JP7781430B2 - Ratchet wrench - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench in which, when the head is rotated, an engaging claw engages with a rotated object, such as a nut or bolt head, housed in the rotated object housing of the head, locking and rotating the rotated object.

A ratchet wrench for tightening or loosening a rotated object such as a nut or bolt head has been proposed, which includes, for example, a head portion with a rotated object housing portion that surrounds the circumferential surface of the rotated object, and an operating (handle) portion for operating the head portion. The rotated object housing portion of the head portion is constantly pressed by a compression spring or the like, and the tips of engaging claws (engagement pawls) protrude toward the inner circumferential surface and engage with the circumferential surface of the rotated object, rotating the rotated object via the engaging claws (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In such a ratchet wrench, the guide groove that guides the movement of the latching pawl (engagement pawl) is arranged so as to be inclined relative to the direction perpendicular to the inner circumferential surface of the rotated body accommodation portion of the head portion, and the compression spring that constantly presses the latching pawl has a small elastic force that is only sufficient to engage with the outer circumferential surface of the rotated body, so that the torque for rotating the rotated body is received by the head portion via the latching pawl, thereby rotating the rotated body. Therefore, when the ratchet wrench is rotated in the opposite direction to rotate the rotated body in the reverse direction, the latching pawl (engagement pawl) that was engaged with the outer circumferential surface of the rotated body repeatedly advances and retreats, thereby exerting the ratchet mechanism.

Patent No. 5975270

However, in the ratchet wrench of Patent Document 1 mentioned above, the latching claws (engagement claws) that are movably housed in the guide grooves are constantly pressed by a compression spring or the like and guided by the guide grooves, allowing them to move back and forth freely. However, the compression springs that press the latching claws (engagement claws) do not have the elasticity to withstand the weight of the rotated object and are unable to hold the rotated object in place, which means the rotated object is prone to falling off or dropping from the head, resulting in poor work efficiency.

In particular, rotated objects such as nuts and bolt heads are not only made of metal and heavy, but are also relatively thin (short) in thickness (height). Therefore, when rotating the rotated object, the latching claws (engagement claws), which are constantly pressed by compression springs or the like, tend to easily drop or become dislodged from the head before engaging with the rotated object.

The present invention was developed to address these problems, and aims to provide a ratchet wrench that can reliably hold and rotate the rotated object without it falling off or dropping from the head.

In order to solve the above problems, the ratchet wrench according to the present invention has a rotated body accommodating section that accommodates a rotated body such as a nut or bolt head with its outer circumferential surface facing the inner circumferential surface of the rotated body facing the ratchet wrench, and is equipped with a head section having a guide groove section that extends at an angle relative to the direction perpendicular to the inner circumferential surface of the rotated body facing the ratchet wrench, and the guide groove section is provided with an engaging claw that is pressed by an elastic body so that its tip projects into the rotated body accommodating section and engages with the outer circumferential surface of the rotated body, and when the head section is rotated, the engaging claw locks the rotated body, causing the rotated body to rotate. The present invention is characterized in that a rotated body holding section is provided which moves relative to the head section by operation of the user to hold the rotated body , the guide groove section is provided with at least one of the front and back sides of the head section being open, the rotated body holding section covers at least one of the front and back sides of the head section which is open to the guide groove section, and is provided slidably relative to the head section, and is a slide cover which slides relative to the head section by operation of the user so that a part of it protrudes from the inner surface facing the rotated body and holds the rotated body .
Furthermore, in the ratchet wrench of the present invention, the sliding cover is slidably provided on both the front and back sides of the head portion, and is connected by a connecting pin that passes through the head portion, so that it is configured to slide integrally on the front and back sides of the head portion.
Furthermore, in the ratchet wrench according to the present invention, the head portion has a head-side tip opening at its tip that leads to the rotated body accommodating portion, and the head-side tip opening and the rotated body accommodating portion form a C-shape in plan view, and the slide cover has a cover-side tip opening that is the same shape as the head-side tip opening in plan view, and also has a cover-side central opening that is the same shape as the rotated body accommodating portion in plan view.
The ratchet wrench according to the present invention is also characterized in that the length of the sliding cover in the sliding direction at the cover-side tip opening is shorter than the length of the sliding cover in the sliding direction at the head-side tip opening.
The ratchet wrench according to the present invention is further characterized in that the head portion is provided with a handle portion rotatably connected to the head portion via a rotation shaft.

In the ratchet wrench of the embodiment according to the present invention, the head portion is provided with not only an engaging claw that engages with the rotated object and an elastic body that constantly presses the engaging claw, but also a rotated object holding portion that moves relative to the head portion when operated by the user to hold the rotated object such as a nut or bolt head.
Therefore, when rotating a rotated object such as a nut or bolt head, the rotated object holding portion can be operated to hold the rotated object, and then the rotated object holding portion can be locked with the engaging claws and rotated, making it difficult for the rotated object to fall off or drop from the head portion, and allowing it to be securely held and rotated, thereby improving work efficiency.

1 is a perspective view of a ratchet wrench according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a rotated body is not held by a slide cover. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a front slide cover is removed in a ratchet wrench according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A and 1B are a partially cutaway plan view and a side view, respectively, of a ratchet wrench according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3A and 3B are a partially cutaway plan view of the ratchet wrench according to the embodiment of the present invention with a slide cover removed, and a cross-sectional view of the essential part of FIG. 3A, respectively. 1 is a plan view of a head portion (with a slide cover) of a ratchet wrench according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a nut is housed in the head portion but the rotated body is not held by the slide cover. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a head portion (without a slide cover) of a ratchet wrench according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a nut is housed in the head portion but the rotated body is not held by the slide cover. FIG. 1A and 1B are a plan view and a left side view, respectively, of the essential parts showing a state in which a nut (T2≦T1) is accommodated in the head portion of a ratchet wrench according to an embodiment of the present invention and the nut is held by overlapping a portion of the slid slide cover on the nut. FIG. 10 is an oblique view showing a state in which a nut (T2≦T1) is accommodated in the head portion of the ratchet wrench of an embodiment according to the present invention, and the nut is held by overlapping a portion of the slid slide cover on the nut. (a) and (b) are a plan view and a left side view, respectively, of the essential parts showing a state in which a nut (T2>T1) is accommodated in the head portion of an embodiment of the ratchet wrench according to the present invention and the nut is held by being clamped between the slide cover and the rotated body accommodating portion of the head portion. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a nut (T2>T1) is accommodated in the head portion of the ratchet wrench of an embodiment according to the present invention, and the nut is held by being clamped between the slide cover and the rotated body accommodating portion of the head portion. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a ratchet wrench according to an embodiment of the present invention with a handle bent at 45 degrees and 90 degrees, respectively.

Next, an example of a ratchet wrench 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the ratchet wrench 1 according to the embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this, but can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. In the following description, a nut will be used as an example of the rotated object 2 rotated by the ratchet wrench 1.

<Configuration of ratchet wrench 1>
As shown in Figures 1 to 11, a ratchet wrench 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a rotated body accommodating portion 11a2 (see Figure 4(a) etc.) that accommodates a rotated body 2 such as a nut, and is composed of a head portion 11 that locks and rotates the rotated body 2 by engaging with the outer circumferential surface 2a of the rotated body 2 using a plurality of engaging claws 11a3 whose tips protrude and slide toward the inner circumferential surface 11a21 of the rotated body accommodating portion 11a2 that faces the rotated body, a handle portion 12 that is rotatably (foldably) connected to the head portion 11 and that is grasped by an operator, and a pair of slide covers 13, 13 that are slidably provided on the head portion 11.

Note that, as shown in Figure 3(b), when the height (thickness) of the head portion 11 is T1 and the height (thickness) of the rotated object 2 used, such as a nut, is T2, Figures 1 and 2 show the state in which T2 < T1, i.e., the rotated object 2 has a height (thickness) T2 that is less than or equal to the height (thickness) T1 of the head portion 11, is rotated.

(Head part 11)
The head portion 11 is composed of a head main body portion 11a that is C-shaped in plan view and has a head-side tip opening portion 11a1 that is open at the tip, as shown in Figures 2 and 4(a), and a connecting neck portion 11b that is formed integrally with the head main body portion 11a and extends toward the handle portion 12.

(Head main body 11a)
As described above, the head main body 11a is formed in a C-shape in a plan view, and includes a head-side tip opening 11a1 whose tip is open, a rotated body accommodating portion 11a2 that communicates with the head-side tip opening 11a1 and accommodates a rotated body 2 such as a nut, and has a rotated body-facing inner circumferential surface 11a21 that faces the outer circumferential surface 2a of the rotated body, and a plurality of (for example, ten in this embodiment, but not limited to ten) engaging claws 11a3 whose tip portions enter and exit from the rotated body-facing inner circumferential surface 11a21. The guide groove 11a4 opens toward the inner circumferential surface 11a21 facing the rotated body, extends at an angle relative to the direction perpendicular to the inner circumferential surface 11a21 facing the rotated body, and guides the forward and backward (sliding) movement of the engaging claw 11a3, a compression spring 11a5 housed in the guide groove 11a4 and constantly presses the engaging claw 11a3 toward the opening side of the guide groove 11a4, and a guide pin 11a6 and a connecting pin 11a7 that slidably fix the pair of slide covers 13, 13 to each other.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4(a), the head-side tip opening 11a1 is located at the tip of the head body 11a, on an extension of and parallel to the handle 12 and connecting neck 11b. The opening width W (see Figure 4(a)) of the head-side tip opening 11a1 is set to a width sufficient to allow the shank of a bolt (not shown) or the like to pass through, in accordance with the diameter of the shank of the bolt (not shown) that serves as the rotated body 2 or the bolt (not shown) that threads onto the nut that serves as the rotated body 2.

The rotated object accommodating portion 11a2 communicates with the head-side tip opening 11a1 and accommodates the rotated object 2, such as a nut, by having the tips of multiple engaging claws 11a3 protrude from the rotated object-facing inner circumferential surface 11a21, which faces the outer circumferential surface 2a of the rotated object 2, such as a nut. Its inner diameter is slightly larger than the diagonal distance of the rotated object 2, so it can accommodate the rotated object 2.

The engaging claw 11a3 is housed in the guide groove portion 11a4 so that it can slide back and forth, and is constantly pressed by the compression spring 11a5 toward the opening of the inner peripheral surface 11a21 facing the rotated body to engage with the outer peripheral surface 2a of the rotated body 2. As shown in Figure 6, the engaging claw 11a3 is composed of a large retaining portion 11a31 that slides back and forth in the guide groove portion 11a4 but prevents it from falling off, and a small claw body portion 11a32, the tip of which is rounded.

The guide groove portions 11a4 are grooves that open toward the inner circumferential surface 11a21 facing the rotated body with a width equal to the width of the claw body portion 11a32 of the engaging claw 11a3, extend at an angle relative to the direction perpendicular to the inner circumferential surface 11a21 facing the rotated body, and slidably accommodate the engaging claws 11a3. In this embodiment, ten guide groove portions 11a4 are provided, each accommodating an engaging claw 11a3 and a compression spring 11a5. Here, the guide groove portions 11a4 are provided with a large guide groove portion having a width substantially equal to the width of the retaining portion 11a31 of the engaging claw 11a3, and a small guide groove portion having a width substantially equal to the width of the claw body portion 11a32, so that the engaging claw 11a3, elastically compressed by the compression spring 11a5, does not fall out, as shown in FIG.

Here, as shown in Figures 2 and 4(b), the front side of the guide groove portion 11a4 in the head portion 11 is formed in an open state with no sides so that the engaging claw 11a3 and compression spring 11a5 can be installed or replaced within the guide groove portion 11a4. As will be described later, this open portion is configured to be covered by the front slide cover 13 of a pair of slide covers 13, 13 that serve as the rotated body holding portion. Furthermore, the back side of the guide groove portion 11a4 has a side (bottom) to accommodate the engaging claw 11a3 and compression spring 11a5 within the guide groove portion 11a4.

The compression spring 11a5 is housed behind the engagement claw 11a3 within the guide groove portion 11a4 and is an elastic body that constantly presses the engagement claw 11a3 toward the opening of the guide groove portion 11a4.

(Connection neck 11b)
The connecting neck portion 11b is formed integrally with the head main body portion 11a, extends toward the handle portion 12, and is rotatably connected to the handle portion 12. It is formed with the same width as the handle portion 12, and as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), etc., a head side connecting portion 11b1 is provided on the handle portion 12 side, which fits into the recess 12a of the handle portion 12 and is rotatably connected via the pivot shaft portion 11b11, and a long hole-shaped slide guide hole 11b2 is provided between the head side connecting portion 11b1 and the head portion 11a, through which a connecting pin 11a7 passes and which guides the sliding of the pair of slide covers 13, 13.

As shown in Figure 4(b), the head-side connecting portion 11b1 is provided with a cup-shaped curved ball fitting portion 11b12 that allows the head portion 11 to bend at a predetermined angle, such as 0 degrees, 45 degrees, or 90 degrees, relative to the handle portion 12.

(Handle portion 12)
The handle portion 12 is the part that an operator grasps when tightening or loosening a rotated body 2 such as a nut or bolt head, and has a recess 12a into which the head-side connecting portion 11b1 of the connecting neck portion 11b of the head portion 11 fits, as shown in Figure 3(a) and Figures 4(a) and (b), and the pivot shaft portion 11b11 of the head-side connecting portion 11b1 is rotatably connected.

In addition, the handle portion 12 is provided with an angle-setting ball 12b, the tip of which protrudes toward the recess 12a due to a compression spring 12c as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b) and fits into the ball fitting portion 11b12 of the head-side connecting portion 11b1. This allows the handle portion 12 to be kept bent at a predetermined angle relative to the head portion 11 as shown in Figures 11(a) and (b) described below.

(Pair of slide covers 13, 13)
The pair of slide covers 13, 13 are flat plate-like members that cover the front and back sides of about half of the longitudinal length of the head main body 11a and the connecting neck 11b, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, and particularly Figure 2, and are slidably arranged relative to the head main body 11a and the connecting neck 11b, and function as rotated body holding parts that hold rotated bodies 2 such as nuts and bolt heads.They are composed of cover main body parts 13a, 13a that cover the head main body 11a, and cover neck parts 13b, 13b that cover about half of the longitudinal length of the connecting neck 11b.

As shown in Figure 2, etc., the cover main body portions 13a, 13a are provided with a cover side tip opening 13a1 that is open at its tip similar to the head side tip opening 11a1, and a cover side central opening 13a2 that is connected to the cover side tip opening 13a1 and has a cover side central opening inner circumferential surface 13a21 that is formed in a shape in plan view that is substantially the same as the head side storage compartment inner circumferential surface 11a21 of the head main body portion 11a.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 to 4(a) and (b), four guide pins 11a6 protruding from the front and back surfaces of the head portion 11 are inserted into the cover main body portions 13a, 13a, respectively, and elongated guided holes 13a3 for the guide pins are provided that extend parallel to the opening direction of the opening at the tip of the head portion 11. Furthermore, two guide pins 11a6 protruding from the front and back surfaces of the head portion 11 are inserted into the boundary between the cover main body portion 13a and the cover neck portion 13b, respectively, and elongated guided holes 13a3 for the guide pins are provided that extend parallel to the opening direction of the opening at the tip of the head portion 11. The amount of sliding of the sliding cover 13 is determined by the longitudinal length of these elongated guided holes 13a3 for the guide pins. Specifically, in this embodiment, the longitudinal length of the guided elongated hole 13a3 for the guide pin is determined so that when the slide cover 13 is pulled all the way backward, i.e., in the α direction (see Figures 5, 6, etc.), the inner circumferential surface 11a21 facing the rotated body of the rotated body accommodation portion 11a2 of the head 11 coincides with the inner circumferential surface 13a21 of the cover-side central opening 13a2 of the slide cover 13, and so that when the slide cover 13 is pushed all the way forward, i.e., in the β direction (see Figure 7(a), etc.), the tip of the head 11 coincides with the tip of the slide cover 13.

The cover neck portion 13b is provided with a round connecting pin hole 13b1 through which the connecting pin 11a7 passes. The connecting pin 11a7 penetrates the slide guide hole 11b2 (see Figure 4) of the connecting neck portion 11b of the head portion 11 and protrudes from the front and back surfaces of the head portion 11.

In the ratchet wrench 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(a) and other figures, the length L1 (see Figure 3(a)) of the sliding cover 13 in the sliding direction at the cover-side tip opening 13a1 is shorter than the length L2 (see Figure 3(a)) of the sliding cover 13 in the sliding direction at the head-side tip opening 11a1. As a result, the difference between these lengths L1 and L2 makes it possible to recognize at a glance the sliding state of the pair of sliding covers 13, 13 relative to the head portion 11, as will be described below.

<Operation of ratchet wrench 1>
Next, the operation of the ratchet wrench 1 of the embodiment configured as above will be described.

(Unheld state of rotated body 2)
When rotating a rotated body 2 such as a nut using the ratchet wrench 1 of the embodiment, the pair of slide covers 13, 13 are slid in the direction α relative to the head portion 11 in advance as shown in Figures 5 and 6 until the six guide pins 11a6 of the head portion 11 abut against the left-side inner surfaces of the guide pin long guided holes 13a3 of each of the pair of slide covers 13, 13, as shown in the figure, and the rotated body 2 such as a nut is accommodated in the rotated body accommodating portion 11a2 of the head portion 11 of the ratchet wrench 1 and the cover-side central openings 13a2 of the pair of slide covers 13, 13.

At this time, when the rotated body 2 abuts against the tip of the engagement claw 11a3 protruding from the rotated body-facing inner circumferential surface 11a21 of the rotated body accommodation portion 11a2, the engagement claw 11a3 moves forward and backward in accordance with the engagement groove portion 11a4 of the head portion 11 while resisting the elastic force of the compression spring 11a5, and the rotated body 2 is accommodated in the rotated body accommodation portion 11a2 of the head portion 11 and the cover-side central opening 13a2 of the pair of slide covers 13, 13 in an engaged state where the tip of the engagement claw 11a3 abuts against the outer circumferential surface 2a of the rotated body 2.

In this state, that is, when the pair of sliding covers 13, 13 are slid in the α direction relative to the head portion 11, the contours of the inner circumferential surface 11a21 of the rotated-object accommodating portion 11a2 facing the rotated object and the inner circumferential surface 13a21 of the cover-side central opening 13a2 are approximately the same. Furthermore, the rotated-object accommodating portion 11a2 and the cover-side central opening 13a2 are larger than the outer diameter of the rotated object 2, and are only engaged between the tips of the engaging pawls 11a3 biased by the compression spring 11a5, and between the tips of the engaging pawls 11a3 and the inner circumferential surface 11a21 of the rotated-object accommodating portion 11a2 facing the rotated object and the inner circumferential surface 13a21 of the cover-side central opening 13a2. Therefore, similar to the ratchet wrench of Patent Document 1, the rotated object 2, such as a nut or bolt head, is likely to fall off or become dislodged from the head portion 11 due to its own weight.

(holds the rotated body 2)
Therefore, in the ratchet wrench 1 of this embodiment, the operator presses with his fingers the pair of slide covers 13, 13 serving as rotated body holders provided on both the front and back sides of the head portion 11, thereby sliding the pair of slide covers 13, 13 relative to the head portion 11 in the β direction (see Figures 7(a) and 9(a)), which is the opposite direction to the α direction (see Figures 5 and 6), thereby holding the rotated body 2 so that it does not fall or come off.

As shown in Figure 3(b), if the height (thickness) of the head portion 11 is T1 and the height (thickness) of the rotated body 2, such as a nut, is T2, the state in which the rotated body 2 is held by the slide covers 13, 13 will differ between when T2 <= T1 and when T2 > T1. Therefore, these two cases will be explained separately below.

(When the rotated body 2 is T2≦T1)
In the case of a rotated body 2 where T2≦T1, that is, when the height (thickness) T2 of the rotated body 2 such as a nut is equal to or less than the height (thickness) T1 of the head portion 11, when the pair of slide covers 13, 13 are slid in the β direction (see Figure 7(a)), the inner surfaces 13a21, 13a21 of the cover side central opening of the pair of slide covers 13, 13 enter the upper and lower sides of the rotated body 2, respectively, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, so that parts of the pair of upper and lower slide covers 13, 13 overlap with parts of the rotated body 2, thereby holding the rotated body 2.

As a result, when rotating a rotated object 2 whose thickness (height) T2 (see Figure 3(b)) is equal to or less than the height (thickness) T1 of the head portion 11, the rotated object 2, such as a nut or bolt head, can be prevented from falling off or dropping from the head portion 11.

(When the rotated body 2 is T2>T1)
In the case of a rotated body 2 where T2 > T1, that is, when the height (thickness) T2 of the rotated body 2 is thick and greater than the height (thickness) T1 of the head portion 11, when an operator presses with his fingers a pair of slide covers 13, 13 serving as rotated body holding portions provided on both the front and back sides of the head portion 11 as shown in Figures 9 and 10, and slides the pair of slide covers 13, 13 in the β direction (see Figure 9 (a)) relative to the head portion 11, the outer surface 2a of the rotated body 2 is clamped between the left side of the inner surface 11a21 facing the rotated body and the right side of the inner surface 13a21 of the cover side central opening, thereby holding the rotated body 2.

As a result, even when rotating a rotated object 2 such as a nut whose thickness (length) T2 (see Figure 3(b)) is greater than the height (thickness) T1 of the head portion 11 and which is considerably heavy, the rotated object 2 such as a nut or bolt head can be prevented from falling off or dropping from the head portion 11.

(Rotating the rotated body 2)
Then, when a rotated object 2 such as a nut held by a pair of slide covers 13, 13 with the head portion 11 of the ratchet wrench 1 is screwed onto the threaded portion of a bolt (not shown), there is no risk of the rotated object 2 falling off or coming loose from the threaded portion of the bolt (not shown), so the worker can release their fingers from the pair of slide covers 13, 13 provided on both the front and back sides of the head portion 11 to free the pair of slide covers 13, 13 from the head portion 11, or even slide the pair of slide covers 13, 13 backward in the direction α (see Figures 5 and 6), thereby ending the holding of the rotated object 2 by the pair of slide covers 13, 13.

After that, just like the ratchet wrench in Patent Document 1, when the worker grasps the handle portion 12 and rotates the ratchet wrench 1 clockwise, the engaging claws 11a3, whose tips abut against the outer peripheral surface 2a of the rotated body 2, are pushed by the outer peripheral surface 2a of each of the hexagons of the rotated body 2, such as a nut, in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the engaging claws 11a3 move forward and backward (slide). As the engaging claws 11a3 do not move forward and backward (slide), the rotational torque of the head portion 11 of the ratchet wrench 1 is transmitted to the outer peripheral surface 2a of the rotated body 2 via the tips of the engaging claws 11a3, causing the rotated body 2 to rotate.

After rotating the ratchet wrench 1 a certain angle, if the operator returns the ratchet wrench 1 in the opposite direction, i.e., counterclockwise (see Figure 8), the engaging pawl 11a3, whose tip abuts against the outer surface 2a of the rotated body 2, is pressed by the hexagonal outer surface 2a of the rotated body 2, such as a nut, and moves backward within the guide groove portion 11a4 while resisting the elastic force of the compression spring 11a5, causing the compression spring 11a5 to contract, or the compression spring 11a5 to expand and move the engaging pawl 11a3 forward. This process is repeated, allowing the ratchet wrench 1 to rotate counterclockwise while the rotated body 2 remains stationary.

When the angle of the handle portion 12 of the ratchet wrench 1 returns to near its initial angle, the worker again rotates the handle portion 12 clockwise to rotate the nut a predetermined angle, and once the rotated object 2 has been rotated a predetermined angle, the worker then rotates the handle portion 12 of the ratchet wrench 1 counterclockwise to return it to near its initial angle, thereby enabling the ratchet function to be exerted and the rotated object 2 to be rotated.

When using the ratchet wrench 1 to rotate the rotated object 2, if the rotation space for the handle portion 12 is narrow or there is an object interfering with the rotation, it is recommended to bend the handle portion 12 at a specified angle of 45 degrees or 90 degrees relative to the head portion 11 as shown in Figures 11(a) and 11(b).

<Summary of the ratchet wrench 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention>
As described above, in the ratchet wrench 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the head portion 11 is provided with a pair of slide covers 13a, 13a which are rotated body holding portions that slide relative to the head portion 11 when operated by the user and hold the rotated body 2 such as a nut or bolt head.

As a result, when rotating a rotated object 2 such as a nut or bolt head, the user can hold the rotated object 2 in the head portion 11 by sliding the pair of slide covers 13a, 13a, which serve as the rotated object holding portion, with their fingers or the like, and then lock and rotate the rotated object 2 with the engagement claws 11a3. This makes it difficult for the rotated object 2 to fall off or drop from the head portion 11, improving workability.

In particular, for a rotated body 2 with a relatively short axial length, i.e., where the height (thickness) T2 of the rotated body 2 is equal to or less than the height (thickness) T1 of the head portion 11, when the pair of slide covers 13, 13 are slid, portions of the upper and lower slide covers 13, 13 overlap with portions of the upper and lower sides of the rotated body 2, preventing the rotated body 2 from falling or coming off.This means that even a rotated body 2 with a relatively thin height (thickness) T2 can be securely held and rotated, improving workability.

Furthermore, in the case of a rotated body 2 such as a nut whose thickness (length) T2 (see Figure 3(b)) is greater than the height (thickness) T1 of the head portion 11 and which is considerably heavy, the outer peripheral surface 2a of the rotated body 2 is clamped between the inner peripheral surface 11a21 of the rotated body accommodating portion 11a2 of the head portion 11 facing the rotated body and the inner peripheral surface 13a21 of the cover side central opening 13a2 of the pair of slide covers 13, 13. This means that even a rotated body 2 with a relatively large height (thickness) T2 and heavy weight can be securely held and rotated, improving workability.

In addition, in the ratchet wrench 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the guide groove 11a4, which guides the advancement and retreat of the multiple engagement claws 11a3, is open only on the front side of the head portion 11, and of the pair of slide covers 13, 13, the front slide cover 13 not only slides relative to the head portion 11 to hold the rotated body 2, but is also configured to cover the open portion of the guide groove 11a4.

As a result, the slide cover 13 on the front side of the head portion 11 not only functions as a rotating body holder, but also has the function of covering the open portion of the guide groove portion 11a4, which not only improves workability but also reduces manufacturing costs.

In addition, in the ratchet wrench 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the upper and lower slide covers 13, 13 are slidable on both the front and back sides of the head portion 11 by the guide pin 11a6 and the guided elongated hole 13a3 for the guide pin, and are connected by the connecting pin 11a7 that passes through the head portion 11, allowing them to slide integrally on the front and back sides of the head portion 11.

As a result, when an operator slides either the upper or lower slide cover 13, 13 with their fingers or the like, the upper and lower slide covers 13, 13 slide together, holding the rotated body 2 housed in the rotated body housing portion 11a2 of the head portion 11, thereby improving work efficiency in this respect as well.

In addition, in the ratchet wrench 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the head portion 11 has a head-side tip opening 11a1 at its tip and a rotated body accommodating portion 11a2 having a rotated body-facing inner circumferential surface 11a21 formed in a C-shape by the head-side tip opening 11a1 in plan view, while the pair of sliding covers 13, 13 have a cover-side tip opening 13a1 at their tip and a cover-side central opening 13a2 having a cover-side central opening inner circumferential surface 13a21 that has the same shape as the rotated body-facing inner circumferential surface 11a21 in plan view by the cover-side tip opening 13a1.

As a result, the inner circumferential surface 11a21 of the head portion 11 facing the rotated object and the inner circumferential surface 13a21 of the cover-side central opening of the pair of slide covers 13, 13 have the same shape. Therefore, when a rotated object 2 such as a nut is not clamped, the inner circumferential surface 11a21 facing the rotated object and the inner circumferential surface 13a21 of the cover-side central opening are flush, improving the aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, when a rotated object 2 such as a nut is accommodated in the rotated object accommodating portion 11a2 and the cover-side central opening 13a2, there are fewer interfering parts and components, improving usability in this respect as well.

Furthermore, in the ratchet wrench 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 3(a) and other figures, the length L1 of the cover-side tip opening 13a1 at the tip of the slide cover 13 (see Figure 3(a)) is shorter than the length L2 of the head-side tip opening 11a1 at the head portion 11 (see Figure 3(a)).

As a result, the inner circumferential surface 11a21 of the head portion 11 facing the rotated object and the inner circumferential surface 13a21 of the cover-side central opening of the pair of slide covers 13, 13 are substantially identical in shape. However, the length L1 of the cover-side tip opening 13a1 in the sliding direction is different from the length L2 of the head-side tip opening 11a1 in the sliding direction. Therefore, when the inner circumferential surface 11a21 facing the rotated object and the inner circumferential surface 13a21 of the cover-side central opening are aligned without holding a rotated object 2 such as a nut with the slide cover 13, the front or back surface of the head portion 11 is exposed below the slide cover 13. When the slide cover 13 is slid relative to the head portion 11 to hold a rotated object 2 in the vertical direction such that the height (thickness) T2 of the rotated object 2 is equal to or less than the height (thickness) T1 of the head portion 11, the tip of the head portion 11 and the tip of the slide cover 13 are aligned. This makes it possible to see at a glance how the slide cover 13 is slid. This also improves usability and operational efficiency.

The ratchet wrench 1 according to this embodiment of the present invention further includes a handle portion 12 that is rotatably connected to the head portion 11 via a pivot shaft portion 11b11.

This makes it possible to change the angle of the handle portion 12 relative to the head portion 11 and rotate the tool even in narrow spaces or when there are obstacles around the rotated object 2, such as a nut, further improving usability.

In the above embodiment, the sliding covers 13, 13 on both the front and back sides of the head unit 11 are described as sliding to function as the rotating body holder, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible for the sliding cover 13 on either the front or back side of the head unit 11 to slide and function as the rotating body holder, or it is also possible for both the sliding covers 13, 13 on the front and back sides of the head unit 11 to be fixed to the head unit 11 with screws or the like, and for a rotating body holder to be provided separately from the sliding covers 13, 13.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the rotated body holding portion is not limited to the sliding slide covers 13, 13, etc., but may also be a pin that moves in and out of the inner peripheral surface 11a21 of the head portion 11 facing the rotated body, or a rotating or link-type clamping piece (not shown) rotatably provided on the head portion 11, which clamps the rotated body 2 between the clamping piece and the inner peripheral surface 11a21 facing the rotated body. In short, any configuration will suffice as long as, when the operator grips the ratchet wrench 1 to rotate the rotated body 2, the operator can operate the ratchet wrench 1 to press the rotated body 2 housed in the rotated body housing portion 11a2 of the head portion 11 against the inner peripheral surface 11a21 facing the rotated body and clamp it.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the head portion 11 and the slide cover 13 are provided with a head-side tip opening 11a1 and a cover-side tip opening 13a1, respectively, and are described as being C-shaped in plan view. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the head portion 11 and the slide cover 13 may of course form a ratchet wrench with a donut-shape (ring-shape) in plan view, with the head-side tip opening 11a1 and the cover-side tip opening 13a1.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ratchet wrench 11 Head portion 11a Head main body portion 11a1 Head-side tip opening 11a2 Rotated body accommodating portion 11a21 Rotated body-facing inner circumferential surface 11a3 Engagement pawl 11a31 Anti-slip portion 11a32 Pawl main body portion 11a4 Guide groove portion 11a5 Compression spring 11a6 Guide pin 11a7 Connecting pin 11b Connecting neck portion 11b1 Connecting portion 11b11 Rotating shaft portion 11b12 Ball fitting portion 11b2 Slide guide hole 12 Handle portion 12a Recessed portion 12b Angle setting ball 12c Compression spring 13 Slide cover (rotated body holding portion)
13a Cover body 13a1 Cover-side tip opening 13a2 Cover-side central opening 13a21 Cover-side central opening inner peripheral surface 13a3 Guided elongated hole for guide pin 13b Cover neck 13b1 Connecting pin round hole 2 Rotated body 2a Outer peripheral surface W Opening width

Claims (5)

A ratchet wrench having a rotated body accommodating section that accommodates a rotated body such as a nut or bolt head with its outer circumferential surface facing the rotated body and an inner circumferential surface facing the rotated body, and a head section having a guide groove section that extends at an angle relative to a direction perpendicular to the inner circumferential surface facing the rotated body, wherein the guide groove section is provided with an engaging pawl that is pressed by an elastic body to have its tip protrude into the rotated body accommodating section and engage with the outer circumferential surface of the rotated body, and wherein when the head section is rotated, the rotating body is locked by the engaging pawl to rotate the rotated body,
a rotated body holding portion that moves relative to the head portion by a user's operation and holds the rotated body ;
the guide groove portion is provided so as to be open on at least one of the front side and the back side of the head portion,
The ratchet wrench is characterized in that the rotated body holding portion is a slide cover that covers at least one of the front and back sides of the head portion where the guide groove portion is open, and is slidable relative to the head portion, and when operated by the user, slides relative to the head portion so that a part of it protrudes from the inner surface facing the rotated body and holds the rotated body . The ratchet wrench according to claim 1 ,
The sliding covers are slidably mounted on both the front and back sides of the head portion, and are connected by a connecting pin that passes through the head portion, so that they slide integrally on the front and back sides of the head portion. The ratchet wrench according to claim 1 ,
the head portion has a head-side tip opening at a tip thereof which is in communication with the rotated body accommodating portion, and the head-side tip opening and the rotated body accommodating portion form a C-shape in plan view;
The slide cover has a cover-side tip opening having the same shape as the head-side tip opening in a planar view, and a cover-side central opening having the same shape as the rotated body accommodating portion in a planar view. The ratchet wrench according to claim 3 ,
A ratchet wrench, characterized in that the length of the slide cover in the sliding direction at the cover-side tip opening is shorter than the length of the slide cover in the sliding direction at the head-side tip opening. The ratchet wrench according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
The ratchet wrench further comprises a handle portion rotatably connected to the head portion via a rotary shaft.