. The friction causes relative transmission of the rolling element or rolling elements in opposite direction to the rotation direction of the rotary element and locking in the wedge-shaped cavity. The elastic unit is pressing the rolling element in cavities until it is locked, which causes additional support of the non- gradual wrench rotation. In this embodiment possible clearance in the wrench work is eliminated, and also it is not necessary to make the wrench elements with high accuracy and precision, which is necessary in case of embodiments without elastic elements. The wrench according to the invention has a very simple construction and is durable and also is resistant to soil, which increases its working life.

The wrench according to the invention is presented in many embodiments in the following description and on the drawing enclosed, in which fig. 1 to fig. 6 show schematically partial longitudinal sections of the wrench in different embodiments.

The wrench for unscrewing or screwing nuts and/or screws according to the invention can have many different embodiments. In general, it can be concluded that the wrench comprises a housing with a shank, and inside the housing having an internal cylindrical surface a rotary element is mounted rotationally in relation to this housing. A holder for a nut or a screw head is mounted indirectly or directly to the rotary element. Λ locking mechanism with the one direction locking element is placed between the housing and the rotary element. In particular the locking element of the wrench is a rolling element which is placed in a wedge-shaped cavity, which can be made in the inner surface of the housing, around which the rotary element is rotating, or on the outer surface of the rotary element. The wedge-shaped cavity is formed by at least a first working wall and a second working wall, with which the rolling element is cooperating. The angle of inclination of the first working wall in relation to the circle formed by the inner surface of the housing, in which the rotary element is rotating, is different from the angle of inclination of the second working wall in relation to this circle. The rolling clement is being locked between the first working wall and the inner surface of the housing or the outer surface of the rotary element, depending on the location of the cavity in which this rolling clement is placed, what locks the rotation of the wrench in one direction. The second working wall is supporting the rolling element directly or indirectly during its rotational movement when the wrench is working.

In case of embodiments in which the wedge-shaped cavity for the rolling element is made in the housing or in the rotary element, the wrench can comprise one or several rolling elements, for example two, three, four, five or more, which depends on the size of the wrench and its purpose use. In case of a higher number of rolling elements, each of them is placed in an individual, assigned wedge-shaped cavity. Preferably cavities arc evenly located around the housing perimeter or the perimeter of the rotary element of the wrench, wherein within the scope of the invention it is possible that the cavities are not evenly located around the housing perimeter or the perimeter of the rotary element of the wrench. It is crucial that in case of a higher number of wedge- shaped cavities all of them are oriented in the same direction.

The cavity or cavities in the housing or in the rotary element can have two walls, which are working walls. Other embodiments are possible, in which cavities have more than two walls, preferably three, two of which being working walls. It applies especially to embodiments in which cavities are made on the inner surface of the housing.

According to the aforementioned embodiments the rolling element can have a form of the roller, preferably with a side surface of a cy linder, or a form of a ball.

Moreover, according to the aforementioned embodiments the rolling element can be placed in the assigned cavity independently or alternatively, can be supported by an clastic unit.

The roiling element, for example in the form of a cylinder or a ball can be supported by a spring supported by the second working wall.

Additionally, between the rolling element, for example in a form of a roller, and the spring, a supporting ball can be placed which touches the spring and the rolling element.

In other embodiment the rolling element in a form of a roller or ball is supported by an elastic unit in a form of a spring placed in an opening made in the second working wall, and between the spring and the rolling element a pin is placed, whose head touches this rolling element. The pin-head can have a semicircular or flat outer profile, and the opening for the spring preferably is placed in mid-height of the second working wall.

The embodiments above refer also to other embodiments described below, illustrated on enclosed drawing. Fig. 1 shows a schematic partial longitudinal section through a wrench in which three cavities are made in a rotary element. Inside housing 2 of wrench 1, which housing 2 has cylindrical inside surface, rotary element 3 is placed on which outer surface three wedge-shaped cavities 4 are made, each of them limited by first working wall 4a and second working wall 4b, each working wall being placed at different angle in relation to the circle set by cooperating surfaces of the housing 2 and the rotary clement 3. Cavities 4 are evenly and unidirectionally located on the perimeter of rotary element 3, spaced every 120°. In each cavity 4 a roller 5 is placed. Between each roller 5 and corresponding second working wall 4b elastic unit 6 is located in a form of supporting ball 6b which supports roller 5 and spring 6a which is placed between supporting ball 6b and second working wall 4b.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic partial longitudinal section of a wrench in which three cavities arc made in a rotary element. Inside housing 12 of wrench 11, which housing 12 has inner cylindrical surface, rotary element 13 is located, on which outer surface three wedge-shaped cavities 14 are located, each of them limited by first working wall 14a and second working wall 14b, each working wall being placed at different angle in relation to the circle formed by cooperating surfaces of housing 12 and rotary element 1.3. Cavities 14 are evenly and unidirectionally located on the perimeter of rotary element 13, spaced every 120°. In each cavity 14 roller 15 is located. Between each roller 15 and corresponding second working wall 14b of the cavity 14 elastic unit 16 is located which has a form of pin 16d supporting roller 15 by its head, placed within spring 16a in opening 16c made in second working wall 14b, preferably in mid-height of this wall 14b. Spring 16a is placed in opening 16c and extends to the pin-head 16d. Pin- head 16d has semicircular inner profile, however other profiles of the pin-head are possible, for example flat or oval.

Fig.3 illustrates schematic partial longitudinal section of a wrench, in which three cavities are made in a rotary clement. Inside housing 22 of wrench 21, which housing 22 has internal cylindrical surface, rotary element 23 is located, in which outer surface three wedge-shaped cavities 24 are made, each of them limited by first working wall 24a and second working wall 24b, each working wall being placed at different angle in relation to the circle formed by cooperating surfaces of housing 22 and rotary element 23. Cavities 24 are evenly and unidirectionally located on the perimeter of rotary element 23, spaced every 120°. Ball or cylinder 25 is placed in each cavity 24.

Fig. 4 shows schematic partial longitudinal section of a wrench, in which three cavities in its housing are made. Inside housing 32 of wrench 31, which housing 32 has cylindrical inner surface, rotary element 33 is located. In the inner surface of housing 32 three wedge-shaped cavities 34 are made, each of them limited by three walls, wherein, two of those walls are working walls, in particular first wall 34a and second wall 34b, each of the working walls being located at different angle in relation to the circle formed by cooperating surfaces of housing 32 and rotary element 33. Cylinder 35 is placed in each cavity 34. Third wall 34c during rotational movement of the wrench 3 1 does not touch cylinder 35. Cavities 34 are evenly and unidirectionally located on the inner perimeter of housing 32, spaced every 120°. Elastic unit 36 is located between cylinder 35 and second working wall 34b, and it has a form of supporting ball 36b, which supports cylinder 35, and spring 36a placed between supporting ball 36b and second working wall 34b.

Fig. 5 illustrates schematic partial longitudinal section of a wrench in which three cavities are made in its housing. Inside housing 42 of wrench 41, which housing 42 has internal cylindrical surface, rotary element 43 is located. Three wedge-shaped cavities 44 are made on the outer surface of housing 42, limited by three wails, two of the walls are working walls, namely first working wall 44a and second working wall 44b, each of the working walls being placed at different angle in relation to the circle set by the cooperating surfaces of housing 42 and rotary element 43. Cylinder 45 is placed in each cavity 44. Third wall 44c during the wrench rotational movement does not touche cylinder 45. Cavities 44 are evenly and unidirectionally located on the inner perimeter of housing 42, spaced every 120°. Between cylinder 45 and second working wall 44b of cavity 44 elastic unit 46 is located, which has a form of pin 46d supporting cylinder 45 by its head, placed with spring 46a in opening 46c made in second working wall 44b, preferably placed in mid- height of this second working wall 44b. Spring 45a is placed in opening 56c and extends to pin-head 46d. Pin-head 46d has an outer semicircular profile, however other profiles of the pin-head are possible, for example flat or oval.

Fig. 6 shows schematic partial longitudinal section of a wrench in which three cavities are made in its housing. Inside housing 52 of wrench 51, which housing 52 has cylindrical inner surface, rotary element 53 is located. On the inner surface of the housing 52 three wedge-shaped cavities 54 are made, limited by three walls, two of those walls being working walls, namely first working wall 54a and second working wall 54b, each working wall being located at different angle in relation to the circle set by cooperating surfaces of housing 52 and rotary element 53. Cylinder or ball 55 is located in each cavity 54.Third wall 54c during wrench 51 rotational movement does not touch cylinder or ball 55. Cavities 54 arc evenly and unidirectionally located on the inner perimeter of housing 52, spaced every 120°.

in the embodiments above illustrated on the drawing, the direction of rotation of the inner rotary element in relation to the wrench housing is indicated by an arrow.

The above embodiments show wrenches with three wedge- shape cavities in a housing or in a rotary element. Due to the fact that some examples on the drawing show only partial, schematic section of the wrench, only some cavities are visible, wherein it should be understood that shown embodiments of the wrench according to the invention comprise number of cavities with rolling elements as described in those embodiments.

Moreover it is understood that the objective scope of the invention also includes embodiments with different number of cavities, as it was shown in the embodiments not shown on the drawing. Other modifications and combinations are possible, concerning the number of cavities, the form of the rolling element and the construction of the elastic unit within the scope presented above.