Ratchet mechanism spring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549407-B2
Application number	US-201715803052-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2017
Priority date	Nov 17, 2014
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A spring component for a ratcheting mechanism, such as a ratchet wrench. The spring component is shaped to be retained in a recess without any special machining. For example, the spring component can be retained at three abutment points. A leaf of the spring component can abut a pawl, and a base portion opposite the leaf can abut the drive gear. Support arms can abut the sidewall of the recess to retain the spring component within the recess without the need for special machining or tooling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bias component for a ratchet mechanism, the bias component comprising:
a base portion extending in a first plane;
a pliable leaf portion extending from the base portion in a first direction and adapted to be elastically disposable between distorted and undistorted positions, wherein the leaf portion extends in the first plane when the leaf portion is in the undistorted position; and
a support arm integrally formed with and extending from the base portion to an arcuate edge, wherein the support arm extends in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane and has a portion that protrudes in a second direction parallel to the first direction to form a gap between the leaf portion and the support arm.

2. The bias component of claim 1 , wherein the base portion has a base width and the leaf portion has a leaf width, and wherein the base width is larger than the leaf width.

3. A bias component for a ratchet mechanism, the bias component comprising:
a base portion extending in a first plane;
a pliable leaf portion extending from the base portion in a first direction and adapted to be elastically disposable between distorted and undistorted positions, wherein the leaf portion extends in the first plane when the leaf portion is in the undistorted position;
a first support arm integrally formed with and extending from a first side of the base portion to a first arcuate edge, wherein the first support arm extends in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane and has a portion that protrudes in a second direction parallel to the first direction to form a first gap between the leaf portion and the first support arm; and
a second support arm integrally formed with and extending from a second side of the base portion opposite the first side to a second arcuate edge.

4. The spring component of claim 3 , wherein the base portion has a base width and the leaf portion has a leaf width, wherein the base width is larger than the leaf width.

5. The spring component of claim 3 , further comprising a second gap disposed between the leaf portion and the second support arm.

6. The spring component of claim 3 , wherein when disposed in the distorted position, the leaf portion is disposed at a first angle with respect to the base portion and is adapted to bias a pawl into engagement with a ratchet gear.

Assignees

• Snap On Tools Corp

Inventors

• Ross David T

Classifications

• F16D2041/0605

  Spring details · CPC title

• B25B13/463 Primary

  a pawl engaging an externally toothed wheel · CPC title

• F16F1/025

  characterised by having a particular shape (F16F1/04, F16F1/14, F16F1/18, F16F1/32, F16F1/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F1/26

  Attachments or mountings ({F16F1/182, F16F1/22} B60G11/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16D41/18

  with non-hinged detent (F16D41/02, F16D41/24 take precedence) · CPC title