Patent Publication Number: US-6698734-B1

Title: Clamp assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a hand tool, more particularly to a clamp having a clamping wire set for extending the distance between the handle and the working end of the tool, so that the working end can be extended into the engine chamber of a car or a small narrow space of other machineries for the application of the tool. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Various tools such as clamps, wrenches, and the like are used for repairing machineries, and there are lots of wirings and components in the interior of ordinary machines or car engine chamber. Therefore, there are limitations for using ordinary tools in such a limited working space, not only staining the sleeve or clothes by dirty grease, but also having the risk of hurting the user&#39;s hand by the mechanical components. Furthermore, some of the repairing position is beyond the reach by the user&#39;s hands or hand tools. Therefore, the parts other than those requiring repair are removed first before repairing, and reinstall those parts after the repair is completed. In some cases, we have to disassemble and then assemble the whole set of machine for replacing or adjusting a small part, not only wasting efforts but also wasting lots of time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a clamp assembly that can be extended into an engine chamber of a car or a small narrow space of other machineries for the application of the tool. The clamp assembly of the present invention can use a clipping member to clip a workpiece, or uses a poling member to poke the objects around the repairing workpiece, which offers a convenient, handy, easy, and convenient way for the repair. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a clamp assembly that allows users to replace or install the clipping member or poking member on the same clamp handle. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a clamp assembly having a replaceable clipping member and poking member, so that any single component of the clipping member or the poking member can be replaced when it is damaged. The structural design of the present invention enables users to replace such component quickly and easily. 
     To accomplish the foregoing objectives, the present invention comprises a pair of clamp handles, wherein one clamp handle has a sliding track, and said sliding track is pivotally couple to a corner of a clamp wire control plate, and both ends of said clamp wire control plate individually coupled to a clamp wire fixing member and pivotally coupled to another clamp handle; a pair of clamp heads are stacked and pivotally coupled with each other, and their rear ends are couple with said clamp handles. A clamp handle torque spring is disposed on one of the clamp head, and a clamp control plate is disposed on another clamp head, and the clamp control plate and the clamp head having a clamp handle torque spring at their corresponding edges each has a ratcheted edge and a ratcheted section engaged with each other. The rear end of the clamp control plate is a poking plate, and the ratcheted edge and ratcheted serration will be separated by pressing the poking plate, and the clamp wire fixing member is coupled with the rear end of the central linear member of a clamp wire set, and the central linear member passes through a protective tube, and its front end is coupled to a clipping member or a poking member. Controlling the extension or contraction of the central linear member of the clamp wire set produces an axial movement and further controls such clipping member or poking member to clip the workpiece or poke the objects around the workpiece. 
    
    
     To make it easier for our examiner to understand the objective of the invention, its structure, innovative features, and performance, we use a preferred embodiment together with the attached drawings for the detailed description of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG.1 is a perspective diagram of the disassembled parts of the clamp handle, clamp head, and their related structure in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram of the assembled parts according to FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of the clipping member structure of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram of the assembled structure according to FIG. 
     FIG. 5A is an illustrative diagram of the planar movement of the clamp handle control clipping member according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 5B is another illustrative diagram of the planar movement of the clamp handle control clipping member according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective diagram of the disassembled parts of the poking member structure of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram of the assembled structure in accordance with FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8A is an illustrative diagram of the planar movement of the clamp handle control poking member according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 8B is another illustrative diagram of the planar movement of the clamp handle control poking member according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 for a clamp assembly of the present invention comprising: 
     a first clamp handle  10  and a second clamp handle  11 , said pair of clamp handles  10 ,  11  being hollow inside and open on their corresponding sides; 
     a sliding track  20 , being a long hollow bar structure, and both ends of said sliding track  20  along the direction of the long axis of the first clamp handle  10  being fixed inside the first clamp handle  10 , and the rear end of said sliding track  20  is set into the interior of the first clamp handle  10 , and the front end is a fixed end in the shape of a flat plate, and a sliding hole is disposed each on the upper and lower sections of said sliding track  20 ; 
     a clamp wire control bracket  30 , being a plate structure substantially in the shape of a hook, having a long arm  31  and a short arm  32 , and a through hole  33  being disposed at the comer where said long and short arms  31 ,  32  intersect, and said comer being disposed inside said sliding track  20  and a movable wedge  34  passing through the sliding hole  23  and pivotally coupled into the through hole  33 ; said movable wedge  34  passes through and extends outside the upper and lower ends of said sliding track  20  to press against a metal lubricated positioning ring  341 ,  342  so that the movable wedge  34  can freely rotate in the holes without the risk of falling off from the sliding hole  23  and the through hole  33 ; an open end of said long arm  31  uses a pivotal coupling member  311  to movably coupled to the interior of the second clamp handle  11 , and an open end of said short arm  32  having a clamp wire fixing member  35 ; and a threaded hole  351  penetrating through said clamp wire fixing member  35  in the radial direction; 
     a first and a second clamp heads  40 ,  41 , each having a rear end in the form of a plate structure and being fixed to the front end of the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  respectively by a plurality of fixtures  401 ,  411 ; and the rear end of the first clamp head  40  even blocks the adjacent side of the fixed end  22  in the flat plate, such that the fixed end  22  is restricted between the inner wall of the first clamp handle  10  and the rear end of the first clamp head without the risk of moving outward or falling off. The heads of the first and second clamp heads  40 ,  41  are the corresponding protruded circular plate structure, stacking and pivotally coupled with each other by a movable member  42 , so that the first and second clamp heads  40 ,  41  drive the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  to open and close by using the movable member  42  as the axle; furthermore, a ratcheted section  43  being disposed on the arc edge of the second clamp head  41 ; a clamp wire plate  44  being disposed at the turning head section of the first clamp head  41 ; and a threaded hole  441  disposed on the clamp wire plate  44 ; a clamp handle torque spring  50 , pivotally coupled on the structural surface of the second clamp head  41  by a fixture  51 , having two spring legs  52 ,  53  separately pressing against and being fixed on the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11 ; and the elasticity of the torque spring  50  provides the tension for opening the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11 ; 
     a clamping control plate  60 , passing through a torque spring  62  and pivotally coupled on the structural surface of the first clamp head  40  with a pivotal member  61  (such as a rivet); said torque spring  62  having one end fixed on the clamping control plate  60 , and the other end fixed on the first clamp head  40 ; said clamping control plate  60  at its front end having a ratcheted edge  63  engaged with the ratcheted section  43  of the second clamp head  41 ; the elasticity of the torque spring  62  provides the force for engaging the ratcheted edge  63  in normal condition to the ratcheted section of the clamp head  41 ; said clamping control plate  60  at the rear end defining a poking plate  64  bent outward; said poking plate  64  presses towards the direction of the first clamp handle  10  such that said two ratcheted edges  63 ,  64  are separated to coil the torque spring  62  and the ratcheted serration of the ratcheted section  43  and ratcheted edge  63  can slide alternately when moving in the positive direction and be latched when moving in the opposite direction; 
     a clamp wire set  70  as shown in FIG. 3, comprising a central linear member  71 , having one end coupled to a threaded fixture  711 , and the other end coupled to a fixed head  712 ; said central linear member  71  passing through a hollow elastic protective tube  72 , and one end of said protective tube  72  has a threaded fixture  721  and the other end pressing and passing through a positioning sleeve  73  as shown in FIG. 3, and the open end of said positioning sleeve  73  has a latch ring groove  731 ; the fixture  711  at the rear end of the central linear member  71  being coupled into the threaded hole  351  of the clamp wire fixing member  35  ; the threaded fixture  721  at the rear end of said protective tube  72  being fixed into the threaded hole  441  of the clamp wire plate  44 ; 
     a workpiece control set as shown in FIGS. 3,  4 ,  6 , and  7 , could be in the form of either a clipping member  80  or a poking member  90 , coupled at the front end of said clamp wire set  70 , being a structure capable of performing the opening and closing movement by the central linear member  71 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, said clipping member  80  comprises: 
     a L-shaped fixing plate  81 , for enabling the body of said positioning sleeve  73  to be pivotally coupled and passing through the lower section thereof; 
     a first L-shaped clipping member  82 , for enabling the end of said positioning sleeve  73  having a latch ring groove  731  with one end pivotally coupled and passing through the lower section thereof and being latched into a fixed position by a C-shaped ring  821 ; a space  822  being defined at the upper section of said first L-shaped clamping member  82 ; 
     a second L-shaped clipping member  83 , comprising an extended upper plate structure passing through the space  822  of the first clipping member  82 , and one end of said L-shaped clipping member  83  being fixed to the upper section of said fixing plate  81  by a fixture  831 , and said second clipping member  83  having a fixed hole  832  for letting the fixing head  712  of the central linear member  71  to pass through and be fixed into a position; 
     a spring  84 , disposed between said first and second clipping members  82 ,  83  and outside said central linear member  71 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, said poking member  90  comprises: 
     a L-shaped fixing plate  91 , for enabling one end of said positioning sleeve  73  having a latch ring groove  731  pivotally coupled and passing through the lower section thereof and be fixed into a position by a C-shaped latch ring  911 ; 
     a first L-shaped poking member  92 , having a fixing hole  921  for enabling the fixing head  712  of said central linear member  71  to pass through and be latched in a fixed position; a space  922  being defined at the upper section of said first L-shaped clipping member  92 ; 
     a second L-shaped poking member  93 , comprising an extended upper plate structure passing through the space  922  of the first poking member  92 , and one end of said L-shaped poking member  93  being fixed to the upper section of said fixing plate  91  by a fixture  931 ; 
     a spring  94 , disposed between said first and first poking members  92 , and the fixing plate  91  outside said central linear member  71 . 
     After knowing the structure of the present invention, we will further describe the operation and movement of the present invention as follows: 
     The user generally operates the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  to attain the purpose of controlling the opening of the clipping member  80  or the poking member  90 ; the clipping member is closed to clip a workpiece and opened to release a workpiece; the poking member is opened to poke the objects surrounding a workpiece. 
     In FIG. 5B, the user exerts forces on the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  by gripping them, the ratcheted section  43  of the second clamp head  41  and the ratcheted edge  63  of the clamp control plate  60  produces a alternate ratchet phenomenon and sound due to the sliding in the positive direction, and the clamp wire control plate  30  swings towards the second clamp handle  11  by sing the pivotal member  311  of its long arm  31  as a hinge, and such swing converts into a force on the sliding wedge  34  to drive the corner of the clamp wire control plate  30  to move towards the end of said sliding hole  23 , and said clamp wire fixing member also moves back and further pull the central linear member  71 . The front end of the central linear member  71  pulls the second clipping member  83  of the clipping member  80 , and the first and second clipping members  82 ,  83  use said sliding space  822  to produce the corresponding movement and compress the spring  84  to achieve the control of clipping the workpiece. In FIG. 8B, if the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  work with the poking member  90 , then the central linear member  71  is pulled while the first poking plate  92  is pulled so that the first and second poking plates  92 ,  93  are separated to achieve the purpose of poking the objects surrounding the workpiece. 
     When the clipping member  80  has clipped the workpiece or the poking member  90  has poked the object to a predetermined distance, the user can gently grip the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11 . Although a tension is exerted on the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11 , the reaction on the ratchet section  43  and the ratcheted edge  63  of the first and second clamp heads  40 ,  41  is in a latch situation in the opposite direction, therefore the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  will be fixed in a predetermined clamping angle without the risk of spring apart. 
     In FIGS. 5A and 8A, if the user wants to release the workpiece from the clipping member  80  or the object around the workpiece from the poking member  90 , the user must press the poking plate  64  of the clamp control plate  60  in the direction towards the first clamp handle  10  so that the ratcheted edge and the ratcheted section  43  are separated, and the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  lose the latching force. The clamp handle torque spring  50  and the spring  84 ,  94  of the clipping member  80  or poking member  90  also lose the coiling or compression, both restore their positions. Particularly, the spring  84 ,  90  of the clipping member  80  or the poking member  90  restores its position to drive the second clipping member  83  or the first poking plate  92  to restore the position such that the clipping member  80  or the poking member  90  restores its original opening status while pulling the central linear member  71  to move forward. The central linear member  71  also pulls the clamp fixing member  35  to use the sliding wedge  34  at its corner to move to the front of the sliding hole  23  such that the clamp control plate swings outward in the direction towards the first clamp handle  10 , and the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  will automatically open. 
     The present invention uses a clamp wire set  70  to extend the distance between the handle of the tool to the working end, so that the tool can be extended into a small narrow operating space that the user&#39;s hand or regular tools cannot reach. The flexibility of the clamp wire set  70  allows the tool of the present invention to pass through the curve and turning in the space easily. The user can control the grip of the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  to control the clipping member  80  to clip the workpiece or the poking member  90  to poke the objects around the workpiece. The operation is simple and handy. If the user wants to release the workpiece, the user just needs to press the poking plate  64  to open the first and second clamp handles  10 ,  11  while restoring the clipping member  80  or poling member to the original opening status. The operation is also simple, handy, easy and convenient. 
     In addition, the clipping member  80  and poking member  90  of the present invention can work together with a clamp wire set  70  and uses the threaded fixture  721  of the protective sleeve  72  to couple with the threaded hole  4541  of the clamp wire plate  711 , and the threaded fixture  711  of the central linear member  71  to couple with the threaded hole  351  of the clamp wire fixing member  35  to quickly install the clipping member  80  or the poking member  90  on the same clamp handle. The clipping member  80  and the poking member  90  are the replaceable components. When a component fails, it can be replaced. For replacing a component, the C-shape latch ring  821 ,  911  and the fixture  831 ,  931  are removed to release the coupling of the components, and thus achieving the purpose of replacing components quickly. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.