Wrench head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11247311-B2
Application number	US-201916660030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2019
Priority date	Oct 22, 2019
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A wrench head comprises a working axis, a first jaw, a second jaw, and a third jaw. The first jaw comprises a first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, a second first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, a third first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and a first-jaw planar contact surface. 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 third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wrench head, comprising:
a working axis;
a first jaw, comprising a first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, a second first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, a third first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and a first-jaw planar contact surface, located between the second first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and the third first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and wherein the second first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface is between the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface and the third first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface;
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 third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces; and
wherein:
a first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, to the second first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and to the third first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, has a single point contact with each one of the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, the second first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, and the third first-jaw arcuate convex contact surface, 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 surfaces and has a single point contact with each of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

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 any one of 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, does not intersect any one of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surface or the second-jaw planar contact surface, and intersects the second second-jaw arcuate convex 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 first first-jaw interface surface; and
the first jaw further comprises a first second-jaw interface surface, configured to contact the first first-jaw interface surface when the second jaw is in the open second-jaw orientation.

5. The wrench head according to 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 surfaces, is not in contact with any of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, and does not intersect any of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

6. The wrench head according to claim 5 , further comprising a torsion spring, located between the second jaws 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 surfaces and has a single point contact with each of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

7. The wrench head according to claim 6 , 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 surfaces, is not in contact with any of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, and is not in contact with any of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

8. The wrench head according to claim 6 , 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.

9. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular the first-jaw planar contact surface and intersects the first-jaw planar contact surface at only two points.

10. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces are two in number.

11. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first jaw 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 second first-jaw tine; and
the second jaw is configured to pivot relative to the first jaw.

12. The wrench head according to claim 11 , wherein the first jaw further comprises a first-jaw bridge, interconnecting the first first-jaw tine and the second first-jaw tine.

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

the third jaw is coupled to the second jaw between the first second-jaw tine and the second second-jaw tine; and
the third jaw is configured to pivot relative to the second jaw.

14. The wrench head according to claim 13 , wherein the second jaw further comprises a second-jaw bridge, interconnecting the first second-jaw tine and the second second-jaw tine.

15. The wrench head according to claim 1 , further comprising a wrench coupler, coupled to the first jaw and movable relative to the first jaw.

16. The wrench head according to claim 15 , wherein:
the wrench coupler comprises a detent-i

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Coffland Donald W

Classifications

• B25B13/28

  the jaws being pivotally movable · CPC title

• B25B13/481 Primary

  for operating in areas having limited access · CPC title

• B25B13/08 Primary

  of open jaw type · CPC title

• B25B23/0007

  Connections or joints between tool parts · CPC title

• B25B13/5016

  by externally gripping the pipe · CPC title