Co-centric pin spanner tool

Abstract

A pin spanner tool for use with a driver having a center of rotation, the pin spanner having a driven arm, a floating arm, and a bolt connecting the driven arm and the floating arm, where the bolt has a center of rotation which is co-centric with the center of rotation of the driver.

Claims

1. A pin spanner tool for use with a driver having a center of rotation, comprising: an arm assembly comprising a driven arm, and a floating arm, said arm assembly having a center of rotation; and a bolt connecting said driven arm and said floating arm, such that said center of rotation of said driver aligns with said center of rotation of said arm assembly, said bolt including a drive slot which is configured to receive said driver, and said bolt further including a non-round outer profile which mates with a non-round inner profile of the driven arm such that torque is transferred from rotation of said driver to rotate said driven arm.

2. The pin spanner tool of claim 1, wherein: said driver is a square driver and said bolt has a square drive slot to engage said square driver.

3. The pin spanner tool of claim 1, wherein: said arms include pins which engage indents in an object to be rotated, which has a center of rotation, where a line connecting said pins and a line connecting said center of rotation of said arm assembly and said center of rotation of said object to be rotated intersect in a 90 degree angle.

4. A pin spanner tool for use with a driver having a center of rotation, comprising: a driven arm; a floating arm; and a bolt connecting said driven arm and said floating arm, said bolt having a center of rotation where said center of rotation of said bolt and said center of rotation of said driver are co-centric, said bolt including a drive slot which is configured to receive said driver, and said bolt further including a non-round outer profile which mates with a non-round inner profile of the driven arm such that torque is transferred from rotation of said driver to rotate said driven arm.

5. The pin spanner tool of claim 4, wherein: said driver is a square driver and said bolt has a square slot to engage said square driver.

6. The pin spanner tool of claim 4, wherein: said arms comprise an arm assembly having a center of rotation, said arm assembly including pins which engage indents in an object to be rotated, which has a center of rotation, where a line connecting said pins and a line connecting said center of rotation of said arm assembly and said center of rotation of said object to be rotated intersect in substantially a 90 degree angle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The purposes and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of an arm drive spanner of the prior art with a shock absorber;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of an arm drive spanner of the prior art with a shock absorber;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of a rear drive spanner of the prior art with a shock absorber;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of a rear drive spanner of the prior art with a shock absorber;

(6) FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of the co-centric pin spanner of the present invention with a shock absorber;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of the co-centric pin spanner of the present invention with a shock absorber;

(8) FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of the co-centric pin spanner of the present invention; and

(9) FIG. 8 shows an exploded isometric view of the co-centric pin spanner of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(10) The present invention is a pin spanner with drive and pivot which are co-centric, meaning that the center of axis of rotation of the drive aligns with the center of axis of rotation of the pivot of the arms. This will be referred to as a co-centric pin spanner and designated as co-centric pin spanner 41. When elements are unchanged from the previous tools discussed above, the numbering will remain the same. When an element is similar to a previous element, but with unique variations of the present invention, an effort will be made to use the same part number, but prefaced by the number 4, so that the previous arms 7, will be numbered arms 47, and so on.

(11) The co-centric pin spanner 41 is illustrated in FIGS. 5-8. In FIGS. 5-6, the co-centric pin spanner 41 is shown engaged with a torque wrench 11 and a shock absorber 2 having a reservoir 3 with indents 5. Referring now also to FIGS. 7-8, the co-centric pin spanner 41 includes two arms 47, one of which is a driven arm 48, and one of which is a floating arm 49. Together, these two arms will be considered as an arm assembly 50. There are two pins 46 mounted at the ends of the arms 47, which engage with the indents 5 (not visible here) in the reservoir 3. A bolt 9, having a square drive slot 13, passes through holes in the arms 47 and engages a nut 10, to hold the tool together. This particular bolt 9 has a octagonal outer profile 60, which mates with an inner octagonal profile 61 in the driven arm 48, so that when the bolt 9 is turned, the driven arm 48, turns. The floating arm 49 is not constrained and is free to rotate with the bolt rotation, and also is free to spread further or closer to the driven arm 48 to accommodate different indent 6 spacings. The profile is not limited to an octagonal profile, and could be of many other non-round profiles and variations.

(12) The torque wrench has a square protrusion or drive 12, (not visible), which engages the square drive slot 13, so that when the wrench 11 is turned, torque is applied to the bolt 9 to the arms 47, and through the pins 46 to the indents 5, and thus to the reservoir 3. The shape of the square drive is also not a limiting factor, and drives with other geometries are possible. The bolt 9 or the arm assembly 50 thus has a center of axis of rotation or arm pivot center 16, which is substantially aligned with the center of axis of rotation or pivot center 14 of the wrench 11. The substantial alignment of these two centers of rotation of the arm pivot center 16, and the pivot center 14 of the wrench drive, will be referred to as co-centric.

(13) As can be seen especially in FIG. 6, line 17 joins the co-centric centers of rotation 14, 16 to the center of rotation of the reservoir 3, and line 18 joins the two pins 46 or indents 5. Line 21 marks the centerline of the handle 11 and extends to meet the arm pivot center 14. Where these two lines 17, 21 cross, angle 19 can be seen to be at 90 degrees, thus using the formula recited above, the equation simplifies to R=T, or torque 1=torque 2, so the torque applied by the wrench equals the torque transmitted to the shock. The ratio of torques is 1:1, there is no magnification factor, and thus no need to recalculate the applied torque settings on the wrench. This greatly simplifies operations. Line 21 also corresponds with line 22 which lies at a 90 degree angle from the line 17 which joins the the co-centric centers of rotation 14, 16 to the center of rotation of the reservoir 3.

(14) The present invention 41 design keeps the square drive 12 location centered between the arms/pins, regardless of span adjustment position. Locating the square drive 12 in the pivot 16 of the spanner 41 keeps the tool compact. This reduces the length of the lever arm between the drive and the pins, in which the application of downward force and/or gravity to yield minimal pin lift out of the fastener/component.

(15) The arms 47 have also been configured with extra pin slots 66 for holding a variety of extra pins 68 of various sizes.

(16) While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation.