Patent Publication Number: US-9403263-B2

Title: Oil filter wrench

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wrench, and more particularly to an oil filter wrench. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     It is quite common to use a vehicle nowadays, the vehicle relies on mechanism working while moving and oil is for lubricating the mechanism. The oil contains some metal chips after it lubricates the mechanism. An oil filter is for filtering the metal chips. The oil filter blocks and becomes invalid when it accumulates a specific mass of metal chips. So it is necessary to replace the oil filter regularly. An oil filter wrench is for clamping the oil filter. In order to disassemble the oil filter in different kind of dimensions, the oil filter wrench is provided with an adjustable function for adjusting the clamping dimension. An operator uses a hand tool to turn the operating portion on the oil filter wrench and clamp the oil filter tightly. This kind of oil filter wrench is disclosed in TWM448416, TWM401512 and so on. 
     However, though the oil filter wrench known as before is able to disassemble the oil filter in different kind of dimensions, but the operating portion on the oil filter wrench is only rotatable in one direction. If rotating the hand tool in a tiny space and it is unable to rotate the hand tool without an obstruction lying in the way, it is necessary to pull up the hand tool after a short distance and rotate it reversely, and then rotate the operating portion by the hand tool again, continuously. It is highly affected in working efficiency, and this disadvantage is needed to be improved. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide an oil filter wrench which includes a ratcheting structure. By using driving and blocking functions of the ratcheting structure, it only needs to hold a hand tool and reciprocally rotate the oil filter wrench to clamp the oil filter. 
     Besides, after the oil filter wrench clamps the oil filter, the operator continues to reciprocally rotate the hand tool to release the oil filter and detach it from an oil filter container. There is no need to worry that the oil filter wrench is unable to clamp the oil filter when the hand tool is rotated reversely and that the oil filter wrench has to be rotated to clamp the oil filter again. 
     To achieve the above object, an oil filter wrench in accordance with present invention includes a base, a main rotating body, a ratcheting drive portion, a limiting mechanism, at least three rotating members and at least three claws. The main rotating portion is rotatably assembled with the base and includes a drive portion operable from outside. The ratcheting drive portion includes a ratcheting disk rotatably mounted with the main rotating portion and a main gear engaged with the ratcheting disk. The limiting mechanism includes at least one ratcheting member movably disposed on the main rotating body and including at least one tooth selectively engaged with the ratcheting disk. The at least three rotating members axially pivoted to the base are arranged around an axis of the base. Each rotating member includes a passive gear portion engaged with the main gear and rotatable about a central axis. The at least three claws connected to the rotating members are movable around corresponding central axis respectively. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a breakdown drawing of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a look-down drawing of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective drawing showing a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective drawing showing a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a drawing showing the first embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view showing the first embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional drawing showing the first embodiment of the present invention in use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an oil filter wrench  1  includes a base  2 , a main rotating body  3 , a ratcheting drive portion  4 , a limiting mechanism  5 , at least three rotating members  6  and at least three claws  7 . 
     The base  2  includes a top plate  21  and a bottom plate  22 , and either of the top plate  21  and the bottom plate  22  has a central through hole  23 . The base  2  has an axis, and the axis is defined to penetrate through the central through hole  23  and perpendicular to the top plate  22  and the bottom plate  23 . The top plate  21  includes at least three circular holes  24 , and the bottom plate  22  is formed with at least three fixation portions  25 . Each of the fixation portions  25  is formed with at least three projecting rings  26  whose dimensions correspond to the dimensions of the circular holes  24 . Specifically, the circular holes  24  of the top plate  21  are disposed respectively around the projecting rings  26  of the bottom plate  22 . 
     The main rotating body  3  is rotatably assembled with the base  2 . The main rotating body  3  includes a drive portion  31  operable from outside and a housing  32  formed with the drive portion  31 . In this embodiment, the drive portion  31  includes a polygonal protrusion  33  and a polygonal concavity  34  disposed on the polygonal protrusion  33 . In other embodiments, the driver portion  31  may include only the polygonal protrusion  33  or only the polygonal concavity  34 . The drive portion  31  is operable from outside of the base  2  by using a tool matching the structure of the drive portion  31 . 
     The ratcheting drive portion  4  includes a ratcheting disk  41  rotatably mounted with the main rotating body  3  and a main gear  42  engaged with the ratcheting disk  41 . Specifically, the main gear  42  is disposed outside the housing  32  and the ratcheting disk  41  is disposed inside the housing  32 . The top plate  21  of the base  2  is between the main gear  42  and the housing  32 . The ratcheting drive portion  4  includes a first assembling portion  43  axially extending from the ratcheting disk  41 . The main gear  42  is formed with a second assembling portion  44  connected with the first assembling portion  43 . The first assembling portion  43  penetrates through the central through hole  23  of the top plate  21  and is connected with the second assembling portion  44 , so that the ratcheting disk  41  and the main gear  42  are co-movable. 
     The limiting mechanism  5  includes at least one ratcheting disk movably disposed on the main rotating body  3  and a switching member  52 . Preferably, the limiting mechanism  5  includes at least one first elastic member  53  disposed between the main rotating body  3  and the at least one ratcheting member. The number of the ratcheting members is two in this embodiment, and the ratcheting members are disposed on and inside the housing  32 . Each of the ratcheting members includes at least one tooth selectively engaged with the ratcheting disk  41 . Specifically, the two ratcheting members include a first ratcheting member  51   a  and a second ratcheting member  51   b  respectively, and the switching member  52  is pivotally mounted to the main rotating body  3  and formed with an abutting block  54  between the first ratcheting member  51   a  and the second ratcheting member  51   b . The switching member  52  is pivotable between a first position and a second position. 
     The at least three rotating members  6  are axially pivoted to the base  2  and arranged around the axis of the base  2 . Each of the rotating members  6  includes a passive gear portion  61  engaged with the main gear  42 . Each of the passive gear portions  61  is formed with a fixation hole  62  disposed around the at least three fixation portions  25  respectively. Each of the passive gear portions is rotatable about a central axis. When the main gear  42  rotates, each of the rotating members  6  is driven by the main gear  42  and rotates relatively. Each of the rotating members  6  includes an arm  63  radially extending from the passive gear portion  61  in this embodiment. 
     Each of the claws  7  is connected to corresponding arm  63  of the rotating member  6  on the top and rotatable about corresponding central axis. Each of the claws  7  is formed with a plurality of long troughs  71 , and the structure of the long troughs  71  is for increasing the friction between the claws  7  and the oil filter (not shown), so that the oil filter is clamped tightly. The claws  7  are detachable and replaceable. Specifically, each of the claws  7  is formed with a circular groove on the top (not shown). When the claw  7  is inserted into the rotating member  6 , and the circular groove is buckled by a c-shaped retainer  72 . The c-shaped retainer  72  locks the claw  7 , and the claw  7  is releasably attached to the rotating member  6 . The claw  7  can be disassembled if the c-shaped retainer is removed. This design is convenient for replacing and maintaining the claw  7 . 
     A second embodiment is shown in  FIG. 4 . Each of rotating members  6   a  is formed without an arm. Specifically, each of the rotating members  6   a  is a complete gear. Each of the claws  7   a  is connected to the rotating member  6   a  directly. 
     A third embodiment is shown in  FIG. 5 . A drive portion  31   a  includes a radial through hole  35 . The through hole  35  is for insertion of a driving shaft  8 , and the drive portion  31   a  can be rotated by driving the driving shaft  8 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 6-8  where the first preferable embodiment of the present invention is taken as an example. In this embodiment, when the switching member  52  is located in the first position, the abutting block  54  abuts against the first ratcheting member  51   a  so that the first ratcheting member  51   a  is unengaged with the ratcheting disk  41  and the second ratcheting member  51   b  is engaged with the ratcheting disk  41 . When the drive portion  31  is rotated in a first rotating direction by using a tool  9  matching the drive portion  31 , the ratcheting disk  41  is unrotatable, and relatively to the ratcheting drive portion  4  the main rotating body  3  is only rotatable in the first rotating direction (as indicated by the arrow shown in  FIG. 6 ). When the drive portion  31  is rotated in a second rotating direction opposite to the first rotating direction, the ratcheting disk  41  is engaged with the second ratcheting member  51   b  to drive the main gear  42  to rotate. 
     It is noted that when the switching member  52  is located in the second position, the abutting block  54  abuts against the second ratcheting member  51   b  so that the second ratcheting member  51   b  is unengaged with the ratcheting disk  41  and the first ratcheting member  51   a  is engaged with the ratcheting disk  41 . When the drive portion  31  is rotated in the second rotating direction, the ratcheting disk  41  is unrotatable, and relatively to the ratcheting drive portion  4  the main rotating body  3  is only rotatable in the second rotating direction. When the drive portion  31  is rotated in the first rotating direction, the ratcheting disk  41  is engaged with the first ratcheting member  51   a  to drive the main gear  42  to rotate. When the ratcheting drive portion  4  drives the rotating member  6  to rotate, the rotating member  6  continuously rotates and drives the claws  7  to come close to the central axis, so that the claws  7  clamp the oil filter tightly, and the oil filter is able to be removed. 
     As a conclusion, this invention of oil filter wrench includes the ratcheting disk, and by using driving and blocking functions of the ratcheting disk, it only needs to hold a tool and reciprocally rotate to disassemble the oil filter. The rotating members drive the claws to move close to or far away from the central axis to change the distance therebetween, and the oil filter is clamped. 
     Besides, after the oil filter wrench clamps the oil filter, the operator is able to reciprocally rotate the hand tool to release the oil filter and detach the oil filter from the oil filter container. There is no need to worry that the oil filter wrench is unable to clamp the oil filter when the hand tool is rotated reversely and the oil filter wrench has to be rotated to clamp the oil filter again. This disadvantage is improved. 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.