JPH0720260U - Universal wrench - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Correction) [Purpose] It is possible to easily cope with lids of various outer shapes and sizes, and to easily open the lid. [Structure] Two upper and lower substrates 2A and 2 each having a substantially circular plane shape
It is provided with three operating pieces 3A to 3C in the circumferential direction of B. Three
The actuating pieces 3A to 3C of the book are rotatably supported by shafts 4 supported by the substrates 2A and 2B at their respective longitudinal intermediate positions. Each of the operating pieces 3A to 3C is swung in the expanding or contracting direction by inserting a ratchet wrench or an impact wrench into the square hole 9 formed in the rotating operation part 7 and applying a turning force. Each engaging claw 5 is covered with an elastically deformable cap 21. Even if the outer shape of the lid is polygonal and the number of sides does not correspond to a multiple of 3, the cap 21
The portion of is deformed, and it is possible to reliably hold even the corner portion between the sides of the outer edge of the lid.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a universal wrench used for opening a polygonal lid having a different outer diameter, such as a lid for an automobile oil filter (filter cover).

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Generally, oil filters for automobiles are replaced at the time of maintenance and vehicle inspection, and this replacement work is done by opening the lid of the oil filter (filter cover). There are various sizes and shapes of the lid of the oil filter depending on the automobile manufacturer and the type of vehicle. For example, the outer shape has a 13-sided shape, a 14-sided shape, a 15-sided shape, or a circular shape. For this reason, manufacturers of maintenance tools for automobiles planned and sold a dedicated wrench for opening the lid of the oil filter, depending on the automobile manufacturer or vehicle type. However, planning and manufacturing dedicated wrench for each vehicle type and company would increase the product cost and inventory cost for the tool manufacturer.

Therefore, the applicant has previously developed and proposed the universal wrench shown in FIGS. 9 to 14. The wrench 1 is provided with two substrates 2A and 2B having a substantially circular shape as a whole, and is provided with three operating pieces 3A, 3B and 3C between the substrates 2A and 2B. The respective operating pieces 3A to 3C are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the respective substrates 2A and 2B, and the intermediate portions thereof are swingably supported by a shaft 4 supported by the upper and lower substrates 2A and 2B. Become. An engaging claw 5 protruding downward is provided at the tip of each of the operating pieces 3A to 3C. A gear portion 6 is formed at the base end portion of each of the operating pieces 3A to 3C (see FIG. 12). Of the two substrates 2A and 2B, the rotation operation unit 7 is rotatably supported at the center of the lower substrate 2B. A gear portion 8 that meshes with the gear portion 6 of each of the operating pieces 3A to 3C is formed on the peripheral portion of the rotating operation portion 7 (see FIG. 12). Further, a square hole 9 is formed on the upper surface of the rotary operation portion 7, and the upper surface side of the rotary operation portion 7 where the square hole 9 is formed is a hole formed at the center of the upper base plate 2A. It is exposed on the substrate 2A.

The universal wrench 1 thus formed is used by inserting the ratchet wrench 10 and the impact wrench shown in FIG. That is, in the universal wrench 1, for example, the ratchet wrench 10 is used to rotate the rotating operation portion 7 in the direction of the arrow A so that the engaging claws 5 of the respective operating pieces 3A to 3C mesh with the respective gear portions 6 and 8. Thus, the expanding operation is performed in the arrow B direction (see FIG. 10). On the other hand, by rotating the rotating operation portion 7 in the direction of arrow C, the engaging claws 5 of the respective operating pieces 3A to 3C are contracted in the direction of arrow D.

When the lid 12 of the oil filter 11 shown in FIG. 9 is opened using this universal wrench 1, first, the engaging claws 5 of the respective operating pieces 3 A to 3 C are attached to the outer edge of the lid 12. The engaging claws 5 are contracted so as to come into contact with each other, and then the ratchet wrench 10 is rotated in the direction of arrow C to apply a turning force in the direction of arrow C to the rotation operation portion 7. Then, the diameter of each engaging claw 5 is reduced in the direction of the arrow D, and the lid 12 is operated in the opening direction, so that the opening operation of the lid 12 can be performed. If this universal wrench 1 is used, it is possible to easily handle even a lid (oil filter) having an outer shape (diameter or number of peripheral parts) that differs depending on the car manufacturer and car model. It was said that the cost of manufacturing a dedicated wrench could be reduced.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by consideration]

 However, since the universal wrench 1 has three engaging claws 5 that expand and contract with respect to each of the boards 2A and 2B, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, the outer shape of the lid 12A is a multiple of three. If it is a 15-sided polygon, each engaging claw 5 corresponds to each side of the 15-sided lid 12A, and the lid 12A can be easily opened in the arrow direction. In the case of the 14-sided lid body 12B, one engaging claw 5 corresponds to the side portion, but the other engaging claws 5 have a problem corresponding to the side portion and the corner portion of the side portion. When the universal wrench 1 is used in such a state that the engaging claws 5 do not correspond to the respective sides of the lid 12B, the engaging claws 5 slip on the lid 12B and the lid 12B can be opened properly. It was supposed to be impossible. In particular, oil was often attached to the lid of an automobile oil filter, and it was supposed to be slippery. Further, even if the engaging claws 5 are located at the corners between the sides, when the force is applied to open the lid 12B, the corners may be deformed. There was also a cause of lowering the sealing property of the lid.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above-mentioned conventional inconvenience, and can easily cope with lids of various outer shapes and sizes, and the lid can be easily opened. That is the purpose.

[0008]

[Means for solving problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention is used to open a lid having an outer shape or a polygon having a shape of a triangle or more, and a flat plate-shaped substrate, and a constant interval in the circumferential direction of the substrate. Three or more are arranged, each of which has an intermediate portion pivotally supported at the peripheral portion of the substrate, and an operating piece provided with an engaging claw capable of engaging with the outer peripheral portion of the lid body at the tip side, and a central portion of the base plate. Is rotatably supported on the base plate and is engaged with the base end portion of each operating piece to pivot in one direction with respect to the board to expand the engaging claws of each operating piece in the detaching direction with respect to the lid. A rotation operation section that allows the engagement claws of the respective operation pieces to contract in the engagement direction with respect to the lid body by rotation in the other side direction with respect to the substrate, thereby enabling the opening operation of the lid body. It is a universal wrench that consists of an elastically deformable covering material that covers the engaging claws of each operating piece. One in which the.

A second aspect of the present invention is used to open a lid having a polygonal shape of a triangle or more and a circular shape, and an entirely flat plate-shaped substrate and three plates at a constant interval in the circumferential direction of the substrate. The above-mentioned arrangements, each of which has an intermediate portion pivotally supported in the peripheral portion of the substrate, and an operating piece provided with an engaging claw capable of engaging with the outer peripheral portion of the lid body at the tip side, and pivoting to the central portion of the substrate. It is supported by itself and is engaged with the base end of each actuating piece to rotate in one direction with respect to the board, thereby expanding the engaging claw of each actuating piece in the detaching direction with respect to the lid. A universal operating device that rotates the other side of the base plate to contract the engaging claws of each operating piece in the direction of engagement with the lid, thereby allowing the lid to be opened. It is a RENCH and the engaging claw of each operating piece engages with the lid between the board and each operating part. A spring material is interposed so as to be biased in the contracting direction.

[0010]

[Action]

 According to the first universal wrench of the present invention, even if the outer shape of the lid is polygonal and the multiple of the number of operating pieces does not correspond to the number of sides of the outer shape of the lid, the tip of the operating piece is provided. Since the engaged claws are covered with an elastically deformable covering material such as rubber or synthetic resin, the engaging claws are covered even when the engaging claws are located at the corners between the sides. The covering material is deformed, and the engaging claw can hold the lid in a stable state. Therefore, it is possible to easily cope with lids of various outer shapes and sizes, and it is possible to easily open the lid.

Further, according to the second universal wrench of the present invention, between the base plate and the respective operating parts, the sprags of the operating pieces are biased in the engaging / contracting direction with respect to the lid body. Even if the outer shape of the lid is polygonal and the multiple of the operating pieces does not correspond to the number of sides of the outer shape of the lid, the engaging claws are always attached to the lid because the plugging material is inserted. Since it acts on the engaging / contracting side, the lid can be held in a stable state. Therefore, it is possible to easily deal with lids of various outer shapes and sizes, and it is possible to easily open the lid.

[0012]

【Example】

 1 to 3 show a universal wrench according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This universal wrench 20 is provided with two substantially circular substrates 2A and 2B and three operating pieces 3A to 3C, like the universal wrench 1 shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 developed by the applicant. An intermediate portion of each of the operating pieces 3A to 3C is pivotally supported by a shaft 4 on each of the substrates 2A and 2B so as to be swingable. Further, a turning operation portion 7 is arranged at the center position of the boards 2A and 2B, and a square hole 9 for inserting a ratchet wrench or an impact wrench is formed on the upper surface of the turning operation portion 7. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a ratchet wrench or an impact wrench inserted into the square hole 9 is used to rotate the rotating operation portion 7 in the direction of arrow C, thereby engaging the engaging claws 5 at the tips of the respective operating pieces 3A to 3C. Is contracted in the direction of arrow D, and the engaging claws 5 are expanded in the direction of arrow B by rotating the rotating operation portion 7 in the direction of arrow A.

As shown in FIG. 2, a cap 21 is put on the engaging claws 5 at the tips of the respective operating pieces 3A to 3C. The cap 21 is made of an elastically deformable material such as synthetic rubber, natural rubber or soft synthetic resin. The cap 21 is provided with mesh-like irregularities on the inner side in a state in which the engaging claws 5 are encapsulated.

In this way, when the lid 12B (filter cover) of the oil filter of, for example, a 14-sided shape as shown in FIG. 3 is opened by the universal wrench 20 in which the engaging claw 5 is covered with the cap 21, The engaging claws 5 are brought into contact with the outer edge of the lid 12B, and then the engaging claws 5 are operated in the arrow D direction (diameter reduction direction). At this time, since the cap 21 as the covering material is formed of an elastic material such as rubber, when the engaging claws 5 are located at the corners between the sides of the lid 12B, the At the part, the cap 21 is elastically deformed (see FIG. 3), and the corners are in a state where the cap 21 is difficult to fit. As a result, the engaging claws 5 can hold the lid 12B in a stable state, and it is possible to easily deal with lids of various outer shapes and sizes and to open the lid. It can be done easily.

By the way, the applicant repeatedly formed a cap having various rubber hardnesses and repeatedly tested which hardness of the caps can open the lid 12B in a stable state. As a result, as shown in the table below, it was confirmed that any cap having elasticity in the rubber hardness range of 20 to 99 can smoothly open the lid. table

Further, the applicant has also changed the contact surface of the cap 21 with the outer edge of the lid body 12B from the mesh-like one described above to one having no unevenness, or having a corrugated shape as shown in FIG. 4, for example. The operability was also tested for those having a shape such as pattern A and pattern B in FIG. As a result, it was confirmed that in any case, when the unevenness was formed, the frictional resistance with respect to the lid body became larger and the lid body 12B could be opened better. Further, as shown in the cross-sections of pattern A and pattern B, it was confirmed that the concave-convex shape was wedge-shaped in the direction opposite to the opening direction of the lid body 12B, so that the friction resistance was further increased. It was found that the performance was improved.

FIG. 6 shows a universal wrench according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The universal wrench 22 has holes 23 formed at intermediate positions of the supporting portions of the shafts 4 in the circumferential direction of the substrate 2A, and the base ends of the hook-shaped springs 24 are attached to the holes 23. . The tip end of each hook-shaped spring 24 is hooked on the tip end side of the corresponding operating piece 3A to 3C, whereby the spring 24 is interposed between the substrate 2A and the operating piece 3A to 3C. . That is, the tip end side of each spring 24 slides in the direction of arrow E on the tip end side of each of the actuating pieces 3A to 3C as the actuating pieces 3A to 3C expand and contract, and the respective actuating pieces 3A to 3C move. A biasing force is applied to the tip end side in the contracting direction (the direction of arrow D) of the engaging claw 5.

According to the universal wrench 22 thus formed, even if the outer shape of the lid body 12B is not a multiple of 3 as shown in FIG. 3 (a 14-sided shape in FIG. 3), the engaging claw 5 has an arrow D. Since it is biased in the direction (opening direction of the lid 12B), it is possible to firmly hold the lid 12B. Further, since each of the operating pieces 3A to 3C is pivotally supported at the intermediate length position in a state of being loosely inserted in the shaft 4, there is some play with respect to the shaft 4, and the corresponding engaging claws 5 have sides. Even in the state corresponding to the corner portion between, the engaging claw 5 biased in the direction of the arrow D as shown in FIG. 8 can get over the corner portion and firmly hold the side portion. .

It should be noted that the spring provided on the tip side of the substrate 2A or 2B and the operating pieces 3A to 3C does not necessarily have the above-described configuration, and for example, as shown in FIG. The end may be supported on the shaft 4. Further, a tension spring may be interposed between the substrate 2A or 2B and each of the operating pieces 3A to 3C. If the cap 21 according to the first embodiment is covered by the engaging claws 5 of the universal wrench 22 according to the present embodiment, the lid 12 can be held more firmly. . Further, in each of the embodiments, the case of opening the polygonal lid is explained, but the same can be applied to the case of opening the circular lid.

[0020]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily cope with lids having various outer shapes and sizes, and it is possible to easily open the lid.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a universal wrench according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a front view of the universal wrench and showing a state in which the engaging claw is covered with a cap.

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view showing a state in which an engaging claw of a universal wrench is engaged with a lid (filter cover).

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another example of the cap.

FIG. 5 is a pattern diagram showing another example of the contact portion of the cap with the lid body.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a universal wrench according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a spring.

8 is a plan view showing a state in which a lid is held by an engaging claw of the universal wrench shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lid of the oil filter is opened by the universal wrench proposed by the applicant earlier.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a universal wrench.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the same.

12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a state where the engagement claws of the universal wrench are engaged with the 15-sided lid.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a state in which an engaging claw of a universal wrench is engaged with a 14-sided lid.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,20,22 Universal wrench 2A, 2B Substrate 3A, 3B, 3C Operating piece 4 Shaft 5 Engaging claw 6,8 Gear part 7 Rotating operating part 9 Square hole 10 Ratchet wrench 11 Oil filter 12, 12A, 12B Lid 21 Cap 23 Hole 24, 25 Spring

Claims (4)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A substrate, which is used to open a lid having a polygonal shape of a triangle or more and a circular shape, and a flat plate-like substrate, and three or more substrates arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the substrate. Is pivotally supported at the peripheral portion of the substrate, and an operating piece having an engaging claw capable of engaging with the outer peripheral portion of the lid body at the tip side, and rotatably supported at the central portion of the substrate,
By engaging with the base end of each actuating piece and rotating in one direction with respect to the substrate, the engaging claws of each actuating piece are opened in the detaching direction with respect to the lid body, and rotate in the other direction with respect to the substrate The universal wrench is provided with a rotating operation section that contracts the engaging claws of each operating piece in the engaging direction with respect to the lid body and enables the opening operation of the lid body. A universal wrench characterized in that the engaging claws are covered with an elastically deformable covering material. 2. The universal wrench according to claim 1, wherein the covering material is a cap-like material that encloses the engaging claws, and is made of rubber or synthetic resin material having a rubber hardness of 20 to 99. 3. The universal wrench according to claim 1, wherein a large number of concaves and convexes are formed at a contact portion of the covering material with the lid body. 4. A substrate which is used to open a lid having an outer shape of a polygon having a shape of a triangle or more and a circle, and three or more substrates each having a flat plate shape and arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the substrate. Is pivotally supported at the peripheral portion of the substrate, and an operating piece having an engaging claw capable of engaging with the outer peripheral portion of the lid body at the tip side, and rotatably supported at the central portion of the substrate,
By engaging with the base end of each actuating piece and rotating in one direction with respect to the substrate, the engaging claw of each actuating piece is expanded and opened in the detaching direction with respect to the lid, while rotating in the other direction with respect to the substrate. According to the universal wrench, the engaging claw of each operating piece is contracted in the engaging direction with respect to the lid body, and the pivoting operation portion that enables the opening operation of the lid body is provided. A universal wrench in which a spring member is interposed between the engaging claw of each actuating piece so as to be biased in the engaging / contracting direction with respect to the lid body.