FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to tools designed for tightening or loosening fasteners, in particular bolts and nuts. More specifically, the present invention is an anti-slip wrench-type tool designed to engaged bolts, nuts, and other similar fasteners with little chance of slippage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hex bolts, nuts, screws, and other similar threaded devices are used to secure and hold multiple parts together by being engaged to a complimentary thread, known as a female thread. The general structure of these types of fasteners is a cylindrical shaft with an external thread and a head at one end of the shaft. The external thread engages a complimentary female thread tapped into a hole or a nut and secures the fastener in place, binding the associated components together. The head is the means by which the fastener is turned, or driven, into the female threading. The head is shaped specifically to allow an external tool like a wrench to apply a torque to the fastener in order to rotate the fastener and engage the complimentary female threading to a certain degree. This type of fastener is simple, extremely effective, cheap, and highly popular in modern construction.

One of the most common problems in using these types of fasteners, whether male or female, is the tool slipping in the head portion, or slipping on the head portion. This is generally caused by either a worn fastener or tool, corrosion, overtightening, and damage to the head portion of the fastener. The present invention is a wrench or wrench socket design that virtually eliminates slippage. The design utilizes a plurality of engagement teeth which efficiently transitions the contact point from the corners of the fastener to the sidewalls of the fastener, allowing for torque to be applied to the fastener in order to loosen it. The present invention may be used to tighten or loosen fasteners without worrying about stripping the corners of the fastener.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side-view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the present invention taken along line A-A in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the present invention taken about the oval Y in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a detailed view of the present invention taken about the circle C in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention taken along line A-A in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the alternative embodiment of the present invention taken about the oval X in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is an anti-slip wrench-type tool used to tighten or loosen a fastener such as a nut or bolt. Traditional wrench designs transfer the majority of the torque to the fastener through the lateral corners of the fastener head. Over time, the degradation of the lateral corners reduces the efficiency of transferring torque from the wrench to the fastener head and, as a result, causes slippage. The present invention overcomes this problem by moving the contact point to the lateral sides of the fastener head. This is accomplished through the use of a multitude of teeth. Each of the teeth is positioned to engage or â€œbiteâ€ the lateral surface of the fastener head instead of the lateral corner. This ensures an adequate amount of torque is transferred to the fastener head to initiate rotation and, resultantly, extraction or tighten the fastener. The present invention utilizes a multitude of teeth to engage the sides of the fastener head, damaged or otherwise, in order to efficiently apply torque onto the fastener. The present invention may be integrated into or utilized by a variety of general tools to increase the torque force applied to a fastener. General tools include, but are not limited to, open-end wrenches, adjustable wrenches, pipe wrenches, socket wrenches, plumber wrench, and other similar fastener engaging tools. The present invention is compatible with male-member based head designs of fasteners. Fasteners which utilize a male-member head design, also known as male fasteners, use the external lateral surface of the fastener head to engage a tool for tightening or loosening, such fasteners include hex bolts and nuts. In addition, the present invention is compatible with fasteners of a right-hand thread and fasteners of a left-hand thread. Furthermore, the present invention may be altered and configured to fit different types and different sizes of fasteners.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a wrench-type torque-tool body 1. The wrench-type torque-tool body 1 is used as the physical structure to apply a torque force onto the fastener head. In particular, the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 is a tubular extrusion sized to fit over the male fastener in an interlocking manner, essentially a wrench socket. The length, width, and diameter of the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 may vary to fit different sized fasteners. The wrench-type torque-tool body 1 comprises a plurality of internal sidewalls 2 and a plurality of engagement teeth 7. The plurality of internal sidewalls 2 is radially distributed about a pivot axis 13 of the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 in order delineate a cavity which receives the fastener head. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of internal sidewalls 2 includes six sidewalls configured into a hexagonal shape as seen in FIG. 4. Alternative number within the plurality of internal sidewalls 2 may be used to produce different shapes. The plurality of engagement teeth 7 prevents slippage between the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 and the fastener being engaged. Traditional wrench-type tools utilize the corners of the fastener head as the contact point in order to transmit torque to the fastener. Through the plurality of engagement teeth 7, the present invention effectively transitions the contact point from the corners to the sidewalls of the fastener head. This greatly diminishes any chance of slippage and allows the user to efficiently apply a torque force to the fastener. Additionally, positioning the contact point to the sidewalls of the fastener head prevents the fastener head from stripping.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the plurality of engagement teeth 7 is radially distributed about the pivot axis 13 of the wrench-type torque-tool body 1. The plurality of engagement teeth 7 is adjacently connected to the plurality of internal sidewalls 2. In one embodiment of the present invention, the number within the plurality of engagement teeth 7 matches the number within the plurality of internal sidewalls 2. In another embodiment of the present invention, the number within the plurality of engagement teeth 7 does not matches the number within the plurality of internal sidewalls 2. For example, in one embodiment, there are three from the plurality of engagement teeth 7 and there are six from the plurality of internal sidewalls 2. As a result, every other sidewall from the plurality of internal sidewalls 2 has a tooth from the plurality of engagement teeth 7. In the preferred embodiment, each of the plurality of engagement teeth 7 is adjacently connected to a corresponding sidewall 6 from the plurality of internal sidewalls 2 and each of the engagement teeth 7 is a prism, wherein the prism includes an altitude. This allows a contact point for the fastener to be at each of the plurality of internal sidewalls 2. Referring to FIG. 7, a prismatic altitude 14 for each of the plurality of engagement teeth 7 is aligned parallel to the pivot axis 13 to increase the amount of contact surface between the present invention and the fastener. In other words, each of the plurality of engagement teeth 7 extends from a top surface to a bottom surface of the wrench-type torque-tool body 1. Additionally, each of the plurality of engagement teeth 7 is oriented towards the pivot axis 13, seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6, in order to ensure that the plurality of engagement teeth 7 are the only parts of the present invention that come into contact with the fastener.

Referring to FIG. 5, each of the plurality of engagement teeth 7 is preferably centrally positioned to the corresponding sidewall 6 in order to transition the point of contact from the corners of the fastener to the sidewalls of the fastener. The central positioning between each of the plurality of engagement teeth 7 and the corresponding sidewall 6 allows for the present invention to tighten or loosen the fastener without potentially engaging the corners of the fastener head. A cross section 8 for each of the plurality of engagement teeth 7 is a quadrilateral shape. The quadrilateral shape includes a first base line 9, a second base line 10, a first leg line 11, and a second leg line 12. The first base line 9 is positioned coincident with the corresponding sidewall 6 and serves as the connecting point in between each of the plurality of the engagement teeth and the corresponding sidewall 6. The second base line 10 is positioned parallel and offset to the first base line 9. The first leg line 11 is connected in between the first base line 9 and the second base line 10. Similarly, the second leg line 12 is connected in between the first base line 9 and the second base line 10, opposite the first leg line 11. The quadrilateral shape is preferably symmetric along a central line, wherein the central line is oriented perpendicular to the first base line 9 and is centrally positioned in between the first leg line 11 and the second leg line 12. A symmetrical design ensures that the present invention performs equally when rotating the fastener in a clockwise direction or in a counter clockwise direction. Additionally, the junction between the first base line 9 and the first leg line 11 is preferably is a rounded corner. Furthermore, the junction between the first base line 9 and the second leg line is a rounded corner.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the quadrilateral shape tapers from the second base line 10 towards the first base line 9 in order to further yield a trapezoidal shape. As a result, the first leg line 11 is oriented at a first acute angle 22 with the corresponding sidewall 6, and the second leg line 12 is oriented at a second acute angle 23 with the corresponding sidewall 6. This creates a sharp corner between the second base line 10 and the first leg line 11 and between the second base line 10 and the second leg line 12. The sharp corners dig into the fastener head and increase the friction in between the present invention and the fastener, thus allowing for a more efficient transfer of torque force. More specifically, a length 19 of the corresponding sidewall 6 and a length 21 of the second base line 10 are at a ratio of three to one with each other to ensure adequate contact surface between the present invention and the fastener. Furthermore, a length 20 of the first base line 9 and the length 21 of the second base line 10 are at a ratio of 1.1 to 1 with each other.

Referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 10, in one embodiment of the present invention, the quadrilateral shape is more specifically a rectangular shape. In particular, the first leg line 11 is oriented perpendicular with the corresponding sidewall 6, and the second leg line 12 is oriented perpendicular with the corresponding sidewall 6 to yield the rectangular shape as seen in FIG. 9. The rectangular shape decreases pressure points in order to increase longevity for the present invention.

As mentioned above, the present invention may be designed to fit a variety of fastener designs. This is achieved by varying the number within the plurality of engagement teeth 7 and the number within the plurality of internal sidewalls 2 to compliment different types of fastener designs. The number within the plurality of engagement teeth 7 and the plurality of internal sidewalls 2 correspond to the number of sides of the fastener head. For instance, for a pentagon-shaped fastener, there are five elements within the plurality of engagement teeth 7 and the plurality of internal sidewalls 2.

In one embodiment, the present invention further comprises an attachment feature which allows an external torque tool to attach to the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 and increase the torque force applied to the fastener. In general, in this embodiment, the present invention is an alternative design for a wrench socket. Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention further comprises a cylindrical attachment body 15 and an engagement bore 16 that allows an external torque tool such as a ratchet handle to be attached to the wrench-type torque-tool body 1. The cylindrical attachment body 15 is centrally positioned around and along the pivot axis 13 in order to align with the axis of rotation of the external torque tool. Additionally, the cylindrical attachment body 15 is connected adjacent to the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 as seen in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 is preferably of a tubular design and a diameter of the cylindrical attachment body 15 is preferably slightly larger than a diameter of the wrench-type torque-tool body 1. The engagement bore 16 traverses into the cylindrical attachment body 15 along the pivot axis 13, opposite the wrench-type torque-tool body 1. The engagement bore 16 is shaped to receive a male attachment member of the external torque tool; the preferred shape is square as the majority of external torque tools utilize a square attachment member. In alternative embodiments, the shape and design of the engagement bore 16 and the cylindrical attachment body 15 may vary to be adaptable to different external torque tools and different attachment means.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 is directly integrated into a torque tool, a typical closed wrench design more specifically. Referring to FIG. 6, the present invention further comprises a wrench handle 17. The wrench handle 17 is peripherally connected to the wrench-type torque-tool body 1 and acts as a lever arm to substantially increase the torque force applied to the fastener. The length of the wrench handle 17 may vary depending on the torque force required; a longer wrench handle 17 produces a greater torque force and vice versa. Furthermore, the general shape, design, and material composition of the wrench handle 17 may also vary to accommodate the needs of the user. For example, the wrench handle 17 may be padded at various regions to alter the handling characteristics of the tool to increase ease of use and comfort for the user. Additionally, the present invention may further comprise a fastener-receiving hole 18 to yield a typical open-end wrench design. The fastener-receiving hole 18 traverses through the wrench-type torque tool body, perpendicular to the pivot axis 13. Additionally, the fastener-receiving hole 18 is positioned opposite the wrench handle 17, across the wrench-type torque-tool body 1. The fastener-receiving hole 18 allows the user to reach fasteners in tight spots where there is not enough space to adequately maneuver the present invention.

Additionally, the plurality of internal sidewalls 2 comprises an arbitrary sidewall 3 and an adjacent sidewall 4, wherein the arbitrary sidewall 3 represents any one of the plurality of internal sidewalls 2 and the adjacent sidewall 4 represents the sidewall directly next to the arbitrary sidewall 3. It is preferred that the arbitrary sidewall 3 is adjacently adjoined to the adjacent sidewall 4 by a curved corner 5.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.