Patent Publication Number: US-11045928-B2

Title: Impact wrench

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 107101293, filed on Jan. 12, 2018, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to an impact wrench, which can be operated together with a socket for detaching or fastening bolts or nuts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are various hand tools in the market for users to choose from. Among the hand tools, sockets are frequently used for detaching bolts or nuts. Users may utilize a socket to connect a wrench to a bolt, sleeving on the bolt for fastening or detaching the bolt. If the bolt is secured on the work piece for a long period, the bolt is always stuck on the position by the rust or thermal contraction, and the bolt can hardly be detached. If users try to detach the bolt vigorously simply by using socket or wrench, the bolt may be twisted off or be abraded. Removal of the remaining bolt would be disturbing and difficult. 
     To prevent the mentioned destruction to the bolt, impact wrench, as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , is provided to the users. The impact wrench mainly includes a pole  11 , a driving member  12 , and a spring  13 . One end of the pole  11  is configured with an opening  14  and a slant groove  15 . The driving member  12  is received in the opening  14 , being slidably disposed to the slant groove  15  by a pin  16  disposed thereon. The spring  13  is received in the opening  14 , pushing against the pole  11  and the driving member  12 . Therefore, the distal end of the driving member  12  can be inserted into the socket  17  to be connected to the bolts/nuts. User may hold the pole  11  by one hand, vertically striking the distal end of the pole  11  with a hammer by the other hand. The shock caused by the striking will be transmitted to the bolts/nuts via the pole  11 , the pin  16 , the driving member  12 , and the socket  17 . Intense vibration is then induced on the bolts/nuts, helping loosening the bolts/nuts. In the meanwhile, the striking leads compression of the spring  13 , causing sliding of the driving member  12  along the slant groove  15 . The driving member  12  is then rotated to rotate the socket  17  and the bolts/nuts. In the end, the bolts/nuts can be detached by the rotation and vibration caused by the striking on the pole  11 . 
     The impact wrench mentioned above may help in detaching bolts/nuts with the rotation and vibration induced in hammer striking, however, some inconvenience still exists in the operation process and condition. First, the impact wrench can work only with a hammer or the like. Power tool, such as pneumatic wrench, cannot mate with the impact wrench to improve the work efficiency. Secondly, the impact wrench needs to be hold by hand. The shock induced by the striking can also be transmitted to the user&#39;s hand, making the user uncomfortable. Moreover, a careless user may strike on the hand with the hammer. Occupational injury may occur in using the impact wrench. 
     The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an impact wrench which can be operated easily to diminish the opportunity of the injury caused to the user. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, an impact wrench of the present invention includes a pole, a driving member, an elastic member, and a connecting portion. The pole has a first distal portion and a second distal portion. The first distal portion has a sleeving portion. The driving member is slidably and rotatably disposed to the second distal portion. The driving member rotates about the pole when the driving member slides along the pole. The driving member has a driving portion which extends away from the first distal portion along the pole. The elastic member presses against the pole and the driving member, leading a potential of position recovery of the driving member to move away from the first distal portion. The connecting portion is configured on one of the pole and the driving member. The connecting member is adapted for a handle to be assemble thereon. 
     In some embodiments, the sleeving portion can be a rectangular hole. 
     In some embodiments, the connecting portion can be a polygonal prism or a hexagonal prism. The connecting portion can be formed on the pole, locating between the first distal portion and the driving member. 
     In some embodiments, the connecting portion may have an outline larger than that of the first distal portion. 
     In some embodiments, the connecting portion is configured as a pivoting hole. The impact wrench further includes a handle which is pivoted to the connecting portion. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows: 
         FIG. 1  is a breakdown drawing showing the conventional impact wrench; 
         FIG. 2  is profile showing the conventional impact wrench; 
         FIG. 3  is a stereogram showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a breakdown drawing showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial sectional drawing showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a full section view showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is lateral profile showing an operation condition of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a stereogram showing a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a breakdown drawing showing a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a section view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 , the present embodiment reveals an impact wrench. The impact wrench is capable of detaching bolts/nuts by transmitting shock and rotation to the bolts/nuts so as to prevent the bolts/nuts from being teared, abraded, or destroyed when the bolts/nuts are stuck. The impact wrench includes a pole  20 , a driving member  30 , an elastic member  40 , and a connecting portion  51 . The impact wrench may further include a ligature  60 . 
     The pole  20  has a first distal portion  21  and a second distal portion  22 . The first distal portion  21  has a sleeving portion. In the present embodiment, the sleeving portion is a rectangular hole  211 . The second distal portion  22  has an axial hole  221  and two slant grooves  222 . The slant grooves  222  are configured as V-shaped grooves, being non-parallel to the pole  20 . The cusps of the slant grooves  222  are aiming toward the first distal portion  21 . The slant grooves  222  are concaved from outer surface of two opposite lateral sides of the pole  20 , radially communicating with the axial hole  221 . 
     The driving member  30  has a driving portion  31  and a through hole  32 . The driving member  30  is partially received in the axial hole  221 . The driving portion  31  is exposed beyond the axial hole  221 , extending away from the first distal portion  21  along the pole  20 . The through hole  32  is located in the axial hole  221  and aligned with the slant grooves  222 . The driving member  30  further includes a pin  33 . The pin  33  is inserted in the slant grooves  222  and the through hole  32 , so that the driving member  30  can slide along the slant grooves  222  with respect to the pole  20 . Since the slant grooves  22  are slant with respect to the pole  20 , the driving member  30  rotates with respect to the pole  20  when the driving member  30  slides. 
     The elastic member  40  is received in the axial hole  221 . Two ends of the elastic member  40  press against the pole  20  and the driving member  30 , making the driving member  30  return to a position away from the first distal portion  21 . 
     The connecting portion  51  is a hexagonal prism formed on the pole  20 . The connecting portion  51  is located between the first distal portion  21  and the driving member  30 . More particularly, the connecting portion  51  is configured adjacent to the first distal portion  21 . The connecting portion  51  has an outline larger than the outline of the first distal portion  21 . Therefore, wrench or spanner can be sleeved on or clutch on the connecting portion  51 . In other possible embodiments of the present invention, the connecting portion may be disposed on other particular position of the pole  20  or of the driving member  30  unless the movement of the driving member  30  is obstructed. 
     The ligature  60  is a C-shaped girdle, sleeving on the pole  20  for covering the slant grooves  222 . The pin  33  is then held in the slant grooves  22 , and is unremovable. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7 . When the user is going to detach the bolt  72 , the socket  71  may firstly be sleeved on the bolt  72 . The impact wrench can be attached to the socket  71  by inserting the driving portion  31  into the socket  71 . A spanner  81  is sleeved on and attached to the connecting portion  51 . Power tool  82 , within impact generating function, is inserted in the rectangular hole  211  of the first distal portion  21  of the impact wrench. The spanner  81  may be utilized as a handle. User can hold the spanner  81  to keep the impact wrench in position by one hand, manipulating the power tool  82  by the other hand. The power tool  82  then provides striking pulse to the bolt  72  via the impact wrench and the socket  71 . During the transmission of the pulse, the driving member  30  is pressed to slide with respect to the pole  20 . Therefore, accompanied with the pulse transmission, the driving member  30  slides and rotates with respect to the pole  20 , torqueing the bolt  72  to rotate. After the bolt  72  is shocked and torqued to be loosened, user can detach the bolt  72  easily. 
     According to the embodiment mentioned, user can detach the bolts/nuts by the impact wrench, holding the impact wrench by a spanner. Directly holding the pole of the impact wrench is not necessary. Uncomfortable or injury caused by the vibration is then diminished. Additionally, the impact wrench may be driven by a power tool  82  for receiving and transmitting shock and vibration. Striking with a hammer which could cause occupational or accidental injury is no longer necessary. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 8  to  FIG. 10 . A second embodiment of the present invention reveals an impact wrench which includes a pole  20 , a driving member  30 , an elastic member  40 , and a connecting portion  52 . The impact wrench further includes a handle. 
     The pole  20  is generally similar to the pole as disclosed in the first embodiment mentioned before. The pole  20  has a first distal portion  21  and a second distal portion  22 . The first distal portion  21  has a sleeving portion, which is also a rectangular hole  211  in the embodiment. The second distal portion  22  has an axial hole  221 , noted that the second distal portion  22  has no slant grooves. 
     The driving member  30  has a driving portion  31 . The driving member  30  is partially received in the axial hole  221 . The driving portion  31  is exposed beyond the axial hole  221 , extending away from the first distal portion  21  along the pole  20 . The driving member  30  has a slant groove  34 . The slant groove  34  is configured as a V-shaped groove, being non-parallel to the pole  20 . The cusp of the slant groove  34  is aiming away from the first distal portion  21 . 
     The elastic member  40  is general similar to the elastic member as disclosed in the first embodiment mentioned before. The elastic member  40  is received in the axial hole  221 , pushing the driving member  30  to return to a position away from the first distal portion  21 . 
     The connecting portion  52  is a pivoting hole, which is formed on the pole  20  and penetrates the pole  20 . The connecting portion  52  is aligned with the slant groove  34 . 
     The handle includes a lever  91  and two pivot pins  92 . The lever  91  is pivoted to the connecting portion  52  by the pivot pins  92 . More particularly, the pivot pins  92  is screwed on the lever  91 , and is rotatably inserted in the connecting portion  52  and in the slant groove  34 . Therefore, the connecting portion  52  is formed on the pole  20 , the lever  91  is pivoted to the pole  20 , and the driving member  30  is slidably and rotatably disposed to the pole  20 . 
     The operational condition of the impact wrench of the second embodiment is generally similar to the operation of the impact wrench of the first embodiment mentioned. The impact wrench may connect a power tool to a socket, and further to the bolt to be detached. User may hold the impact wrench by the lever of the handle thereof. Additional spanner for holding the impact wrench is then dismissed. 
     In view of the above mention embodiments, the impact wrenches are suitable for connecting power tool to socket to detach bolts/nuts. User can hold the impact wrench by a spanner or by the handle. hammer Striking is abandoned to reduce the opportunities of occupational or accidental injury. Safety and conveniency of the impact wrench are then improved. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.