Wrench head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235440-B2
Application number	US-201916659939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2019
Priority date	Oct 22, 2019
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A wrench head comprises a working axis, a first jaw, a second jaw, and a third jaw. The first jaw comprises first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces. The second jaw is coupled with and pivotable relative to the first jaw and comprises a second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, a second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and a second-jaw planar contact surface. The third jaw is coupled with and pivotable relative to the second jaw and comprises a third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and a third-jaw planar contact surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wrench head, comprising:
a working axis;
a first jaw, comprising first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces;
a second jaw, coupled with the first jaw, pivotable relative to the first jaw, and comprising a second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, a second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and a second-jaw planar contact surface, and wherein the second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface is located between the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and the second-jaw planar contact surface; and
a third jaw, coupled with the second jaw, pivotable relative to the second jaw, and comprising a third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and a third-jaw planar contact surface; and
wherein:
the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces are three or more in number;
a first-jaw virtual circle, perpendicular to the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces and having a single point contact with each of the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, is centered about the working axis and is perpendicular to the working axis;
when the second jaw is in a closed second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, to the second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and to the second-jaw planar contact surface, has a single point contact with each of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and the second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and intersects the second-jaw planar contact surface at only two points; and
when the second jaw is in the closed second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw and the third jaw is in a closed third-jaw orientation relative to the second jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and to the third-jaw planar contact surface, has a single point contact with the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and intersects the third-jaw planar contact surface at only two points.

2. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein, when the second jaw is in an open second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, to the second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and to the second-jaw planar contact surface, is not in contact with the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface or the second-jaw planar contact surface, has a single point contact with the second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and does not intersect any one of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, the second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, or the second-jaw planar contact surface.

3. The wrench head according to claim 2 , further comprising a compression spring, located between the first jaw and the second jaw, and wherein the compression spring biases the second jaw relative to the first jaw from the open second-jaw orientation to the closed second-jaw orientation.

4. The wrench head according to claim 3 , wherein:
the second jaw further comprises a second first-jaw interface surface; and
the first jaw further comprises a second second-jaw interface surface, configured to contact the second first-jaw interface surface when the second jaw is in the closed second-jaw orientation.

5. The wrench head according claim 2 , wherein, when the second jaw is in the open second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw and the third jaw is in an open third-jaw orientation relative to the second jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and to the third-jaw planar contact surface, is not in contact with the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, intersects the third-jaw planar contact surface, and does not intersect the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface.

6. The wrench head according to claim 5 , wherein:
the third jaw further comprises a second third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface; and
when the second jaw is in the closed second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw and the third jaw is in the closed third-jaw orientation relative to the second jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, to the third-jaw planar contact surface, and to the second third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, has a single point contact with each of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and the second third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and intersects the third-jaw planar contact surface at only two points.

7. The wrench head according to claim 6 , wherein, when the second jaw is in the open second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw and the third jaw is in the open third-jaw orientation relative to the second jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, to the third-jaw planar contact surface, and to the second third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, is not in contact with any one of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface or the second third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, intersects the third-jaw planar contact surface, and does not intersect any one of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface or the second third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface.

8. The wrench head according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a torsion spring, located between the second jaw and the third jaw and biasing the third jaw relative to the second jaw from the open third-jaw orientation to the closed third-jaw orientation, and wherein:
a second-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, to the second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and to the second-jaw planar contact surface, has a single point contact with each of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and the second second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and intersects the second-jaw planar contact surface at only two points; and
when the third jaw is in the closed third-jaw orientation relative to the second jaw, the second-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and to the third-jaw planar contact surface, has a single point contact with the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and intersects the third-jaw planar contact surface at only two points.

9. The wrench head according to claim 8 , wherein, when the third jaw is in the open third-jaw orientation relative to the second jaw, the second-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and to the third-jaw planar contact surface, is not in contact with either one of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface or the third-jaw planar contact surface, and does not intersect either one of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surface or the third-jaw planar contact surface.

10. The wrench head according to claim 8 , wherein the torsion spring has a first leg, that engages the third jaw and a second leg that engages the second jaw.

11. The wrench head according to claim 8 , wherein:
the third jaw further comprises a third second-jaw interface surface;
the second jaw further comprises a third-jaw interface surface; and
the third-jaw interface surface is configured to contact the third second-jaw interface surface when the third jaw is in the closed third-jaw orientation.

12. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first jaw further comprises:
a first first-jaw tine; and
a second first-jaw tine, extending parallel to the first first-jaw tine;

the second jaw is coupled to the first jaw between the first first-jaw tine and the s

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Coffland Donald W

Classifications

• B25B13/5016

  by externally gripping the pipe · CPC title

• B25B13/28 Primary

  the jaws being pivotally movable · CPC title

• B25B13/08

  of open jaw type · CPC title

• B25B23/0007

  Connections or joints between tool parts · CPC title

• B25B13/481

  for operating in areas having limited access · CPC title