Torque wrench with improved handle and/or adjuster

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745319-B2
Application number	US-201917052911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2019
Priority date	May 25, 2018
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A torque wrench may include a head having a driving member configured to be operably coupled to a socket, a handle, a lever arm operably coupled to the head and the handle at respective opposing ends thereof, and a torque adjuster configured to enable a torque setting of the torque wrench to be adjusted. The torque adjuster may include a fixed member affixed to the lever arm and a movable member operably coupled to the fixed member. The handle may include a first end cap at a distal end thereof relative to the head and a second end cap at a proximal end thereof relative to the head, the second end cap being disposed proximate to the movable member.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A torque wrench comprising:
a head including a driving member configured to be operably coupled to a socket;
a handle;
a lever arm operably coupled to the head and the handle at respective opposing ends thereof; and
a torque adjuster configured to enable a torque setting of the torque wrench to be adjusted,
wherein the torque adjuster comprises a fixed member affixed to the lever arm and a movable member operably coupled to the fixed member, the fixed member and the movable member each having a first color on a periphery thereof,
wherein the fixed member includes reference markings etched therein and the movable member includes incremental markings etched therein, and
wherein the reference markings and the incremental markings are provided in a second color that is different than the first color, wherein the first color, the second color, and a surface of the lever arm visually contrast for readability of the reference markings and the incremental markings.

2. The torque wrench of claim 1 , wherein the first color is black and the second color is white.

3. The torque wrench of claim 1 , wherein the fixed member is a separate component form the lever arm and is affixed to the lever arm.

4. The torque wrench of claim 3 , wherein the movable member is substantially cylindrical with a hollow center having an internal diameter that is larger than an external diameter of an external periphery of the fixed member to permit rotation of the movable member around at least a portion of the fixed member.

5. The torque wrench of claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a first end cap at a distal end thereof relative to the head and a second end cap at a proximal end thereof relative to the head;
wherein the first and second end caps each have a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the handle.

6. The torque wrench of claim 5 , wherein the first end cap includes a first guide surface and the second end cap includes a second guide surface, the first and second guide surfaces sloping from the diameter of the first and second end caps to the diameter of the handle.

7. The torque wrench of claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a first end cap at a distal end thereof relative to the head and a second end cap at a proximal end thereof relative to the head;
wherein the handle comprises a grip portion disposed between the first and second end caps, where the grip portion comprises a knurled outer periphery over a majority of a surface thereof.

8. The torque wrench of claim 7 , wherein the grip portion comprises a guide trench disposed to extend annularly about a longitudinal midpoint of the grip portion.

9. The torque wrench of claim 7 , wherein the grip portion, the fixed member and the movable member are each formed of black anodized aluminum.

10. The torque wrench of claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises an end cap at a proximal end of the handle relative to the head;
wherein the end cap is configured to move as a pull collar relative to the movable member between a locked position and an unlocked position such that, when the end cap is in the locked position, movement of the movable member is inhibited, and when the end cap is in the unlocked position, movement of the movable member is enabled to adjust a torque setting of the torque wrench.

11. A torque wrench comprising:
a head including a driving member configured to be operably coupled to a socket;
a handle;
a lever arm operably coupled to the head and the handle at respective opposing ends thereof; and
a torque adjuster configured to enable a torque setting of the torque wrench to be adjusted,
wherein the torque adjuster comprises a fixed member affixed to the lever arm and a movable member operably coupled to the fixed member,
wherein the handle comprises a first end cap at a distal end thereof relative to the head and a second end cap at a proximal end thereof relative to the head, the second end cap being disposed proximate to the movable member,
wherein the second end cap is configured to move as a pull collar relative to the movable member between a locked position and an unlocked position such that, when the second end cap is in the locked position, movement of the movable member is inhibited, and when the second end cap is in the unlocked position, movement of the movable member is enabled to adjust a torque setting of the torque wrench.

12. The torque wrench of claim 11 , wherein the fixed member and the movable member each have a first color on a periphery thereof,
wherein the fixed member includes reference markings etched therein and the movable member includes incremental markings etched therein, and
wherein the reference markings and the incremental markings are provided in a second color that is different than the first color;
wherein the first color, the second color, and a surface of the lever arm visually contrast for readability of the reference markings and the incremental markings.

13. The torque wrench of claim 12 , wherein the first color is black and the second color is white.

14. The torque wrench of claim 11 , wherein the first and second end caps each have a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the handle.

15. The torque wrench of claim 14 , wherein the first end cap includes a first guide surface and the second end cap includes a second guide surface, the first and second guide surfaces sloping from the diameter of the first and second end caps to the diameter of the handle.

16. The torque wrench of claim 15 , wherein the first and second guide surfaces face each other from opposite ends of the handle.

17. The torque wrench of claim 11 , wherein the handle comprises a grip portion disposed between the first and second end caps, where the grip portion comprises a knurled outer periphery over a majority of a surface thereof.

18. The torque wrench of claim 17 , wherein the grip portion comprises a guide trench disposed to extend annularly about a longitudinal midpoint of the grip portion.

19. The torque wrench of claim 17 , wherein the grip portion, the fixed member and the movable member are each formed of black anodized aluminum.

20. The torque wrench of claim 11 , wherein the movable member is substantially cylindrical with a hollow center having an internal diameter that is larger than an external diameter of an external periphery of the fixed member to permit rotation of the movable member around at least a portion of the fixed member.

Assignees

• Apex Brands Inc

Inventors

• Beckwith Jonathan Siebert
• Cunningham Ian
• Butler Brian
• Steinweg Paul Stephen

Classifications

• B25B23/142 Primary

  specially adapted for hand operated wrenches or screwdrivers · CPC title

• B25B23/16

  Handles (in general B25G) · CPC title

• B25B23/1427 Primary

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• B25B13/463

  a pawl engaging an externally toothed wheel · CPC title