Patent Publication Number: US-10773363-B2

Title: Adjustable ratchet wrench

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 adjustable according to workpieces with different sizes. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     An ordinary ratchet wrench includes a handle and a head portion, and the head portion further includes a hollow operation portion. During operation, the hollow operation portion of the head portion is mounted around a screw member, and the handle is driven to rotate the head portion, such that the screw member is rotated to be fastened or loosened. 
     However, size of the hollow operation portion is usually fixed. Such a ratchet wrench is only applicable to the screw members with certain size. Therefore, when screw members with different sizes are to be fastened or loosened, a plurality of wrenches with corresponding tool receiving sizes are needed, causing an inconvenience of usage. 
     For improving the issues, U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,132 discloses an adjustable wrench tool, which includes an adjustable bolt in the hollow operation portion of the head portion, with one end of the adjustable bolt contacting the target screw member. By adjusting the protruding status of the adjustable bolt, the size the hollow operation portion changes. 
     However, the wrench tool above does not includes a ratchet structure. In a relatively limited operational space, the operation angle thereof is also limited. After each wrenching step, the wrench needs to be extracted back to the original position for facilitating the next wrenching step, failing to achieve a fast fastening or loosening function and causing an operational difficulty. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     For improving the issues above, an adjustable ratchet wrench is disclosed. By use of a movable device which is movably connected with two positioning members, when the workpiece is received by the tool receiving hole, the movable device moves with respect to the two positioning members for adjusting the size of the tool receiving hole according to the sizes of workpieces, such that the ratchet is allowed to be rotated for fastening or loosening the workpiece after the size of the tool receiving hole is adjusted. With such configuration, the ratchet wrench in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention is applied for fast fastening or loosening different workpieces with different sizes without limitation of operational space, achieving the convenience of usage. 
     An adjustable ratchet wrench in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises: 
     a wrench body having a head portion and a handle portion, the head portion comprising a first housing space and a second housing space connected with the first housing space, the first housing space provided with a rotation axis; 
     a ratchet rotatably disposed in the first housing space around the rotation axis, a plurality of ratchet teeth disposed at an outer periphery of the ratchet, a fixed clamp portion disposed at an inner periphery of the ratchet;
         two positioning members disposed at two sides of the inner periphery of the ratchet, respectively;       

     a movable device disposed at the inner periphery of the ratchet and between the two positioning members, the movable device comprising a movable clamp portion, a tool receiving hole formed between the movable clamp portion and the fixed clamp portion for receiving a workpiece, the movable device switched among a first status, a second status, and a third status; in the first status, the movable device is engaged with the two positioning members; in the second status, the movable device moves with respect to the two positioning members along a direction in parallel to the rotation axis; in the third status, the movable device slides with respect to the two positioning members along a direction in vertical to the rotation axis for adjusting a size of the tool receiving hole; and a restoring device disposed between the movable device and the ratchet, the restoring device enabling the movable device to be switched from the second status to the first status. 
     With the movable device movably connected with the positioning member, when the workpiece is received in the tool receiving hole, the movable device moves with respect to the positioning members for adjusting the size of the tool receiving hole according to the size of the workpiece. After the size of the tool receiving hole is adjusted, the handle portion is wrenched for fastening or loosening the workpiece. Therefore, the inconvenience of a traditional ratchet wrench which is applicable to a single-sized workpiece is resolved. Also, a fast fastening or loosening function is achieved, increasing the utility and convenience of usage. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, each of the two positioning members comprises a first engagement portion, and the movable device comprises second engagement portion corresponding to each first engagement portion. When the movable device is in the first status, each second engagement portion is engaged with each corresponding first engagement portion, wherein each first engagement portion has a first tooth strip, and each second engagement portion has a second tooth portion. The first tooth strip is geared with the corresponding second tooth strip. Each first tooth strip has a plurality of first teeth and a plurality of second teeth. The interval between each first tooth is greater than the interval between each second tooth for facilitating the adjustment of the workpiece size formed according to metric system or Imperial system units. Therefore, the application range of the present invention is improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the adjustable ratchet wrench in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the adjustable ratchet wrench in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional perspective view of the head portion in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device in the first status. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional front view of the head portion in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device in the first status. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional perspective view of the head portion in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device in the second status. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional front view of the head portion in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device in the second status. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the tool receiving hole receiving the workpiece. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device in the third status for adjusting the size of the tool receiving hole according to a different sized workpiece. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the adjustable ratchet wrench in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the adjustable ratchet wrench in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device connected with the two positioning members. 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional perspective view of the head portion in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device in the first status. 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional perspective view of the head portion in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device in the second status. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic view of the second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the movable device in the third status for adjusting the size of the tool receiving hole according to a different sized workpiece. 
     
    
    
     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  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 8 , an adjustable ratchet wrench in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a wrench body  10 , a ratchet  30 , a ratchet device  40 , two positioning members  50 , and a movable device  70 . 
     The wrench body  10  has a head portion  11  and a handle portion  12 , and the handle portion  12  is connected with a handgrip  20 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the wrench body  10  includes a first body  10   a  and a second body  10   b , with the inner lateral side of the first body  10   a  and the inner lateral side of the second body  10   b  facing each other, such that the head portion  11  is formed of the first body  10   a  and the second body  10   b . Also, the inner sides of both the first body  10   a  and the second body  10   b  have a first housing space  13  passing therethrough and a second housing space  14  concavely disposed therein, respectively. The first housing space  13  and the second housing space  14  are connected. The second housing space  14  is disposed in adjacent to the handle portion  12 . The first housing space  13  is provided with a rotation axis L. 
     The ratchet  30  is rotatably disposed in the first housing space  13  around the rotation axis L. The ratchet  30  includes a receiving face  31  and an installation face  32  disposed on two opposite sides of the ratchet  30  and facing two ends of the rotation axis L, respectively. The ratchet  30  is disposed between the first body  10   a  and the second body  10   b , wherein the inner side of the first body  10   a  and the inner side of the second body  10   b  face the receiving face  31  and the installation face  32 , respectively. Also, a plurality of ratchet teeth  33  are disposed on the outer periphery of the ratchet  30 , and a fixed clamp portion  34  is disposed on the inner periphery of the ratchet  30 . 
     The ratchet device  40  is disposed in the second housing space  14  for gearing the ratchet teeth  33 . When the handgrip  20  is wrenched to rotate, the ratchet teeth  33  of the ratchet  30  are geared with the ratchet device  40 , such that the ratchet  30  is driven to rotate. In an embodiment of the present invention, the ratchet device  40  is allowed to change the rotation direction of the ratchet  30 . 
     The two positioning members  50  are disposed on two sides of the inner periphery of the ratchet  30 . Each positioning member  50  has a transversely disposed first engagement portion  51  facing the rotation axis L. Each first engagement portion  51  includes two convexly disposed first tooth strips  52 , wherein the two first tooth strips  52  are spaced and arranged in parallel to the radial direction of the rotation axis L. 
     The first tooth strip  52  includes a plurality of teeth, wherein the teeth are allowed to be spaced with equal or unequal intervals. In an embodiment of the present invention, the teeth include first teeth  521  and second teeth  522 . The interval between the first teeth  521  is greater than the interval between the second teeth  522 . Each first tooth  521  and second tooth  522  is allowed to be formed in, for example but not limited to, a sawtooth, rectangular tooth, or wave tooth shape. 
     The two positioning members  50  are allowed to be integrally formed with the ratchet  30  or installed on the inner periphery of the ratchet  30 . In the first embodiment of the present invention, the positioning members  50  are combined to the ratchet  30 , wherein the ratchet  30  includes two containing grooves  35  disposed in parallel to the rotation axis L for housing a positioning member  50  therein, respectively. The two positioning members  50  are able to be engaged with the two containing grooves  35 . The installation face  32  of the ratchet  30  is connected with two block members  60 , so as to fix the two positioning members  50  between the two block members  60  and the ratchet  30 . 
     Further, regarding each positioning member  50 , a first protrusion  53  is disposed on one lateral side of the positioning member  50  facing the receiving face  31 , and a second protrusion  54  is disposed on another lateral side of the positioning member  50  facing the installation face  32 . Each containing groove  35  has a first recess  36  concavely disposed for engaging the first protrusion  53  of the corresponding positioning member  50 . Each of the two block members  60  has a second recess  61  concavely disposed on one lateral side of the block member  60  facing the installation face  32  for receiving the second protrusion  54  of the corresponding positioning member  50 . As a result, the two positioning members  50  are fixed in the two containing grooves  35 . 
     The movable device  70  is disposed on the inner periphery of the ratchet  30  and movably arranged between the two positioning members  50 . The movable device  70  is allowed to be integrally formed or formed of multiple components. In an embodiment of the present invention, the movable device  70  is integrally formed. The movable device  70  is allowed to be switched among a first status, a second status, and a third status. The movable device  70  includes a movable clamp portion  71  formed in a V shape. The movable clamp portion  71  and the fixed clamp portion  34  form a tool receiving hole  80  therebetween for receiving the workpiece  1 . 
     The movable device  70  has two second engagement portions  72  disposed on two sides of the movable device  70  corresponding to the two positioning members  50 , respectively, wherein the second engagement portion  72  is allowed to be geared with the corresponding first engagement portion  51 . The radial distance between the rotation axis L and the first engagement portion  51  is greater than the radial distance between the rotation axis L and the second engagement portion  72 . The second engagement portion  72  includes two second tooth strips  721 , wherein the two second tooth strips  721  are spaced and arranged in parallel to the radial direction of the rotation axis L. The first tooth strip  52  is geared with the corresponding second tooth strip  721 , and the length of the first tooth strip  52  is greater than the length of the second tooth strip  721 . Also, the movable device  70  has a pushing portion  73  disposed on one lateral side of the movable device  70 . The height of the pushing portion  73  is greater than the height of the two block members  60 , such that the pushing portion  73  protrudes from the outer lateral side of the first body  10   a  through the first housing space  13 . 
     Further, the movable device  70  has a first cave  74 , with a restoring device  90  disposed in the first cave  74 . Also, the restoring device  90  is disposed between the movable device  70  and the ratchet  30 , wherein the restoring device  90  includes a first resilient member  91  and a fixing member  92 . 
     The first resilient member  91  has two ends thereof resting against the first cave  74  and the fixing member  92 , respectively. The fixing member  92  is disposed at the opening of the first cave  74  for preventing the first resilient member  91  from detaching from the first cave  74 . Also, the fixing member  92  is allowed to move with respect to the first cave  74  due to the tension of the first resilient member  91 , such that the first resilient member  91  switches the movable device  70  from the second status to the first status. In the first embodiment of the present invention, two restoring devices  90  are included; two first caves  74  are disposed on a lateral side of the two second engagement portions  72  facing the installation face  32 , respectively, for housing the two restoring devices  90 , respectively. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 4 , when the movable device  70  is in the first status, the second tooth strip  721  of the second engagement portion  72  is geared with the first tooth strip  52  of the corresponding first engagement portion  51 , such that the movable device  70  is engaged with the two positioning members  50 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 6 , when the movable device  70  is in the second status, the user imposes a force upon the pushing portion  73  along a direction in parallel to the rotation axis L, so as to move the movable device  70  toward the force imposing direction, so as to remove the gearing engagement between the second tooth strip  721  of the second engagement portion  72  and the first tooth strip  52  of the first engagement portion  51 . Subsequently, the user is allowed to switch the movable device  70  from the second status to the third status. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 8 , during the third status of the movable device  70 , the user is able to impose a force upon the pushing portion  73  along a direction in vertical to the rotation axis L. As the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , the force imposing direction is defined from the bottom toward the top of the drawing. Therefore, the movable device  70  moves along the force imposing direction, such that one of second tooth strips  721  of the second engagement portion  72  slides between the two first tooth strips  52  of the first engagement portion  51 , allowing the adjustment of the size of the tool receiving hole  80 . When the size of the tool receiving hole  80  is adjusted, the user removes the force imposed upon the pushing portion  73 , such that a prestress of the first resilient member  91  of the restoring device  90  drives the movable device  70  to be switched from the third status to the first status, so as to fix the size of the tool receiving hole  80 . 
     Thus, when the user needs to fasten or loosen the workpiece  1 , the tool receiving hole  80  is mounted around the workpiece  1  via the receiving face  31 , so as to position one side of the workpiece  1  upon the fixed clamp portion  34 . If the size of the tool receiving hole  80  fails to match the size of the workpiece  1 , the user is allowed to impose a force upon the pushing portion  73  along a direction in parallel to the rotation axis L, so as to switch the movable device  70  from the first status to the second status. Next, the user impose a force upon the pushing portion  73  along a direction in vertical to the rotation axis L, so as to switch the movable device  70  to the third status for adjusting the size of the tool receiving hole  80  to a size matching the size of the workpiece  1 . Therefore, the workpiece  1  is able to be clamped by the fixed clamp portion  34  and the movable clamp portion  71 . Then, the restoring device  90  restores the movable device  70  from the third status to the first status for fixing the size of the adjusted tool receiving hole  80 . Next, the user is able to wrench the handgrip  20  for driving the ratchet  30  to rotate, so as to fasten or loosen the workpiece  1 . 
     With the movable device  70  movably connected with the two positioning members  50 , the size of the tool receiving hole  80  is adjusted according to the size of the workpiece  1  for facilitating the fastening or loosening operation of the workpiece  1  by rotating the ratchet  30 . Therefore, the present invention is applicable to workpieces  1  with different sizes, achieving the convenience of usage. 
     In addition, the interval between the first teeth  521  and the interval between the second teeth  522  of the positioning members  50  are different. In the embodiment of the present invention, the first teeth  521  and the second teeth  522  facilitate the adjustment in both the metric system and 
     Imperial system units. Therefore, the present invention is applicable to workpieces  1  in both metric system and Imperial system unit specifications. The application range of the present invention is enlarged. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 13 , the adjustable ratchet wrench in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the numeric of the identical components are omitted. The differences of the second embodiment are described as following. 
     In the second embodiment of the present invention, the movable device  70  includes a slider  75 , a control member  76 , two operation members  77 , and two pushing structures  78 . The slider  75  includes an installation space  751 . The movable clamp portion  71  is disposed on one outer lateral side of the slider  75  facing the rotation axis L. The slider  75  has a bottom face  752  disposed in the installation space  751 , with a connection portion  753  protruding from the bottom face  752 . 
     The control member  76  is disposed in the installation space  751  between the two operation members  77 . A resting face  761  is disposed on the control member  76  facing the bottom face  752 , with a combination groove  762  concavely disposed on the resting face  761 . The connection portion  753  is engaged with the combination groove  762 , such that the control member  76  and the slider  75  are engaged with each other. Also, the pushing portion  73  is disposed on one side of the control member  76  away from the resting face  761 . Two connection faces  763  are disposed on the control member  76  between the resting face  761  and the pushing portion  73 , wherein the connection faces  763  are formed in a bevel shape, respectively. Also, the two connection faces  763  expand and incline from the pushing portion  73  toward the resting face  761 . Additionally, two first caves  74  are concavely formed on the resting face  761 , and each first cave  74  includes a restoring device  90 . 
     The two operation members  77  are disposed in the installation space  751 . Each operation member  77  has an incline contact face  771 . Two contact faces  771  taper and incline along a direction from the pushing portion  73  toward the resting face  761 . Also, two connection faces  763  and the two contact faces  771  are inclined to be geared with each other, respectively. 
     Furthermore, the two operation members  77  are connected with the two positioning members  50 , respectively. Each operation member  77  has a second engagement portion  72  disposed on one side of the operation member  77  opposite to the contact face  771 . The radial distance between the rotation axis L and the first engagement portion  51  is greater than the radial distance between the rotation axis L and the second engagement portion  72 . The first engagement portion  51  of each positioning member  50  has two first tooth strips  52 , wherein the two first tooth strips  52  are spaced and arranged in parallel to the radial direction of the rotation axis L. The second engagement portion  72  of each operation member  77  has a second tooth strip  721 . 
     Each pushing structure  78  is disposed between the one of the operation members  77  and the corresponding positioning member  50 . Also, the second engagement portion  72  of each operation member  77  has a concavely disposed second cave  722 , such that the pushing structure  78  is disposed in the corresponding second cave  722 . The pushing structure  78  includes a second resilient member  781  and a sliding member  782 . The second resilient member  781  has two ends thereof resting against the corresponding second cave  722  and the sliding member  782 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 11 , when the movable device  70  is in the first status, the second tooth strip  721  of the two operation members  77  are geared with the first tooth strip  52  of the two positioning members  50 , such that the movable device  70  is engaged with the two positioning members  50 , and the sliding member  782  is placed between the two first tooth strips  52  of the corresponding first engagement portion  51 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 12 , when the movable device  70  is in the second status, the user imposes a force upon the pushing portion  73  along the direction in parallel to the rotation axis L, so as to move the control member  76  in the installation space  751  toward the force imposing direction. When the control member  76  moves toward the force imposing direction, a gap is produced due to the incline arrangement between the connection face  763  and the contact face  771 , and the prestress of the second resilient member  781  of the pushing structure  78  offsets the gap. As a result, the operation member  77  moves along the radial direction of the rotation axis L, such that the operation members  77  is separated from the corresponding positioning member  50 , and the second tooth strip  721  of the operation member  77  is prevented from gearing the first tooth strip  52  of the positioning member  50 . Next, the user is able to switch the movable device  70  from the second status to the third status. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 13 , the user imposes a force upon the pushing portion  73  along the direction in vertical to the rotation axis L, such that the control member  76  drives the slider  75  to move along the force imposing direction. When the slider  75  moves, the sliding member  782  slides between the two first tooth strips  52  of the first engagement portion  51  for adjusting the size of the tool receiving hole  80 . When the size of the tool receiving hole  80  is adjusted, the user removes the force imposed upon the pushing portion  73 , such that a prestress of the first resilient member  91  of the restoring device  90  drives the movable device  70  to be switched from the third status to the first status, so as to fix the size of the tool receiving hole  80 . 
     In the second embodiment of the present invention, the movable device  70  is formed of the slider  75 , the control member  76 , the two operation members  77 , and the two pushing structures  78 . Therefore, the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the overall movable device  70  are lowered, thus improving the manufacturing quality and efficiency. 
     Furthermore, when the movable device  70  is in the second and third status, the two operation member  77  do not contact the two positioning members  50 . Therefore, when the force imposed upon the movable device  70  is removed after the size of the tool receiving hole  80  being adjusted, the restoring device  90  efficiently restores the movable device  70  back to the position before the user imposing the force, and the control member  76  thus drives the two operation members  77  to be geared with the two positioning members  50 . Therefore, the size of the tool receiving hole  80  is effectively adjusted. 
     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.