Ratchet clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10384332-B2
Application number	US-201515547078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

A ratchet clamp, comprises a first clamp arm, a second clamp arm and a ratchet mechanism provided between the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm. An elastic member is arranged between the ratchet mechanism and the second clamp arm. The ratchet mechanism includes a toothed bar, a pivoting member. The pivoting member includes a toothed piece, a housing and a lever. The self lock state of the ratchet clamp of the invention is very safe and stable, the maximum clamping force at the jaw opening portion can reach about 50 Kg, and 85% of the maximum clamping force can be maintained after the user releases the clamp arms.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ratchet clamp, comprising a first clamp arm, a second clamp arm and a ratchet mechanism provided between the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm, the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm being connected by a first shaft and rotatable about the first shaft so as to control the size of the jaw opening, characterized in that, an elastic element is provided between the ratchet mechanism and the second clamp arm; the ratchet mechanism comprising a toothed bar and a pivoting member, the toothed bar being fixedly arranged on the first clamp arm, the toothed bar being a circular arc in shape of a strip, the center point of the circular arc being substantially coinciding with that of the first shaft, a first set of ratchet teeth being provided at a side of the toothed bar away from the first shaft, the pivoting member being pivotable about a third shaft within an elastic range of the elastic member during clamping; upon removal of external force, the ratchet mechanism self locks and maintains a clamping force; when the clamp is to be opened, an external force is exerted on the pivoting member so as to allow the ratchet mechanism to be unlocked and detached;
the pivoting member comprises a toothed piece, a housing and a lever, the toothed piece being rotatable about a fourth shaft, a recess portion being provided on the toothed piece, a second set of ratchet teeth being provided at a side of the recess portion and in engagement with the first set of ratchet teeth of the toothed bar;
a channel is provided in the housing, for the toothed bar to pass through, the housing being rotatable about the third shaft, a slot being provided at a side of the channel distal to a center point of the first shaft, the slot accommodating the toothed piece and the first end portion of the lever, the fourth shaft and the fifth shaft respectively passing through the slot and the toothed piece and the lever, an opening being provided on the separation of the channel and the slot.

2. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the lever is in form of an elongation, the lever being rotatable about a fifth shaft, a first protruding portion being provided at a first end portion of the lever, the first protruding portion and the recess portion of the toothed piece cooperating with each other, a second protruding portion being provided in the middle portion of the lever, the second protruding portion cooperating with the elastic member.

3. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 2 , characterized in that, a first end of the elastic member is arranged on the second clamp arm, a second end of the elastic member being arranged to cooperate with the second protruding portion of the lever, and when the lever is free from external force, the lever rotates about the fifth shaft due to the elastic force of the elastic member, the first protruding portion of the lever exerting a force to the toothed piece in a direction toward where the first set of ratchet teeth and the second set of ratchet teeth are engaged with each other, so that the toothed piece rotates about the fourth shaft and meanwhile, the engagement between the first set of ratchet teeth and the second set of ratchet teeth becomes tighter.

4. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 2 , characterized in that, when a user exerts a force to an end of the lever so that the elastic member is compressed under stress, the lever is rotatable about the fifth shaft, the first protruding portion of the lever pulling the toothed piece to rotate about the fourth shaft, so that the first ratchet teeth of the toothed bar and the second ratchet teeth of the toothed piece are opened accordingly, so that the toothed bar is rotatable in the channel of the housing.

5. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the first set of ratchet teeth of the toothed bar is provided with an undercut, and when a user removes forces exerted to the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm, the toothed piece is subjected to a circumferential acting force in an opposite direction of rotation about the fourth shaft, so that the toothed bar and the toothed piece are engaged and locked with each other.

6. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, when a user exerts forces to the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm to cause the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm to come closer to each other, the toothed bar and the housing are in relative movement, so that the pivoting member rotates about the third shaft in whole, so that the elastic member is compressed under stress and meanwhile, the first set of ratchet teeth of the toothed bar and the second ratchet teeth of the toothed piece are accordingly caused to be in a cycle process of engagement—open re-engagement.

7. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the toothed bar and the toothed piece are in an interference fit.

8. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, angle α is an angle formed between, a forced direction of a tooth profile of an engaged part of the first ratchet teeth and the second ratchet teeth, and a connection line between a forced point and a rotation center point of the toothed piece, the angle α being in a range of between 2°-8°.

9. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 8 , characterized in that, the angle α is preferably 4°.

10. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the second set of ratchet teeth has at least more than one tooth.

11. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, preferably three teeth.

12. The ratchet clamp as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the elastic member is a spring.

13. A ratchet clamp, comprising a pair of clamp bodies, a ratchet mechanism provided between the clamp bodies, the clamp bodies comprising a clamp arm and an upper clamp body, a first upper clamp body and a second upper clamp body being pivotally connected by a first shaft, characterized in that, the clamp bodies are divided into two sections or more sections in pivot connections; the first upper clamp body being fixed relative to the first shaft, the second upper clamp body being rotatable relative to the first shaft the first upper clamp body and a first clamp arm being in pivot connection by a seventh shaft, the second upper clamp body and a second clamp arm being in pivot connection by a third shaft the ratchet mechanism comprises a toothed bar and a pivoting member, the toothed bar being fixedly arranged on the first upper clamp body, the toothed bar being a circular arc in shape of a strip, a center point of the circular arc substantially coinciding with that of the first shaft, a first set of ratchet teeth being provided at a side of the toothed bar distal to the first shaft and a third set of ratchet teeth being provided on dial teeth in pivot connection with the first clamp arm, the third set of ratchet teeth being in engagement with the toothed bar, the toothed bar being pushed by the toothed piece during clamping;
the pivoting member comprises a toothed piece, a housing and a lever, the toothed piece being rotatable about a fourth shaft, a recess portion being provided on the toothed piece, a second set of ratchet teeth being provided at a side of the recess portion and in engagement with the first set of ratchet teeth of the toothed bar;
a channel is provided in the housing, for the toothed bar to pass through, the housing being rotatable about the third shaft, a slot being provided at a side of the channel distal to a center point of the first shaft, the slot accommodating the toothed piece and the first end portion of th

Assignees

• Hangzhou Great Star Tools Co Ltd
• Hangzhou Great Star Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Yueming

Classifications

• B25B13/463

  a pawl engaging an externally toothed wheel · CPC title

• B25B5/04

  with pivoted jaws · CPC title

• B25B7/14 Primary

  Locking means {(B25B7/123 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B25B5/16

  Details, e.g. jaws, jaw attachments · CPC title