Abstract:
A wrench is configured to engage a fastener for rotation. In one embodiment, the wrench comprises a base, a pair of jaws, a pair of threaded shafts, an adjusting ring, and/or a sleeve. The position of the pair of jaws along the base may be adjustable to accommodate fasteners of different sizes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a wrench that is adaptable to drive fasteners of different sizes, and, more particularly, to a wrench that includes a wrench head that is selectively engaged with a handle and is adaptable to drive fasteners of different sizes. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Wrench heads that are selectively engaged with a handle to drive a fastener are also known. For example, a typical ratchet wrench set will usually include one or more ratcheting handles and a plurality of socket wrench heads, with each head corresponding to a different size of fastener. This type of ratchet wrench may be inconvenient to use because of the requirement that each size of fastener be driven with a corresponding socket wrench head. This requirement generally necessitates that the plurality of socket wrench heads be available, and that work be stopped to replace the socket wrench heads on the handle to drive fasteners of different sizes. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    One aspect of the invention relates to a wrench configured to engage a fastener for rotation. In one embodiment, the wrench comprises a base, a pair of jaws, a pair of threaded shafts, and an adjusting ring. The base comprises a face on one end and a drive body formed toward an end of the base opposite the face, with the face including a surface that is oriented toward a fastener if the fastener is engaged by the wrench, and the base having a conduit therein. Each of the jaws includes a gripping section and a foot. The foot is adapted to be slidably seated within the conduit formed in the base so that the jaws are carried by the base with the gripping sections of the jaws being opposed to each other adjacent to the face of the base. The foot has a threaded opening therein. The pair of threaded shafts are seated within the base inside the conduit such that each of the threaded shafts passes through one of the threaded openings formed in the feet of the jaws such that rotation of the threaded shafts causes the jaws to be actuated toward or away from each other. Each of the threaded shafts includes a spurred member on an end that is external to the jaw through which the threaded shaft extends. The adjusting ring is disposed around the base such that the adjusting ring can be rotated about the base, and includes a set of teeth that engage the spurred members of the threaded shafts such that rotation of the adjusting ring about the base causes rotation of the threaded shafts, thereby actuating the jaws toward or away from each other. 
         [0004]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a wrench configured to engage a fastener for rotation. In one embodiment, the wrench comprises a base, a pair of jaws, an adjusting ring, and a sleeve. The base runs longitudinally between a face on one end and a drive body formed toward the end of the base opposite the face. The face is a surfaces that is oriented toward a fastener if the fastener is engaged by the wrench. The jaws have gripping sections that are carried adjacent to the base, are adapted to engage the fastener, and are configured to oppose each other. The adjusting ring is carried around the periphery of the base such that the adjusting ring can be rotated about the base to actuate the jaws such that the gripping sections of the jaws move toward or away from each other based on the rotational direction of the rotation of the adjusting ring about the base. The sleeve is formed separately from the adjusting ring and is carried about the base such that the sleeve can rotate about the base separately from the adjusting ring and/or the base. 
         [0005]    These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of a wrench head, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a sectional view of a wrench head, according to one or more embodiments of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a wrench head, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded perspective view of a wrench head  10 , in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. When assembled (e.g., as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , discussed below), wrench head  10  may form part of a wrench configured to engage a fastener and drive the fastener rotationally. As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , wrench head  10  includes a base  12 , a pair of jaws  14 , a pair of threaded shafts  16 , an adjusting ring  18 , and a sleeve  20 . 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, base  12  runs longitudinally between a face  22  on one end and a drive body  24  formed toward the end of base  12  opposite face  22 . Face  22  includes one or more surfaces that are oriented toward a fastener, if the fastener is engaged by wrench head  10 . More particularly, in some instances, face  22  includes one or more surfaces that are substantially orthogonal to an axis of rotation about which wrench head  10  drives the fastener. Drive body  24  is formed to be engaged by a handle (not shown) to drive wrench head  10  rotationally. For example, drive body  24  may include one or both of a socket to receive a conventional square driver (e.g., as can be seen as socket  26  in the sectional view of  FIG. 3 ) and/or a hexagonal body  28  that can be engaged by a conventional hexagonal wrench (e.g., a box wrench, a hexagonal socket, etc.). 
         [0011]    Base  12  forms a conduit  30  that passes through base  12  from one side to the other, and a slot  32  in face  22  that communicates with conduit  30 . In the illustration of wrench head  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , conduit  30  has a rectangular cross-section, but this is not intended to be limiting. Slot  32  is illustrated as running across face  22  from one side to the other. However, in other embodiments, slot  32  may not completely sever face  22  into separate surfaces. Instead, slot  32  may be ended at the periphery of face  22 . 
         [0012]    Jaws  14  each include a foot  34 , a gripping section  36 , and a neck  38 . Gripping sections  36  are configured to cooperate engage a fastener positioned therebetween at gripping surfaces  40 . Neck  38  connects foot  34  with gripping section  36 . Each of feet  34  forms a threaded opening  42  therein. 
         [0013]    One end of threaded shaft  16  carries a spurred member  44 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , spurred member  44  is an annular spur gear that is formed separately from threaded shaft  16 , and includes an inward set of teeth  46  that engage a set of teeth  48  formed on a head  50  of threaded shaft  16  to fix spurred member  44  rotationally with respect to threaded shaft  16 . This is not intended to be limiting. Other mechanisms for attaching spurred member  44  to threaded shaft  16  to ensure that member  44  and shaft  16  rotate in unison are contemplated, as are embodiments in which spurred member  44  is formed integrally with threaded shaft  16 . 
         [0014]    Adjusting ring  18  is adapted to be carried around the periphery of base  12  between face  22  and drive body  24 . To hold adjusting ring  18  in place on base  12 , wrench head  10  may include a retaining ring  52  that locks into a groove  54  formed in base  12 . Adjusting ring  18  may include a an annular set of teeth  56  that face toward face  22  of base  12  when adjusting ring  18  is disposed on base  12 , a rearward shelf  56  that faces toward drive body  24  of wrench head  10 , and an annular shell  58  that is formed externally to teeth  56 . 
         [0015]    Sleeve  20  is formed separately from adjusting ring  18 , and is configured to be disposed about base  12  between adjusting ring  18  and face  22 . A catch mechanism  62  that selectively engages with sleeve  20  includes one or more holes  64  formed in sleeve  20  and one or more or more catches  66 . Catches  66  include a hollow pin  68  and a spring  70  (or other biasing member). Spring  70  is formed to fit within hollow pin  68 , and pin  68  is formed to be at least partially nested within a cavity  72  formed in the side of base  12 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates a sectional view of wrench head  10 , in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, neck  38  of jaw  14  is adapted to fit slidably within slot  32 , thereby enabling gripping section  36  of jaw  14  to sit externally to face  22  while foot  34  is disposed within conduit  30 . Threaded openings  42  are formed within feet  34  such that if one of feet  34  is disposed within conduit  30  in the manner shown in  FIG. 2 , the threaded opening  42  formed in that foot  34  is oriented radially with respect to base  12 . 
         [0017]    Threaded shafts  16  are seated radially within base  12  inside conduit  30  such that each of threaded shafts  16  extends through one of threaded openings  42  formed in feet  34  of jaws  14 . Threaded shafts  16  are situated such that spurred members  44  are seated on an external side of jaws  14 . The threads of threaded shafts  16  engage the threads of threaded openings  42  such that rotation of threaded shafts  16  about their longitudinal axes will actuate jaws  14  to slide inward or outward (depending on the direction of rotation of shafts  16 ) radially with respect to base  12 , provided that the radial position of threaded shafts  16  is fixed (or at least secured) with respect to base  12 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, the radial position of threaded shafts  16  is fixed by sleeve  20 , which is disposed about base  12  at the openings of conduit  30 , thereby securing threaded shafts  16  within conduit  30 . Further, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the radial position of threaded shafts  16  is secured by an abutment between shafts  16 . It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, shafts  16  may not abut directly, but instead some component may be inserted between them to secure their radial positioning. 
         [0018]    Adjusting ring  18  may be seated on base  12  such that teeth  56  are configured to engage the spurs of spurred members  44 . As such, rotation of adjusting ring  18  about base  12  separate from rotation of base  12  causes rotation of spurred members  44  and threaded shafts  16 , which in turn drives jaws  14  to move toward or away from each other (depending on the direction of rotation of adjusting ring  18  with respect to base  12 ). 
         [0019]    When sleeve  20  is in place on base  12 , sleeve  20  can be rotated about base  12  separately from adjusting ring  18  and/or base  12 . This enables a user to grasp sleeve  20  to while driving wrench head  10  rotationally, thereby providing a mechanism by which the user can guide and support wrench head  10  as it is being used to drive a fastener. This is illustrated, for example, in  FIG. 3 , which shows a perspective view of wrench head  10  fully assembled, according to one or more embodiments of the invention. As should be appreciated from  FIG. 3 , the outer surface of sleeve  20  provides a surface that can be held in a fixed rotational position by the user as the rest of wrench head  10  is being rotated to drive a fastener. This will enable the user to stabilize wrench head  10  during rotation. 
         [0020]    In order to facilitate rotation of adjusting ring  18  separate from base  12  to adjust the positions of jaws  14 , catch mechanism  62  can selectively catch sleeve  20  to prevent relative rotation between sleeve  20  and base  12  when wrench head  10  is not being used to drive a fastener. This will enable a user to rotate adjusting ring  18  relative to base  12  (e.g., to adjust the relative positions of jaws  13 ) by grasping the outer surface of sleeve  20  and adjusting ring  18 , and rotating sleeve  20  and adjusting ring  18  in opposite directions (or rotating one with respect to the other). If, by virtue of the engaged catch mechanism  62 , sleeve  20  is selectively locked with respect to base  12 , this manipulation by the user results in the rotation of base  12  and adjusting ring with respect to each other. 
         [0021]    Turning back to  FIG. 1 , as was mentioned above, catch mechanism  62  includes one or more holes  64  formed in sleeve  20  and one or more or more catches  66 . If catches  66  are not aligned with holes  64 , then catches  66  are compressed and forced into cavities  72  by the side of sleeve  20 . If catches  66  become aligned with holes  64 , then the bias applied to pins  68  by springs  70  force pins  68  into holes  64 , thereby fixing sleeve  20  rotationally with respect to base  12 . In order to release catches  66  from holes  64 , the user may manually compress catches  66  out of holes  64  and rotate sleeve  20  with respect to base  12 , thereby moving holes  64  and catches  66  out of alignment. A groove  74  formed in the inner surface of sleeve  20  may act as a track for catches  66  as sleeve  20  rotates about base  12 . 
         [0022]    Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.