Patent ID: 8899134

Claim:
A wheel lug nut socket comprising: an elongated, tubular socket body presenting an open, lug nut-receiving operating end and an opposed tool connection end, said operating end having an inner operating surface configured to receive a hexagonal lug nut therein and comprising a plurality of concave surfaces in spaced relationship to each other with an apex surface between each pair of side-by-side concave surfaces, said lug nut having an outer surface comprising six wrench flat surfaces with an apex between each side-by-side pair of wrench flat surfaces, said inner operating surface being configured and dimensioned to permit said hexagonal lug nut to be received within the socket with full clearance between said inner operating surface and said lug nut outer surface, said inner operating surface engageable with said lug nut outer surface during axial rotation of the socket, said inner operating surface comprising six side-by-side concave surfaces with a substantially flattened apex surface between each pair of the side-by-side concave surfaces, the distance D between the centers of opposed concave surfaces being at least about 0.1 inches longer than the distance d between opposed apices of said lug nut, the distance D′ between opposed apex surfaces being at least about 0.04 inches greater than the distance d′ between opposed wrench flat surfaces.