Tongue-and-groove pliers with anti-marring grip area

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10583541-B2
Application number	US-201715654744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2017
Priority date	Jul 20, 2016
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A hand tool may include a head section defining a first grip portion, a handle section and a second grip portion. The head section includes a top jaw and a bottom jaw defining the first grip portion. The handle section includes a top handle and a bottom handle. The top jaw and the bottom handle forming a first unitary piece, and the bottom jaw and the top handle forming a second unitary piece. The first and second unitary pieces are joined at a pivot point. The second grip portion includes a top grip portion provided at the top handle and a bottom grip portion provided at the bottom handle. The top and bottom grip portions substantially face each other. The first grip portion is made of a metallic material and the second grip portion is made of a non-metallic material.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A hand tool comprising:
a head section including a top jaw and a bottom jaw defining a first grip portion;
a handle section including a top handle and a bottom handle, the top jaw and the bottom handle forming a first unitary piece, and the bottom jaw and the top handle forming a second unitary piece, the first and second unitary pieces being joined at a pivot point; and
a second grip portion including a top grip portion provided at the top handle and a bottom grip portion provided at the bottom handle, the top and bottom grip portions substantially facing each other,
wherein the first grip portion is made of a metallic material and the second grip portion is made of a non-metallic material,
wherein the hand tool further comprises a size adjustment assembly disposed between the top jaw and the bottom handle, and between the bottom jaw and the top handle, the size adjustment assembly including a tongue and a plurality of grooves to receive the tongue to define respective different grip sizes of the first grip portion,
wherein the top grip portion is formed in a top handle cover of the top handle and the bottom grip portion is formed in a bottom handle cover of the bottom handle, and
wherein the top grip portion and bottom grip portion are formed having a hardness different than a hardness of the top handle cover and the bottom handle cover.

2. The hand tool of claim 1 :
wherein the top grip portion and the bottom grip portion each have an arcuate shape, and wherein a radius of the top grip portion is different than a radius of the bottom grip portion.

3. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the second grip portion comprises a non-marking grip zone.

4. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein a largest grip size for the first grip portion defines a smallest grip size for the second grip portion, and a largest grip size for the second grip portion defines a smallest grip size for the first grip portion.

5. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the top jaw and the bottom jaw remain in alignment over a range of grip sizes of the first grip portion, and wherein the top grip portion and the bottom grip portion are only in alignment at a single grip size of the second grip portion.

6. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the top grip portion and the bottom grip portion each have a plurality of serrated projections facing toward each other, and wherein the top jaw and the bottom jaw each have serrated projections facing toward each other.

7. The hand tool of claim 6 , wherein the serrated projections have two different sizes at respective different portions of the top jaw and the bottom jaw.

8. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the top grip portion and bottom grip portion have a Shore A hardness of between about 55-60, and the top handle cover and bottom handle cover have a Shore A hardness of between about 80 and 90.

9. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the top grip portion and bottom grip portion are formed of high impact rubber coextruded with the top handle cover and the bottom handle cover, respectively.

10. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the top handle and bottom handle each have a T-shaped cross section at portions thereof that engage the top handle cover and bottom handle cover, respectively.

11. The hand tool of claim 10 , wherein a width of the top handle and bottom handle is substantially the same over portions thereof that are covered by the top handle cover and bottom handle cover, respectively, and wherein a height of the top handle and bottom handle decreases as distal ends of the top handle and bottom handle are approached.

12. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein end portions of each of the top handle and bottom handle are exposed from the top handle cover and bottom handle cover, respectively.

13. The hand tool of claim 12 , wherein the end portions of each of the top handle and bottom handle are tapered to be substantially flat.

14. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein a second top grip portion is provided in the top cover, the second top grip portion aligning with the bottom grip portion at a different grip size of the second grip portion than a grip size at which the top grip portion aligns with the bottom grip portion.

15. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the top grip portion extends along a length of the top cover such that a portion of the top grip portion is aligned with a portion of the bottom grip portion for every grip size of the second grip portion.

16. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein an angled grip portion is formed in each of the top jaw and the bottom jaw, the angled grip portion including surfaces that are angled relative to each other by about 60 degrees to form a V-shape.

17. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein end portions of each of the top handle and the bottom handle are wider in at least some directions, but not all directions, around a perimeter of the end portions closest to the top and bottom handle covers than the top and bottom handle covers to hold the top and bottom handle covers in place.

Assignees

• Apex Brands Inc

Inventors

• Bridges Tobias Mckay
• Beckwith Jonathan Siebert
• Ligon Randi
• Biering Jr John Griffin
• Hays Zachary Grant
• Kahute Trent
• Troitzsch Alexander
• Lewis Stephanie
• Arsenault Justin
• Anderson Alan David

Classifications

• B25B7/10

  with adjustable fulcrum · CPC title

• B25B7/12

  involving special transmission means between the handles and the jaws, e.g. toggle levers, gears · CPC title

• B25B7/18

  Adjusting means for the operating arms · CPC title

• B25G1/105 Primary

  for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners (B25G1/102, B25G1/125 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25B7/04 Primary

  adjustable · CPC title