Patent Publication Number: US-2017368670-A1

Title: Ratchet wrench structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to ratchet wrench structures, and more particularly, to a ratchet wrench structure with two toothed locking members. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There are various kinds of ratchet wrenches nowadays, each having different structures and achieving the same effect. Usually, ratchet wrenches are further categorized into two types, respectively the type with one toothed locking member and with two toothed locking members. The ratchet wrench with two toothed locking members mainly engages the ratchet block by one of the locking members separately in order to drive an object in clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 
     However, the ratchet wrench with two locking members is usually provided with a spring disposed between the two locking members, such that the space built in the wrench body shall be considered when installing the two locking members. If the space thereof is relatively small or without special designation, the two locking members are difficult to be installed, hindering the overall assembling process. Further, some manufacturers take the space limitation into consideration and form the two locking members into a structure with a flat shape, such that the locking members are allowed to pass through the relatively narrow space and then installed therein. However, the structural strength of the two locking members is thereby weakened, failing to facilitate the usage thereof. Such issue shall be improved. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     For improving aforementioned issues, embodiments of the present invention disclose a ratchet wrench structure, wherein the direction controlling recess expands outward. When the pillars of the two locking members are being installed therein, the two locking members are not necessary to be pressed or resisted against each other for compressing the resilient member disposed therebetween, facilitating the installation. Also, the top surface and the bottom surface of the two locking members are flat, such that the original structural strength is kept, and the torque performance is maintained. 
     For achieving the aforementioned objectives, embodiment of the present invention provides a ratchet wrench structure, comprising: 
     a body provided with a head portion on one end thereof, the head portion provided with a first side and a second side in opposite to the first side, a first housing passing through the first side and the second side, one side of the first housing connected with a second housing, the second housing opening toward the first side, a third housing disposed between and connected with the first housing and the second housing; 
     a ratchet block rotatably disposed in the first housing and peripherally provided with plural teeth; 
     two locking members disposed in the third housing and laterally movable, one side of the locking members provided with a tooth portion engaging the ratchet block, a resilient member disposed between the two locking members, each locking member provided with a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface in opposite to the top surface, each top surface provided with a protruding pillar, respectively; 
     a direction controller pivotally disposed in the second housing, at an upper end thereof provided with a switch portion, a lower end thereof provided with a holding portion, and a receiving portion disposed between the switch portion and the holding portion, the switch portion and the holding portion mutually spaced, the receiving portion partially receiving the two locking members, the holding portion holding the bottom surfaces of the two locking members, a direction controlling recess disposed at a bottom lateral side of the switch portion facing the holding portion, the direction controlling recess receiving the pillars of the two locking members and provided with an opening end expanding outward; and 
     a positioning device disposed between the direction controller and an inner wall of the second housing and positioning the direction controller, the direction controller thereby driving the two locking members to engage the ratchet block such that the ratchet block is controlled to drive an object in clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, a ring recess disposed in the first housing adjacent to the first side. The ring recess is arranged in axial alignment with the first housing. One end of the ratchet block is peripherally provided with a ring notch. A C-clamp is disposed between the ring notch and the ring recess. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, a notch is disposed between the ring recess and the third housing. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the notch is positioned in vertical to a central axis of the first housing. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the width of the opening end of the direction controlling recess is larger than a normal distance between the pillars of the two locking members when the resilient member is not compressed. 
     With such configuration, during the assembling of the present invention, the two locking members are efficiently installed into the direction controlling recess without compressing the resilient member, facilitating the assembling process. 
     In addition, the notch of the present invention enables the pillars of the two locking member to freely pass through the notch and efficiently enter the direction controlling recess of the direction controller, further facilitating the assembling process. Also, a flat-shaped top surface and bottom surface of the two locking members are maintained, keeping the completion of the structure of the two locking members, such that the torque provided by the present invention is prevented from being adversely affected. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the ratchet wrench structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the ratchet wrench structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view partially illustrating the direction controller from another view point. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the ratchet wrench structure taken along the line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating the locking members being installed into the direction controller through the notch. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The aforementioned and further advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the description of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings where the components are illustrated based on a proportion for explanation but not subject to the actual component proportion. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6 , the ratchet wrench structure comprises a body  10 , a ratchet block  20 , two locking members  40 , a direction controller  60 , and a positioning device  70 . 
     The body  10  has one end thereof provided with a head portion  11 . The head portion  11  is provided with a first side  12  and an opposite second side  13 , with a first housing  14  passing through the first side  12  and the second side  13 . The first housing  14  is formed in a round recess shaped, wherein one side of the first housing  14  is connected with a second housing  15 . The second housing  15  opens toward the first side  12 , wherein a third housing  16  is disposed between and connected with the first housing  14  and the second housing  15 . Further, a ring recess  141  is disposed in the first housing  14  adjacent to the first side  12 . The ring recess  141  and the first housing  14  are in axial alignment. A notch  17  is disposed between the ring recess  141  and the third housing  16  and positioned in vertical with the central axis of the first housing  14 . Also, the distance from the notch  17  to the first side  12  is smaller than the distance from the ring recess  141  to the first side  12 . 
     The ratchet block  20  is rotatably disposed in the first housing  14  and peripherally provided with plural teeth  21 . A driving groove  22  passes through the center of the ratchet block  20 . The inner edge of the driving groove  22  is provided with plural angles. Also, one end of the ratchet block  20  is peripherally provided with a ring notch  23 . Therefore, by use of a C-clamp  30  disposed between the ring notch  23  and the ring recess  141 , the ratchet block  20  is disposed in the first housing  14  of the body  10 . 
     The two locking members  40  are disposed in the third housing  16  and capable of moving laterally. One side of each locking member  40  is provided with a tooth portion  41  for engaging the teeth  21 . Each locking member  40  is provided with a flat-shaped top surface  42  and bottom surface  43  in opposite to the top surface  42 . Each top surface  42  is provided with a pillar  44  protruding adjacent to an edge thereof, respectively. In addition, a resilient member  50  is disposed between the two locking members  40 . Also, the two locking members  40  are provided with an engaging recess  45 , respectively, wherein the two engaging recesses  45  correspondingly face each other, so as to receive the resilient member  50 . 
     The direction controller  60  is pivotally disposed in the second housing  15 . An upper end of the direction controller  60  is provided with a switch portion  61 , while a lower end thereof is provided with a holding portion  62 , wherein a receiving portion  63  is connected with and disposed between the switch portion  61  and the holding portion  62 , such that the switch portion  61  and the holding portion  62  are mutually spaced. The receiving portion  63  partially receives the two locking members  40 , and the holding portion  62  holds the bottom surfaces  43  of the two locking members  40 . A direction controlling recess  64  is disposed at the bottom lateral side of the switch portion  61  facing the holding portion  62 . The direction controlling recess  64  receives the pillars  44  of the two locking members  40 . Also, the direction controlling recess  40  is further provided with an opening end  641  expanding outward and two side walls  642  positioned on two sides of the inner edge of the opening end  641 . The two side walls  642  push the pillars  44  of the two locking members  40 , so as to control the engagement between the two locking members  40  and the ratchet block  20 . 
     In addition, the width of the opening end  641  of the direction controlling recess  64  is larger than the normal distance between the pillars  44  of the two locking members (when the resilient member  50  is not compressed). Therefore, the two locking members  40  are efficiently installed into the direction controlling recess  64  of the direction controller  60 . 
     The positioning device  70  is disposed between the direction controller  60  and the inner wall of the second housing  15  for positioning the direction controller  60 , such that the direction controller  60  drives the two locking members  40  to engage the ratchet block  20  and thereby control the ratchet block  20  to drive an object in clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The positioning device  70  includes a spring recess  65  disposed on the back of the direction controller  60 , such that a spring  71  and a resisting member  72  are orderly disposed therein. Also, two positioning grooves  151  are disposed on the inner side of the second housing  15  and arranged in parallel to the central axis line of the first housing  14 , whereby the resisting member  72  is pushed by the spring  71  and thus positioned in one of the positioning grooves  151 . In embodiments of the present invention, the resisting member  72  is hollow and internally pushed by the spring  71 . 
     Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention, the bottom side of the second housing  15  is provided with an inner recess  152 . The inner recess  152  forms a stair shape in the third housing  16 , where—on the holding portion  62  is pivotally disposed, such that the direction controller  60  is pivotally disposed in the second housing  15  without the necessity of using additional element, thus saving the cost. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , due to the holding portion  62  of the direction controller  60  holding the bottom surfaces  43  of the two locking members  40 , the locking members  40  are prevented from detaching from the holding portion  62 . Therefore, the top surfaces  42  and the bottom surfaces  43  of the two locking members  40  are kept in a flat shape. As a result, the stable structures of the two locking members  40  are maintained, so that the torque provided by the present invention is not decreased. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , during the assembling process of the present invention, the notch  17  between the ring recess  141  and the third housing  16  enables the pillars  44  of the two locking members  40  to freely pass through the notch  17  into the direction controlling recess  64 . Also, due to the width of the opening end  641  of the direction controlling recess  64  being larger than the normal distance between the pillars  44  of the two locking members  40 , during the assembling process, the two locking members  40  are able to be efficiently installed into the direction controlling recess  64  without the necessity to compress the resilient member  50  by use of the two locking members  40 , thus facilitating the assembling process. 
     Furthermore, by switching the direction controller  60  and by use of the positioning effect provided by the positioning device  70 , the direction controller  60  is optionally positioned in one of the positioning grooves  151 , such that one of the locking members  40  is engaged with the ratchet block  20 , whereby the ratchet wrench is used to drive a to-be-screwed object in clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.