Patent ID: 6662687
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: B25B

Abstract:
A ratchet wrench for applying torque to a fastener, said wrench comprising:a wrench body having a handle portion configured to be manually grasped and a head portion providing a pawl engaging surface; a ratchet gear constructed and arranged to be removably engaged with the fastener such that torque applied to said gear is transmitted to the fastener to affect rotation thereof, said ratchet gear being mounted to said wrench body such that said gear and said body are rotatable relative to one another about a gear axis, said ratchet gear having a plurality of gear teeth arranged on a radially outer peripheral surface thereof in circumferential relation with respect to said gear axis; a pawl mounted to said wrench body and having a plurality of ratcheting teeth arranged in an arc essentially complementary to said gear teeth and a load receiving surface facing generally opposite said ratcheting teeth, said ratcheting teeth including a pair of outermost teeth provided at opposing ends of said arc and inner teeth therebetween; said pawl having a gear driving position wherein said ratcheting teeth of said pawl are positioned for driving engagement with said gear teeth and said pawl engaging surface is positioned for driving engagement with said load receiving surface of said pawl such that a manual force applied in a first direction to the handle portion of said wrench body is transmitted from said wrench body to said pawl via the driving engagement between said pawl engaging surface and said load receiving surface and from said pawl to said ratchet gear via the driving engagement between said ratcheting teeth and said gear teeth so as to apply torque to said gear; said pawl being constructed and arranged with respect to said gear teeth and said pawl engaging surface such that, as said manual force is being transmitted to said gear via said pawl, the total amount of force applied to said gear is distributed among said ratcheting teeth in such a manner that an amount of force applied to said gear by each of said inner ratcheting teeth is greater than or equal to an amount of force applied to said gear by either of said outermost ratcheting teeth; and a biasing element engaged with said pawl and biasing said pawl to said gear driving position, said biasing element being constructed and arranged such that a manual force applied to said handle portion in a second direction opposite said first direction causes rotation of said wrench body relative to said ratchet gear with said ratcheting teeth of said pawl repeatedly ratcheting over said gear teeth against the biasing of said biasing element.