Adjustable ratcheting socket wrench

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9475178-B2
Application number	US-201313961622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2013
Priority date	Oct 23, 2012
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

An adjustable socket that includes a housing, a rotatable member engageable with the housing such that the rotation of the rotatable member causes the housing to move upwardly or downwardly along the longitudinal axis, an adjusting collar engageable with the rotatable member and the housing, a plurality of jaws, a retainer, and a lock member. Each jaw is received in a corresponding one of apertures of the housing. The lock member is operatively connected with the rotatable member and is constructed and arranged to secure the adjusting collar to the housing and the plurality of jaws. The jaws are movable towards and away from the longitudinal axis of the housing through a range of positions upon the rotation of the rotatable member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable socket comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis, the housing having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough;
a rotatable member engageable with the housing such that the rotation of the rotatable member causes the housing to move upwardly or downwardly along the longitudinal axis;
an adjusting collar engageable with the rotatable member and the housing, the adjusting collar having a beveled surface;
a plurality of jaws, each jaw being received in a corresponding one of the apertures, each jaw having:
an inward face facing towards the longitudinal axis of the housing;
a beveled outward face facing away from the longitudinal axis of the housing, the beveled outward face being slidable on the beveled surface of the adjusting collar; and
a biasing element biasing the each jaw away from the longitudinal axis of the housing;

a retainer having a flange supportable by the housing and a protrusion extending from the flange between the jaws' inward faces, each biasing element extending between the protrusion and a corresponding one of the jaws; and
a lock member operatively connected with the rotatable member and constructed and arranged to secure the adjusting collar to the housing and the plurality of jaws;
wherein the jaws are movable towards and away from the longitudinal axis of the housing through a range of positions upon the rotation of the rotatable member, and
wherein the rotatable member is constructed and arranged to be movable relative to the adjusting collar to facilitate the movement of jaws towards and away from the longitudinal axis of the housing.

2. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting collar and the rotatable member are connected to each other using a snap-fit arrangement.

3. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , wherein the lock member is constructed and arranged to pass through apertures of the rotatable member, the housing, and the retainer for holding them together in an assembled configuration.

4. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , further comprising an externally threaded portion disposed on the housing that is constructed and arranged to engage with an internally threaded portion of the rotatable member so as to secure the rotatable member to the housing.

5. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting collar includes gear teeth disposed on at least an external surface portion thereon.

6. The adjustable socket of claim 5 , wherein the gear teeth are constructed and arranged to engage with a pawl of a ratchet wrench mechanism so as to allow the adjustable socket to ratchet in either a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction.

7. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , wherein each jaw includes a pair of opposing protrusions that are constructed and arranged to be received in a pair of opposing grooves formed in its corresponding aperture, when the jaw is received in its corresponding aperture so as to secure the jaw in its corresponding aperture and also permit movement of the jaw in its corresponding aperture.

8. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting collar and the rotatable member are connected to each other using a retaining ring arrangement.

9. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-rotation portion disposed on the adjusting collar, on the housing, or both, wherein the anti-rotation portion is constructed and arranged to navigate the housing move upwardly or downwardly along the longitudinal axis.

10. The adjustable socket of claim 9 , wherein the anti-rotation portion is constructed and arranged to maintain proper orientation between the adjusting collar and the housing and to prevent the housing from rotating about the longitudinal axis.

11. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member does not cause the adjusting collar to rotate with the rotatable member about the longitudinal axis of the housing.

12. The adjustable socket of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member is constructed and arranged to be rotatable relative to the adjusting collar to facilitate the movement of jaws towards and away from the longitudinal axis of the housing.

13. An adjustable ratchet socket wrench comprising:
a body;
at least one pawl arrangement disposed in the body; and
at least one adjustable socket comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis, the housing having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough;
a rotatable member engageable with the housing such that the rotation of the rotatable member causes the housing to move upwardly or downwardly along the longitudinal axis;
an adjusting collar engageable with the rotatable member and the housing;
a plurality of jaws, each jaw being received in a corresponding one of the apertures, each jaw having:
an inward face facing towards the longitudinal axis of the housing;
a beveled outward face facing away from the longitudinal axis of the housing, the beveled outward face being slidable on the beveled surface of the adjusting collar; and
a biasing element biasing the each jaw away from the longitudinal axis of the housing;

a retainer having a flange supportable by the housing and a protrusion extending from the flange between the jaws' inward faces, each biasing element extending between the protrusion and a corresponding one of the jaws; and
a lock member operatively connected with the rotatable member and constructed and arranged to secure the adjusting collar to the housing and the plurality of jaws;

wherein the jaws are movable towards and away from the longitudinal axis of the housing through a range of positions upon the rotation of the rotatable member,
wherein the adjusting collar comprising gear teeth disposed on an external surface portion thereon,
wherein the gear teeth on the adjusting collar are constructed and arranged to engage with a pawl of the at least one pawl arrangement so as to allow the adjustable socket to ratchet in either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, and
wherein the rotatable member is constructed and arranged to be movable relative to the adjusting collar to facilitate the movement of jaws towards and away from the longitudinal axis of the housing.

14. The adjustable ratchet socket wrench of claim 13 , further comprising a handle portion, and wherein the body and the handle portion are made from a composite plastic material or a nonferrous metal material.

15. The adjustable ratchet socket wrench of claim 13 , wherein the pawl has a pentagon shaped configuration and includes a first and a second set of gear engaging teeth disposed on a base of the pentagon shaped pawl.

16. The adjustable ratchet socket wrench of claim 15 , wherein the handle portion includes bent portions that are constructed and arranged to provide improved comfort and ergonomics to the user.

17. The adjustable ratchet socket wrench of claim 15 , wherein the adjusting collar does not rotate with the rotatable member unless the adjusting collar is used with the wrench.

18. The adjustable ratchet socket wrench of claim 15 , further comprising a ratchet switch member constructed and arranged to be attached to the pawl and to be movable between a first position and a second position to facilitate one-way rotational motion of the adjustable socket.

19. The adjustable ratchet socket wrench of claim 18 , wherein, when the ratchet switch member is positioned in the first position, the one of the gear engaging teeth sets of the pawl is configured to engage with the gear teeth disposed on the adjusting collar to permit

Assignees

• Stanley Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Pelletier Thomas
• Li Heather

Classifications

• B25B13/44

  of the chuck type · CPC title

• B25B13/463 Primary

  a pawl engaging an externally toothed wheel · CPC title

• B25B13/06

  of socket type · CPC title

• B25B13/461

  with concentric driving and driven member · CPC title

• B25B13/18

  by cam, wedge, or lever · CPC title