Hand tool

Abstract

A hand tool has first and second tool legs that are connected in a pivot region and which overlap in an overlapping region both in an open state of the hand tool and in a closed state of the hand tool. The tool legs interact with a spring such that the tool legs can be pivoted, even beyond a basic open position, into an extended open position by the user in applying manual force against the force of the spring, the spring coming into action in the case of the additional pivot movement of the hand tool legs beyond the basic open position and/or in the case of a closing pivoting movement of the hand tool legs acts on different bearing surfaces of the hand tool legs.

Claims

1. A hand tool in the form of pliers having a first tool leg and a second tool leg rotatably connected to the first tool leg in a pivot region of the first tool leg and the second tool leg, each tool leg comprising a handle section and a jaw region integrated with the handle section forming a single piece, wherein the jaw regions have a cutting region formed near the pivot region, wherein said cutting region has a first cutting edge on the first tool leg and a second cutting edge on the second tool leg, wherein the tool legs interact with a spring that predefines a basic open position of the hand tool, wherein the tool legs are pivotable beyond the basic open position into an expanded open position by application of a manual force against a force of the spring, wherein the spring, which comes into effect during an additional pivoting motion of the tool legs beyond the basic open position and during a closing pivoting motion of the tool legs, acts upon different bearing surfaces of the tool legs, wherein the spring is provided in a groove in the handle sections of the tool legs, in an overlapping region of the tool legs near a pivot pin, wherein the groove is in form of a substantially pocket-like depression that starts at a sliding surface of the first tool leg and opens into a sliding surface of the second tool leg, the groove extending along the sliding surfaces of both tool legs substantially in a direction of a longitudinal spring axis.

2. The hand tool according to claim 1, wherein the spring is a cylindrical compression spring.

3. The hand tool according to claim 1, wherein one of the bearing surfaces is formed by an end face of one of the grooves, the one groove extending in the direction of the longitudinal spring axis (z).

4. The hand tool according to claim 1, wherein the spring is not visible in any of the closed state, the basic open position or the expanded open position of the hand tool.

5. A hand tool in the form of pliers having a first tool leg and a second tool leg rotatably connected to the first tool leg in a pivot region of the first tool leg and the second tool leg, each tool leg comprising a handle section and a jaw region integrated with the handle section forming a single piece, wherein the jaw regions have a cutting region formed near the pivot region, wherein said cutting region has a first cutting edge on the first tool leg and a second cutting edge on the second tool leg, wherein the tool legs interact with a spring that predefines a basic open position of the hand tool, wherein the tool legs are pivotable beyond the basic open position into an expanded open position by application of a manual force against a force of the spring, wherein the spring, which comes into effect during an additional pivoting motion of the tool legs beyond the basic open position and during a closing pivoting motion of the tool legs, acts upon different bearing surfaces of the tool legs, wherein the spring is provided in a groove in the handle sections of the tool legs, in an overlapping region of the tool legs near a pivot pin, wherein the groove is in form of a substantially pocket-like depression that starts at a sliding surface of the first tool leg and opens into a sliding surface of the second tool leg, the groove extending along the sliding surfaces of both tool legs substantially in a direction of a longitudinal spring axis, and wherein the spring is subjected to a compressive load when a load is exerted upon the tool legs in the closing direction, as well as when the load is exerted upon the tool legs beyond the basic open position in a direction of the expanded open position.

6. A hand tool in the form of pliers having a first tool leg and a second tool leg rotatably connected to the first tool leg in a pivot region of the first tool leg and the second tool leg, each tool leg comprising a handle section and a jaw region integrated with the handle section forming a single piece, wherein the jaw regions have a cutting region formed near the pivot region, wherein said cutting region has a first cutting edge on the first tool leg and a second cutting edge on the second tool leg, wherein the tool legs interact with a spring that predefines a basic open position of the hand tool, wherein the tool legs are pivotable beyond the basic open position into an expanded open position by application of a manual force against a force of the spring, wherein the spring, which comes into effect during an additional pivoting motion of the tool legs beyond the basic open position and during a closing pivoting motion of the tool legs, acts upon different bearing surfaces of the tool legs, wherein the spring is provided in a groove in the handle sections of the tool legs, in an overlapping region of the tool legs near a pivot pin, wherein the groove is in form of a substantially pocket-like depression that starts at a sliding surface of the first tool leg and opens into a sliding surface of the second tool leg, the groove extending along the sliding surfaces of both tool legs substantially in a direction of a longitudinal spring axis, wherein an interacting end of the spring interacts with the first tool leg during the closing pivoting motion of the tool legs in a direction of the closed position and interacts with the second tool leg during the additional pivoting motion of the tool legs beyond the basic open position in the opening direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the attached drawings that, however, merely show exemplary embodiments. A component, which is described with reference to one of the exemplary embodiments and not replaced with a different component in another exemplary embodiment, is therefore also described as a potentially existing component in this other exemplary embodiment. In the respective drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a hand tool in the closed position concerning a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a partial representation of the hand tool in the form of a top view;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged section along the line III-III in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a section along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3, in which the tool legs are held in a basic open position by a spring;

(6) FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail of the region V in FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a section along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 4, however, concerning the closed position;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 5 and concerning the tool leg position according to FIG. 7;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a sectional representation according to FIG. 6, which likewise concerns the tool leg position according to FIGS. 7 and 8;

(11) FIG. 10 shows another representation corresponding to FIG. 4 and concerning an expanded open position of the tool legs, in which they are pivoted beyond the basic open position according to FIG. 4 in the opening direction;

(12) FIG. 11 shows the enlarged detail according to FIG. 5, however, concerning the tool leg position according to FIG. 10;

(13) FIG. 12 shows a section according to FIG. 6, which likewise concerns the tool leg position according to FIG. 10;

(14) FIG. 13 shows a partial view of pliers according to another embodiment concerning the closed position;

(15) FIG. 14 shows another partial view of pliers according to a third embodiment concerning the closed position;

(16) FIG. 15 shows a view of a hand tool according to a fourth embodiment in the closed position; and

(17) FIG. 16 shows a view of another hand tool according to a fifth embodiment concerning the closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(18) A hand tool 1 with two tool legs 2 and 3, which are only partially illustrated, e.g., in FIG. 2, is initially described with reference to FIG. 1, wherein said tool legs are held rotatably relative to one another about a geometric axis of rotation x in a pivot region 4. The geometric axis of rotation x is defined by a pivot pin 5, which extends through the tool legs 2 and 3 in an overlapping region B.

(19) The first plier leg 2 forms a handle section 6 and the second plier leg 3 forms a handle section 7 on one side of the pivot region 4 whereas a jaw region 8 is formed on the other side of the pivot region 4.

(20) According to the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 12, the jaw region 8 specifically may have different functional regions that are formed behind one another, i.e. successively referred to a longitudinal line L-L. For example, a flat jaw region 9 may be formed on the side of the tip, i.e. on the free ends of the tool legs 2 and 3.

(21) The jaw region 8 may have a cutting region 12 near the pivot point, wherein said cutting region has a first cutting edge 13 on the first tool leg 2 and a second cutting edge 14 on the second tool leg 3.

(22) According to the first exemplary embodiment, a stripping region 10 may furthermore be provided between the cutting region 12 and the flat jaw region 9, wherein said stripping region comprises cutting formations 11 with different diameters in order to make it possible to strip wires with different cross sections.

(23) According to the illustrations in FIGS. 13 to 16, the hand tool 1 may also be realized in the form of so-called universal pliers, e.g. as illustrated in FIG. 13, wherein said universal pliers have a cutting region 12 and a flat jaw region 9, as well as a burner hole 15 formed between these regions.

(24) According to the illustration in FIG. 14, the hand tool 1 may also be realized in the form of wire rope cutters with a first cutting region 12, which lies opposite of the handle regions 6 and 7 referred to the axis of rotation x, and a second cutting region 16, which is formed between the handle regions 6 and 7 near the pivot point. In this embodiment, multiple crimping regions, in this case two crimping regions 17, may furthermore be provided along the longitudinal axis L-L.

(25) FIG. 15 shows a hand tool 1 in the form of cutting pliers, which accordingly have a cutting region 12.

(26) A hand tool 1 in the form of side cutters is illustrated in FIG. 16.

(27) Furthermore, the hand tool 1 may also be realized in the form of any gripping pliers, center or front cutting pliers, stripping pliers, cable pliers, crimping pliers or also wire strippers. The hand tool 1 particularly may be realized in the form of pliers or shears, in which the tool legs 2 and 3 overlap in an overlapping region B in any pivoting position of the tool legs.

(28) The tool legs 2 and 3 have planar sliding surfaces 18 and 19 that face one another, particularly in the jaw region 8, as well as in the overlapping region B and therefore in the pivot region 4. The cutting edges 13 and 14 are formed in the region of the sliding surfaces 18, 19. Accordingly, the bearing surfaces 18 and 19 of the tool legs 2 and 3 move along a shearing plane E, which is aligned transverse to the axis of rotation x, during a pivoting motion of the tool legs 2 and 3 about the axis of rotation x.

(29) The tool legs 2 and 3 interact with a spring 20, particularly a cylindrical compression spring, which predefines a basic open position of the pliers 1 or the tool legs 2 and 3, respectively. This basic open position is with respect to the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6.

(30) The tool jaw M formed in the jaw region 8 is opened in the basic open position (compare to FIG. 4). The gripping surfaces in the flat jaw region 9, as well as the cutting formations 11 of the stripping region 10 and the cutting edges 13 and 14 of the cutting region 12, are exposed in order to take hold of a part to be held or cut or to be stripped, respectively.

(31) In the basic open position, the leg sections defining the jaw region 8 assume an angle α between approximately 30 and 40°, e.g. about 35°, relative to the axis of rotation x.

(32) The spring 20 is provided in the overlapping region B near the pivot point, wherein each tool leg 2 and 3 initially comprises a groove 21, 22 in the overlapping region B for this purpose. The groove 21, 22 is respectively provided on the side of the handle section, namely in the form of an essentially pocket-like depression that respectively starts at the respective sliding surface 18, 19 and opens into the sliding surface 18, 19.

(33) With respect to a vertical projection into the cutting plane E, each groove 21, 22 is essentially formed along a circular arc section, wherein a geometric center of this circular arc section may lie within the overlapping region B.

(34) The radial width of each groove 21, 22 with respect to the axis of rotation x is identical to or preferably greater than the diameter dimension of the spring 20, e.g. by a factor between 1.2 and 1.5.

(35) According to a preferred embodiment, the circular arc length of each groove 21, 22 may correspond to the relaxed length of the spring 20 measured along a longitudinal spring axis z.

(36) Each end face 23 resulting in the extending direction of the groove 21, 22 forms a respective bearing surface 24, 25 and 26, 27.

(37) The depth a of each groove 21, 22 measured perpendicular to the shearing plane E and starting from the respectively associated sliding surface 18, 19 corresponds at least to half the diameter dimension b of the spring 20, preferably between approximately 1.1-times and 1.3-times the diameter dimension b.

(38) As a result of this design, a spring 20 realized in the form of a cylindrical compression spring lies in a spring chamber K that is completely enclosed by the two grooves 21 and 22 as illustrated in the sectional representation according to FIG. 6, wherein the shearing plane E extends through said spring chamber K about centrally referred to a direction extending transverse to the axis of rotation x.

(39) The respective interacting ends 28 and 29 of the spring 20, which are formed on the respective ends in the direction of the longitudinal spring axis z, interact with the respective bearing surfaces 24, 25 and 26, 27 of the grooves 21 and 22.

(40) In the basic open position according to FIGS. 4 to 6, the interacting end 28 of the spring 20 simultaneously acts upon the bearing surface 24 of the groove 21 in the first tool leg 2, as well as upon the bearing surface 26 of the groove 22 in the second tool leg 3. The other interacting end 29 simultaneously acts upon the bearing surface 25 of the groove 21 in the first tool leg 2, as well as upon the bearing surface 27 of the groove 22 in the second tool leg 3.

(41) As a result of this spring-loading of all bearing surfaces 24 to 27, the tool legs 2 and 3 are held in the basic open position when they are not subjected to any externally acting force.

(42) When the tool legs 2 and 3 are pivoted relative to one another from the basic open position according to FIG. 4, the grooves 21 and 22 are accordingly also rotated relative to one another, namely by correspondingly subjecting the spring 20 lying in the grooves 21 and 22 to a compressive load.

(43) During a pivoting motion of the tool legs 2 and 3 in the direction of a closed position of the hand tool 1 according to the illustrations in FIGS. 7 to 9, for example, one interacting end 28 of the spring 20 is acted upon by the bearing surface 26 of the groove 22 in the second tool leg 3 whereas the other interacting end 29 of the spring 20 is still supported, but in this position solely supported, on the bearing surface 25 of the groove 21 in the first tool leg 2 (compare in particular to FIGS. 8 and 9).

(44) The spring 20 is compressed in the closed tool position. Once an external force (holding force of the user) ceases to act upon the tool legs 2 and 3, the tool legs 2 and 3 are rotationally drawn back into the basic open position according to FIG. 4 as a result of the relaxation of the spring 20.

(45) Furthermore, an expanded open position according to the illustrations in FIGS. 10 to 12 can be reached from the basic open position according to FIG. 4 by pivoting the tool legs 2 and 3 beyond the basic open position in the opening direction. In this expanded open position, an aperture angle α between 70 and 80°, e.g. about 75°, can be reached between the leg sections defining the jaw region 8.

(46) During such a rotational motion from the basic open position, which is directed opposite to a pivoting motion into the closed position, the spring is subjected to a load by the bearing surface 27 of the groove 22 in the second tool leg 3 in the region of the corresponding interacting end 29, wherein the other interacting end 28 of the spring 20 is still supported, but in this case solely supported, on the bearing surface 24 of the groove 21 in the first tool leg 2. In the expanded open position, the spring 20 is compressed between the bearing surfaces 24 and 27 of the two grooves 21 and 22.

(47) Starting from the basic open position, the interacting end 28 of the spring 20 interacts with the bearing surface 25 of the second tool leg 3 during a pivoting motion in the direction of the closed position and with the bearing surface 24 of the first tool leg 2 during a pivoting motion into the expanded open position. The other interacting end 29 of the spring 20 also interacts in such an alternating manner. This interacting end interacts with the bearing surface 25 of the first tool leg 2 in the closed position of the hand tool 1 and with the bearing surface 27 of the second tool leg 3 in the expanded open position.

(48) The illustrations furthermore show that the spring 20 is neither externally visible in the closed position according to the illustrations in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7 to 9, as well as according to FIGS. 13 to 16 with respect to the other embodiments, nor in the basic open position according to FIGS. 4 to 6 or the expanded open position according to FIGS. 10 to 12. In fact, the spring 20 lies in a protected and concealed position.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(49) 1 Hand tool 2 First tool leg 3 Second tool leg 4 Pivot region 5 Pivot pin 6 Handle section 7 Handle section 8 Jaw region 9 Flat jaw region 10 Stripping region 11 Cutting formation 12 Cutting region 13 First cutting edge 14 Second cutting edge 15 Burner hole 16 Cutting region 17 Crimping region 18 Sliding surface 19 Sliding surface 20 Spring 21 Groove 22 Groove 23 End face 24 Bearing surface 25 Bearing surface 26 Bearing surface 27 Bearing surface 28 Interacting end 29 Interacting end B Overlapping region E Shearing plane K Spring chamber L Longitudinal line M Tool jaw a Depth b Diameter dimension x Axis of rotation z Longitudinal spring axis α Angle